If you have made the decision to carry - then carry. Part time might not cut it when you need it.

Guns.com Vault
Gather App
chief38

chief38

Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2006
Messages
21,169
Reaction score
35,649
I know many people who carry a SD handgun. I know only a few that have been 100% dedicated to that practice. Many are part time carriers and will only do so about half the time. Unfortunately like a flat tire, it seems to get a nail in it or blow out when your car's spare is either missing or not filled up. It also occurs many times that are inconvenient, in bad weather, time constraints, etc.

Almost no one knows when and if you will need to defend your life - unless you have a crystal ball of course. That is why if you have made the decision to carry it must always be with you (legally of course). Situations always arise when we least expect it and that could happen the time you left it home. If there is a place that has an extremely high chance of being attacked, I simply avoid going there unless I have absolutely no choice in the matter. I am not looking to have to defend myself - but as we all know, flat tires happen even in good neighborhoods so we must always be at the ready!

I just had to get this off my chest - I know way too many "part timers". :rolleyes:
 
The best gun is the one you have with you 24/7. Carry everywhere all the time.

If I knew I was going to go out and get in a gunfight, at this stage of life I’d have no reason to go. So I’m not going to know when and where it happens. It might be in a ‘good’ section of town or where I think things ‘safer’ or in a ‘bad’ area. No one ever knows.
 
I was a part timer a lot before retiring. With work requiring air travel, certain locations being “gun free zones”, and corporate policies leading to termination for violations, it was a constant on-off, into the truck safe, back out, etc.

Now, since retiring, pants go on, pocket knife, then the gun. I do change what gets carried based on planned activities and weather constraints.
 
if one’s daily activities require driving onto a gated, guarded, federal-felony, no-gun zone, then part time carry is unavoidable. since these zones are controlled only by executive order, it would simply take one presidential signature to remove them. sad, and certainly telling, that no such signature happened in 2017-2021 and in 2025-now…
 
1784840152133.webp

While that is true with respect to the beating of that poor creature, it bears reminding from time to time lest folks forget their responsibilities.

Plus, certain side issues arise.

Carry rotation, particularly when designed around where you plan to be, is simply NOT that bad of a plan, as long as you are completely familiar with the guns being rotated. There are good reasons for carrying different guns, including weather, clothing, destination, etc.

For example, the gun you carry in hot summer weather might not be the gun you want to carry when it's much cooler. That means different clothing, different concealment issues, etc. As for destination, and I'm not including long-distance travel by any common carrier versus personal auto, but I am referring to the difference between going out to dinner and going to see a movie. Some folks might want higher capacity in the latter case.

Then there is the issue of place of business. Can you leave your firearms in the parking lot? In many cases that matters but, just as importantly, what if where you work is restricted but you want to carry there anyway? That will require a much deeper concealment than going out to dinner (trust me on how I know this).

It's a dead horse with some live ramifications that ought not to be forgotten.
 
Krogen said:
Agreed @chief38. All or nothing. No part time carry. Also while I'm soapboxing, always carry the same gun. So-called "carry rotation" is a fool's errand.
Click to expand...
This! When I was sworn in 1977, we were taught always carry, the same gun, in the same holster, in the same location. If the ball dropped, there would be no surprises. I have carried my M49 Bodyguard AIWB since the early 80’s and see no reason to change. YMMV.
 
I’ve said it before here and will say it again.

Telling folks they “must” carry is almost as bad as telling them they can’t carry. ☹️

FTR, I carry 99% of the time when out and about. But I’m going to Tokyo Sunday; will be there for nine (9) days. How will I live without my gun on my hip? 🤔😉

Presuming I do survive I’ll report my travels and associated fun times. Do feel free to provide any Tokyo tips. Flying into Haneda and staying at Tokyo Marriott.

Be safe.

PS: Already learned how to pronounce bee-ru and arigatou gozaimasu. 😉
Those words should help make my visit pleasant.

Edit (bee-ru) per tip from a renowned Forum member. Thx!
 
Last edited:
My $0.02 worth. Evil is alive and well through out our country. Evil rarely signals in advance where and when it will raise its ugly head. I have the God given ability to protect those around me should evil try to destroy people or things.

I do believe in the statement “Beware of the man with only one gun, he probably knows how to use it. “

I do not judge anyone who might have issues with my philosophy, I simply hold true for myself.
 
Mike SC Hunter said:
No fun in that.........I rotate my carry
Click to expand...
I have carried the same gun (Sig P365) every day since I bought it about 7 years ago. Before that I carried a M60-7 for about 18 years. The only exception is when I go into the woods and then it's my M65 stoked with Buffalo Bore .357 180 grain Magnums.

I call myself "The Boring Toter" but I never have to think about what gun I have on me, how it operates, loads, round capacity or sights. It's always the same. Exiting - nope but I could operate it well anytime and anywhere I needed to. I also shoot it very well.
 
There are Boot Guns, but this is an, After the Boots go on Gun.
Jeans over boots and as I stand up, gun/holster inside right front pocket, clipped on the outside of the pocket, so the grip sits up high.
Hornady 115gr FMJ or XTP, over 2.9gr BE.
Smooth and accurate little pistol.
Easy to rack.
A mini 9 she be. 🎶🏴‍☠️🎶

IMG_6782.webp

P238HD, with load indicator flag removed, C&L.
The P239 or the old M59, safety off,
are carried the same way.

If I know I'll be somewhere, where no guns are allowed by law, the LCP is used, and locked in the vehicle.
 
Last edited:
The Big D said:
I’ve said it before here and will say it again.

