why one should ALWAYS carry your weapon

jinman · Nov 17, 2011

John, that's a horrible and shocking find, no matter what the circumstances. Those of us living in this part of Texas know that Jarrell is home to a large Flying-J Truck Plaza. In the linked story you posted, it seems to infer that this young lady spent time going truck stop to truck stop. While this in no way dispels the tragedy of her death, it does reinforce that this lifestyle is one of the most likely to end in violence and death. My heart goes out to the family and to this young woman's memory. She must have been desperate, strung out, and trapped in a lifestyle where she thought there was no escape. We all lose when such a life is lost. We can only hope the person who did this to her is found and prosecuted. It will in no way reduce this tragedy, but may prevent somebody else's child from suffering the same fate.

I hope you'll be able to rest peacefully and not 2nd guess yourself or your ability to have stopped this from happening. Had you been there, the perp would just have found somewhere else to dispose of the body. Even so, I completely understand why you would make sure you always carry your "little buddy" with you in the future.

JB4310 · Nov 17, 2011

I don't carry everyday, in my suburban existence I just don't feel that vulnerable, even going into the city occasionally, especially in the daytime.

Kind of like the "safety in numbers" thing going on. But out in the "quiet country" you're more on your own, with possibly more of a chance of being a victim of a violent crime. Which I'm sure is contrary to the popular perception of country living.

I too would probably carry everyday out there. Not so much, or only for my own protection, but I would hate to be in the position of not being able to help some one else in need. Especially if I was their only chance in a violent situation.

JB.

Deere Dude · Nov 17, 2011

Finally Wisconsin started the concealed carry law. But as I considered carrying, and I know things anything can happen anytime, I would think it would be a pain in the butt to carry a gun around all the time. I got sick of carrying a cell phone around so I cancelled it. I can't see carrying a medium sized gun around all the time and have to leave it in the car whenever I go into many stores and offices. Just being aware of your surroundings and anything looking suspicious will go a long way in my book.
Of course I live in a fairly quiet area, and I know things happen all the time. I do have a few guns laying around in the house, loaded and ready to go, but carrying them around is more than I want to do right now.

texasjohn · Nov 17, 2011

jim well said
Jarrell is also home to superb Mexican food,El Mexicano.
you'll love it:thumbsup:

carry is a personal decision
we daily make decisions regarding risks and consequences.
Probability is uncertain.
in 68 years, I have never had a car wreck and only once found a body.

dmccarty · Nov 17, 2011

jinman said:
John, that's a horrible and shocking find, no matter what the circumstances. Those of us living in this part of Texas know that Jarrell is home to a large Flying-J Truck Plaza. In the linked story you posted, it seems to infer that this young lady spent time going truck stop to truck stop. While this in no way dispels the tragedy of her death, it does reinforce that this lifestyle is one of the most likely to end in violence and death. My heart goes out to the family and to this young woman's memory. She must have been desperate, strung out, and trapped in a lifestyle where she thought there was no escape. We all lose when such a life is lost. We can only hope the person who did this to her is found and prosecuted. It will in no way reduce this tragedy, but may prevent somebody else's child from suffering the same fate.
...

Yeppers, it did not take much reading between the lines to figure out what she, the man and other woman were doing. No reason for her to suffer the fate she did. The reporter did a good job of responsibly telling the facts without being overt. :thumbsup:

A couple of years ago I and one of the kids left the house early in the morning for a sports event. The wifey and other kid would follow an hour or so later. I left the gate opened and right after I left a car drove up our road and stopped. Two men got out while one or more stayed in the car. The wifey saw them and called me. I was too far away to return in time so I told her to call 911 and mention there were suspicious people park along the road.

We have people drive up from time to time, maybe 4-6 times a year but the do NOT get out of the car so this event was odd.

The deputy showed up pretty quickly but the men had gotten back in the car and left before he got there. The deputy talked to the wife and then looked around the road and woods. When I got home I did the same.

We worried they were dumping something.

We have had people dump garbage but we were afraid of something worse. In the end it was nothing for which I am thankful.

I THINK what happened is that these guys were lost, we are at the end of a road, it was early in the morning, and they had to stop to get rid of their coffee.

You just do not ever know what is happening.

Later,
Dan

jonnyc1999 · Nov 17, 2011

Carrying can be a hastle occasionally, based on the weapon you carry, but any weapon is better than no weapon. I'm a small framed guy, and I can carry a glock 23 most places without it being obtrusive. A glock 27(subcompact) makes a world of difference in concealability. Holster choice is paramount for concealability as well as comfort. I can't give enough praise to my crossbreed holster, which I rarely notice is on.

Even as a LEO, I didn't carry often off duty because of the odds. It wasn't until the recent Ihop shooting that kicked me in the butt and made me realize that a few weeks prior I was sitting in an Ihop enjoying breakfast, unarmed. Could I have become a victim?

