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Originally posted by uncle norman:

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Originally posted by TNDixieGirl:

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Dixie, how many does 75% represent?

At any given time we have 10-15 full-timers in the office. 2 or 3 of those work out of town for months at a time. The percentage guess I threw out there may be wrong. I suck at numbers.

Hey, even 2 or 3 out of 15 is a heck of a good percentage!

Those who actually carry is more like 10 out of 15. It's basically our women who don't carry yet (except me). One girl wants to get her permit, one girl has a gun but no permit to carry, and the other girl is just flat out scared of guns and will never own one. She's not against anyone else owning one, but says it's not for her.

What got me to start thinking about 'carrying' was a couple of weekend trips into DC in '68 from Aberdeen Proving Grounds, where I was stationed. Then when I arrived in Panama CZ and found two 1911A1s that weren't on our Property Books I asked my CO what I should do with them and he suggested I might want to learn to carry one while I was Off Post etc. Turned out to be a very good idea and I've been doing it ever since then.

Because I'd rather be able to fight for my life than to have to beg for it.

Having my eyes open to this world we live in !

Very simple. I live and work in the Memphis, TN metro area. That says it all.


Put your faith in God and your trust in Smith & Wesson!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

My wife and I face a real threat. A scumbag is right now doing twenty years for "solicitaion for murder in the first degree after felony conviction."

Now to add insult to injury,...while in the state slam...this same scubag did it again..."solicitation for murder in the first degree after felony conviction."!

Yes, I know that is just a bit weird, but that's the way it came down. We are now awaiting going to trial for the "second time around" in September. Hopefully this will keep this assclown in the slam for the rest of his life and we won't have to worry about going to any early release hearings.

With this over our heads, my wife and I both pack 24/7. Besides that, we have implemented just about every security measure possible.

Yes, we take this very seriously.

I must have grown up with a healthy dose of logic and common sense, and the realization that the devil is always working hard in this world. When I was 20 I bought a Mossberg 500, and when I was 22 I applied for my pistol permit and bought a Glock 23. Its been fun accumulating a few other firearms over the years, none of which (thankfully) I have had to use against another human being.

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Originally posted by uncle norman:
Was there one specific incident or just a long series of small things that made you start carrying? My first was a close encounter of the worst kind 35 years ago that made me get my first permit. I still rarely carried. The second was a particularly grissly murder in my town of a young father, mother and 3 and 4 year old children who returned home to a burglary in progress. That still didn't do it. The third and final was just several months ago when some mangy dudes drove into my pipe yard, most likely looking for scrap copper and steel and high-tailed it out fast when they realized someone was at work that early. I was a slow study but I've carried everywhere for the past two months. I figured if I didn't wake up after three incidents I deserved what I might get down the road.

The dude that I encountered 35 years ago was big, young and very well built (I was a lean 6'-2" 190 lbs and he had me beat.) His car was stuck in mud in our shop yard. When I checked him out it became apparent that he had taken some pipe fittings and when he got stuck, killed his engine and ran his battery down he had thrown them on the ground by his trunk. I knew they didn't belong there and pretty quickly got real concerned. Thank God he played it cool and I played stupid. I jump started his car and he left. The moral: If you haven't been in a situation where you feel totally helpless and vulnerable you can't understand my feelings that morning. If I'd have been carrying that morning I'd have backed off 50', drew my weapon and stayed between him and the secretary and driver who were both due any minute. I was scared to death he would feel trapped and freak out with more people there.

As most of you can probably tell, I am new to this forum and new to the whole concept of owning and carrying a gun. I do not have my license to carry yet but it's on my list of near-immediate priorities.

Since this choice is so fresh on my mind I thought I might share. Like most of you I simply came to the realization of how vulnerable people are if they do not have a way to fight back. Then I felt a strong sense of responsibility to equip myself to protect and defend others who may be under threat, not the least of whom are my wife and daughters. We have the right to protect ourselves, and I think for any of us who have the strength of character, it is a responsibility.

