# Why do "YOU" carry a weapon? concealed or openly



## prairiewolf (Feb 19, 2012)

Since Mike posted his thread on concealed carry, I started wondering this.

My main reason is from growing up in a bad area and I started carrying concealed long before Arizona made it legal, I have pulled my gun out twice, once an employee pulled a gun on a fellow employee and I happen to be there, the second time a guy pulled a knife on me when I fired him. But what I would like to know is what kind of scenerio do you guys think might happen and is the reason you carry.My thought is some kind of robbery.


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## Hortontoter (Apr 27, 2012)

I only carry a weapon while hunting. I would think robbery or being mugged would be my reason to carry if I did. I don't live in the best or worst part of town. I guess I still feel most people are not out to harm me. I would be more concerned with my home being robbed than my person.


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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

Well Ed when I lived back in Illinois near Chicago my best friend was shot in the back of the head in a robbery, they only got $14, and I think if Illinois had CC law he would still be alive. I have only had to pull my pistol out once in twenty plus years, an armed gang banger with a knife was behind our home in Tucson, my son shined a flashlight on him and told him to drop the knife, I came out to see what was going on and the guy started to reach into his pocket, that's when I felt I needed to draw down on him thinking he was going for a weapon, the Tucson police said I did the right thing! I am glad I didn't have to shoot him, I seen him a few days later and told him to come over to talk, we had a few beers and I told him how lucky he was I didn't shoot him. He said he was sorry and went on to tell me he was a new father... he left staggering a bit...so the reason I carry is to protect my family!.. I would rather have a gun and not need it than need a gun and not have it...plus I have a bad back and can't fight like I use to...lol...I open carry because I didn't want to pay for the permit, but now you don't need a permit so I may start to carry concealed.... I can draw my weapon faster in the open, I would need to practice concealed...PS. I hope I never have to shoot anyone...


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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

Hortontoter said:


> I only carry a weapon while hunting. I would think robbery or being mugged would be my reason to carry if I did. I don't live in the best or worst part of town. I guess I still feel most people are not out to harm me. I would be more concerned with my home being robbed than my person.


My friend thought that way to, you wouldn't think someone would shoot you for $7... the $14 I quoted was $7 a piece, my friend and his friend were shot in the robbery... each one in the back of the head! I found them, they didn't die quickly, there was a large pool of blood with bloody hand prints from them trying to get up...


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## prairiewolf (Feb 19, 2012)

Sorry to hear about your friend Eric. As for drawing your gun faster, the difference is very little with practice. I think knowing when to draw is way more important(knowing how to distract is also important), you must be able to draw smoothly though.

Hortontoter, I also worry about home invasions, they seem to happen more frequently nowadays. People now dont seem to respect other people or their property.


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## JLowe69 (Nov 30, 2011)

I carry for several reasons the main one would be. I have been robbed twice, once by someone with a gun in Detroit, he took almost 40 minutes to rob me and it was very aggravating at the time even more aggravating than scary until it was over and it sank in. He got $142.50 The other time one guy distracted me pretending to attempt a "strong arm robbery" while his partner came from behind and hit me in the back of the head with something quite hard, that time I was found unconscious on the sidewalk in a pool of blood, and I woke up in the hospital, with 16 stitches in my head. They got less than $3. That was just too much for me to take and I've carried since. Only legally since I moved here. I believe in either case I would have had a better chance or not been targeted at all had I been armed. The confidence that carrying instills when you have to be in a bad neighborhood for whatever reason, is reason in enough to carry as far as I'm concerned, because that confidence makes you less of a target to the thugs. After all, they are predators and have learned to sense weakness/opportunities to take advantage of others, and will go for the easiest target, passing on those who could be a threat back to them.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Self protection, plain and simple.

