When you fully commit to a (loaded) carry lifestyle

[Tactical Jackalope]

never mind

[Skadoosh]

My local gun shop where I spend at least 1 day a week never makes mention of condition 1. I sit and chat with them before and after range shoots but we talk about EVERYTHING except that...

If you had asked, my bet is that every single guy behind the counter at your local gun shop who is carrying a weapon...is carrying condition one.

The sooner you can get over the fact that you are carrying a perfectly safe weapon even with one in the chamber, then you can move on to what really matters...and that is when are you truly justified in using deadly force while carrying. You absolutely should be concentrating more on your local and state laws and how to legally employ deadly force when faced with a crisis situation.

[StainlessSteel215]

Yepp, as I said in my last post.....until last month before joining this great site...I have NEVER been exposed to so many experienced shooters and all this valuable info. Everything I learned prior was simply self-taught. I am learning important skills and practices each and every day thanks to this place. I simply never had the opportunity to ask so many questions and learn so much so fat. Its great - and very much appreciated.

[Sparks1957]

and learn so much so fat

... and be careful talking about the fat, some of us are a bit sensitive about the middle-age weight gain.

[Chaz88]

... and be careful talking about the fat, some of us are a bit sensitive about the middle-age weight gain.

I am offended by the F word. I prefer to be called thick.

[StainlessSteel215]

Haaa! Easy fellas - I'm also a member of the spare tire club too after being married just 3 years. The only bonus is the extra weight helps reduce shirt printing a bit though since I wear bigger shirts now

Although, I just started running and working out again finally now that my kid is on a routine schedule. No sense in defending your life with a gun when heart disease will kill ya 10x faster

[Spats McGee]

Fat, eh?!? I prefer to think of myself as a Man for All Seasons. I give warmth in the winter and shade in the summer.

[Tactical Jackalope]

Gosh...I'm the only thin guy here.... 6'2 175lbs

And you wonder why I always carry full sized

[Corrections Cop]

First off, I've been following this post since inception, I just just wanted to add my two cents.

If your not going to carry loaded dont carry. You should just carry around a brick and throw it at a bad guy. They are not going to stop and let you rack a round in the chamber. I always carry with a round in the chamber. If I need to use my sidearm it needs to be ready.

I gues I just can not wrap my head around someone carring an unloaded weapon??

[BGutzman]

If you trust your gun then carrying loaded is not a big deal so long as you keep it in good mechanical condition and follow the normal safety items for your particular gun.

That said, you must also carry in a holster that covers the trigger and that you feel confident in. Practice and training is truly key as many have said. It may well also be that for some reason you feel your carry gun is too large or whatever, be sure you find a gun that you feel you can conceal and fire effectively.. It does no good for it not to meet both of those conditions...

Although many disagree with me I think you get what you pay for in a gun, you dont have to break the bank but cheap generally is exactly that...

Finally I never recommend carrying with an empty chamber...

[Don P]

Did Mr. Pincus demonstrate this technique while fending off a hail of blows from 2x4-weilding attackers, while grappling a 300lb wrestler...or while rolling around on the deck with an attacker pummeling his face and head?

Did you read the quote I posted? Did you read my entire response?
Just bringing to light that it is NOT impossible to rack a slide one handed. I also stated that it give the attacker time to get to you or shoot at you while you try to load em up

[Skadoosh]

I did. And your post, at least to me, seemed to be affirming that Israeli-style carry, despite its disadvantages, as a viable option.

[StainlessSteel215]

I think everyone understands the moral of the story (myself included) which is to carry C1 at all times. Period.

By the way in case anyone cares, tonight will have been a full 48 hours carrying with one in the pipe and I gotta admit, it wasnt as bad as I thought. I have a feeling I will look back in a year and laugh at my anxiety.

[Spats McGee]

Congratulations! I will presume, from the tone of that post, that you made it through without shooting any, ummm, unintentional targets?

[StainlessSteel215]

Yessir - the Glock proved for the 1,000,000th time that its completely reliable and safe. Its the DUMBA$$ owner who needed a safety reminder!

The first 24 hours were rough for me. Last night and today were great. I think I'm almost out of the initial anxiety stage. Thanks again

[Willie D]

First off, they make more than one type of gun. If you don't like a cocked and locked 1911 or a Glock, you can can get DA, DA/SA, DA/SA with safety, etc. Do what YOU feel comfortable doing.


Likewise, you are not crazy if you don't carry all the time, although some on these forums may try to convince you otherwise.

Crime does not follow a schedule and knows no boundaries. Crime can happen any place and at any time. I prefer to not roll the dice, so I carry when ever and where ever I can.

Crime can happen anywhere but one look at a crime map will show the probability of crime occurring tends to be very location (and time) specific. So, yes, I "roll the dice" but I'm also cognizant of my odds. Even in Philly.

[Sparks1957]

you are not crazy if you don't carry all the time, although some on these forums may try to convince you otherwise...yes, I "roll the dice" but I'm also cognizant of my odds

Willie's right about that. I have a job where I can't carry, so there are large portions of my life where I am unarmed. If I'm going anywhere where I'll be on the streets in town, then I am armed and prepared.

Stay away from risky areas and sketchy people when you're not armed, and it helps a lot.

[m&p45acp10+1]

I carry everywhere I can do so lawfully. The reason being is I am not a psychic if I knew I was going somewhere I would need my gun I would avoid it .
I do not carry at work though. Company policy is against having even a pocket knife on my person, or in my vehicle. While I do not like the policy, I do like having a job, and cashing a check. Heck even the security guards at work are not armed.

