I've always wanted a gun. I love shooting and I felt that I could better protect myself and my loved ones with a firearm. I'm not a very small guy either, so I went out and bought me a Kimber 1911 .45acp as a first gun. I love it to death. I've owned other guns, but I'll never sell the kimber. I currently carry my M9 and leave my stainless beauty at home. All of my shooting buddies are really nice to be around. I wouldn't consider any of them nut jobs or whatever people label us gun owners. We're all polite and if we fire anothers gun, we buy ammo for it. I personally like living in a state where 1 in 15 people have a CCW permit. I'm tired of all these kids talking crap to each other because they think whoevers the fastest with their fist is gonna be the big boy. What the hell ever, it takes a bunch of muscles for you to lunge at me and punch, but only a few for me to draw and fire. Seems to me, all of the rude people are the trash talking ILLEGAL gun carrying thugs around.
Why CCW?
G
I am new to handguns, but rather than start easy with a .22 I decided to jump right in with a 9mm as a first pistol. I have signed up for a CCW class - coming up Oct 1 and 2 - and need at least a .380 to qualify, but decided 9mm would give me the best combination of stopping power and affordability. After some research I decided to get a Steyr M9 as my first pistol, procuring that from CDNN three weeks ago. While I waited in slobbering anticipation for the M to arrive, I got antsy and bid myself into an S9 on Gunbroker, which came two days ago. I also ordered 250 rounds of 147gr Lancer FMJ (after reading and consulting the likes of jng1226, Navy87Guy, and climb14er) to go with the 100 pack of 115gr WWB I picked up at McWally's, and that arrived the same day that my S did. So here I am, almost no experience shooting pistols yet armed to the teeth. Kind of like being all dressed up and nowhere to go.
So why did I all of the sudden get an interest in handguns and sign up for a CCW class? More for ideological reasons than for safety concerns. I have some experience with trapshooting and hunting and am comfortable with long guns, and I am a supporter of hunters' and gunowners' rights, but reflection on the political turmoil across the globe that our generation has seen- Darfur/Sudan, Zimbabwe, the Congo, Rwanda, East Timor, Yugoslavia, Cambodia, and on and on - has helped me understand the relationship between the right to keep and bear arms and the freedoms I enjoy as an American. When Ohio gained CCW, with the controversy over reporters being able to publish the names of licensees (which my brother says they do in nearby Shelby County), I thought, "I want my name on that list." Even if I never carry a concealed handgun, I want to stand with those who take on this right and responsiblity. As a citizen and a patriot, I AM part of the militia, whether I bear or even own arms or not. If the list makes the paper I see it as a public declaration of my beliefs, an affirmation of faith in the wisdom of those who risked and even lost everything to throw off the yoke of tyranny 230 years ago. We risk little for freedom in this country today, and possibly being labeled a "right-wing nut job" is a small price to pay to protect the liberty we can take for granted. Urban liberals and European socialist utopians can call us "cowboys" or "gun nuts", but this is America - ain't it grand! Besides, while words will never hurt me, sticks and stones CAN break my bones, and my 9mm says that's not gonna happen.
So I'm no longer part of the arm-chair militia; I'm getting into the game.
Yeah, I want my name on that list.
So why did I all of the sudden get an interest in handguns and sign up for a CCW class? More for ideological reasons than for safety concerns. I have some experience with trapshooting and hunting and am comfortable with long guns, and I am a supporter of hunters' and gunowners' rights, but reflection on the political turmoil across the globe that our generation has seen- Darfur/Sudan, Zimbabwe, the Congo, Rwanda, East Timor, Yugoslavia, Cambodia, and on and on - has helped me understand the relationship between the right to keep and bear arms and the freedoms I enjoy as an American. When Ohio gained CCW, with the controversy over reporters being able to publish the names of licensees (which my brother says they do in nearby Shelby County), I thought, "I want my name on that list." Even if I never carry a concealed handgun, I want to stand with those who take on this right and responsiblity. As a citizen and a patriot, I AM part of the militia, whether I bear or even own arms or not. If the list makes the paper I see it as a public declaration of my beliefs, an affirmation of faith in the wisdom of those who risked and even lost everything to throw off the yoke of tyranny 230 years ago. We risk little for freedom in this country today, and possibly being labeled a "right-wing nut job" is a small price to pay to protect the liberty we can take for granted. Urban liberals and European socialist utopians can call us "cowboys" or "gun nuts", but this is America - ain't it grand! Besides, while words will never hurt me, sticks and stones CAN break my bones, and my 9mm says that's not gonna happen.
