How often do CCW holders draw guns?

Hi. I doubt those stats exist, nationally. CCW permits are a State thing.

And they don't get uniformly reported in any way, it isn't a crime.

In 26 years I have had my hand on my pistol to protect myself 2 times but never had to clear the holster.

I have no idea but I would bet most have never had to draw. That's why I hate the anti's "It will be like the old west" argument. It's never been the case.

Very good question though.

The only time I ever drew my pistol was when a dog, set on taking a bite out of me, attacked. Luckily, the owner called it off. He begged me not to shoot his dog. I had to report it to the police though because I was on a public street. chris3

I have drawn mine twice. Very stealthfuly so nobody was able to notice. Not trur "draw downs", but I did feel the need to get it out and handy, so I did.

Lots of panhandlers/street people here in Florida. I have had a gun in hand in my car on several occasions as they approached me in the car in a parking lot. I am not paranoid and it is south Florida.

CCW draw

While parked one night in a truck stop in Green River,Utah, I had a stranger approach my vehicle and start talking to me through the window. He smelt of liquor and was mumbling unintelligble words. I had my Glock 23, with a round in the chamber, pointed at him through the door all the while he was there. I was finally successful in getting to leave and the fool never knew how close he would have come to "meeting his maker" had he not staggered off into the night. The only time I have ever had my weapon out and pointed at someone while carrying for over ten years. Carried a gun for a living for seven years and had my hand on the grip frame twice, but did not have to present it

I've been carrying for 18 years now, and have had it half out of the holster once, when an aggressive dog was threatening me in my front yard, right after I'd gotten out of my car. Luckily, the dog was called away before I had to finish the draw and shoot it.

Like fire extinguishers, guns aren't needed very often, and further like fire extinguishers, no good substitutes have been invented to date.

On or about 1993 I killed a man, afterwards, I realized only afterwards that I really did not want to actually kill him, I was cleared and got my gun back but I made a vow to myself to never shoot a man above the waist!

It was like a dream that takes a long time to get over. I shot him in the head with a 10mm hollow point, made an awful mess and he had only about 55% of skull attached to his neck afterwards. Drug addict came after me with a butcher knife, the other knife he threw stuck me in the upper thigh, That was my reasoning for the head shot + the adrenalin pumping and temporary lost my mind.

I've had my CCW for eleven years and draw my firearm at least twice a week when doing my best Bruce Willis impersonation in front of the mirror in the master bedroom.

20+ years of carrying, never! Hand my hand on it three times when situational awareness suggested something might be up, but never happened, which is a very good thing.

Same as I've used my fire extinguishers -- zero. Its one of those things you have with the hope you never need to use it!

Obliviously I'm not counting practice.

As a private citizen, never.

Of all the people I know who CCW regularly as private citizens, I can think of only one person who has had to draw their weapon (attempted mugging of two armed citizens, one mugger killed the other handed over to responding police).

So, of the people I know, that probably works out to something less than 1%.

Working in law enforcement, I also very rarely hear about people actually drawing their CCWs or using them. There can obviously be some skewing in that -- if drawing the weapon fixes the problem, perhaps people don't call the police at all, etc. -- but it's seems to be pretty low, in any case.

I've drawn my weapon 3 or 4 times in 25+ years and was involved in
one shooting. The gentleman that received a .45acp to the sternum
tried to rob me in broad daylight with a piece of galvanized pipe. He
did, to my amazement, manage to survive.

I have drawn mine three times -- once when some dirtbag tried to mug me, and twice when out walking the country road and a dog attacked me. No shots were fired in any of those incidents -- apparently even a pit bull can recognize a man who is unafraid and prepared to give him more than he can handle.

Vern Humphrey said:

I have drawn mine three times -- once when some dirtbag tried to mug me, and twice when out walking the country road and a dog attacked me. No shots were fired in any of those incidents -- apparently even a pit bull can recognize a man who is unafraid and prepared to give him more than he can handle.

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That is so strange, I seen a pit run toward this guy and while the pit was running dude took out his piece and pointed at the pit, eeerrrrrrrrrrrrkk that pit stopped in his tracks then sidestepped it away while looking, poor pit seemed to be looking at the pistol while walking away. I would have never believed it if I didn't see it.

There are no state stats recorded, nor is it a field in the UCR.

See Gary Kleck's remarks on this subject.

His stats confirm the idea that sure, you can "carry" all the live long day. You'll never need that gun, ever.

Ever.

Some fantasy you have that some criminal will offend against you, and you'll draw your CCW and frighten the BG, or shoot him, is basically a non-starter. It won't happen.

The reason I carry is because if you get unlucky, it tends to be really bad.

Truthfully I've only done it once, and that was just brandishing, lift shirt, grab grip, call it childish but I draw alot in front of the mirror.

That is so strange, I seen a pit run toward this guy and while the pit was running dude took out his piece and pointed at the pit, eeerrrrrrrrrrrrkk that pit stopped in his tracks then sidestepped it away while looking, poor pit seemed to be looking at the pistol while walking away. I would have never believed it if I didn't see it.

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You're right. Every time I've mentioned that incident, people have been skeptical, "How did the dog know what a gun was?"

I think it's body language. Phil Shoemaker, who is a bear guide and lives in the Alaskan wilderness in bear country wrote an article on the every popular question, "What sort of gun should I carry in bear country?"

Interestingly, Phil commented that the most valuable thing about carrying a gun was that it gives you the confidence to send a message to the bear -- "I don't want to hurt you, but if you mess with me I'll hurt you bad."

So apparently that phenominon is not restricted to dogs.

Working on my permit now as an insurance policy. Assume for a moment I had been carrying over the past say 20 years. I've only had one situation where I would like to have had my hand on one. but my quick wit stunned the potential threat (no kidding) and gave me precious seconds to get a few steps between us and out of harms way. I Had another situation where I might have drawn due to the situation and adrenaline but that would have been a mistake and probably turned out very badly. These are things to consider when deciding to carry. Big decision not to be taken lightly.

I have been carrying a gun off & on about 45 years.
I have never had to draw the weapon--I have placed my hand on the hostered weapon to make agressive pan-handlers back away.
You don't go running to report these things to the cops. It's best not to give some creep
a chance to lie about what you did & try to get you in a lot of trouble.
When I lived in Detriot it was against the law to branish a weapon to stop people from stealing things from your separate garage. You would go to jail & the crooks would would go back to the bar. I put a Brinks system on the house & garage & did not have any more trouble.

I have never had to draw. The reason I decided to get my permit however was because my family and I were driving home on Christmas morning when someone in a car coming from the other direction threw a bottle at my windshield. I watched in the mirror as they spun around and came after us. I hit the gas and the next time I looked they weren't there anymore. Thinking about what might have happened if they had caught up to us and maybe forced us off the road, I decided to get a my permit.