Fire Extinguisher

I got my first CCW in Pittsburgh just after I graduated from college, after I witnessed a fatal shooting on the sidewlk in front of me. At the time I was playing in a band, was often in rough parts of town with lots of cash after getting paid for gigs and with a van full of expensive music gear.

When I moved to VA, they had just passed their first shall-issue CCW law a few weeks earlier and wouldn't accept my PA permit. So I had to jump through all their silly hoops and got one of the first permits there under the new law. In VA having a CCW exempts you from their BS gun rationing law.

Yes, I am always armed. Unless I'm wearing gym shorts on my bike on the way to the gym, I am always carrying. I'll never let myself become dependent on other for my personal security.

<----subject of california They won't let "us" have ccw

I carry a Kahr PM40 with night sights. It weighs 14 oz and is chambered for 40 S&W. Its a lot of power in a very small gun. Its easy to carry no matter what the season; shorts to slacks. Be ready for snappy recoil.

Troy

It's funny, I've never been that interested in handguns. My dad was a cop until I was 4 or 5 and always had a couple of guns around the house. He even did reloading for a couple of years when I was about 12 or 13. I'd never fired one of his guns. I've had bb or pellet guns since I was around 12 or 13, but that's it. I've always enjoyed shooting them and was a good shot.

We've got 3 guns that have been in the house for years, but no bullets or anything. They've just always been in a box someplace taking up space. About a week or so ago, I got curious about them. Since I started looking at them, I decided to get my own gun.

If I have a gun, and live in a gun friendly state with a fairly easy to get CCW license, I may as well get the license even if I don't carry, but I think I will probably carry. It seems crazy to have the gun and license to carry it, but not carry it.

I've never felt afraid (well, one time I was in a REALLY scary part of town, didn't stop for stop signs and left ASAP, but that was accidental). I live in an area where I've forgotten the car in the driveway with the windows down over-night. We've left the house unlocked (accidentally), and I've seen kids bicycles laying out in front yards night after night after night. It's a pretty safe place.

I really enjoyed shooting redbeard's guns this past Saturday.

Now I just have to decide what gun I want, buy it, and get my CHL (which apparently is taking anywhere from 3-6 months in Texas right now).

Fanny pack SmileWavy

I carry a Keltec .380 when I'm just wearing shorts and a t-shirt because it's small and light. It's actually very accurate too. Every time I shoot I bring it along to throw a few rounds through it. From about 20' I'll put every round in a 6" diameter. While I'm sure other "better" guns and shooters can do better I feel 6" will still land every shot on an enemy. I've never had a round stick either. Otherwise, I carry a Glock .40 caliber.

I will never ever wear a fanny pack. My gym is small and you need key fob to enter. But I don't let a gun out of my sight when I take it out of the house and my gym has only cubby holes, no lockers.

Crap, I get worried when my groupings get bigger than 2" at 30 feet. ;)

LOL, I wouldn't want all of the rounds going through the same hole if I had to defend myself. The first round would create the major impact and the others would just punch through. I want each one to create an impact zone. ;)

Carrying involves some inconvenience, especially if you're carrying a full-size pistol. If you objectively look at the probability of becoming a violent crime victim during your daily routine, you'll probably find it is tiny, I mean like "winning the lottery" style odds. For example, if you work in a downtown office complex, look up the number of violent crimes in that area over the past five years and compare to the number of person/days in that same area of the same period - that sort of methodology - you'll see that your chance of becoming a violent crime victim in the places that you normally go are miniscule. From a strictly objective point of view, it is pretty hard to justify the need to go around armed all the time, for most of us.

Nevertheless, I have a CHL. Because it is nice to have the option, and because the more people who have CHLs, the less likely the government will try to restrict CHLs or gun rights more generally. And I do sometimes carry. Because you do occasionally go to places that are a bit dodgier than you'd like. And I have guns. Because I like them, they are fun to shoot, and you never know, someday the S may H the F after all.

I look at it as insurance. I hate paying the premiums for insurance but I'm sure happy when I need it. Sometimes I don't like having the weight of the gun but I'll be very happy to have it if I ever need it.

Right, like I said, I'm pretty much never afraid of something happening, and I've never seen or been close to an event. I guess if I got out a bunch on Fri and Sat nights, my odds might go up, but I don't much. I'm not sure that I will end up carrying, but I think there's a good chance.

I like the fact that Texas has reciprocity agreements with pretty much the whole southeast US. That means that when I drive from Houston to my mother's in Florida, I can CC during the trip.

We've got the right to have "arms". May as well exercise it.

Steve, you'll need a Florida permit (issued to non resident) not just your TX permit to carry in FL.

Not quite.

(6) These states issue concealed carry licenses to qualified individuals who are non-residents. These non-resident permits cannot be honored under Florida's reciprocity provision.

Texas issues permits to non-Texas residents. These are not honored by Florida.


http://licgweb.doacs.state.fl.us/news/concealed_carry.html

But Florida issues non-resident permits to non-residents allowing someone from out of state to carry in FL. Thats what I'm talking about.

My $.02, I carry a Rugar KP90 in 45acp. Not the smallest thing on the planet but neither am I. Nothing better that having a hand cannon when you need it. I only had to pull it one time and didn't have to fire a shot, Of that I am glad. OOOOOOOOOOOOh My dad also reloads my stuff so it is hot as hell. The wife has a Smith Sigma, in 9mm. I hate that gun, I can't hit the floor with that thing but don't let her draw a bead on ya. Hers isn't a small gun but she has a huge purse, and will have the gun in the console of the car where it can be had quick. Too bad we even live in a world where we are having this conversation.

Depends on which lottery you're using. Here in Houston:

In 2007 there were 351 murders out of 2.2 million population. This is about 1:6300 odds, much much better odds than hitting most lotteries.