JLowe the first sign you were getting robbed was *"you were in Detroit"*


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## JLowe69 (Nov 30, 2011)

Don, fortunately I never had to live in that zoo, but I did work there on and off for several years, two and three weeks at a time. I makes living here in lil' Mexico seem quite safe. lol Believe it or not, that was one of the things that took him so long robbing me. He kept insisting it wasn't anything personal, this is just the wrong place for a white-boy to be, its just business, nothing personal.


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## Scotty D. (Feb 23, 2012)

I carry open when I'm fishing....

We had a nutjob in this area about 25 yrs ago that was taking out hunters & fishermen..Shot one kid in the back while he was fishing at a creek w/ a high-powered rifle...

I usually carry a TC Contender in case of long-range, cowardly psychos like this guy... I always try to be aware of my surroundings & usually place my fishing chair in a position where my truck would block any clear shot from behind...


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## sneakygroundbuzzard (Nov 1, 2012)

i carry because i can

also for self protection of me and my family

we dont live in a real large city,but its big enough to have problems

we have gangs here,plus alot of trouble with groups of mintorities attacking single and doubles walking down the street

it happens at night and during the day

im not a big guy so i look like and easy mark.ive had some martial arts training years ago,along with kick boxing

these are good things to know,but when a groups attacks i want o be armes with more than just my arms and legs

i also carry a benchmade tactical knife at all times

i try to carry myself in postive way,pay attection to my surroundings etc

but these days,one just never knows


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## awd199 (Jan 4, 2012)

sneakygroundbuzzard said:


> i carry because i can
> 
> also for self protection of me and my family......


This pretty much sums up why I chose to carry. It is kind of like having car insurance. Accidents can be avoided but in the unfortunate event they can't, the protection is nice.


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## Hortontoter (Apr 27, 2012)

I guess in my mind I would think a would be robber/attacker would have the element of surprise in his favor. My thought is that if I was going to rob someone I would have my gun in hand on the approach of the person I intend to bring harm. In that case how would one protect themselves from the would be attacker. I would think at that point going for a weapon would force the issue. Now if the attacker brought a knife to the gun fight things would be different.

I've had two guns pointed at me, both during "road rage" situations, neither of which I was the cause of. Shots were never fired in either case, I simply drove away from the situation.

I've considered carrying a weapon, but I know that I have a very short fuse and doing so may get me in more trouble than I need.


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## dwtrees (Mar 5, 2012)

Both the wife and I carry now. The reason we first got our concealed carry was for hunting. In ND if you have a pistol in your vehicle (unloaded) and covered up in any way it is considered concealed so we got our concealed carry license for that reason. Now with the oilfield moving closer to us we also carry for our personnel protection. I carry every time I have to go out and work in the oilfield for my own safety.


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## Ruger (Jan 22, 2011)

I carry because I would rather not need a gun than wish I had one.


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## SWAMPBUCK10PT (Apr 5, 2010)

*I'd much rather not be the victim----thats why I carry----I'd much rather Die fighting with my 45 to save my life or my loved one's than just stand there and let it happen or not have the equipment to get the job done----------I'd much rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6-------I don't live in fear but I will make a stand if I need to---------sb*


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## 220swift (Mar 2, 2011)

+1 SB10.....there was a time that I didn't feel I needed a weapon, I could take care of myself, now I just want to be as armed as needed to take care of my wife and family............................


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## prairiewolf (Feb 19, 2012)

Hortontoter, if someone approaches you with gun out, that is where kinowing how to distract someone comes in. There are multiple ways, acting like you dropped your wallet as you take it out, throwing your wallet to their feet or off to the side. But if you use tactics like this you must be willing and ready to use your firearm immediately with no hesitation.Eveyone feels different about what to do in such cases, but when I practice with my 45, I actully think up these kind of scenerios, plus it beats the hell out of just shooting holes in paper.


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## Scotty D. (Feb 23, 2012)

Stonegod said:


> The day I feel that I have to start carrying a gun for safety reasons while fishing.....is the day I give up fish. If I've got to worry about some knucklehead shooting me while I'm fishing....the fun of fishing would be gone.


