handgun conceal carry ?

fishiker said:
I live in Virginia which is a "shall issue" state. This means that if you are 21 or older, have a clean criminal background, and have completed a firearms safety class you can get a concealed carry permit. I had been on the fence for several years about obtaining one and finally applied a few weeks ago. It took less than 20 minutes at the local courthouse/sheriffs office to complete the paperwork. I got my permit one week later. A deciding factor was a short hike Pam and I took one evening. There was a truck parked on the side of the road with a homemade trailer behind. Normally I wouldn't give this much thought but there was no open hunting season, the creek in the area was much too low to fish, and the windows on the trailer were covered with cardboard. We walked on past the truck and there was no sign of anyone. On our way back it was nearly dark and we were shocked to hear a man yell at our dog as she ran by the truck. He mumbled something about "scaring the dog away" then rolled his window up. Luckily that is all there is to the story but it got me to thinking "what if". I now carry on most hikes and I am surprised by the slight increase in confidence I feel. I hope that I never need to use a gun to defend myself or family and know it could be a very traumatizing experience if it should happen. There have been many times I have seen a crime on the news and thought how much better it could have ended if one person had a gun to stop the criminal. So I am now faced with another decision, should I carry not only in the woods but EDC? How many here have a permit? Do you carry every day? Didn't mean to be long winded but John is the one who said it was too quiet around here.:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

As the saying goes....."Better to have it & not need it, than need it & not have it".
 
t1mpani said:
AMT firearms are like anything else, there are good ones and bad ones. I worked, many moons ago, at one of the largest gun stores in the country and I can tell you for a fact that we sent everything, from Glocks to Smith revolvers to Kimbers and everything else in between back to their respective factories when their new-in-box guns were not running like they should. That said, the likelihood of getting a bad AMT was much higher than getting a bad Glock; their consistency of manufacture was not good relative to the industry. Probably nine out of ten was a good gun, and while that is indeed a strong majority, that means that one person out of ten got a bad one, and complained about it. Compared to the one in several hundred who receive a Glock that doesn't work, that's an awful lot of people saying--from personal experience--that you should steer clear of AMT, although the other 90% worked just fine. If you have one, and it runs reliably, you have a good one. It's not going to self destruct down the road just for the hell of it, and there's no reason to part with one of the 90% just because of reading constantly about the 10% on the internet and in gun rags. If you decide to part with it because you just don't like it, of course, that's different.

Now, answering the main question, yes I've carried for years, and I'm one of those rare creatures who actually carries a full-sized pistol every day and not just for the first three weeks of carrying. It involves getting all of your pants an inch bigger in the waist than they'd normally be, lots of practice drawing from deep concealment, and a certain willingness to put up with a little bit of discomfort at the beginning. After a few months, I got so used to the weight and feel that I didn't notice it at all, and sometimes didn't remember I had it with me (there was once a humorous/awkward moment during a romantic evening with a young lady whose hands had gone exploring and found something other than what she was expecting). In addition to the full size, I have a little 380 that rides in my pants pocket. That may sound like the height of paranoia, but I do it because it looks for all the world like a wallet from the outside when it's riding in its pocket holster, and I figure that if my wallet is ever demanded of me, this will give me a much more reasonable chance of actually slowly and steadily getting my hands on a weapon than I'd have making a sudden grab for my waistband.

I carry for the same reason--and with the same mindset--that I learned CPR and have been re-certified in it so many times: I despise feeling helpless. In either case, the training I bring with me may not be sufficient to ward off tragedy, but I'd far rather have a chance than just be at the mercy of events. People who hate guns really despise it and often refuse to acknowledge it, but the Bureau of Justice Statistics has shown in study after study that those who defend themselves violently when faced with a violent attack are much less likely to be killed or seriously injured than those who passively submit to it in hopes that submission will yield mercy. I'd happily go the rest of my life without shooting somebody, but I will if I have to. I similarly hope that I never have to attempt to keep somebody's heart beating by myself until help arrives, but I will if I have to.
Click to expand...

Excellent post.
 
I usually carry a officer size 1911 in the warmer months. Now that Fall is approaching I'm looking forward to being able to easily conceal it with a fleece or sweater! my state frowns upon open carry so I keep mine concealed. I'd rather have it concealed because I don't want to draw any extra attention to myself.
 
I have CCW and sometimes body carry but mostly stays in car. I am seldom more that 50 yards from the car anyway. Biggest place I am concerned is shopping malls and large stores.
While I advocate carry by all law abiding folks, I have a big concern over someone spotting a bulge, sandbagging me from behind and taking it. You EXPECT people to be close to you and behind you when in places like that so a person can get very close and your attention is elsewhere. That is just a personal concern that I have not resolved. Until I do, I do not think I should have it with me.
My favorite was my Walther PSS 9mm. Small enough to hide, large enough to be controllable and effective. Veryy accurate little pistol. For outdoor activities, I used to carry a despurred model 65- roundbutt conversion- carried just fine in the back pocket of a pair of jeans.
These days it is a .45 1911 or Glock 17- neither are ideal for concealment

Bill
 
lmalterna said:
I have CCW and sometimes body carry but mostly stays in car. I am seldom more that 50 yards from the car anyway. Biggest place I am concerned is shopping malls and large stores.
While I advocate carry by all law abiding folks, I have a big concern over someone spotting a bulge, sandbagging me from behind and taking it. You EXPECT people to be close to you and behind you when in places like that so a person can get very close and your attention is elsewhere. That is just a personal concern that I have not resolved. Until I do, I do not think I should have it with me.
My favorite was my Walther PSS 9mm. Small enough to hide, large enough to be controllable and effective. Veryy accurate little pistol. For outdoor activities, I used to carry a despurred model 65- roundbutt conversion- carried just fine in the back pocket of a pair of jeans.
These days it is a .45 1911 or Glock 17- neither are ideal for concealment

Bill
Click to expand...

