Carrying Occasionally

[Smoke]

"What has mood to do with it? You fight when the necessity arises—no matter the mood! Mood's a thing for cattle or making love or playing the baliset. It's not for fighting."
― Frank Herbert, Dune

I carry a gun for self defense period. If they come up with a tool that does the job better than a gun I'll carry that.

A gun is like a seat belt, it's purpose driven so you use it every time you get in the car no matter what. I carry every time I walk out the front door whether I feel like it or not.

 

[Smoke]

Yea smokes because my name is clay and im a cow. Your knowledge of these matters is extremely weak.

Avoiding legal traps by Massad Ayoob

From the above article

...I know for a fact that we DO have the technology to pull things out of your hard drive that you thought were deleted. We DO have the right to ask you, under penalty of perjury, whether you post on any Internet forum, and under what name, and we DO have the power to subpoena any posts via your IP from the Internet hosts, who under law have no choice but to "give you up." Don't let the seeming anonymity of the Internet delude you: when things get serious, you won't be anonymous anymore....

THR

This ain't my first rodeo

 

[ClayCow]

Avoiding legal traps by Massad Ayoob

From the above article




THR

This ain't my first rodeo

Smoke, you obviously don't know anything about computers and neither does Ayoob. His statements are geared toward people who don't know anything about the internet or computers.

 

[ClayCow]

Sorry, let me clarify. What Mas is saying isn't false by any means as those are all possible, but the steps to get there are many and convoluted. Not to mention you don't know my living situation.

 

[WR Moore]

Reading some of the posts about the areas not being likely to "need" protection, I'm reminded of an interview of a long dead bank robber. Some youngster was inteviewing Willie Sutton and asked why he robbed banks. After a period of silence, he gently explained that: "That's where the money is."

If you're going to rob/home invade/burgle are you going to do so where no one has anything or a better neighborhood?

 

[bgrone]

Neighborhood

Reading some of the posts about the areas not being likely to "need" protection, I'm reminded of an interview of a long dead bank robber. Some youngster was inteviewing Willie Sutton and asked why he robbed banks. After a period of silence, he gently explained that: "That's where the money is."

If you're going to rob/home invade/burgle are you going to do so where no one has anything or a better neighborhood?

When I lived on the east side of Des Moines the general consensus was that the west side was the haves and the east side was the have-nots and those more inclined to thievery. Some one asked me if I worried about burglaries , I replied that the thieves frequented the west side where the good stuff was.

 

[skyking09]

I carry whenever I'm out of my home, unless there is a particular reason that I cannot/should not, etc.
1. I went through the trouble ( not much ) of getting my CCL
2. I'm an American and it's my right
3. There are lots of crazies out there.

When I first started carrying, my wife would say things like, are you really taking that to the restaurant tonight or something like that. Now, she's accustomed to my having it with me whenever we're out, she is more comfortable and is like the spare tire in the car or my amex card - I don't leave home "without it" !

 

[Donn]

When I took the class for my CPL, the instructor strongly advised that once we were legal, carry every day. Make it a part of your daily routine. Keys, money, wallet, firearm. I've done it that way ever since. That said, I know a few people who carry when the mood strikes. I don't try changing their mind. MYOB rules the day.

 

[bgrone]

Daily carry

Being new to CCW (have had my permit for 2 yrs) I am easing into trying to be come more comfortable and trying different carry methods and holsters. A local ret LEO made me a custom ankle holster for my J frame and it is very comfortable, I just need to put in more time dry practice drawing and reloading. I am a bit ADD so it takes a long time to make anything a daily routine. Fortunately I am seldom anywhere risky, around here we don't lock our cars seldom take keys out of ignition. And yes I know violence can strike anywhere anytime but I still consider the odds.

I do appreciate all the well meaning advice and the candid opinions of all the forum members here. When I do carry I want to do it in a safe, responsible and discrete manner.
When any of my guns are not in my immediate possession they are in a locked safe or a quick access lock box.

