[lwrat]

When the question is raised about concealed carry and the subject always turns to "when to carry" and we all know.....we carry all the time, except to those places we know we're not suppose to carry, like the court house, schools and so on and so forth. How about why we carry! Those on the left see us as a gunslinger from the "Old West" and we're out just looking for a fight. Others see us as paranoid gun freaks who see a boogie man behind every tree. I would venture to say that 97 percent (just my best guess) of registered conceal weapons permit holders are law abiding citizens and responsible weapons owners who take weapons ownership very seriously (I never call them "guns", I call them weapons, sorry old Military habit). There are those few people who always mess it up for the rest of us, yes you know who I'm talking about. Those fanatical people who dream, breath and live guns 24/7 that you know will whip it out in a second just because they can. Now if you asked my wife she'd say that was me, and yes I like guns, but to me its a privilege you earn not a thing you buy at your local Academy or Bass Pro store? But back to the story line, why do we carry? I believe that each of us who carry have that innate sense of being a protector, it's in us! Wether we want to admit it or not we will do what's right when the need arises, we will act! I often wonder what I would've done if I would've been in that dark theater when a gunman arrived? People who conceal carry have that "always on guard" sense about them. They know how to position themselves in a room, be it a theater, a restaurant or any room because they know that cover is going to be their first best defense. So if your contemplating becoming a concealed carry permit holder, first and foremost you must come to grips that you will have to take a life if the needs arises. Your not carrying a cap gun (look I've gone and said gun, because that what toy pistols are, guns, not weapons) to scare your offender away, your there to protect your family and if can't take a life, you shouldn't apply. I'm not trying to be rude or crass, it's just a cold hard fact your going to have to stomach! Second choose a weapon thats concealable and you can handle, I like a .50 cal Desert Eagle as much as the next guy or gal and it will get the job done but......it's not very concealable. Next buy the best holster money can buy, if you can't reach and draw your weapon in a timely manner because it hung up in that cheap holster you bought, you may become a chalk outline on the pavement rather than the offender. These are just a few things I've learned in my first year of conceal carry and a good book to read on the subject is called "In the Gravest Extreme" by Massad Ayoob, a Master Weapons handler, Ex- Police Officer and Concealed Carry expert. Till next time "Carry On"

 

[timwell]

I am glad you mentioned that book Iwrat. I borrowed that book from a friend years ago and read it, but couldn't remember the name of it. I may not have recognized it by just the title, but the author's name is so uncommon, I know that is the book I read. It definitely prepares your mental game for carrying an instrument capable of unleashing fatal results whether you call it a gun or weapon. And one of the best things I liked about it was that he described scenarios leaving you with shoot/don't shoot choices. If I remember right, one of them was a bank robber scenario and I would have shot the undercover cop. That taught me that unless I know "all" of the information of a situation while out in public, I am not going to engage in it, "unless I am defending myself or family members." (Or close friends accompanying me at the time of the incident) The consequences of shooting the wrong person, or by it being found to be unjustifiable due to lying witnesses on the side of my opponent, unless it's me, my family, or it's so damn obvious that there will almost be no question of justification, the only heat my gun is going to experience is from the palm of my hand. It's not my responsibility to defend someone that neglects or refuses to defend themselves. Warningue to the shortage of ammunition on store shelves, there will be no warning shots...

 

[lwrat]

Thanks for reading my article and commenting. I also enjoyed the book immensely and it opened my eyes to situations that could cost me my life or my permit and land me in prison. Like I said its a privilege that you earn by doing diligence, by reading, researching and intense training before applying for a concealed permit. "Carry on"