I agree. I am 6' and about 185 lbs and tried concealing first a Colt Commander and then a SIG 229 with custom IWB holsters. Yes if I stood straight and walked like a robot they were concealed. But as soon as I twist, turn, bend, stoop, the gun printed. This can't be done alone in a mirror, you need a second person to observe you in full range of motions to know if you really have it concealed.
I carry a Interarms Walther PPK daily and have done so for over 10 years and have never worried about it printing.
 
Utah is a shall issue state.
I like the idea that you have to take a class and prove that
you can shoot a gun in order to get a permit.
 
I live in Indiana and we have lifetime permits. I love mine! I also have a utah out of state permit so that I can carry in ohio. I don't go anywhere with out my gun. I have seen to much bad shit happen to good people in parts of town that no one would have ever thought something like that could occur. Train hard, be prepared to pull your pistol and defend yours or your loved ones lives.

Pray all the training and preparedness is for nothing as I hope no one needs it but at least your ready if you do.
 
Maniacal Pete said:
Utah is a shall issue state.
I like the idea that you have to take a class and prove that
you can shoot a gun in order to get a permit.
Click to expand...

The problem is that the classes often cost in the hundreds of dollars, and in some states you have to re-take the class---which is only offered in narrow windows of time that many people have trouble getting away from their jobs for---every single time you want to renew the permit. This annual hassle and expense cause many people to not bother, which really (versus any safety concern) is the point of such requirements. If it were a one-time case of having to prove proficiency and then just a basic renewal thereafter, that'd be different.

Of much greater value would be requirements to pass a test before being allowed to become a parent...
 
Thanks for so many responses so far. It's comforting to know I have the same concerns as many of you. I picked up a better holster for my Glock 36. With cooler weather approaching I plan to try carrying it more, IWB covered my my shirt. I have carried around town some and it does take some getting use to. I have looked at the PFT website and plan to take a class after the first of the year. Thanks again for your input.
 
Jackhammer,
I need to either find away to carry what I am comfortable with in a way I am secure in carrying it(chest rig in public?) LOL!. or determine to practice enough to be competent with a sub size handgun.

I have talked with my neighbor and friend- City LEO and he admits that most of his training had to do with weapon retention in service holster and little on concealed carry off duty.

Fishiker,
You and I walk many of the same streets. Most Leo I have talked to here have a good attitude about legal CCW but another concern is a leo spotting the print and over reacting.... many think getting the permit is a golden ticket but it cvarries heavy responsibility. To ask the questions you have, you are a responsible person trying to do the right thing. Good on you.
Do remember as well that when an officer runs your plate during a traffic stop- they see that you are a CCW holder and will be alert that a weapon is likely present. They have a few brief moments to get an impression of what kind of person you are and if they need to be overly concerned. It is something I always keep in mind.

Bill
 
im in ohio and also have a pa out of state . I started to carry a colt combat commander 45 but found it to be to bulky. I now carry a Taurus TCP .380 the old saying is
.380 in the pockect is better than a .45 at home
 
I have carried almost continuously since I was 18 years old. I lived in the UK for a few years which interrupted it but for the past 23 years I have carried constantly.
My daily carry for the past 12 years has been a G17 and lately, due to a increase again in violent crime, I have gone back to carrying spare mags as well.

Almost all my carry guns have been full size guns that I know I can shoot well. It started with a Browning High Power, but I have carried a 1911, Sig P220, CZ75, G19 and G17 extensively.
I shoot the G17 better than all the others and so I carry that almost exclusively now. Bear in mind that our violent crime levels make Chicago look like Disneyland.

Personally if I lived in a US State which allowed CCW I would not hesitate to carry a concealed firearm.
 
lmalterna said:
Jackhammer,
I need to either find away to carry what I am comfortable with in a way I am secure in carrying it(chest rig in public?) LOL!. or determine to practice enough to be competent with a sub size handgun.

I have talked with my neighbor and friend- City LEO and he admits that most of his training had to do with weapon retention in service holster and little on concealed carry off duty.

Fishiker,
You and I walk many of the same streets. Most Leo I have talked to here have a good attitude about legal CCW but another concern is a leo spotting the print and over reacting.... many think getting the permit is a golden ticket but it cvarries heavy responsibility. To ask the questions you have, you are a responsible person trying to do the right thing. Good on you.
Do remember as well that when an officer runs your plate during a traffic stop- they see that you are a CCW holder and will be alert that a weapon is likely present. They have a few brief moments to get an impression of what kind of person you are and if they need to be overly concerned. It is something I always keep in mind.

Bill
Click to expand...

Bill, if the weather here is cool enough to allow me to wear a sweatshirt, I am confident to wear this set up that was custom made for me by a friend in Virginia. Summertime is a problem, fanny packs tell everyone that you're carrying, so I tend to go with a belly band unit which places the gun in the front. The negative is that the muzzle is pointed in the general vicinity of the family jewels so when using this method, I opt to not have a round chambered.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top