Can't imagine how I missed this thread!
Do I carry? Sometimes. Can I shoot accurately? Damn right! I'm much better than my husband, and have put more than a few to shame on the range. Weapon of choice? Since 1966, it has been my trusty Walther PP 9mm. Had a German gunsmith reweight the corners to keep it from climbing and throwing my arm, and the trigger pull honed and decreased pull weight. Bought it at the Rod and Gun Club at Ramstein AFB.... For home protection, it is loaded with black talon rounds. I made sure my neighbors know that. (I live in ...ummmm... let's just say a lot of folks around me are associated with illegal pharmasueticals?) My training was strange, include sport shooters coaching as well as mp's and ap's.... I was taught to NEVER display or brandish a weapon, if it's pulled, be ready to use it, and be able to justify the shoot. Trust me, not only was I taught HOW to shoot, when to shoot, but how to handle myself and what to say after the fact. Things that cannot be taught in gun handling courses. Those courses are great, but there are some aspects they simply cannot teach for liability reasons. I was taught to fire twice, evaluate and keep firing if needed, I was taught how to select, and in which order, multiple targets.... ah well.
Elizabeth in Iowa
__________________ The carpeting is gone! The carpeting is gone! Long live the cork floor!
My favorite subject...... I am so glad sombody aimed a link at this thread, I read all of it, happily, and thought of the diverse opinions running warmly around the thread. for my qualification, I am a state licensed firearms instructor, with a history of military intelligence, and now an agent in a somewhat clandestine agency.
This means I carry a firearm every day - along with a badge, and a great responsibility. I study the figures of crime statistics that show the states that allow for concealed carry do indeed have a reduction in crime. I have asked various criminals why this should be and all have used the same response. They tell me that if only the police have weapons, they are all safe, because the cops don't shoot them, but if the public have guns, they shoot the criminals - It is not safe for them to operate in an area where there are people with firearms.. That HAS reduced crime, and saved countless people from the terror of violent crime.
It is good to see so many responsible people on this board, that carry, or keep a firearm, and it is also good to have those who choose not to carry, or even have a firearm, but I must make clear a single point. No matter if you carry, or you do not, if you own, or if you do not, your liberty, freedom and safety depends upon the fact that some of us carry weapons, ready at all times to defend your life, on duty, or off duty, in service or as a civilian. Concealed Weapons Permits create a force that criminals fear, and thus help protect those of you who cannot protect yourselves. But let it be clear. If you cannot defend your self, or your family, do not crush the hand that protects you, by supporting gun control, gun registration or other programs that are designed to get the guns out of private ownership. For that consequence look to Britain - massive increase in violent crime, or Australia, massive increase in violent crime. Same with South Africa, and India - all those countries enforced gun control, taking firearms away from the people, and giving criminals free reign over defenseless victims.
Criminals like unarmed victims - remember that.
If you don't like guns, do not suggest we meet - I will have one on me when I shake your hand.
Theo
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'05 Cargo hauler gooseneck, carrying an '05 Jeep TJ, all hauled by an '05 C4500 Kodiak Truck
You know you are very right. Around here a few municipalites have taken it the stance that to even have a gun in your home is against the law. They have passed laws that make it illegal in town to even have it in your home. I feel these are WAY WAY unconstitutional. I know the anti gun lobby will say first that times were different when the constitution was written, but for starters the Consitutution has not been changed and secondly, although times have changed, I too feel folks that meet certain criteria should be allowed to at least have a weapon. Carrying fulltime would be nice, but the fact that some places are banning owning of a gun really is upsetting.
To go a bit further, Wilmette, IL has such a law on their books. Wilmette is a small northern suburb of Chicago. A man that lives in Wilmette was being robbed (and if I recall it was the second time). He caught the guy in the home (which he had already met 1 of the two criteria for leagally being able to shoot someone) and he feared for he and his family's lives. He took his gun (which he had let the registration expire) and shot the intruder. The intruder then stole the man's SUV and drove himself to the hosptial.
The town was considering pressing charges against the man for having a gun against the law in the town, but later decided not to and press a far much lesser of not having current registration.
Me I think they didn't press the issue for two reasons.
1) The laws are unconstitutional IMHO.
2) The guy had the means to fight it, where in the end I feel the town would have lost and would have cost the taxpayers a bunch of money since no doubt the gun owner would have sued to re-coup his costs too.
I have legally obtained a firearm and although I'm not as extreme to say you can pry it out of my cold dead hand, I do feel that the bad elements out there have them and they don't register them. How much worse could it be to have decent folks have them? Theo your comments are right on the money...I mean how do the states that have folks even carrying like Texas avoid the issues that some of the naysayers put up?
Me, I can't legally carry, and not sure I'd want to, but I do own one and do have it with me sometimes when I travel. I feel it's a priv, but also it's a right.
My wife and I traveled extensively out west a few years back and camped where we were the only people around for miles. I could have traveled with something more aggressive than a Swiss Army knife to ward off any evil-doers, but chose not to. I did give it alot of thought. We decided instead to bring lots of common sense, have a plan, and just plain trust in fate. To me, carrying the piece would mean that I personally felt insecure about a situation before it happened, and the whole idea of camping and traveling is to relax and not have to think about worse-case scenerios.
