Risk Assessment

[Shorty 45 MK2]

If it's avoidable I don't go there, so no.

To an extent, but it's more of "what will I be needing to do today?" like will concealment be a higher priority.

There are several sections of a nearby town (live in the sticks.) that I won't go to no matter the time of day and there are other parts that I won't go to at certain times like Friday nights.

 

[RobertJ.]

I go to both Portland and Seattle on a fairly regular basis. While I don't consider them "dangerous", (although both have areas I avoid) my "goin' to the city" gun is not the same as my EDC. Also, I don't consider the woods dangerous, but my "out in the woods" gun is not the same, either.

Around town here it's always my Colt DS with one speed strip.

My "goin' to the city" gun is my Model 39 with one extra magazine.

My "out in the woods" gun is a Ruger Super Redhawk snubby.

 

[Old cop]

The only time I'd consider an "upgrade" is if my wife and I decide to go to a movie. In light of what has happened lately I'd carry my former service weapon, a Gen II Glock 23 w/two spare mags. Other than that a J frame or my M&P .380 will do just fine.

 

[shawn mccarver]

I wise man once said that you can greatly reduce the chances of having to use your firearm for self-defense if you simply avoid places where there are illegal drugs, where alcohol is the main item on the menu, and where there are loose women. He said that any of those three is bad, but combine two or more and the chances of having to shoot your way out go up exponentially.

Now, I suppose we have to add movie theaters, cafeterias, and the work place.

I would add to the above list the following: you will more likely need a gun in any location where a politician or a law says you are not allowed one. That includes "gun free zones," big metropolitan hell-holes, and such.

As John Lennon said in the song, "... strange days indeed, most peculiar, momma!"

 

[ken158]

As a Sheriff of my acquaintance put it "you're more likely to be convicted of excessive force if you shoot someone with a 1911 or Glock, then if you're using a revolver or .380 auto."

Civilians are not peace officers, why are we carrying military grade sidearms concealed? Are we looking for trouble??

I think your Sheriff is full of it... carry what you are comfortable with and good with. If you must "prepare" for entering hostile territory, then prepare with your brain. Stay alert and avoid questionable circumstances. If you feel you must change weapons, then you aren't carrying the proper one to begin with. CCW is not "hunting" where you select the proper gun for the game.

 

[Muss Muggins]

As a Sheriff of my acquaintance put it "you're more likely to be convicted of excessive force if you shoot someone with a 1911 or Glock, then if you're using a revolver or .380 auto."

Civilians are not peace officers, why are we carrying military grade sidearms concealed? Are we looking for trouble??

Please point me to the "excessive force" statute . . .

 

[KSDeputy]

I carry the same pistol, a CS 45, at all times, no matter where I am. Being a peace officer for 30 years, I know all of the bad parts of both cities near me. Now I have no business in these places, but that would not stop me if I needed to go there. I used to go frequently when I was on duty.

 

[Fastbolt]

I'm not talking about places you wouldn't ordinarily go to but that your business takes you to. I'm talking about places you choose to be even though you deem them dangerous.
...

Well, I'm no longer paid to frequent places that offer up a higher chance of potential violence, and there just aren't many places that fit that profile that I'd choose to frequent on my own time anymore.

Nobody I know has a crystal ball to predict where folks of criminal inclination may decide to visit and act up, but I'm not going to stay locked up on my own property.

I keep an ear to the ground for normal crime, and rely upon my years of LE experience to let me be aware of the presence of suspicious folks.

The weather and my planned activities pretty much have more of an effect on what firearms I may elect to carry as a retirement weapon, and whether I think it would be prudent to be armed.

So, yes, I practice doing some basic risk assessment when deciding whether to be armed, and what to carry.

I do as much risk assessment of "ordinary" mishaps that might befall me, or situations in which I might find myself, when I decide what to stuff in my pockets on any given trip away from the house, too.

For example, going out for a motorcycle ride, or a trip to the beach, means different clothing, activities and destinations, so things can change quite a bit when it comes to what I think I might need, or just want to have with me.

