How important is it for you to carry gun?

[RedPhnx]

I don't carry because the lovely state of IL does not allow me my right to bear arms.

[MauiDoc]

Except I'm in Hawai'i, a "may issue" state that doesn't and just won't. Would if I could, because as nearly as I can tell, we still live in America.

The crime rate here on Maui is pretty low, with serious crime and murder fairly rare, but 'ice' (crystal meth) has taken quite a stong hold since the crackdowns on marijuana growers escalated in the late '80s, and they're starting to see armed and violent home invasions over on O'ahu.

Carry if you can, if you will, for those of us who can't. Thanks.

[Fred P]

I live in VA, a "right to carry" state. If you have a clean record and take the safety course you can legally carry concealed. That said, the average person is neither competent or prepared to produce and use a weapon in a confrontation. Shooting paper targets at a range is not being prepared, even if you hit 999/1000. I know law enforcement officers who aren't prepared either so don't feel bad. My opinion is to carry if your personal situation requires it, if you are mentally & physically prepared, and if you're competent to do so. Once the weapon is unholstered you're committed to end the confrontation ASAP, preferably without using it. PS: Never produce a weapon to "help" the police, that's the best way to get shot. All that said, if you feel that you need to carry for personal protection, go ahead if you have the legal right to do so, just know your weapon and practice, practice, practice. Oh yeah, be sure you hit what you're aiming at.

[starshooter231]

Just to be on the safe side.


I was raised to always be prepared. So having my firearm on my person is just one of the tools I carry with me to do so.



starshooter231

[Amendtwo]

I carry a firearm most of the time (airports and court houses among the places I do not). As others have stated, it is a matter of being prepared for what might happen - like insurance, fire extinguishers and flash lights - you never know when one may be needed.

[bikerbill]

I voted for "safe side," since I live in a very safe small town where there is almost no crime ... (an afterhours break-in at a local restaurant made headlines in the local weekly for several weeks). But I also carry because I can, and I think it's important for handgun owners to get licensed to carry even if they don't plan to. Numbers are the only thing politicians listen to (well, and bags of money), so wouldn't it be better for our side if there were a million Texans licensed instead of half a million (or whatever the current figure is?) The more people licensed, the less the pols will find it attractive to mess with our rights.

[bustavista32]

I do not carry it all the time, only in occasions when danger can possibly occur.

[fiVe]

Lots of good posts here.

I consider myself a sheepdog too.

For me, the probabilities are not high, but the stakes are.

[armsmaster270]

Bustavista32:
How do you tell ahead of time if danger is going to occur?

[vytoland]

state of IL does not allow

blago is going to b george ryan's new room mate...............lets get a gun totin leader here in illinois so i will be able to public carry to the easter egg hunt

[TacticalDefense1911]

I carry "to be on the safe side" and because I can by law.

[ElectricHellfire]

Cause I can. (also just in case)

[doh_312]

I feel naked without my gun. It's Just like my wallet, phone or keys. It's just not right if I do not have it. Cell phone gets the cops moving toward my position to help me. They'll arrive in a matter of minutes; unfortunately I may only have seconds. Thank god for my gun and my right to have it.

[cchardwick]

Very interesting post!

I used to live in the baddest of bad neighborhoods, way before I was into the gun thing. They would steal my flowers in front of my house, break windows and steal stereos out of cars, run over people with cars, shootings on the next block... one night I looked out my window at 1:30 AM and saw some guys running down the street with a couch! They would put your car up on blocks and steal your wheels, real bad place. I didn't carry then but if I still lived there I would.

That reminds me of the time some punk came up to my car right in front of my house and he was saying something (yelling and swearing but I didn't know it because my stereo was so loud). Well I stopped and fumbled for my window controls, didn't know where they were because it was a newer car. Well when I found the controls, right before I rolled the window down the guy did a 180 and ran as fast as he could. I think that he thought I was going to pull a gun. Got out of that one and I didn't even realize what was going on until it was over!

Now I live in a totally different environment. I left the city and live in the mountains, no bad guys, no crime, I can even leave the keys in my vehicles all year and no one will bother them. BUT now I have a new problem - dangerous game! Bears, mountain lions, packs of wild dogs, wolves, coyotes and deer (believe it or not there have been reports and videos on Youtube of coyotes and deer attacking people). Now every time I'm out in the back yard or in the woods I always carry just for defence against dangerous game. In fact when I got my CCW I didn't even think about shooting a bad guy, only a mountain lion. And believe me, I have been stalked by HUGE mountain lions!

Some guy at church was elk hunting with his son, both of them over 6 feet tall. One time a mountain lion jumped on the father, came out of no where and at one point he was flat on his back with a paw on each shoulder and a mountain lion breathing in his face! Somehow the mountain lion got his paw stuck in his pack and jumped off of the father and went for the son. They had just enough time to shoot the big cat. This was never reported and the dead cat is still frozen up on the mountain, but it made me realize that I have to always carry around here if I'm to survive! It's funny, city folks come up here to the mountains to go hiking or whatever and when they see you have a gun they laugh because they are oblivious to the dangers out there.

