Your two cents about daily carry?

Jul 2011
40
0
La Center, WA
I'm just looking for your guys' two cents on daily carry, concealed or otherwise. I mentioned before that I'm about as liberal as they come - with the exception of gun laws, gun control, etc.

I'm ambivalent when it comes to this topic. I do have my concealed carry license, but I have yet to carry in public. On one hand it seems impractical, on the other hand it seems necessary. I found this somewhere on the internet, just thought I'd share.

I don’t carry a gun to scare people, I carry a gun because sometimes this world can be a scary place

I don’t carry a gun because I’m paranoid, I carry a gun because there are real threats in the world.

I don’t carry a gun because I’m evil. I carry a gun because I have lived long enough to see the evil in the world.

I don’t carry a gun because I hate the government. I carry a gun because I understand the limitations of government.

I don’t carry a gun because I’m angry. I carry a gun so that I don’t have to spend the rest of my life hating myself for failing to be prepared.

I don’t carry a gun because I want to shoot someone. I carry a gun because I want to die at a ripe old age in my bed, and not on a sidewalk somewhere tomorrow afternoon.

I don’t carry a gun because I am a cowboy. I carry a gun because, when I die and go to heaven, I want to be a cowboy.

I don’t carry a gun to make me feel like a man. I carry a gun because men know how to take care of themselves and the ones they love.

I don’t carry a gun because I feel inadequate. I carry a gun because unarmed and facing three armed thugs, I am inadequate.

I don’t carry a gun because I love it. I carry a gun because I love life and the people who make it meaningful to me.

Police protection is an oxymoron. Free citizens must protect themselves.
Police do not protect you from crime, they usually just investigate the crime after it happens and then callsomeone in to clean up the mess.

Also, when you carry publicly, do you carry with a magazine in, and one in the chamber? Or just a magazine in and not one in the chamber? I'm asking because I'm not sure I trust the safety on my Taurus :redface:
 
Jan 2009
870
0
Lynnwood, WA
if I have my pistol on me, it's loaded.

there's nothing an empty gun can do for you.


I'd never carry (for protection) a gun I didn't trust with my life.
 
Jan 2009
745
0
Dri-Shities
Also, when you carry publicly, do you carry with a magazine in, and one in the chamber? Or just a magazine in and not one in the chamber? I'm asking because I'm not sure I trust the safety on my Taurus :redface:

Why do you need a manual safety on a personal protection weapon? You want to pull the trigger & have it fire when you are in a life or death situation, not be fumbling with a safety.

Same thing goes for carrying with one in the chamber. When your life is at risk, do you really want to have to rack a round?

The majority of the time when I carry, I carry an XDm "no manual safety" with one in the pipe. If I ever have to draw on someone, I want to be the one that goes home when all is said & done.
 
Mar 2011
39
0
US
my favorite, airweight 38, takes +P ammo, hammerless (DA only) and easy to carry iwb, or even in pocket, with an in pocket holster.

(always have a round in each chamber, the safety is the person carrying it)
 
Jan 2009
227
0
Seattle
I ALWAYS carry when I'm outside my house (where its legal of course). A lot of times I'm carrying inside my house too.

I have been carrying concealed every day for 22 years. I ALWAYS carry fully loaded with one in the chamber.

I used to carry a Beretta 92F Compact. I would carry it with one in the chamber and the safety OFF. I want my gun to fire by just pulling the trigger, I don't want to mess with safeties or racking it to chamber a round when I need it to save my life. I now carry a XD9 that I also use in IDPA and USPSA competitions. I also carry 2 extra magazines on me. Just because you never know...
 
Jul 2011
40
0
La Center, WA
Well I suppose it's obvious I'm new to all this!

When I purchased my Taurus, I had not intended to use it as a daily carry weapon, but now that I have my concealed carry license and it's all I have at the moment, I guess it'll have to do.

I never even thought about not having a manual safety on a daily carry weapon. DUH.
 
May 2011
288
0
NW Quadrant WA State
The main safety device on your pistol is your finger. Keep it off the trigger until you want to shoot and your firearm is as safe as can be.

An unloaded firearm is merely a club. If that's all you want to carry, get a baseball bat. They're cheaper.

Lastly, a firearm safely stored at home can't help you when you are out in public, where you are more likely to be assaulted, robbed, mugged, or whatever. If self protection was your goal when you purchased your pistol than it needs to be carried on your self.
 
Jan 2009
845
0
Renton, WA
Why do you need a manual safety on a personal protection weapon? You want to pull the trigger & have it fire when you are in a life or death situation, not be fumbling with a safety.