When on my property I always have my weapon close by. There have been a few break-ins as well as questionable people pulling down my street in my area and I'm not about to become a statistic due to one of them.

rekees4300 · Nov 17, 2011

texasjohn said:
ALWAYS carry if you have it!!

Good advice, the world has gone mad. Last month 5 people were shoot to death 1 mile north of me. A drug deal gone bad. There was an argument over the price of 30 Oxycontin pills so the buyer killed all the people in the house!!

Bird · Nov 17, 2011

To carry or not to carry? That is the question.:laughing: When I started on the police department (1964), the code of conduct required that we go armed at all times away from home. They told us in recruit school something about an off duty officer mowing the yard on his day off and his wife asked him to go to the store (for a loaf of bread, if I remember right) and he, unarmed, walked into a robbery in progress. So we were to be armed at all times in the State of Texas. The new Texas Penal Code that went into effect on the first of 1974 left some doubt as to whether it was legal for an off duty officer to be armed outside his jurisdiction. And in those days, there was no such as thing as a Concealed Handgun License.

I quit carrying a weapon when I retired. When the state started with the CHL, I would not spend the money to get one. Then when the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act of 2004 was passed, I went down and got the new ID card and went and qualified more for the fun of it than anything. But I still didn't carry a weapon, even though my wife thought I should. Then another retiree was telling me I should carry one and I told him I didn't think I needed one for self protection and he said, "Yeah, but you might need it to protect someone else."

So . . . I carry one most of the time.

Now I don't carry one at home; however, I've never lived in a house without loaded guns. So I do have a couple of loaded .38s handy. I grew up in a home in which we knew Dad's .22 rifle was loaded all the time, and we weren't afraid of the gun, but we were sure afraid of what Dad would do if we touched his rifle. Now I'm sure trigger locks and gun safes are a good idea, but I never used them. And when I was on the police department, I never unloaded my handguns at home. They were kept high enough to be out of the reach of small children and when my girls got older, they knew I'd unload the guns and let them handle them if they wished, or take them out to shoot the guns if they wished. But they never showed any interest in guns. My wife fired one shot from one of my .38s when we were dating and has never shot one since.

So, it's a personal descision as to whether to carry one or not.

I guess everyone has seen the news that the House of Reprsentatives has passed a bill to allow anyone with a CHL from his state to legally carry in the other states instead of just the reciprocal agreements that now exist.

hawkeye08 · Nov 17, 2011

We have strange vehicles coming up our dead end road on occasion.. A few months ago, one came several times, we are not at the end and our driveway is just 100', so when I saw them come up the road the last time, I hurried and got the camera and went out front. When they came back by (no where else to go), I took pictures (very obvious about it). They did not look like they were out to visit friends and we had some breakins in the previous several months around us.. They have not been back that I have seen. A few years ago, had a car parked just past our house on the county road late at night. I drove out and asked them if they needed help or ?? They were just parked talking they said. I told them no worries, but if something happens in the neighborhood, the cops will be getting your information (make model license plate). They left and have not been back.

Don't carry any weapon unless you are willing to use it.

slowzuki · Nov 17, 2011

I'm guessing they prolly had lots of guns in the house, didn't save them. Just sayin...

We keep our guns well locked at home, we don't have the violence up here like you guys, far more likely a kid gets into them and hurts themselves than it saving my butt. If we lived in a more dangerous place I don't know...

rekees4300 said:
Good advice, the world has gone mad. Last month 5 people were shoot to death 1 mile north of me. A drug deal gone bad. There was an argument over the price of 30 Oxycontin pills so the buyer killed all the people in the house!!

yooper1 · Nov 17, 2011

Here is a site that has lots of stories of where a gun was used in self defense.

Guns Save Lives - Stories of Self Defense

It redirects you to the news / media article of the incident.

You never really hear about the self defense stuff in main stream media any more.

11.17.11 TN Pizza Delivery Driver Shoots Armed Robber
11.17.11 OH Woman Uses .38 Revolver to Fend Off Car Jacker
11.16.11 VT Woman Scares off Home Invader With Gun
11.15.11 AL Homeowner Shoots Man Who Was Stealing His Guns
11.14.11 Chicago Homeowner Fights Off Thieves with .22 Rifle
11.13.11 FL Seafood Shop Owner Shoots, Kills 1 of 2 Armed Robbers
11.12.11 Alaska Homeowner Shoots and Kills 2 of 3 Home Invaders
11.11.11 KY Store Clerk Shoots, Kills Robber Armed With Knife
11.11.11 VA Homeowner Shoots, Kills Midnight Home Invader
11.10.11 OK Homeowner Shoots, Kills, 1 of 2 Home Invaders

RoyJackson · Nov 17, 2011

yooper1 said:
You never really hear about the self defense stuff in main stream media any more.

Nope...only in local news media in more rural areas.

Skyco · Nov 17, 2011

Deere Dude said:
I would think it would be a pain in the butt to carry a gun around all the time.