Adding the numbers for Rape, Assault and Personal Robbery, aka violent crime, the recorded crimes were 24564 in 2007. The odds then become 1:90. And this is PER YEAR.

Look up your own data here: www.city-data.com

No need. A Texas permit is good in Florida.

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/administration/crime_records/chl/reciprocity.htm

The non-resident permits would allow a California resident without a permit to carry in Florida, and some other states. Many states do not honor reciprocity agreements for non-resident permits. TX also issues non-resident permits. A non-resident TX permit would not be honored in Florida.

Texas has Reciprocity agreements with 27 other states including FL

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/administration/crime_records/chl/reciprocity.htm

Reciprocal States

* Alabama (PDF) (08-08-2006)
* Alabama Recognition (PDF)
o See note below (08-08-2006)
* Alaska (PDF) (09-26-2005)
* Arizona (09-15-1999)
* Arkansas (02-19-1998)
* Colorado-Original Agreement (PDF) (12-29-2004)
* Colorado ** (PDF) (06-20-2007)
o Updated Agreement Information
* Delaware (PDF) (11-01-2005)
* Florida (08-28-2000)
* Georgia (PDF) (11-22-2004)
* Idaho (PDF) (08-09-2004)
* Indiana (PDF) (11-02-2005)
* Kansas * (PDF) (01-30-2007)
o See note below
* Kentucky (08-30-2000)
* Louisiana (08-31-1998)
* Michigan * (PDF) (09-01-2005)
o See note below
* Mississippi (PDF) (09-07-2004)
* Missouri (PDF) (09-06-2005)
o See note below
* Montana (PDF) (11-29-2004)
* New Mexico (PDF) (11-30-2005)
o See note below
* North Carolina (04-19-2004)
* North Dakota (PDF) (02-04-2005)
* Oklahoma (07-24-1998)
* Pennsylvania (PDF) (02-28-2005)
* South Carolina (PDF) (02-25-2005)
* South Dakota (PDF) (09-06-2005)
o See note below
* Tennessee (08-30-2000)
* Utah (PDF) (09-03-2004)
* Wyoming (07-25-2002)


Unilateral States
For these states, you can come to TX, but we can't take our guns to your state.

* California (PDF) (11-18-2005)
o Unilateral Proclamation
* Connecticut (PDF) (05-04-2005)
o Unilateral Proclamation
* Hawaii (PDF) (01-13-2006)
o Unilateral Proclamation
* Iowa (PDF) (04-14-2005)
o Unilateral Proclamation
* Maryland (PDF) (11-18-2005)
o Unilateral Proclamation
* Massachusetts (PDF) (11-18-2005)
o Unilateral Proclamation
* Nebraska (PDF) (02-16-2007)
o Unilateral Proclamation
* Nevada (PDF) (03-24-2005)
o Unilateral Proclamation
* New Jersey (PDF) (11-18-2005)
o Unilateral Proclamation
* New York (PDF) (01-13-2006)
o Unilateral Proclamation
* Rhode Island (PDF) (01-13-2006)
o Unilateral Proclamation
* Washington (PDF) (11-18-2005)
o Unilateral Proclamation

when the reciprocal CCW law does pass for all 48 states . i guarrantee a very quick dip in CRIME!


bad guys will no longer feel its easy pickins anywhere!


and thats a DAMN GOOD THANG!

I stand corrected on TX in FL.

The rate of violent crime is quite skewed by location and demographic.

Here is just one example: the rate of violent crime is 3X higher in metro arears than in the suburbs. Houston is the same as the national average - a 3X difference. http://www.demographia.com/db-crimev99.htm

In some cities, you can look up the crime statistics down to the neigborhood level.

For example, in my current neighborhood, for instance, there has been 1 possible homicide in the past 5 years. I didn't look back 5 years for rape, but there have been zero in the past year. Also zero assaults. 5K population. So, based on that one possible homicide, you get 0.0040% annual chance of being a homicide victim in this neighborhood. As in, over 90 years, a 0.36% chance of being a homicide victim. I think I'll have died of something else by then.

In my previous neighborhood in California, there were two homicides in the past 5 years (one in 2005 and one in 2006). Appx 22K population. 0.0018% annual chance of being a homicide victim there.

I don't feel any need to be armed in such places.

In some other neighborhoods, or if I indulged in certain behaviour or were in some particular occupations, I would feel quite differently. But I don't think most of us are in that situation. sniper is probably the exception, I see why he packs.

Phoenix has horrendous violent crime stats. But if you don't associate with Mexican drug cartels and human smuggling rings, you're pretty safe. We do tend to have several justified shoots of home invasion perps per year. I guess they'll never learn.

home invasions=TARGET PRACTICE and new drywall..............

I carried my Sig P239 in 9mm last weekend driving to/from Porsches 2 Oxford and while I was there. Nobody saw it and it is easily concealed under a heavy t-shirt with an IWB cross-draw holster (DeSantis).

OK, using your 3x numbers, that is about 1 chance in 300 of being the victim of a crime per year. That is probably better odds than my house catching fire. No one gives me crap for having a few fire extinguishers around.

Do I feel unsafe? No. Do I think my house is going to catch fire? No. Just better safe/protected, than wishing I has the right tool, when it isn't there.

Former Washington Governor Gary Locke had a reciprocity bill on his desk at least twice, maybe three times, and vetoed it every time. He also had a couple of range protection acts on his desk to sign, and vetoed them as well. The current wicked witch of King County shows little promise in this arena, either. Thank God for the Washington State Constitution; it's worded even more clearly than the 2nd Amendment with regard to the right to keep and bear arms.

Nothing because i am living in Shanghai.

Being here, i realize more now that our rights to bare arms is less about self defense against thugs but more about keeping our government in check when necessary.