Is a CCW for me?

[Mudrunner111]

Welcome aboard 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.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[monky]

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.

[ccw9mm]

all law abiding citizens should have a CHL and as the greatest swordsman of japan
Miyamoto Musashi said, always be ready for the unexpected.

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.

[CT Kid]

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.

[KG4ZRC]

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.

[gg12]

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.

[JDBraddy]

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.

[chuck brick]

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. 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.

[FearSheeple]

had no idea my question would spark off this many responses and stories -- this is a fantastic community here!

[dunndw]

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

[SleepingZ]

First off welcome to a great forum, second- get your CCW permit, and third find a weapon you will carry, and you will never look back.


Z

[Reborn]

If you watch the news at all and you don't know if you need it or not.........then I would say know......but on the other hand take the course and learn something new. Then it's up to you to send in for you license or not.

[Bark'n]

While there are no state statutes in my state that say EMS staff can not carry firearms on an ambulance, my service does have a no gun policy.

Now that is not enforced at the station as most everyone are hunters and folks often bring their weapons in from time to time to show off new purchases, clean their weapons or work on them while at work... boss included.

I have not felt the need to buck the policy as far as carrying while on duty.

However, I carry everywhere I go off duty and so does my wife.

Greater than 60% of the time I carry a BUG and have been known to carry 3 depending on where my business travels takes me.

I also usually have OC spray in my possession and carry other tools such as Kubotan or other striking type weapon and a folding knife.

Really it all boils down to being a way of life or lifestyle that I have chosen to follow.

As a tactical medic for a swat team as well as being a former certified LEO defensive tactics and other combative techniques instructor, I do not feel particularly vulnerable if I do not happen to have a firearm with me.

My training and mindset allow my to utilize a variety of methods, techniques and objects as means of self defense.

Still I carry every opportunity I have because the old saying about guns are true. "When what you need is a gun for defense, there is no substitute!"

Please see my signature line.

But note that if I didn't have a gun, I wouldn't necessarily feel "unprotected."

I do recommend that everyone who does choose to carry a gun, develop the mindset it takes to truly do it right and look at it as a lifestyle change that you are committed to having on a full time basis.

Stay Safe! YMMV

[HowardCohodas]

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.

For me, the concealed part of concealed carry is paramount. Therefore, what others think about carrying is never an issue.

[LongRider]

Sure is nice being able to walk into a gun store, whip out the CCW, and leave with the new gun in minutes!

Good point. During the LA riots sheep tried to buy guns and learned there was a five day wait, too late for many of them. A permit would have allowed them to buy guns that day. Truth is there is a big difference between getting a CCW and having a gun. Of course you should get it the CCW. If you decide to buy a gun & carry is another matter. Only you can decide that. Only, you know if you are responsible and disciplined enough to learn how to use it correctly, and do so if needed. If you are & can. You know the answer. Don't you? You know that one day you may need it. Hopefully you never will.

If you think "Gee, I'm going to a rough section of town, maybe I should be armed.", you probably shouldn't go.

Long story short, my wife said this a few years ago after some teens that tried to intimidate her. Told them in that quiet voice she has, she'd carve them up and serve them for dinner. I know she would have too, she has a couple of priors. Later she said I have walked on these streets for X number of years I'll damned if some little creeps are going to keep me from going where I want when I want. I pretty much agree. If I have business somewhere, anywhere, at any time, 24/7 I'll be there and could care less who don't like it