How many open carry at home?

[TailGator]

I wish you folks who live in neighborhoods so safe that you feel no need for personal defense would tell us where they are and how to find them. In what way did the Connecticut example above fail your criteria for selecting a neighborhood? How about the DC neighborhood, just a few blocks from the VP's house, that has been in the news lately? Or how about critiquing skizzum's choice of neighborhoods? A nice family man was killed at his home across a quiet residential street from my church, in a house I can see out the window from the piano bench. Where did he go wrong in the selection of a house?

I sincerely hope that you are as safe as you presume yourself to be.

[A pause for the COZ]

Eddie:
Had that same issue at my house for years. Wife would just pitch a fit when ever I brought up the subject.
" Little kids around, Ran more risk with them that an intruder."

Her view did in fact change. I wont go into great detail.
But at the time the 1/2 way house was down the road. I was on a fishing trip.
Wife was home with the two kids. Younger than 7.

My wife had to make a hasty escape from our home by driving through the garage door with the kids in the car.
She did not go home until I got home. Sheriff dept said it was obvious from matted grass and cig butts. The guy had been watching her for some time while she worked in the front yard.

Fast thinking on her part and the grace of the Lord left me with a wife and kids today.
Even though nothing physically happened to her. She has never been the same. She still says she can feel the Evil that surrounded him.

My wife changed her view. Yours should too.

Still happy that 1/2 way house burned down...

[Don P]

As they say, better to have and NOT need than to NEED and NOT have

[Grant D]

Years ago when I was younger, I lived in a nice apt. complex in Houston TX. On occasion we would get a notice in our mail boxes the an apt. had been burglarized.
The notices became more and more frequent and then stopped.
I came home from work one day and the young girl that lived next to me had her door kicked in, but I never got a notice.
That's when I realized it was getting so frequent that they quit informing the tenants. That's when I moved out.

So just because you don't hear of burglaries in your area, doesn't mean there not happening.

[bungiex88]

I have a pistol on me all times I have ar15 and another pistol sleeping next to me an AK and sks loaded ready to go down stairs on in living room and one in kitchen. Loaded 20 gauge with buck shot leaning against the safe at all times. And when I'm home I have my safe open and have a couple of them loaded easy access so depending where I'm at in the house I have a pistol on me and within 10 feet of a semi rifle wherever I'm at in the house. People are going to ask me what I'm scared of and the answer is nothing. There's hardly any crime anywhere near where I live. I'd rather just be prepared for any situation just my way of thinking. It may sound crazy but I'm always thinking of a plan if a certain situation does arise how to go about it which gun to grab and where to guard myself and where is the safest spot to be if a certain thing happens. Call me nuts I don't care.

[manta49]

I know plenty of police officers here who have every reason to take self defense seriously. But I don't know any that carry a firearm around the house with them openly or concealed. I find it sad that people don't feel safe enough in their own house, they feel the need to carry a firearm in the house. I also know civilians that carry firearm for self defense, but none of them carry it around the house. Why do Americans feel so vulnerable in their own homes. ?

[BigMikey76]

I don't always carry in my home, but when I do, I carry concealed.

My logic is that if I am going to carry, I should carry the same way all the time. That way, I can build my muscle memory and habits around that one method, and I don't have to worry about going reflexively to the wrong set of actions.

Also, as a relatively new concealed carrier, I still have some discomfort with how well I am concealing, so I like getting in some practice with it. My wife and I play a game with it. If she spots me printing around the house, I have to do the dishes that night, if she doesn't spot it, or if she says she does when I am not carrying, the dishes are hers. A side effect of this is that her situational awareness has been getting better. She has spotted people carrying around town 3 times in the past week, and it was never even on her radar before. Being more observant can't be a bad thing, right?

[WC145]

I always carry openly, a 1911 in a Bianchi M12 military rig, when working outside on my property. We have a sizeable chunk and there is always mowing, bushhogging, repairs, something to be done. I've got animals and there are 4 legged predators around to watch out for as well as the occasional 2 legged kind.

I generally don't carry when inside, I keep my house 1911 in the kitchen, which is on the way to the door, I also keep my pest gun, a Savage 42, in the hall near the door for animals trying to get to the chickens, in the trash, etc.. I have three big dogs that are very loud and very territorial, they answer the door ahead of me whenever anyone pulls into the driveway or comes up the porch. Unless it is clearly someone I know I answer the door gun in hand, regardless of the hour. I live in a pretty rural area but we have our share of dug problems, break ins, etc.., I did over 10 years in LE here before retiring from it, I don't take any chances.