So I'm no longer part of the arm-chair militia; I'm getting into the game.
Yeah, I want my name on that list.
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I actually don't carry on a regular basis now, although that might change if I get the police job I'm trying for.
I have, however, slipped on a paddle holster and a long shirt sometimes when conducting business in the home with people I haven't met before.
Just makes me feel a little safer, I guess- especially with the wife and kid in the next room.
I hear gunshots in my neighborhood on a fairly regular basis (weekly, maybe); if I do end up with a CCW or otherwise able to carry (police badge do the same thing? Dunno) I can certainly see myself strapping one when I go for walks after dark.
I have, however, slipped on a paddle holster and a long shirt sometimes when conducting business in the home with people I haven't met before.
Just makes me feel a little safer, I guess- especially with the wife and kid in the next room.
I hear gunshots in my neighborhood on a fairly regular basis (weekly, maybe); if I do end up with a CCW or otherwise able to carry (police badge do the same thing? Dunno) I can certainly see myself strapping one when I go for walks after dark.
G
I come from a home of gun collectors. Because my Dad and his brothers all collect them, we have a rather large and extensive assortment of weapons spanning 200 years. It's odd for me not to have a gun around me. But I don't feel the "need" to have one. I'm fine on my own. It wasn't until a couple of my friends came home from their honeymoon and walked in on someone stealing thier TV that I seriously considered CCW as a means of all time carry. They weren't hurt, it was one of those they walked in as the bad guy was walking out of the back kind of deals, but the thought scared me. Now I have it handy, and I'm buying another Steyr as soon as I can for a back up.
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I started carrying because two young thugs back in my home town of Wichita tortured and murdered 5 people and these thugs happened to live in the same apartment complex that I was robbed in by a different young thug who looked almost exactly like one of the murderers.
That's why I strapped it on the first time.
That said, one of the weird things that happened after carrying for a couple of weeks is that for the first time in my life I felt like a citizen. So after the initial fear and hype about the Carr brothers' murders had died down I kept carrying because it was empowering (and a nice little silent protest to Kansas carry laws).
Then after carrying regularly for a few months I started to notice the "Gun Zen" that I've talked about before ... that feeling of calm that many who CCW begin to feel ... not because we know we've got the tools of self defense, but because when you carry a gun you begin to understand the responsibility that entails. When your decisions carry the weight of life and death you find that the small things (like a rude clerk or being cut off in traffic) don't mean all that much. You also begin to behave as we have always been taught we should ... opening doors for little old ladies, smiling more, being polite to strangers ... not seeing the world around you as a hostile and unfriendly place.
It is true that An Armed Society is a Polite Society and while the antis will tell you that packing a gun is either making up for a small penis, or packing a gun will make you more aggressive ... I say bullshit!
If everyone carried I honestly believe the world would be a much nicer place to live.
First thing I did when I moved to Colorado was get my permit ... carrying legally feels even MORE empowering ... I feel more like an honest to God citizen here instead of feeling like a subject.
That's why I strapped it on the first time.
That said, one of the weird things that happened after carrying for a couple of weeks is that for the first time in my life I felt like a citizen. So after the initial fear and hype about the Carr brothers' murders had died down I kept carrying because it was empowering (and a nice little silent protest to Kansas carry laws).
Then after carrying regularly for a few months I started to notice the "Gun Zen" that I've talked about before ... that feeling of calm that many who CCW begin to feel ... not because we know we've got the tools of self defense, but because when you carry a gun you begin to understand the responsibility that entails. When your decisions carry the weight of life and death you find that the small things (like a rude clerk or being cut off in traffic) don't mean all that much. You also begin to behave as we have always been taught we should ... opening doors for little old ladies, smiling more, being polite to strangers ... not seeing the world around you as a hostile and unfriendly place.
It is true that An Armed Society is a Polite Society and while the antis will tell you that packing a gun is either making up for a small penis, or packing a gun will make you more aggressive ... I say bullshit!
If everyone carried I honestly believe the world would be a much nicer place to live.
First thing I did when I moved to Colorado was get my permit ... carrying legally feels even MORE empowering ... I feel more like an honest to God citizen here instead of feeling like a subject.
G
Great post, Zundfolge. I began to feel a little of the "zen" you mentioned when I purchased my handgun (and ammo) last month. I take my CCW course this weekend; though I'm not sure I'll carry routinely, it will be nice to have the option to carry legally at my discretion.
You're right - you take more ownership of your citizenship when you know you can defend it.
