CCL/CCW Holder who actually carry.

[Arkansas Paul]

Courts here in KY ruled that even if you can't carry on campus, you can keep it locked in your car.

In Arkansas if the school posts signs at the entrance prohibiting firearms on the premises, you can't even have it in your vehicle. If not, as long as you don't carry in the buildings you're fine.

My school doesn't have signs posted at the entrances so my carry gun stays in the center console while I'm inside. If they post the signs in the future, I'll abide by it. That's what we law abiding folks do.

 

[TarDevil]

I carry everywhere legal, and thankfully that includes a lot of additional places since October of 2013 here in NC.

I spend a good bit of time in Texas and carry there as well.

 

[Outlaw Man]

My wife originally got her license as a way to get around her condo association rules. She was "carrying" instead of keeping it there. She carried on her person more about the time we got married, as the neighborhood started going downhill. We're out of that war zone now, fortunately.

Other than work and church, I carry whenever I have pants on.

 

[Catshooter]

The stories Seastrike and Blitz relate make my point exactly. They didn't see a need, it couldn't happen to them. Until it (almost) did happen to them.

To you who don't carry do you get the point? It can happen to you or to someone you love and trusting that it won't is irresponsible of you.

Carry. All of the time. Do it as if your life could depend on it.


Cat

 

[farm23]

Outlaw Man, I agree except I carry at work [farm] and church.

 

[KY Sparky]

I carry all the time except at work, where I am not allowed to, even though we have a charter club for gun enthusiasts. I do however keep my gun in the car, and if I exit the car anywhere to and from work the gun goes too. The only place I don't besides work is where I am prevented to by law. In KY "No Gun" signs don't have legal backing, and I largely ignore them unless I see one and decide to spend my money elsewhere. Almost everyone I know that has a permit carries regularly, even if not 100% of the time.

 

[Jim PHL]

I try to carry all the time BUT I live in SE Pa. and work sometimes takes me to Nazi Jersey. I do not always know in advance that I will have to go there. If I know I have to go there I do not carry. If there is a strong chance I might have to go there I usually do not carry. If I am carrying and unexpectedly have to go over the bridge I may unload and field-strip my gun if an auto or at least unload a revolver and separate the ammo from the gun. If I get caught over there for any reason (I'm thinking the most likely scenario would be having to be transported to a hospital after a traffic accident) I can at least claim to have tried to be as compliant as possible regarding the presence of the gun. Over there I'd still be in trouble for the mere presence of any evil, hollow-point ammunition! (Unless I am accidentally over there with my LCP. I carry ball when I carry .380.)

I always tell my wife if anything ever happens to me over there she should sue the state for denying me my right to defend myself (after she's done celebrating!). Won't do ME any good but hopefully she can make some noise for 2A rights and maybe a few dollars for herself.

 

[Bobson]

I don't know anyone who has a CHL. We all either live in free states, or don't carry at all.

 

[Vodoun da Vinci]

I respect other peoples decisions about whether or not they are comfortable carrying and under which conditions they want to do that. For me, I feel that the time I'll need to defend my life or the lives of folks around me (especially loved ones) will likely come without much warning and may well be where and when I least expect to end up fighting for my life.

I have been in some bad places at bad hours - played R&R and R&B in clubs and such for many years in some very infamous towns including Chicago, Detroit, New York, Miami and beyond. And I have seen some bad stuff happen but not as much as one might think. I think most of us are never gonna need to save our lives with a concealed gun. Thank Gaad...

But the idea of needing and not having when I have the ability and aptitude and mindset makes me shiver. I feel strongly that the big/strong are responsible to take care of the small/weak...that the enlightened are charged with enlightening the ignorant. Fast ones help slow ones, etc. We are supposed to take care of each other. We are all on a team and we support and nurture everyone and ask for help when we are the needy ones without guilt of needing someone else.

The idea of watching some horrific scene like I know has happened to others...including members of my own kin, and not being able to stop it or intervene given my personal level of training and mindset and abilities is unthinkable. I respect others who don't feel comfortable going armed but I personally feel that when I am able I will be much more comfortable when I'm strapped/packing and intend to do that in the most professional manner I can, as much of the time as I can.

Hopefully I'll carry everyday and none around me will know or care. Hopefully I'll live the rest of my days and never reach for it in fear or in defense. If not I hope to be ready at all times.

VooDoo

 

[Corpral_Agarn]

Personally, I carry everyday, everywhere I am legaly allowed to do so.

However, I do know of one family where the husband carries routinely and though the wife has a carry permit, she does not carry hardly at all. The thought process was that if the husband has to go into a federal building (or other prohibited location) and leave the gun in the car, she isn't in possession of a loaded firearm illegally (friends of theirs got nabbed for this one).

Also, they sometimes spend time up in the mountains apart from each other and the wife carries when by herself. Always.

 

[mljdeckard]

It would be very difficult to put a percentage on it because it is impossible to know.

