Better yet….would you want the guy in the car behind you driving without a license?  We sure hope not!!  The same goes for firearms.  If you decide to carry a firearm for protection of life, limb, and property you definitely need to obtain your Conceal Carry Weapons Permit (if in fact it is legal to do so in your jurisdiction!!).

We received a request from a good friend of PSA to give brief insight into how responsible citizens can obtain their CCW permit.  Well Ms. Hicks…..as always we’ve got you covered!

The first thing we recommend is that you go on-line, locate, and print (or download and save) your respective state legislation regarding firearm ownership (usually a good place to start is with your official state government web page).  This will give you a good foundation for what is legal, or not, where you live.  Not only should you locate it, you should READ it, and understand it.  If you are unsure about something or some part of these laws, ask questions.  “I didn’t know” will definitely leave you in a pickle when you are on the witness stand in a court of law.

Once you understand the legal aspects of firearms ownership, and you decide that you want to carry for protection, it’s time to get licensed.  This is where being able to provide you guys with one single answer becomes a little tricky.  It’s like when our science teacher used to advise us to always use “it depends” as a good answer!!!  It most definitely and ultimately depends on where you live.  More especially where your drivers license is from.  Yes……that means your Aunt Sarah that has been living in Atlanta for 9 years, but still has driver’s license from Ohio and wants to get a CCW license for the State of Georgia, will have to get her driver’s license switched over (although Aunt Sarah should have done that a long time ago…shame on you Aunt Sarah!!!).

Once again, your official state webpage is a good place to start to find official information regarding licensing requirements.  Some states require a safety course and some do not.  Some states have long waiting periods and some do not.  Some states are required to issue (based upon some pre-requisites) and some are not.  The list goes on and each state is different.  One of the greatest online resources is www. usacarry.com .  Although this site is not an official guide, it does a wonderful job of being able to link users to their respective local jurisdictions and those jurisdictions’ on-line based resources.

Carrying a firearm is akin to driving an automobile in that you constantly have yours as well as the lives of others around you in the palm of your hands.  This is not something to be taken lightly, and you should always act in a responsible manner.  Ensuring that you are within the legal bounds of firearm ownership and possession is of utmost importance.  One rule of thumb is to make sure that you check with local law enforcement to ensure that you are in compliance.

***  If you are unfamiliar with firearms and/or their accessories, and want to learn more, PSA strongly suggests that you find, enroll, and attend a comprehensive and reputable firearms safety course. Firearms safety is all of OUR responsibility.  

We want to thank you for taking out the time to stop by our lane at the shooting range!!  We hope that you enjoyed your stay and hope that you stop back by early and often to catch up on all PSA updates!  We truly hope that we were able to hit the target, and if you ever have any questions please don’t hesitate to shoot them our way!!  We look forward to shooting the breeze with you soon again!!

And as always….remember to watch your six and stay low!!!