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Ok, New Post (no scenario :p) Why Carry?

8K views 62 replies 32 participants last post by  SoFlaTechie 
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#1 ·
Alright, we're over the scenario post (I hope) so now I have another question. I've had more than a few friends tell me to get my CCW. In almost 32 years, I've never had the need for a gun. Any situation I've ever encountered never required a gun. In fact, I have a kubotan keychain with pepper spray inside and I've changed out the spray canister every January for the past 3 years (have to buy another refill; made me think of this) because I've never used it. The thought was, if I really couldn't take someone, or if there were multiple attackers, this would even the playing field or allow me to get away. Thing is, the only fights I've gotten into since high school have been in a ring.

So, why do people carry? I get having a gun at home and all but what is everybody doing that requires a gun on them at all times? I know some areas are tough but usually you can, or at least I have, get/gotten through no problem. I just want to hear some normal reasons.

***DISCLAIMER*** I am in no way opposed to guns. I own them, I like them, I think everyone should have one strapped to their hip openly, I'm a NRA member, I'm not a big fan of Liberals, you get the point; I'm just curious as to the concealed carry reasons people have. Why does Bob, the mechanic who works in the suburbs, feel he should carry a gun or Mary, the secretary of the local arts & crafts store, feel she should have a gun? I hope you get what I'm asking.

And SwampRat, we don't like each other in the other post; we're friends here! POST! :)
 
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#3 · (Edited by Moderator)
Todd:

I think you will find your answer here. http://floridaconcealedcarry.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=2

My reason is several. For one I believe that if we all get our CWFL then we make a statement that we support our second amendment right. The more CWFL holders there are in the State the bigger a voting block we become. Once there are enough of us, the politicians will think twice before trying to take our right to own, carry and right to self defense away. Since registration of gun ownership is not required in Florida there is not a clear way to quantify the number of gun owners in the State. But there is a way to quantify the number of CWFL holders.

Also even though I live in an area that compared to other counties in Florida can be considered quiet, there are still crimes. Also I have noticed that the violence in crimes is increasing. The BG no longer are just satisfied with getting your money. They get a kick and cudos from their friends by hurting their victims and many times killing them.

At my age I can not outrun young men. And my wife is defenseless when she is with me. It is up to me to defend her when we are together and at my age I can't do that without a weapon. She works in a local hospital during the night shift so she sees all the emergency cases. She has noticed an increase in the number of serious, life threatening and maiming injuries that occur during brawls in the street. She has noticed from her experience at work that young men in large groups roam the streets looking for people to victimize and hurt for no other reason than just because they get a rush from causing harm. She tells me all the time of how groups of young men gang up on one or two others they see in the streets. Her hospital has to treat them for broken skulls, broken bones and crushed spines because the gang escalates the fight when they get the upper hand and use bats, bricks, pipes, tire irons or whatever they find in a frenzy to hurt and possibly kill their victims. The respect for life and that fear of causing unnecessary harm to another person seems to be gone in todays youth and they have become much more dangerous.

Also as someone put it, it is better to have the gun with you and not need it than to need it and realize you don't have it with you. : censored happens all the time and bad : censored happens to good people. You never know when you will meet that one cold blooded bastard that is going to want to take his anger out on you and leave you hospitalized or dead. 99% of the time you won't need it. But when the odds hit and that 1% is played you better have the gun with you.
 
#4 ·
So, why do people carry? I get having a gun at home and all but what is everybody doing that requires a gun on them at all times? I know some areas are tough but usually you can, or at least I have, get/gotten through no problem. I just want to hear some normal reasons.
My girlfriend and I went to the mall back around May for a little shopping or a movie. We came out to find the police wrapping up a murder suicide. I got to thinking what could I have done if we were there 10-15 minutes later and he decided to do a 3 murders and a suicide stunt.

I started taking Kung Fu when I was 13. I continued till I went into the Army at 17. I went back to Kung Fu when I got out at 22 and continued till I was around 25. I never did learn how to block a bullet and with 17 years gone by (wups, 18 years now) since I last seriously trained, I doubt I could take on 4-5 tough guys with knives if they got it in their minds to do something bad to me.

So, I carry.
 
