Pros and Cons of Concealed Carry

I've seen a lot of differing opinions on guns here so I figured this was a good place to ask this...

Here's my story: I work at a car wash and recently my hours have changed from weekends to 3:30pm-9:30pm weekdays...much of this time will be spent outside helping customers and handling cash. Last summer I was assaulted...punched in the head several times (got stitches) while working during the day.

http://inlinethumb11.webshots.com/30474/2204037840060779869S600x600Q85.jpg

So, I want opinions on whether or not to carry a concealed firearm...pros and cons.

Regardless of whether I decided to carry or not, I will be taking a CCW class. Also, I plan on carrying mace/pepper spray for instances (like my previous assault) where deadly force isn't justified.



Thanks,

Eric

first off, i'm all for our right to bear/carry guns...but what if u can't reach it in time, or worse, maybe someone who knows what they are doing takes it away from u? why not take a GOOD self defense course,like krav maga...then u will always be prepared, even in instances where u may not be able to carry a gun...just my 2 pennies

Pros...you can defend yourself, your family, your property, and others around you.

Cons...if you don't have proper training, it can be used against you. If you point a gun at someone, are you honestly prepared to pull the trigger and end their life? If you have to and can't, they can take possession of your weapon and use it against you.

As for what if you can't get to it in time...well then you're as well off as you were without it...but what if you CAN get to it in time. Appendix carry is a good choice. Practice getting it out quickly...while moving quickly.

Pro is that it can save your life.

There are many cons. If you don't plan on going to the range at least once every two weeks to practice and also practice almost everyday upholstering and holstering (unloaded) then there really isn't a point. You have to prepare for the situation and even with all this practice, you can never simulate the real thing. When your adrenaline is rushing, sometimes you do things you normally wouldn't. You need to be mentally prepared for what you are going to do in each situation. What if criminal walks up to you with his gun already drawn? What will you do in that situation? It will be difficult to upholster your weapon. You will need to think of a decoy. Say he asks for your wallet. I would take it out and throw it behind him. When he turns around to pick it up, I would take out my weapon.


Also, you are going to have to know the laws governing your state about each situation. What constitutes deadly force? What is the line between self defense and assault? It really isn't as simple as saying it was self defense. You have to prove it was self defense. It may differ in your state though, so you should check your state and local laws.

Will you be able to not tell anyone that you are carrying concealed? That is the whole point. It gives you the advantage against the criminal. Would you be able to carry it all day at work and be comfortable with it? You will also have to train yourself to move differently. Say your weapon is concealed at your 4 oclock and you are at the grocery store. You should use your left arm to reach for items on the top shelf so that your shirt doesn't come up and brandish your weapon. It is a lot to think about and you will have to change your lifestyle to accommodate the new addition.

I have personally been trained in using pepper spray. Part of the training was to be sprayed by it. Within seconds your eyes dry up, difficulty in keeping your eyes open, difficulty in breathing, etc. It is no joke and it is a felony to use it as a prank.

You should also take some sort of self defense classes. Even then, if you don't practice all the time, you will not be proficient in it.

Last but not least, are you mentally prepared to take someones life? Can you live with that on your conscience?

a good forum to check out is www.thefiringline.com

Very good advice. It's not something you just go out and do, take your time and think about it. T




Pro is that it can save your life.

There are many cons. If you don't plan on going to the range at least once every two weeks to practice and also practice almost everyday upholstering and holstering (unloaded) then there really isn't a point. You have to prepare for the situation and even with all this practice, you can never simulate the real thing. When your adrenaline is rushing, sometimes you do things you normally wouldn't. You need to be mentally prepared for what you are going to do in each situation. What if criminal walks up to you with his gun already drawn? What will you do in that situation? It will be difficult to upholster your weapon. You will need to think of a decoy. Say he asks for your wallet. I would take it out and throw it behind him. When he turns around to pick it up, I would take out my weapon.


Also, you are going to have to know the laws governing your state about each situation. What constitutes deadly force? What is the line between self defense and assault? It really isn't as simple as saying it was self defense. You have to prove it was self defense. It may differ in your state though, so you should check your state and local laws.