If I am walking the dog. I carry. If I am going to the store to buy some munchies I carry. If I am going to the park to fish I carry. When I am home I carry. If we are going out to go dancing, and I know we will be having adult beverages then I will leave the gun at home, and we take a cab.

I carried a 1911 cocked, and locked for years. Then I started carrying a DA/SA gun with the safety off due to design of the safety on the gun I was more comfortable with safety off carry. Then I bought an M&P 45 with no safety, then a Glock 26 I keep my finger off of the trigger, and they do not shoot. I know that if the trigger is pulled the weapon will do what it was designed to do. Shoot.

[Master Blaster 2]

Since I was 21 in 1973 I have had a concealed licence..and have carried.

[StainlessSteel215]

As I pour my morning coffee, fire up my favorite websites and read a news article that tallied up the Philly homicide total so far in 2012 to 277 (that doesnt include total shootings, just the death toll).....I am grateful to have been exposed to this great community for giving me the proper guidance and confidence to carry more effectively.

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20..._for_year.html

You guys would not even BELIEVE the weekly crime in and around this city. I live 20 min outside the city but its close enough for these numbers to become real. Its truly unbelievable...and the criminals are getting faster and more tactful in their assaults. Locked & loaded (or in my case just loaded) is the only way to fly anymore. Been carrying C1 now for a few days and already I think the anxiety is minimal....soon to be gone. Thanks again

[Gaerek]

I'm sure this has been mentioned, but I didn't want to read all 4 pages.

If I knew when I should and shouldn't carry, I would know when and where I should and shouldn't go. Then, I wouldn't need to carry.

Bottom line is this. If you're going to carry, then carry (where it's legal to do so). Anything but that, and you're opening yourself up for potential problems. I carry all the time, except when I'm sleeping/showering. In those cases, my gun is within arms reach. It's not a hard thing to do, you just have to make sure you're willing to make the commitment.

[stevelyn]

A nut can fall out of the tree anywhere. To me, having your kid with you is all the more reason to carry even if the playground is in a so-called "low crime" area.

[PT-92]

Humans are subject to 'malfunctions' anywhere and anytime--no different than animals, computers, cars, machinery, nature etc...Things fail or go wrong all the time and unless one is clairvoyant, the location of the 'malfunction' cannot be presupposed. Once you realize or, more importantly, accept this fact you will understand the importance of always being prepared IMO. Respectfully speaking, it sounds as though you have yet to arrive at this conclusion (hence the ambivalence).

[Gaerek]

Humans are subject to 'malfunctions' anywhere and anytime--no different than animals, computers, cars, machinery, nature etc...Things fail or go wrong all the time and unless one is clairvoyant, the location of the 'malfunction' cannot be presupposed. Once you realize or, more importantly, accept this fact you will understand the importance of always being prepared IMO. Respectfully speaking, it sounds as though you have yet to arrive at this conclusion (hence the ambivalence).

QFT

The most recent example I can think of is that dude who started shooting in NY City by the Empire State Building, and had to be brought down by the cops. Most people who knew him thought this was the last thing he would do. He'd never had any mental issues or major run ins with the law. I'm guessing his work situation came to a head and he just snapped. Moral of the story...you never know when or where.

[Jammer Six]

I think the last time I "fully committed" was 1975, and it was a mistake then, too. Now I'm fully committed to having as many options as possible. The politicians and cowards have it right, options are good and cowards live longer. So I'd jettison the idea of carrying as soon as the cons outweighed the pros. That's not really "fully committed"...

There are a number of places that I don't carry. I don't carry anywhere it's not legal, which varies state by state, and there's a few places where it isn't polite or convenient to carry.

One is my parent's farm, if I need a weapon there, Mom needs to move, and that will be a major point in the argument. She wouldn't like me carrying there, and if She gets mad, there gonna be big trouble, and could be a whuppin'. At that point, I'm outta there.

You're not going to carry into a Seahawk's game. Really. They're serious about it. And I'm a real, class 1, Born Loud, 12th Man Fan.

I don't carry sailing. Part of the reason I sail is to get away from all you silly fools who have guns. If I ever sail outside the bubble of SPD's air patrol, I may reconsider. If I remember to, and if I'm not going to Canada.

Which brings up Canada. Don't carry into Canada, even if you figure out a way to get across the border. We have fast passes, and we keep a separate vehicle to make sure there's no weapons or paraphernalia in it. A couple pieces of brass that you missed can ruin your weekend at the border.

So. Carrying or not carrying is up to you, and as I've tried to show, is a decision that can be made based on any number (and level) of criteria. Carrying a weapon does not commit you. Carrying a weapon now does not commit you to carrying it tomorrow, even if you come back to this same place and do the same things.

It's very similar to (although not the same as) the shoot / no-shoot decision. Society will hold you responsible for making that decision on the spot, in light of the specific situation, regardless of how you actually made the decision. So it's best to make each decision in that manner.

The same logic that is used to state that we have the right to bear arms can be used to state that we have the right not to, also. It's just that no one talks about that one.

So my opinion is this: carry when you wish, don't carry when you don't wish to. Decide at the time, based on any criteria that seems important to you. Personally, I try not to use "habit" or "because I HAVE to!" as a reason. If I ever have to, that's a separate problem that will require a separate solution.

I wouldn't do Israeli carry. I would get a weapon that I was comfortable with when it is in carry condition.