My wife was raised by a mostly-single mother who was kind of an anti-gun zealot for most of her life. So my wife also adopted similar opinions although not strong, but just kind of the assumption that we don't need a gun. My dad always had a couple of .22s in the house but never made any mention of carrying a gun. Who'd have figured? I grew up in the south too. My mother-in-law got married a few years ago to a police lieutenant who is a major gun advocate and she's now been converted, so my wife's brothers each were given guns for Christmas presents a couple of years ago and we were the last holdouts. I casually brought up the subject a few months ago and my wife seemed open to the idea so I just decided to do what I thought was right.

I bought my first gun about two weeks ago. It is like drinking from a fire hydrant, learning to use the weapon, investigating how to carry it, and adjusting to the whole idea. I kind of thought my wife might be a bit stunned about it, and I figured my daughters (11 and 14) would freak but my wife kind of dug the idea once she got over the shock, and the kids are not freaked at all. In fact my 14-year-old wants to learn to shoot right away.

So I am now learning to be comfortable with the gun and practicing on the weekends until I get really confident, and then I'll go take the CHL course and get my license in the next month or two.

The thing is I am not allowed to carry at my office, and my second job is at my church where I play guitar and carrying is not feasible in that environment due to mode of dress and belt-clip equipment I have to use, not to mention the fact that there are dozens of armed dudes in my church congregation. I can legally carry in my car or to and from the car even with no license but since we only have one gun, I figure it's best left at home with my wife and kids while I am at work. So I'm kind of vexed as to how it makes sense for me to work this out. But I'll figure it out. I realize that I need to be used to carrying everywhere all the time but since most of the time it is not reasonable or legal, I can't see how I can make it a habit.

Anyway I have just only recently had my eyes opened to this whole concept. Funny how I managed to live 35 years without even really considering it but then all of the sudden it became sort of a feeling of urgency even though there is no event that sparked it. Maybe a lot of it is the fear that after this coming election our rights may be eroded.

Congratulations on taking responsibility for you and your family's personal protection. You are on the right track, plus shooting is a lot of fun. Be safe!

I have always been interested in Guns since I was a little kid.

Growing up in and living most of my adult life in NYC till 8 years ago, I have been involved in my fair share of precarious moments, muggings ,retail store holdups and seeing criminals commit crimes. I have seen murder victims, knifings and what drugs do to neighborhoods.

through all that I never thought about getting a gun.

when I moved upstate NY to the middle of the woods the first thing I did was buy a pump shotgun.

a year after establishing residence I looked in to a Hand gun.

I do not feel any danger in my surroundings but I certainly am not going to depend on anyone else to protect me or my family in the middle of the woods.

besides that, I can legally own and carry here in NY State. I was not about to let that right pass me by....I doubt and more so hope I never need the gun for self defence.

I sure do love the option to do so

We need more "normal" people carrying to make good impressions on our fellow citizens. I know doctors, attorneys, fellow businessmen, building tradesmen, etc who carry. When we let people know we exercise our right to do so, the stigma that gun toters are kooky fringe types slowly drops away. My brother and I are partners in a construction company. We've had our share of shady types come into our shop. Some ask about hauling off scrap pipe to "help us out." We always tell them no and a lot of times things seem to walk out of the yard in the next week or so. I let my brother see my .357 snubbie in an ankle holster a few weeks ago and he rolled his eyes as if to say, "You idiot." But a few days ago he asked if I still carried and I said yes. He said "good" and walked away. My wife, our secretary, knows to hit me on the intercom if she ever feels threatened by anyone who comes in the door by saying, "Send Bill up." Keep packin', brothers and sisters.

Just as soon as KY's CCW was adopted. I have had 2 disc removed from my back and will not attempt to physically fight my way out of a situation but I won't be a sheep either. Too many crackheads and meth addicts out there just looking for YOU!!

While I make a habit of not being where I shouldn’t be, it’s the nut cases that seem to everywhere these days. So I decided it was time for the safety of my family.

I grew up with guns.When I was just a yougster it wasen't uncommon for me to grab my single shot 22 loaded with 22 cal shorts (couldn't afford the expensive long rifles) and head for the Okla bottoms to shoot squirrls. Parents didn't worry because it was a way of life back then. When I grew up my career in life was to become a leo. After retirement it just didn't seem right without that weight on my right hip
Jim Webb.