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Your carry decision

7K views 78 replies 73 participants last post by  disko 
#1 ·
Not very original - I mean heck we have discussed ''carry evolution'' - risk factors - all sorts of stuff already.

But wonder if you can remember that actual decision time and why. The day you decided - ''Yes, I will carry a concealed firearm". Was it ''Because I can"? ''Because I feel the need"? Some actual traumatic event?

I have for more years than I care to remember felt the need to excercise my innate human right to self defence and to carry - but back in UK days it was never legal ..... <cough!!>. I certainly was always armed at home.

Once I got here and married it was with some pleasure that I began to rebuild my shooting interests, although for some while I could not get handguns or carry. Once I was ''legal'' and had permanent residency I got things under way. Many folks say when asked why they carry - ''because I can''. Well that is my 2º reason. My 1º reason is because I choose too not easily become a victim, and the fact that I can (legally) is a bonus.

Now I am a U.S. citizen I am finally on a totally level playing field with everyone and that feels good. Folks know I am dedicated to carry - and I try my best to encourage others as well as teach what I can.

What kicked you off then, older folks starting, in particular?
 
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#52 ·
Czman, Every time I hear that I tell them they better not try to DRIVE away form the car theif as a defence against losing the car or he will take it away from you & run over you with it. :image035: As for the original Q. I had talked about it for a good while & it was always OK w/ the wife. Picked a date & did it. Both the ladies of my life were a little different. Mom was first. Some time after Dad died she asked me what I would think if she got a gun & learned to shoot. I told her great but learn to shoot then get the gun. 72 when she went for CHL & shot a 236 out of 250 possible. Made 100 on the written. About 2 yrs ago Mom had her purse stolen. No gun in it but the wife said it was now time for her to get one. Since then the wife is 24-7 carry also.:hand10: Mom about 23-6 now. Never figured out how to decide when & when not to. Thus my signature on another forum. Carry 24-7 or guess right. Wife shoots enough to stay in practice. Mom LOVES IT. She even reloads w/ me. 75 now.
 
#53 ·
When I moved to Georgia (or rather, was moved there via Uncle Sam), I found that they had CCW. Now, just having come from NY (Rome, NY via Griffiss AFB) and seeing what their gun laws were like (had to be there a year just to apply for a gun license just to have the handguns at home with me instead of the armory on base) going to GA was like stepping out of Russia straight into the United States to me.

So, since I was military I didn't have any wait and went to the court house just for the "heck of it". I applied, paid my money and within six weeks had my permit.

This was back in 1995 IIRC. I know that it's only been 10 years of carry but now since I've read more and more and gotten involved with the RKBA and the world does seem to be getting more dangerous instead of less, it's now just become a normal part of my life. Like eating, getting dressed, and going to work.

Wayne
 
#55 ·
I have been into martial arts since I was a youngster, but never gave much thought about carrying a gun, although we kept a few in the house for protection. I then had 2 incidences when I was 19-20 years old. The first one I was robbed at gunpoint while using an ATM. The BG never got close enough for me to even think about dissarming him. The second time I walked into a stop-and-rob (that was being robbed) and one of the BG's let off a couple of rounds in my direction as soon as I opened the door- none of them came close to me.
As soon as I turned 21 I got my carry permit, got all the training I could, and became a tactical/self-defense instructor myself.
 
#56 ·
When I was 9 years old, my family was traveling back to Nashville. We stopped at some out of the way place to get something to eat. My dad got out and told us to stay in the car. He came walking back very quickly in short order without any food. After getting in the car while backing out, he told my mom that someone had thrown a knife at him. My dad never showed any fear to us kids that day, but from then on when traveling, he was always armed. I guess that was pivotal in my decision to carry. Now I have a family of my own...
 
#57 ·
It was a combination of things really:
I'm on permanent disability due to spinal nerve damage. Had two pretty extensive surgeries so standing toe to toe and going ten rounds with some punk is out of the question - as is running since walking itself is difficult enough.

We had an attempted break-in at our apartment about 12:30 in the morning last June. Luckily I had gotten up for a cigarette and was able to grab my shotgun and scare off the intruder just before he broke through - when I opened the door for the responding officer, the striker plate fell out of the doorframe at his feet and the door itself was split all the way up. That'll change your priorities really quick!

After my disability pension was finally approved I got a fairly sizeable check and what didn't go toward bills went to a suitable weapon for CCW - my S&W 642. A guy at my office told me about where he'd trained for his permit and when I found out it was 30% of the cost of where I'd planned to take the class, I figured there was no reason I couldn't afford to get my permit. I took the class Sept. 10, 2005, my permit arrived almost exactly four weeks later and I've been carrying ever since. Like a lot of others here, if my pants are on, so is my gun.
Jack
 
#58 ·
I feel lucky in the sense that my Father first put a Handgun ( 357 mag) in my hands at 8 years old, At 11 he gave me my first Handgun a 1911 in Super38 I spent 10 years shooting this & many other 1911s & when I turned 21 & Wa. being a Shal Issue state since 1968 I felt it was my duty to Soceity to take the skills I had learned & be willing to use them to protect those that cant protect themselves. No I am not a LEO. I have done Exec protection in such great places as Pakistan & other Wonderful Holiday spots.
I will carry until they put me in a box & i am sure my family will bury me with a 1911 so I may stand gaurd at the gates as my brothers in arms come thru.

