Why did you first start carrying?

[fightingchance]

I started carrying not long after the VA Tech shooting. I think the more I thought about what happened there, the more I realized we're only as protected as we make ourselves. Thoses students , disarmed because of politicians unwilling to allow citizens to excercise there second admendment rights , never stood a chance against that maniac. I thought about what I would do in a similiar situation, at the time , without a concealed carry permit, I realized I would have most likely ended up a victim, and I decided that just wasn't an acceptable way to be living my life. After some serious thought , research, and discussion with my wife, I applied for my permit. I know carrying doesn't make me invincible, but it does give me a fighting chance , and in the end , that's all I can really ask for. Now , that I've told you what prompted me to start carrying, tell me your story, why did you decide to start carrying?

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Bonesnofoa]

Pretty much the same reason, im also a art student at the local community college. Sadly during the course of getting my permit i found out i still won't be able to carry in class.

[mocarryguy]

I know carrying doesn't make me invincible, but it doesn't give me a fighting chance , and in the end , that's all I can really ask for.

Confused a bit about your quote above, "doesn't"?

[bluedaisy]

Not *technically* carrying, since I don't have my gun yet, but in my mind, I'm there. I hope to have it in the next two weeks or so. Does that count? I will be carrying for basic self protection. I feel it is my duty as a mother to protect my children. We originally took a basic pistol course and joined a range after 9/11. Both my husband and I shot before that, but after 9/11 is when we got serious. We learned through a lot of pain and suffering through others that we were responsible first and foremost for the safety of our family. (as opposed to the gov!) After moving to a ccw state, carrying is only the natural thing to do.

[LenS]

Got my permit (required for mere possession in MA) back in 1976. Said permit allowed me to CCW, I spent a lot of time in Downtown Boston, often picking my Wife up from graduate school on a public road across from a field/park that was well-known for rapes and attacks and never patrolled by Boston PD.

[Hotbrass]

So that I could and would have the ability to protect my family, self, and property.

Is there another reason to carry?

[TN_Mike]

So that I could and would have the ability to protect my family, self, and property.

Is there another reason to carry?

+1

My thoughts exactly. That is why I started carrying 19 years ago and why I will be carrying till the day I die.

[TRP]

Because I can. There are a lot of bad people out there and you need to protect yourselves from them. I have hauled some of these folks to jail and they are out doing the same old crap that ended them in jail to begin with.

[Gunner69]

Because I can. There are a lot of bad people out there and you need to protect yourselves from them. I have hauled some of these folks to jail and they are out doing the same old crap that ended them in jail to begin with.

+1 on that

[fotomaker57]

I, like the rest of you carry to protect those that I love and hold close to my heart. When Mo. finely got their act together and started allowing its citizens to legally carry. I was in line.
Mike

[Thumper]

Being able to carry as a LEO and then not be able to carry when I left the force was very frustrating to me. A soon as it became legal to CCW I immediately applied for my permit and have been carrying ever since.

[fightingchance]

Confused a bit about your quote above, "doesn't"?

sorry, it should say ;"it does give me a fighting chance" , sometimes my typing gets ahead of me.

[jeep45238]

I don't believe in fate, and I refuse to be a statistic without taking the attacker with me.

[BIGSAM]

Well, being from and working in the hot spots of the NE(NYC, Newark, NJ, etc.) I have often been in positions that having a CCW would have been very comforting if the situation went (further)south.
Now living in a gun friendly part of the country I've embraced having THE option for the gravest situation.

Sam.

[obxned]

The study of history is one of my hobbies, and I'm not stupid.