USCCA Review

(United States Concealed Carry Association)

Over the years the Christian Gun Owner site has been in existence, the one element that I have been determined to keep solid and without question is "trust". That means that though I, just like anybody else can be wrong, my intent in all things here will be honest.

And my research, experience and open identity would fortify that to anyone visiting, or to regular readers.

What I link to:

That honesty includes not only my reviews, but companies and products that I link to. They are only companies and/or products that I have used and know for certain that you will either be satisfied with or from which you can easily get great customer service or your money back.

Many people on the CGO site are regular readers and people who I have gotten acquainted with over the years. Also a large number of guests land here from search engine queries.

All of that is why I must give this clear evaluation of the United States Concealed Carry Association.

And no, I'm not going to trash the site or even completely stop linking to it (though as you read this, I am probably working on removing most of the links to consolidate them).

What I am going to do is be honest about what it is today and give you as much information as possible for you to be able to decide whether it is for you or not.

USCCA Pros

The site is as it always has been. Excellent in appearance and content. Links to archived articles and reviews that will be valuable years after they are written. There is enough information and instruction in them to read for hours a day and never finish in a year. "Bonus" ebooks and various downloads with helpful expert training advice and insight. The site's and magazine's regular writers are people with well known and vast experience in weapons handling, use and training.

The Concealed Carry Magazine. This is a magazine that rivals the top gun and review magazines on the market today. Articles written by experts in their field. Profiles of people just like you that carry concealed and how it plays into their every day lives. Self defense news stories. Top notch in every way.

The Self Defense Shield. While this is the biggest source of controversy, both from current and past members, there is no indication that it is not exactly what it claims to be.

The SHIELD is first an insurance policy owned by USCCA that includes all members as beneficiaries according to the level they have signed up for. The policy is from Savers Property and Casualty Insurance; part of the Meadowbrook Insurance Group.

Second, your membership includes the USCCA Legal Defense Foundation that provides grants for criminal defense of a self defense shooting incident.

This bridges the gap between self defense insurance for which it is illegal to provide first dollar insurance. Civil yes. Criminal no. Hence the private LDF which is legitimate and legal.

Is the SHIELD legitimate and effective?

In spite of numerous threads on various forums now, with people predictably raving about their "perception" of the Self Defense Shield, there is no evidence or indication that it is not just exactly what is advertised.

That means it will work the way it is described. The insurance will provide civil case defense financing for self defense shootings. The Legal Defense Foundation will provide, legally, on a case by case basis, primary financing for criminal defense.

The importance of the organization:

The USCCA is a premier organization that has emerged in popularity and notoriety as one unique in its field. There currently is no replacement for it online.

It is in all our interest as gun owners for it to succeed, even when they make mistakes in marketing.

Now the USCCA cons. (In red)

The price. With the organization being restructured to be built around the SHIELD, it has also resulted in a significantly higher price for the various memberships.

What was once priced for the web site access, magazine, and forum is now priced for the insurance and defense fund.

That means it is a good deal more expensive. Not excessive for the membership including the insurance, but higher than most people want to pay for a concealed carry organization membership.

With the "no exception" policy of the USCCA for the SHIELD membership now, I would not recommend the Gold or Platinum packages. They increase based on SHIELD payouts and the price becomes pretty high for anything except the insurance.

My Recommendation

Here is a fact about USCCA today. >The web site, magazine, resources and forum are worth the price of the current Silver Plus one year membership price.That includes the $50,000/$25,000 SHIELD package.

With this package you get all the features of the other packages.

The price is currently $127 per year or can be paid in four $37 payments which costs a little more but is still reasonable. This is a typical online pricing method for a service.

So, purchasing that one year Silver Plus package is what I would recommend without hesitation.