My Old New Kentucky Home
Kentucky! I live in Louisville now. Love it here!
I’m excited. For the first time in my life I live in a state that doesn’t foster an institutional hostility toward the Second Amendment. After growing up in Western New York, (Home of the SAFE Act, Michael Bloomberg, Chuck Schumer) and then moving to Southern California (The land of Dianne Feinstein, Nancy Pelosi, Leland Yee), I finally moved to a free state that doesn’t aggressively infringe on one’s right to keep and bear arms.
I now live in Jefferson County, Kentucky. I moved to KY back in February after my (sweet and loving) girlfriend got a job with the state police. What can I say, I love Kentucky. Within a matter of weeks, I got bit by the bourbon bug, subsumed by the college basketball scene (Go Cards!), and enchanted by the equestrian mecca that is Churchill Downs. Kentucky is a very welcoming place. There is a lot to do and a lot of great people to do stuff with. Plus, it’s a great place to be if you’re a gun owner, sportsmen, collector, enthusiast. Kentucky is an unabashedly and an unapologetically pro-gun state.
What’s cool about Kentucky is that I actually don’t need to get a permit to carry a firearm outside the home. I can’t carry concealed without one but I can carry openly. That’s correct, open carry in the Bluegrass State is perfectly legal for both handguns and long guns, provided you’re not a prohibited person. I’m not (a felon, mental defective, minor, drug addict, etc.), so I’m good to go. But due to the restrictive may-issue laws in my former places of residence I’ve never actually had a concealed-carry permit nor have I gone through the process, so I feel compelled now to get one. After all, I’m a gun writer and an advocate for the Second Amendment. It only makes sense for me to practice what I’ve been preaching for so long.
The Series
I know I’m not the only person out there embarking on this noble quest. For that reason, I’m going to document my experiences in several articles instead of trying to cram it all into one piece after the fact. The advantage of chronicling it this way is that folks who are also thinking about getting a concealed carry permit will have a soup-to-nuts reference for the entire process. Moreover, it will give me a chance to receive feedback from you, the readers, along the way. See, while I am confident in my knowledge of the law, my skill set as a shooter, my experience in writing about concealed carry issues, I’m not going to pretend I know it all. As with everything I write, it’s always a two-way street. I say my piece and you give me your feedback and we all learn something new, hopefully.
This is the first installment. For right now, I have the other articles scheduled out below as a sort of guideline of what you can expect. Though, the list is subject to change.
Ep. 1: Introduction Why Carry — Introspection on why I want to join the 12 million Americans who have taken the plunge and obtained a license to carry concealed.
Ep. 2: Choosing the Gun — A look at various options for concealed carry. What handgun I’m leaning toward, pricing, cost/benefit of each platform.
Ep. 3: Buying the Gun on GunsAmerica — Sure, a shameless plug for the GA retail site. But I’m going to go step-by-step to show how easy it is to purchase a gun on GunsAmerica.
Ep. 4: Accessorizing — Options for holsters, belts, magazines, etc., and a discussion of what type of carry works for me, e.g. appendix, behind the hip, shoulder harness.
Ep. 5: Kentucky State Law — What are the gun laws here in Kentucky. What are my rights as a concealed carry permit holder. What are the self-defense laws in the state, e.g. Stand Your Ground.
Ep. 6: Application Process — The paperwork, the background check, the fee, etc., all the stuff you need to get together in order to get the permit.
Ep. 7: Training Class — What does a concealed carry class in Kentucky entail? What are the shooting requirements? How many hours of training. How much does it cost. My experiences going through the class.
Ep. 8: Final Thoughts — After filling out the paperwork, completing the training and submitting the application, what are my final thoughts about the process. How does it compare with other states?
Concealed Carry General Information
What is concealed carry? Well, according to the dictionary, it is “the practice of carrying a concealed firearm on one’s person in public.” No, I didn’t need to look it up but I wanted to give you a definition from an official source.
Yes, carrying concealed means to carry a firearm out of sight on one’s person outside the home. For reference, open carry is to carry a firearm in plain view while in public. Pretty self explanatory. Laws vary from state to state and its critically important that you understand your state’s laws before practicing either open or concealed carry.