[skifast]

I just got my CCW last week. I do not live in a dangerous area. I thought I would only carry when I was going somewhere that would justify it. I actually feel a little uncomfortable carrying, in the sense that I view people that carry as a bit paranoid.

However, one of the arguments in favor of citizens carrying weapons is that they have the capability to prevent violent crimes. I believe and made this argument. The argument fails, if citizens choose not to carry their guns. A gun in a safe at home will do no good. Since I have no idea if or when I may need to defend myself or others, it makes sense that I carry as often as is practical.

[Nnobby45]

I just got my CCW last week. I do not live in a dangerous area. I thought I would only carry when I was going somewhere that would justify it. I actually feel a little uncomfortable carrying, in the sense that I view people that carry as a bit paranoid.

Well, if I were a criminal, I'd go places where folks like you live and shop. You'd never see me coming. I know I'd do that, because that's what real criminals do.

Some of the worst crimes imaginable happen to good people in good neighborhoods. Odds are it won't happen to you. Odds are 100% that it'll happen to someone in spite of the great odds in their favor.

If you can pick and choose (successfully) where you'll need a gun, I hope you're invested in the stock market, or take up sports betting.

Learn to carry properly, and you self consciousness will go away. It'll become natural.

Sorry I couldn't participate in the poll. I don't carry for fun, and I don't carry "just in case", etc. I didn't see a box to check the covers why most of us carry.

I carry so I can protect myself from violent criminal attacks that happen to good folks every day in "safe" places where it wasn't supposed to happen.

I'm so sick of seeing people on the news saying something like "things like that just don't happen in our neighborhood (after it did happen)", or "he seemed like such a nice guy, we trusted him with our kids", after their neigbor was arrested for......well, we all see the news.

[exprt9]

I'd rather be safe than sorry! I would rather have the gun and not need it than need it and not have it. Just like what Bruce Willis said in the movie The Last Boy Scout "Be Prepared!"

[Firepower!]

17% of us carry because of circumstances we live in.

That is pretty bad!

[jg0001]

If you could add a category for those of us who WOULD but cannot due to state law limits on CCW issuance, that's where I'd be (**NJ**)

I'm not so sure I'd carry everyday (i.e. to/from work, in the day light), but if I was going to be somewhere late at night or somewhere potentially empty (i.e. coming out of a movie at 1am or something) I'd probably carry then.

[isanchez2008]

wtdf661-very well put, but your view of life leaves no room for the armed responsible citizen who is not law enforcement or military. A nation with 100% sheep and the only ones armed are le or gov't??? Sure hope not.

I carry just in case. My whole family witnessed a murder on our way to church. Stopped at a stop light and there was a fight between some wanna be gangsters. One took it to the next level when he ran back to his car and grabbed his "gat". He came back and shot the guy who had been thumping on him. At ten years old I had my "eyes ripped open" to the brutality of life. I do not live in fear of that situation since I am nothing like those people, but I don't want to be victim to those people. I now live in a small town but I am not so ignorant as to believe that because it is a quiet peaceful town the wolves wont come a knocking. My 2 cents and opinion.

[mrt949]

Have a c.w.p .the old saying goes rather have it and not need it .but need it and not have it. 1982 c.c w.holder.

[FlyboyTx]

Mostly no immediate threat, so I carry to be prepared. But I *always* carry when travelling to our two larger urban areas (HOU or DAL). Places there can be s-c-a-r-y.

I'm in on the US of A thang and feel it's a patriotic (and to a degree Christian) duty to be prepared. Besides of which, it is something I can do to protect my one big and two little sweeties should need ever arise.

Let's see, that's God, country, family...oh yeah, my mom makes a killer apple pie (but I drive a Ford).



FBT

[orionengnr]

As usual, your poll choices are short-sighted and unnecessarily divisive/inflammatory, and none of the choices is accurate for me, or (I suspect) a number of others. Do you actually do this on purpose? Having observed many of your posts and (especially) your polls, I have to wonder...

To answer your question directly: I carry because I have the God-given, Constitutionally-affirmed right to do so. Period. End of story.

[skydiver3346]

To be on the safe side for sure. Your selection about being on the safe side also includes (when there really isn't a threat?).
How do you know when a threat will happen. How do you know when you will need to defend youself and/or family? The reality is: "YOU DON'T KNOW" so I carry a gun because I personally feel I need to, (living where I live) in the murder capital of my state. Remember, its too late to go out and try and buy a gun when you finally have to have one in the event the need arises. Best to be safe rather than sorry I would think.

[pax]

Today seems to be the day for bumping antique threads to the top for some reason.

Closed -- as antique, and headed south anyway.

pax