So a 1911 isn't a good personal protection weapon?? It has a manual safety and you'd be nuts to carry it with one in the pipe and the safety off. It's all about learning your weapon's manual of arms and practicing til the muscle memory is there and swiping that safety off is automatic, you don't even think about it. This does require more practice/training for the shooter though.
Same thing goes for carrying with one in the chamber. When your life is at risk, do you really want to have to rack a round?

Personally I agree with this, but for example the Israelis train to NOT keep one in the pipe and draw and rack the slide every time. The logic behind it is that method ALWAYS works regardless of the action type of the pistol. With practice, this can be pretty much as fast as a straight draw. But there is the obvious caveat that if your weak hand is immobilized or otherwise doing something else, you're going to have to rack the slide off your body or something else, which is a lot tougher.

The majority of the time when I carry, I carry an XDm "no manual safety" with one in the pipe. If I ever have to draw on someone, I want to be the one that goes home when all is said & done.

I also prefer striker-fired pistols for defense, and have several XDs and an XDm. My first was my old Gen2 Glock 19, which I still have but is now retired. I like the fact that they are simple, no muss no fuss to get into action, and always go bang.


But back to the OP, that is really a personal decision. There are many that say if you're going to carry, you should *always* carry. And I do understand and agree with the logic behind that. However, you have to balance that with your lifestyle etc. For example, I work in IT, and often onsite at my clients, sometimes crawling under desks etc. I would have a very hard time keeping a concealed gun concealed. So I weigh the chances of me needing a gun (low, but as they say, you never know) vs the chances of me being 'made' for carrying (pretty high) and that I'd probably lose my job if I client saw my gun and freaked out about it. I also live in a decent neighborhood that doesn't have a lot of crime. If I lived somewhere else, I might think very different and carry all the time.

So I chose not to carry 24/7. There is always a loaded gun in my nightstand. Anytime I'm traveling, camping, or just out in the woods or out and about I carry. I also carry a small pocket knife all the time. It's more of a tool than a weapon, but if it came down to it, it beats bare hands.
 
May 2011
288
0
NW Quadrant WA State
Personally I agree with this, but for example the Israelis train to NOT keep one in the pipe and draw and rack the slide every time. The logic behind it is that method ALWAYS works regardless of the action type of the pistol. With practice, this can be pretty much as fast as a straight draw. But there is the obvious caveat that if your weak hand is immobilized or otherwise doing something else, you're going to have to rack the slide off your body or something else, which is a lot tougher.

The "Israeli Slingshot" method of carry was dictated by the varied pieces of crap they purchased over the years out of necessity. It at least overcame the issue of the marginal safety these weapons possessed.

In the United States and Canada, the term Israeli method is generally believed to refer to the carrying of a semi-automatic pistol with its chamber empty. However, the carrying of the chamber empty served a safety consideration, rather than a tactical consideration. In past decades, due to severe budget constraints, the IDF purchased and issued large quantities of antiquated side arms, the mechanical safety of which was questionable. In recent decades, as budget concerns are increasingly alleviated and more modern, standardized side arms are issued, this mode of carry is increasingly being phased out. It should also be noted that specialized personnel, such as police and special forces units, have typically carried newer and safer firearms, and have rarely used this mode of carry.


This method is no longer required with the IMI built pistols as well as the Glock , Sig, and Browning HP variants they now issue.
 
Jan 2009
845
0
Renton, WA
The "Israeli Slingshot" method of carry was dictated by the varied pieces of crap they purchased over the years out of necessity. It at least overcame the issue of the marginal safety these weapons possessed.

This method is no longer required with the IMI built pistols as well as the Glock , Sig, and Browning HP variants they now issue.

Interesting. I never heard ths 'shoddy equipment' part, but that makes total sense. I trust a quality 1911 safety, but some crappy no-name knockoff? Prolly not so much.

It's also interesting to note that the entire time (pretty sure it was the entire time?) the 1911 was issued to our troops, they were trained to carry hammer down on an empty chamber & rack the slide to get the pistol into action. I think this was widely ignored, (I know I would have!) but apparently they didn't think troops could handle cocked & locked carry, or some **** like that. The switch to the M9 was the first time troops could carry a fully loaded sidearm.
 
Jul 2011
40
0
La Center, WA
I think this was widely ignored, (I know I would have!) but apparently they didn't think troops could handle cocked & locked carry, or some **** like that. The switch to the M9 was the first time troops could carry a fully loaded sidearm.

This I can vouch for. It's the same in today's army. I just got back from Iraq, and the way we did it was the ONLY time you have a round in the chamber (or even have a magazine inserted, for that matter) is if you're in the gunner's turret and you're outside the wire or in the test fire pit. I suppose it's too much of a liability to trust the manual safety on our m4's.

