The reason I got my handgun permit... My story, what about yours?

[suspiciousmind]

I'm still a new guy here, but I thought I'd share this story.

I play music for a living.

I was heading to a quick rehearsal over in East Nashville about 7 months back, and if you know that area then you know that the apparent danger level can differ street to street due to the transitional nature of East Nashville.

While driving down the street about to reach my destination I encountered a group of about 15 young adult males seemingly engaging in a verbal altercation. I honked my horn and asked politely if they could move as they were blocking the road. I continued about 5 or 6 houses down, parked my car, grabbed my guitar and started walking on the street toward the house.

All of a sudden, I hear a bunch of gun shots ring out and saw dust rise up from being hit right next to where I was standing. I jumped in the ditch and checked myself for holes. Then I left my guitar and ran into the house and dialed 911.

The 911 operator answered and I told him what was going on and the location, and he told me he gets calls for the area all the time. I then asked if he'd send some police officers out. We all waited at the window for an hour and not a single police officer showed up which was incredibly frustrating.

I drove back the next day to pick up my gear in the afternoon and saw a woman crying outside her house because these men shot up her house. She claimed it was her neighbor.

Anyway, the first line of defense should be yourself. I don't want to rely on anybody but me to defend my life should the situation ever arise.

Not to mention, when I'm off the road I am playing on Broadway at the Honky Tonks and am constantly carrying large sums of cash from gigs. Many of my friends have been robbed in parking garages. One of whom was beaten by six men. They stole $600 from him... A whole day of pay from three gigs. The doctor said the blows to his head almost killed him.

Anyway, that's my story. Anybody else ever have similar experience? What made you decide? Did something happen?

[Omega]

While I have been shot at before, nothing like that made me get mine. I was just living in some areas that had increasingly become... well lets just say less friendly. I always followed the law as far as being armed, and in most places I could either open carry or have a gun loaded or unloaded in the vehicle so didn't really need one. But when I returned from Japan I was stationed in Savannah GA and many things had changed, I decided it was time to have one so applied and have kept one ever since.

[Erik88]

I'm glad you are ok. That would be scary.

 

I saw the light after the restaurant I worked at was robbed at gunpoint. I was off that night but realized it could have easily been me leaving that night with a pocket full of cash. After that I started carrying a .38 in my front pocket while waiting tables. 

 

Not long after that I left my local bank just 15 minutes before it was robbed. I was armed at the time and often wonder what would have happened.

[Chartiers]

My step son, who has a carry permit, was taking a walk a few blocks from the house when a car pulled up not far from him.  I guy got out and walked towards him swinging a bat and demanding his money.  Don't know the words my step son used, but when the perp seen that he had a gun he left in a hurry. Since my wife and I often take walks in the neighborhood, I ordered a gun and got my own carry permit. Better safe then sorry.  

[UncleJak]

Highland park in Chattanooga, trader homes in Memphis, cabrini green in Chicago. ...

Sent barefoot from the hills of Tennessee

[300winmag]

I traveled a lot on the road in different states.  Some of the states you basically could not carry a loaded handgun on you or even in your vehicle without a license.  The whole deal with states honoring other states' licenses encouraged me to get one so that I was legal when traveling.

[10-Ring]

I was raised around guns always have been an active shooter.  One day a couple of months after I turned 21 and moved out on my own I was living in a camper in Roane County.  A methhead knocked on my door at 4 am asking for money.  Got my first not .22 handgun that weekend. 

[Grand Torino]

I lived in Phoenix AZ back in the early 80's. One night I was pulling up to the drive thru to order some stuff at Jack in the Box.....while it was being robbed at gun point. Long story short...shots were fired....my truck was hit and I took that as a warning to get my butt armed. I've been armed whenever possible ever since.

[rugerla1]

I was raised around guns always have been an active shooter.  One day a couple of months after I turned 21 and moved out on my own I was living in a camper in Roane County.  A methhead knocked on my door at 4 am asking for money.  Got my first not .22 handgun that weekend. 

I've hunted quite a bit on Mt Roosevelt in Roane over the past 10 years I guess. We'd all camp up top and after hunting all day, sitting around the campfire we'd hear fully automatic weapons being fired. We all laughed about it and thought "Man that's gotta be fun to shoot right there!". But considering you're out in the middle of nowhere, you kind of hope it was good guys who had them if they happen to roll up beside our camp sight :) But we were always well armed besides our hunting rifles.

[Someotherguy]

The ever increasing voilent crime rate in my area, and abroad finally convinced me to go ahead and take the test...

[173rdABN]

I've always been taught to be ready, no matter what. And for what I do for a living now, that sure as $h!t makes me even more prepared. I'll never let myself be a victim. no matter what.