[A pause for the COZ]

Why do Americans feel so vulnerable in their own homes. ?

Manta49: read my above posts.

Fact is, they dont keep the slugs in jail like they should. When you figure that 80% of all violent crime is committed by 10% of the criminals.
The solution is simple. Keep them in jail till they are at least in their 40's.

But they dont.. Most guys that kill some one have multiple felonies on their records.
The Cops do the best they can. They arrest them when they can. But the Legal Beagles just let them out again.

Seems they have no problem three striking a pot head but violent guys...

If they are not gona protect us, we better protect ourselves.
If your not, you are only putting your family at risk.
How dumb are you gona feel if you get a home invasion and you left your self exposed??
I know that feeling... Its not a good one for a man to feel.

[EddieBangBang]

A Pause for the COZ...

I think you may have misunderstood me, I CC wherever I am that means from sitting on the toilet to sitting on my couch and everywhere in between. There is never a time a firearm is not on my person unless I am in an area/state that has laws forbidding it. I believe FREEDOM doesn't come FREE and a gun is far easier to carry than a cop! I just won't hide them about the house is all.

My wife doesn't care for guns and refuses to carry but has no problem with me and my guns. It's her choice and I can't make up her mind about it. I was raised with guns around and I spent 6 years sleeping with an M16 between my legs. Having a gun tucked feels more natural than a wallet in my pocket Slowly I'm helping her become more comfortable with them but she will never be forced by my hand.

My kids are by no means shielded from guns either. My son is 9 and we just started building his first AR together he prefers rifles small caliber obviously. My Daughter 14 gets tickled pink every time she shoots one of our handguns. They also both frequent the range with me where we practice safe handling as well as proficiencies with various types but leaving them out where they can get them or worse... one of their friends, its just not something I'll risk.

There is far too much bad publicity in the media about guns and I'll be damned if I'm going to contribute anything too it.

[manta49]

Manta49: read my above posts.

Fact is, they dont keep the slugs in jail like they should. When you figure that 80% of all violent crime is committed by 10% of the criminals.
The solution is simple. Keep them in jail till they are at least in their 40's

I agree violent criminals should get longer sentences. This was a very violent place at one time, not as bad now. I think some can get preoccupied with crime and the fear of it. I am sitting now the door is unlocked and the guns are in a cabinet. Reading some responses if they lived here they would barricade themselves in the house, and never leave the house. I suppose it would depend on where you lived in America, in some remote areas the police response times could be slow. What sort of numbers would police be to populations in America. ? Here for example for a population of one and a half million there are around ten thousand police officers, and at one time twenty thousand soldiers.

If the equivalent ratio of victims to population had been produced in Great Britain as in Northern Ireland in the same period some 100 000 people would have died, and if a similar level of political violence had taken place, the number of fatalities in the USA would have been over 500 000, or about ten times the number of Americans killed in the Vietnam war

[psalm7]

Im not carrying inside my house but keep several firearms that I can get to . My biggest concern is a knock at the door during a unuseual time . I have had a bad expieriance like that before and went to the door unarmed . Leasson learned they thought the house was empty . It was a few days before Christmas and my car was in the shop and my wife was at work . Had my big Hound not showed up when he did I could have had a problem .
I keep Rifle , Hand gun , Shot gun ready and close by 24-7 . I live in a rural place nobody around but people I know but these varmits were driving around looking for a place to rob where the Cops would take along time to show up and when they saw I was there one of them started getting angry and stirred up the others . From that day on I answer the door armed unless I know who it is . Dogs are the best asset to alert you at home . In my opinion .

[colbad]

I think for many, the 80% solution is a nice security door. I spent about a thousand $ on a beautiful security door which also functions as a sort of screen door to allow air in. You can see out perfectly but not in. When the inner door is open you can see and talk to whomever is on the other side. It would take a tank to break the door in.

[JohnKSa]

I know plenty of police officers here who have every reason to take self defense seriously. But I don't know any that carry a firearm around the house with them openly or concealed.

Interestingly enough, it was a TX state trooper that first started me thinking about being armed at home.

I think some can get preoccupied with crime and the fear of it.

Actually for me, it's more of an "It's so easy to do that it makes no sense to NOT do it."

Also, when I compared carrying in public to carrying at home, I came to a number of realizations.