Will you be able to not tell anyone that you are carrying concealed? That is the whole point. It gives you the advantage against the criminal. Would you be able to carry it all day at work and be comfortable with it? You will also have to train yourself to move differently. Say your weapon is concealed at your 4 oclock and you are at the grocery store. You should use your left arm to reach for items on the top shelf so that your shirt doesn't come up and brandish your weapon. It is a lot to think about and you will have to change your lifestyle to accommodate the new addition.

I have personally been trained in using pepper spray. Part of the training was to be sprayed by it. Within seconds your eyes dry up, difficulty in keeping your eyes open, difficulty in breathing, etc. It is no joke and it is a felony to use it as a prank.

You should also take some sort of self defense classes. Even then, if you don't practice all the time, you will not be proficient in it.

Last but not least, are you mentally prepared to take someones life? Can you live with that on your conscience?

a good forum to check out is www.thefiringline.com

does your employer allow CCW on premese?

CON- missing your target and hitting an innocent person. there are even police officers that have been so stressed during a gun fight they develop tunnel vision, pop off about 13 rounds with only one of them hitting their target. the chances of you hitting your target under stress with less training than an officer are slim. want protection? buy a tazer, more stopping power than a 9mm

CON- missing your target and hitting an innocent person. there are even police officers that have been so stressed during a gun fight they develop tunnel vision, pop off about 13 rounds with only one of them hitting their target. the chances of you hitting your target under stress with less training than an officer are slim. want protection? buy a tazer, more stopping power than a 9mm

Here's the difference between a LEO and a Civy:

Most civys take their Handgun to the range to improve and do it very often for personal improvement.

LEOs do it because they have to. seldom do they try to improve their performance if they pass their qualification. My brother is in the Denver PD and this is comes off his experiance. he goes to the range 3 times a week. his other fellow officers go to the range 3-5 times a month...

Here's the difference between a LEO and a Civy:

Most civys take their Handgun to the range to improve and do it very often for personal improvement.

LEOs do it because they have to. seldom do they try to improve their performance if they pass their qualification. My brother is in the Denver PD and this is comes off his experiance. he goes to the range 3 times a week. his other fellow officers go to the range 3-5 times a month...

cant really say most civs since we both dont know most civs that have ccw's. i have no idea what training civs go through for the ccw but i do know in the academy its high stress training. i cant imagine a civi in a private ccw course having 3 officers yelling in his face as he is trying to hit a target. its my opinion that officers are more proficient with their shooting opposed to civis regardless of their reasons for practing. even though those officers yur bro said practice because they have to and not want to doesnt change the fact that they still qualified and met the standards of the dept.

cant really say most civs since we both dont know most civs that have ccw's. i have no idea what training civs go through for the ccw but i do know in the academy its high stress training. i cant imagine a civi in a private ccw course having 3 officers yelling in his face as he is trying to hit a target. its my opinion that officers are more proficient with their shooting opposed to civis regardless of their reasons for practing. even though those officers yur bro said practice because they have to and not want to doesnt change the fact that they still qualified and met the standards of the dept.

I don't know any either. Here in wisconsin, we have a will not issue law against CCW. but i wasn't really talking about civis with CCWs, but rather civis that who both own a handgun and frequent the range. when they go, they usually try to better themselves, that was what i was trying to convey. I don't know what training they get either, CCW holders or LEOs, however i can tell you that little, if any of that training is reinforced over the persons carrer. i can't say i know the annual qualification procedures either... i can't image it'd be a high stress environ... if it's anything like the military's qualifications (which i think it is) it's a shoot and go home type of senario. running through a course doing high stress testing annually would make a better high stress shooter, agreed? It's familliar territory, which is relaxing. It's what makes a good shooter a good shooter.

Cons: You grow a mullet because you are now a hick

Cons: You grow a mullet because you are now a hick

you mean hickabilly...

does your employer allow CCW on premese?

Yeah, it won't be a problem

Pro is that it can save your life.

