Your Gear Might be Dangerous

***I do not recommend small of back carry nor do I recommend the use of belly bands such as the one pictured here***

One of the worst ways to respond when someone is giving you reasoned advice on poor performing gear/life saving equipment is: “Well, it works for me.”

Recently I pointed out to someone that the “holster” they made with spare fabric and Velcro that looked very much like a gun sock did not provide adequate trigger protection and that they were putting themselves at risk by using their DIY project as a holster. Instead of considering the fact that they could easily engage their trigger, the response I received was “Well, it works for me.”

Translation: I don’t want to consider what you have to say because that would mean that I am wrong. Since I haven’t put a bullet sized hole through part of my body, it works just fine.

Why is that any kind of measure for success? This idea that because we haven’t hurt ourselves using a dangerous carry option, somehow quantifies that it’s acceptable and even optimal for use?

Guns are fun. Shooting can be and is a hobby. Although, unlike many hobbies, if we make a mistake, someone could lose their life, and it could be your fault. The stakes are SO high, so why would we disregard safety warnings?

I want mention also that some things truly do “work for me” that may not work well for someone else, that is absolutely a reality. I’m talking very specifically about violating safety or choosing a suboptimal option in the name of “it works for me.”

Just some food for thought today. Have you ever used the “well it works for me” excuse when you really shouldn’t have? Have you ever used those words to justify using unsafe gear or poor practices?