Concealed Handgun License

It always amazes me how some people are so anti-gun that they don't want people to be able to carry. Concealed carry is great but if licensed open carry we're allowed everywhere and peopled actually did carry, think how much crime would be averted. No one is going to rob a convenience store or go on a shooting spree if they see a couple people milling around with glocks on their hips. People shouldnt get distressed or upset if they see someone with a license to carry around them, they should feel safer knowing that it is a lot less likely any crimes or violence is going to be committed.
 
TangoWhiskey said:
OK, first of all, what's the "W" in CCW?

Andrew, I've found an instructor in Keller I intend to use; I'm thinking about getting my CC permit with my wife.

I need to start another thread and talk about how to pick that first handgun... what to stay away from, what to consider, etc. Or, just go up and visit with Joyce Wilson and purchase two of her fine firearms. ;-)
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Wow. I hate that I have missed most of this thread! Come on and visit! We can definitely show you a few options. I think CCW is really important now with unemployment and crime rising. The OW name your favorite town stuff scares the heck out of me. I try to stay on the ranch as much as possible. Just got back from NC scoping out the range and area where we will hold next years National Championship for IDPA. After you get your CCW permit, you need to try the sport and practice your gun handling/ self-defense type skills. Don't hesitate to pm me if you ever want more info! As an aside, if you need to travel commercial ( it was just too far and too quick of a trip for the 182 :-( ), Delta is really gun friendly!
 
The main reason I posted this thread, was an incident came up over the weekend, where I felt endangered for a short period of time (knife?). The situation was worked out without physical violence so nobody got hurt; However, I felt that if I HAD a gun, it would have been drawn PDQ.

I'm satisified with how it ended, but what if....

For those that carry, what has to happen for you to pull it out? Obviously, If i'm in an area, where I know 20 others who might not be on my side carry too, it might not be so wise to pull it out.
 
I am grateful I live where I do not think I will ever be required to pull it for my safety, But I have put 2 deer out of their misery from being hit by a car.

If our state police shoot there weapon there is a bunch of paper work to do. When I do it, theres nothing but the accident report.
 
ajstoner21 said:
The main reason I posted this thread, was an incident came up over the weekend, where I felt endangered for a short period of time (knife?). The situation was worked out without physical violence so nobody got hurt; However, I felt that if I HAD a gun, it would have been drawn PDQ.

I'm satisified with how it ended, but what if....

For those that carry, what has to happen for you to pull it out? Obviously, If i'm in an area, where I know 20 others who might not be on my side carry too, it might not be so wise to pull it out.
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Sorry to hear about your incident but glad it worked out.
99% of those that carry will never need to draw the weapon, in fact there are some pretty strict laws about when you can draw the weapon. I don't remember the exact wording but you must feel you are in imminent danger and fear for your life, if you pull just because someone is mouthing off or are angry, you will go to jail.
I'm in favor of only licensed carry, both open and concealed, and of course non-licensed carry in your "castle" or property.
Those that go through the process of getting licensed are all law abiding citizens and go through the background check to prove it. So I wouldn't be too worried about being around 20 other people that are carrying and being on the wrong side.

I've never had to pull my gun and hope I never do, but you'd be surprised how much more situationally aware you are when you are carrying. You are more alert when walking through parking lots and noticing people around you and what they might be up to, good or bad.

It's peace of mind... You don't need to be the biggest baddest guy on the block to be secure and you don't have to be intimidated by the biggest baddest guy either...

