TN permit holders vs those who actually carry

[daddyo]

I'm all for anyone who wants to and is eligible getting their HCP. Whether they carry or not, it does have the effect of swelling our ranks!

[Guest tnmom2amk]

I originally got mine because I was driving my fiancee's car and realized that he had put his 38 in the console the night before when we were going into a bar. I went about a year not carrying because I couldn't find anything that suited me. I then got a Kel-tec 9mm because of the size, which I upgraded to a Glock 19 last Christmas. Now all I have to do is find a comfortable holster that doesn't stick out like a sore thumb on my small frame. Right now it's in my purse (I know, I know) but the booger weighs almost as much as I do and it's uncomfortable, lol!

[TomR]

I always carry my Ruger LCP at home and elsewhere. The only exception would be places where it is illegal to do so. It doesn't make any sense not to carry it all the time since I can't predict when I might need it.

[Guest Volkolak]

I don't even check the mail unarmed. In my vehicle, in addition to whatever is on my person, I keep a S&W 610 in the glove box just for easy access when sitting in the car.

[ftncityfatboy]

left the house today for the first time in forever without firearm. Yes it was uncomfortable and yes I kept thinking about it.

[Guest Old.Hickory.Shooter]

I have had my HCP for only a matter of weeks. I shot my first firearm at the age of 4 and am 26 now. I grew up around firearms and have always seen the immediate benefits of having several accessible firearms with you at all times.

In the few weeks I have had my HCP I have only carried 1 time that was not in my car. Where I work I can keep it in the car but that's it, so when I get up in the morning it goes on just the same as the tie I have to wear every day. Last night was my first opportunity to carry somewhere outside of my car (just haven't been out and about on my days off, I'm content spending time with my dogs and wife at the house). I digress, we went to Wal-Mart and the whole time I felt incredibly awkward. This initial experience of actually legally carrying a firearm with you is definitely very very different from anything I have ever experienced. I'm not shying away from carrying but I think this could be an explanation as to why someone would get a permit and not carry.

The awkwardness came from paranoia that I was printing too much. I didn't get an HCP as a fashion statement, I got it because it is my constitutional right to keep and bear arms. However, it is nobody elses business when and if I am carrying. My wife, mom, dad and 2 dogs are the only people in my inner circle that know I have an HCP, and that is plenty. Tomorrow starts a 7 day vacation and every single day of it I will have my G22 on my hip. I know it is going to be something that I must get used to, but boy it was awkward last night. Anyway that's my .02

[gl19gobang]

due to company policy, i cant even have one on the premises even if I have a handgun permit. So right now I'm limited somewhat.

[Fourtyfive]

Can't take mine to work , but if it ain't on my side it's in my truck waiting on me to return.

[Guest apgov47]

Guns not allowed at my work's property. I'm also limited to when I'm able to carry. I also don't carry if I know a restaurant or mall I'm going to doesn't allow guns. I go to west TN every other weekend and I'm always carrying. No telling with those gas stations off of an odd exit or bad part of a city.

[Guest Desiel]

In a sense it is a bit of change and I think some people get their permit but don't necessarily want to change what they wear or other things about their daily routine. So they just don't carry.

I know a lady here at work that got her permit, she ask me one day "you carry that on you?", I said well ya you never know when you might need it or there's those people that say "Is it loaded?", I'm like ya what would I do throw it at ya?

[Guest biohazardmatthew]

I have carried EVERY time I have left my house since the very first day I got my permit in the mail. I didn't spend $200 and over 2 months working hard to get it to not use it. lol

When I am at work my gun is in my car whether they like it or not. What they don't know won't hurt them. I will not do business in places that ban guns. I almost refused to go in my local hospital because of that reason but then I thought about it and said "Well, I will probably need them long before they need me" so I put the gun back in the car and went in.

Matthew

Edited August 3, 2011 by biohazardmatthew
word correction

[Wheelgunner]

I carry every time I leave home, unless I know I'm headed to a prohibited location. I think if I can be armed, then I should be. Also it just feels natural now to have it with me. But the main reason I carry whenever I can? I'd feel really stupid if I bought the gun, spent time at the range, paid for the class, got fingerprinted, waited forever on the damn Safety Department, and then carried my gun all those times... only to be unarmed when I actually needed it.

[Guest pwhphd]

I know a lot of people who don't carry regularly, but want to go armed when in unfamiliar circumstances. Many want to carry in their vehicle and none want the consequences of being discovered without being in compliance with the law. Unfortunately, if we could all know when we would need a weapon, we would need to carry them less often. Until then - I prefer to be safe by being prepared.

[Guest ArmaDeFuego]

I'm in kind of the same boat as rsgillmd.

My employer prohibits having a weapon in my private vehicle while parked on their property, (which I think is BS but thats for another thread) & there is no where else around to park, so I cant carry my weapon during the week when I go to & from work.

I carry it pretty much everywhere else I go tho. I always carry it out & about grocery shopping & things like that. I always have it on me on weekends when we go anywhere, or when I get off work on weekdays if we go anywhere I always have it.

I pretty much carry it anywhere besides work. If they ever pass the law where employers cant infringe on my right to keep my gun in my own personal property then I will carry it all the time. (Except of course when I get out of my car & actually go into the building where I work )

[Guest biohazardmatthew]

I carry every time I leave home, unless I know I'm headed to a prohibited location.