There are a bunch of different ways in which a concealed carry license is abbreviated. Courtesy of the people’s dictionary, Wikipedia, here are few: Concealed Handgun License/Permit (CHL/CHP), Concealed Carry Weapons (CCW), Concealed (Defensive/Deadly) Weapon Permit/License (CDWL/CWP/CWL), Concealed Carry Permit/License (CCP/CCL), License To Carry (Firearms) (LTC/LTCF), Carry of Concealed Deadly Weapon license (CCDW), Concealed Pistol License (CPL).
As it relates to concealed carry, Kentucky is a shall-issue state. For those newbies who may not be familiar with concealed carry nomenclature, let me explicate what ‘shall-issue’ means as well as what the other issuing standards are for concealed carry permits.
No-issue — Means that there is a ban on concealed carry. Thankfully, there are no more “no-issue” states in the country. Illinois was the last holdout but was forced by a federal court to remove it’s no-issue policy. Likewise, Washington, D.C. was compelled to do the same and scrap it’s ban on concealed carry.
May-issue — Is the new “no-issue” policy. Essentially, one’s right to carry is subject to the discretion of a chief law enforcement officer. In many cases, one needs to be well-connected or well-heeled to get the CLEO to sign off on the application. Most ‘may-issue’ policies also require a “good reason” or “good cause” standard, which means one’s natural right to self-defense isn’t enough to issue a permit. The state requires a special reason or justification, e.g. restraining order against an abusive spouse, documented death threats from a stalker, special employment such as working as a security guard.
Shall-issue — Means that one can obtain a concealed carry permit if they satisfy certain non-arbitrary requirements: pass a background check, pay a fee, complete a certain number of training hours (each state varies on the number of required training hours). There is no CLEO sign off required or mandate to show a “good cause.” Over 40 states have permissive shall-issue concealed carry laws.
Unrestricted — No permit required. If you’re not a prohibited person, you’re free to carry concealed. Unrestricted is also known as “permitless” and “Constitutional” carry. This seems to be the next frontier of the concealed carry movement. Currently, there are seven unrestricted states: Arizona, Alaska, Arkansas, Kansas, Maine, Vermont and Wyoming.
The chart below will give you an idea of how concealed carry rights have been expanded over the past 30 years or so.
“Rtc” by Jeff Dege – https://www.gun-nuttery.com/rtc.php. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
For additional information on concealed carry there are plenty of good websites out there: NRA-ILA, USA Carry, ConcealedNation.org, among others.
Why Carry?
I remember someone once telling me that he rigorously trained in the martial arts because he never wanted to get into a fight. For this person, the point of learning how to fight was to avoid ever getting involved in one. At the time, I thought that was a bit of an odd philosophy, like the nonsense one would hear Kwai Chang Caine tell his son on the television show “Kung Fu: The Legend Continues.” After all, why would one spend hours each day learning how to fight if one was not anticipating a rumble at some point down the road.
But I think the point the person was trying to make was that when one learns how to fight, one becomes intimately familiar with what’s at stake when one fights. The potential legal repercussions, mortal/physical repercussions, financial repercussions, etc., are at the forefront of the trained fighter’s mind. Will I break the law by punching this drunk douche bag who yelled at my GF? What’s the likelihood that this drunk idiot is armed? Will he sue me if I kick his butt? Etc.
Consequently, the trained fighter is extremely judicious about throwing down. He finds ways to avoid dangerous situations in the first place, ways to resolve or de-escalate conflict when it transpires and when he does fight, he is absolutely certain that there was no other option available. Since the vast majority of physical altercations are wholly unnecessary, the trained fighter rarely — if ever — needs to fight because he is so cognizant of how to avoid or stop trouble before it starts.
The same mindset can be applied to concealed carry. When one has a gun on one’s hip, the world looks a lot different. Given that one has the capacity to not only take one life, but multiple lives, one’s first instinct isn’t I’m going to shoot up all the bad guys I come across, it’s more like how do I avoid situations where I may need to use my gun or how to I calm tensions so a situation doesn’t turn violent. This may come as a shock to many gun-grabbers, but it’s true. The concealed carry lifestyle doesn’t create more gunslingers, it creates more civic-minded and socially responsible citizens. People who are willing to go out of their way to quell violence, not perpetrate it.
