When Florida first moved to permitless carry in 2023, our team noticed something right away: people who never imagined owning or carrying a firearm suddenly wanted training. Now that open carry has been expanded, that wave has only grown. Our Firearm Safety and Fundamentals classes are filling up with new shooters, longtime gun owners, and everyone in between.

Even though many Floridians no longer “have to” get a concealed carry license, they still do. Why? Because they’re starting to realize the real risk isn’t just who else is carrying—it’s carrying without training. At Weapon Brand, we’re not pro-gun or anti-gun; we’re pro-training. If you choose to own a firearm, you owe it to yourself and everyone around you to know how to use it safely, responsibly, and under stress.

Firearms skills are perishable. They fade without reps. Our instructors—many with decades of experience in law enforcement, military, and competition—still train regularly and still say, “I could use more reps.” Going to the range once in a while isn’t enough. Real confidence comes from a combination of classroom work, range time, and scenario-based practice.

Weapon Retention: The Skill Most People Skip

Here’s a hard truth most people don’t think about: many of our instructors choose not to carry every day—not because they’re anti-gun, but because they know how easy it is to lose control of a firearm if you’re not trained to keep it.

If a criminal is training regularly to take advantage of others, why wouldn’t you train regularly to protect yourself, your family, or your staff? Weapon retention is one of the most critical classes a firearm owner can take. If you’re carrying a gun but have never practiced keeping it during a struggle, you’re taking a serious risk.

Statistics are sobering: many officers who are shot in the line of duty are shot with their own firearm. Even with extensive training, some large departments have hit rates well under 50% at close distances. If that’s the reality for professionals, it should be a wake-up call for the average concealed carrier or open carrier who rarely trains.

Where You Still Can’t Open Carry in Florida

Even with changes to Florida’s laws, there are still key locations where carrying—open or concealed—remains restricted. Violating those rules can bring serious legal consequences. Examples include:

• Courthouses and courtrooms
• Police stations, jails, and detention facilities
• K–12 schools and school grounds
• Polling places during active voting
• Certain government buildings and official meetings
• Airport terminals and secure areas
• Private property with “No Firearms” or similar signage

Laws and local rules can evolve, and interpretations can vary by agency. That’s why we tell every student: do your homework. Read the statutes, ask questions, and when in doubt, err on the side of caution. At the end of the day, the responsibility lands on the person carrying the firearm.

A Real-World Reminder About Responsibility

Recently, while flying back to Florida, we went to check a firearm according to the rules— locked case, unloaded, declared, the whole process. The airline staff and even a TSA agent gave us instructions that weren’t actually correct. They suggested options that could have put us on the wrong side of federal regulations if we had followed them.

That moment reinforced something we tell every class: you cannot assume that the people enforcing the rules always know the rules. If something goes wrong, it’s still your name on the paperwork. As a firearm owner, you’re the one who has to understand the law, the policies, and the process well enough to protect yourself.

Community Training and What’s Next

Weapon Brand partners with the United States Concealed Carry Association (USCCA) to host free community education events throughout Florida. These sessions cover topics like:

• Home defense and threat identification
• Women’s personal safety and awareness
• De-escalation and situational awareness
• Securing your home or business
• What happens legally and emotionally after a self-defense incident

For those ready to go deeper, we’re rolling out training pathways that combine:

• Firearm Safety and Fundamentals
• Weapon Retention
• Drawing and Firing from Concealment
• “Should I Shoot?” — decision-making, law, and aftermath

We offer group and private training in Florida, New York, and Ohio. No politics. No judgment. Just clear, grounded education that helps people make better choices with powerful tools.

Florida’s open-carry era doesn’t have to be something to fear—if we match increased access with increased responsibility and training. Whether you carry daily, keep a firearm at home, or are just beginning to explore the idea, our message is the same: don’t go it alone, and don’t wing it.

Get trained. Stay humble. Protect your community. Always Be Your OWN Weapon.