 The guy lived between Canton & Cleveland, Geoff... FBI finally caught him.. U don't remember that??? He was using Interstate 77 as his travel corridor to his stalking grounds...

When they caught him, the media talked about it for a couple of days, then mentioned his life sentence. That was all the media said about the "end of the story".. When he was on the loose & baffling the Feds w/ his letters, the media was going crazy on it.. Must've found out he was a liberal, after the arrest.... :teeth:


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

I typically carry anytime I'm in a big city or on the road or if I'm expecting trouble during an eviction of hostile tenants.

The reason? Same reason I keep fire extinguishers fully loaded.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Stonegod said:


> This won't be a popular view on here but....if they're arm with a knife/club ect and are seeking my money I don't think taking a life with a gun just so I don't have to give up a couple dollars is the proper thing to do.


So when the guy has your couple dollars in hand or decides you aren't moving fast enough and wants to escalate things with his knife or club, then what?


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## prairiewolf (Feb 19, 2012)

Interesting, very interesting ! Guys dont take this the wrong way, by no means do I judge your comments or actions. It just came to me, the only 2 that really dont carry are from Ohio, and like I said in a previous post. When my dad visited me over 30 yrs ago(from Ohio) he thought it was wrong to carry a sidearm, I guess back then in Ohio you could only transport a firearm in the trunk or something like that. He actually threw a little fit when I headed out to the truck with a sidearm on.Now he was a big sportsman and had a fur buying business and also a bait and tackle shop. I wish more members would reply to this thread, now I am interested in how your locality may affect choices.


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## sneakygroundbuzzard (Nov 1, 2012)

here in minnesota most folks beleive that you should be allowed to carry a sidearm.

we have nearly,if not over 200,000 license carry holders now(havent checked the latest stats)

our state has a very strong hunting heritage and most folks i know own atleast one gun,whether it be a rifle,shot gun,or hand gun.

most just for hunting purposes,but quit a few own guns for defensive reasons.

not to many people here have a "anti gun" view that i know of,some dont thinks its right to carry.but thats their right to think that.they never say anything out loud when they see some one carrying.

i have noticed something the other day too.

about 5 years ago there were alot of businesses that had signs posted that said "guns/weapons not allowed on these premises".

now idont se nearly as many of them signs,and some of the businesses that had those signs have taken them down.

it seems to me like more and more local folks are realizing that its safer to have armed customers than to post signs inviting in criminals to do harm.


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## prairiewolf (Feb 19, 2012)

SWAMPBUCK10PT said:


> *I'd much rather not be the victim----thats why I carry----I'd much rather Die fighting with my 45 to save my life or my loved one's than just stand there and let it happen or not have the equipment to get the job done----------I'd much rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6-------I don't live in fear but I will make a stand if I need to---------sb*


I agree with sb, IMO you need to determine what kind of threat it really is (that can be very hard to do)but if you decide it is to kill you or your family then by all means try to shoot.Same goes for a women and a man holds a gun on her and tells her to get in his car,my wife knows to RUN and dont stop running as she screams. Once they would get her in the car it would be over !


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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

SG, my friend only had a couple of dollars and it got him killed...Ohio must be like one great big town of Mayberry...


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Well the people there are pretty friendly, for the most part. I'd hardly lump the whole state in to one backwoods group though...It's like saying all people from Illinois are on the take, or community organizers....lol


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## prairiewolf (Feb 19, 2012)

I know Don, but I really think the region you live has alot to do with it. In AZ. most people I know carry some type of firearm on them or in their vehicle. Why, I dont know. Maybe its just the old wild west thing, lol


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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

youngdon said:


> Well the people there are pretty friendly, for the most part. I'd hardly lump the whole state in to one backwoods group though...It's like saying all people from Illinois are on the take, or community organizers....lol


they are Don...well most are...lol...Illinois that is...