Thank you members for all your contributions to this topic.

 

[Jerry N.]

I have encouraged my friends and neighbors who show even a slight interest in shooting to apply for their CC permit. Even if they never carry, the permit shows our elected leaders that there is yet another person who supports the second amendment and the right to carry.

Just getting the permit is a positive statement! What you actually do or don't do after that is nobody else's business.

I have my CC permit and I have never carried. I'm sure it's different depending on the State you live in, but in Michigan, it's easier to purchase a gun if you have your CPL. I agree with the post above, that it's also a comment to your State that you support the second amendment, but I got mine so I could buy guns easier. Why do I want a gun(s) if I'm not going to carry? Well that's a different thread, but I enjoy going to the range and I like intricate machines.

It's also nice from a legal point that if for some reason I don't secure my gun properly and have it in my car, I have significant protection with my CPL. Not that I would, but my gun can be loaded and be anywhere in the car without issue. Without a CPL, the gun MUST be unloaded, in the trunk, separated from ammo . . . Of course, that is how I travel to the range, but the CPL is a significant layer of protection from making a mistake during transportation of a gun.

It may be that I will carry at some point in my life, but at this moment in my life, I'm not carrying.

 

[ClayCow]

I have my CC permit and I have never carried. I'm sure it's different depending on the State you live in, but in Michigan, it's easier to purchase a gun if you have your CPL. I agree with the post above, that it's also a comment to your State that you support the second amendment, but I got mine so I could buy guns easier. Why do I want a gun(s) if I'm not going to carry? Well that's a different thread, but I enjoy going to the range and I like intricate machines.

It's also nice from a legal point that if for some reason I don't secure my gun properly and have it in my car, I have significant protection with my CPL. Not that I would, but my gun can be loaded and be anywhere in the car without issue. Without a CPL, the gun MUST be unloaded, in the trunk, separated from ammo . . . Of course, that is how I travel to the range, but the CPL is a significant layer of protection from making a mistake during transportation of a gun.

It may be that I will carry at some point in my life, but at this moment in my life, I'm not carrying.

Yea. Its nice having that measure to know youre in compliance when transporting with the license. In this state it also speeds up ffl transfers.

 

[BAM-BAM]

In Pa. only about 7-8% of the population have cc permits....... my guess is that like the survey on page 1 maybe 50% carry on a regular/daily basis....

Too each their own....their decision on how they want to live their life.....

I've had my permit since 1978...... didn't carry much till the mid 80s......now pretty much all the time I'm away from the house...don't generally carry in the house or while doing yard work....but my CC guns aren't far away.......only time you'll find me open carrying is on a hike at the cabin....even then generally have a vest on...... a man can never have enough pockets.......

So the fact you don't see your neighbors open carrying all the time.... really tells us nothing......just a series of random observations on your part...

kind of like I don't open carry a fire extinguisher when we have a "fire-pit evening" in the back yard.... but one is near by....

if I'm washing the car.... my gun and holster may be lying one the drivers seat under a towel or news paper..............................



I do know that since learning TTSH's back story.... I won't go to an Italian Restaurant w/o my gun.......for fear of crazed waitresses........

 

[TTSH]

I do know that since learning TTSH's back story.... I won't go to an Italian Restaurant w/o my gun.......for fear of crazed waitresses........

And yet we managed to escape unharmed (although still hungry) despite the fact that neither one of us was armed and able to shoot the crazy old nutcase waitress for denying us our salad.

 

[BAM-BAM]

And yet we managed to escape unharmed (although still hungry) despite the fact that neither one of us was armed and able to shoot the crazy old nutcase waitress for denying us our salad.

Sometimes a tactical retreat can be accomplished without suppressive fire..... and sometimes you're just lucky!!!!!

 

[kaveman]

Until recently, I didn't carry at all. I've always been a 'gun guy', but life made carrying impossible. As an airline pilot with a company that did on demand worldwide charter work I could literally wake up anywhere on the planet at any time. When I left for work I didn't know if I was going away for a day or a month. Since 90% of my life was on the road in places far more dangerous than my home town I never really bothered keeping up the CCW from my early years.