"god created man, mr. Colt made him equal"
 
dell30rb said:
loopholes?
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No age required to buy one.(Store policies are usually 18) No age requirement to carry one. No permit needed. Only catch is size, once sawnoff you need ATF special approval and the work needs to be done by a specialized gunsmith.
 
ajstoner21 said:
For those that carry, what has to happen for you to pull it out? Obviously, If i'm in an area, where I know 20 others who might not be on my side carry too, it might not be so wise to pull it out.
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Take a CCW course or two to get intimately aware of the ramifications. They are very strict about when you can draw a firearm. It better be your absolute last resort to avoid harm or death of you or your family. Avoid, and retreat is the absolute BEST course of action. If 20 others are carrying LEGALLY, you probably have nothing to worry about. If they are carrying illegally, all bets are off, and you best get out of there, or be prepared to defend yourself if they corner you.
 
jlwilson said:
Wow. I hate that I have missed most of this thread! Come on and visit! We can definitely show you a few options. I think CCW is really important now with unemployment and crime rising. The OW name your favorite town stuff scares the heck out of me. I try to stay on the ranch as much as possible. Just got back from NC scoping out the range and area where we will hold next years National Championship for IDPA. After you get your CCW permit, you need to try the sport and practice your gun handling/ self-defense type skills. Don't hesitate to pm me if you ever want more info! As an aside, if you need to travel commercial ( it was just too far and too quick of a trip for the 182 :-( ), Delta is really gun friendly!
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Thanks, Joyce! I'll take you up on the offer to visit! I'm in North Texas, so it wouldn't be far.

What do you mean about Delta?? Their checked-baggage policy for firearms?
 
Every bullet comes with a lawyer attached... Even if you have the CCW and you felt your life was threatened, pull that trigger and I can guarantee you will be in civil court hoping like hell that they will not get everything you own and half of your paycheck for the rest of your life..
And do not think that saying you felt threatened will get you a pass in criminal court... If you have a DA hungering to be Governor, you are going to be another notch in his belt...

Breaking and entering your house in the night time is another issue - but even here I urge that you call out to the guy you have a gun and to vamos out of there... Give him every chance and only if he shows a gun or comes at you, do you pull the trigger - and if it comes to that do not use some wimpy ass handgun... A 12 ga is the only polite way to handle the situation...

denny-o
 
ajstoner21 said:
Does anyone have one?

What are your thoughts about carrying?

For those that do, have you ever had to use it, or had a good or bad situation come out of it?

Just curious.
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I do..

My weapon is generally the same temperature as my body.

I've never used it for protection. Use it quite regularly to stay practiced. ~100rds a month or so.

Good out of it? I've gotten out of at least 3 tickets with the weapon sitting on my passenger seat..
 
Dr. O said:
Every bullet comes with a lawyer attached... Even if you have the CCW and you felt your life was threatened, pull that trigger and I can guarantee you will be in civil court hoping like hell that they will not get everything you own and half of your paycheck for the rest of your life..
And do not think that saying you felt threatened will get you a pass in criminal court... If you have a DA hungering to be Governor, you are going to be another notch in his belt...

Breaking and entering your house in the night time is another issue - but even here I urge that you call out to the guy you have a gun and to vamos out of there... Give him every chance and only if he shows a gun or comes at you, do you pull the trigger - and if it comes to that do not use some wimpy ass handgun... A 12 ga is the only polite way to handle the situation...

denny-o
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One good thing for PA is the expanded castle doctrine they recently added onto. If it is considered a good shoot, you are now immune from civil suits from the actor ( if they survive) and from the family . Now whether or not the DA like mentioned above is out for heads will be another story.



As for the 12ga , I'm thinking 1st round to be bean bag( less than lethal)
then follow up with buck/slug depending on how you stagger . (note no time frame between discharge) Then bases are covered :D
 
ajstoner21 said:
The main reason I posted this thread, was an incident came up over the weekend, where I felt endangered for a short period of time (knife?). The situation was worked out without physical violence so nobody got hurt; However, I felt that if I HAD a gun, it would have been drawn PDQ.
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What would have been the potential outcomes had you drawn a gun in the situation you encountered this past weekend ?
 
