What made you start to carry? :MERGED

[fotomaker57]

Having my state law makers wake up and allow their law abiding citizens to do so. Also I grew up in southern California and saw way too much bad stuff occurring. I had a knife pulled on me when I was still in grade school. Kid wanted to steal my bike. I had a class mate beaten and stabbed 20 some times for calling the police when he witnessed a crime occurring. Moved to a small town in Missouri after graduating high school. You know, looking for a better way of life. First trip into Joplin on a Saturday night. Pull into a gas station to fill up my car. I am about to get out at the pump and see an armed robber stick a pistol in the face of the attendant and demand money. These and many other incidents have taught me that no matter were you are, bad people are their also.
Mike

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[CAJUN600]

yea definitely great posts

[rmarkob]

My sole reason is that I believe the right of self preservation was given to every citizen of the United States of America by our founding forefathers who framed our Constitution.

The Founding Fathers would tell you they didn't give us that right, our Creator did. The 2nd amendment was put in place to recognize and guarantee it.

I started carrying after Virginia Tech.

[Jaystekan]

I decided to carry after a trip to the store one day. I was shopping around and heard someone yell my name. I turned around and one of my old inmates I used to babysit walked over to me. He was one of the "better" inmates that had been assigned to my housing unit, and I hadn't had any issues with him while he was inside. I realized if I could run into him in the outside world, then I would probably eventually run into an inmate that I didn't get along so well with. When that day comes I want to be prepared to defend myself and my family. I now work in a maximum security prison, so the chances of running into an ex-inmate now is pretty slim since most of my inmates now have life or above sentences, but I hear and read a lot of scary stories working in a prison. Bad things happen to good people. It can happen anywhere, anytime, in any way. As the old saying goes, "Hope for the best, but be prepared for the worst"

[MoMike]

Applied for mine within a month of becoming law in Missouri. And since MO is becoming the meth capital of the country...........................

[retsupt99]

What made you first carry?

Watching the news is a great reminder, but mainly...just seemed like another 'common sense' item...a sidearm, a wallet (with ID), my watch,a knife (always had one), a flashlight (always had one near...but a cheap one), etc., etc., etc...

During the last few years, the crime stories have made the idea of CCW extremely important...it is those 'common, daily' stories that have helped me convince many others to realize the 'practical' reasons for CCW.

Stay armed...stay safe!

[miklcolt45]

About 3 1/2 yrs ago I had a couple of incidents with 2 different men suffering from bi-polar disorder who were off their meds. One of them threatened to kill me.

That really got me thinking. While I thought I could handle him IF he wasn't armed, and IF he didn't catch me by surprise, I realized those were big ifs. Still didn't know what to do next. I thought you had to have a good reason to get a license-carry lots of cash, dangerous job, something like that.

Then came VT. I decided that day that I would never be a victim. I began to do some research, found this forum, took my class within a month and had my CWFL just over a month after that.

Still learning. Hopefully wise as a serpent, innocent as a dove.

[InspectorGadget]

California will not allow you to defend yourself from the criminals off base. I spent 2 years attached to an Army unit in Afghanistan where you get your A$$ chewed if you don't have at least 1 firearm on you. I know what it's like to get shot at, and I know what it is like to shoot back with my blood pumping to save my friends lives. When I retired I returned to Pensacola got my license and refuse to go defenseless ever again. I have turned down jobs that were in Washington and California for just that reason. For most of my life I have thought of the second amendment in terms of a Constitutional Right. It now means so much more to me about defense against the Bad People of the world.

[retsupt99]

My wife wanted to add her $.02...

She took many years to decide to CCW. About three years ago, when I was in the hospital for several weeks, she was approached in the hospital's cover parking area. She hustled to her car and quickly left, but the feeling of be helpless really scared her. I had been busy trying to convince her about CCW...she did have her license, but never carried...that incident made her decide upon a weapon type, a carry method...and the rest is history. She is now a believer!

Experience IS the best teacher!

[rwojcik]

It wasn't any one event of this or that happened to me (although I have been on the wrong end of a barrel). It was something my wife said when we had our children and learning to care for them. They need us for their care, support and protection and what are you willing to do for your family and kids. They don't have the ability to do any of those that we do.

[SleepingZ]

While I was in college, I lived about 50mi from my girlfriend who lived alone.

One day, she told me she would feel safer if she had a gun. I was a staunch anti who, even with very minimal exposure to guns, thought no civilian should be allowed to own a firearm. I took her to a gun shop to show her just how dangerous and evil guns are in hopes to dissuade her.

Instead, the exact opposite happened. Many of my misconceptions about firearms were dispelled. We didn't purchase firearms until much later but going to the gun shop completely changed my outlook.

Now we're married and we both have permits and we both carry because we love life.

THANK-YOU

[Magilla82ABN]

My father has carried as long as I can remember, I wasnt an Anti but I really couldnt understand why he did it, I joined the military and when home on leave. I got back and heard that a few weeks earlier that a kid got stabbed at the highschool backetball game. I started talking to my dad and he told me it was his responsibily to ensure my brothers and my safety. Well I was an adult so I took the responsibily from there. I am still his baby boy, but I live so far away with my wife, I am now responsible for her and our future children. There accualy was alot more to carrying than I thought so I have been doing my best to understand the laws and train as much as I can

[Slim_45]

Well iam glad to say that ive never had a personal incident that would have persuaded me. My big reason is to protect the lives of my family, especially since our first little boy was born in march 2007. My life has changed so much since then. Although i had already started to carry before that mainly because of what you see on the news (local & national) bad things happen every day every where. But since caleb was born my wife has decided to carry also (plus i think she just had too much fun shooting, after i finally got her to) So our main reason is to protect our family & not be the next victim's on the news

[HowardCohodas]

I have, until last year, been a passive supporter of RKBA. On my way home from Seattle where we had a family gathering to welcome my latest grandchild, I saw news clips about the VPI shootings during my layover in Milwaukee. My son and daughter-in-law had been students there. Since then I have obtained my carry license and purchased a S&W M&P 45. I carry every where it is legal.

[mustang00066]

I always grew up around guns and loved shooting.

Never really considered carrying until there was a shooting at the Trolley Square mall (that i had lived across the street from a few months earlier) that killed 5 and injured 4. The shooter was finally taken down by an off duty LEO with his concealed handgun. I imagined myself at the mall that day hiding in a store with nothing to do but call loved ones and pray! i needed another option! i knew i never wanted to be helpless in a similar situation!

When I first talked with some close friends about carrying i said it would just be when i'm going out somewhere or on occasion, but my instructor told me that i needed to wear it everywhere i went for the first month, to get comfortable with it, and then decide whether to carry full-time or not.

I saw how easy it was to conceal and wear comfortably and got used to having it, and started seeing possible situations that might come up everywhere i went.

there never is a SURE time you won't need your gun!

so i have never left my house without it since the license came in the mail about a year ago! I have also encouraged 2 friends and my brother to get their licenses also and to help educate others on the benefits of gun ownership and CC.