I tend to have the inclination to carry a larger belt gun less often, now that I'm no longer thinking so much about possibly having to invoke my status off-duty and take an enforcement action. Also, I'm no longer managing a daily case load that makes me intrude into situations that might have an elevated risk of violence, or being dispatched to situations where on-view violence is reported or suspected to be occurring.

Nowadays, the bad guys are going to have work a little harder to come find me, instead of the other way around.

 

[Biginge]

Used to be there was "a wrong side of the tracks". Now days its on both sides of the tracks. I have said it many times "if I knew where I was going to NEED a gun I wouldn't go there." I have won every gunfight I haven't been in. I carry same everywhere I go.

 

[Mainsail]

I was of the mindset that I would carry a sidearm IF I was going to sketchy parts of town, or if I was going to medium risk parts of town at night.

Then the Tacoma Mall shooting.

I realized that bad people don't respect the borders we imagine exist between parts of town. They don't respect time-of-day limits we have arbitrarily imposed.

I don't even own a mouse-gun. My primary carry guns are the S&W 1076, a Sig 1911, and now a Sig P320 in .357 auto. I also have an XDs in .45 if absolute concealment is necessary, but right now the P320 is primary. Concealment is an OPTION, not a requirement here, and I don't have any underlying shame in carrying, so I really don't care if it's printing or showing. True- some can't let it show, but there is no requirement for absolute concealment in any state of which I'm aware.

 

[Doug M.]

I wise man once said that you can greatly reduce the chances of having to use your firearm for self-defense if you simply avoid places where there are illegal drugs, where alcohol is the main item on the menu, and where there are loose women. He said that any of those three is bad, but combine two or more and the chances of having to shoot your way out go up exponentially.

*
Wait ... no alcohol and loose women? I'll just have to stay home with them.

Drugs, yeah - run, and run fast. The other one is dancing. If there is dancing other than ballroom, stay away. Far away. Nothing good ever happens.

 

[wingriderz]

I would question the sheriffs judgement. And "we" don't go looking for trouble.

Sounds like something a troll would say.

Yes good ole sheriff sounds a lil sketchy

 

[Protected One]

My EDC is more than adequate for any trouble I might encounter in whatever part of town I visit. That being said, if I actually expected trouble, I wouldn't go there. Armed or not, I don't go looking for trouble.

...I don't go where trouble is likelly to be looking for me either!

Nobody I know has a crystal ball to predict where folks of criminal inclination may decide to visit and act up...

I DO! ...but it's in the shop for repairs at the moment, so I carry everywhere I have a need to be.

 

[Mexistrat]

I spent the entirety of my 20s, and at least half of my 30s in all sorts of sketchy places. Lived downtown, uptown, and on all kinds of wrong sides of tracks. I moved into a building in a really bad part of town when I was about 21 because the rent was cheap. I found out that all of my neighbors were mental health outpatients at the nearby county medical facility. I had to step over an unconscious person to get up the stairs to my apartment on more than one occasion. I saw one killing when I was about 26. A bar fight that started over a missed pool shot resumed on the street after the bouncers tossed the participants out. The sore losers cut the other guy up with box knives. I saw people beaten half to death, and heard gunshots at night. Never once in all of that time did I ever need to defend myself physically. Not so much as even a mildly exciting confrontation. I never even considered carrying a weapon of any kind. I just dressed and behaved like I belonged wherever I was, and stayed out of everyone's way.

Now I am older, have a family, and live in an upper middle class town that is often ranked among the best, safest towns in the country. And I carry. The irony amuses me at times.

 

[cmort666]

As a Sheriff of my acquaintance put it "you're more likely to be convicted of excessive force if you shoot someone with a 1911 or Glock, then if you're using a revolver or .380 auto."

I guess I'd better start open carrying my 4" 29-2 loaded with Winchester White Box .44 Magnum JSPs...

 

[Fountain]

'Have been carrying a Ruger LCR, or SP101, for several years. I try to stay out of "bad" places, but "bad" has become a relative, and uncertain term.

Just got a FNX-40 that's more easily concealable than either of the above, no heavier than the SP101, carries 15 rds. instead of 5, and I can shoot it more accurately than the snubnoses.

For me the decision has gone-away as soon as I run another couple error-free magazines thru it.