[bersaguy]

I grew up around firearms and have always been around them. Not having a gun or 10 in the house just would not seem normal. I will say I was sure glad to see the new approach and introduction of Hand gun carry permits because now it allows me to legally carry one with their blessings instead of me depending on being charged with that trumped up charge of having a gun for the purpose of going armed. Over my many years of being armed I can only remember 1 time I got caught and it was funny later but my lawyer didn't think so. i had a pocket 380 on me when I was going up to finalize my divorce and forgot I had to pass through metal detector till I was standing in front of it. My lawyer walked through it and I looked at the lady Sheriffs deputy sitting on the stool with the other deputy standing beside her. I just looked at my lawyer and looked at the deputies and told them that I had a gun in my back pocket that i forgot to leave in my truck. The two deputies looked at my lawyer and one laughed out loud and the other one told me to go lock it in my vehicle and come back in. I did and went right through up stairs 15 minutes later free man but was wondering if I would be when I got down stairs.  I stepped off the elevator and began to walk past the deputies and I just had to ask, so I stopped and asked them why they chose the action they took. One of them looked at me and said because you have an honest face and they both began laughing and one said because a real bad guy is not going to bring a gun into a court house. They know better and you were up front honest about having it. I thanked them and went on about my business. I don't know if they could have arrested me at that point for saying I had a gun or not but I am sure they probably could have if I took it out of my pocket to put in the basket they give you to walk through the detector. I was thrilled when they made I legal but in all reality I don't think I have gone unarmed since Jr High. When I began high school at Hyde Park High School in West Chicago I was armed every day. Now that was also back in the early 60's and yea we had gangs and gang fights but when our gangs butted heads everyone left their guns at home and it was settled with fists. Not like today with white hot lead flying. All of us got banged up but no one ever got killed...................... :up:  :up: 

[Raoul]

I'm too old and beat up to run away.

[Ugly]

I've been shot at by punks doing a drive by while I was on the motorcycle. I didn't realize it except for the report and when I saw on the news that night a car with the same description was reported for doing it several times throughout the city. That was Allentown pa.
Was loading groceries in San Diego and heard a shot, a car sped off and the poor guy at the drive through ATM was bleeding. Cops showed up 1 minute later and were on his tail, apparently just did the same thing twice before.
But what made me get my license is when I looked around, I was in Jacksonville FL and the level of thugs with no regard for life is worse than I've seen anywhere. When I realized they would shoot another in the head for $10, I knew it was time. Been licensed ever since and have since moved from a crime ridden big city.

Stay safe all!

[dats82]

I grew up in a house with guns, and my dad and I hunted and were members of the skeet range for some time.  However, my mother was always somewhat opposed to guns.  I, on the other hand, had always felt that your security was something that should not really be outsourced to someone else.  I'm not sure where I picked up that mentality.  I was in college at UT Knoxville when this happened, which pushed me even harder to get my permit...

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murders_of_Channon_Christian_and_Christopher_Newsom

 

I lived less than a mile from where this took place.  I bought a handgun and started carrying when this happened.  I got my permit shortly thereafter. 

 

One the next times I went home after getting my permit, my mother was still strongly opposed to me carrying a gun.  We went to church on a Sunday morning, and she grumbled when I took my gun as we were leaving the house.  Her words were, "You don't need that." My reply was, "Well, I hope not, but I also hope I don't need my seatbelt on the way to church either."

 

When we returned home that afternoon, this was on the news.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knoxville_Unitarian_Universalist_church_shooting

 

Since having my permit, I don't think I've once left the house without my gun. 

[runco]

I just wanted to, and I got in on the 1st wave of applicants when the new TN law went into effect I think in 1995 time frame.  Due to the volume, it took 6 mos after I applied for my permit. 

[TrickyNicky]

Common sense.

[justinjr21]

For me I got my permit when I moved to East Nashville and had my 2 girls. I really don't care about what happens to me but I will not let anyone hurt my wife or girls. Plus there has been numerous shootings and home invasions around here.

[Fivestring63]

I live close to Knoxville. Christian/Newsome. nuff said.

[tnhawk]

Living near memphis is enough reason to always carry a gun.

[gl19gobang]

Just watch the news everyday. Plus I go fishing at night a lot.

[RAJBCPA]

...my first gun was given to me at age 8.  I lived in NJ/NY/CT mostly for the last 57 years.  These states are a "show cause" to obtain a pistol carry permit.  What does the application look like?  This from Westchester NY is typical:

 

* Proof of residency in the same location for at least 2 years

* Bank reference (notorized)

* $45 non-refundable application fee that is dated (all notorized references are to be within 30 days of the date of the initial applicaton)

* Four personal references from un-related neighbors who have known you for at least two years - notorized

* a completed application with 30 pages of questions

* Interview with police

* background check

* finger print check

* for cause hearing with a judge

* Total wait time till initial determination - at least 1 year.

