Do you home carry?

[Garycw]

Very good point and first post Bob. I fall in the middle of that observation. I have several guns I've yet to fire and some I shoot quite a bit. Some pistols I carry, some never

[FireForged]

if bandits can enter your home and attack you faster than you can casually retrieve a loaded firearm that is not on your person.... I think that is indicative of several substantial failures. I am simply not going to carry a gun in my home, I dont live that way. If I have to occasion to need a firearm, I will go and get one.

I would sooner wear a NASCAR helmet on my drive to work than wear a pistol in my home as a matter of routine.

[JohnKSa]

I own guns because I enjoy them. I enjoy shooting them and learning to shoot them better. I enjoy the beauty of them and the wonderful engineering that goes into them.

Well said. Clearly there are people who own guns primarily for self-defense, or perhaps for hunting.

I got into firearms because I love shooting. I shot airguns for years before I owned my first firearm and I still spend time shooting airguns. I do think about firearms as being a self-defense tool (at least some of them) and I have taken the time to learn about the legalities and practicalities of self-defense. But if tomorrow, someone introduced a new technology that rendered firearms completely and absolutely obsolete for self-defense, I'd still be shooting a decade from now because I really enjoy the recreational aspects of the practice.

[S&W-Keeper]

No, but I know where they are at.

[arizona98tj]

Yes, I always carry in my house. My 3 grand kids, of which the oldest is 6, all know that Grandpa carries. In all these years, none have tried to disarm Grandpa so they could shoot his pistol.

[bedbugbilly]

Nope! I live in a rural area and I may carry when I'm on the farm but that's for varmints and critters . . we have some nasty woodchucks, coons and possum. While I do have my CCW tucked away to where I can get to it in the house . . . if I felt it was dangerous enough that I felt the need to carry in my house . . I wouldn't be living there.

[RUT]

>>if I felt it was dangerous enough that I felt the need to carry in my house . . I wouldn't be living there.<<

Yeah, really!

[2123]

If I felt the need to carry while in my home or on my property, I'd move!

Life is too short, and there's too many areas in which to live, that don't require you to be a prisoner in your own home.

Do not get me wrong. I have firearms in my home, but they aren't scattered all over like some do. And, I do take precautions such as locking doors and windows before we go to bed. I don't leave my vehicles unlocked and stuff lying around that might appeal to a thief.

In a nutshell, it's all about having some common sense and taking precautions to avoid becoming a victim.

It's still a free country. Why in the world would someone want to live in an area that they felt the need to be armed in their own home?

[Amendtwo]

I carry a gun about 95% of the time while home, and I have several in strategic places near the front door and near where I sit in the living room and dining room. And I live in a "safe" neighborhood.

[VaPlinker]

I live in a semi-rural area. Crime does happen, but this is not a high crime area. I sometimes carry around my own property, but that is just to plink. I have never carried elsewhere. Probably never will. In 61 years I have never wished I had a gun. There may have been a time or two when I would have drawn, but there is an old saying that:

"when you are holding a hammer, everything looks like a nail"

Not carrying, for me, is probably best.

I do understand & support those who choose to carry.

I am getting my conceal permit, but that is mostly to simplify transport. I am also getting hands on training, both in safety and marksmanship.

[Dragline45]

Originally Posted by bedbugbilly

. . . if I felt it was dangerous enough that I felt the need to carry in my house . . I wouldn't be living there.

Originally Posted by 2123

If I felt the need to carry while in my home or on my property, I'd move!

Originally Posted by 2123

It's still a free country. Why in the world would someone want to live in an area that they felt the need to be armed in their own home?

I think it's crazy how naive some people can be to believe that a good neighborhood means there will be no crime. That's like saying being in a gun free zone will ensure your safety from a mass shooting.

If you haven't heard of the Cheshire murders, read up on them. Probably one of the "safest" communities in the whole country, yet one of the most horrific crimes was committed against an entire family.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheshir...vasion_murders

What about the Sandy Hook shooting? Again, a "safe" community where an elementary school of all places was shot up by a crazed gunman.

Just last year my hometown of Watertown, MA was turned into a war zone by the Boston Marathon bombers. Just a few blocks from my home two terrorists shot it out with police and detonated IED's. For almost 2 days the entire town was on lock down while just about every government agency conducted a manhunt for the remaining terrorist.

It doesn't matter where you live, ANYTHING can happen at anytime. If life taught me one thing, it's that statistics don't mean squat.

While I don't always carry in my home, the majority of the time I have a pistol sitting on the table next to me within arms reach or a .380 in my pocket.

[Oysterboy]

I agree. I live in a nice neighborhood where everybody knows your name and been pretty quiet. Not long ago there was an invasion three doors down from me and my next door neighbor's truck got broke in (not at the same time though). There was several more in the area.

No, nobody is safe. Crooks always look for new neighborhoods to hit. Where I live is not a rich community so it doesn't matter where they go.

[2123]

Living is in itself a high risk. You have a much higher chance at dying in a vehicle accident than you do being killed by an intruder in your own home.

Matter-of-fact, the MOST dangerous thing a person can do on a daily basis, is to get into a vehicle and drive. By doing so, the odds of you being injured or killed goes up at least 30 fold.

Sure, home invasions happen everywhere. But overall, they are way, way down on the list in comparison to other methods of being killed. Your chance of dying on an operating table in a hospital are higher than being killed in your own home by an intruder.

