Why did you start carrying?
- Thread starter Drjones
- Start date
I got married.
Before I got married, I had guns in the house, but I wasn't too worried about carrying. I lived in a rural area then, and one phone call would have had 10 shotgun toting neighbors at my door in under a minute, not to mention my own.
I am 23 now, and at that time I had only been old enough to qualify for the permit for a little under a year anyway. I'd been meaning to get it, I just hadn't found the time or motivation to do so.
Once I got married, all bets were off. I don't live in that rural area anymore, I work in downtown Dallas, and I have a wife to protect both by ensuring my safety and hers.
She turned 21 this April, so we're working on getting her licensed now also. It doesnt hurt to admit she's a better shot than I am.
-SS
Before I got married, I had guns in the house, but I wasn't too worried about carrying. I lived in a rural area then, and one phone call would have had 10 shotgun toting neighbors at my door in under a minute, not to mention my own.
I am 23 now, and at that time I had only been old enough to qualify for the permit for a little under a year anyway. I'd been meaning to get it, I just hadn't found the time or motivation to do so.
Once I got married, all bets were off. I don't live in that rural area anymore, I work in downtown Dallas, and I have a wife to protect both by ensuring my safety and hers.
She turned 21 this April, so we're working on getting her licensed now also. It doesnt hurt to admit she's a better shot than I am.
-SS
Many years ago, had a gun stuck in my ribs. Handed over my car keys and watched a punk take off down the road. Was right beside a telephone, called the cops with tag number, car and driver description and direction of travel. 15 minutes later the call went out over the radio, but this was only after I called back a second time. Detectives later played back the tapes and had some serious questions for the Dispatcher as to why she didn't think it was important enough to broadcast right away. So try as hard as they can, the LEO's can't be everywhere at once even if everything goes right.
Christopher II
New member
I figured out that is is not possible to delegate protection.
- Chris
- Chris
Wild_Turkey
New member
I've always been around guns and shot a LOT on the farm while growing up. I never thought about carrying until I was 21.
One of my best friends that I used to play music with carried everyday, everywhere he went [legally, of course]. When he found out how much I enjoyed shooting he encouraged me to apply for my permit. He even drove me to the Sheriff's office to submit the application and go through the fingerprinting and wrote a fantastic letter of character for me. Back then Virginia was "may issue" and the judge denied my application. He thought that a 21 year old was too young to be packing everywhere. I put it out of my mind for 10 years and never gave it much thought.
Fast forward a little more than a decade...the same friend who packs everyday, everywhere goes to visit a mutual "friend". Said idiot meets my best friend on the porch. Conversation ensues for about 5 minutes then the sorry *&^%#$@# produces a handgun and runs off a few rounds into my buddy's chest....killing him. I've never to this day been able to find out what caused him to loose it like this. My friend, who carried everyday everywhere, for some unknown reason was unarmed and unable to defend himself that night.
As soon as I was able to meet the training requirments in Virginia I applied and, thanks to VA now being "Shall Issue", received my permit.
I now carry everyday, everywhere.
One of my best friends that I used to play music with carried everyday, everywhere he went [legally, of course]. When he found out how much I enjoyed shooting he encouraged me to apply for my permit. He even drove me to the Sheriff's office to submit the application and go through the fingerprinting and wrote a fantastic letter of character for me. Back then Virginia was "may issue" and the judge denied my application. He thought that a 21 year old was too young to be packing everywhere. I put it out of my mind for 10 years and never gave it much thought.
Fast forward a little more than a decade...the same friend who packs everyday, everywhere goes to visit a mutual "friend". Said idiot meets my best friend on the porch. Conversation ensues for about 5 minutes then the sorry *&^%#$@# produces a handgun and runs off a few rounds into my buddy's chest....killing him. I've never to this day been able to find out what caused him to loose it like this. My friend, who carried everyday everywhere, for some unknown reason was unarmed and unable to defend himself that night.