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#5 ·
Damnit! I can't argue with any of you guys. Those are all valid points. I'm looking at other posts relating to this but hopefully others will respond here as well since I'm making the "safe, secure, upper-middle, low crime, low risk area" argument. But, as I said, I can't argue yet.
 
#6 ·
Well the way i see it s i can i will and definately my right, another way to look at it is you never know when something is going to happen the BG is not going to make an appointment to meet with you so you have to be ready for anything at any givin time.:pistols
 
#8 ·
I've found that typically those who carry (myself included) had an event which made them want to be able to protect themselves. It doesn't have to occur to them (could be a loved one or friend) but often does.

I see it in a similar fashion to insurance. I'd rather have it and never need it than be in dire straights and wishing I had it.

There are some sick and twisted people out there anymore who will do you harm for your wallet or just for kicks. I want to protect myself obviously, but it is more because I could never forgive myself if I was unable to protect my loved ones.
 
#9 ·
My $.02 worth on this subject.

I guess i started carrying because the crimes are getting more heinous, more often, and in more and more places. Heck, you can't even stop and eat a doughnut anymore!!!:rolf
Seriously, my best friend is a homicide investigator in the local pd, when i discussed getting my CCL, he said as a general rule, most LEO's are against it, but that was a LEO thing. i asked him if he was going to stop any BG from hurting me, he laughed and said that his job was to figure out how i died. I told him that is why i was getting my CCW, he may still have to figure out why i died, but he would know how the other guy or guys died with me.:thumsup
I carry a gun because i can't carry a Policeman.
When seconds count, the police are only minutes away!!
The police are there to work the crime scene, not stop the crime.:smack
 
#10 ·
I moved here after having lived in several states that allow open carry by anyone who can legally possess a firearm and concealed carry with a license. I open carried a few times when the situation required it. I hadn't felt the need to carry at all until recently.

The full real life scenario that made me decide it was time to get my CWL is posted in the other thread. The short answer is that I will carry concealed because I don't know IF or WHEN I may ever need that gun. But if the time ever comes (and I pray it never does) I don't want to wish I had it. (Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.)

- Str8Shooter
 
#11 · (Edited)
So, why do people carry? I get having a gun at home and all but what is everybody doing that requires a gun on them at all times? I know some areas are tough but usually you can, or at least I have, get/gotten through no problem.

The home is safer than in public statistically. If you "get" having a gun at home, it's more reasonable to believe having a gun with you when you are out in public is prudent.

On the underlined--------- what you can and probably have been able to get away with has no bearing on what others can or can't get away with based on age, health and H2H training.

hopefully others will respond here as well since I'm making the "safe, secure, upper-middle, low crime, low risk area argument"

That geographic area covers perhaps 2% of the communities in the US. The majority of people live in major cities along the coasts of the US according the latest census report.

"Upper middle and "low income" are not terms usually associated with one another in the U.S.

Making an argument for a specific type of community that covers perhaps 2% of the population isn't much of an argument for not carrying a firearm when that leaves 98% of the population at a greater risk [ and most at an abnormally higher risk ] based on their geographic location in the cities where violent crime is prevalent.

Taking into consideration that violent crime happens everywhere in the US, with no exceptions [ though it may be lower in some "safer" areas/communities ] it's prudent to be capable of defending yourself should the need arise. For the majority of people, the firearm affords the ability to level the playing field in self defense situations where staying above ground would be the prime objective while attempting to defend themselves.

Forethought goes a long way, being aware of your surroundings and training gets you down that road to staying above ground even longer.

The short answer to the post title of Why Carry is just watch the news all over the US for murders, rapes and mayhem on a daily basis. It's in a neighborhood and on a street near you every day.

Brownie
 
#12 ·
I carry in case I run into some MMA tough guy and I have to put him down. :rolf

But seriously, I've had to pull my gun on four occasions...I might have been OK going H2H in one of those situations, but in the other three having a gun saved the day for me and my companion. Two of those situations occurred on the block where I was residing at the time, and only one happened in a so-called "bad" part of town.

Ya never know when or where the S is going to HTF.
 