My initial thouht would be strong encouragement to put a knife away/get it away from me and ket me get away. But you all are absolutely right. Pulling a trigger would be bad. I would not want to have to justify my decision. Reading the comments I'm not sure id want to carry.
 
bigblockz8 said:
No age required to buy one.(Store policies are usually 18) No age requirement to carry one. No permit needed. Only catch is size, once sawnoff you need ATF special approval and the work needs to be done by a specialized gunsmith.
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Feds require you to be 18 to purchase long guns
 
ajstoner21 said:
My initial thouht would be strong encouragement to put a knife away/get it away from me and ket me get away. But you all are absolutely right. Pulling a trigger would be bad. I would not want to have to justify my decision. Reading the comments I'm not sure id want to carry.
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If you were carrying an a knife was pulled you run or shoot.

You have to keep distance from that blade. I don't know if you have a duty to retreat in Texas like some states, but if some gets close to you with a knife it's probably too late. Here in ohio we are taught NOT to pull the gun to persuade someone to drop the knife. We aren't cops we don't hold people at gun point. You shouldnt draw until you are justified to shoot and if you draw you should shoot. Te only reason i drew in the case I posted is it takes more time to clear te holster belted into the car, so i drew but kept it hidden below the windows.
 
ajstoner21 said:
Pulling a trigger would be bad.
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As an avid concealed carrier I agree. In fact, having to shoot someone is the second worst outcome I can imagine. There's only one worse outcome possible - having to watch helplessly while my loved ones are killed.

In the Luby's massacre in Killeen, TX Suzanna Hupp was unarmed while her parents were killed (she had left her gun in the car, in compliance with the state law of the time). I've met her and heard her tale in person. I don't ever want to feel the way she did that day. BTW - she went on to campaign for concealed carry law reform across the country and even became a Texas State Rep as a result of her political awakening.

I'd rather be broke and alive than dead and rich.
 
CCW all the way. Grendal .380 noisemaker in my pocket and a 1911 in the glove compartment.
In the house we have a 12ga. pump and a couple of .45's. If a burglar is still in the house after the "the owner is armed" call-out and the sound of a round being chambered then he is certified dumb enough to die.
This is Louisiana...guys have shot their wives out of tree stands and walked with the "I thought it was a deer" defence...




Chris
 
A good CCW course has the instructors advising the students time and again to avoid controversial situations at every opportunity. I've taken mine from its holster only once, when a car passed me, then stopped abruptly sideways in the middle of the road. The gun was being retrieved as I made a quick u-turn. I took an alternate route but never figured out what was up with the other car.

Just a few months ago I was at my son's football practice when one of the parents started wailing on his wife's face. My right hand couldn't have moved any faster....to my phone to call 911. The instructors also drilled into us that we are not the police, and unless someone's life is in danger to keep our hands off our guns. And not getting involved in another family's domestic dispute was specifically mentioned.
 
Dr. O said:
Every bullet comes with a lawyer attached... Even if you have the CCW and you felt your life was threatened, pull that trigger and I can guarantee you will be in civil court hoping like hell that they will not get everything you own and half of your paycheck for the rest of your life..
And do not think that saying you felt threatened will get you a pass in criminal court... If you have a DA hungering to be Governor, you are going to be another notch in his belt...

Breaking and entering your house in the night time is another issue - but even here I urge that you call out to the guy you have a gun and to vamos out of there... Give him every chance and only if he shows a gun or comes at you, do you pull the trigger - and if it comes to that do not use some wimpy ass handgun... A 12 ga is the only polite way to handle the situation...

denny-o
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Texas chl laws are a little more friendly toward the carrier I would guess. If you show that your were afraid for your life or serious bodily harm it is a "defense to prosecution"
One of the videos I watched in class showed a real life occurrence of a man at a gas station swing a plastic trash can lid at another man, the man being attacked pull his gun and killed the other. He was not prosecuted. Was he in actual fear for his life? Who knows... Was he justified in the shooting? Technically yes, he was not prosecuted. Was it an ethical shooting? No, but the laws in Texas are more black an white. So if you play by the rules in Texas and you have to use your gun, you should be pretty safe.
 
ajstoner21 said:
My initial thouht would be strong encouragement to put a knife away/get it away from me and ket me get away. But you all are absolutely right. Pulling a trigger would be bad. I would not want to have to justify my decision. Reading the comments I'm not sure id want to carry.
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You don't pull the gun without pulling the trigger.