It’s no wonder then, to quote the popular phrase, an armed society is a polite society. But to be clear it’s not solely because everyone is armed that they are so polite (most criminals are armed and that doesn’t stop them from shooting one another), it’s also because they are keenly aware of all that comes with removing that Springfield or Glock or Smith & Wesson from its holster. When one knows what goes into using deadly force — that is they have trained extensively to and thought seriously about taking a life — the are inclined to find another option as shooting someone is a messy business — personally, legally, financially — anyway one looks at it.
(Photo: GunsAmerica/David Higginbotham)
I guess what I’m getting at is carrying concealed doesn’t just make one an armed person, it makes one a more vigilant and engaged person. One has to pay attention (threat assessment). One has to be aware of one’s surroundings (locating exists, vulnerable positions within a room, knowing gun-free zones from gun-friendly zones). One has to be rational, disciplined and equanimous in one’s interactions with others. In short, one has to become a better citizen.
I think that’s the main appeal for me. As mentioned, as a gun rights advocate and a gun writer it makes sense professionally for me to get a permit. But beyond that, and I guess this sounds a bit idealistic, I think it’s vocation. It’s a lifestyle that I firmly believe in but have yet to officially adopt. So, it’s about time.
With that said, I’d have to address the big, hulking elephant in the room. Evil. Yes, evil exists in the world. It’s part of our reality. To quote the immortal words of Col. Jeff Cooper, author and gun-rights advocate, “Some people prey upon other people. Whether we like it or not, this is one of the facts of life… the peril of physical assault does exist, and it exists everywhere and at all times.”
There is a chance, regardless of how statistically improbable it is, that one day I cross paths with an individual who can’t be placated, who can’t be avoided, who won’t be apprehended by police in time, who has no other desire than to inflict harm on myself, those I care about or those innocents in the surrounding area.
Ultimately, this is why one carries every day. For many of us, myself include, the fear of not having the means to stop a deranged killer dead in his tracks is worse than the fear of being shot or even killed. To be utterly helpless in the face of evil is a real nightmare and, consequently, a real motivating factor to ensure that one’s agency — one’s ability to control or influence a situation — is never imperiled.
Put another way, if some S.O.B. wants to try and shoot up my neighborhood, my local grocery store (I shop at Kroger, a pro-gun supermarket), my favorite restaurant, I’m not going to go gently into that good night. I’m going to resist. I’m going to have a say in the matter. I’m going to draw my gun and open fire on that individual, come what may.
Conclusion
So, that’s my opinion on why I want to carry. I’m sure you have some thoughts on this subject, so by all means weigh in.
Also, if you have any comments about the series as a whole, I’d love to hear them as well. My goal is to inform and (hopefully) inspire those who are on the outside looking in, to win over some hearts and minds of those who may be gun agnostic or anti-gun, and to overall spread the gospel of guns.
Like your states permit use map. After Columbine, the Colorado theater shootings, the two officers killed at lunch in Vegas, and the Florida airport shootings I finally decided to carry everytime I go out. I’d rather be prepared to defend myself and others if some crazy starts shooting in a public place. The Thunder Ranch and Buckeyefirearms live scenario training classes are helpful. You feel more confident after you take the class. I carry a Colt Defender. I don’t worry about it malfunctioning. Your life isn’t worth saving a few dollars on a less expensive gun. Best piece of advice I heard was from a California Highway Patrol training Officer. He said ” don’t ever draw your gun unless your firmly committed that you may have to take a life to defend your’s”
As a resident of Sarasota, FL and a CCW permit holder, I am probably the only one of let’s say 300
folks in church that is packing – We are so vulnerable to any nut case that will find the doors always
open and decides to take out the priest, deacon, reverend or rabbi and shoot up the congregation –
We should not be afraid, but not so submissive that we have no recourse to offer up protection –
Correction: According to your chart, there are TEN unrestricted states for concealed carry permits. W. Virginia, Mississippi, and Idaho are the other three.
