In Light of the Recent Shootings....

[Armored farmer]

In light of the shootings that have plagued our country lately, has anyone been compelled to change their carry habits?

I know I am rethinking my minimalistic approach to concealed carry.
I am also going to insist that my wife take the course and get her permit as well.

 

[Rocketmedic]

For me, yes and no. I still 'only' carry a TCP (.380ACP) with six rounds, but I am going to add a spare magazine and carry some extra ammunition in the car. I would get something 'bigger', but I don't really think it would be practical to carry all the time. I really like the way the TCP carries and I don't really want to carry a heavier weapon.

In all honesty, I think that the current threats are something that require more than a pocket-carried pistol to reasonably stop. I reckon open-carry would be a better deterrent.

 

[bassjam]

I have no intention on changing anything. I'm still way more likely to be a victim in a dark parking lot or dark ally robbing than a mass shooting.

 

[BSA1]

Yes. For me it was on 2/25/16 and 3/11/16.

The gay nightclub shooting in June, 2016 also convinced me that there is a need for civilian use of suppressive fire. We are seeing time and time again (Vegas the latest one) of how long it takes for the police to organize and respond to a mass shooter.

J-Frame revolvers are no longer primary carry for self-defense. They are now "niche" guns used for when going fishing and varmint control on the ranch.

SIG P239 is now secondary carry mostly for when concealed carry is required for going into businesses that ban open carry.

Primary carry is Beretta 92FS with 124 gr. XTP ammunition. Just acquired some 17 round magazines and am evaluating whether to carry them instead of standard 15 round ones. Also considering changing to Hornady Critical Duty 135 gr. FlexLock as vehicles and (also it appears with the church shooter body armor) is becoming the weapon of choice.

The Beretta is a large frame, high capacity, heavy handgun. As Kansas is Open Carry State concealment is not a concern for me. I carry it in the same holster and in the same position year round. It just happens to be concealed when I am wearing a coat or a hoodie.

After Christmas holidays are over I told my wife to get her conceal carry permit so she can carry when we are in Oklahoma and Texas.

Thinking about giving the kids (adult) gift certificates for Christmas to take conceal carry class in Texas.

 

[Varminterror]

In light of the shootings that have plagued our country lately, has anyone been compelled to change their carry habits?

I know I am rethinking my minimalistic approach to concealed carry.
I am also going to insist that my wife take the course and get her permit as well.

I've "varied what I carried" according to my environmental exposure for years, but before about 2yrs ago, I MIGHT have let myself be lazy and carry my LCP somewhere which my G19 would have been much more responsible, or I might have not taken my pistol along if I were flying for a 1 night turn-around business trip. A couple years ago, however, my son was getting old enough such we started doing more and more "high density" public events, and I committed to ALWAYS carrying something responsibly considered for the threat profile. Driving a couple miles into town, hitting the gas station for milk, and returning? LCP. Going into town with my wife for Christmas shopping at the mall? G19 or P224. Fishing Tanana River in AK? It's a 12ga pump gun and my 5.5" Ruger SRH.

If you vary your exposure, then vary your carry.

 

[CDW4ME]

No, I already carry full size 1911 and two spare mags, conceals easily and I've worn it on casual 9 mile bicycle rides.
I also carry a 2nd option gun in pocket, option to put my hand on it without revealing I'm carrying.
I carry this combo regardless of location or light.

 

[Iggy]

I went from a 100 year old 45ACP revolver to a 45ACP pistol and spare magazine..

On days, when my extremely demanding social whirl requires it, I have a Ruger LC9s that I can hide away somewhere if I ever need it.

 

[Fast Frank]

No, no change because of recent events.

For me, after carrying a full size gun and mags for a decade, the idea became "What is the absolute smallest, lightest thing I can carry that's reliable and powerful enough and I can hit with it?"

I searched a while and settled on the Ruger LC9SPRO.

It's tiny, light, shoots 9mm+p, goes bang every single time, has a good trigger, has good sights, fits my hand, and I can actually hit with it.

I found a comfortable holster for it and I drop a spare mag in my pocket- done. If I'm forced to fight, that's what I'll fight with and I hope I'm found worthy when it's all done.