There are many cons. If you don't plan on going to the range at least once every two weeks to practice and also practice almost everyday upholstering and holstering (unloaded) then there really isn't a point. You have to prepare for the situation and even with all this practice, you can never simulate the real thing. When your adrenaline is rushing, sometimes you do things you normally wouldn't. You need to be mentally prepared for what you are going to do in each situation. What if criminal walks up to you with his gun already drawn? What will you do in that situation? It will be difficult to upholster your weapon. You will need to think of a decoy. Say he asks for your wallet. I would take it out and throw it behind him. When he turns around to pick it up, I would take out my weapon.


Also, you are going to have to know the laws governing your state about each situation. What constitutes deadly force? What is the line between self defense and assault? It really isn't as simple as saying it was self defense. You have to prove it was self defense. It may differ in your state though, so you should check your state and local laws.

Will you be able to not tell anyone that you are carrying concealed? That is the whole point. It gives you the advantage against the criminal. Would you be able to carry it all day at work and be comfortable with it? You will also have to train yourself to move differently. Say your weapon is concealed at your 4 oclock and you are at the grocery store. You should use your left arm to reach for items on the top shelf so that your shirt doesn't come up and brandish your weapon. It is a lot to think about and you will have to change your lifestyle to accommodate the new addition.

I have personally been trained in using pepper spray. Part of the training was to be sprayed by it. Within seconds your eyes dry up, difficulty in keeping your eyes open, difficulty in breathing, etc. It is no joke and it is a felony to use it as a prank.

You should also take some sort of self defense classes. Even then, if you don't practice all the time, you will not be proficient in it.

Last but not least, are you mentally prepared to take someones life? Can you live with that on your conscience?

a good forum to check out is www.thefiringline.com (http://www.thefiringline.com)


Nice post...Thanks for the advice and info. I was looking for a gun forum, too.


Right now, I'm thinking I probably won't carry a firearm...probably a taser/stun gun/pepper spray. I did by a Springfield XD-9 today but I went with the tactical instead of compact...but I probably won't carry it much if ever. I bought it mostly to take to the range with my buddies.

Cons: You grow a mullet because you are now a hick

Wouldn't that fall under the pros? :gun1: ...Besides you would probably consider me a hick anyways...:fock::fock::icon_lol:

Wouldn't that fall under the pros? :gun1: ...Besides you would probably consider me a hick anyways...:fock::fock::icon_lol:
well you are noob at posting pictures so yes you are a hick haha

Yeah, it won't be a problem

wow, lenient. very awesome. i wish i could say the same if it ever came to it...

well you are noob at posting pictures so yes you are a hick haha

I don't get it?! Why am I a noob at posting pictures?:icon_roll

If you carry, you have to be mentally prepared to take someone's life... could you do that?
You're better off getting better at hand to hand combat, because any weapon you have (whether it's a knife, mace, or a gun) can potentially be taken and used against you.
I would say to get some good hand-to-hand training and carry a cell phone, unless you're planning on being involved in a gun fight it's more of a risk than I would personally be willing to take in your situation...

I know my brother and good friends of mine have been mugged, once at gun point. Yes, I will be getting my CCW in WA state. Yes, I go the the range. And because of military training I have done stress shoots and I know from watching a lot of people im better off in a stressful situation then many others.

Pistols u need to watch yourself with as they can be as dangerous to u as they are to others, companies like blackwater and countless others teach pistol classes for both civilian, LEO, and military. Look in to it, they are more prevelant then u might think. Invest in a security (blackhawk SERPA's are great)as it will prevent your weapon from being drawn if u manage to reveal it before u have a chance to draw it (say u get jumped). I will be carrying my Tauras PT1911 (1911 variation). I go the range as often as i can, its made difficult because I have to keep it in the arms room. I practice with it on the range drawing/holstering dry as well as loaded and with mag changes. But then again i have a LOT more point of contacts to help me as well as a lot more weapons experaince then your average civi so its differant for me. Invest in not only the states CCW course but education for yourself, you have a great pistol for that kind of work (although for concealed I would have picked the compact, shoots just as good and is smaller). Take it apart, practice with it, know your weapon. Also, invest in defense rounds (hollowpoints)...

Be aware, and its already been stated here, that drawing a weapon on anyone even if your lifes in danger can open a can of worms in the legal side of things so be prepared to justify your actions. Check your laws on self-defense in your state, be an informed CCW carrier, it can only aid you.

