So you are retired?

[Potsy]

Retired NYPD since 1986. You bet your boots I still carry my 'shooting iron' where ever I go and I do mean where ever I go, including around the home. For that I carry my Mdl 85 5 shot in a pocket holster. Very comfortable and hardly know I have it on me. For street carry, it's a S&W Shield 9 mm with the 8 rd mag & 1 in the tube for 9 rds. I also carry a spare mag. I shoot at a range at least once a month to keep tuned up.
I feel that as a Senior dinosaur, I'm a prime target for some 'dude' who thinks he can take advantage of my silver hair or what is left of it on my head.
When we leave the house, it's wallet, keys, hearing aids and S&W. I don't consider myself being paranoid . It's just a good feeling knowing I can make an attempt to protect both of us if , God forbid, a situation happens. I take the HR 218 course yearly, so when we're on the road, so is my S&W 9 mm. I don't leave home without it.

[Brit]

So many sharp thinking old Guys here! All with the idea that being a victim is not a good idea.

My second Wife (22 years) and I enjoy an extremely happy, and loving life, every day, I thank the almighty for that.

I have always accompanied my Lady to her side of the Jeep, made sure she enters in safety, and lock her door as I close it, Paranoid? No, a realist.
HI Heels are cause for care, predators are deterred? At least I scan for threat, have always thought that way. Car parks can be vulnerable locations.

We have had one incident in the 12 years we have lived in Orlando.
Two Hood Rats, late teens, early twenty's, followed my Wife around Publix, neither one with a Basket, or Cart.

I was in the Jeep, reading a Library book, watching my Lady pick peaches? Not one of my favorite pastimes. On being informed of her admirers! (handy Cell phones) I was leaned against the back of our Jeep, the older one prior to it being written off (marked security vehicle, my Sons Company) under the overhang, on spotting this old attentive Chap, they took off across the parking lot!

They had no vehicle, my Wife was driving it. Pants hanging down below their bottoms, no sign of any weapons, none shown anyhow, it would have got loud and messy if any had been shown! Distance, me to them, 7m.

A little elevation of blood pressure, all's well, that ended well.

Yes, I do go with her now. I am the cart pusher.

[Shimpy]

I carry everywhere. When we go to bed at night I unlock my nightstand with my .357 in it. Only exception is when we have company staying overnight, then I leave it locked. Reason being, I don't want to accidentally shoot our guest because I'm not used to having someone else in the house.

[Clock]

Several years ago, I broke my ankle and was on crutches for a few months. The one change I noticed was my relationship with the homeless. Without crutches the homeless would ask politely for spare change and being more Liberal at the time I'd often give them 50 cents or a dollar. Once on crutches I was approached several times with demands for money. I couldn't legally carry a gun at that time, but I could and did carry 2 legal knives. I responded to such demands with a polite !@#$ off.
Now that I'm older, I realize I may appear to street people as easy prey. I carry everywhere I'm legally allowed to.

[Big Shrek]

Retirement can be a relative thing...joined the military at 17,
which meant that minimum retirement would be 37.
So, being a semi-smart individual, bought some land, paid it off,
then after retiring the hard way (medical-early at 9 & 1/2 in),
built a small home on it and basically planned on puttering around,
fishing, hunting, and SASS/Archery competitions until I keeled over

Carry was often, and relaxed...not a whole lot of problems in the area
at the time...still relatively decent for the most part around here...

Then, at 40, met The One...two years later, married and twins on the way...
at which point, "Dang, I gotta go get a real job to take care of the twins!"
comes into play...

Now carry is always, and a little more serious, as I have family to protect.
The world has gotten more stupid, and more dangerous.
The movie "Idiocracy" turns out to be more truth now than fantasy...
the average American is now a dope-addled and indoctrinated fool,
and few have a proper sense of self-preservation. Or common sense.

We now have to be vigilant for others...family and extended family...
might as well be as well-prepared as possible,
and try to enlighten as many non-aware folks as we can.