I live by the motto "It is better to be judged by twelve than carried by six."

[hornett22]

A lot of people still carry a gun without a permit. A permit should be required for criminals to commit crimes. Take some of their money for once!

[Guest ArmaDeFuego]

A permit should be required for criminals to commit crimes.

+1

I am in total agreement with this statement!!

[Deerbnb]

I carry most all the time, my work takes me to a few places that are "gun free" so i leave in in the vehicle then.

[tt0511]

I carry everywhere I go, when I can. Unfortunately, the sissies in power have deemed it unlawful for me to carry at work, or to have a firearm on their property. So, during the workweek hours, I can't carry and don't like it one bit. Otherwise, I carry everywhere other than work.

I think a lot of people get their permit because of friends who got them interested. Then, they took the simple course and got the permit but they never researched or put any thought/practice into the actual daily carry of a firearm. Then, they just let the embers die out because they think it's too inconvenient or too hard, not realizing there are so many holster options available, and not realizing that with a little patience and practice, it's not that hard to comfortably carry and conceal a firearm wherever they go.

Another complication could be that they aren't allowed to carry at work which is where they spend 60-75% of their time. If they can't carry for that much of their waking hours, it makes it tough for them to get used to the practice of carry.

[Guest pfries]

I carry every day even at home; I leave it in my vehicle when needed.

Where I work does not allow weapons so it stays in the car, although they seem to think they have the right to prohibit that also (via the wording in the hand book). They do not as it is a public parking lot with other retail establishments, public access, and the property owner does not post.

And for those that wish to speak on that "Yes I am willing to take the repercussions and challenge it in both court and at the unemployment office as the plant is shutting down anyway."

[dou44]

i carry 95% of the time.around the house i keep on ready to get my hands on.

[Guest DJBiker]

I carry always. If I can legally have it on me, it is on me. I cannot understand the mindset that people have that make the statement that I only carry if I feel I am going into a high crime area. Or one post said that he lived in Memphis for 30 years and never had a situation where being armed would have been helpful.

I see so many people that state here that they are just not that afraid, so they don't carry. I would ask them what are you not afraid of? Do you have car insurance just in case of an accident? Do you have homeowners insurance just in case of a fire, tornado, hailstorm, etc? I am an insurance adjuster and just about every claim I handle, the Insured tells me " I have had insurance for 10-20- or 30 years, and have never had to file a claim before".

Those of us that do carry 24/7 are not afraid of anything other than not being prepared when some jerk tries to take our life or the lives of our family. I mean, my handgun is like my fire extinguisher. I don't know when or where a fire will occur, but I have an extinguisher in the house. Now I do understand that you keep your extinguisher in the kitchen and another one in the utility room because these are "high probability of a fire" areas kinda like a high crime area and your carry weapon, BUT I often see fires that start in bedrooms, living rooms, etc.

If I knew when or where I may need my handgun for protection of my life, I just wouldn't go there! I have my weapon because you never know when or where you WILL need it.

There was an incident here at a local Wal-Mart in Clarksville where a 300 pound, 5'5" man pulled a gun and tried to pull a young girl into his car. NOW, think about this. Had I been there, had my permit, and been unarmed, and this man had taken the girl, how could I live with myself? Lucky for him, I wasn't there!

I carry because I do not know when or where I will need it. I pray I never need it. AND it is not meant to be comfortable, it is meant to be Comforting! Sorry for the rant.

[cgpeanut]

Just got my permit yesterday and I've been practicing for weeks at home and setting the correct mindset.

Now that I'm legal I'm sorta reluctant to do it. I feel my training is not enough.

My 10 year old kid wants to go to the mall and barnes & noble I'll let you know if I actually do it today.

EDIT: Did not do it today. Mall had the "no gun sign" I had it my car glove box though, safety on with 17 + 1 in the chamber.

I did got a kick when the cashier at the borders bookstore ask for identification at checkout, showed her my CCW permit she went "oh" did not even bother to look at my name just rang me quick:)

Edited August 10, 2011 by cgpeanut

[Guest roshambo]

I was very apprehensive the first couple of times I carried in public, but I got used to it REALLY quick. I like DJBiker's analogies to the fire extinguisher and insurance. Carry everywhere you can and you'll get used to it quicker. Eventually you won't think any more of it than carrying your wallet in your back pocket!

[Guest DJBiker]

The main thing is to familiarize yourself with your weapon. Wear it all the time at home, and if you are very uncomfortable with it at first, unload it around the house, wear it all the time at home, and within a day or two, you will get very used to having the weapon on you. Then load the weapon, and wear it for another day or two. Then and only then go out in public.

As for not carrying my weapon, I read an analogy once about sheep, wolves, and sheepdogs. I am a sheepdog. To the SHEEP I look kinda like the wolves. I have an ability to inflict violence upon another, just like the wolves, however I do NOT prey on the sheep, I am there to protect them from the wolves. I scare the sheep because they do not understand that I am there to protect them. All they see is the ability to inflict harm.

The SHEEP would prefer that we all were sheep and all got along without the need for violence. So do I, but I do not ignore the fact that wolves do exist, and they do prey on SHEEP.

The day I decide for whatever reason not to carry my weapon, that day, I have decided to be a SHEEP.