Is enjoyment a reason to carry a specific CCW?

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marb4

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I've been a proponent of the 9mm for self defense/concealed carry for quite some time. I endorse its effectiveness, generally higher capacity, shootability, lower cost for training, etc. Recently I traded a safe queen for a Glock 36 (my first 45). I've thoroughly enjoyed shooting this pistol and it replaced my 9mm Taurus Pt111 G2 as my EDC. Logic tells me that the Taurus (which has been 100% reliable - no Taurus bashing) is the better choice for me as it is the same size as the 36 with nearly double the capacity, but I just really "enjoy" carrying the 45. The pistol feels great and there's something thrilling to me about throwing 230 grains of lead downrange with each trigger press.

Question:

Do you ever carry a specific handgun or caliber simply because you "enjoy" it even if you believe there are better options available for CCW?
 
I don't know why anyone would want to carry around personal accessories (phone, pen, headphones, watch if you wear one, belt, shoes, gun, etc) they didn't enjoy. Utilitarianism is fine if that's what you enjoy but self denial for its own sake is pointless.

As far as better options, maybe maybe not. Most people are never given a chance to find what is best for them.
 
If it works for you and inspires confidence then use it/carry it. Yes, I sometimes carry a gun I know is sub optimal but strongly believe it will "do it's job" in a potential time of need. Perfect? Probably not as there are more potent or better choices always.

But some of my carry guns fit with some wardrobe options and just plain "feel good" and inspire a sense of correctness and they comfort me. I have a Spiritual connection to my weapons and going armed is a Spiritual thing with me as well as practical. I suspect it is for many who go armed whether they know it/admit it or not.

VooDoo
 
The gun you enjoy shooting tends to become the gun you shoot the most and become most proficient with. If that gun happens to be practical and reliable enough for CCW, then carrying it is a great choice, IMO.
 
Target shooting: personal protection....

When I lived in Pittsburgh PA & obtained a new CCW permit from the local Sheriff's Dept(now a "office" :rolleyes:), the deputy asked me what the purpose was. I asked for target shooting & personal protection.
The LE agency or public service agency does not care about what you enjoy. :confused:
They don't care about your feelings, your emotions or what your "favorite" gun is.

Honestly, if I were working in a permit office or licensing agency & someone told me they enjoy having a concealed carry gun, Id deny the application. ;)
 
I can think of circumstances in which I would not want the subject brought up in testimony.

Consider how "there's something thrilling to me about throwing 230 grains of lead downrange with each trigger press" might sound.
 
That is a very interesting observation, VooDoo:
I have a Spiritual connection to my weapons and going armed is a Spiritual thing with me as well as practical. I suspect it is for many who go armed whether they know it/admit it or not.
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My most-often carry gun is a PPK/S in 380 ACP, mostly because I like the way it looks, although it has also proven to be reliable. I also own a Glock 26 and twin Glock 19s that were supposed to be my carry guns, but that only get wilderness use.

In the next couple of years I hope to upgrade to a SIG P232, also in 380 ACP, because I think it looks even nicer than the PPK/S, hopefully with some nice wood grips and an engraved, leather pancake holster. I’ll probably also start to carry my beautiful, blue S&W Model 10 snubby once I get a nice, leather holster for it.

So yes, personal enjoyment is definitely a factor for me. That said, I wouldn’t carry anything less powerful than a 380 or 38 Spl, no matter how good the gun looked.
 
Carry what you shoot well, and if you shoot it well. you will probably like it too. I wouldn't even consider what is the "best" carry gun, there is no such thing, any reliable handgun of sufficient power will do fine. In my opinion many civilian CCW holders stress too much over mag capacity, in reality it is unlikely to be an issue, 5,6,7,15, whatever, just use your head first, and you will hopefully never fire a round "in anger".
 
RustyShackelford said:
Honestly, if I were working in a permit office or licensing agency & someone told me they enjoy having a concealed carry gun, Id deny the application. ;)
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That is a strange thing to admit to, but OK. I guess you aren't a fan of shall issue.

It is also a non sequitur. Unless you need a permit for each gun you might want to carry, your puritanical streak when it comes to license issuance isn't germane to the choice of what to carry.
 
Enjoyment in your carry selection is very real. I carry a 1911 from time to time even though it is nowhere near the capacity of my other caries, but but but its a 1911.

RustyShackelford said:
Honestly, if I were working in a permit office or licensing agency & someone told me they enjoy having a concealed carry gun, Id deny the application.
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Thankfully you aren't a licensing authority. I have been armed every day since I was 21 when I could legally carry. Forgetting a firearm is like forgetting my cell phone or keys, it doesn't feel right.
 
Logic tells me that the Taurus (which has been 100% reliable - no Taurus bashing) is the better choice for me as it is the same size as the 36 with nearly double the capacity, but I just really "enjoy" carrying the 45. The pistol feels great and there's something thrilling to me about throwing 230 grains of lead downrange with each trigger press.
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You're just a 9mm fan moving toward the darkside, exhilarating forbidden fruit and all that. ;) I believe in Carry what you can that allows you to always carry, but that's just me.
 
Sure. I could carry a lighter polymer 9mm but I like my hi power and I have more rounds through that than any other automatic I own and I love the gun. So it comes everywhere
 
Is enjoyment a reason to carry a specific CCW?
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Dunno. Yes, no or maybe?

I try to avoid becoming embroiled into the how and why of the choices of other folks when it comes to selecting lawfully concealed carry weapons. When it becomes my business to become involved with their ability to use their choices, as a firearms instructor, I'm more concerned with things other than their particular choice of weapon and how they arrived at that choice.

