Why did you start carrying a gun?

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for the same reason I stay in good shape and have trained in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for ten years..... I take full responsiblity for my safety and well-being.......along with that of my family.

It's all part of a layered defense......
 
violent crimes rates, media ....

In response to a recent post; violent crime rates in most areas of the USA are now at some of their lowest rates in decades.
US Border Patrol & CBP arrest rates of illegal aliens & undocumented criminals is at the lowest point in 30 or so years.

The US media has a vested interest in reporting violent crime & "news" of robberies, murders, assaults, car jackings, etc.
A topic that has been discussed on other forum posts has been the "red on red" aspect of violent crime. The reality is that many murders/crimes involve drugs-gangs-etc where the victim is a convicted felon or has a lengthy criminal history.

Most CCW holders and armed citizens are not in criminal circles or involved with high risk behaviors. They can still be a victim of a violent crime or have a lethal force event but my point is not to let the media or news stations of your area dictate all of your decisions or choices re: personal defense/security.
 
I started carrying when it seemed it was a bad idea not to. That was about the time I got out of the Navy in 1970 ... the same year I started loading my own.
 
It was a combination of:
- my disability going beyond my hearing
- the sociopolitical climate change since 2008
- The fact that jihadists are loose in my country
- I survived SouthEast Asia, and i'm not handing over my life to some street punk
 
I started to carry to protect my family. And living in Arizona . . . We don't have to jump through all the hoops other states have.
 
My grandfather got his Texas CHL shortly after the law was passed. I know he carried often, but I am not sure how often. He set the example, and I followed it.
 
Started carrying a sidearm in 1962 as a member of the USAF Air Police. Following my discharge four years later, a 34 year career in le ensued which kept a handgun on my belt during those years. Following my retirement from le in 1998, I have continued to carry a pistol concealed on my person as a "civilian" to date. So I can honestly say that I've carried a pistol of one kind or another, for one reason or another for the past 53 years-and I hope to add more years to that number as the future enfolds.
 
Since I live in New Jersey all of the following is purely hypothetical and fictional. I don't want to have to shoot some bucket of pig crap in the neck because the idiot thinks he found a hot lead by trolling here. Often times I had to do service work in the projects in Elizabeth because that's where the work was. You make a living how and where you can. I used to hire an older couple to sit in my truck so I wouldn't get ripped off while I was inside working. I also kept a snubbie in my tool pail. Illegal? It is what it is. The local denizens knew that and let me be to do my job. Otherwise, they would have eaten me alive. They are the last people who will invite the "man" into their lives and "report" me like some of the little sissies on the board might do. But since all I related is fictional, good luck, Mary Alice.
 
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Sissies?....

So if you are a law abiding citizen with no criminal record who chooses to comply with the law, now you're a sissy? :confused:

I can understand why a person may choose to defend themselves in urban areas or why they might feel local LE/prosecutors refuse to assist them-help them but don't drag people you don't know into it.
 
I brought my wallet to a gunfight once, thankfully it was a mugging and he was happy with just my money. I got up off the ground and thought to myself "I wish I had had one of those"
 
In Grad school, I had a friend who was in medical school; thus it was that we would both be up studying at odd hours and the "wanna grab a pizza" phone call at 2 AM was usually a welcome diversion. Nothing between us but a mutual understanding that "he's probably up..." Then I started getting the hang up phone calls and feeling watched; I mentioned it to her and her face went white as a sheet.
Turned out I was being stalked by an abusive father who thought nobody but him was good enough for his little girl...OOOhhhkkkaaayyy. Bought a Ruger P-85 (MKII I wish I still had) which after the threat subsided (he learned I was carrying and some other family members prevailed on him to quit) I traded for a Para-framed Colt Combat elite upper 45 and the love story started. It needed work; There was a world class 'smith in my neck of the woods who taught me to tinker; it began by being about being stalked, but ended up being about something entirely different. (My go-to is a Kimber Super Carry)
Last I heard, she still carries a S&W prelock 640...
J
 
I carry because I have a constitutional right to do so. I do not realistically expect to ever need it, but I intend to have it if I do.
 
When in my early 20's I worked as a HVAC service tech and I went into so really, really sketchy places. At that time I had permit because I kept a pistol in my truck (which I started before I legally could) and I had a few pistols. So I told my boss I was going to start carrying and he told me I couldn't, when I replied "then I quit" he agreed so long as I kept it between us. The day before I had been threatened by a mentally unstable man and had to leave the job, so I was very serious. I guess that's what pushed me over the edge.

So I carried at work, and just got used to it. Even though I quit that job about a year later I just kept carrying. Ironically, Now I carry except when I'm at work.
 
An encounter with back country "farmers" in the 1970's in Humboldt County, CA. Fortunately I was deer hunting at the time and was carrying a .30-30 rifle and was able to protect myself.

The incident opened my eyes about self protection, and that along with knee injuries (which comprised my ability to run) are the reasons I choose to carry.
 
reports close to me of people standing in the middle of the road near me stopping cars and demanding money to pass by or get beat up. my wife got really scared and even though i kept a gun in the console which is legal here without a permit, i fell better with one on me. now i never leave home without my gun on me. its only off my hip if i go in school or the post office. i carry everywhere else.
 
I grew up with guns in Oregon. We had 23 in our home between my brother, father and myself. I carried a .38 revolver in the Air Force as part of my job. I became Capt. of the security police pistol team at my last base.
Thirty seven years ago I moved to Connecticut. The event that pushed me to get a permit happened on a Christmas morning. We were driving home from the Christmas event with the wife's family, about 1:00 in the morning. This was only about a ten minute drive.
A car was coming from the other direction and someone threw a bottle at my windshield. I watched in the mirror as the car spun around and came after us. I sped up to outrun them. When I checked my mirror they had given up the chase.
After that I started thinking what if they had forced us off the road? I would have no way to protect my family or myself. I got a permit.
 
Same reason I have a fire extinguisher in the house and a spare tire in the car: just in case.
 
for my wife and I it took 2 things to get us to go for permits

#1 the Dr pettite family case in Cheshire ct a few years back--look it up--very scary stuff

#2 due to the 2 hurricanes wiping out our Ct neighborhood-- our home was almost broken into before Hurricane Sandy+we were left sticking out like a sore thumb AND the home invasions in this beach community were soaring

better to live prepared than to live scared or be a victim.

I am working on my wife carrying when she goes shopping(again the Pettite case is still bothering me)--it will take time

I cannot carry all the time due to my working in a medical building and in hospitals--but I carry when I can
 
Capt. Ct. said:
I grew up with guns in Oregon. We had 23 in our home between my brother, father and myself. I carried a .38 revolver in the Air Force as part of my job. I became Capt. of the security police pistol team at my last base.
Thirty seven years ago I moved to Connecticut. The event that pushed me to get a permit happened on a Christmas morning. We were driving home from the Christmas event with the wife's family, about 1:00 in the morning. This was only about a ten minute drive.
A car was coming from the other direction and someone threw a bottle at my windshield. I watched in the mirror as the car spun around and came after us. I sped up to outrun them. When I checked my mirror they had given up the chase.
After that I started thinking what if they had forced us off the road? I would have no way to protect my family or myself. I got a permit.
Click to expand...
another great reason to carry
 
The Chesire Murders ...

If you haven't seen The Chesire Murders documentary it's well worth viewing. :uhoh:

If I had a SWAT or SRT commander position I would require all the sworn members watch the film.
It's been discussed on the forum before. A THR member stated the HBO doc is on YouTube.com also.

Rusty
 
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