I've spent a lot of time and money so I can legally carry outside my home. I can carry for free inside my home with no legal hoops to jump through.

In public, I have to conceal. It's not particularly comfortable and it's can be inconvenient at times. At home I don't have to conceal if I don't want to and I can carry OWB which is more comfortable.

When I'm out of my home, my best option is nearly always retreat, not armed resistance. And there's usually not much that I care about around me when I'm away from home.

At home, retreat isn't really a good option and all the things I care about are around me.

In public, I can shout for help and there's a good chance someone will come to my aid. At home, if I'm taken prisoner, the odds are that no one will no until it's too late.

[michael t]

I carry from time I get up till bed time. I live in country and sheriff deputy will be miles away if needed.

[AK103K]

I carry from time I get up till bed time. I live in country and sheriff deputy will be miles away if needed.

Thats how it is here. If youre lucky, a Trooper "might" be in the area (the last I saw drive by the house was back in December or January), if they arent, it could be a half hour or more depending on where in the county and/or which side of the mountain they are on.

Wearing a gun is no different than putting a wallet, pocket knife, or any of the other essentials you carry around every day in your pockets. Once you have done it for a little while, the only time you really notice, is when its not there.

[smee78]

I think its cheap insurance to keep one handy at home. There is always someone walking dwn the street or trying to sell something.

[monk d]

Why do Americans feel so vulnerable in their own homes. ?

I think basically [two] reasons, there could be more for others though:

1. The proliferation of street gangs. While street gangs have been around in the large cities for decades, in the last 20 years or so they have become prominent even in smaller cites and towns as they are romanticized, copy-catted, and franchised.
2. Home invasions. This may not be an issue in Europe, I don't know, but random home invasions have seemed to be a phenomenon that has gained traction and frequency even in quieter areas.

We could psychobabble the social causes and effects for days, but the bottom line for me is that stuff has happened where a person would not think it would, and the police are not able to prevent crime anyway, unless they are tipped off or happen to be right there when it starts.

As for me I do not feel vulnerable in my home, I am armed all the time

[Arizona Fusilier]

To the OP....do you consider yourself in a rural, urban, or suburban area?

Same question to anyone else who would care to answer.

It really is starting to sound like our notion of rural America as a sanctuary from crime has eroded significantly. But it is not clear what population densities we are dealing with for many posters on this thread.

[FITASC]

It is a good thing that home invasions never happen. Everyone is always safe no matter where they live. Rich people never get killed in their own homes because they are good neighborhoods. Nope break ins never happen.

Somewhere there is a mountain top and a Costco-sized package of tinfoil too.............

Guess where I live is safer than where you do........damn windows open all night long.......sometimes the garage door is up all night by accident......same for everyone else where I live and WOW.....no invasions.

Let's see the stats to justify the paranoia versus the quality of life. If your neighborhood really sucks like that, you might want to relocate.

[AK103K]

Its rural where we live. Our zip code has about 400 people in it, something like 60 people per square mile. Rush hour here is 5-6 AM, and maybe 4-5 cars/trucks, and a couple of buggies.

Ive lived all over, from rural to inner cities, and each has its own issues. There may be less people out where we live now, but the number of nut jobs per capita is higher. Still, it beats the hell out of living in a neighborhood.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

The Petit family is the Black Swan event for me. Thus, I carry.

When I was naive, I once just opened the door for a knock about the same time as I expected the Pizza guy. It was a nut. Luckily, I managed to get him out the door. Not so naive anymore.

[Blue Duck]

Sometimes I carry at home, both concealed and or open, sometimes I don't, but I usually have one close by.

Why do I carry at home, I live on a farm, with no close neighbors? Because I can, that's why, and I like guns. We just hear from time to time about enough stuff happening, and it's really not that far into town. Who's to say, if someone might or might not target our place.

[skizzums]

i doubt very many of us live in "unsafe" neighborhoods..., if we did, we probably wouldn't have many guns left.

you think we're nuts for carrying at home, we think your crazy to not. we will keep going in circles for many pages of posts. you have certainly changed my mind, i will no longer carry or move to a bunker......and i am sure i have changed your mind and you have already started carrying at home. i'm glad we had this discussion.

[walks with gun]

I have a gun on me or real close by at least 90% of the time at home and about 60% of the time it's out in the open. I usually prefer to keep my guns concealed but if working in the yard on a hot day I'm not going out of the way to cover it up. It's pretty rural here and my main worry is critters getting after my animals.