Of course, not being armed was only one of the many reasons that the life sucked. I worked around it for years just by being senior enough to 'mostly' hold a single route where I had a car(and gun)and some sort of life at both ends, but eventually that went away and all the flying became anytime/anywhere,..........and one year of that was enough to make me leave it.

Since my 'retirement', I've renewed my CCW to lifetime status and started carrying more or less 100% of the time. Just haven't quite settled on the 'perfect' gun and rig yet,...........but I'm enjoying the search.

 

[Rastoff]

Just haven't quite settled on the 'perfect' gun and rig yet,.....

Oh, that's easy, the perfect gun is...yeah, you'll have to decide for yourself, but lots of guys are willing to tell you what they think it should be. I've found mine.

......but I'm enjoying the search.

The search is fun isn't it?

 

[shell627]

I just wish I was smart enough to know.WHEN it would be dangerous and I had to carry.If I only carried in certain neighborhoods.I would not want to explain why I went there armed and no where else.If I got in a shooting it might sound like I went there looking for trouble as opposed to I always carry.

 

[ClayCow]

I don't understand why gun owners simply keep repeating this "crystal ball" thing. We all understand that no one is a psychic and won't know, but it seems like you guys refuse to acknowledge that there are more dangerous areas than others which increase your chance of having to use your gun in SD. Instead you simply repeat that you never know - something which is acknowledged and understood by those who carry occasionally. It's simply an assumed risk, which apparently is pill too hard to swallow for many.

 

[Rastoff]

Hahaha! That's a good one ClayCow. Yes, I absolutely agree that some areas are more dangerous than others. Crime statistics bear that out. You won't find me on Chicago's Eight Mile at any time.

Still, that doesn't mean crime is impossible elsewhere. Sure, the numbers might say that there's only a .1% chance of a violent crime in a particular area. I'm not going to be the unarmed victim of that .1% crime. I'm carrying whenever legal.

Just a few days ago a lady was stabbed to death by her crazy boyfriend. She lived in a gated community near me. The guy didn't have any right to be there so, how'd he get past the gate? Doesn't matter. She's dead and might still be alive had she been carrying at the time.

I don't care if you carry or not. I won't look down on anyone who decides not to carry. However, to assume that, "This area is OK so, I won't need my gun here" is playing the odds. The odds are indeed in your favor, but that's the risk you take. If you're saying that there are areas where the chance of needing your gun is zero, then you're just fooling yourself.

 

[ClayCow]

Hahaha! That's a good one ClayCow. Yes, I absolutely agree that some areas are more dangerous than others. Crime statistics bear that out. You won't find me on Chicago's Eight Mile at any time.

Still, that doesn't mean crime is impossible elsewhere. Sure, the numbers might say that there's only a .1% chance of a violent crime in a particular area. I'm not going to be the unarmed victim of that .1% crime. I'm carrying whenever legal.

Just a few days ago a lady was stabbed to death by her crazy boyfriend. She lived in a gated community near me. The guy didn't have any right to be there so, how'd he get past the gate? Doesn't matter. She's dead and might still be alive had she been carrying at the time.

I don't care if you carry or not. I won't look down on anyone who decides not to carry. However, to assume that, "This area is OK so, I won't need my gun here" is playing the odds. The odds are indeed in your favor, but that's the risk you take. If you're saying that there are areas where the chance of needing your gun is zero, then you're just fooling yourself.

Not sure why you're laughing? But i'm glad you got amusement. I will never assume the odds are 0% and do understand that bad things can happen anywhere.

I will admit, when I don't carry, I feel a bit naked. Is that because of all the fear you guys put into my head? Maybe. Is it because i'm used to carrying a gun but now it's not by my side? Maybe. Either way, I totally accept that I play the odds and to me it's acceptable.