Now, there have been times when I've carried a revolver or pistol as an off-duty (and now retirement) weapon because I liked it and enjoyed using/shooting it. Not uncommon or unexpected among gun owners and shooting enthusiasts.

Sometimes I realize I'm doing it for that reason, but I'm also doing it for the very practical reason of being very familiar and skilled with the particular choice.

There are other times, though, when I've caught myself reaching for something in the safe just because I liked it. So, many times I'll instead reach for something else which I may not particularly like as much, but with which I'm just as familiar and well-practiced ... just to remind myself that I'm only carrying a weapon not as a favored keepsake, nostalgic possession or it being some prized possession, but as a very practical working piece of safety equipment.

I also like to occasionally remind myself that it's also a piece of safety equipment that I won't mind losing to evidence/property for several months (or a few years) in the event I actually use it for its intended role.

In the final analysis, it's just a handgun being carried for a practical and lawful role. Liking it is fine, but pride-of-ownership isn't exactly a prerequisite for it to serve well in its intended role. That's something I realized as a young cop carrying a couple of well-used and marked up issued revolvers that I didn't particularly like well enough to buy similar models of my own at that time. ;) Ditto later on while carrying some different issued pistols over the years.
 
I enjoy the right to bear and keep arms.

I enjoy the gun rights that my state gives it's citizens.

I enjoy owning firearms .

I enjoy the security owning firearms gives me.

I enjoy the fact that having a firearm puts me on equal footing with younger more physically fit criminals.

I enjoy being able to own different types of firearms that match the task at hand such as plinking, hunting or self-defense.

I enjoy being able to go out in public with the ability to defend myself.

So I guess you can say I carry for enjoyment.

p.s. Rusty thank you for reminding us that not all gun owners believe in citizens having the right to defend themselves.
 
The gun you enjoy shooting tends to become the gun you shoot the most and become most proficient with. If that gun happens to be practical and reliable enough for CCW, then carrying it is a great choice, IMO.
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This! A 6+1 45ACP is a better choice than a 12+1 9mm if you're a better shot with the 45ACP.
 
The gun you enjoy shooting tends to become the gun you shoot the most and become most proficient with. If that gun happens to be practical and reliable enough for CCW, then carrying it is a great choice, IMO.
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^^^^^^ This is true.

Honestly, if I were working in a permit office or licensing agency & someone told me they enjoy having a concealed carry gun, Id deny the application.
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That's crap Rusty. I enjoy carrying a pocket knife because it is a useful item, just as a gun is. So should I not be allowed to carry my pocket knife? There is nothing wrong about enjoying the fact that you have a tool to defend your life with. Owning a gun is a luxury, not an entitlement. I enjoy that I get to have that luxury, and all luxuries that are in my life.
 
OK, here's my take on this...

You said, "Do you ever carry a specific handgun or caliber simply because you "enjoy" it even if you believe there are better options available for CCW?"

I'm not sure that's a question that can be answered as asked. You are assuming the PT 111 is a better choice merely because it holds more ammo. I disagree. Some think the energy delivered by the 45 Auto outdoes that delivered by the 9mm. If you need to shoot twice with the 9mm but only once with the 45 Auto, you actually have the same amount of ammo in the 45, no?

The Taurus PT 111 holds 12+1 rounds of 9mm ammo.
The Glock 36 holds 6+1 of 45 Auto.

If you like the Glock better and it feels good in your hand I really don't feel the Taurus is a "better choice" than the Glock only because of ammo capacity. I won't mention the fact it's a proven statistic a total of 3 rounds in total are fired in a SD situation. Being confident with the gun you carry is also a plus in a SD situation.

Hey, I carry a J frame daily and that holds only 5 rounds and I don't have the speed of a magazine reload but I feel confident in my choice. I shoot that gun very well and I hit what I shoot at. I don't live in an area with any crime which is also a factor in my choice.
 
RustyShackelford said:
Honestly, if I were working in a permit office or licensing agency & someone told me they enjoy having a concealed carry gun, Id deny the application. ;)
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There is plenty there that bothers me but what alarms me most about what you said, you vote for the laws in the same State I live in. Think about what you just said. Where in the constitution does it say you have the right to keep and bear arms but only if you don't enjoy it! :rolleyes:

I truly hope that wink at the end means you were only joking but if not, please don't ask your Congressman to vote against the upcoming preemption bill.
 
states; permits....

As for post #10, my response is that if some applicant came into my office and when asked; "Why do you need a concealed firearm?" stated; "Oh, I enjoy having a gun with me. I like knowing I can fire 230gr chunks of brass and lead at people when-ever I want."
I'd say okay, thank you, then when they left, stamp DENIED on the file. :D

Concealed guns are not toys, props, political or fashion statements.
They are lethal weapons that can injure or kill someone.
To enjoy the shooting sports or to say you love hunting or the outdoors is fine but if you want the accountability & be responsible for using lethal force against another person then I won't be flip or cavalier about it.
 
Life's too short for ugly guns.

Shoot what you enjoy.

Carry what you shoot.
 
Rusty,

Spin it any way you want but the bottom line is the only people you want to be able to legally carry a firearm are the ones that you like.

What does "need" have to do with anything? Here's a reason for you to stew over;

I want a conceal carry permit because the law in my State requires it to be issued to me when I pay the fees and provide proof of completing a approved training class.

When you decide a "need" is necessary you are assuming a position of authority over others which, frankly, I am glad you do not hold over me.
 
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Well Rusty, I guess I should be glad that I already have my PA license, eh? Oh, thank gawd you ain't in charge of who gets or don't get a permit. :rolleyes:
 
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