[Prof Young]

I'm recently retired. I live in the center of a small (6000) rural town in southern IL. I also recently acquired my CC license. After some shopping around and one false start (Beretta Nano) I settled on a sig p238. I have three vests that work well for CC and wear one when I carry. Or if I'm going on a bike ride I'll carry in a fanny pack. I carry when I go out of town, especially on trips to St. Louis and when I go for a bike ride out in the country. I don't carry at home, and usually don't carry around town. There are several locations in my home where I have well secured fire arms with "quick access."

I know I'll raise all kinds of hackles with this next part, but I carry with an empty chamber.

I am not comfortable carrying with one in the pipe, the hammer cocked and the safety on. If my gun was a double action, that would be different. I'd carry with one in the pipe. But the little guy is SA only so I carry with the safety off and the chamber empty. I figure if someone has the "drop" on me I'm not going to be able to draw and shoot without getting shot myself anyway. I practice drawing and racking all in one motion at the range and am comfortable with my ability to do that. So that's me.

And regardless of everything else, we all know that the gun you have with you is better than the one that's home in the safe.

Live well, be safe
Prof Young

[hartcreek]

I am a young retiree. It was not my choice but by medical necessity. I have carried every blasted day since I got my first CCW. I have done armed security work so I have to carry every day now. My CCW is just another thing that I have to carry just like my wallet and cell phone...the handcuffs stay in my vehicle.

Today I was installing a new gas line for an old customer of the former family business in an area that is a known gang territory. I just went about my business as usual with my Star tucked in it's IWB holster just in case.

[Deaf Smith]

Carry. Carry daily. And carry as powerful a gun as you can control and conceal.

Might be just a pocket .380 or .38, or a big .45, but do carry it and practice often.

Deaf

[Sport45]

For me it's not my age but rather the miles. Running hasn't been an option for quite a while.

[Shimpy]

I always carry and during the night I keep a .357 in my nightstand. The nightstand is locked during the day and at night I insert my keys to unlock it. I can't leave the house the next day without locking it and getting my keys to the car on the same key chain. I don't really need this since now retired but started doing this when we had little kids in the house.
The only exception is when we have company staying in the house with us. I leave it locked to prevent accidentally shooting a guest who I'm not used to hearing in the home at night.

[skoro]

I retired two years ago.

I'm in a pretty low risk lifestyle. No fancy vehicles, flashy jewelry, or engaging in any risky business.

Still, the S&W 642 goes into my pocket pretty much each time I leave the house.

Many years ago, I was a Boy Scout: "be prepared."

[JohnKSa]

I carry every day because it would be a shame to need a gun and not have it after all the time and money I've put in becoming proficient, learning the laws of self-defense, acquiring permits and good quality equipment.

[RP2012]

I retired 1 1/2 years ago and my retirement hasn't changed my carry practices... I do need to get a bigger fanny pack so I can carry while riding a bicycle

[Nanuk]

I retired almost 5 years ago and carry a Glock 31C with 2 reloads everyday.

[JERRYS.]

once you reach retirement age, you either look old, move old, and/or act old. all of which makes you a tempting target for criminal attack. carry accordingly.

[Art Eatman]

I started toting back in the 1960s, although not all the time. Shot IPSC for a few years, back in the early 1980s. Got a CHL when Texas first began the system.

Now I'm 82, come July. The only change is in what I carry. I've gone from a Lightweight Commander to a 642CT, with a NAA .22 Mag as a backup.

I'm mostly a stay-at-home. This area is very low crime, from my standpoint. Mostly in the part of town where I've never had incentive to go at night. My social hangout is at a gunsmith's, and he's young and healthy. Wears my LW Commander.

[Boncrayon]

So now you are the guard dog of your dwelling for the daylight hours. ALWAYS CARRY when you are not bathing or sleeping! Make sure you take care of your "Honey Do's" to please the lady if she is still working. But in your retirement, you are also doing some driving around town, shopping, buying cool things in your favorite Sports Store, and meeting your friends along the way.

I'm retired....and still tired. I'm now scheduling CCW classes with my NRA training. I'm remaining active in my social avenues, and using my time in a fun way. Find something useful to do in home and community, and stay concealed carry in the eyes of the law at all times. The criminals and mental cases around us are nervous!

[Photon Guy]

Carrying concealed handguns, and being prepared to use them should trouble rear its ugly head is a full time job. You might be retired from other jobs but you never retire from that job as long as you carry. And indeed there are some people that take their job to the grave.