 

[Ptrlcop]

Carrying more gun in the bad parts of town is a little backwards in my mind. I am less likely to need to shoot anyone in my normal travels. However, if I do have to it is because evil sought that place out either in the form of a mass killer or serious bad guys that are bold enough to leave their hood and in both scenarios they likely are well armed and in groups. The shooting scenarios I anticipate in my "safe areas" are ones where I want a real fighting gun.

Conversely, in the hood you are more likely to face "normal" violence such as a robbery which can likely be solved by a J. However, downgrading to go to a bad neighborhood seem right either so I just carry a fighting gun all the time.

A G23 used to be my off duty gun. Then we switched to 9mm and I switched to a plain clothes assignment where I carry a G17 with a light and realized it's not that much harder to conceal. Now I am 100% carrying the G17 all the time. I do have another G17 chopped to fit G19 mags that is mildly more comfortable and slightly more concealable. In reality though with the full sized G17 if I really try hard at concealment it won't get noticed with anything less than a pat down or metal detector.

 

[Arik]

Carrying more gun in the bad parts of town is a little backwards in my mind. I am less likely to need to shoot anyone in my normal travels. However, if I do have to it is because evil sought that place out either in the form of a mass killer or serious bad guys that are bold enough to leave their hood and in both scenarios they likely are well armed and in groups. The shooting scenarios I anticipate in my "safe areas" are ones where I want a real fighting gun.

Conversely, in the hood you are more likely to face "normal" violence such as a robbery which can likely be solved by a J. However, downgrading to go to a bad neighborhood seem right either so I just carry a fighting gun all the time.

A G23 used to be my off duty gun. Then we switched to 9mm and I switched to a plain clothes assignment where I carry a G17 with a light and realized it's not that much harder to conceal. Now I am 100% carrying the G17 all the time. I do have another G17 chopped to fit G19 mags that is mildly more comfortable and slightly more concealable. In reality though with the full sized G17 if I really try hard at concealment it won't get noticed with anything less than a pat down or metal detector.

I'm not concerned about gang bangers in my area. Of course it CAN happen but people are creatures of habit and stick to what they are familiar with. I don't see them coming up here. I'm more concerned about the guy who just looses it. Off his med or had a very bad year in his personal life and just says screw this.

 

[Ptrlcop]

I'm not concerned about gang bangers in my area. Of course it CAN happen but people are creatures of habit and stick to what they are familiar with. I don't see them coming up here. I'm more concerned about the guy who just looses it. Off his med or had a very bad year in his personal life and just says screw this.

I generally agree that hood rats don't typically leave their hood. They also typically only mess with each other. I remember one conversation where one cop was asking another if he heard about an armed home invasion that happened the night before. The other cop asked if it was a dope rip and the first replied, "well ya, real people don't get home their invaded."

However, when they decide to leave their area looking for trouble they seem to be in groups and loaded heavier than what you would see in regular "street violence" that occurs in the hood.

The "lone gunman" is a foreseeable threat in the "good" areas. A lot of them seem to bring long guns which makes me want more than a J to counter them.

 

[Mexistrat]

I thought a bit more about this last night, and seriously asked myself why I choose to carry now. I decided that it is partly because although I am in much safer environs now, I have a heightened sense of mortality owing to the fact that I have a family to look after. I also just like exercising a right that is somewhat fragile. But when I think about an occasion where I might actually have to use my firearm in self defense, it is hard to imagine a typical SD scenario we all hear so much about... you know the 3-5 second 1-3 shots fired at very close range type of scenario. I just don't ever go anywhere or let anyone get close enough to me under the right circumstances for that to happen. I don't doubt it could, but the chances are exceedingly slim. I guess what I imagine more likely now is something like the theater, church, and school shootings. In those cases, I am going to be taking account of my family if they are with me, and getting us to cover asap. Then if I can, I'll look for a shot. At that point, it would be a more considered and careful shot from cover rather then the SD style blasting away at center mass from close range that we all learned about in our CC classes or any other training. I guess that is why I prefer a 4" revolver or pistol, or at least one that can reach out beyond bad breath distance.

I don't know, I guess this is veering off into a different thread now.