Concealed Carry Tactics: The Class Every CHL Holder Should Attend
As my Southwest Airlines flight taxied to the gate in sunny Phoenix, mixed emotions of excitement and trepidation dueled in my head.
By now, more and more in the shooting and military communities recognize my name as the gal responsible for ROBAR Guns content, social media and marketing. And this trip had three-fold purposes: I would speak about “Winning the Media War” at a Tea Party event; I would visit the ROBAR shop again; AND I would attend the Trident Concepts‘ Concealed Carry Tactics class.
I was equal parts elated and nervous about the CC class. Like many folks in the shooting, civilian community, I had learned to shoot initially from NRA certified instructors, had attended an NRA Basic Pistol class and passed both the written and shooting tests with flying colors.
I knew I could go to a range, keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, and, at my leisure throw some lead down range in a somewhat accurate group at closer distances.
But none of that prepared me for low-profile concealed carry, and concealed carry was the primary reason I learned to shoot.
As a relatively small woman (5’2″ and a buck 25) who lives alone, I wanted to take ownership of my own self protection and any innocents around me. I wanted to be a sheepdog.
ROBAR GM Freddie Blish LtCol USMC (Ret) had told me concerning Jeff Gonzales (highly decorated Navy SEAL and class instructor):
Jeff Gonzales, President and Owner of Trident Concepts, is a former Navy SEAL and Gunsite Range Master. He is one of the best instructors within the circle of “Tier One” Firearms Instructors. He also has the most demanding standards bar none. When I want to be challenged and pushed to the next level of my shooting abilities I train with Jeff, hands down.
ROBAR founder and owner, Robbie Barrkman, his wonderful wife, Lisa, and GM Freddie, have become great friends. Robbie is a world class shooter, Lisa is also an excellent shot, and Freddie is a Marine AND Gunsite Rangemaster. Enough said. All three encouraged me to have fun and enjoy every minute of the class.
Freddie supplemented the necessary loadout and drove me out to Cowtown Range Friday morning; the class was scheduled for 0800 - 1800 Friday through Sunday.
I scanned the area and quickly realized I would be the only woman in the class.
One attendee builds world-class 1911′s, another was a police officer, and all of the guys looked tactical to me. They soon learned that I was associated with ROBAR and would be taking pictures and writing about the event, and gave me permission to take their pictures.
What the others and Jeff may not have known at the onset, was that I was dead serious about improving my semi-auto pistol skills and learning, REALLY learning how to draw from low-profile concealed carry.
Jeff sat us all (me, Freddie, Danny, Mike, Rick and Jason…Shannon had a schedule SNAFU and joined up on Saturday) down for the 1st hour plus and explained that everything in the course would be based on military experience.
The tsunami of knowledge he poured out in that initial briefing was hard to assimilate: concealment levels, loadout based on threat condition, daily carry as a lifestyle, power v. concealment (recommended defensive rounds of 9mm, .40 and .45), continuity of weapons systems, method of carry (OWB, IWB, appendix, hip), holster material and more. Much, much more.
I kept telling myself:
“Tam…stay humble, remember every word. This dude is a warrior; pay attention!”
We also learned the range commands, some being:
“Shooters make ready” “Shooters, unload, clear and make safe” “Shooters ready…UP!”