Cancer kills a whole lot more people annually than a home intruder does. So much so, there's not even a fair comparison.

I'm not saying that you shouldn't disregard the possibility of a home intruder. I'm aware of the possibility and take certain precautions. Do I feel the need to be armed while sitting and having dinner at our table? Certainly not. I'll just lock the front security door.

[DannyB1954]

I start to carry when I put my pants on, and continue until they come off. When my door bell rings, I don't have to go get something before I go to the door. I already have it.

[coldbeer]

No, if I have to carry a gun in my own house just to feel safe it's time to move. That's not to say I don't have easily accessible yet safely secured guns near by in the event of a break in.

I start to carry when I put my pants on, and continue until they come off. When my door bell rings, I don't have to go get something before I go to the door. I already have it.

Who's after you?

[Tactical Jackalope]

Who's after you?

Who's to promise him there isn't? Is it a 100% guarantee?

Fire extinguishers are everywhere, are we scared of there being a fire 24/7? No? Okay...so it's just there in case of a fire. Roger that.. That's why he carries 24/7.

No, if I have to carry a gun in my own house just to feel safe it's time to move. That's not to say I don't have easily accessible yet safely secured guns near by in the event of a break in.

By that logic, and a realistic logic of preparedness combined. It's safe to say that I think you should look into being a gypsy. Keep moving.

[2123]

Do you carry a fire extinguisher everywhere you go in your home? Do you keep one in your car at all times?

Those of you that carry while in your own home, I feel for you. It has to be a miserable existence, being a prisoner in your own home, thinking that at any moment, someone will force their way in and do harm.

I know as many other people as most people do. I don't know anyone, be them friends, family or acquaintances, that carry in their home. I've never been in someone's house that carry all the time.

I've never knocked on someone's door, only to find them answering it with a gun in hand or on their hip.

As I stated previously, I do take precautions to make sure my home is as safe as possible. I've been living in the same home / community since 1988. I can't speak for my neighbors, but we haven't experienced a single break-in or home invasion. We can go for walks after dark, and we can and sometimes do, leave things out in the yard, and occasionally forget to lock a car door.

I'm not saying that my community is rare or one of a kind. What I'm saying is that in this day and age, it's still a safe place in which to live. If it wasn't, we would have moved long ago.

[Oysterboy]

That's great that you have a sweet place to live but it only take one event to change all that.

[2123]

I'm well aware of that. I was a police officer for almost 30 yrs. I'm now retired.

[Theohazard]

Originally Posted by 2123

Those of you that carry while in your own home, I feel for you. It has to be a miserable existence, being a prisoner in your own home, thinking that at any moment, someone will force their way in and do harm.

Actually, it's just the opposite for me. Carrying a gun everywhere just simplifies things for me. I don't have to worry about how long it will take me to get to a gun in case I need it. I don't have to figure out how to balance keeping my gun away from kids but still making it accessible in an emergency.

See, I'm well aware of the risks in life. I know a home invasion is very low down on that list. But it's something I still want to be prepared for, just in case. For me, carrying a gun is simple and easy to do, and instead of having to think about the various scenarios where I'd have to go get my gun, I've simplified the process. Now I can focus more on the things that are much more pressing dangers, like my kid falling down the stairs.

Originally Posted by 2123

Do not get me wrong. I have firearms in my home, but they aren't scattered all over like some do.

So you're also prepared to use a firearm to defend your home. How is that so difference than what I'm doing? I also want to be prepared, and I've decided that carrying is the simplest and easiest way for me to do that.

Originally Posted by 2123

I know as many other people as most people do. I don't know anyone, be them friends, family or acquaintances, that carry in their home. I've never been in someone's house that carry all the time.

I've never knocked on someone's door, only to find them answering it with a gun in hand or on their hip.

I carry it concealed. Very few people who come in my house even know I carry. It's not a big deal; the gun is there in case I ever need it. I probably won't, but what's the harm? It doesn't negatively affect anything, and I'm more prepared for an event that - while unlikely to occur - I think is worth being prepared for, just so long as it doesn't negatively affect the rest of your life.

Originally Posted by 2123

Do you carry a fire extinguisher everywhere you go in your home?

If it were as easy and convenient to carry a fire extinguisher as it is to carry a handgun, I probably would.

[Oysterboy]

Ah, I see you were a police officer. Did your dept have a policy that all officers carry while off duty?

[2123]

[Ah, I see you were a police officer. Did your dept have a policy that all officers carry while off duty? ]

Some did and some didn't.

When I'm home, I prefer to wear sweat pants and a t-shirt. I've yet to find an elastic band that will support a holstered handgun.

[2123]

Right now, carrying in my home is the least of my worries.

For the life of me, I can't seem to get the "quoting" procedure from other posts down pat.

I'm a member on other forums, and none are so much a PITA as on this forum.

[Theohazard]

Originally Posted by 2123

When I'm home, I prefer to wear sweat pants and a t-shirt. I've yet to find an elastic band that will support a holstered handgun.

That's what I usually wear too. So I use a Galco belly band that's even with my waistline. I can even carry a Glock 19 in it comfortably. And the best part about the belly band is that it has two pockets in the front and another holster on the other side. So even when I'm wearing sweatpants with no pockets I can still carry a handgun on one side and my flashlight on the other side. And so far the flashlight has been a heck of a lot more useful around the house than my carry gun.

[2123]

So, you carry a gun and a flashlight all the time while in your home?