#13 ·
I work hard, I visit the doctor and dentist, I ensure my house and vehicle are insured. I generally do preventative things to maintain the well being of my family and self. But with all that I still felt that something was missing when it came to our safety. When I lived in NYC the only thing I could do legally was learn some type of H2H skill but the problem is that a majority of the crimes were being commited using dangerous weapons which against my bare hands or a knife does not give me good odds.

Once I got to Florida it was only natural to have the best tool to deal with the situations that require it and at least put me on a level playing field with the BG. I live outside the city which is considered safer but I go everywhere. I don't just stay home. I'm out and about in public so the odds of bad things happening goes up. It's been said a thousand times but "it's better to have it and not need it versus not having it when it's needed.
 
#14 ·
Why carry a spare? You're not planning on blowing out your tire, are you?

Why own a fire extinguisher? You're not planning on setting the kitchen on fire, are you?

Why own a smoke alarm? You're not planning on the house burning down, are you?

Why have medical insurance? You're not planning on getting sick, are you?

Why have life insurance? You're not planning on kicking the bucket, are you?

One can go on, and on, and on...

-JT
 
#39 ·
Why carry a spare? You're not planning on blowing out your tire, are you?

Why own a fire extinguisher? You're not planning on setting the kitchen on fire, are you?

Why own a smoke alarm? You're not planning on the house burning down, are you?

Why have medical insurance? You're not planning on getting sick, are you?

Why have life insurance? You're not planning on kicking the bucket, are you?

One can go on, and on, and on...

-JT
Well Said "Cthulhu", Well Said !!!!!
 
#15 ·
Since it doesn't cost me anything to carry (after the initial costs) and someday it could save my life or the life of someone else, why not carry?

On a second note I was told that once you start carrying you should always carry. The reasonning being that if the day comes in court and the prosecutor askes do you always carry you can say yes. If you say no next question is gonna be why did you carry that day and if you felt you where going to be in an area that wasn't safe then why did you go. Then he'll say you were looking to shoot someone so I always carry from the time I get dressed in the morning till the time I get undressed right before bed.
 
#16 ·
Todd, you say that you've never been in a situation where you needed a gun. Unfortunately, it only takes once if you don't have it, and you don't get a second chance. Also, as others have said (or implied), a right that you don't use tends to go away. That's my primary reason for applying (and waiting, waiting, ....). :)
 
#18 ·
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#19 ·
Ok, ok, all more good info. I'm gonna borrow a CCW and see how I like carrying before buying a smaller gun. If I like it, I'll get a P3AT.

And by the way,
I carry in case I run into some MMA tough guy and I have to put him down.
that's funny! I don't care who ya are! :laughing
 
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#22 ·
Very interesting read. Good article; gonna read the others too. Thank you sir. I'm heading to another buddy's house. He's letting me borrow his Kel-Tec with a Nemesis holster for me to use as a CCW. We're both going to the range, gonna put about a 100 rounds through it, clean it again, and then I'll reside it to my pocket. I'll let ya know how it works out.
 
#25 ·
Swamprat,

Great article. The last paragraph sums it up very nicely. Can you/we post it in here?
 
#36 ·
When I carry a gun, I don't do so because I am looking for a fight, but because I'm looking to be left alone. The gun at my side means that I cannot be forced, only persuaded. I don't carry it because I'm afraid, but because it enables me to be unafraid. It doesn't limit the actions of those who would interact with me through reason, only the actions of those who would do so by force. It removes force from the equation...and that's why carrying a gun is a civilized act.
 
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#28 ·
Hehe, I'm dumb, not stupid! :p I have the permit, I just never got the CCW to go with it. The permit just seemed to make good legal sense to own, I just never thought I had the need for a gun outside of the pistol-grip Mossberg by my bedroom door. A lot of the points made here made sense and I couldn't argue with them. Plus, I've always said it's better to have and not need then need and not have; I just never applied that reasoning to a firearm. How's that go about people taking their own advice? :)
 
#30 · (Edited)
Todd, you're making me a bit nervous. Could be just the internet and ways of communication here, but if I were you, I wouldn't just pop a gun in my pocket, but rather, take some serious time to learn the laws, read up on the responsibilities of carrying a firearm, legal and moral, and maybe get some heavy training/practice time in with your gun first. With this and your comments in another thread, I'm thinking you must be a bit rusty with some of those basics. It's never a bad idea to refresh your knowledge.
 
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