Carry Permit On-line Resources
There is a ton of on-line information for carry permit holders. Vlogs/Blogs, social media groups, podcasts, forums, manufacturer and retailer websites, YouTube channels, you name it. All covering anything from how to pick that carry firearm to the next big deal in tacticool underpants. I won’t go into that last bit but I’ve thrown a list of a few resources together that will hopefully point you in the right direction when looking for information on carrying a defensive weapon.
Legislative Resources
Bad information can get you in trouble. Don’t get your legal advice from Facebook or the like, your best resource for carry permit law is the on-line legislative library and carry permit resources for your state or the state which you are traveling to or through. Chandler’s is Minnesota based but our training is also recognized for Wisconsin and Florida permits, listed below are some resources for carry permit holders in these states:
- Minnesota
- Wisconsin
- Florida
Along with your state resources, there are a number of organizations that provide a bit more user friendly representation of the statutes (our legislators seem to have a language all their own) as well as reciprocity maps for your carry permit. Legislation can change every year, make sure that the information you are getting is up to date. If it’s more than a year or two old, verify the information with your legislative resources.
You’ll also find a number of local and national Second Amendment advocacy groups that not only fight for your rights at those levels but will keep you informed of any proposed legislation that might infringe on your right to protect yourself and your loved ones. If you are not a member of at least one of these groups, you should be.
- NRA-ILA
- Gun Owners of America (GOA)
- Second Amendment Foundation (SAF)
- Minnesota Gun Owners Civil Rights Alliance (GOCRA)
Use Of Force
Nothing is more critical and can cause more confusion than the rules justifying use of force or use of deadly force. One of the foremost authorities on the subject is Massad Ayoob. He has been training law enforcement, military and and private citizens in the defensive use of deadly force since the early 80’s, founded 2 training organizations, authored a few dozen books, hundreds of articles and been an expert witness in countless defensive shooting trials. Some of his on-line articles are listed below, I’d also check out his books In the Gravest Extreme: The Role of the Firearm in Personal Protection and Deadly Force – Understanding Your Right to Self Defense.
- The Ayoob Files – American Handgunner
- Massad Ayoob on Guns – Backwoods Home Magazine
Attorney Andrew Branca has also written an excellent book, The Law of Self Defense that goes into the legal aftermath of defensive use of force. Andrew also has a number of interviews listed on his website where he has explained how the use of force laws are applied in court. I highly recommend checking out his blog and picking up a copy of his book.
Other On-Line Resources
Social Media
Before facebook lost it’s mind and started banning/shutting down gun related pages, there were a large number of firearm groups where you could find all kinds of information on just about any gun you could imagine. When facebook went on their anti-gun craze a lot of those groups moved to other social media platforms like the United Gun Group, MeWe, Weapons Feed as well as various home-grown sites. However, since facebook is still the king of social media many of the group members never dropped it completely and many of these groups migrated back to facebook out of convenience.
YouTube
YouTube is an invaluable resource. If you’re looking for gun reviews, modification How-To’s, detailed disassembly/reassembly instructions or “How do I fix this thing I just broke,” someone has probably needed the same information and made a video about it. Below are just a few of the recent searches and channels I’ve followed:
- Massad Ayoob – Use of Force
- Massad Ayoob Group – Massad’s Training Site
- Tom Givens – Defensive Shooting & Carry Instruction
- Rangemaster – Tom’s Training Site
- John Farnam – Defensive Shooting & Carry Instruction
- Defense Training International – John’s Training Site
- Craig Douglas – Defensive Tactics
- Shivworks – Craig’s Training Site
- Military Arms Channel – Gun Reviews
- Hickok45 – Gun Reviews
- Panteao Productions – Shooting & Tactics
- Brass Fetcher – Ballistics Videos
Podcasts, Forums and Blogs
Podcasts are a great way to keep up to date on gear, gun reviews, training ideas, etc. I usually listen to them during that 1hr+ commute that would otherwise be wasted listening to the local talk radio and getting angry over local politics.
- Firearms Radio Network – A network of several pro firearms podcasts.
- Best Firearm Podcasts List from Player.FM – updated May 2017
Blogs are everywhere. Training ideas, gear and gun reviews, you name it. Run a search and you will find lists of blogs covering exactly what you were looking for. One I frequent is by
Forums took a bit of a hit during the explosion of social media but lately seem to be coming back in fashion. I’ve always enjoyed the forums and to be honest, forums are my main resource for getting the skinny on what is going on in the industry. Not unlike facebook or the tweeter, you can get an app that will follow multiple forums and make it easy to post and stay up to date from your phone. I rarely access my forums from a computer anymore, even when I am sitting right in front of it. Here are a few I find myself hitting the most:
On-line Retailers, Firearm and Parts Manufacturers
On-line retailers and firearm manufacturers have discovered the value of providing extra information for their on-line customers. Below are a couple of on-line vendors that not only have a great selection of products but provide some very good information on anything from mounting a scope to building out your own AR.
- Midway USA – Look for their Knowledge Center at the bottom of their page.
- Brownells – Check out their “Learn” section.
Weeding Through the Garbage
Keep in mind that a lot of what you read on-line, with the exception of state legislative resources, is really just someone else’s opinion (my grandpa had a saying about opinions…) and sometimes that “someone” may not be all that well informed. Not a big deal if we’re talking about those tacticool underpants but when it comes to legal advice, don’t believe everything you read on Facebook, etc. If something sounds sketchy, it probably is. Make sure you check multiple resources and verify you are getting the correct information.
I love how you point out that bad info can cause a lot of trouble when it comes to concealed-carry weapons. I have a cousin who wants to start carrying a weapon with her so she can feel safer on the streets. We’ve been looking into finding a professional place that knows what they’re doing so she can know everything she needs to be a safe weapons carrier.
Thank you for noting that the greatest source for carry permit law is the online legislative library and carry permit materials for your state or the state through which you are traveling. My father is interested in participating in the gun sport. I will assist my father in researching a permit to carry a license for him.