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for many criminals. So I decided to go through the training and the range time and get my concealed carry permit. Let’s assume I have my concealed carry permit and a firearm I am capable of using. What kind of duty to retreat does a person have in relation to the use of deadly force? This will vary by state. Some states have no duty to retreat. You may need to check with an attorney in your own state to discover the applicable law. A person’s ability to retreat will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, depending on the person’s physical and mental capabilities. As is more common in the southern states, in Arkansas I have a duty to retreat under the law unless I am in my own home. However, my own ability to retreat is very limited because of my physical disability and so my duty to retreat would be evaluated based on that disability. What choices of weapons are available to me as a disabled person? Typically, a chemical spray (containing tear gas, a combination of tear gas and pepper spray, or pepper spray alone), a Taser (with a clean background check), a stun gun, or a firearm. The legality of each of the items listed varies by state and locality. Massad Ayoob, an expert in the use of firearms for law enforcement and self-defense, sums up the choices this way: “Guns are the only weapons that put a physically small or weak person at parity with a powerful, very possibly armed, criminal.” 6 That leaves a firearm as the most practical choice for a person with a disability. As with any of the above self-defense choices, hopefully, a person (especially a disabled person) can discharge the weapon accurately and effectively to avoid either being disarmed or attacked by the assailant. Fortunately, I have never had to find out. A disabled person will have more problems choosing a firearm than a Just who exactly is this sign protecting? non-disabled person. For example, in my situation, it would be impossible for me to use a shotgun to defend myself inside my own home. I have four fused discs in my neck. I would not be able to tolerate the recoil from a shotgun, so I must use a handgun instead. The questions I had to ask myself in selecting a handgun were: 1) Do I have sufficient grip strength to be able to hold the gun? 2) Can I hold the weight of the gun? 3) Do I have sufficient finger strength to pull the trigger? 4) Can I remember to disengage the safety when I need to? 5) Can I physically disengage the safety? 6) Do I have sufficient hand strength and control to load a magazine, put it into the gun, and remove it from the gun? 7) Do I have sufficient hand strength and control to pull the slide back? 8) Can I physically engage the safety? The answers to the above questions lead directly to the choice between an automatic pistol or a revolver. When I first purchased a handgun, I bought an autoloader. I was able to perform the critical tasks listed above. As time has passed, my ability to control my arms, hands, and fingers has decreased. I am reaching the point where an automatic is no longer a practical choice for me. Before too much longer, I will need to test and purchase a revolver. I cannot emphasize enough if you have a disability that affects the control and strength of your arms, forearms, wrists, hands, and fingers, make sure you go to a gunshop which will actually allow you to try the pistol before you buy it. On paper, any pistol will look like it will work, but don’t risk several hundred dollars on it. If you are disabled, you need to practice shooting with your pistol more than a non-disabled person would. It may be more difficult for you to learn the proper procedures for loading and unloading your pistol because of the pain, medication, or other distractions you have. I am guilty as charged on this. I don’t practice as much as I should. If you live in a state where concealed carry is allowed, one question you need to ask yourself is, “Where am I going to conceal the pistol?” If you use a wheelchair, a fanny pack designed for that purpose may be your best bet. 7 If you use crutches or a walker, then where to conceal the pistol and be able to access 1. Bruce N. Eimer. “Coping with Physical Disability in Concealed Carry and Defensive Handgun Training” Concealed Carry Magazine 4 (February/ March 2007): 38-42. 2. Gregor Wolbring. “Violence and Abuse in the Lives of People with Disabilities” International Centre for Bioethics, Culture, and Disability (1994): 1-5 www. bioethicsandsiability.org/violence.html (Accessed November 9, 2007). 