• If you enjoy the forum please consider supporting it by signing up for a NES Membership  The benefits pay for the membership many times over.

Decision to carry concealed?

M

Mark L

Joined
Nov 19, 2008
Messages
1,090
Likes
1,311
Feedback: 2 / 0 / 0
Folks,
I'm a new shooter, just starting to get familiar with and used to a pistol. I'm quite a lot of range time away from considering carrying concealed, but I have a question.

For those of you that carry: do you do it because you need to or because you want to?

I'm pretty secure in my abilities to take care of myself, don't engage in high risk stuff, or frequent venues that could put me in a tight spot. That being said, I'm all for exercising my rights, but I wonder about the inherent risk elevation (if it exists) of toting a weapon.
Mark L.
 
I carry because problems dont just pop up only at places "that might put me in a tight spot." It can happen anywhere. Furthermore, my carrying of a firearm does not enable in me the notion that I am somehow now impervious to harm and can go anywhere, even places people know to stay away from. I don't carry the firearm in hopes or plans to use it, I carry it in case something goes wrong, wherever I may be.
 
I echo the sentiments of BostonAsphalt.

There is no inherent risk elevation unless you decide to brandish your firearm in front of a group of gang bangers who might get the idea that you're challenging them.

You probably don't consider your home to be a "high risk spot" but should the time come when you're the victim of a home invasion you'd probably wish you had another tool for self defense close at hand.

ETA: welcome to the sport!
 
Carrying a weapon doesn't make you more likely to get into trouble or find yourself in a bad situation. It just makes you more prepaired should you happen to find yourself in that situation.

People have been shot or robed or whatever in: churches, stores, banks, librarys, their own homes, walking down the st, parks, gun stores, walmart, stop and shop... just bout everywhere. The biggest thing is, you just Cant know when a situation would happen. My father once told me that he doesn't need a gun because he would never go to a place that would put him in a situation where he would need one. My response was "funny, you don't look like your dead and burried yet... and you certainly dont have enough money to have your own island with personal protection detail..."

Personally, I carry every day, because I just dont know, there is no way I can know if i'll need a gun to defend myself or my loved ones, if I knew, I would stay away from that place... but I'm not a psychic. I have practiced martial arts for a very long time, have trained in a bunch of systems and consider myself very capable of defending myself. but sometimes my body or my knife is not enough of an advantage to protect myself or my loved ones and I am not willing to gamble on our lives just cause I don't 'think' anything could happen to me.

Congrats on taking the first steps and thinking about it. I recommend getting trained and learning as much as you can!
 
So have you committed to training in action pistol events such as IDPA or IPSC?

You'll never really know what you and your gun can do together until you test under stress.

I've seen many learn much playing the action stages.

Once you can safely draw from a holster and hit what you are aiming at, you are ready to play action pistol and revolver games.

Come out and shoot with us at Metrowest Tactical IDPA at the Havard Sportsman's Club in Harvard, MA. Our web site is http://www.metrowesttactical.com/. Our practice and match schedule is posted there, as is the sign up for our email list serve.

Darius Arbabi
 
Last edited:
Cross-X said:
So have you committed to training in action pistol events such as IDPA or IPSC?

You'll never really know what you and your gun can do together until you test under stress.

I've seen many learn much playing the action stages.

Once you can safely draw from a holster and hit what you are aiming at, you are ready to play action pistol and revolver games.

Come out and shoot with us at Metrowest Tactical IDPA at the Havard Sportsman's Club in Harvard, MA. Our web site is www.metrowesttacticalidpa.com. Our practice and match schedule is posted there, as is the sign up for our email list serve.

Darius Arbabi
Click to expand...

Cross, the link isn't working.
 
I absolutely refuse to give anyone better odds at doing me harm by not carrying a gun when I have the right, the choice and ability to diminish those odds by carrying a gun.
 
Hey Mark and welcome. I see you're as creative in picking a forum name as I [laugh]

Define need? Do I think I'll ever need to use my gun? Christ I hope not! But who knows when you will? Some guy shot a minister in church in Chicago the other day, that sure isn't a high-risk venue. I'd rather have it and not need it then the other way around.
 
I don't carry anymore, but when I lived in MA and had a CCW permit I carried every day and everywhere.

Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.

Better to be judged by 12 than carried by six

and read "In The Gravest Extreme" by Massad Ayoob before you carry concealed. Shoot your CCW gun(s) regularly and with the ammo you are going to keep it loaded with when you CCW

Walk softly... carry a good gun
 
Mark L said:
I'm pretty secure in my abilities to take care of myself, don't engage in high risk stuff, or frequent venues that could put me in a tight spot.
Click to expand...

I don't carry because of where I go or what I do. In fact, 90% of my carrying is in my house, which is probably where I am most at risk.

Check out Clayton Cramer's Civilian Gun Self-Defense Blog if you need reasons to carry, especially at home:

http://www.claytoncramer.com/gundefenseblog/blogger.html
 
I carry because I have no control of someone who may choose to attack me, my friends, or family.

EDIT: I'll also note I tend to open carry which in spring/summer/fall is hella more convenient. (Do make sure it is legal in your town/state/etc)
 
Last edited:
Do you wear your seat belt and have airbags in your car? how about have a fire extinguisher and smoke detectors at home? These are precautionary measures. You hope you don't get into a car accident or have a fire at home but you acknowledge that those things may happen.

