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Is a CCW for me?

5K views 63 replies 52 participants last post by  McPatrickClan 
#1 ·
Hello all. New here, did some searching but haven't found any similar posts...Seems like most people that have registered here already have a permit, and carry daily.

If there is a sticky somewhere...or a writeup about this please direct me to it! I didn't seem to find anything.

In any case -- I'm 23, and considering purchasing a firearm for daily carry. I'm very comfortable with firearms, and have been shooting/hunting since I was 6. My issue and concern is that I do not know how often I would be able to carry given my current place of work. I work at a government contractor, and I believe they do not allow guns on the premises. Given I spend 9-10 hours of my day there, I'd likely have to leave my firearm in my car, which I am not a fan of since it is easy to break into a car.

I suppose my question is more...is it worth obtaining a CCW permit if I'm unable to make use of it? My commute is short, I don't need a CCW for home defense, so what's the point of me obtaining one.

I guess I also wonder about the questions people would ask if they see I am carrying, and opinions people up here may develop...not that I care what they think, but I'd hate for someone to call the cops on me because I'm carrying.

Hopefully someone here has been in my shoes and can offer some guidance.

Thanks!
 
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#29 ·
Other than option C i had considered those questions already...and option C is much more preferable than option A to me :)

As i'm reading through the applications, and rules/laws/reciprocity...I'm extremely annoyed that MD does not honor VA CCW permits. I frequently travel to MD, and through MD -- to many bad parts of town. to be frank, it sucks that states can't get along on this issue.
 
#31 ·
If all you do is go to work and then go home and never leave, i guess you don't need to carry. But, what about your commute to and from work?? Ever go shopping ? You might want to rethink what you really do in the hours you are not on the job. You can get a small lock box to keep your gun secured in your car and out of sight and DO NOT discuss your guns with co-workers , nosey neighbors or anyone you can't completely trust.
 
#32 ·
I didnt bother reading all the posts since they seem to all say the same thing, just reworded, so sorry if I'm doing the same thing and saying what somebody else already did;

It doesnt matter if you never carry, at least you will have the option too.
 
#34 ·
One thing I didn't see mentioned...

In FL (and I assume other states, as well), having your CWL exempts you from certain penalties, reduces the charges one could conceivably face if charged for something you did accidentally (being in the wrong place with a weapon in your car, for example).

If for no other reason, and you never carry, this would be worth it.
Research VA laws to check this out.
 
#36 ·
All I can do is echo what others have already said... you won't ever regret having it and it's better to have it and not use it often than to not have it and not be able to CCW at all. :yup:

Things change and you never know what the future holds for you. I can't carry at work but I do carry to and from work and leave my weapon in a Center of Mass Gun Safe in my vehicle at work parked off company property.

It's just a little over 5 miles drive to my job and in the last 10 years I have had one occasion just a mere 2 blocks from my home where I was very glad I had my weapon... don't be foolish enough to believe that you're ever safe from those with ill intent!

I suggest that you get your permit and carry whenever you can. :hand10:
 
#37 ·
You can only purchase one handgun a month in VA without a permit. It makes carry in the car much easier too. It can be in the center console, a safe, glove box, bag, backpack, on the floor behind the seat, or under a hamburger wrapper, if not on your hip.

You will still need proof-of-citizenship to purchase an evil black rifle.
 
#39 ·
Fantastic. Thanks for the link to the safe I will have to look into it and other options when I decide on what firearm to purchase. I've got a lot of reading ahead of me now seeing the many different options here...

Decided to go ahead and get my permit, looking into my class options now so that by the time i have a safe, and have purchased my firearm i'll be able to carry if I so choose.

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions/points/opinions!

God Bless America!
 
#40 ·
Unless your short commute home is with a PD everyday, and you never go out with family and friends for dinner, and you never venture out on a road trip or vacation, or never go to the mall or gas station, or get a hair cut, or go to the grocery store, your are most likely right... you dont need a CHL. But if you do any of these you may want to consider getting yours!
 
#43 ·
My issue and concern is that I do not know how often I would be able to carry given my current place of work. I work at a government contractor, and I believe they do not allow guns on the premises. Given I spend 9-10 hours of my day there, I'd likely have to leave my firearm in my car, which I am not a fan of since it is easy to break into a car.

I suppose my question is more...is it worth obtaining a CCW permit if I'm unable to make use of it? My commute is short, I don't need a CCW for home defense, so what's the point of me obtaining one.