I even tell my CCW students, they will likely fall into one of three categories. The first is people like me, you carry pretty much all the time, everywhere you are legally allowed to. (Which, in Utah, is more than pretty much any other state.) The second is people who just like to have the permit in case they want to carry somewhere. (This is probably the biggest percentage.) Then there are people who got it because it sounded fun and novel, and when they actually get the card, and carry a few places, They realize that it isn't very comfortable (mostly because they are unwilling to spend and try out the gear they need to make it work,) and just stop doing it. They let their permit lapse.

This is why I don't think going Constitutional Carry will matter very much. Utah has been shall-issue for 20 years. Those of us who are serious about it have been doing it and will continue to do it. People who just have casual interest won't keep it up either way.

As for how much you SHOULD carry: Hey man, it's a (mostly) free country. Do what you want. It's your keister. You aren't a cop, if you don't feel like it, you're having a bad day, your head isn't in it, you can leave it home. But remember, going back to the seatbelt analogy, we wear seatbelts all the time because we don't know when and where something bad is going to happen. It makes no more sense to not carry because you are just going out for a minute, than it does do not put on your seatbelt because you are just running to the store. If you KNOW you are going someplace that might be dangerous than normal, the correct answer is not to put a gun on and go anyway, the correct answer is to NOT GO THERE in the first place.

 

[huntsman]

Awesome responses, Guys!

But I'm more curious about the folks around you that have permits and licenses....I'd expect most of us "Gun Nuts" to have our pistols whenever possible. But what bout the "average" folks around you that have paper to carry?

Do they?

VooDoo

This is a difficult question for me to answer because I practice don't ask don't tell even with my gun friends, I assume everyone is armed all the time like me. but people get their license for different reasons, when I was getting mine back in 09 I was talking to a gentleman (got his in 04 when it first became law) he was doing his first renewal and he told me the only time he carried was when he went down to a public beach at night to star watch.

 

[Vodoun da Vinci]

If you KNOW you are going someplace that might be dangerous than normal, the correct answer is not to put a gun on and go anyway, the correct answer is to NOT GO THERE in the first place.

I loved all your comments on this....especially this part!

Thank You.

VooDoo

 

[C0untZer0]

Most people carry because you never know when you will need to defend yourself, most of the time if there is an area that I definitely wouldn't go to without being armed - I don't go period.

One exception, my father owned a trucking company and had a truck driver of his get arrested for making a "Hazmat" spill. The driver backed over something and punctured one of his fuel tanks and leaked some diesel in what was basically an empty lot. Because he didn't follow the reporting requirements, Chicago Police arrested him. My dad asked me to go with him to bail the driver out. That was a very rough hood, I took my HK P7M8 with me and dropped him off at the front door and circulated till he and the truck driver came out, picked them up at the front door of the station and left.

I would never be in that neighborhood otherwise.

 

[heeler]

Practically everyone male I know that has a Texas CHL carries daily.
There are several women I know that have gone through the hoops to obtain the license but rarely carry.
But then again for a lot of women and the way they dress I can see part of the problem.
Sadly I know several people including my own brother that have had their license lapse.
Now that's even more foolish than not carrying.

 

[iblong]

Out of the group of 10 I took the class with,my wife and I are the only ones that carry daily.My wife wont even go to the mail box without hers.
All the others still renew every 5 yrs and some keep a pistol in there cars/trucks.
Mine goes on when I get up and comes off when I turn in.It's my good luck charm nothing happens when I where it,Im scared to leave it home.

 

[MICHAEL T]

my brother and his wife have their carry for over 10 yrs and never carry . I can't even get him to shoot at my place. Its their way he says of supporting our rights.
I give up he does now keep loaded gun in the house. Didn't used to even do that. He 82 so I don't press issue

 

[km101]

I carry every day that it is possible. If I am going someplace where it is prohibited, (postoffice, govt. building, church, etc.) I leave it secured in the vehicle. And there is a spare gun in the vehicle at all times.

The people that I know who have a CHL do not carry as often as I do. Only about half carry every day and the other half carry infrequently.

 

[Catshooter]

And then there is always the second question: Who carries at home, in their own house?


Cat

 

[JoePfeiffer]

I didn't get my permit because I wanted to carry, I got it because without it you violate federal law every time you drive past a school with a gun in your car.

 

[marv]

A gun is always in my pocket except where prohibited by law.

 

[fightlife1437]

I always carry, in Texas I would imagine that chl carriers here carry more often than other states

 

[ejfalvo]

I carried on and off for about 3 years. No reason why I didn't carry daily. Then 3 years ago, my daughter was robbed at gunpoint, in her gate guarded community. From that point forward I carry daily and I follow the DADT theory. initially wife hated the thought but now asks if I'm carrying every time we go out.

Don't carry at home but have two handguns close by - and a huge dog as a deterrent.

 

[chicharrones]

And then there is always the second question: Who carries at home, in their own house?


Cat

That's another good one.

I do carry in the house all the time. That is due to the fact that I am going to go outside or answer the door at any time for any reason and don't want to take the extra steps to go upstairs and get a gun out of the safe. I keep the guns locked up due to the kids.

 

[Tomac]

I carry mine every day and everywhere I can legally here in Idaho. I know many others who carry infrequently or not at all. However, I am pleasantly surprised at how many people here have their CCW permits (over 14,000 here just in Canyon County alone).
Tomac