It is an absolute last resort.

Pulling it as a show of force is bad mojo.
 
In Texas, the "defense to prosecution" extends to civil court as well. If in the eyes of the law, the shooting was justified, you cannot be prosecuted in criminal or civil court.
 
How do you guys feel about carrying a survival firearm in the aircraft when you're flying over wilderness?
 
ajstoner21 said:
My initial thouht would be strong encouragement to put a knife away/get it away from me and ket me get away. But you all are absolutely right. Pulling a trigger would be bad. I would not want to have to justify my decision.
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Well, actually drawing could have changed a situation that ended well into one that ended less well. Potential outcome trees:
  1. passerby calls police about 'man with a gun', the aggressor is gone by the time to police arrives and you are the one who has to explain himself with only your word to back up your version of events. --> probably good outcome, spend $8000 on defense.
  2. knife-man is unimpressed, continues to advance --> :
    1. You dont shoot, you get hurt --> bad outcome
    2. You shoot, you hit --> good outcome
    3. You shoot, you miss and hit a bystander --> bad outcome
    4. You get into a physical altercation with the aggressor both get somewhat hurt --> both in jail for fighting and disturbing the peace. good outcome ?
  3. about 12 other ways this can end.
Just think through all the scenarios, get training, get some more training, decide whether it is right for you. Get the books by Massad Ayoob, read them, then read them again.

This is from a blog comment about a shooting ultimately determined justified (after a jury trial and after the shooter spent a single family homes worth on criminal defense):

I think when a lot of folks imagine using a gun in self-defense, they think of the mugger, pistol in hand, neatly spread out on the sidewalk, with the police arriving knowing exactly who is the good guy and who is the bad guy. Real life is almost never that clear cut.
 
$150,000 minimum is what I've been told, is what it will cost if you use the gun well.
 
weilke said:
I think when a lot of folks imagine using a gun in self-defense, they think of the mugger, pistol in hand, neatly spread out on the sidewalk, with the police arriving knowing exactly who is the good guy and who is the bad guy. Real life is almost never that clear cut.
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The course I took was taught by LEO and military instructors and one portion was an hour-long video presentation by a well-known attorney. One piece of advice he gave was that if you're involved in a situation to place the gun on the ground prior to police arriving and then not answer any questions beyond your name until you have an attorney present. Don't explain how you were attacked and were defending yourself. Keep your mouth shut.

He said, only partly in jest, that even if you've done nothing wrong and your actions were clearly self-defense, that you're going to need a 55-gallon drum filled with cash to bring to his office. And if there's any doubt at all you're going to need multiple drums. And this is the guy primarily responsible for our state having CCW. (we didn't until just a few years ago)
 
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BellyUpFish said:
You don't pull the gun without pulling the trigger.

It is an absolute last resort.

Pulling it as a show of force is bad mojo.
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Bingo.

This thread has made me think about 'carrying' and under what scenario would I pull. I think my fil's advice of "They shouldn't know you have a gun until they see the muzzle flash" is pretty good advice. As already mentioned, if you pull as a 'sign of strength', you have added fuel to an already raging fire and could force the person at the business end of the barrel to a higher level of desparation.

Also, I would suggest that if you are not willing to shoot to kill, you should not have a weapon. If you're not willing to pull the trigger on a death shot, you will hesitate, which could provide the attacker with enough time to arm him/herself with your weapon. Not saying you have to take a 'kill' shot every time, but the unwillingness to make a kill shot when necessary would be a bad situation to be in with an attacker that just won't stop coming at you.

Just my .02. This thread has really made me think about whether or not I want/need a CCW and these are the thoughts I came up with.
 