I guess I also wonder about the questions people would ask if they see I am carrying, and opinions people up here may develop...not that I care what they think, but I'd hate for someone to call the cops on me because I'm carrying.
I was in your shoes. I am a school teacher, and can't carry at work, or even to and from work. I don't have the option of leaving it in my car, we get fired for that sort of thing. Anyhow, My husband has his CCW so home defence is covered, when he is not home I have the rifles and shotguns, so why would I need my CCW? Because I am not always at home or work. I am not always someplace safe and friendly, and even if I am someone else may not want it to stay that way.

I though, but I am a school teacher, what will people think if I am seen carrying a gun around?!?! What do I care, they will think I am crazy or that I am safe. Either way I know I am safer than if I didn't. If the cops are called they will ask for your licence and you will show it to them and you will both go on your marry ways, unless you are doing something stupid like waving your gun around. But I have never had the cops called on me just for carrying my weapon. I don't know about the rest of the people here, but I find most of the sheeple don't even notice the gun as long as one keeps it concealed.

So, for now, I started on this board without my CCW license, then after a few months I took my $50 and went down to the court house and got it. I am now a prowd carrier of the card. I usually only carry on the weekends, because that is the only time I know I will not be hitting school grounds.

Good luck making up your mind. Only you can deside if you want to practice your 2nd amendment rights. I :congrats: you taking the time to think it over.

TDPalmer
 
#61 ·
good post, in Israel teachers are encouraged to carry.
 
#44 ·
By the way Mellman... I forgot to say welcome aboard! :biggrin2:
 
#45 ·
all law abiding citizens should have a CHL and as the greatest swordsman of japan
Miyamoto Musashi said, always be ready for the unexpected.
 
#48 ·
Chance favors the prepared.

Can't use what you don't got, so to speak.

However you say it, having a plan is better than holding nothing but your pixie dust, when the scat hits the whirlygig.
 
#46 ·
Welcome aboard :wave: and a basic thought on a point that has been mentioned several times before. What is your mind set?

By this my question is more in line with the last six words provided by stormbringerr, "always be ready for the unexpected". You have made a choice and not only is this a choice - it is a life style choice as noted above.

You have a comfort zone you live in now and as you progress you no doubt will see how your comfort zone will change. You may start feeling comfortable with a handgun being close to you at home unloaded. Then at home loaded safety on. Loaded safety off with a round chambered as time progresses.

This forum as well as other fine forums have covered this issue of being ready. Ready for the unexpected, which is a choice and the more you prepare for the unexpected the way you see the world around you will change. I read once that many gunfights are over in 3 seconds. What can you do in 3 seconds? Not much more than draw and squeez the trigger.

Your mind set will change and you will look for many things that are not considered important at this moment. Your comfort with a handgun will increase and when you do not have it with you your mind will prompt you to be more cautious as a part of your normal group of tools is missing.

Your choices of where to go and what to do will change. Why - because you’re new comfort zone has changed and will result in your adaptation or modification of how you see the world around you.

Glad you are here and willing to be accountable for your own life and actions Mellman. Best wishes, stay safe and shoot straight.:wave:
 
#47 ·
Mellman.. Advice was given to me years ago.. by my dad who is retired LEO, who in his 20+ years of LE had to draw his weapon on several occassions. He lost a partner on a 'routine' traffic stop. He never went back on patrol after that and worked county jails for the remainder of his career. He was still LE and could and did choose to carry off duty. Not that he was afraid, and as he told me, and to this day he still has not unholstered his weapon for defense.

It's not for when you will never need it, it will probably never leave your holster in defense.. it's for that ONE instance you do need it.

My gf when she first found out I carried (several months into the relationship, it does tend to get hard to hide it at times) asked why I felt the 'need' to always have it with me.. I always told her because you never know what could happen, there are evil people in the world. We were shopping at a local mall the day the shootings happened in Omaha, it was on a TV in one of the stores.. she looked at me and brushed up against my side... then she smiled, later in the day at home she said 'now I understand'.

Since she has gone to the range with me on several occassions and while I'm not a great instructor (I am STILL learning) she has improved drastically and plans to get her permit. She is a nurse and works nights on a rotational basis, I purchased her a taser, training cartridges and we have worked some scenarios with it. She will take a few actual classes and range sessions with real instructors and get her permit.. whether she will carry or not I can not say but she will have the option if she ever wants or feels she needs more than her taser.

I carry for work. I carry at home. I carry in my car. I carry if I am only running to the grocery store. It took me some getting used to, some time to stop thinking everyone was staring at me, or that my gun was showing. Now I honestly don't notice it on my hip, I am very aware that it is there though.