[kilimanjaro]

I once read that on your 60th birthday the probability of your being chosen to be the victim of a crime rises to the levels of probability for young females.

[mete]

My 2 cents - 60+ changes can come quickly and require big changes in your thought process and life style. Requires serious thinking !
I occasionaly use a cane and researching that , for a number of reasons I now have a KABAR defensive cane . Somewhere apparently you can find instruction in serious use And you do have a better cane for normal use !
Pistols - I favour big stuff but a friend has a Ruger 380. I was pleased to see how well it is designed .Nothing sticking out like safeties ,mag release , etc.Edges chamfered or rounded .Extended mags available for those who have large hands .Nice to see such a well designed gun.

[agtman]

Someone "sort of" hit the relevant nail above.

Bad guys have a say in this matter too. They don't care whether you're retired or not, and they will choose the time, place, and circumstances of their attack.

If you carried and got training (or at least practice armed self-defense) before you formally retired, you should continue to train and carry in your retired life - at least when out-n-about in public venues.

True, retirement unquestionably changes the specifics of your daily routine and travels from what it was during the 40-hour+ ritual of your previous work life (unless you re-employ, as some do). But retirement itself merely begins another type of daily routine that quickly gets filled with a different set of "to-dos" .... and the bad guys are still out there.

[Brit]

Some real good advice in here! Where ever I can legally carry, I have my Glock 19 Gen 4 right here now. Sixteen rounds ready to go, a spare G17 magazine, and a Surefire flashlight.

I suppose for whatever the reason, some can not carry a hi-cap pistol, I feel it is required because SXXX happens is a fair way of starting your day.

For the last 10 years, I have fired a couple of 100 rounds a month, till my car wreck slowed me down, I am just about back to normal, and next match day I will shoot the qualifier.

I have two Glock 19s, set up exactly the same way, Truglow night sights, extended slide release (Glock factory model) Butt plug, 4lb trigger.

I can not feel it, holstered in a $15.00 Glock polymer belt holster. Tried the many more expensive ones, but this one weighs nothing.

Think of all those heroes who fought for America, and are no longer here, today, this Memorial day.

As a 9-year-old in my native England, they walked the streets and roads, and one day they went across the channel. And I am still speaking English, not German. God Bless the USA.

[4V50 Gary]

Depends on the local laws and whether you're permitted. Even then, training and how often do you practice?

I live in the woods and there are critters all over this place. I've seen bear, mountain lion (major concern), bobcat, eagles, hawks, raccoon, skunk, coyote, fox, rattlesnake (just had one with Mac 'n Cheese). Yesterday just as I was about to step outside, I noticed a snake at the threshhold. A scan of the tail told me it was a good snake (Bullsnake) and not a rattler (whew). Methinks it's same one I've seen over the years around the house (which explains why the ground squirrels disappeared). Thankfully most critters are instinctively afraid of man and besides rodents, the only thing I've killed is a rattler.

[Brit]

As usual, I am about to drift off a bit.

From 1960 till 1964 I worked part time as a Bouncer, at the Cavern Club (were the Beatles played, in Liverpool) 1965, just prior to immigrating to Australia, at a Night Club, the Blue Angel.

I was stabbed twice at the Cavern, and in lots, and lots of fist fights. In the old days, we started them, much better chance of winning the ones you start!

Much different now, here, and in England. Licensed, rules, training, the lot.

But one advantage it has given me, the instant start to fight, no hesitation whatsoever. It works exactly the same way, when the senses say, "Get gun" it is in my hand. This has happened quite a few times in the USA, since I obtained a CCW from Florida, when all you needed to apply was a Hunting License.

That was stopped after 911, but my Son was a Citizen then, my address of record was his house in Florida.
When it was due for renewal the last time, I was already a Citizen, so I was not stretching any points.

I will tell you, I drew, aimed, but did not fire, I had no need to do so.

The individuals stopped doing what I perceived as a threat in the first place.

[AZ-Quailhunter]

I will retire in 3 years....I do NOT carry every day now....I WILL carry every
day when retired...this is only due to the fact that I can NOT carry at work
at my current employer.