Why Do You Carry Concealed?

[electricman43]

Because we travel and not all places seem safe.

Here's an article/question I posted.

So let's here, why do you carry concealed?

My wife and I travel by RV 6 or 7 times a year and increasingly more often it seems that the places we go to by groceries, are becoming unsafe. At least with our CCW permits we can provide the means to protect each other as well as our property. In fortunately we have to lock them up in states we do not have permits in but maybe we just need to let the state know that we will not be stopping in their state for their lack of support for the 2nd amendment.

 

[Dr. Dillner]

My wife and I travel by RV 6 or 7 times a year and increasingly more often it seems that the places we go to by groceries, are becoming unsafe. At least with our CCW permits we can provide the means to protect each other as well as our property. In fortunately we have to lock them up in states we do not have permits in but maybe we just need to let the state know that we will not be stopping in their state for their lack of support for the 2nd amendment.

Darn good idea!!

 

[RAM1299]

I carry to protect myself, my wife, and our four daughters as well as protecting other innocent people if needed. More than likely I will go my entire life without so much as having to draw my weapon.....but it's there if I need it. I feel that law abiding citizens who are are willing and able to carry a firearm should do so. When a good percentage of the law-abiding populous is armed, it creates a safer place for everyone to exist.

 

[BourbonFan]

I carry concealed because I would rather people not know I'm armed. I feel like it gives me the upper hand if the situation goes bad.
Also I dont worry about if the business has a no guns allowed sign or not, as long as it's not a Federal building. In my state all they can do is ask me to leave anyway so if they dont know, they wont bother me. I know people say dont go where they dont allow my gun but sometimes I end up there while shopping with my wife so it happens. I have no problem with people who open carry if that's what you like it's just not for me.

 

[NavyLCDR]

I would rather people not know I'm armed. I feel like it gives me the upper hand if the situation goes bad.

I have often wondered about this feeling that people express having. In reality doesn't the firearm only give you the upper hand after you have successfully drawn fast enough for the criminal, who is already watching you, not to detect what is happening and you present the gun and they either retreat or you successfully stop them by shooting? Up until the point where you actually draw the firearm, if the criminal does not stop you from doing so, does the gun, in reality, give you any upper hand at all and, in fact, you are only drawing the gun because you feel like the criminal already has the upper hand by, at a minimum, indicating that they have picked you as a target and are about ready to commence an attack and are already watching you closely? It all seems kind of wild west quick-draw gunslinging to me. Maybe you can explain to me how the mere presence of a firearm that only you know about and has no real value to it until you have successfully used it against a criminal who is about to or has already attacked you causes you to have the upper hand?

 

[lrl2ndcall]

The reason I conceal carry is for 1 reason only... to protect my family or whom I am with at the moment. Being a unarm home invasion victim I felt naked and open then my anger hit and I had to fight because it took the LEO 45 minutes to arrive. I had every right to kill that varmint but I did not. from that time march 14th 2007 @6:30 pm I have always had what was needed.

 

[RAM1299]

I have often wondered about this feeling that people express having. In reality doesn't the firearm only give you the upper hand after you have successfully drawn fast enough for the criminal, who is already watching you, not to detect what is happening and you present the gun and they either retreat or you successfully stop them by shooting? Up until the point where you actually draw the firearm, if the criminal does not stop you from doing so, does the gun, in reality, give you any upper hand at all and, in fact, you are only drawing the gun because you feel like the criminal already has the upper hand by, at a minimum, indicating that they have picked you as a target and are about ready to commence an attack and are already watching you closely? It all seems kind of wild west quick-draw gunslinging to me. Maybe you can explain to me how the mere presence of a firearm that only you know about and has no real value to it until you have successfully used it against a criminal who is about to or has already attacked you causes you to have the upper hand?

Maybe I'm misreading your post, but it seems you are addressing a narrow group of defense scenarios. For example, say the concealing citizen is in an isle at a convenient store when an armed assailant comes in, scans the place for cops, and then demands money from one of the clerks. When the first clerk panics and doesn't move quickly enough, the robber shoots them point blank and advises the other one to give him the money or they are next. The concealing armed citizen does have the upper hand for their own protection and possibly for the protection of the other clerk/patrons. Because he was concealing, he was dismissed as an immediate threat. With the BG's attention mostly on the prize, the citizen may now very well be able to draw and shoot from cover, preventing further loss of innocent life.

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[NavyLCDR]

Maybe I'm misreading your post, but it seems you are addressing a narrow group of defense scenarios.

My post is addressing just the opposite. I was addressing the much more common criminal attack where the concealed carrier is the selected target. Criminal approaches the person carrying the concealed firearm on the street or in their car, holds a knife or a gun to them and tells them to hand over their wallet or car. Or the convenience store clerk who is carrying concealed on the job gets a knife or gun pointed at them and told to empty the cash register. Or the woman walking out of her night shift job to be met by the criminal in the parking lot who puts a gun or knife to her and tells her not to scream. The vast majority of violent crimes involve lone victims, not larger targets with crowds of people in them.