I carry because so many others dont & they are blind to why it is required.
 
#59 ·
Grew up shooting guns. One day I was doing a Real estate appraisal in south Richmond and had to drive around a body in the cross walk, I heard the shots. I remember saying I will not be a victim. And Im not going to be.
 
#60 ·
Excluding the times my residencies were outside of conus, I cannot remember being without a weapon on my person or nearby. It was a logical progression to becoming a carrying civilian, and I've done so wherever the law allowed. And yes, the temptation to illegally bear arms was a strong one at times, but spending my entire adult life defending our system of government forbade it. My experience in the Midwest was not a pleasant one with regards to CCW...local Sheriff's in Iowa can deny a permit if they don't like the car you've driven up in...but living in Florida is wonderful and an important part of our decision to relocate here.

Walk softly but carry the biggest caliber you can.
 
#63 ·
It was when I was taking my (Then) 11 year old son on a scouting trip for a fall Elk hunt. We were tacking some Elk, and found that we weren’t the only ones tracking the same Elk. Mountain lion! I then decided to purchase my first pistol. After that hunting season, I realized that I’d be better off with CCW. Colorado DOW officers don’t always think best of Archery hunters with Firearms. (Know what I mean?) I have since moved on to CC almost all the time.
 
#64 ·
Quite simply as already stated:

1. because I can
2. because I will NOT be a victim.

Grew up around guns (BB, .22's & shotguns) my whole life, but got serious about it when OH passed the law in March 04 and I got my permit this past Feb.
 
#65 ·
I grew up in Southeast Texas always surrounded by hunting and fishing but didn't really get into that myself until my senior year of high school. I moved to L.A. for a few years and saw "the big city" first hand as I volunteered with LAPD while there. I now live in a pretty safe city but am surrounded by :sheep:. I know if any thing ever hits the fan here there will be a lot of victims but I wont be one of them.
 
#66 ·
Originally, because I was required to, during the 10 - 16 hours a day (+-) that I wasn't in uniform in Very S. Florida. Then after that, because I had already done so for so long, I felt out of place not to.
My requirement to do so ended just about 10 years ago now; my OPTION to do so (and have been legally since..) started just about 10 years ago.

As always,

My best to you & yours,

(erh)
 
#67 ·
After several months of due consideration and contemplation, my wife and I began a handgun safety and handling course in September, 2005. The events since 9/11, and then watching the "Katrina" chaos unfold was the impetus. We took weekly trips to the range, shot rented guns, and received patient training from a very experienced instructor. We took it slowly, and agreed that if either of us had "second thoughts" or "misgivings" that we could "withdraw" with no recriminations. We both received our CHL's now, and shoot weekly or more and continue training.

Our goal is to be prepared for possible unpleasant events in an uncertain world. We live in an isolated area with only one neighbor, ten miles out of town. The county we live in is one of the poorer counties in Texas. It has experienced a phenomenal increases in crime the past 24 months, primarily due to Meth and Oxy. The problem is rampant, and growing.

Additionally, we run off to the mountains of Colorado often, usually "to get lost" somewhere "off the map" during occasional day trips. Nothing frightening ever happened, but we see a strong need to become more prepared as the world appears to become more unstable.

So, as we "progress" and learn, we see more need to be become more prepared. It's just our way of doing things. If we're going to do "something", we will do it well, in a prudent manner.
 
#68 ·
For me, at age 37 or so, I just decided I would because I can, it is a challenge, and it was overall a Good Idea.

I had shot with my dad some, and when I had a child I decided that the boy would grow up to be familiar with firearms and they would not be taboo in our house. This required that I get re-familiarized with them, and at the same time I started reading gun boards, and drank the whole Gun Nut coolaid, undiluted.

It was a chore to convince the "No Guns In The House" wife, but I had a pretty solid plan, and more importantly, I was Right, and she's coming around. Now she doesn't even raise an eyebrow when I bring in a new gun.
 
#72 ·
Because I must

As a former LEO, I know, as most current and former cops will agree, that the chance that an officer will be there to protect you when TSHTF is slim to none. The incidents of violent behavior are sadly on the increase and I, for one, refuse to be a :sheep:
Just like cancer insurance and ICBMs, I hope that my pistol WAS a waste of money!
 
