Why I carry a gun

a reply to: olaru12

Don't kill anyone ,it messes you up inside, if you're sensitive.
Once you have, it makes it more important to do so ONLY when an attacker deserves it.

a reply to: Macenroe82

It is really shocking, and even more so after hearing stories from fellow ATSers whos lives were saved by being armed.

We live in a different kind of world, where crime knows no boundary. Just within the last few days 8 were murdered by a terrorist in NYC, 3 by a murderer (maybe terrorist - they are still investigating) at a Walmart and several people plus a child murdered in a drug deal gone bad in a Starbucks.

It is a sad reality, and I hope everyone here stays safe regardless of whether you choose to carry or not.

a reply to: UpIsNowDown

Agreed, and I appreciate it Up I appreciate your open-mindedness and the perfectly reasonable questions

JB

a reply to: mysterioustranger


mysterious, sounds like a reasonable precaution given the sheer amount of violence that comes along with a home invasion scenario. I would hate to be unable to reach my gun in time to save lives because my weapon wasn't within reach. I wear a level 2 holster which keeps the weapon secure on me, and when it is off my body it is locked in a biometric safe by the bed. I also have an airweight .38 spl that I throw in my pocket when wearing gym shorts or lounging around the house (like on ATS )

All other weapons are locked up in a gun safe, and the NFA stuff is in its own safe with a UL rated lock. There are plenty of great storage options available though. My children had their own rifles since they were 10, although I kept the ammo in my gun safe. I found that instilling gun safety into them at a young age was really beneficial to them, and fostered a healthy dose of respect for weapons in general.

a reply to: Finspiracy


Thanks Fin, I appreciate the kind words

I agree that the second is an important right (as are all the BOR), and it is great to see people standing up for it! I also wish we lived in a world without crime and the capacity to inflict such harm and destruction on our fellow human beings.

The acts some people are capable of will never stop shocking me

Thanks again for the reply, JB

originally posted by: JBurns
a reply to: Finspiracy
I agree that the second is an important right (as are all the BOR), and it is great to see people standing up for it! I also wish we lived in a world without crime and the capacity to inflict such harm and destruction on our fellow human beings

In the past i was very strictly against normal private citizens carrying a gun. And i thought that the common argument "Guns don't kill people, people kill people" was just plain stupid. These days i have turned into a bit more lenient towards carrying a gun. I hate talking about terrorism but terrorism is reality so i think some shootings may very well have been prevented if there was someone there who has a gun and knows how to use it, and then eliminate the terrorist.

I also thought before, that the argument "Criminals will always have guns" was irrelevant. That less guns will always be better, so let's allow only military and the police have guns. And, unavoidably, the criminals.

I actually enjoyed shooting when i served in the Finnish military. Real kicks when you hit 9 or 10 from the target. The smell of fired shot. The recoil. The overwhelming sense of focusing and breathing techniques. Everything about it. I got qualified for the Finnish soldiers national championships for shooting. Oh and it was an assault rifle by the way. But i absolutely and totally failed one single shot. I normally hit at least 6 or 7 (on a target scaling from 1 to 10) but that was an early shot, straight into the sand wall behind the target. A bad occasion to fail, i would have got 5 days off of service if i had hit like 8 but no

Later i got my military pass, and afterwards resigned from the Finnish army reserves. Because of the law i had to spend 5 days in this civil service center. Good lectures about pacifism and protecting the environment and great food! But pacifism works only, if the receiving party is capable of empathy and goodwill. One can not deal with a force like ISIS with pacifism.

So the bottom line sometimes carrying a gun can be a good thing. The gun just needs to be carried by a goodwilling and law obedient person.

a reply to: UpIsNowDown

I do not own or carry a gun, nor do I carry any tools for personal defence, because I am not permitted to under the law of my nation. Oh, you CAN own a gun, but there are hoops made of money to jump through, and carriage of any firearm on ones person is absolutely forbidden, except at a range, or a bird shoot or what have you. I am not even permitted to carry a decently sized blade for my own defence, nor knuckle dusters, nor a cudgel, nor any tool, in fact, designed with defence of the person in mind. Pepper sprays, tasers of varying sorts, all of that is out too.

I am aware however, that those who are prepared to rob, or assault, or murder unarmed people, do not obey the law. They carry long blades, they carry guns, they do what they will, without fear of being countered by other citizens, and know that the police are so underfunded and understaffed, that they can easily avoid immediate capture as well.

Now, I do not personally believe that a gun would be a good fit for me, as a personal defence weapon. They are noisy, they can jam in some circumstances, there is a chance of missing the target... I prefer steel over lead, because what it lacks in reach, it makes up for in handiness, simplicity and silence. But even this is not allowed. I, as a law abiding citizen, am not permitted the freedom to defend myself with anything but my fists, when out in public. The criminal, by way of being what he is, is not bound by law, does not accept those limitations. I, therefore, am and always will be at a disadvantage, when confronted by mortal danger posed by another person.

a reply to: TrueBrit

All that is spot on.
two things I would say though are 1, there are different ways of fighting that can give you the advantage over an untrained idiot with a knife or something and
2. You don't need to aim a dog.

a reply to: SprocketUK

I know that SproketUK.

And much as I would love a furry chum, I cannot afford to feed one, leave alone vets fees, shots, flea treatment and what have you, on top of my living costs. Also, I am not at home for enough time a day, to make a proper fist of pet ownership. As for fighting, yes there are indeed ways of going about things which can place one in an advantageous position, however, there are several problems with reliance on them...