3. Martin Wainwright. “Jail for ex-soldier who urinated on dying disabled woman” The Guardian (October 27, 2007): 1-3 www.guardian.co.uk/crime/ article/0,,2200320,00.html (Accessed November 9, 2007). 4. Randy LaHaie. “The Nuts & Bolts of Awareness: Learning To Detect Trouble” Self-Defense Articles (2002): 1-8 www.protectivestrategies.com/awareness. html (Accessed November 9, 2007). 5. “Concealed Carry” Pennsylvania Firearms Owners Association (February 25, 2007): 1 www.pafoa.org/concealed-carry/ (Accessed November 12, 2007). 6. Massad F. Ayoob. In the Gravest Extreme: The Role of the Firearm in Personal Protection. (Concord, New Hampshire: Police Bookshelf, 1980): 38. 7. Bruce N. Eimer. “Bear Arms In A Wheelchair” Concealed Carry Magazine 2 no. 8 (November/December 2005): 28. 8. Bruce N. Eimer. “Bear Arms In A Wheelchair” Concealed Carry Magazine 2 no. 8 (November/December 2005): 28-9. 9. Carolyn Boyles. A Complete Plain-English Guide to Living with a Spinal Cord Injury: Valuable Information From A Survivor (Lincoln, Nebraska: iUniverse, 2007): 305. 34 USCONCEALEDCARRY.COM n CONCEALED CARRY MAGAZINE n JULY 2008
it becomes a problem. A woman may be able to conceal the pistol in a purse specially designed for concealed carry. Otherwise, the options are the same as they would be for a person in a wheelchair: a concealed carry fanny pack, a belt holster positioned either on the hip or behind-the-back, or an ankle holster. 8 A behind-the-back holster may not be a good idea because of the possibility of pressure sores if you have a spinal cord injury. The locations where a person can legally carry a concealed weapon vary state by state. State and federal office buildings typically ban carrying weapons on their property. Private businesses may also prohibit carrying concealed weapons. Disabled individuals who wish to carry concealed have a problem when hospitals, clinics and doctors’ offices ban carrying concealed weapons. Disabled individuals spend more time than nondisabled people getting medical treatment. At any medical facility with a large parking lot, depending upon the level of security, a person may be at risk to be the victim of a crime. I am not advocating violating a medical facility’s rules about carrying a weapon. I do recommend that each person evaluate the safety risk of the situation and decide whether to carry a concealed weapon accordingly. As I stated in my book, “Spinal cord injury and being the victim of a crime have one thing in common. In both situations, most people think it will never happen to them. We’ve already been wrong once. Let’s not be wrong again.” 9 In my opinion, it is better to be a live defendant than a dead victim. n The author would like to thank Doug Wood of the Criminal Investigation Division of the Arkansas Insurance Department for his help in researching this article. [ Carolyn Boyles is a freelance writer. She discusses self-defense in her book, A Complete Plain-English Guide to Living with a Spinal Cord Injury: Valuable Information From A Survivor. Boyles can be reached at cboyles@aol.com. Her websites are www.carolynboyles.com and www.livingwithspinalcordinjury.com. ] JULY 2008 n CONCEALED CARRY MAGAZINE n USCONCEALEDCARRY.COM CONCEALED CARRY DISCUSSION FORUMS AND MORE usconcealedcarry.com 35
Page 1 and 2: REVIEW! RUGER LCP T H E U LT I M A
Page 3 and 4: CONTENTS 14 POCKET PROTECTOR The Ru
Page 6 and 7: LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Dear Editor:
Page 8 and 9: STREET TACTICS Stay back about six
Page 10 and 11: Compare that to looking and shootin
Page 12 and 13: SIG SAUER ® ACADEMY IS “MATCH GR
Page 14 and 15: Pocket Protector: The perfect pocke
Page 16 and 17: majority of owners will likely carr
Page 18 and 19: CCM PROFILE Josh Benson shoots with
Page 20 and 21: Josh fires an AR during the final q
Page 22 and 23: Bare As Comfortable to wear and at
Page 24 and 25: Whatever you do, keep your co your
Page 26 and 27: CONCEALED CARRY SAVES LIVES Part Tw
Page 28: Walther_PPS_GunWOrld 5/27/08 1:27 P
Page 32 and 33: and Conc Disabled, but not an easy
Page 36 and 37: POINT-COUNTERPOINT PHOTO BY OLEG VO
Page 38 and 39: the defender can feel misunderstood
Page 40 and 41: POINT-COUNTERPOINT Post If, in your
Page 42 and 43: FORCE-ON-FORCE NOTEBOOK 42 MOVE! Ge
Page 44: above and right: It is easier to dr
Page 47 and 48: Whoever remains from the panel is a
Page 49 and 50: JPFO LIBERTY CREW TAKE YOUR MONEY B
Page 51 and 52: Tracking target. Ten rounds are sho
Page 53 and 54: paraphrase Clint Smith, when have y
Page 55 and 56: Item No. Product Description Size Q

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