Did something happen to make you CCW?

What got you interested in concealed carry?

  • You had a close call or scary situation

    Votes: 49 21.4%

  • You are or were in law enforcement/military

    Votes: 26 11.4%

  • You've always shot guns, it was just natural to go ccw.

    Votes: 114 49.8%

  • You just took an interest/wanted to learn something new

    Votes: 40 17.5%
  • Total voters
    229
  • Poll closed .
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Good question, the 2 main reasons I started are the economy and I watched the documentary: When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts about hurricane Katrina. I didn't want that happening to my family if something like that happened where I live.
I saw what happens to people when they totally depend on Government to come save them...
 
Guns are easy to come by for thugs. I've seen and heard too many shootings all around the States, in big cities and small towns. I had and have the chance to carry, was cleared by FBI and the local enforcement, and have a loving wife and beautiful child. I feel the need to protect them and myself when the cops aren't around. No I have never gotten into an incident which promptd me to start carrying.
 
My neighbor diagonally across the street was followed home from a night club and murdered by a serial killer. We didn't have CHL then, but I made the decision "better to be judged by twelve, than carried by six!" and did what I could to get CHL passed!

--wally.
 
Early in the 1980s I was working in a Furniture store in Houston Texas and the office was held up at gunpoint. The way that event went down if someone in the office had had a handgun they could have stopped the robbery. Up until then I thought handguns were useless for self defense.

I later bought a handgun and did what I had to do to stay safe. My boss not only allowed me to keep my gun at work he bought himself one as well.

I then got my CHL in 1996 and have been carrying since then almost always except for a time after I moved back to Alabama and had to wait before getting an Alabama permit.
 
Did a little hunting when I was a kid but really never had an interest in guns of any type until about age 56. Just decided it would be nice to own a handgun and bought a Sigma 40ve. Once I had the gun I started thinking about CC because my state has "shall issue". Got the license and added eleven more handguns over the next three years. Got an RCBS reloading setup and discovered shooting and reloading is a fun hobby. What's amazing is my wife. Absolutely no background with guns but she enjoys shooting as much as I do and she carries without fail.
 
i was/am in the Military and after my first deployment my sittutaional awareness went through the roof
Click to expand...

Something like this for me. After surviving Iraq, thought it would be pretty stupid to die because I had the knowledge to use a tool, but lacked the tool itself.
 
I got too old, chubby & broke down to fight or run away.:neener:





P.S.
If you have the choice, do NOT wreck a motor vehicle and break a lot of bones.
 
I voted for "Always shot guns..."


However, the 9/11 disaster really shook my tree.
 
After a recent election, I decided the 2nd amendment is too precious to take for granted.
 
Having to cross a union picket line every day for about 6 months. I was a supervisor and had to work during a strike. I thought it to be in my best interest to get a permit.
 
Did something happen to make you CCW?
Click to expand...

Not really, but facing the realities of my job made me consider CCW as an option for self defense. Have had a couple nervous situations develop, but nothing serious. I get asked it I'm a cop a fair amount. I do work in a number of different states and the reciprocity is convenient.
 
All of the above? Grew up loving guns, had a very interesting/stupid experience when I was 10 that almost resulted in me shooting a cop (so I've never felt that I could depend on law enforcement for protection), barely escaped being assaulted by a bunch of neo-nazis for kissing on my non-white girlfriend (wife now) in public, open carried after that with a borrowed hand gun as I wasn't old enough to buy my own (which was legal), did a stint in the Marine Corps Infantry (and yes all three words deserve capitalization), and got a CPL as soon as I fulfilled the residency requirements of my new state (stationed in California so I never bothered getting a permit while in) as it's the most effective means of fulfilling the "protect" part of the oath I swore on my wedding day.
 
I have been carrying for over 38 years now...got my CCW when I turned 21. That is when my state first came out with them. We took a course and a test.
Long before most people could get CCW.
 
I voted 'just took an interest' but that's not exactly true.

OTOH, nothing happened to make me want to get a firearm for home and personal protection.

I had been thinking about it for awhile after moving to a rural area, which is kinda in 'meth country.' Then I ended up chatting with more and more people that did shoot and carry.

Things just fell into place naturally. And I do like developing new skills (& shooting is fun. I just started action shooting at my range).
 
I lived right in the city when I first started carrying, and 95% of my life was spent there so it seemed like a good idea. Nothing specific, just general enlightened self-interest.
 
I've wanted to carry since Texas started allowing CCW. When under Dad's roof, he said no. At college it wasn't an option. Got married - wife said no way. I'm a pastor; after the church shootings of the past years, I finally told the wife, "That's why I want to carry - to protect me, you and our church family, if needed." She understood. Still doesn't like it, but she gave me her blessing. We were on a date the other night; her hand bumped my LCR. She kinda did a double take, but at least she didn't run away, screaming in hopeless abandon. Making progress, boys...

Q
 
Yeah, my wife isn't crazy about the idea either. But I've learned from experience and mistakes that it is better to be patient and try to slowly educate people. So I didn't push the issue, but each time something happened in the news, I would explain how ccw might have helped. Now she's okay with the idea and I'm even working on getting her to the range for a lesson. i told her she doesn't have to carry, but it's like CPR, a life skill that might save a life some day.
 
got burglarized in college, realized that if i were home at the time all i would've had was a knife. NO THANKS

I also had a job as a food delivery driver in college, worked nights, carried a knife, then decided to give myself a better chance.

now it just feels normal slipping the ol' 442 in the pocket
 
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