You're right - you take more ownership of your citizenship when you know you can defend it.
I wish anti-gun people could get to really know those who have/carry guns...their mistaken belief that those who own guns are all violent people would (maybe :roll: ) come to an end. Zundfolge, you hit it just right, I was a cop for 5 years; you soon begin to realize the responsibility you have taken on to carry. The key is to know your gun and to learn what you are capable of with it. Practice, practice, practice, with several training courses from those who know. I've done a lot of reading in the forums here and am very impressed with the caliber of people who belong, and am glad to be part of it.
Jawohl Zundfolge. I feel the same. Why does the poll allow only 1 choice? I pack for more than 1 reason. To quote my favorite group Steppenwolf "Seems like every single day another mind gets blown away and the world goes just a little more insane." ("Give Me News I Can Use" by J. Kay). Also, I love my guns so much I hate to be without one. I have packed since I was 16 (58 now) because I have always sensed that the police can't protect me, and because I feel more like a warrior than a sheep when I am armed. The inate insanity of the world was most graphically demonstrated to me several years ago when a man staying at the same motel we were asked if he could go along when I mentioned that my son and I were going shooting. To make a long story short he blew his own brains out with my .44 mag while I wasn't watching him. That he could have killed me and my son too gave me a spooky feeling. Needless to say, I thought it was mighty rude to say the least, and I don't go shooting with people I don't know real well any more, but I know the world is full of crazies who look normal.
G
I carry because I'm a citizen, not a subject.
WaffleKing,
One note, which they will probably address in your CCW course, if you are going to carry, pick up some decent JHP ammo as FMJ is "less than ideal" for defensive purposes. That is, unless you live in one of those pinko areas where they have banned the use of effective ammo.
Also, make sure you buy enough to test it well. Make sure it works well for you and your gun. It's not cheap, but you are betting your life on it.
WaffleKing,
One note, which they will probably address in your CCW course, if you are going to carry, pick up some decent JHP ammo as FMJ is "less than ideal" for defensive purposes. That is, unless you live in one of those pinko areas where they have banned the use of effective ammo.
Also, make sure you buy enough to test it well. Make sure it works well for you and your gun. It's not cheap, but you are betting your life on it.
Why?
I live in a nice neighborhood, in a nice town, in a line of work that generally does not involve making people angry or carrying loose cash. I don't mess around with other men's wives and I don't engage in illegal business. I'm not hotheaded with others, I used to box and wrestle, and I was a college football lineman. I'm in good shape and in my 30s. So I'm pretty safe, the odds are pretty low of me running into something in which I need a weapon to safely get me (or mine) out of.
Except maybe for travelling. Or strolls in a town that is overly tolerant of panhandlers and homeless "street rats". Or the odd bit of bad luck in which you encounter some dimwit, druggie, or crazy who is armed and acting in a stupid, antisocial manner.
In those situations, I like having the option of legally carrying the same sort of weapon that our police forces deem necessary for their own protection.
Ben
I live in a nice neighborhood, in a nice town, in a line of work that generally does not involve making people angry or carrying loose cash. I don't mess around with other men's wives and I don't engage in illegal business. I'm not hotheaded with others, I used to box and wrestle, and I was a college football lineman. I'm in good shape and in my 30s. So I'm pretty safe, the odds are pretty low of me running into something in which I need a weapon to safely get me (or mine) out of.
Except maybe for travelling. Or strolls in a town that is overly tolerant of panhandlers and homeless "street rats". Or the odd bit of bad luck in which you encounter some dimwit, druggie, or crazy who is armed and acting in a stupid, antisocial manner.
In those situations, I like having the option of legally carrying the same sort of weapon that our police forces deem necessary for their own protection.
Ben
Well stated. Older post, but true. I was not here when origanally posted, but I like and agree.Zundfolge said:Then after carrying regularly for a few months I started to notice the "Gun Zen" that I've talked about before ... that feeling of calm that many who CCW begin to feel ... not because we know we've got the tools of self defense, but because when you carry a gun you begin to understand the responsibility that entails. When your decisions carry the weight of life and death you find that the small things (like a rude clerk or being cut off in traffic) don't mean all that much. You also begin to behave as we have always been taught we should ... opening doors for little old ladies, smiling more, being polite to strangers ... not seeing the world around you as a hostile and unfriendly place.
Because you can't predict when or where your number is going to come up. And now add the thousands (tens of thousands, millions, who knows) of Jehadis in our midst and you need to be prepared all the time like a Boy Scout.
1 - 12 of 12 Posts
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