 

[Jim NE]

I have been carrying my LCP, and yes, the shootings have made me rethink this a bit. The limited capacity of the 7 round Ruger is a concern, but these incidents have made me think more about longer range accuracy than capacity. I'm thinking I might go back to my Taurus PT111 G2. The compact 9mm I shoot the best is my Ruger SR9c, but it's just enough larger than the Taurus to be uncomfortable for IWB carry. Both guns are accurate at 15 yards, though, and have over 10 round capacity. I've lost some weight, so maybe the SR9c won't be as uncomfortable as I think. Many prayers go out to the shooting victims and their families both in TX and NV.

 

[Old Dog]

Eh, no change here; for past few years, mostly leaving the 1911 at home in favor of a SIG P-series with either 15+1 or 18+1 in the pistol and 17 or 20 round spare mags on the belt ...

... Primary carry is Beretta 92FS with 124 gr. XTP ammunition. Just acquired some 17 round magazines and am evaluating whether to carry them instead of standard 15 round ones ...

Why not the superb Mec-Gar flush-fit 18-rounders and a Mec-Gar "Plus-2 Optimum" 20-rounder as a spare on the belt?

 

[Armored farmer]

I have been carrying my LCP, and yes, the shootings have made me rethink this a bit. The limited capacity of the 7 round Ruger is a concern, but these incidents have made me think more about longer range accuracy than capacity. I'm thinking I might go back to my Taurus PT111 G2. The compact 9mm I shoot the best is my Ruger SR9c, but it's just enough larger than the Taurus to be uncomfortable for IWB carry. Both guns are accurate at 15 yards, though, and have over 10 round capacity. I've lost some weight, so maybe the SR9c won't be as uncomfortable as I think. Many prayers go out to the shooting victims and their families both in TX and NV.

My thoughts almost mirror yours.....
I have been carrying my lcp everywhere 24/7.
Recent events have made me rethink the mouse gun in favor of my 1911 defender, or 1911 commander, or my sr9c. (More accuracy, more power, more capacity.)
I want Mrs armored to be able to defend herself also. She is on an overnight shopping trip with two other girls as I write this. She is also far more likely to be at the mall, or concert, or city streets than I,.....therefore more at risk than her hermit, farmer husband.
I think it is time that she gets her CCP. I would like for us to carry like models of pistols to have the option to share magazines and ammo. It seems like a good idea to me...maybe its not important. We'll see what shakes out.

I am prepared to eat a helping of crow, because I have been a proponent of carrying a mouse gun as a last- resort, probably-never-needed, strictly self-defense...self-preservation weapon. I admit that may not have been the best advice.
Things change.

 

[fastbolt]

In light of the shootings that have plagued our country lately, has anyone been compelled to change their carry habits?...

Not really.

I've invested too many years having carried an off-duty (and now retirement) weapon that my habits and practices are pretty well ingrained. Having served as a LE firearms instructor and armorer for many of those years had more of an effect on my choices and practices, as it exposed me to a lot of training and data which seemingly doesn't often interest the average line cop. (I've always been considered a long time "gun nut" at my former agency, too.)

Sure, for some out-of-state road trips I may add an additional LEOSA weapon of a relatively larger size, basically meaning a compact or subcompact 9, .40 or .45, and even relatively "local" travels and "current events" may prompt me to replace a smaller gun with a slightly larger one at times, but I did that on my own time back when I was working, too.

FWIW, for road-trips that "larger" LEOSA weapon is mostly taken for the time spent in the car, against potential threats that may occur in and around vehicles. Mostly, that's meant that while I may be pocketing a 5-shot snub or LCP during the trip, I have something at hand while traveling in the car like a 4013TSW (9rd/.40); CS45 (6rd/.45); G27 (9rd/.40) or G26 (10rd/9).

Mostly, my everyday/night retirement weapons are either one of my 5-shot J-frame snubs (more than half a dozen), or one of my LCP's (pair of them).

I'm not nearly as concerned about capacity as I am about being able to run whatever I'm carrying and get an initial1-4 fast, consistently accurate hits on my intended target. That's meant a lot of hours working as an instructor and running all of my different handguns through the same quals, drills and training sessions.

Sure, the greater capacity of modern service/duty type pistols do offer some advantages over pistols of "only" 5-8 rounds, but I've seen far too many instances where people seemed to put more emphasis on "capacity" than they did their innate skills and abilities.

If anything, if someone were to ask me what they ought to consider changing about their lawful CCW practices, I'd always recommend more attention to training and practice, versus just looking to carry a "bigger" gun or "more ammo capacity".

Hits matter. Misses are still misses, no matter how many of them you have the "capacity" to send downrange.

