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CARRYING CONCEALED FIREARMS, Self-Imposed Limits

Chuck Klein © 2026

PREFACE:

           We’re trainers. We train others how to effectively, safely and efficiently protect ourselves and others with a firearm. This training includes having a means of lethal force readily available - on our person. Especially now that a large segment of society, including LEOs, reach maturity limits; concerns of age are significant. This poses the questions: Does one ever stop carrying a means of self-defense just because they are old? Are there reasons why one should stop carrying a concealed firearm? The answer to the first question: NO. The second: YES. If you’re lucky, you’re going to get old. Old, being defined as substantive losses of physical and/or mental competencies. Old is not numerical inasmuch as some might age-out in their 50s, others well into their 80s. The unlucky ones don’t get old.

THE CASE:

                      If you’re like me, age related stuff that is happening to the body and mind is easy to ignore. But ignoring realities often comes with unintended consequences. Entering my senior years, I took stock of my physical, mental and legal liabilities. It was a most sobering experience to question lifetime convictions, perceptions and skills with a handgun – a tool that could save lives of family, friends or even strangers when confronted with a lethal force situation.

           By the time I no longer pinned on a public shield, I was carrying a private badge. When I finally retired from a P. I. career, I continued to pack heat because, well, there were still a few miscreants out there who were carrying a grudge or detested my personal beliefs. Therefore, it seemed prudent to continue to depend on some means to self-protect. Inclusive of when I was a police officer, I’ve carried, or had close at hand, a firearm all my adult life – most of that time being before licensing and constitutional-carry laws and rules. I’ve packed everywhere, including airplanes (pre-1970), banks, bars, places of worship, hospitals.… Though I’ve never had to shoot anyone, I wouldn’t be writing this today had I not had a firearm on a number of occasions as a civilian, cop or licensed private investigator. The decision to forgo this virtual appendage was not easy to make.

 CRITERIA:

           1) Physical Abilities: Back in my P.I. days, I found a biker-guy who didn’t want to be found because he didn’t want the summons I had for him. As I stuffed the paper in his pocket, he grabbed a crowbar from the back of a pickup truck and advanced on me screaming, “I’m gonna kill you.” I backed away while drawing my concealed handgun. We both knew if the gun reached battery before the bar fell, he was a dead biker-guy. Fortunately…. If that was today, could my shots have been accurate? Hence a self-critiquing trip to the range to test the knack to center-mass double-taps at 7-yards - they weren’t, ah…quite in the center. I attribute this inability to a lessening of hand-strength/dexterity. I don’t have a crusher handshake anymore and arthritis has diminished movement of hands, wrists and elbows. In other words, the gun was not being held the way I’ve trained and, after each shot, it moved in my hand. During draw and fire, it was even worse!

           2) Mental Acuity: Recently, I’ve found myself in public places such as grocery stores, parking lots and restaurants in condition white - oblivious to the Glock on my hip. Even at home, I carried because: a) I could, b) we live on a farm where the nearest neighbor is a mile away, c) I still have enemies (paranoia doesn’t mean they aren’t after me); d) I subscribe to Umbaugh’s Law: “One either never carries, or one always carries, but one never sometimes carries”. [1]

           Routinely and instinctively I was always in condition yellow. Entering a public dining location, I’d survey the occupants, note exits/escapes the presence of sprinklers and I’d try to choose seating with my back protected and an expanded view of the area. I still try to do all that, but recently, sometimes I don’t remember in a timely manner. As a LEO, running toward danger was inherent. Now, I’m conditioning my weaponless-self that the best mindset, should an active-shooter event happen - shield my seatmates.

           Consciously and subconsciously, I have been inherently aware of the ‘ace’ on my belt – a power factor that projected command, confidence - the absence of fear, e.g., one can be afraid but have the wherewithal not to show it even to perceptive combatants. This aura has diffused many situations such as the time, in a unfamiliar city, I found myself, a 50ish white guy in casual clothes, walking through a dilapidated neighborhood where the only pedestrians were ‘hoodies’ hanging out on street corners. A tattooed gang-banger type, stepped from the sidewalk and said, “How ya doin’ officer”. I wasn’t a cop, but, without breaking stride, I looked him in the eye, nodded and turned my back on him. The hair on my neck raised but comforting was feeling the slight pressure on my kidney from the Colt Diamondback nestled in a leather, high-ride rig concealed by a loose shirt. I’m not confident of transmitting that image today. Many bad guys, just like LEOs, also have this sixth-sense about reading the opposition.

The secret to life is the ability to adapt to change.

           3) Liability: Unable to conduct reliable draw and fire exercises on the range and failing to remain in an alerted condition, I couldn’t expect to do well under the stress of a lethal force confrontation, ergo, I’m a liability to myself and others. I know that I’m responsible for each shot, but a miss that injures/kills an innocent because of a detectable disability is civilly, and possibly criminally, malum in se. Of course, if my age-related miss results in the bad guy offing me…my bad, but if I wasn’t armed, I wouldn’t have engage him in the first place.

CONCLUSION:

           No one is expected to maintain their youthful mental and physical capacities as they age … proficiency at shooting baskets is not the same as shooting guns where the liability of life or death carries more serious consequences than missing a layup. Incorporating aged-out discussions in LE and civilian training classes might prevent unintentional consequences of one using a firearm when competency has become deficient.

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About the author: Klein is a former LEO and retired licensed private investigator. He was police photography instructor for the Norwood, Ohio Police Academy and a level-6 staff instructor for Tactical Defense Institute. He is an active member of IALEFI (since 1999). Klein is the author of LINES OF DEFENSE, Police Ideology and the Constitution and INSTINCT COMBAT SHOOTING, Defensive Handgunning for Police plus other firearm and police related stories, articles and columns. His education includes a Bachelor of Laws degree. Contact and additional information may be found on his web site: www.chuckklein.com.

 

The author at a younger age. From the chest-ready position, three shots, three different targets (best time 1.08 sec). Competency is under 3-seconds AFTER the Beep! Note the expended case (a brass blur) from the 3^rd shot just above the left target. There are three puffs of smoke, the slide is locked open and my arms are returning from full extension.