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## Scotty D. (Feb 23, 2012)

The laws are constantly changing in OH... I took a CCW course but opted not to get my CCW license.. We are an open carry state, but the police & lib-tards will hassle a citizen for excercising their 2nd Amendment rights... Game wardens are a different story--they actually KNOW the laws...

There was a youTube vid of the police doing exactly that, to a citizen in OH earlier this year...The man is suing the police dept for $105mil.. (As he should)


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## JLowe69 (Nov 30, 2011)

Is it worth shooting someone to not give up the couple dollars in my pocket? No, not for the money.

Is it worth it to stop them from predating on other honest citizens, and most likely hurting at least some of them, possibly someone close to me? In my book absolutely, you not only stop them, you make all their cronies a bit less likely to target their next victim.


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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

If you don't excercise your rights, you will loose them....$105mil. sounds about right to me..we don't get harassed here in Arizona, just the other day at the store an older woman told my wife that she wanted to stand next to me because it made her feel safe...


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

I've had that happen as well.


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## Scotty D. (Feb 23, 2012)

Yes, but there are stupid peeps everywhere...& the police tend to listen to the whiners more than law-abiding citizens who are minding their own business...

I open carry, but I can't force others to make that decision... :smile:

Wow-- I tried to post the vid of the open carry harassment in Riverside, OH... It seems that it's been pulled off of the internet...Hmmmmmm.. Probably because it's evidence now..

But, the fact is that this guy wasn't doing anything wrong--just going into the convenient store & buying a cup of coffee.. the owners & the patrons got scared & called the police because he was wearing a sidearm...the citizen was quite knowledgeable about his lawful rights--knew more about them than the cops, & it p!ssed the cops off royally, so they imposed their "power behind the badge" policy...


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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

A matter of fact a few months ago at Walmart a guy walked by me and said "thank you for excercising our 2nd amendment rights"...


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Part of the issue with not carrying is you never know what the other persons intent is, is it some punk wanting entry into a gang.... someone looking to make a name for themselves, some one who is insane(or just stupid), who needs a few bucks for his next drink..fix...or formula for his kid.....I'm not willing to put my life or the life of another on the line trying to second guess some idiot.


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## JLowe69 (Nov 30, 2011)

Yep, I had an elderly woman ask me to grab her some canned beets from the upper shelf at the grocery a few months back. After I did, she pointed out she asked me to because "you open have that (my LC9) out in the open and only good guys do that, the bad guys hide 'em, because they aren't supposed to have 'em".


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## prairiewolf (Feb 19, 2012)

Ok, another question. Do any of you actully try and watch your surroundings when you go out. Lets say restaurants, stores or community activities? I watch so many people walk to and from their cars looking straight ahead and are oblivious to their surroundings. I am a qualified Mine Safety Health Instructor, something like OSHA but much more strict. I was taught the first thing entering a building is to look for the exits, I was also taught from other training never sit in a place with your back to the door.I have watched police officers at restaurants and most here in Az will do just that, some may say I am paranoid but its just how I have been trained.


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## JLowe69 (Nov 30, 2011)

I pay attention to exits and always try to sit so I can see the entry and watch who is coming in, as well as pay attention to anyone coming in my direction across a parking lot. The last one though is because thats how I got robbed the first time, and so it really sunk in. I also make it a point when standing in line with people behind me to keep my forearm resting on top of my sidearm so nobody behind me can grab it. Sense that is my only concern with "open covered" carry.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

I'm pretty aware of my surroundings at all times, not just exits but the people as well.

Look into one of the retention type holsters Jeff. I have one for my 1911, it's very easy to use, the learning curve is very short.

Gotta love MSHA if you work in a mine.