Most center-fire handguns that hold 5-8 rounds, before reloading is necessary, have the ability to put that many rounds accurately on the intended target, but only if the shooter does their part.

 

[Fiv3r]

I still look at the statistics. Until we start seeing shootings with multiple gunmen in protective armor using a pincer technique of bottlenecking victims into a kill-box, then I don't know what carrying a larger/higher capacity gun would solve in regards to those poor people gunned down in TX. Even if I carried full sized in a shoulder holster to church, I would still need to believe that I would need it to have the frame of mind to use it. Service is probably the last place you are thinking about prolonged mortality. You're there for fellowship, reflection, and getting closer to God. You generally aren't there with your head on a swivel looking for threats.

Now, we don't have hardly any facts about the shooting, but I think 8 or 9 folks carrying a pocket .380 with the frame of mind to use it would probably have been more likely to stop this demon than just one guy bothering to dress around a Glock 17. Or more accurately, would the congregation armed with mouseguns have been massacred easier than a congregation carrying duty pistols? Would it have made any difference in that particular situation? Who knows. I am glad a neighbor could step up and had access to one of these "evil" black rifles and was able to match his firepower.

I don't fault anyone for carrying the maximum amount of firepower THEY feel they need to have readily at hand. I certainly would never make a snarky or snide comment about their level of preparedness. For me, I just don't carry full size heavy guns most of the time. That said, now that I have my SIG P320 back, I may start carrying it more around town simply because jacket weather means I get to use my comfortable holster. However, I don't think I will be shaking it up too much for my weekend morning stoles to the greasy spoon for pancakes and coffee. An LCP in my back pocket with the NAA in my watch pocket. Once again, YMMV, and I am in no position to weigh in on what a man or woman deems necessary for his or her safety. I will be the first one to eat crow and be glad to have you and your full 9mm in my civilian foxhole if the bullets start flying as I try thumbing back the hammer on my .22 mag

I will say that I do plan on keeping my "away" guns a little more potent. I generally pack a gun in the car that is more powerful than my carry gun like a rifle or shotgun "just in case" I get into a scrape or get stranded some place I really would rather not be. Maybe I need to look into a beater AK or barebones AR or handy scatter gun. These don't take up any real room in the trunk and I think I would have access to them rather than another sidearm.

 

[bullseye308]

Life is an ever changing collection of responses to others actions. Personally for me, ill do what I have done for years, plus add another mag on the belt. My primary EDC is a Glock 17L with a TLR-1 HL IWB and a spare 20 round mag. I keep a 33 rounder in the car as a backup mag or a source for more ammo.

I do also look around more often, pay more attention to people and surroundings, and try to scenario things out more diligently.

 

[entropy]

You generally aren't there with your head on a swivel looking for threats.

You aren't. I am. Raised that way, between my Dad, who was a cop, and the Army, I learned to always be vigilant in public. The other day my wife sat down in the seat facing the door in a restaurant when we went to lunch, and I gave her the 'stink eye' until she relented and changed seats. The only people I don't do that to is my Dad and a friend who has PTSD and a guide dog. In church i sit in a back corner, the guy that sits behind me is Marine VN Vet. Yesterday at our church's Operation Christmas Child event, he sat by one door, I had the other.

Situational awareness. I live in a state where there have been several attacks on religious facilities, thus an elevated level of situational awareness is warranted. Even more so now.

As far as changes in what I carry? No, that is more seasonal and by where I'm going.

 

[Blacksmoke]

The church I used to attend in a very small Colorado village is a high risk target.

Quite isolated.

The village was the burial ground for a serial killer who once lived there. He transported his victims from Denver.

A murder recently occurred across the street during services. The circuit preacher was a retired LEO and rushed over during the service to apprehend the killer.

Residents are drug addled meth heads armed with AKs seen walking down the one street shooting and swearing aloud. They are not church goers.

Surrounding area has been settled by small pot farmers who steal from each other and brandish firearms during arguments. They are not church goers.

Church is over 100 years old and the secondary exit has been blocked off. No secondary exit.

Local Sheriff's office is 20 miles away. Department consists of six officers. One Deputy is on duty on Sunday mornings. County is vast area.

Pastor is gun friendly but does seem to get that a shootout inside the church by less-than-expert marksmen is not a good solution.

Pastor does not want to post armed congregation members at the door for security during services. Not sure I would trust anyone of them anyway. No one has had training except me and I do not want the job.