All I can add is:
Lord, make me fast and accurate, let my aim
be true and my hand faster than those who
would seek to destroy me. Grant me victory
over my foes and those that wish to do harm
to me and mine. Let not my last thought be
IF I ONLY HAD MY GUN; and Lord if
today is truly the day that you call me home,
LET ME DIE in a pile of empty brass. –
Gunsite prayer
I wish I’d known about it when I wrote No Third Choice, my first novel, as my protagonist was specifically portrayed as a graduate of Gunsite while Col. Cooper still owned and ran it. I did put it on her office wall in Ripped in Two, my third. It very neatly encapsulates why I carry. I pray I never have to use it, but in the event that I must, dear God, let me use it will, no matter the final outcome.
Another excellent article by Mr. Blannelberry. His noticeable command of the English language, good grammar and upscale vocabulary is refreshing. It shows he is very serious about writing and does do-diligence for accuracy and presents it in a matter-of-fact, straight forward manner. This article is very timely, and I look forward to his subsequent related topics… with a particular interest in knowing which “Carry” weapon he chooses!
Another excellent article by Mr. Blannelberry. His noticeable command of the English language, good grammar and upscale vocabulary is refreshing. It shows he is very serious about his articles and does do-diligence for accuracy which is presented in a matter-of-fact, straight forward manner. This article is very timely, and I look forwarding to reading his subsequent related topics… with particular interest in which “Carry” weapon he chooses!
While Hawaii is a May Issue state, in reality it is a no issue, never, not a chance, even if the methamphetamine dealers’ association has a large bounty on your detached head, your house has been firebombed twice this week and your car riddled with bullets, you will not be issued a carry permit. Oh, unless you are an off-duty LEO working as a security guard. Then you might be one of the roughly 185 possessors of a carry permit. The rest of the populace need not apply.
You cannot even legally leave your home or business with an unloaded gun locked in a case, with no ammo in the vehicle, unless you are going directly between those two places, a gun range, a gun shop, a gunsmith, or hunting.
There is also a long list of constitutionally protected arms which are banned outright.
You would love it here in Florida. CC is easy to obtain. Plus gas isn’t $5 @ gallon, LOL.
Welcome to KY from Caldwell Co! Please allow me to suggest your attending the Knob Creek shoot in October. Enjoy!
I still reside in the Peoples Democratic Republic of NY. My wife decided that if she was going to get a concealed carry permit she better do it “now” 2 years ago right after that joke of a law, the SAFE act was passed. She’s an RN (ie, fingerprinted and registered with NY and about 10 other states) without even a parking ticket to her name. She went through the application process (now I know what it’s like to be booked for a crime), submitted the required personal references and settled in to wait it out. FOURTEEN MONTHS later she was issued a permit. The best part of the idiocy of NY is that she never once was required to show competence with a handgun (or any other gun for that matter), take any training in safety or anything else and still was legal to strap on a pistol and move about in public. The fools that are pushing for “gun control” in NY ban AR-15s because they look scary but they allow novices to run around armed! Fortunately, she is wise enough to get the training that she felt was necessary and spends time on the range every month honing her shooting skills (to the point where I have decided that I better REALLY behave myself-she’s getting good with her Beretta). We have decided that when we no longer are into sailing (we keep a boat on Lake Ontario) we are out of this pestilential hell hole of a state and moving to a more gun friendly and less taxing state.
Do you know the idiot NY anti gun legislators like Schumer and his pal Bloomberg require NY State Police to use Glocks with a 9 NINE pound trigger pull? That cumbersome trigger pull puts Officers in danger of not being able to return fire rapidly enough.
Correction to my original post; I received my first CCW permit in Florida in 1987; not 1997.
I think you’ve come up with a very useful way to chronicle your experiences through the entire process, and look forward to reading about your “journey.”
I submitted a copy of my DD214 along with the rest of the paperwork back in 1997, when Florida became a shall issue state, and have been carrying daily since.
I’d suggest that you think about another facet to your experience, which is one that I believe many folks leave out entirely; proper training. Not the basic first steps required to complete the paperwork, but actual gunfighting skills.
I thought I was fairly well trained, on firearms,mbetween my Dad, Uncle Sam, and shooting IPSC in the ’90’s, and IDPA for the last eight years.
Compared to many, I probably was; but I “didn’t know what I didn’t know” until taking some advanced training starting about a year ago.