Gerhardt said:
The course I took was taught by LEO and military instructors and one portion was an hour-long video presentation by a well-known attorney. One piece of advice he gave was that if you're involved in a situation to place the gun on the ground prior to police arriving and then not answer any questions beyond your name until you have an attorney present. Don't explain how you were attacked and were defending yourself. Keep your mouth shut.
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If police officers are involved in a shooting, in most departments they are allowed to not talk about it to internal affairs etc. for 24hrs. At that point, the adrenaline has dissipated, they have been set up with a lawyer by their union and will be able to not worsen their case by talking.

I believe that it is a good idea for a private individual to reserve the same rights. Granted, it may mean a night in a jail cell, but as 'nobody has ever talked themselves out of an arrest' whether you talk or not will not make a difference on that count either.

If you carry, make sure you have everything set up that you can contact your attorney with a single local area or 800 number call.

He said, only partly in jest, that even if you've done nothing wrong and your actions were clearly self-defense, that you're going to need a 55-gallon drum filled with cash to bring to his office. And if there's any doubt at all you're going to need multiple drums. And this is the guy primarily responsible for our state having CCW. (we didn't until just a few years ago)
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Yeah, those 55gal drums can come in handy for a number of things. If you shoot someone in your home, you also need about 12 bags of quick-crete as an alternative way of dealing with the situation......;)
 
We were taught that all you told the police is you wanted to file charges against the person you shot. Te idea being to become the victim rather than the assailant
 
CJones said:
Bingo.

This thread has made me think about 'carrying' and under what scenario would I pull. I think my fil's advice of "They shouldn't know you have a gun until they see the muzzle flash"
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This is good advice. Rarely does pulling the gun as a deterrent work out well for anyone.

My roomate has his CCW and took a class given by a LEO, this was the advice he was given. I was surprised a bit at first, but thinking it over makes sense from a legal and personal safety standpoint. The instructor taught never to use as a deterrent. If you are truly in a situation that justifies pulling out your gun, pull it and shoot to kill. Otherwise keep it in the holster.
 
Long before any of this ninny-carry stuff was conjured up, carrying a piece wasn't a big deal. Many people had military of LEO side-arm training, and many others simply grew up with guns and knew how to use them. It was so common to have a revolver tucked under the seat (right next to the tire tool) that nobody even talked about it.

I had to pull a gun once at age 21, when two thugs flipped their switch-blades and I felt that it was necessary to re-level the playing field. I've never been as scared before or since, and hope that I never feel compelled to do it again. Having been through the experience, however, I also know that under such circumstances it's far better to have a gun you don't need than to need a gun you don't have.
 
Hiperbiper said:
...This is Louisiana...guys have shot their wives out of tree stands and walked with the "I thought it was a deer" defence..
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What's she doing in a deer stand, anyway? She should be in the kitchen makin' up a sammich... :rofl:
 
Old Geek said:
How do you guys feel about carrying a survival firearm in the aircraft when you're flying over wilderness?
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My fear with that is I am too damn close to NJ and MD. Being a student , and probably will make student mistakes , my luck I would get lost , low on fuel and land in one of those communist states. :yikes:
 
I have never participated in one yet, but since I believe it was mentioned somewhere earlier in the thread , doing some IDPA shoots seems like it could definitely assist with draws and target acquisition ( friend/foe) for defensive situations.
 
cavmedic said:
My fear with that is I am too damn close to NJ and MD. Being a student , and probably will make student mistakes , my luck I would get lost , low on fuel and land in one of those communist states. :yikes:
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Carry a long-gun customarily used for hunting, no issue in either state. Some limits on magazine capacity and types of ammo apply.

(otoh, what are you trying to survive from. bear attack? enraged locals trying to lynch you for the crop damage? On the east coast, if you are healthy enough to go hunting for food, you are healthy enough to walk to the next gas-station to buy yourself some food. it's not alaska)
 
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