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## JLowe69 (Nov 30, 2011)

Yea Don, a better holster would keep it a bit more concealed too. I'm not getting a Paddle type though after watching vids of how easy they are to break and take your sidearm. This Bulldog holster holds it well enough that when I had Chris try and take it from me from behind, he picked me up off the floor with out it coming out so its more me worrying about nothing than a real concern. However it has already wore 60% of the blueing off in only three years so I doubt I'll buy another. I will beg to differ about MSHA, I nearly pushed one of them off the bank over a totally ridiculous $25K fine several years ago. lol


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## prairiewolf (Feb 19, 2012)

Jeff, I am not a MSHA inspector . I just used to certify workers on safety for their jobs, and I agree with you MSHA and OSHA can both go over board at times.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

youngdon said:


> Gotta love MSHA if you work in a mine.


That was a facetious statement....They do uphold safety standards as a whole but like any group that has power over another sometimes wiener fights take place....


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## JLowe69 (Nov 30, 2011)

pw, I caught that, and didn't mean it as a shot at you in any way.

Don, thats what I figured, but when MSHA was mentioned twice in one day was too much for me to leave it alone. lol I guess it should be mentioned that when it all was said and done that $25K was dropped to $2500 because it was not a "willful" violation, nor was it actually unsafe, it just didn't quite fit inside the rules, but wasn't really breaking any either.


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## Ruger (Jan 22, 2011)

prairiewolf said:


> Jeff, I am not a MSHA inspector . I just used to certify workers on safety for their jobs, and I agree with you MSHA and OSHA can both go over board at times.


I took the msha course a couple of years ago, pretty interesting, I enjoyed it. Im not a miner but we were supposed to put some buildings up on a mine property and we were required to get certified. Never did get to work on the mine, the mine decided they didn't have the funds for the buildings. But back to topic, you mentioned locality might have a bearing on whether a person chooses to carry or not. I agree that locality probably has a lot to do with it. I also wonder too about perhaps a persons age or probably a better term for it would be the generation they were raised in. I think there is a lot of factors in a persons background that determines whether they carry or not.


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## JLowe69 (Nov 30, 2011)

One, for lack of a better term "positive side effect" of of carrying for me at least, is that I tend to be much less quick to have a verbal confrontation over something stupid because its always in the back of my head that any confrontation could end in one of us being shot. So, I tend to actually be far more easy going than before I started to. I'm sure part of that is simply getting older.


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## prairiewolf (Feb 19, 2012)

Good video and speech, thanks for posting it.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

+1


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

Can't argue with anything Dan Bongino had to say. Could you imagine a debate about these core values between a big name gun-grabber (Insert name here) and this man? How would anyone defeat his logic that the right of self defense didn't come from politicians; it's inherent in all of us.

Is there any other animal on earth that wouldn't do anything possible to defend its family? Just try to mess with a mouse! Why should we, at the top of the food chain, surrender any ability to defend against evil?


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## 220swift (Mar 2, 2011)

+1 Glen.........


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## Hortontoter (Apr 27, 2012)

Don't kid yourselves, Ohio is nothing like Mayberry. We have more than our fair share of shady characters. I guess my thought is that 90% of the crimes happen in the "rough and tumble" parts of any town. I make it a habit to stay away from those parts of town. I do like SB's analogy though. I think the states west of the Mississippi are more apt to abide by the ways of the wild west than states in the east and midwest. I'm not saying that to be derogatory, just the way I see things. And I would think more thugs are in the east than out west, due to the wild west mentality.

I was stopped on my way turkey hunting early one morning by a State Highway Patrol. As he approached my window the first thing I announced was that I had a weapon in my truck. He stepped back and drew his revolver. He then asked what type of weapon I had, I told him a double barrel shotgun. He asked if it was loaded, I told him no. He approached my truck and shined his flashlight inside. Not seeing the gun he asked if it was behind my seat, I told him it was and asked if he wanted to see it. He said he didn't need to see it and gave me a warning ticket for not having a light on my license plate. In Ohio the gun should have been in plain sight with the action open or in a case. The action was open, but the gun was concealed. I thought he would have been more concerned in the way I was transporting it.