I acknowledge that I may be attacked or my home invaded. I hope it does not happen but I acknowledge that it may happen so I carry a firearm when I'm out and keep a firearm on me or within reach at home as a precautionary measure. I will most likely never have to use my guns. YMMV.
 
When I took a class from KMaurer he said something that I will never forget. He was going out with his wife to a party and she noticed he was getting ready to carry. She asked if he really thought he'd need a weapon at this party. His answer... if he thought he'd need it they would not be going to the party.

There is a lot of wisdom in that statement.

Thanks, Ken for those words.

Best,

Rich
 
THIS is the NES that I know.

I love you guys [kiss]

If you saw my carrying-while-skiing thread you'd understand [wink]
 
doobie said:
I carry because I have no control of someone who may choose to attack me, my friends, or family.

EDIT: I'll also note I tend to open carry which in spring/summer/fall is hella more convenient. (Do make sure it is legal in your town/state/etc)
Click to expand...

Careful. More talk like that will get you your own Ridley Report exclusive. [wink]
 
GSG said:
Training? More like sport.
Click to expand...

I agree that IDPA isn't training, but it is great practice. It certainly show you where you need more training and practice. Is IDPA better than a training event like SouthNarc's ECQC, obviously not. Is it better than punching paper and thinking you're good to go, absolutely.
 
jar said:
I agree that IDPA isn't training, but it is great practice. It certainly show you where you need more training and practice. Is IDPA better than a training event like SouthNarc's ECQC, obviously not. Is it better than punching paper and thinking you're good to go, absolutely.
Click to expand...

Agreed.
 
As Darius said, a lot can be learned by actually drawing and firing you gun at something other than a stationary piece of paper carefully marked 25 yards away. Action shooting is as fun as it is informative, educational, and most importantly skill building. Unless you pay for a training class or have training via LEO, .mil, other, IPSC/IDPA is the next best thing. It gets you moving and shooting - something that you most likely cannot do at your local paper punching range.

I carry because I can and unless you have a crystal ball, or in my case a magic lava lamp, you never know when SHTF time will be upon you.
 
I carry pretty much cause I have a small penis.
Thus inadequate, I compensate with a firearm.

Another reason I carry is my overarching fear of brown people.

Finally, After Ruby Ridge and Waco...it's pretty much clear that the NWO is after everyone who was ever on the Rex 84 list. That's me and probably you to.

Sometimes I feel like, with the exception of Lord G#d our Savior, my gun is the only other thing keeping me afloat in a world of avarice and sin. I grab hold of my gun and I grab hold of my Bible being the physical manifestation of my faith, and I pray and I say "Today, Lord, let it be today that I have the fortitude to strike a mortal blow to the heart of Leviathan in your name Lord!"

Thank G#d guns are cheap and easy to get! That's just one more reason to carry lots of them wherever you go. Of course, you can go the gun show route to easy aquisition. The only tough part there is you got to wait for a show but never more than one or two days. In MA, gun shows are so popular, they often have 3 a day on the weekends alone! And they are all free, with free parking no lines, scrupulous dealers and a jovial team-like atmosphere.

Best part of gun shows though is how you don't have to show any identification whatsoever to buy anything you want! You can buy machine guns, well at least the revolver kind, and they're cheap because the government doesn't want them so anyone can buy them. Why, just last week I was standing in line to buy a case of these cheap Bulgarian AK 47's (at $25 each don't you know?) and this little Arab ankle-biter, couldn't a been more than 10, well he cuts in line and buys himself one of those cute "starter model" revolvers in .25 acp from the kids section. I did see his Towelhead father telling him not to shoot it inside so I felt a bit better. Towelhead. I think that's what we're supposed to call them. You know, like being PC and calling the Darkies "African Americans" and the Jews, um.."Jews."


Now me? Well, I don't like crowds and because I have guns, I don't have a lot of friends, so I mostly spend my weekends scanning the net for potential conspiracies and making tinfoil hats, and tinfoil ball bags (yeah, you heard right. well I do want to have children even in the NWO.) So, when I need guns, I just go online and order them up with my fake drivers license. Easy as pie.







All this nonsense is to say:

You may not feel the need to carry today.

You may not feel the need to carry tomorrow either.

Nevertheless, one day, you may feel that need.

That's why I hope you've seen through the .Gov Anti-2A/Firearms Propaganda Stream, and that you've taken your rights in hand and worked in some capacity to preserve this essential and fundamental liberty. It's not about need, or want. It's always about rights. The one's I was born with, the ones that I'll fight for.
 
Last edited:
'scuse me, while I drink from this fire hose!

Seriously, thank you, for sharing your thoughts and motivations with me.

Mark
 
Rob87 said:
I carry because I'm going home at the end of the day, and I carry because I have the right to self-preservation. Having the means with which to ensure my survival means I will survive, or I will go down fighting.
Sorry, a small grammatical edit...
Click to expand...

+1, Rob! Very well said. I think that post does a very good job of encapsulating this entire thread.
 

Similar threads

State Sen. Pushes Campus Carry for AZ College Students with Concealed Carry Permits
Replies
0
Views
46
Reptile
Reptile
Carry in Post Office
2
Replies
49
Views
1K
LTCRN
LTCRN
Pennsylvania Court Upholds Right of Young People to Carry Guns in Public
Replies
6
Views
206
Coyote33
Coyote33
Going back to carrying p320x
Replies
8
Views
265
IPSC_DRL
IPSC_DRL
Migrants can carry guns
Replies
23
Views
714
KBCraig
KBCraig
Back
Top Bottom