Heads up, Protector:
When it comes to concealed carry, some of the most dangerous advice sounds perfectly reasonable.
But these myths could put you in prison…
(And, chances are, you may believe at least one of them.)
Myth #1: “If they’re on my property, I can shoot.”
In Indiana, a homeowner was charged after shooting through his front door after dark at someone trying to “break in”.
The homeowner may have feared for his life.
But the intruder turned out to be a house cleaner who had gone to the wrong address and was trying to unlock the door by mistake.
Bottom line:
Your property line is not a magic legal force field.
And a trespasser is not automatically a deadly threat.
Myth #2: “Stand Your Ground means I never have to back down.”
Stand Your Ground does not mean “stand there and argue.”
It does NOT protect someone who turns an avoidable confrontation into a deadly one.
Bottom line:
The best fight is still the one you never get into.
Myth #3: “A warning shot is the safer option.”
Marissa Alexander became a national example of how complicated “warning shots” can get.
She said she fired a warning shot during a domestic dispute with her estranged husband…
She was convicted of aggravated assault and originally received a 20-year sentence before later reaching a plea deal.1
Bottom line:
A warning shot may still be treated like deadly force.
And if deadly force was not justified…
Or the bullet endangered innocent bystanders…
That “merciful” shot may show you no mercy.
Myth #4: “I’ll just show my gun and scare him off.”
Drawing a gun for anything other than lawful self-defense can lead to legal consequences, including brandishing charges.
Bottom line:
Your firearm is NOT a warning; it’s a last resort.
Myth #5: “I’ll just say I feared for my life.”
Those words are not magic.
The question is not only whether you were afraid.
The question is whether your fear was reasonable.
Bottom Line:
After a self-defense incident, investigators or a jury won’t just ask what you felt…
They’ll ask what a reasonable person would have believed, done, and feared in that exact moment.
Myth #6: “If I’m attacked, anything I do is justified self-defense.”
Most attorneys would tell you that self-defense generally applies only when the threat is life-threatening and imminent.
Bottom Line:
If the threat isn’t immediate – or the attacker attempts an escape – your justification may stop, too.
Myth #7: “The gun I carry doesn’t matter.”
Legally owned is one thing.
Easily explained in court is another.
According to USCCA Network Attorney Stephen Lieberman, the type of gun you carry, modifications, ammo, political messaging on grips…
(And, for that matter, your bumper stickers, T-shirts, and social media posts)...
May all be examined after a shooting...
And could cast you and your intentions in a bad light.
Fair?
Maybe not.
Real?
Definitely.
Bottom line:
Carry concealed – and carry yourself – in a way that you can clearly and calmly explain.
