When They Can’t Carry

Written By Mia Anstine

2020

Offering non-lethal alternatives is essential for customers — regardless of sex — to protect themselves when
traveling through the "patchwork quilt" of firearms laws that vary by state. Products like the PepperBall Compact
Launcher, still under development, represent a comfortable (and comforting) option for women on the go.

You’ve seen the signs, maybe you carry them in your shop — “The average response time for a 911 call is 23 minutes. Response time for a 9mm is 1,350 feet per second.” Gun-store owners know this slogan is relatively true and support those who choose to arm themselves. But what about the times when your patrons aren’t allowed to carry their gun?

The places where we can’t carry seem to be increasing. As an instructor who travels around the country, it’s during those times carrying means the most to me — especially as a lone woman at a desolate truck stop in the wee hours.

I carry when and wherever possible as I travel from state to state. I used to spend a lot of time online researching concealed carry and firearms rules in each of the states I would be driving through. Then, I found a guide that makes the research simple. It’s one you might want to add to your counter space to help your clientele better understand firearms rules while they travel: “Legal Boundaries State By State — The Travel Guide For American Gun Owners.” It’s handy, and allows a user to look up the logistics and legalities of concealed carry across state lines. It has an alphabetical layout with sections indicating key legal points in each state. Additionally, it has tutorials, guides and articles to help answer common questions.

For example, I recently drove from Durango, Colo. (by way of New Mexico) to San Antonio, where I attended the NRA Women’s Summit. Before departing, I thumbed through the book and reviewed Colorado laws to test myself and see if I still knew the current rules: Open carry – check (I knew that one). Firearms at schools – check (I knew that one). Firearms at churches – check (I knew that one).
After reviewing my state’s list, I moved to New Mexico’s, then Texas’ to look at the Duty to Notify Law Enforcement rules, magazine capacity laws, firearms at hotels and other regulations. The process was quick and easy.

Jacob Paulson, ConcealedCarry.com owner and publisher of the guide, regularly provides updates for readers.

“The rules evolve, so we update the publication approximately every six months to keep it current,” he shared.

Abduction Attempt?

En route to the Women’s Summit and with my subcompact Remington Arms RM380 tucked into my waist holster, I pull into a truck stop along I-40. I pump diesel into my pickup and eye the scene around me. Even though I’m carrying, I’ve learned one of the best defenses is awareness.

I note there’s a man and woman who seem to either be upset with one another or agitated. Another male is accompanying the pair. The first man pushes the lady and walks to the south. She scoots away to a bench and takes a seat near the other man.

The vibe isn’t good.

I wonder if the group is going to approach me to ask for a ride, help or attempt to kidnap me. I try to pay attention to my intuition. These are scenes I work to avoid, but with a full bladder and the next stop about an hour away I replace the nozzle and proceed past the pair and enter the station.

Scanning the store, I beeline to the ladies’ room and check the row of stalls — empty. I close myself in a stall, relieve myself and prepare to book-it out of there. As I step out, the woman from the parking lot appears in the entrance — making her way inside.

I sidestep and zip past her. As I emerge into the hall the man is directly behind, following her into the restroom. On high alert, preparing for the worst but not knowing what it is, I keep moving. I glance behind me. They’re in the restroom, but where’s the other guy?

Scanning the gas pumps from inside the store, I click the remote start on my truck. I dart out, unlock my door, hop in, lock my doors and put it in drive. As I watch in the review mirror for followers, the location disappears. With my adrenaline pumping I contemplate the situation: My initial thought is it was their intention to abduct me.

Weeks later, a friend and I discuss the scenario. I aim to learn what I did right and wrong, but as I recount the situation we soon realize the woman may have been a human trafficking victim.

Staggering Numbers

According to the Human Trafficking Hotline, “Human trafficking is the business of stealing freedom for profit. In some cases, traffickers trick, defraud or physically force victims into providing commercial sex. In others, victims are lied to, assaulted, threatened or manipulated into working under inhumane, illegal or otherwise unacceptable conditions. It’s a multi-billion dollar criminal industry that denies freedom to 24.9 million people around the world.”

Sex trafficking numbers are staggering and they’re part of the reason why I carry a firearm when traveling.

In 2017, Polaris worked on 8,759 cases of human trafficking reported to the Polaris-operated National Human Trafficking Hotline and BeFree Textline. These cases involved 10,615 individual victims, nearly 5,000 potential traffickers and 1,698 trafficking businesses. Human trafficking is notoriously underreported. Shocking as these numbers are, they are likely only a tiny fraction of the actual problem. Visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org to learn more.

Since the memorable incident last fall, I’ve heard about multiple cases of women being approached and accosted at remote gas stations where I’ve stopped. One such station is on my drive to Las Vegas for SHOT Show. Since I can’t carry a gun in Vegas casinos, I don’t usually have a gun at those stops.

So, what can we do when we can’t carry our firearms?

Offer Other Solutions

Firearms aren’t the only self-defense item I keep with me. I’ve completed multiple self-defense classes and am always looking to learn from new courses. As a retailer, you can do your patrons a favor by posting reputable concealed carry and self-defense classes.

It also serves well to remind them in addition to their firearm, they should carry other items for protection. You need to stock a variety of apparatus they can use to protect themselves. Knives, tactical pens, flashlights and pepper spray are at the top of most people’s self-defense lists.

Danny Todd, owner of Avondale, Ariz.-based AZFirearms, said, “I always keep SABRE Red pepper spray on hand. With a gel spray, it’s one of the best and it’s something people can carry if they aren’t confident with a gun.”

Whether we carry a firearm, pepper spray or other item, we need to train with them. Dan Kidder, chief instructor at On Target Defensive Training (Cedar City, Utah), shared some starting points for dealers.

“Defensive knives are a good place to start,” he said. “Look also at carrying a tactical pen and pepper spray. The TigerLight with Bluetooth and GPS beacon is another good one.”

Knives, tactical pens, flashlights
and pepper spray are at the top
of most people’s self-defense lists.

Kidder is referring to the TigerLight D.A.D. (Defense Alert Device). He and other self-defense trainers suggest and use the pepper-spray device when they can’t carry a firearm.

Operation Underground Railroad (O.U.R.) Founder Tim Ballard travels the world rescuing trafficking victims. He and his team go undercover and oftentimes can’t carry a gun, but take the D.A.D. with them. With the touch of a button the Bluetooth device alerts and sends the user’s location to their entered emergency contacts and law enforcement officers in the area.

Consumers will often look for inexpensive, easy-to-pack items. The Compact by PepperBall is set to launch later in 2020, measuring 6.5″ in length and weighing in at 1.5 oz. It’s small enough to fit in a handbag or coat pocket. And it also comes preloaded with a Live SD PepperBall round, which has a standoff distance of 30′ and on impact produces a 12′ pepper cloud.

Other items inexpensive to inventory and don’t take up too much counter space are implements like the Cat Self Defense, MUNIO and Heart Self Defense keychains. These are accessible and unobtrusive for the users to carry, plus they’re easy point of sale add-ons.

By offering training and other personal-defense tools, your store provides a valuable service to women in your community. And, word travels quickly when it’s done well.

For customers uncomfortable with carrying (or unable to), what self-defense accessories are strong sellers at your store? Let the SI team know! comments@shootingindustry.com

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When They Can’t Carry

Abduction Attempt?

Staggering Numbers

Offer Other Solutions

Knives, tactical pens, flashlights and pepper spray are at the top of most people’s self-defense lists.

We think you'd be interested in this, too

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Knives, tactical pens, flashlights
and pepper spray are at the top
of most people’s self-defense lists.