So ask yourself if you want the option. There are risks, like someone seeing and calling the cops, but that TIME you need it.. could make all the difference.
 
#49 ·
My son & I got our CCW about two years ago. I thought long and hard about carrying and only just recently started to do so. I have never been in a situation where I needed a gun and have always gone out of my way to avoid an area or situation that looks wrong. One thing carrying does is make me more aware of my surroundings and people who seem out of place. I have learned a lot during the whole process. Next step is more training.
 
#50 ·
I work on a military installation, as such, I cannot carry at work, or even to work. I am on call at all times, and can be called in at any time, and I won't always be able to go home to take my weapon off... I also used to go to school part-time... So two areas that I spent most of my time I wasn't allowed to have a permit...

I no longer go to school, but the time I spent at school is now spent at work... Again, cannot have the weapon on base.

My application will be going out tomorrow... :)

I have made my decision.
 
#51 · (Edited by Moderator)
You've already been given lots of good advice. I'll offer a small story that finalized my decision to get my CCW.

I was on my farm, husband spreading seed on tractor, small children playing in dirt while I piled brush and started a large dozer pile on fire. 30 minutes later the volunteer fire dept arrives, sirens wailing, truck motors screaming they charge up the hill that leads to where I'm burning brush....apparently they had not received the call we'd placed several hours before notifying them about our activities....the brush pile is in the middle of a dirt field, no house in sight, no buildings in site. I met the first truck at the top of the hill as he drove down the narrow path to the fire....I'm a large woman, sweaty, filthy, and waving my arms. The driver stops 3 foot from me, rolls down his window and yells "I have a legal right to be here, get out of my way!!!"
"We're burning a dozer pile, we notified you at 9am this morning, we don't need you and we don't want the fire put out" I respond (not yelling)
"If you don't move, I'm going to run you over" the man yells back then revs up the engine and pulls to within 6 inches of me, and revs the engine some more.

I was ready to get run over and two things went through my mind: 1. my husband had better save enough of the life insurance money to sue the pants off these people.
2. I wish I had my gun.

Obviously I did not get run over. I survived though for several moments I believed otherwise.

Same fire department 2 months later. I'm burning trash in the county approved fire trash barrel in my back yard. A strange pick-up pulls into the drive, very slowly drives around my house, into my barnyard and around behind my house. When the driver notices me standing at the corner of my home, next load of trash to burn in-hand, he rolls down the window and says he's from the fire dept, saw my smoke and was worried that my house was on fire so he pulled in. He was a stranger, he offered no ID to verify his claim, no identifying marks on truck, no light visible on dash. This time the kids are asleep in the house and husband is not home. He backs up, turns ever so slowly around, rubbernecking the entire time, and slowly leaves. I spent the rest of the day armed. I spend each day since then armed. Local PD tells me it is illegal for fire dept. to trespass. Fire dept confirmed that it was one of their own, and "he's a great guy" and apologized for "scaring me" and had no idea why he'd need to pull into my barnyard (the director of the board was kind enough to come out and apologize to me in my home so he could see exactly where things were).

Get your CCW.
 
#52 ·
Personally, I was opposed to CHL's because I didn't want to grant government the authority to decide who can and who can't carry. I feel that's a decision everyone should make for himself. However, since my fellow citizens saw fit to give government this power over us, so as long as I can have one, I see few reasons not to. However, some reasons not to, do exist. I have a friend, who is an ex-marine. He recently said he refuses to own or carry a gun, because he has a very hot temper, and does not trust himself. I can respect that, at least he's honest and aknowleges it. :congrats:
 
#53 ·
Personally, I was opposed to CHL's because I didn't want to grant government the authority to decide who can and who can't carry. I feel that's a decision everyone should make for himself. However, since my fellow citizens saw fit to give government this power over us, so as long as I can have one, I see few reasons not to. . . .
Agreed. Income tax and property tax are also against the Constitution/Bill of Rights, but I can't find a way around those, either, without getting in trouble. The fact that we have to pay for the CHL just adds to the insult. :mad: Until we can get the sheeple to vote for representation rather than self-serving, professional politicians we'll just have to work with what we have as best we can.
Sucks, yes, but it does suck less than anywhere else in the world I've ever been.

Stay safe,

Chuck Brick.
 
#55 ·
Get your permit
Take all the training you can afford above and beyond what the state mandates
Carry anywhere and everywhere you legally can
Don't allow other peoples perceptions to cloud your judgment

When it comes down to it...you and you alone are responsible for your own safety and the safety of your loved ones...have the knowledge and the tools to do the job to the best of your ablity
 
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