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When do you carry and why do you do it? Aside from what caliber is "best", nothing seems to get gun people talking quicker than asking when they carry and why. I myself have been asked the question on more than a few occasions of why I feel the need to carry a gun. In fact, I was asked that question just yesterday. Upon reflecting upon that question, I began to ask myself why exactly did I decide to get a CC license and carry a gun. I've never been robbed aside from a burglary about 15 years ago, never been attacked, never been threatened with serious bodily harm (except by my first wife!) and never been shot at aside from in the military. I don't personally know anyone that has or know anyone who knows anyone else who has. So, why do I have a license to carry a concealed handgun?
Why I got a license is easy... My current, and hopefully last, wife wanted one and talked me into taking the class with her. Her job requires her to travel a lot, usually alone, and she is often the one required to open her office at 6:30 in the morning. Being a born and bred Texas girl, she likes guns, owns several and knows how to use them. Since she usually carried her Lady Smith .38 SPL in her car or her purse anyway, she finally decided to make it legal. I have owned guns for over 40 years, like them and also know how to use them. However, I never felt the need to carry one. I decided to get my CHL when my wife wanted to get hers and she wanted someone to take the class with her. It became a kind of husband-wife project we could do together. I'll quickly admit I was getting tired of the usual projects of remodeling the bathroom or the yard and this was much more interesting!
Once I had my license, I had to decide what I would carry. Luckily, owning a good number of handguns (30+) made the choice of weapons easy. It was almost like picking which clothes to wear. Big gun, little gun, revolver, auto or a pocket derringer, it depended on what I was wearing and were I was going.
The hardest part is deciding when to carry. This is usually where the great debate starts. During my 20+ years of traveling in the military, I developed the habit of being aware of my surroundings and what was happing around me. Some habit's die hard and I'm still that way. However, since I usually lived on base, traveled and associated with mostly military people, I seldom felt threatened by the usual criminal elements. Even now, I don't normally feel the real need to protect myself with a weapon unless I'm going into "bad" areas or traveling. I don't carry at home, for quick trips to the post office or to church. I also don't usually carry for trips to the doctor or places where I may be required to expose a weapon. I do keep a gun locked and loaded in the bedroom and there is always one in our cars when were out.
As I said, I've never been the victim of a major crime or know of anyone personally who has. I live in a smaller (less than 90,000) town with fewer than a 1/2 dozen shootings a years, usually by people who know one another. I live in a nicer neighborhood that's had no serious crimes committed in it (other than a stolen car that was found the next day) in over 20 years. I have an alarm on my house, security lights and two dogs that stay outside. Overall, I consider myself lucky and while I do carry a gun, I carry when I feel there's a possible need, not simply because I can. On the other hand, I know not everyone has that option or opinion and was wondering about some of you others that carry on a more regular basis. I know some posters carry whenever they leave their house, it doesn't matter where they're going. There are also a few who even carry when they're at home... basically from the time they get out of bed until the time they go back.
I'm not being judgmental and/or saying when and where anyone with a legal right to carry a gun does it. We all have our reasons for carrying, or not carrying, a gun. My question for everyone else here is simply when and why do you do it?
Why I got a license is easy... My current, and hopefully last, wife wanted one and talked me into taking the class with her. Her job requires her to travel a lot, usually alone, and she is often the one required to open her office at 6:30 in the morning. Being a born and bred Texas girl, she likes guns, owns several and knows how to use them. Since she usually carried her Lady Smith .38 SPL in her car or her purse anyway, she finally decided to make it legal. I have owned guns for over 40 years, like them and also know how to use them. However, I never felt the need to carry one. I decided to get my CHL when my wife wanted to get hers and she wanted someone to take the class with her. It became a kind of husband-wife project we could do together. I'll quickly admit I was getting tired of the usual projects of remodeling the bathroom or the yard and this was much more interesting!
Once I had my license, I had to decide what I would carry. Luckily, owning a good number of handguns (30+) made the choice of weapons easy. It was almost like picking which clothes to wear. Big gun, little gun, revolver, auto or a pocket derringer, it depended on what I was wearing and were I was going.
The hardest part is deciding when to carry. This is usually where the great debate starts. During my 20+ years of traveling in the military, I developed the habit of being aware of my surroundings and what was happing around me. Some habit's die hard and I'm still that way. However, since I usually lived on base, traveled and associated with mostly military people, I seldom felt threatened by the usual criminal elements. Even now, I don't normally feel the real need to protect myself with a weapon unless I'm going into "bad" areas or traveling. I don't carry at home, for quick trips to the post office or to church. I also don't usually carry for trips to the doctor or places where I may be required to expose a weapon. I do keep a gun locked and loaded in the bedroom and there is always one in our cars when were out.
As I said, I've never been the victim of a major crime or know of anyone personally who has. I live in a smaller (less than 90,000) town with fewer than a 1/2 dozen shootings a years, usually by people who know one another. I live in a nicer neighborhood that's had no serious crimes committed in it (other than a stolen car that was found the next day) in over 20 years. I have an alarm on my house, security lights and two dogs that stay outside. Overall, I consider myself lucky and while I do carry a gun, I carry when I feel there's a possible need, not simply because I can. On the other hand, I know not everyone has that option or opinion and was wondering about some of you others that carry on a more regular basis. I know some posters carry whenever they leave their house, it doesn't matter where they're going. There are also a few who even carry when they're at home... basically from the time they get out of bed until the time they go back.
I'm not being judgmental and/or saying when and where anyone with a legal right to carry a gun does it. We all have our reasons for carrying, or not carrying, a gun. My question for everyone else here is simply when and why do you do it?
Quite a conversion experience, Hank!