It was for me until I finally found the right gun for me.
Tried all sorts of .380s, 9s and snubbies etc.
Was pretty fond of my Airweight in my right front pocket but now carry a Kahr CM9 in my right front pocket. ALL the time I'm not at work, even doing yard work, on the tractor, ALL the time. 7 rounds 9mm and have never ever had a single jam or malfunction with it with is more than I can say about EVERY other small auto I ever tried, which is why I carried a snubby so long. I keep a spare loaded 6 rnd mag in my left front pocket ALL the time I carry also.
Call me paranoid but I don't ever intend to be a victim....

Taylortractornut · Nov 17, 2011

A few days ago a man was killed in RedBay AL 6 miles from work. The man was driving down the street and a dog ran out of a mans yard and caused him to brake hard. When he did that the man the owned the house there was in the yard and the driver got out and started screaming at him and slapping and punching the home owner. THe neighbors were outside and witnessed the incident. The driver was a Martial Arts trainer somewhere else. He hit the home owner afew times and it went inside the home. THen back out onto the yard again. Then the witnesses claimed that the driver pulled out a small knife. At that time the home owner pulled a small pistol and shot the driver one time. He raised his shirt and saw the wound and fell over dead. I hate to hear of a death like that but the driver shouldnt have been bullying the home owner .

THe dog was just a passerby to.

Work prohibits a firearm on the site but we are a division that doesnt have the same rules. At the Landfill over the years i ve had some strange folks just walk out of nowhere. Its creepy when your by yourself. Last summer Myself and a laborer and a truck driver Did a walk around of the perimiter fence at work. We were walking and saw some jars that werent there the last walk around. I carried my old 32 with me at the time. We took them to a freind thats a deputy and he had it tested for Meth and it was. From then on when we do a walk around there 2 folks and one of us has a gun.

dieselalles · Nov 17, 2011

On the farm where I grew up, I learned a gun is a tool, much like a chain saw or a sling blade. I was taught to respect it and how to use it.

I have a HCP and carry every chance I get but you would never know it. And only when I fear for my life or the lives of others would it ever be produced. I firmly believe that if you don't exercise your second amendment rights, you are doomed to lose them.

Having loaded and accessible guns on your place is important. Teaching your wife and older kids about guns are important too. When I was a kid, I was squirrel hunting with a single shot .410, walking out of a dense woods. All of the sudden a pack of large dogs ran up on me from behind and attacked. I immediately spun around and let the lead dog have it, and fumbling nervously for another shell, I was able to reload and get a second shot off, hitting another dog. That sent the rest of them running. There's no telling what might have happened if I didn't have a gun with me. And I've walked through that woods 9 million times with nothing more than a pocket knife.

More recently, a family from a nearby town experienced a home invasion where two intruders broke in and held the father and son at gunpoint. The father resisted and they killed him right in front of his teenage boy. His wife was there too in another part of the house. And they are still looking for the scum that did it.

Dickson Father Dies In Deadly Home Invasion

Larry Caldwell · Nov 18, 2011

I just heard on the radio today that murders in the USA are at a 40 year low.

two_bit_score · Nov 18, 2011

Larry Caldwell said:
I just heard on the radio today that murders in the USA are at a 40 year low.

See? A well armed citizenry keeps crime low.

Larry Giles · Nov 18, 2011

Speaking of carrying a concealed deadly weapon: Only a fool and/or an idiot would fail to take advantage of the right to carry a weapon, if in possession of a duly issued lawful permit. As a veteran Police Officer of 42 years, 10 of which, being a certified firearms instructor/trainer in a State Police Agency, I would like to say "Brush up on your State's deadly force statutes, write-em down and re-read them from time to time". If you carry and the time arrives when you are in fear of your safety or your life and you act, then you have a pretty good chance of being legally sound. On the other hand, if the same situation arises and you have to go to your vehicle to retrieve you weapon in order to act in your defense, then certain other rules kick-in and may put you in a bad spot. A CCDW permit is a fine thing in my book but, you as a participant and carrier must keep yourself up on current Laws and what they mean to and for YOU and OTHERS. I don't aim to interfere or to presume to know it all about this subject but, I have been down a pike or two and have a desire to keep folks as safe as possible....Thanks.......lg

NativeSon · Nov 18, 2011

My Dad was a police officer so we always had loaded guns in the house and we were always taught to be safe and respect them. Like Bird, Dad said he always had to carry his pistol when off duty, even to church.

Years ago before we got CCP I carried deposits to the bank and I had a
9mm in my brief case. Since they legalized Concealed Carry here I just haven't had the time to get one till resently. Concealment is fairly easy this time of year, but when the weather warms up I haven't quite figured out what will be the most convienent and easy way to carry.

Out here in the country we have loaded guns in the house, and when I go for my daily walk out in the pasture I carry a rifle or a shot gun.....Snakes & Hogs. I think after looking at this thread I'm going to start carrying a gun even when I'm just out working on the place, because I do find that most of the time I'm all by myself.

Charlie