I was on the way out of a firearms retail establishment last week and I heard a gentleman – just a little younger than I – make a comment about looking at revolvers, noting that their day had passed. The proprietor noted that he couldn’t keep them in stock and I said that a bit of an interest in the round guns has surged over the past few years.

The customer told me that he’d been an instructor and had been a gun guy for many years, but that he “seldom carries anymore” and that he’d be okay just “having one in the truck.”

I was noncommittal, just acknowledged him, and he said that he’d gear up when he thought he was going someplace where he’d “need it.”

Even in the old days, police off-duty carry was far from impossible. The S&W M60 stainless Chief’s Special (above) was easy to tote and could shoot well – if you can. Below, more modern hardware in examples of pocket holsters.

It took me back to an earlier time, when a friend and coworker – off-duty at the time – apprehended an armed robbery suspect with his “finger” gun.

He was jogging downtown and just happened to be passing by when the armed robbery suspect came into view being pursued by shouting citizens. He stopped, badged the guy – yes, he had his buzzer – and, hand in his hoodie pocket, finger-pointed and said “stop or I’ll shoot.”

The offender stopped. But he didn’t have to.

While that situation worked out, the same deputy had run into similar situations with similar lucky results in his past. I feared that someday his luck would abandon him. He said he’d seen another off-duty officer in the area during the event, likewise unarmed, who simply scuttled away without helping.

What exactly did you expect him to do?

Too much trouble to carry a gun? In the current market, really small 9mm semi-autos are easy to find even over a range of prices. The Taurus GX4 (top) is the most affordable, followed by the GLOCK 43X (bottom) which is less pricey than the Shadow Systems CR920 – any of which are easy to carry.

Now, in the era of the armed citizen, an era that causes chafing and discomfort to the Piers Morgan-Mark Kelly crowd, the same issue intrudes.

“I’ll just carry it when I need it.”

Congratulations. I’m not so lucky … I left my crystal ball at the station when I retired.

Like mind-reading, fortune telling isn’t one of my strong suits. I’m more a proponent of the principle that “I’d rather have it and not need it.”

And, like a parachute, if I ever need it nothing else will quite do.

I guess I’ll have time to put the seat belt on in my automobile if I ever intend to have a collision. Like fights, collisions are best avoided – but they’ll often find you when you’re not looking for them.

John Farnam, Defense Training International, is known for pithy commentary about defense topics. He’s on the board of the Armed Citizens Legal Defense Network and is a long-time trainer and student of the art.

His blog posts, called “Quips” are good reading.

In a recent installment, “Chances,” he relates the tale of a citizen running into a bear close to his home during winter – a time when bears hibernate … right?

Except now, when the pedestrian is attacked and mauled. A sharp-witted neighbor, hearing the commotion, armed himself and restored order to the neighborhood.

Small guns (above) are quite accurate, while taking some effort to learn. Service-compacts, like the GLOCK 19 below, are easy to hide when properly holstered.

What are the chances of something like that happening?

100% - for the victim in this tale.

What are the chances you’ll need to be armed off-duty? You hope it’s never. I’ve been lucky enough that I nearly never needed to be armed on-duty. I was armed.

Just in case.

The odds favor the prepared. Carry your gun. Your vehicle ain’t a holster; neither is the end table by your recliner.

Wear the gun. Just do it.

Don’t provoke, abuse or be stupid. If you’re sober and awake, wear the gun.

Chances are you won’t need it. But having it didn’t hurt.

— Rich Grassi