 

If you move your residence, please start over from the beginning.  95% of all carry applications in Westchester NY are denied.  I was denied several times and never did get a permit.  In Westchester NY all guns must be locked in your home.  You must have a permit to buy a handgun.  If you go to a range, the range management must check your permit against the guns you plan to shoot. 

 

So, at age 57 NY enacted SAFE legislation in 2013 after Sandy.  This legislation outlawed the purchase of pistols with mags exceeding 7 rounds, existing guns had to have mag plugs to prevent loading more than 7 rounds, outlawed purchase of so-called assault weapons, required a gun registry for existing AWs, and requires a background check for all ammo purchases.  Police are given the data on ammo purchases and are directed by law to match up what you are buying with any permits you have.  

 

The enactment of SAFE did it for me.  I quit my job, sold my house and moved to TN.   I obtained my carry permit within 7 days of filing the paperwork with Motor Vehicles.

 

FREE AT LAST!

[Wyldk2]

I wasnt raised around guns as much as most people. Sure living in suburbia ( small town of Tullahoma) from being born in 1975 and growing up in this town there wasnt much need for us being armed, At least that is what my parents thought. My first gun was a Daisy bb rifle, and i used to shoot squirrells in the backyard all the time. Then I moved to Fayetteville for 8 years and while I was down there i was into atvs( still am) but went on a ride one day with a couple of friends and there was some drunk old man riding with us that kept on trying to start something. I not being the violent person just shrugged it off but wondered what could I do if i was out on the trails alone. My mom was the one that told me to get my permit, she was worried about me living in the country and so close to Huntsville, AL. But my first rifle was given to me the christmas of 2008 by my aunt. Just a  semi auto .22, but it works. Went out in Feb 2009 and got my first handgun( Glock 23). Sadly, having a gun could not prevent what happened to my mother in march ( house fire/smoke inhallation), But her words of worry stuck with me. That spring i took my course, got my permit and have been carrying ever since.

[Ugly]

...my first gun was given to me at age 8. I lived in NJ/NY/CT mostly for the last 57 years. These states are a "show cause" to obtain a pistol carry permit. What does the application look like? This from Westchester NY is typical:

* Proof of residency in the same location for at least 2 years
* Bank reference (notorized)
* $45 non-refundable application fee that is dated (all notorized references are to be within 30 days of the date of the initial applicaton)
* Four personal references from un-related neighbors who have known you for at least two years - notorized
* a completed application with 30 pages of questions
* Interview with police
* background check
* finger print check
* for cause hearing with a judge
* Total wait time till initial determination - at least 1 year.

If you move your residence, please start over from the beginning. 95% of all carry applications in Westchester NY are denied. I was denied several times and never did get a permit. In Westchester NY all guns must be locked in your home. You must have a permit to buy a handgun. If you go to a range, the range management must check your permit against the guns you plan to shoot.

So, at age 57 NY enacted SAFE legislation in 2013 after Sandy. This legislation outlawed the purchase of pistols with mags exceeding 7 rounds, existing guns had to have mag plugs to prevent loading more than 7 rounds, outlawed purchase of so-called assault weapons, required a gun registry for existing AWs, and requires a background check for all ammo purchases. Police are given the data on ammo purchases and are directed by law to match up what you are buying with any permits you have.

The enactment of SAFE did it for me. I quit my job, sold my house and moved to TN. I obtained my carry permit within 7 days of filing the paperwork with Motor Vehicles.

FREE AT LAST!

Those states are so smart, all they have to do is get the criminals to fall in line!

Congrats on your freedom!

[bersaguy]

I wasnt raised around guns as much as most people. Sure living in suburbia ( small town of Tullahoma) from being born in 1975 and growing up in this town there wasnt much need for us being armed, At least that is what my parents thought. My first gun was a Daisy bb rifle, and i used to shoot squirrells in the backyard all the time. Then I moved to Fayetteville for 8 years and while I was down there i was into atvs( still am) but went on a ride one day with a couple of friends and there was some drunk old man riding with us that kept on trying to start something. I not being the violent person just shrugged it off but wondered what could I do if i was out on the trails alone. My mom was the one that told me to get my permit, she was worried about me living in the country and so close to Huntsville, AL. But my first rifle was given to me the christmas of 2008 by my aunt. Just a  semi auto .22, but it works. Went out in Feb 2009 and got my first handgun( Glock 23). Sadly, having a gun could not prevent what happened to my mother in march ( house fire/smoke inhalation), But her words of worry stuck with me. That spring i took my course, got my permit and have been carrying ever since.

Sorry to hear about your mother. Lost mine the same way about 9 years ago. She lived about half way to hospital but passed away in route for smoke inhalation also..............Again sorry bout your mom