Why do they call it a GUN SHOW?

This is my rant after "people watching" at a Gun & Knife Show. We had rented a table to display and sell our self defense products. We were the only vender selling Non Lethal self defense products. Now, don't get me wrong, I am a firm believer in the Right to Bear Arms and I hold a CCF license. But, as I have stated in past articles, sometimes it is just not always practical to wear a handgun. Well, the show was very crowded. There were personnel at the door checking all guns to make positive that NO guns were loaded and all boxes of ammo were sealed. Each and every gun entering the building or displayed by a vender had to be secured with a bright orange security strap that prevented the action from working or the gun from being loaded.

The venders were under strict zero tolerance policy. If a gun was accidentally discharged, that vender would be removed and banned from any future gun shows. As for people watching, it amazed me how many men wore their guns as if they were ready for a fight, yet the guns were unloaded and secured with the orange strap. Some guys wore western style holsters with their six shooters in low ride ready for quick draw. I saw one guy with two colt 45 1911's in the back of his belt, and another one carried in the cross draw position in front.

Now if I was going to bring a gun or gun to a show like this, to sell, I would carry them in some kind of bag or gun case. But then maybe that's why the call it a Gun Show! The number one joke of the day was as follows. A man would be looking at my non lethal Stun Guns. I would recommend they get one for their wife. Nine out of ten guys would say, " No way would I buy something like that for my wife, she would use it on me!"

Seriously, most men would either say, they were there to get a gun for their wife or they would say their wife already had a gun. At that point I would comment, where are they going to keep the gun? How is she going to carry it? This is when I usually got a puzzled look from the man. The most common remark would then be, "in her purse".

When I showed the women the stun guns, most would be amazed how small and easy to carry the non lethal weapons actually were! A few women told me they carried a gun in their purse. Carrying a gun in your purse is dangerous! A gun in a women's purse is most likely going to be very hard to get to if they are attacked. It is more likely going to end up being taken by the bad guy. A gun that ends up in the bottom of a purse, covered up by tons of stuff most women carry, just will not be available and ready in a high stress situation.

Yes, there are specially designed women's purses which are designed to allow quick and easy access of a gun, but none of the women I talked to had one. One lady patted her purse with her hand and said, "I keep my 9mm right here." I noted that the purse was very large. It had a large flap over the top and was secured with two straps that looked like buckles, but were probably snaps. I cautiously mentioned to her,

"If someone was to grab you from behind, as most attackers do, how would you ever get to your gun in time?"

She defended herself by saying, "Oh, I would get it in time and use it if needed."

It is my own opinion and experience that a concealed weapon is not a quick draw weapon. The more it is concealed, the harder it is going to be to get to it in a hurry. This is where the non lethal weapons such as a pepper spray or stun gun can be so valuable. Today's non lethal self defense weapons are small, and easy to carry right in your hand. They are easy to learn how to use and are quickly brought to bear on an attacker. They can solve the "problem" and provide you time to escape or even "buy" time, disabling the attacker and allowing you to then access your firearm if it is still needed.

A non lethal weapon such as a stun gun which is disguised as a flash light or cell phone is so easy to carry right in your hand as you walk to your car after work or leaving the mall. This is when you will be most vulnerable, at night, walking alone in a parking lot.

Every single mugging, I investigated as a deputy sheriff in Southwest Florida, was in a parking lot. Parking garages also provide a target rich environment for the bad guys. Most purse snatchings, I worked, occurred in the daytime. Carrying a handgun open and ready at times like this is a great way to defend yourself, BUT NOT very practicable. It may even get you in trouble, if not with the police, it will definitely draw attention from bystanders.

A stun gun flash light or cell phone, will go totally unnoticed, unless and until you really need it. Don't be like the guys at the gun show. You can't really show off your self defense weapon in public, whether its a firearm or a non lethal defense weapon.