So, viewing this situation as something akin to a hinge on the gate to Hell, I quit some time ago. The situation nationwide is deteriorating. At some point reasonable precautions must be taken and troubled locations avoided. If that makes me appear less than a stalwart warrior for God, than so be it.

 

[chicharrones]

In light of the shootings that have plagued our country lately, has anyone been compelled to change their carry habits?

Due to how I have to dress and what kind of work I do, I can't really change from my usual pocket gun. Of course, when cold weather gives me opportunity to wear a jacket everywhere, I can resort to my shoulder holster with Glock 36 and spare magazines.

But that is regardless of the recent shooting here in Texas. However, it does makes me think I ought to have a long gun in the car again. Whether I'd ever need it or not.

 

[Creature]

I am seriously rethinking my carrying a snubby & speedstrip, which I have carried for decades...and changing over to my P226 & a spare mag.

 

[Blacksmoke]

Due to how I have to dress and what kind of work I do, I can't really change from my usual pocket gun. Of course, when cold weather gives me opportunity to wear a jacket everywhere, I can resort to my shoulder holster with Glock 36 and spare magazines.

But that is regardless of the recent shooting here in Texas. However, it does makes me think I ought to have a long gun in the car again. Whether I'd ever need it or not.

I keep a carbine (rifle cartridge) in the truck and have for many years. Living in a rural area, it just makes sense.

 

[scaatylobo]

For me, yes and no. I still 'only' carry a TCP (.380ACP) with six rounds, but I am going to add a spare magazine and carry some extra ammunition in the car. I would get something 'bigger', but I don't really think it would be practical to carry all the time. I really like the way the TCP carries and I don't really want to carry a heavier weapon.

In all honesty, I think that the current threats are something that require more than a pocket-carried pistol to reasonably stop. I reckon open-carry would be a better deterrent.

Seems to me that any and all 'active shooters' took off when confronted by ANY resistance.

And taking on a long gun,or even another pistol in the hands of a suicidal attacker is not one I would like to EVER tackle.

But I also view open carry as an invite to "shoot me first".

And I do not like to carry a heavier weapon,I do so as it is what I will want at the minimal if facing an attacker.

Of course I fully realize that I have a better chance of being struck by lightning,not taking that chance either ------ ducking in a storm !

 

[Double Naught Spy]

If you are going to change your carry habits because of recent shootings, then you are probably changing your carry habits for all of the wrong reasons. You are exceptionally unlikely to be involved in a public mass shooting if you are not a drug dealer or gang member. However, all the same and constant threats remain of being robbed, raped, assaulted, or murdered by any number of people, particularly drug addicts (robbed or assaulted) or family (assaulted or murdered). Chances are, the person that harms you will be somebody that you know and not some unknown stranger who walks into Wal-mart or church and starts shooting.

There are very real threats to consider and all very real reasons to carry a significant gun, but absolutely very low on the list is being involved in some sort of public mass shooting.

 

[anothernewb]

My carry policy altered slightly in 2008. Before that I had a much more casual approach to it. After 2012 with obamas response to the trayvon martin situation - it became something to make part of the same daily habbit as getting dressed.

My choice of carry weapon hasn't really changed. but my habits, travel decisions, situational awareness, and round count have undergone rather radical modification.

Perhaps it's just my timing in choice of awareness - perhaps it's always been this way. But in my limited experience - certain areas and aspects of society have drastically deteriorated within the scope of my observations, not to mention the actions of certain religious zealots.

 

[Hokie_PhD]

Not really. The only real "change" would be carrying a magazine or two more than I normally carry.

So basically two spares instead of one most of the time.

 

[John_R]

I like my carry choices, but I hope to practice more. It would be great to shoot 100 rounds a week, practicing drawing from a holster, shooting from concealment or cover, moving while shooting, engaging multiple targets, and other fun stuff. I wish I had more time for it.

 

[Armored farmer]

But I also view open carry as an invite to "shoot me first".

You may be right, but school shooters, church shooters, concert shooters seem to like to target the unarmed. Children. People at worship. These animals are purely cowards. Nothing more. The term "gunman" is insulting to gun owners. The term should be coward, or murderer.

There is an equal chance that those cowards may have seen a man open carry a weapon and pi$$ed their pants and left. We will never know.

I'm not a psychologist....but unarmed isn't a deterrent.

No disrespect intended scaatylobo.

An AR and a couple 30rdrs went under the back seat of my pickup tonight.
☆Truck gun upgraded☆