As soon as I was able to meet the training requirments in Virginia I applied and, thanks to VA now being "Shall Issue", received my permit.
I now carry everyday, everywhere.
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I have always enjoyed firearms. My friend's dad was the rangemaster for the local PD. He trained me to be a gunfighter and win. I liked it. After I got home from UCLA, I applied for my permit when I was 22 and got it. I find it comforting to have a Glock 27 in my wasteband when I am out and about. I have the ability to defend myself and to take action if the need arises. When I realize that probably 90% of the people around me don't have a clue about self-defense, including criminals, I like the edge. If you hold up a fast-food joint, I am probably the last guy you might think has a pistol on him.
Edward429451
Moderator
I've been packin handguns around rural Ohio since way before packin age especially by todays standards. Its just always seemed like the thing to do. Praise the Lord Jesus Christ that I've never had to shoot anyone. Though I have had a very few close calls where having a gun with me made a big difference in preserving the sanctity of my family and I.
Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. There is no Demilitarized Zone.
Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. There is no Demilitarized Zone.
yankytrash
New member
Grew up a roguish SOB, always had a shotgun ridin shotgun with me.
Got older, realized some roguish SOB might be carryin a shotgun.
Got older, realized some roguish SOB might be carryin a shotgun.
When I was stationed at Ft Bragg, an acquantance of mine was shot during one of those sensationalized public shootings at a local pizza joint.
He was into guns. He could have lived and saved others. I realized that it is that one time you forgot to carry that the bad guy comes for you or your friend. It will not happen to me or my friend if he is in my presence.
I carry now. I carry always. I am very infrequently unarmed. I carry in church. I carry while driving and the only place I don't always carry is school, though with the advances in concealment, I have taken stupid chances and carried there too just to see if I could get away with it. I probably will again.
The bad guy will come when you are unarmed. Don't be a coward.
He was into guns. He could have lived and saved others. I realized that it is that one time you forgot to carry that the bad guy comes for you or your friend. It will not happen to me or my friend if he is in my presence.
I carry now. I carry always. I am very infrequently unarmed. I carry in church. I carry while driving and the only place I don't always carry is school, though with the advances in concealment, I have taken stupid chances and carried there too just to see if I could get away with it. I probably will again.
The bad guy will come when you are unarmed. Don't be a coward.
KJM. I used to think I couldn't carry at schools here in the PRK, but I just learned there is nothing wrong with that! Yeah, and I had been carrying to football games and such for a long time and was worried about it. Not anymore. Re-check your state law, especially in Texas. You might get a nice surprise like I did.
Taught to be responsible for myself, if I can't be reponsible for myself then how can I expect others to be, or how can I take measures of responsibility for family . Think, be prepared... not words but a way I was raised. Just as old fashioned as men didn't feel dressed without a pocketknife when I was growing up.
The reality is, life experiences occur, one never knows when, where or what.
Blissninnies would have a fit to know that as a kid i'd take the family revo when we went out in the country--just mom and the sibs, I'd save my money and fret over shorts, longs, or long rifle ammo for the rimfire, a lot of times it was shorts--hey 15 cents was a lot back then--and yeah they sold to kids then. (Damn I'm getting old) . So I guess I've always had to think this way even as a kid--mindset perhaps is the tool--firearm just another choice.
The reality is, life experiences occur, one never knows when, where or what.
Blissninnies would have a fit to know that as a kid i'd take the family revo when we went out in the country--just mom and the sibs, I'd save my money and fret over shorts, longs, or long rifle ammo for the rimfire, a lot of times it was shorts--hey 15 cents was a lot back then--and yeah they sold to kids then. (Damn I'm getting old) . So I guess I've always had to think this way even as a kid--mindset perhaps is the tool--firearm just another choice.
4thHorseman
New member
"God made man, Sam Colt made them equal."
Fred Hansen
New member
Grew up AgroAmerican.