Allowing CCW In Bars – Safe Practice Or Recipe For Disaster?

Concealed Carry Guns Inside Bars and Restaurants That Serve Alcohol

If you can't conceal carry into a bar or restaurant that serves alcohol, that won't stop someone else from doing so. But if you're drinking, your judgement is impaired. What's the best solution for the sort of problems that only occur when people gather into tight spaces, listen to loud music, and drink?

First off, most states disallow carrying a concealed firearm into an establishment that serves liquor. States are allowed to make that determination.

A recent case of a club shooting in Meriwether County, Georgia, has brought the topic back up to the surface. Two men are believed to have gotten into an altercation over a pool game and the resulting gunfight injured ten people. According to Georgia law, it is illegal to carry a concealed firearm while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. So, anyone drinking inside the bar and carrying a concealed firearm is automatically violating the law.

It's not illegal to possess a firearm within an establishment that serves alcohol. It's illegal to . Obviously, the two criminals who opened fire in that bar didn't seem too concerned about the health and well-being of others.

Would a slightly inebriated concealed carrier have added to the mix in a positive or negative fashion?

We'll never know. However, in a tightly packed, dimly lit bar with bullets flying and bodies hitting the ground, it's not really a safe assumption that anyone is going to neutralize the threat. In this particular case, both gunmen got away. The club was shut down.

Close Quarters Real-World Concealed Carry Defensive Scenarios

The average concealed carrier is not Special Operations or a Navy Seal. He or she isn't trained in low-light environments and asymmetric warfare. If he's lucky, he goes shooting one or two times a week and works on his holster draw from inside the waistband. That is it.

Have concealed carriers stopped shooters in bars before? Strangely enough - yes.

There are incidences where a concealed carrier in a bar was able to stop a gunman from killing or injuring more people. It may not get a lot of attention and it bucks the notion that your average concealed carrier is a ready and capable operator, but it does happen.

That said, follow the law. If your state law says you can't carry into a bar or club, don't. And don't drink and carry.

You don't need to have close quarters real-world scenario training in order to be effective in a tight situation.

• You just need to be sober.
• Take cover.
• Aim judiciously.
• Attempt to get others to safety.

Those are all things you can do without firing a single shot. And if you are armed with a , remember that it doesn't have to leave the holster. You make that call. If there's too many people or you're afraid or you're legitimately worried that police officers will mistake you for the gunman and open fire - that's fine.

You're not there to save anyone's life but your own. But if you're able to help out, be responsible and accountable for your actions.

About The Author James England (@sir_jim_england) is the contributing editor for Alien Gear Holsters. He is a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and private defense contracting in Afghanistan.