I have no desire to get into a big training debate here, but would be glad to provide you with some info about a gentleman who imparts skills that you’ve probably never even considered, or believed posssible. So if there’s a way to contact you through PM’s, text, email or whatever; I’d be happy to provide you with some information.
I believe that level of training (one weekend) would provide you with some very interesting skills and information to chronicle.
I think your way off on your martial arts analogy… To me, when your well trained and confident in your fighting skills you realize your potential to cause harm and be victorious in a fight, so one only enters the fight when absolutely necessary, and defensively …
I think ultimately when entering a gunfight the legal ramifications and costs shouldn’t really be considered, thou it is sad that it can be a component. We should only enter the fight when those issues are irrelevant… fight or potentially lose your life or fail at saving anothers…
I’m a retired police officer/RN and I hold a Concealed Carry permit here in Va. I have yet to draw my weapon and I hope I never do. As you say, I prefer to be prepared should evil present itself in the form of one who cannot be stopped in any other way. Yet I am ready.
If you are a veteran with papers DD214, your state may allow training exception for this or if you have your police academy papers. You will have to check with your state’s rules on this.
So good luck with your process!
The second amendment does not say one has to have hours or training, nor does it say one has to meet someones arbitrary idea of capable. It simply says the PEOPLE have the unrestricted (shall not be infringed) right to own and bear (carry) a weapon (arms). It does not limit size, it does not limit type. The second amendment is also not for self protection, even though it can properly apply. The second amendment is for ultimate control of a government gone bad. We declared independence and went to war for a tax of less than 4%. Now we have a far more restrictive government and a far worse tax structure than then, yet we do nothing. But since this article is about self protection, I won’t get into the real 2nd amendment rights and only speak to that of self protection.
Personally, I think every constitutionally legal adult should own at least one gun, be it rifle, pistol or shot gun. Every household should be properly armed.
The reason I say this is simple. The populace of this country have a basic misunderstanding of who and how they are protected from the criminal element. We falsely think that the police will come to our aide as ‘save us’ from the bad guys. This is nonsense – especially in view of some previously and recently published legal interpretations from our so called courts dealing with the duty and responsibilities of the law enforcement in this country. Police, for example, are not obligated to protect anyone especially if their own life is in threat. their ‘duty’ does not include standing between you and the criminal with a gun. So the idea that the local constable on patrol will come to your aide in time of need is ludicrous. While it is to their credit that many LEOs do more than their job requires and do actually try to protect the public, it is not an part of their duty according to the courts of this country.
Also, if one thinks they have time to call 911 while the criminal waits outside for the police to arrive, that will only benefit the criminal.
The individual himself or herself are the only real possibility of protection from the criminal element. And that means having at least one person in the household that owns a weapon, knows how to handle a weapon and can, if need be, take the life of the criminal to protect his own or those of his loved ones. No one else is required to do it.
So, by all means get the permit.
Lest anyone doubt the statement that “the police have no duty to protect the individual”, look up the absolutely horrendous case, on appeal, of Warren v District of Columbia. It will tell you everything you need to know including why the DC Chief of Police and the every member of the City Council should locked inside the confines of the 7th District with no guns for the Chief and no police allowed to respond for a year. See how they like it.
Great article, I’m looking forward to the series! I took my training at Bud’s Gun Shop and Range in Lexington. Eight long hours of gun safety, gun handling, state laws, and range qualification. Of course, I had Army training with my weapon of choice, the 1911, but going through the course was important and an eye opener to the responsibilities attached to carrying a deadly weapon.
My CCW instructor said the same thing to me that my flight instructor said many, many years ago, “now you have a license to learn”. The qualifying requirements in the Commonwealth of Kentucky involve hitting a silhouette target 11 out of 20 times from 7 yards. Not very daunting. There were a few that had to shoot again but no failures.
Bud’s training was NRA compliant but did not so state on the certificate. So when we moved back to Colorado and applied for a Colorado CDW license we were required to retake the entire course, this time NRA compliant. No, problem, you can’t have enough training. But this time the range qualification was extensive and inclusive of position, movement, strong/weak two hand grip, strong/weak one hand, hip shooting, tucked (close to chest), etc. And, of course, instruction to practice, practice, practice.