#73 ·
It was the L A riots in the 60s. I was going to VN and when I got back I always carried. I started with a cheap RG 22 revolver that actually worked quite well. I used it one time, I put a nice long rifle hollow point into the leg of a crook who had just broken into the window of a car ahead of me when I was coming home from classes at LACC. In fact it was one of Ohshima's Shotokan classes. I told the old lady to leave and so did I. Never saw the perp again or the lady. I always carry in LA, usually legally with gun in a locked box ammo an another but easy to get if I have to. I bad areas I load an AMT and stick it in an upper hidden pocket. I usually stay in Kern County and carry open. LA is a battle zone so I stay out unless I have to. I worked CID for 10 years before returning to a line unit and had to deal with turds often, take my word they don't care at all about you.
 
#74 ·
When I learned a few years ago that we could get permits in our area (El Paso county, CO), I started thinking about it. Did I >really< need it? Would I carry? Etc. Fast forward thru the years ... Then I went to LA after Katrina. The guys we met there who briefed us said "There was a gunfight in that lot over there (across the dirt road) just last night." I looked and could see that at least three of them were carrying and they weren't trying very hard to hide it. Holy crap! What had I gotten into? I'm a ham radio operator, and expected to be operating in nice, safe, air-conditioned buildings. (I should note that I DID take my commander with me, but it stayed in the truck or the motor home the whole trip.) Anyway, we worked 6 different assignments in LA and MS, and I can't tell you how many signs I saw that warned would-be miscreants that the owners/residents were armed and would shoot. One sign said "Again. And again. And again".

That time in the gulf coast was my epiphany. It came crashing home just how vulnerable we are if we're unarmed when the SHTF and how unlikely it would be that any LEO could get there in time to save your bacon. I resolved to get my permit without hesitation when I got home.

My wife says she hates guns ... she's a court reporter and "I see what they do to people". [I know ... we're not gonna to go there.] But the the time our daughter called when coming home late to say "there's a guy standing in our driveway and I'm scared to drive in" and the three times our doorbell has rung after dark, she's asked me if I was going to get my gun. The last time was just 4 nights ago. The guy who (likely) rang the doorbell does not live in our area and he was standing in the middle of the street wearing dark clothing. I wore it openly IWB for the rest of the night and she never made a comment. I think whether she was aware of it or not, it provided some comfort to her that I was carrying and ready.

So, that's my story. I carry more and more. It's on my belt now. Like Clint Smith says "Your gun shouldn't be comfortable. It should be comforting". Mine is.
 
#75 ·
mik said:
When I learned a few years ago that we could get permits in our area (El Paso county, CO), I started thinking about it. Did I >really< need it? Would I carry? Etc. Fast forward thru the years ... Then I went to LA after Katrina. The guys we met there who briefed us said "There was a gunfight in that lot over there (across the dirt road) just last night." I looked and could see that at least three of them were carrying and they weren't trying very hard to hide it. Holy crap! What had I gotten into? I'm a ham radio operator, and expected to be operating in nice, safe, air-conditioned buildings. (I should note that I DID take my commander with me, but it stayed in the truck or the motor home the whole trip.) Anyway, we worked 6 different assignments in LA and MS, and I can't tell you how many signs I saw that warned would-be miscreants that the owners/residents were armed and would shoot. One sign said "Again. And again. And again".

That time in the gulf coast was my epiphany. It came crashing home just how vulnerable we are if we're unarmed when the SHTF and how unlikely it would be that any LEO could get there in time to save your bacon. I resolved to get my permit without hesitation when I got home.

My wife says she hates guns ... she's a court reporter and "I see what they do to people". [I know ... we're not gonna to go there.] But the the time our daughter called when coming home late to say "there's a guy standing in our driveway and I'm scared to drive in" and the three times our doorbell has rung after dark, she's asked me if I was going to get my gun. The last time was just 4 nights ago. The guy who (likely) rang the doorbell does not live in our area and he was standing in the middle of the street wearing dark clothing. I wore it openly IWB for the rest of the night and she never made a comment. I think whether she was aware of it or not, it provided some comfort to her that I was carrying and ready.

So, that's my story. I carry more and more. It's on my belt now. Like Clint Smith says "Your gun shouldn't be comfortable. It should be comforting". Mine is.

Where were you in LA after Katrina? I worked for a couple of weeks out of Metarie, just west of New Orleans. Good times, and I can agree with you about the stories of gunfights "just over there." I saw the evidence of such, and saw a few myself.

I also agree that if anything confirmed my decision to carry a concealed weapon, it was my time in New Orleans. When all the good folks are missing from a city, you get to see just how many bad guys are out there. Scary stuff....

Jeremy
 
#76 ·
I have lived and worked in 16 countries. I know what it is like to live under fools and tyrants. I've seen helpless peoples with out the ability to defend themselves. I have friends who live in the US now from Communist countries and the first thing they do is buy a gun because it is a symbol of Freedom to them.

Another reason, I have put away some very bad people down in Texas who have promised to visit me after they get out.

I think we have to accept that most sheep will never be comfortable around the sheep dogs. We must just move along, be vigil and put our trust in The Lord!

God Bless
 
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