Get your permit and buy a good holster, make sure it stays concealed while you are working. Carrying is a lot of responsibility so make sure you train. Read your states deadly force laws and maybe call the local DAs office because if you do defend yourself you want to be sure that you are knowledgeable of the laws.

Cops can't be everywhere to protect everyone so people will have to defend themselves a lot of the time. I assure you that most Cops get the warm and fuzzy when some shitbag gets his by a citizen.

Search around for local weapon forums.

I wouldn't want to be the guy that brings a taser to a gunfight.... :icon_butt

Get the proper training and licensing to carry concealed. Train constantly and be proficient with your weapon.

As a cop, I wish more lawful citizens carried concealed. It would mean a lot fewer $hitbags on the street committing crimes. Would you really want to jump/rape/rob someone if there was a high likelihood that that were carrying concealed?

And to those of you that like to spout that LEOs don't train much... you're in no position to generalize. If you happen to know somebody who works on a half-assed department somewhere, congrats. However, it's definitely not the norm in the field. The Andy Griffith days are going away...

problem is, sometimes its hard to get the RIGHT training as a civilian. going to a range...great, you can shoot at targets standing perfectly still, probably while you are also standing still. And most wont let you shoot from the holster.

CQC has so much more you need to train for. What if a gun is already drawn on you...it's hard to win if the BG has the drop. Drawing on the move and shooting on the move are things you gotta practice at courses or specialized ranges. I am trying to find some places in Cali that teach things like that. Not gonna learn them in the military cause I won't be using the M9 anymore

problem is, sometimes its hard to get the RIGHT training as a civilian. going to a range...great, you can shoot at targets standing perfectly still, probably while you are also standing still. And most wont let you shoot from the holster.


It's not hard, just expensive. There are excellent training facilities located all over the US, especially the in SW.

good debate. its hard to decide between the pros and cons. ultimately you have to decide as an individual if its beneficial for you to carry one, as you are responsible for ur own life and the life you take.

I say if you live in an area where crime/assault rate is high then go for it. Proper training is a must regardless if you are a LEO or not. Learning self defense is a good idea too other than just a concealed weapon as it may be used against you if you are not prepared.

just remember a few key things if you decide to carry a gun..
1. are you professionally trained with the weapon?
2. there is always a gun when present when you get into an altercation.
this one is a big one, especially since im a police officer. we are taught that there is always a gun in every circumstance that we deal with (our own). remember that if you cant keep control of your weapon than its useless to you. weapon retention is huge!!
3. if something happens do you have the mindset to function property and are you able to use it if necessary?
4. by displaying a gun, you create one of two scenarios for your offender, flight or fight. when you display a weapon your offender will either flee or up the level of his force and shoot you first.
5. if you do decide to deploy a weapon and use it, a responding police officer has no idea what is going on. he will arrive at the scene and see a subject with a gun which will probably be you, and who knows where that situation will go. a criminal with a gun or a law abiding citizen legally with a gun both look the same when an officer arrives on the scene and no chances can be taken from the officers perspective.
6. if you do decide to display a weapon, be prepared for the consequences that will follow.
just all things to consider.

i have been a firearms instructor for 15 years. i have had a ccw in tx for the last 4.

in my experience the average person has no business with a handgun.

after training hundreds of thousands of people in the military and then working on a civilian range helping be a line officer for ccw testing here (range score is required in tx) i whole heartily agree that if you are going to carry you need to train. get a good quality holster that fits perfectly. (like milt sparks)

i paid 225 bucks for my ccw holster and it was worth every penny.

then practice practice practice (unloaded of course) drawing the weapon.

then prepare to pay for school
just going to the range shooting at paper targets that dont move, yell, or scream at you wont cut it.

find advanced ccw classes where they teach drawing shooting reloading etc
the course in tx doesnt even require you to draw the weapon

CONS
if you ever do shoot someone prepare yourself for a long hard legal fight which might end up in a lawsuit afterwards. remember that guy in NY. he got acquitted of murder for shooting those guys in the subway but still lost the wrongful death case and had to pay the families of the robbers millions


just my professional 2 cents from someone who does this sort of thing for a living

"An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life. "

- Robert A. Heinlein