That being said, we still had a few ND's / AD's (negligent discharge / accidental discharge)

The only ones who get issued the M9's are officers and medics, and the same rule applies to them - only it was never their job to be in the turret, so they never had a round in the chamber.
 
Feb 2011
258
0
Seattle, Wa
If your gonna pull it out, you better be 100% committed to using it, if not, your own weapon may be use on you.

PiNk
 
Jul 2011
30
0
Port Orchard WA.
carry

Not only do I carry all the time , But I open carry all the time and its not for any of the reasons the OP mentioned it is because it's my constitutional right to do so. And if we don't use our rights we will lose them.
 
Jan 2011
19
0
Chehalis
Carrying a weapon is a personal decision. Carry however you are comfortable and confident.

I carry everywhere that I am legally allowed. ALWAYS!

I carry loaded and chambered. None of my carry guns have external safeties.
As far as not trusting your Tauruses safeties, YOU ARE THE SAFETY FEATURE FOR ANY WEAPON.
I also carry a spare magazine.

A good way to get comfortable carrying loaded. Is to carry for a few days with your pistol cocked but NOT CHAMBERED. After a couple days. Check to if your pistol has had an accidental discharge.
 
Feb 2009
246
0
redmond,wa
i pack the LCP cuz im not worried about something actually happening, because the chances are just so slim, but Be prepared is what i was taught. and i would rather have something little that is easy to deal with 24/7 then something im always worried about exposing or whatever. but it depends on the situation completely.. if you know you will be somewhere you arent sure about then choose the right tool for the job b4 you leave the house.
 
Jan 2009
1,684
0
s. greenlake *****
I've never carried..

I know I'm in the vast minority here. I am all for our first amendment right.
I will vote to protect it on my behalf, your behalf and the behalf of every future gun owner who will benefit from my support. My dad is never without some kind of firearm (even by the bathtub lol)


SO why the **** don't I carry a gun?


I dunno.. I guess I figure after 37 yrs I kind of know how to avoid trouble. It's not the smartest argument. You never know what your gonna get right? and "It happened to me" stories.

I think carrying is important and necessary for some/many.. I'm just too lazy.


The other side of the stick is would I protect other citizens in harms way out in public? I'm pretty damn sure if it wasn't my kids/family I'd have to answer no. That makes me a little sad. I believe in our country and the rights provided to us.. but the problem to me is the same as home defense.. In some cases it seems the bad guys have more rights than the victims esp in long drawn out liable suits..

If I use a weapon off my property I am very very very likely to face legal follow up. End up with names on lists.. bla bla bla. ya.. I'm paranoid. Whatever.


ANYWAY.. rambling on long enough. I'm glad you fellas carry and will be happy to be standing by you in that jewelry store when the bad guys come in.. Just remember to look for me on the floor.

ha ha












PS. Hey deloscielos / LaCenter I grew up in Amboy! :ciao:
 
Feb 2011
255
0
Portland, Oregon
I carry every day that I possibly can. I always have at least a .380 in my pocket. Usually I have a .357 Sig IWB and the LCP in my pocket.
 
May 2011
255
0
Woodinville WA
It's also interesting to note that the entire time (pretty sure it was the entire time?) the 1911 was issued to our troops, they were trained to carry hammer down on an empty chamber & rack the slide to get the pistol into action. I think this was widely ignored, (I know I would have!) but apparently they didn't think troops could handle cocked & locked carry, or some **** like that.

Well, there may be more to it. How many "series 80"s were floating around? Consider the loads (as in packs, etc. Not the 230 grain ball :lol:) being carried and possibility of guns hitting the ground. Guns that weren't "drop safe". I get crap sometimes about my Sig 1911s series 80 pin safety. I WANT that thing! A couple minutes more work in a total tear down, but worth it!
 
May 2011
255
0
Woodinville WA
As to the "carry every day" thing. It's probably a good idea until you can carry without "checking yourself". Concealing is easy. Not checking it with a "subtle" pat or brush of the arm from time to time took a while for me... Not proud of it. Just telling the truth :redface:
 
Jul 2011
40
0
La Center, WA
As to the "carry every day" thing. It's probably a good idea until you can carry without "checking yourself". Concealing is easy. Not checking it with a "subtle" pat or brush of the arm from time to time took a while for me... Not proud of it. Just telling the truth :redface:

Yeah I've been carrying for a few days now, and I keep doing that! Not sure why.. maybe to make sure it's still there? To check if it's covered all the way? Strange habit..

stumprat said:
A good way to get comfortable carrying loaded. Is to carry for a few days with your pistol cocked but NOT CHAMBERED. After a couple days. Check to if your pistol has had an accidental discharge.

I like this idea, I just may give it a try!

Thanks for all the input fellas. Much appreciated
 
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