How often do you carry

[SlowBurn]

Yes, of course I've considered all that. But I play the odds, that's what we do in life. I ride motorcycles, I even crashed a few times, but I do it. Risk is part of life.

As for not expecting to be attacked by another human, you are correct, I don't. I never have and probably never will be attacked. That's a chance I'll take, to live my life the way I choose.

Having to strap on, carry, secure, worry about my gun for a 25 minute commute to work? Why? I can't take it in work, the ride to work is through quiet, low crime suburbs, so again, why.

There are so many ways we can die unexpectedly...getting attacked and shot is so very low on the list.

Later,
Bob

Everyone has to balance the risk/benefit scale for themselves. One of the beauties of the rtba and concealed carry is you don't know who is healed and who isn't. Gun free zones are so dangerous in the absence of armed security and metal detectors because crazies KNOW everyone is disarmed. So even though you don't often carry its great you have the license -keeps the numbers up and the bad guys guessing. Plus when you do want a gun handy, you're legal.

[deadeye]

I have car insurance, and I have house insurance. Wasted a lot of money through the years. Never needed either. Of course the years I haven't needed them don't count. The one I do will count big.
To each his own.

[TD2K]

Tom Givens of Rangemaster in Memphis has trained thousands of students. He keeps track of student involved shootings, and has a presentation with stats on number of rounds fired, distance, etc.

To date, he has had 67 students involved in a violent encounter where shots were fired. The record is 65 wins, 0 losses, 2 forfeits. The 2 forfeits were not carrying a gun, and they aren't alive to explain why they were not carrying.

Any time I even CONSIDER leaving the house unarmed (I'm just running to the store for a loaf of bread, I don't want to gear back up just for that, I'll only be gone 5 minutes, etc) a little voice in my head (which sounds a LOT like Tom's voice), says "Don't be number three!". That does the trick.

It's your choice, obviously, but I'm not taking any chances. I work in a pretty rough area of town and I'm here first to unlock every morning. I've had to use my car insurance and my house insurance more than once. I'm glad I had them both. I treat this the same.

[TD2K]

Bad guy isn't gonna call you one morning and tell you "hey, I'm gonna try to kill you about 2:00 this afternoon at the 7-11, you best take your gun".

Just like I didn't think on my way home from work back in 2005 that I would cross over the center line of the interstate and hit a semi truck head on. Sure was glad I had insurance, did $76,000 damage to the semi and totaled my car. Plus all the medical bills I racked up. But, I'm here, so I'm thankful.

[Alfonse]

Tom Givens of Rangemaster in Memphis has trained thousands of students. He keeps track of student involved shootings, and has a presentation with stats on number of rounds fired, distance, etc.

To date, he has had 67 students involved in a violent encounter where shots were fired. The record is 65 wins, 0 losses, 2 forfeits. The 2 forfeits were not carrying a gun, and they aren't alive to explain why they were not carrying.

I love statistics, most of the time. Do you know the total number of students that he kept track of that the 67 is the subset that were involved in a violent encounter with shots fired? Just curious!

[TD2K]

I know it was tens of thousands. He owned a public range in Memphis for about 20 years. He knows the number, but I do not.

65 came back to him and told him what happened, he has them all documented. He knows of 2 that were killed, and that they did not have their gun.

I will try to find out more numbers from him.

[Alfonse]

Thanks. Those are great numbers for some perspective.

[Bob T]

Sorry, can't visit this site at work...(seriously, guns bad, don't ya know), so I just got caught up.

Everyone has to balance the risk/benefit scale for themselves. One of the beauties of the rtba and concealed carry is you don't know who is healed and who isn't. Gun free zones are so dangerous in the absence of armed security and metal detectors because crazies KNOW everyone is disarmed. So even though you don't often carry its great you have the license -keeps the numbers up and the bad guys guessing. Plus when you do want a gun handy, you're legal.

SlowBurn, thanks! I think you get what I am sayin'

I will be wearin' a gun Saturday...At a local Steel Plate Match!

Bob

[Longitude Zero]

Statistics means whatever the person quoting them wants them to mean. In other words they are meaningless. As to the OP I carry 100% of time when out of the house.

[Planedude]

I picked 75% as I do not and can not carry at (or even near) work. The company has fired folks for having ammo (no gun) locked in the trunk of their car.
I need my job...
Other than that its 96.75%, accounting for places posed Texas legal 30.06. That don't make me comfy in those places, just legal.
Interesting thread!

[Barth]

I teach a lot of conceal carry classes, and when I see former students out and about I always ask if they are carrying. I'm a bit surprised how many of them aren't. I'm curious how many of you carry daily (where legally permitted of course).

If not, why not?

Edit: for clarity, I'm asking about when you are outside of your own house

Everyday that ends in "Y" - LOL.
I've got friends that ask why I carry all the time?
If I had a crystal ball that could tell me the exact time and place I would be attacked?
I'd only carry then.
But since there's no way of knowing that.
I carry whenever I'm allowed to do so.

Barth

[TD2K]

Here is a link to a podcast where Tom talks about his students that have been involved in shootings. This was 2 years ago, so the numbers are a bit lower than what I quoted above (65 wins to date). I've heard this presentation live about 6 times from Tom, it never gets old. The first time I heard it, I immediately changed some things in my training/carrying. Very eye opening experience for me.

http://ballisticradio.com/2013/05/14...0-may-12-2013/

[Harrylee]

Good info, gives you some other thoughts on your daily or weekly practice. Thanks for posting it

[SlowBurn]

SlowBurn, thanks! I think you get what I am sayin'

I will be wearin' a gun Saturday...At a local Steel Plate Match!

Bob

I sympathize with your choice. My current lifestyle also puts me at very low risk. I've had a permit forever but left my G17 pretty much in the vehicle (still do actually.) Then micro 380s came out few years ago. That shifted the balance for me and now I pocket carry because its relatively convenient. The biggest downside is giving up my favorite pocket.

[jocko]

I teach a lot of conceal carry classes, and when I see former students out and about I always ask if they are carrying. I'm a bit surprised how many of them aren't. I'm curious how many of you carry daily (where legally permitted of course).

If not, why not?

Edit: for clarity, I'm asking about when you are outside of your own house

that doesn't surprise me. Many take the class to learn the basics, which is great. The decision to carry IMO is a big resonsibilty that some maybe do not want to accept. Not sure of the ages of the people on this forum, but my thoughts are that many of us are retired people, who have been there done that and not going into work every day and having to stick the gun in thge glove department cause it is maybe not allowed on the work grounds etc. It would be very interesting to even know the age brackets of forum members. My et is tha tthe 20-35 people are very few. They arent that interest in gun forums, or guns in general. Alot of younger people are struggling to make ends meet, let along buying a 500$+ gun and ammo etc and getting fully trained etc. Just my thoughts on this. My son who is 27 likes to kthink he is a gun person, he has a lifetime permit that I basicaly forced him to get, He has some of kmy semi's, locked in his fokking safe. He has not shot in 5 years, unless I come down to se ehim and say lets go shooting. It is not a priority with him. I hope that someday, when he gets better settled that he will at least carry it in his vehicle.


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