In all the years I’ve carried (except the Army) I’ve never had to draw my weapon and I pray to God I never have to. But I carry everyday and will as long as I’m safe to do so. I consider it a small piece of certainty in an uncertain world!
Thanks for the article, and thanks to GunsAmerica, it’s a great site.
I carry because I’m supposed to. I’m the best qualified temperment, do the right thing, go above and beyond to spare criminal life, and saving lives as a Detroit copper 1970s. I was issued the IL Retired Officer Concealed Carry (IROCC) permit based on Detroit PD but I didn’t carry until I retrained with 80 hours Defensive Handgun training at Front Sight, NV. The why is fundemental where Front Sight training and seminars are concerned. Front Sight makes students really think about life changing serious threat to them, their loved ones and other innocents… so ‘why carry’. The ‘why’ for me is unchanged, it’s willingness, make a difference, help, stop the violence, and protect innocents. The common denominator for IROCC as well as citizen CCWs is we’re willing and able armed citizens in our comfort zone. Liklihood is rare, but if I’m there it’s where I belong.
As a retired LEO this will probably surprise you as much as it did me. When self defense shootings were analyzed it was discovered that it made absolutely no difference, in outcome, whether the law abiding person doing the shooting had extensive training or none at all! As an instructor for almost four decades I was floored but forced to accept the facts. The most likely reason is that self defense shootings are generally very close in range, extremely fast, time wise, and mentally there is almost zero time to prepare. Do I still suggest that folks get as much training as they can, sure. Does it really matter one way or the other? It would appear not.
Ep. 3: Buying the Gun on GunsAmerica — Sure, a shameless plug for the GA retail site. But I’m going to go step-by-step to show how easy it is to purchase a gun on GunsAmerica.
The last 10 words taken out of context by a anti gun group could have serious repercussions. I would suggest, “to legally purchase”.
Have fun with this experience, I did.
anti-gunners take everything out of context when it comes to guns, that don’t want any around or anyone to have one so as with cancel-carry or open-carry, some gun lovers think open-carry people are dumb, stupid and a few other names, i don’t worry about what a gun-haters think’s because i already know what they think and nothing i can do as long as i’m doing things by the law is going to matter. their not going to change their minds until something happens to them where they wished they had been armed to protect themselves and even then it may not work. one more thing, if open-carry was such a bad ideal to a person, conceded-carry people some, think OC person would be shot first, cause undo nervousness by anti-gun soccer mom, then why aren’t we hearing stories about things like this happening in the states that ONLY allow you to open-carry if you don’t have a permit? i’d care if it upset’s someone or what ever it is they feel when i’m living my life by the rules and laws of my state and country. they should get out more often, read more and learn the truth about people who carry a gun by the laws we have. yes i do think we all should carry what we want any place in our country but that’s not the way it is YET.
I am so glad you decided to concealed carry. I decided back about 5 years ago and I totally agree that when you decide to place that gun on your body and carry every day, you actually do stop and think about how you now must find any way you can to stop any advancement of a gun fight. Now that we carry a gun, we have seen how we must try in every way to NOT USE IT. I am with you, that probably sounds crazy to the left anti-gun crowd, but that is truly what you start doing. I pray I never have to pull my gun for any reason. I am afraid that the day may come when that has to happen, but I do not look forward to that happening at all. But, good luck with your concealed carry and I wish you never have to use you gun either…
You actually have a girlfriend?
Kidding aside, congratulations on moving to a state where the U.S. constitution is still respected.
Great article. I have been reading you for a long time agreeing and disagreeing and am very happy for you and your decision to get a permit. I just want to say “shame on you for taking so long ” considering your profession. Do not get me wrong I am glad for you but it is past time but I just thought about it. You used to live in New York. Nuff said. I am from Tennessee. God Bless.
In the bible the Lord said: Sell your robe to buy a sword to protect your family and friends. With the way the world is
these days, sooner or later you will need protection. We all hope that when it comes, we can avoid it; when it comes we also need to be ready to protect ourselves and loved ones. We need to be fully trained in operation of our firearm, with knowledge of the laws of our location. I am concealed carry and aware of the total responsiblity. Great article!
Well said, Mr. Blannelberry…….well said! I look forward to the series. And welcome to the realm of carry permits…..and free states.