Gun owners who choose to carry a concealed weapon encounter many public misconceptions regarding firearms. Here are some of the myths about carrying concealed weapon (CCW) permit holders.

• People who carry concealed weapons do not realize their guns are unsafe. Considering the difficulties and paperwork involved in obtaining permission to carry a concealed firearm, this assumption is ludicrous. Guns are as likely to discharge by themselves as your car starting its own engine. Firearms are precision-crafted machines, and someone who has gone to the trouble to obtain a concealed carry permit takes excellent care of their weapons.

• People who carry concealed weapons just cause more problems when dealing with armed criminals. This statement flies directly in the face of hundreds of situations where gun owners with a concealed weapon have stopped or prevented deadly crimes. Criminals rely on the 2.5 officer per thousand citizen ratio when committing their crimes; responsible gun owners with permits to carry can help leverage those odds when in a critical situation.

• People who carry concealed weapons are more prone to accidental discharges. Responsible gun owners believe that "accidental" discharges do not exist—only deliberate or negligent ones. Considering the hours of safety training and level of firearms proficiency required to even obtain a concealed carry permit, the likelihood of a discharge due to a permit owner’s negligence is, well, negligible.

• People who carry concealed weapons think they can take risks with their personal safety. This is another way of implying that all gun owners are vigilantes at heart. That their handgun makes them impervious to the elements and all lesser, unarmed humans. Basic research into the legal ramifications of a shooting, even a clear-cut case, should prove the fallacious nature of this statement. Gun owners, particularly ones with carry permits, are alert and careful about where they choose to go and what they do. The weapon they carry isn’t the first thing they reach for; due to the life-altering consequences of firing a gun, it is their last choice.

• People who carry concealed weapons are more likely to get into fights than unarmed citizens. Again, consider the very real ramifications of a gun owner getting into a fight and brandishing, or even firing, their weapon. Permit owners know all too well the personal responsibility they must take when they go out in public. Road rage, aggressive confrontations, or angry threats are dangerous situations that carrying gun owners will go out of their way to avoid. The rare few who violate these rules quickly find themselves without a legal permit or a firearm.