Once the criminal has chosen the person with the concealed firearm as their intended victim (because there is nothing to indicate that they should move on to an easier target because the gun is hidden and only the victim knows they are carrying it) and has taken an action to attack them, exactly how does merely having a concealed firearm cause that victim to have the upper hand...until they actually deploy that firearm against the criminal who is already watching them closely? And then isn't the upper hand only gained when the victim is successful in defending themselves against the criminal without being detected by the criminal first and stopped?

 

[RAM1299]

My post is addressing just the opposite. I was addressing the much more common criminal attack where the concealed carrier is the selected target. Criminal approaches the person carrying the concealed firearm on the street or in their car, holds a knife or a gun to them and tells them to hand over their wallet or car. Or the convenience store clerk who is carrying concealed on the job gets a knife or gun pointed at them and told to empty the cash register. Or the woman walking out of her night shift job to be met by the criminal in the parking lot who puts a gun or knife to her and tells her not to scream. The vast majority of violent crimes involve lone victims, not larger targets with crowds of people in them.

Once the criminal has chosen the person with the concealed firearm as their intended victim (because there is nothing to indicate that they should move on to an easier target because the gun is hidden and only the victim knows they are carrying it) and has taken an action to attack them, exactly how does merely having a concealed firearm cause that victim to have the upper hand...until they actually deploy that firearm against the criminal who is already watching them closely? And then isn't the upper hand only gained when the victim is successful in defending themselves against the criminal without being detected by the criminal first and stopped?

Ok, I see what you're saying. I would agree that referring to it as having the upper hand in those situations is not correct. An increased chance of survival, yes, the upper hand, no.

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[BourbonFan]

ok I guess my statement of feeling like I have the upper hand was miss spoken.
I simply meant I would rather not broadcast to would be attackers that I am able to respond with a firearm if I am in a gathering of people when that crazy decides to shoot us all, there by maybe, and yes I mean maybe ,not be the first one they shoot and stand a better chance of shooting back.

 

[NavyLCDR]

if I am in a gathering of people when that crazy decides to shoot us all, there by maybe, and yes I mean maybe ,not be the first one they shoot and stand a better chance of shooting back.

Ah, the "get shot first" theory. But, in all sincerity, I would like to thank you for an honest discussion about the "upper hand" feeling. As my signature line suggests, it seems like a lot of people have a false sense of security from the mere presence of their concealed firearm and can't acknowledge that it is only going to actually be of use if they can successfully deploy it before the criminal can stop them.

 

[BourbonFan]

[QUOTEit seems like a lot of people have a false sense of security from the mere presence of their concealed firearm and can't acknowledge that it is only going to actually be of use if they can successfully deploy it before the criminal can stop them.[/QUOTE]

Isn't everything we do for safety or security a "false sense of security" until something happens and it works?
Examples:
security systems ..there only as good as the company monitoring them and your stuff may be gone before the police even show up.
Locking your car.. Won't stop all thieves but will probably deter most
Driving safely and obeying traffic laws,good idea,but it won't stop a drunk driver from plowing into you.
There are so many things that can go wrong everyday at any place that there really is no safe or secure way to prevent things from going bad but every little bit helps.
At no time do I really feel safe and secure,just maybe a little better equipped than many people walking around.

 

[jerkos]

Couldn't have said it better, BourbonFan.

 

[kdalters]

LC9... perfect fit for me.
.

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[netraider]

I carry because I can't carry a LEO or Recon Marine sniper on my belt. In Arizona, I do, because I can.

 

[38chiefJudge]

my tipping point was the movie theatre shooting. I will not be completely defenseless and unable to protect my family any longer. It may not turn out perfectly, but it's beats not being able to fight back with equivilant force.

 

[netraider]

I think the POTUS should carry concealed, if that got around it made dissuade some close quarter attempt on assassination.

 

[lilms]

Why do you wear a seatbelt? Why do you have a fire extinguisher?

Also, I'm a rather tiny single mom who will not stand helplessly while someone presents a threat to her child.

 

[Pitt County Pride]

I think the POTUS should carry concealed, if that got around it made dissuade some close quarter attempt on assassination.

Rumor is Teddy Roosevelt did have a bedside pistol and carried concealed while president, a Colt large-framed cal. 45 revolver ...

I wonder what the response would be if the next Commander-in-Chief of the United States of America absolutely insisted in concealed carry and/or in keeping an M-4 bedside for self-defense.... Who would have standing to stop him? No one, I would think...

 

[netraider]

Rumor is Teddy Roosevelt did have a bedside pistol and carried concealed while president, a Colt large-framed cal. 45 revolver ...

I wonder what the response would be if the next Commander-in-Chief of the United States of America absolutely insisted in concealed carry and/or in keeping an M-4 bedside for self-defense.... Who would have standing to stop him? No one, I would think...

Prescott, AZ was the home city contributing to Teddy's Roughriders. A bronze statute adorns the courthouse entrance. The high school mascot is the "Roughriders." Small wonder you see many open carry here and probably don't see concealed carry because it is concealed.:drag: