When I arrived at the Jackson, MO store in search of the resident expert on firearms, Dylan, a fellow staff member, encouraged Jake that he had great advice and a lively discussion began!
Both men were great sources of information on issues I had not considered during my tutorials on purchasing a concealed carry firearm. Since Jake had served overseas in multiple tours in Afghanistan, he has unique insights into self-defense.
One factor we discussed is that Missouri is incredibly different than Illinois when it comes to how they look at firearms. Not only does Missouri recognize the Castle Doctrine (it even expanded it beginning in 2017) while Illinois does not allow you to defend your property under the existing Castle Doctrine. The Castle Doctrine is a common law principle stating that an individual has no duty to retreat when in his or her home prior to using reasonable force, including deadly force, to protect their persons and their homes. While Illinois refuses to adopt a modern castle law, it does have a statute on the books that offers limited protection of citizens’ rights to self-defense within their homes.
On concealed carry in Missouri, your vehicle is considered an extension of your property so no special permit is required for you to carry a firearm in your truck. But saying that, the boys told me of an incident recently where a teenager was pulling a prank on his friend parked in his car. He crept up to the car door and intended on surprising him but the individual in the car thought he was being robbed so he took out his pistol and shot his friend dead. The point Jake was bringing up with this story is that “if you have any gun, you can hurt someone.” This tragic accident resulted in not only a death, but also the ruination of the young man who pulled the trigger as he has been convicted and is serving time in prison.
Jake is married and it is a testament to his affection for his wife that he had not only taught her how to use a handgun but given her great advice on what to do to prevent using that weapon. Jake stated that there is no liability for warning shots. That’s good to know. Think about it. If it comes to that, most times you can run off a perpetrator by yelling and telling him repeatedly that you have a gun. Jake told his wife to first call 911, don’t pursue, and lock the door (to bathroom for example) and keep telling them you have a loaded gun. Jake stated, “Being verbal can save you.” He also said that in real life, the villain is rarely killed with the first shot. He said, “It’s a mind set to relax and stay calm, confidence comes with training, training, training until its second nature, muscle memory. When you are properly trained you become confident, no second guessing.”
When I asked them which pistol would be best from me, they started with more sound advice. The most power you can accurately handle is the best gun for you. Jake highly recommended going to a range and renting different firearms to see what “fits” best. Jake and Dylan suggest a pistol over a 380 which is a set above a 22 caliber handgun. Jake was quite firm on the concept that “if you have any gun, you can hurt someone or yourself.” When asked about laser-sites they saw lasers as both a help and a deterrent as that red light will allow your enemy to spot you as well.
Jake suggested I start with a great overall handgun that was not too expensive, the Tarsus PT 111 Millennium G2. It is a quality 9mm carry gun with a smooth trigger and an easy-to-work slide. The recoil is manageable thanks to its grip.
Here Dylan is showing me the difference between clips, a 7 bullet clip on the left and a 12 bullet clip on the right. He also instructed me about the bullet left in the chamber. That is another reason why he liked the Tarsus PT 111 as it has a loaded gun indicator on the top of the weapon and the back sites are adjustable.
I enjoyed gaining more great information from the staff at the Jackson, Mo Buchheit store.
They were all the kind of friendly, helpful staff that makes Buchheit a great shopping experience! Looking forward to going back to talk with the boys soon! Sincerely, Anne May
