How many of you conceal carry on a regular basis?

neanderthal dream wrote:

I understand the line of thinking you're following, but it's a pipe dream. The US is not a country where gun prohibition would work. We can debate that, if you want, but I'll leave it there for now.

It works in Canada. Any criminal can get a handgun by driving to the US. There are lots of them. So prohibition DOES work.

neanderthal dream wrote:

Also, it sounds like you believe protection from gun violence to be the only reason people carry guns. The guy across the hall from me got severely beaten and robbed by a group of teenagers a few months ago walking from the bus stop to our apartment complex. No weapons involved, just fists. But a gun in his hands might have saved him a trip to the hospital.

It might have also been taken from him, and used to kill him

Dick Doobey wrote:

If you were a criminal and looking for targets, would you choose the person you assumed was armed? Probably not, right?

There's always a chance someone might be armed, but never a reason to assume they're armed. Particularly for the desperate types who commit gun coercion crimes. They already know they might get shot, and they don't care.

Of course if they actually intend to fire, instead of coerce, then they'll start by eliminating anyone who might shoot back.

Grammar Liberation Army wrote:

Of course if they actually intend to fire, instead of coerce, then they'll start by eliminating anyone who might shoot back.

Oh, that's good to know. So when I get held up I should just refuse to hand over my wallet because if they were willing to use the gun I'd already be dead?

I have a different idea. If I think my life or the life of my loved ones is in danger I'll exercise any legal amount of force to protect us, including deadly force if necessary.

That being said, I don't entirely disagree with you. Every situation is different. If I'm alone and get held up for my wallet I'd probably just hand it over and avoid violence altogether, because you are actually right that most robbers don't want to kill anyone.

On the other hand, if I'm out with my wife and children and the same thing happens I would be more likely to remove the gun from the robber with my hands, assuming he has it pressed up against me. I don't want some idiot around my family with a gun and criminal intentions.

As a martial artist I have years of training and know what is legal and appropriate retaliatory force in a variety of situations. I also know that avoiding a fight is the best form of self defense. If that means giving up your wallet or allowing someone to insult you or disrespect you and not starting a fight, then that is the best way to handle that situation.

Please don't try to paint all private gun owners as tough guys who are looking for a chance to kill someone. You and others are suggesting that if I'm carrying a hammer I'll treat every problem like it is a nail. That just isn't true.

Bobaloo wrote:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QjZY3WiO9s

Nice link. Thanks.

That first link (provided by google) is Wikipedia. If that's your go to source for information, God help you. And yes, if I want to carry a fire extinguisher sized bottle of pepper spray in Florida, I need a permit. Every other link discussing CCW is referring to firearms.And who's to say the OP wasn't talking about pepper spray? Everyone here is assuming he meant a firearm, including you.

Bobaloo wrote:

According to your first link, the term CCW has a broad meaning. It can apply to pepper spray too. The poster is talking about carrying a concealed gun.

Why not just say that?

The English language isn't dangerous in trained hands.

Tom Joad wrote:

Whenever I come across someone carrying a concealed weapon, I punch them in the face

Sure you do.

So which one of you gun nuts just Second Amendmented that elementary school in Connecticut? Damn right they can't take your guns. You have to protect yourselves from the tyranny of small children!

Exactly. This part of the argument is not discussed enough. Property is not more valuable than life, even the life of a thief. Those who carry will, and do, shoot to kill someone who's stealing an Xbox from their house. That's absurd.

Not necessarily. Don't try to paint me into some pro-gun, anti-gun position... but the logic of the situation is not quite what it seems at first glance.

I suppose I could tell you the story about the Afghan herder who spent months tracking down someone who had stolen his donkey - an investment in time worth far more than the donkey itself - but instead I will suggest that you think about the following and then tie the logic back into what you just said.

Should you pay the $1 million ransom demanded by those who kidnapped Joe. Kidnappers have stated plainly that without the ransom they will kill Joe and with the ransom they will release him unharmed. You have reason to believe that the kidnappers' threats and promises are both very credible.

Take a moment to think about it.

Dick Doobey wrote:

Tell me this: If you were a criminal and looking for targets, would you choose the person you assumed was armed? Probably not, right? Well if you assumed everyone was armed then you wouldn't have many targets and crime would drop significantly.

It seems to me that most people that are shot in incidents involving a criminal act are those with guns themselves.

This happens often with drug dealers and mobsters.

People rarely shoot an unarmed person but get nervous when they see someone that has a gun and are much quicker to pull the trigger.

Then sometimes there are just unstable people with guns like the horrible situation today.

Canadiannnnn wrote:

You crazy Americans and your guns!

You have fun down there. Just make sure nobody gets Hurt!

Shoot... My bad.

Canadiannnnn wrote:

You crazy Americans and your guns!

You have fun down there. Just make sure nobody gets Hurt!

Canadiannnnn wrote:

Shoot... My bad.

Just a question of,"when" not "if"......

Neil wrote:

Tom Joad wrote:

Whenever I come across someone carrying a concealed weapon, I punch them in the face

Sure you do.

Come and find out

I started out looking for a 20 gauge for the reasons you express, but found the selection & price not nearly as good as with 12s.

He doesn't hunt, but does shoot some clays in the back yard & at a relative's property.

With small game/birdshot loads, I'm hoping the recoil will be manageable.

If not, I've added a nice home defense weapon to my little arsenal..

smokey, if you mark that frame an 8 you are entering a world of pain.

glad we're protected wrote:

So which one of you gun nuts just Second Amendmented that elementary school in Connecticut? Damn right they can't take your guns. You have to protect yourselves from the tyranny of small children!

Dude was probably a typical liberal .... just like Laughner, Holmes and the rest of those nuts.

That being said, it's sad that the principal of that school wasn't a conceal carry holder. Then again, being a school principal, she probably didn't believe in the 2nd Amendment either.

Atheism worked for them wrote:

That being said, it's sad that the principal of that school wasn't a conceal carry holder. Then again, being a school principal, she probably didn't believe in the 2nd Amendment either.

Hel1 yeah. Serves her right. Them five-year-olds shoulda' been packing too.

'mobsters'? Like most dim witted Americans, you get your info from TV shows, yes?