Scotty, I remember when the moron was targeting hunters and fisherman with a high powered rifle. At that time my wife used to beg me not to be the first one there in the morning to lauch my boat at the base of Force Road hill. Most times I was the first one there and was always leery when headlights started down the hill towards me. I felt like a deer in the headlights, not being able to see who was approaching.


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## Keatts (Dec 26, 2012)

I carry cause it is my GOD given right and the great state of Oklahoma make it where I can legally. :usflag:


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## 220swift (Mar 2, 2011)

SG, as you get a little older and body parts fail to the point of replacement...lol, you'll find that you will adopt my attitude. Like you I used to be able to take care of myself (never work the side of the street you did) but I ran in the Midwest rodeo circuit for almost 8 years and when you're in a small town bar after a rodeo, there is always some local meatball that wanted to prove his toughness. Anyway, that was then and this is now, two knees, one ruptured disc and 4 degenerative disc, my new attitude is, " hell no I don't want to fight but I will shoot your a$$"...................


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

So are you saying the 204 you bought from your brother is back in his safe...........


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## 220swift (Mar 2, 2011)

I hope you're right about your joints SG, this falling apart thing sucks............


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Great vid. and speech, thanks for sharing.


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## Tuffdaddy (Oct 26, 2012)

I live in a not great, but not horrible area. I have 2 little reasons that I carry. They both know I do, and both know not to talk about it. I walk my dog nightly after putting my kiddos to bed, and definitely carry then. I actually carry all the time.

When my wife and I first got our CCW, she thought I was nuts carrying to the movies, church, etc. then you see the shootings on TV and she no longer questioned it. I hope to God I don't ever need it, but if I do, I'll have it on me.

I night fish a lot as well, and there have been some shady characters hanging out at the launch when I got in. I usually scare them with the spotlight, but if that doesn't work, the dog is the second line of defense, and my sidearm is the last resort if needed.


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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

prairiewolf said:


> Ok, another question. Do any of you actully try and watch your surroundings when you go out. Lets say restaurants, stores or community activities? I watch so many people walk to and from their cars looking straight ahead and are oblivious to their surroundings. I am a qualified Mine Safety Health Instructor, something like OSHA but much more strict. I was taught the first thing entering a building is to look for the exits, I was also taught from other training never sit in a place with your back to the door.I have watched police officers at restaurants and most here in Az will do just that, some may say I am paranoid but its just how I have been trained.


ALWAYS Ed, and I am sure it has nothing to do with my O.S.H.A. Cert. You never know when or where something will happen... Kind of like JLowe69, I always make sure no one gets close to me, at the store I will turn so my firearm is not in reach..


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## immortalic (May 19, 2013)

I carry for mine and my family's protection. There's too many situations where a gun makes the difference in walking away and getting carried away. I drive an hour to and from work on a daily basis and my trek home is generally at 1am and where I work generally has 1 convenience store robbery a week. Which is where I go before I get on the interstate. Several of the robberies have had murders for no apparent reason. I don't wanna be that guy. Also I carry because it is my right, and almost feel like it is my duty.


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## sneakygroundbuzzard (Nov 1, 2012)

yes i am always aware of my surroundings

i look at everything constantly no matter where i am

in stores i look at everyone all over the store,my head and eyes are always on the move

i was taught to do this by a step uncle whom was a minneaplois police officer for 33 years,he also did alot of work with the fbi

when in restaurants i always ask to sit near the back of the place and keep my front facing the front,at theaters i try and sit as far up and back as possible,usually spend more time watching people get up and move around than watching the movie

i never have liked sitting with my back to doors and such.i try and avoid real crowded areas where i cant see everything that is going on.

some folks tell me i am paranoid,but i like to think that i am just trying to keep myself safe

and if i am paranoid,it doesnt mean that some one isnt out to try and get me 

my step uncle was a big influence on me and taught me alot about how to stay safe

i never walk with my eyes to the ground or staring at my cell phone,i always try and make eye contact with every one that passes me bye.

if folks notice that you notice them and can describe them,less chance of them trying to do harm to you


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