Concealed carrying in the Caribbean.

Concealed carry can be considered one of the most controversial methods of carrying a firearm. There are varying schools of thoughts on the topic with more than sufficient and plausible reasons on either side of the divide.

From my twenty years of experience in Law enforcement what is evident to me is that different modes of carry can depend primarily on three elements. The local laws, training, and individual preference. Of course there are many other factors as well but primarily these three elements set the foundation of conceal carry.

Now, let’s disect these three elements.The laws in your jurisdiction may strictly direct you to conceal your firearm when in public spaces. In other jurisdictions they may strictly direct you not to. In some countries of the Caribbean there may be no law or written policy which gives guidance on the issue. And without any written law or policy we can see the potential for misunderstanding. But where there are laws and policies they should be strictly followed.

How about training, yes, training the most abused word in the firearms community, and I say abused because most persons talk about training and the importance of it but in comparison to the amount of persons who actually train there’s a great disparity. I believe we can all agree that effective, and meaningful training is the foundation on which any responsible firearm owner/user should build competence. However it seems as though training has found itself at the bottom of the monthly or quarterly “to do list.” Yes we know training can be costly, after all when you look at it in terms of dollars and cents you’re basically paying to shoot your money into thin air. Which is why you should take the time and effort to seek quality cost effective training. There are many organizations that provide quality training my recommendation would be Hubris Tactical.

Staying just a little while longer on the topic of training let’s examine the great University of YouTube, lol. Yes YouTube is an excellent source of reliable information that can be of great benefit, the only downside is that it can also be an excellent source of mis information. Because of this firearms owners/users should be very skeptical of the training material and information they solicit there, because seriously, how can anyone really confirm the experience, expertise, or credentials of a YouTube channel its producer or its content. I have personally seen videos of so called firearms operators teaching some of the most ridiculous techniques in Firearms training and tactics almost to the point that I had to remind myself this is entertainment.

The new firearm holder may not know or understand the most basic information on gun handling and would not be able to tell the differences between what are right or wrong gun handling practices and therefore be easily mislead. This is one of the best reasons why as a first time gun owner you should seek training from qualified professionals.

Lastly let’s look at personal preference. In the CCW world reality can become distorted by personal opinions of others and best practices. But what I can say is that once you’re training at the right consistency and meaningfully with the right instructors you will be able to find that “effective comfort zone” you can operate from. We are all different, different heights, sizes etc… and as such the way we comfortably carry will vary. This is why it is so much more important to get the right training and equipment. The right training and equipment gives you perspective, it provides you with the knowledge that you need to make the best decision for you to be efficient.

In conclusion, the CCW holder in the Caribbean exists in a unique environment, from the climate to the culture. We are generally a uniquely peaceful people, though some of us might carry. We must demonstrate our ability to take reasonable steps to ensure we become and remain competent and consistent in gun ownership. The best way to achieve this is through meaningful training with qualified and experienced firearms instructors. Visit hubristactical.org and register today. Stay safe and keep training.