When your card is up, it's up.
I am no idiot. I know that people are attacked, robbed, abducted, raped and murdered all the time. And believe me, in my own home, if an intruder decided to come upstairs to our bedroom in the middle of the night while the alarm system is blairing, that person should have made funeral arrangements prior to their visit. Death not disable.
If you do feel the need to have a fireman with you when you travel, please know how to use it, take some sort of certified NRA coarse. It sounds like most of you know already.
One last note: At the June Rally in Illinois, those of you planning on attending, please leave your firearms at home. There will be lots of us there to protect each other. I would be real bummed if there was a hole through my wrap-around front window on my CCD from someone's tempermental Glock!
My wife and I will protect you!!! Death by sewer hose.....
Jonathan
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I'm out of my mind right now, but will be returning shortly......
Originally posted by crazylev
One last note: At the June Rally in Illinois, those of you planning on attending, please leave your firearms at home. There will be lots of us there to protect each other. I would be real bummed if there was a hole through my wrap-around front window on my CCD from someone's tempermental Glock!
My wife and I will protect you!!! Death by sewer hose.....
Jonathan
Kind of wishful thinkin', but I like the attempt...you can't get the sale unless you ask.
I suppose I'll just let you guess if I have it with or not. Don't ask, don't tell!
That is about the only thing I don't like about Canada, (other than the cold winter ) the only people that have guns here are the police and the gangs. That is what gun control does. I liked living in Arizona because you could wear a gun on your side downtown if you wanted to and a lot of people do in the smaller towns. Marvin
Persons who legally carry weapons in the civilian quarter do not generally negligently discharge weapons...
Certain police agencies, throughout this wonderful land do, however, have a very bad record of negligently discharged weapons - some so much, that regulations were drafted to ensure that they could not have a firearm prone to any negligent discharge..
Please notice the term NEGLIGENT.. There is NO such thing as an accidental shooting. My weapon has never gone off by itself, or leaped out of my holster and discharged. Nor has it been so loosely contained that others have grabbed it an shot themselves.. So, accidental discharge of a weapon is an oximoron. you cannot accidently shoot the thing, but you can negligently shoot the thing.
So... to restrict the persons historically more likely to have a problem with negligent shooting would be impossible - they could well be the local police force. Unless of course, the FBI was present, and being somewhat more silly than usual. I trust they have changed the practice of carrying their weapon on the seat of their cars.
Civilian discharge of firearms is extremely rare, if we take the criminally intent from the picture. The number of permit holders guilty of such behavior is extremely small, compared to the total of issued permits.
Though, If I attend that rally, I probably will not be carrying, as that particular state insists that I be on duty to carry there. (so I never go)
There are a couple of places like that..
Theo
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'05 Cargo hauler gooseneck, carrying an '05 Jeep TJ, all hauled by an '05 C4500 Kodiak Truck
I don't know if I carry a gun or not. If I don't know, how is that mugger or robber gonna know.
In Minnesota, you can carry a gun just about anywhere, either concealed or out in the open. You need a licence.
You can't carry it into a post office because that's federal propery. You can't carry it into a prison or correctional facility. You can't carry it into a school, but you can carry it in the parking lot.
You can't carry it into a private establishment that has a clearly posted sign. But if you do, they can't take it away. They just ask you to leave.
A week ago an upset patron left a bar, went home and got a gun (not licenced to carry), returned and shot up the place, killing an innocent bystander. An off-duty police officer standing six feet away left before the real police got there. Neither he nor any of the other patrons got off any shots. Maybe no-one bothered to bring their own guns.
I think the overall theme here is should folks have a gun. Carrying one is kind of a side topic and more than open to discussion. I feel everyone should at the very least have the right to own a gun, keep it in their cars, RV, homes, boats, etc in a leagal manner. For example. When in transport in a car, the ammo must be kept in a seperate location. Seems rather a waste, I'd agree, but hey, I'm working within the rules.
Out of curiosity, do you carry a weapon while traveling? If you do, what do you carry?
More than is carried by the entire armed forces of some third-world countries ...although a lot depends on where I am going, who I am going with, and local weapons laws. A careful search of my truck and trailer can reveal-
.38 snub-nose revolver
extra rounds
assorted knives
pepper spray
stun gun
ice pick
6-cell Maglite (billy club)
I have also been known to carry a .22 semi-automatic rifle and a 20 guage shotgun.
Not all of these are with me all the time, but there is always at least two implements of destruction in my truck, or my trailer.
Ya never know when those SOB owners are gonna turn on you...
Terry
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The carpeting is gone! The carpeting is gone! Long live the cork floor!
I am so glad sombody aimed a link at this thread, I read all of it, happily, and thought of the diverse opinions running warmly around the thread. for my qualification, I am a state licensed firearms instructor, with a history of military intelligence, and now an agent in a somewhat clandestine agency.
Don't ask, don't tell! 
) the only people that have guns here are the police and the gangs. That is what gun control does. I liked living in Arizona because you could wear a gun on your side downtown if you wanted to and a lot of people do in the smaller towns. Marvin
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