Telling folks they “must” carry is almost as bad as telling them they can’t carry. ☹️

FTR, I carry 99% of the time when out and about. But I’m going to Tokyo Sunday; will be there for nine (9) days. How will I live without my gun on my hip? 🤔😉

Presuming I do survive I’ll report my travels and associated fun times. Do feel free to provide any Tokyo tips. Flying into Haneda and staying at Tokyo Marriott.

Be safe.

PS: Already learned how to pronounce bee-ru and arigatou gozaimasu. 😉
Those words should help make my visit pleasant.

Edit (bee-ru) per tip from a renowned Forum member. Thx!
Click to expand...
Have a safe trip. I highly recommend watching the Kensho Quest youtube channel. They have a lot of Japan travel tips.

Here's a good video to help you learn to speak some Japanese:



Another tip is to be sure what airport you are going to when you leave Japan. Haneda airport and Narita airport are both located in Tokyo, but are far away from each other. It's easy to mistakenly go the wrong airport when you are sleep deprived after staying up all night packing.
 
I got my CPL about 40 years ago. Carried occasionally till about 20 years. Been carrying full time since then. Never needed to use and expect i never will but time will tell. Don't know anyone that has ever needed a gun for self defense. Odds are very small. I tend to play the odds. I figure exercising and eating healthy is almost for sure likely to add more years to my life. So I workout 5+ days a week and have fora few decades and eat my veggies with most every meal unless I am having some fruit
 
I carry all the time, and the same guns, except in rare circumstances. I often hear or read on forums people changing what they carry “if going to the city” or if going through a “bad area” but I don’t think it should matter. I have a couple of reasons.

The only time I’ve had to draw a gun on someone was when I walked in on a break-in and he turned on me with the crowbar he had just used. This happened in a so-called “good area” and in the middle of the afternoon.

Also, I feel you should pick a gun and method of carry and stay with it. I think it’s OK to try different things, but eventually settle.

Taking this a step further, in classes I see people using a gun/holster/carry method that might be similar to what they use for daily carry but not the same. For example, they use a full-size Glock instead of the mini one they carry. That’s not too bad, but I’ve noticed I’m usually the only one in the class working from concealment. I don’t get the rationale of spending training time and money using an OWB Kydex “range holster” in the open when you normally carry IWB under an untucked shirt or something. This is the time to learn and get better with it.
 
I don't go to the big city much these days except to doctors or labs. I will admit I change my armament slightly when I do - I add a magazine to my normal carry for my 1911 primary.

Around the house my BUG is often a .44 Spl. revolver and I put in a shot cartridge while mowing (I have seen copperheads around my creeks - I don't shoot the "good" snakes) but when I go to the city I usually change that out to a second 1911 or a Commander (both .45) and stick an airweight .38 in my pocket.

Primary has been a 1911 or Commander in .45 for the last 5+ decades. I will often "play" with the BUG - probably not the best of ideas :(

Riposte
 
chief38 said:
I know many people who carry a SD handgun. I know only a few that have been 100% dedicated to that practice. Many are part time carriers and will only do so about half the time. Unfortunately like a flat tire, it seems to get a nail in it or blow out when your car's spare is either missing or not filled up. It also occurs many times that are inconvenient, in bad weather, time constraints, etc.

Almost no one knows when and if you will need to defend your life - unless you have a crystal ball of course. That is why if you have made the decision to carry it must always be with you (legally of course). Situations always arise when we least expect it and that could happen the time you left it home. If there is a place that has an extremely high chance of being attacked, I simply avoid going there unless I have absolutely no choice in the matter. I am not looking to have to defend myself - but as we all know, flat tires happen even in good neighborhoods so we must always be at the ready!

I just had to get this off my chest - I know way too many "part timers". :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
I got toasted on here once for saying I carry everywhere always 100 percent, if i go pee at 2am I bring a revolver, if im in the shower theres one in the towel shelf.,people talk about odds, then why carry at all? Odds are you'll never need it. Makes no sense to me to use odds as the criteria when youre a gun guy.
 
I carried what the bosses said for 33 years. No more.

I carry what I want, when I want. LEOSA takes care of the where I want part, at least in US and it’s territories.

I don’t carry in the house. All guns are in the safe. I have grandkids.

Sometimes I will (GASP) leave the house without a gun.

This thread needs pictures. Here is Larry Fine trying to figure out an 1877 Colt.
IMG_3811.webp
 
sigp220.45 said:
I carried what the bosses said for 33 years. No more.

I carry what I want, when I want. LEOSA takes care of the where I want part, at least in US and it’s territories.

I don’t carry in the house. All guns are in the safe. I have grandkids.

Sometimes I will (GASP) leave the house without a gun.

This thread needs pictures. Here is Larry Fine trying to figure out an 1877 Colt.
View attachment 898840
Click to expand...
Being reasonable and rational never ends well. 😀

I don't do LEOSA, just NM CCL. It doesn't limit me much for places I actually want to go.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

N
Thoughts on Small‑Caliber Snubs for Everyday Concealed Carry
6 7 8
Replies
226
Views
9K
zephaniah
zephaniah
N
My M&P 10mm Carry Comp (had issues)
2
Replies
54
Views
2K
sparkyvega
sparkyvega
S
S&W customer service?
Replies
17
Views
602
GnarlsR2
GnarlsR2
chief38
How to buy REAL "Made in USA" tools that will last a lifetime - and save big while you are at it!
2
Replies
50
Views
2K
Bekeart
B
usmcsgt
Were you law enforcement in the 70’s-80’s? What did you carry?
8 9 10
Replies
296
Views
19K
sandspur6
sandspur6

Latest posts

Back
Top