First, they do not work for everyone, because not everyone has reaction speeds fast enough, nor the physical strength to apply themselves to such a task. I get by on my wits, and would not be here to type this if I could not handle myself in that regard. However, I am not everyone else, and everyone else is not me. Further to that, not every clod with a knife has no idea how to use it.

As things stand, the only legal recourse an attacked person has, is to simply be attacked, and hope that they do not die during the assault. That is the entire right to self defence in the street, according to the law. Its not put that way, but the lack of provision for a person to defend themselves effectively means that the law may as well say "You may feel free to become a victim, for which you will not be arrested or detained for questioning". Anything other than this, fighting back in an effective manner, even with ones fists, can be dicey. A shot to the rear of the skull, while efficient, may kill your attacker, leaving you on charges of manslaughter, even if you used only your fist and your attacker was armed with a gun.

Its a ludicrous situation.

originally posted by: JBurns
a reply to: mysterioustranger


mysterious, sounds like a reasonable precaution given the sheer amount of violence that comes along with a home invasion scenario. I would hate to be unable to reach my gun in time to save lives because my weapon wasn't within reach. I wear a level 2 holster which keeps the weapon secure on me, and when it is off my body it is locked in a biometric safe by the bed. I also have an airweight .38 spl that I throw in my pocket when wearing gym shorts or lounging around the house (like on ATS

)

All other weapons are locked up in a gun safe, and the NFA stuff is in its own safe with a UL rated lock. There are plenty of great storage options available though. My children had their own rifles since they were 10, although I kept the ammo in my gun safe. I found that instilling gun safety into them at a young age was really beneficial to them, and fostered a healthy dose of respect for weapons in general.

I agree. Though...I dont have a safe...because Im never anywhere without one or all. And if Im in a no-carry place...I have other means of securing them.

As far as to carry or not? Im not intending to EVER having to use them. But, Im not gonna die, or let someone else die if I can prevent it.

Though Im affiliated with L. Enforc....I can guarantee there are officers that spend their entire careers never having to fire their sidearms.

There is a saying Ive used here before. Would you rather have a phone to the police at the end of your hands while being assaulted, raped or beaten? Or a firearm. I choose the later...I am NOT going to be a victim or let others become one...

a reply to: mysterioustranger

I agree completely MS, I am fortunate enough to live in an area where "gun free zones" do not carry the force of law so we are free to ignore them. The only time it counts is if an employee somehow sees your weapon and asks you to leave, failing to leave private property on demand would of course be trespassing. Fortunately, 90% of private establishments are pro-2A and have signs like "gun rich zone" or "protected by S&W"

Thanks to LEOSA, we can carry in any state regardless of their local/state laws (with a handful of notable exceptions)

As far as your question is concerned, I pick the latter als

a reply to: TrueBrit

Good points.

I still don't ever feel like I need a weapon in the UK on a regular basis though. Out and about I always feel secure in a way I probably just wouldn't in somewhere where every other creep has a gun.


That's what gets me about gun law arguments between brits and yanks, totally different cultures. Hell I like guns and if I was over there I'd walk down the street like Wyatt Earp with my six guns on my hips and a Winchester over my shoulder

I carry for the same reason I have car insurance and a fire extinguisher in my kitchen. If I ever need one and don't have it it will be a really bad day.

originally posted by: face23785
I carry for the same reason I have car insurance and a fire extinguisher in my kitchen. If I ever need one and don't have it it will be a really bad day.

A fire extinguisher in your kitchen? You that bad a cook?

originally posted by: SprocketUK

originally posted by: face23785
I carry for the same reason I have car insurance and a fire extinguisher in my kitchen. If I ever need one and don't have it it will be a really bad day.

A fire extinguisher in your kitchen? You that bad a cook?

I did set a steak on fire once under the broiler. Actually turned out to be one of the better steaks I've made

originally posted by: face23785

originally posted by: SprocketUK

originally posted by: face23785
I carry for the same reason I have car insurance and a fire extinguisher in my kitchen. If I ever need one and don't have it it will be a really bad day.

A fire extinguisher in your kitchen? You that bad a cook?

I did set a steak on fire once under the broiler. Actually turned out to be one of the better steaks I've made

Well I always prefer my steak cooked really hot and really fast so fair play to ya

a reply to: seagull

Oh I completely agree with you.
But in this instance the perp is the one who requested PC.
It wasn't the guards due diligence recommending it.
He specifically requested to be transferred to PC.

Why I carry a gun:

Texas Church Shooting Thread

a reply to: face23785

My sentiments exactly

Personal protection is secondary to me. The ability to combat tyranny is my number one reason. Potential revolution is why I don't believe in gun control. With the exception of waiting periods and mandatory training. Nobody needs a gun asap for a legitimate reason, and I think it's more than fair to require training classes before ownership is allowed. But I'm all for civilian ownership of assault rifles and NFA items. Gun laws need to be significantly relaxed, not tightened.

The Bath School massacre was the deadliest school massacre in US history and Kehoe used explosives, not firearms. And what about British MP Jo Cox? The UK has some of the toughest gun regulations in the world, and yet, the man was still able to construct a homemade firearm. If someone is determined to kill, there's not a lot you can do to stop them. That's why we should be focused on revamping the mental health system in the United States instead of passing yet another oppressive and unconstitutional law.

It's the same solution for crime in the united states. Work on the poverty, and the crime rates will drop dramatically on their own. With guns, reach out to the mentally ill and stop defunding important social programs, and mass killings will decrease as well.