I can't recall a single incident where an armed civilian stopped a terrorist attack by shooting them.

Why do you hate google?

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I was fingerprinted for Virginia. Don’t think I was when I waived into dc, though.

It's the only way I can buy a pistol. The commonwealth says that a LTC (License to Carry) is required to buy and own a pistol or a rifle or shotgun that holds more than 5 rounds

I've had mine for 5 years. Carry pretty frequently. I am cognizant of banks, schools and govt buildings and obey the laws. No gun signs at Target/movie theatres, I just breeze right through. Where I live they can just ask you to leave.

Wife has hers as well, but she has never carried. Education was worth it. Also just easier if it is in a my range bag in the back and not in the "trunk" and I get pulled over, cop wants to make a big deal of it.

Trying to understand the thread.

• Is the question about getting a gun, or carrying one concealed?
• Can I obtain a gun without a concealed carry permit?
• How does it make going to the range easier - can you just take your gun to the range?
• If you get a CCW, do you have to get a gun?

Legitimate questions from me.
Thanks, John

I have several guns and have hunters since I was five, I am now 47, I was just curious as to why not to get one. Not that I have felt threatened to a point in which I needed one for protection. I was just curious as to the motivation to get one and why not to get one

1. Question seems to be should I get the permit to carry (so I could if I wanted to).

2. I'm from MN. You can get a permit to purchase (obtain) with a background check. The permit to carry requires a class and includes a permit to purchase along with it.

3. If you do not have a permit to carry, your guns need to be unloaded, cased, in the trunk, while driving (I forget the exact rules). With a permit to carry, I am covered if I have my range bag in the back seat, etc. (I don't keep loaded guns in my range bag). I used to drive a pick up, now a Jeep. I don't have trunk. If I were pulled over and the officer decided to be a dick, there may be the potential for problems. A CCW allows me to avoid all of those. My wife as well--if we were to switch vehicles.

4. No.

I finished my CCW class over the weekend, couple things that stood out. The majority of the class covered the legality of carrying a weapon, that was 6 hours. There was two hours of range time, In that time however that was mostly about becoming familiar with your weapon, actually shooting time was less then 15 minutes, I think I fired 50 rounds. Considering most of the class has never fired a weapon and after 50 rounds, they can carry a weapon? That scares the shit out of me!

Lots of scared very people our there. That was their main reasoning to get their CCW. One guy delivered news papers, and has been mugged twice over the past two years, another was mugged on the way to the store, in a decent neighborhood. Crazy stuff going on in Columbus Ohio. Who knew.

I am still on the fence as to if I will follow through and get the license, I have a few years to decide I guess. I just want to move back to the country, city people carrying weapons scares the shit out of me.

Plenty of news stories on how a petty thief decided to also take victim to the ATM for more money, and then "disposed" of the victim/witness in the getaway.

You neglect to note that in this very case an armed civilian stopped THIS attack by shooting the attacker, who fled in his car after being wounded. Those same armed civilians pursued the attacker, who committed suicide when he realized he would not escape.

I always keep mine up to date even though I rarely carry (can't at work). If you do end up carrying I would suggest a small J-frame revolver or something like a Ruger LCP. Get a pocket holster, a IWB and a nice high riding OWB holster so you can tailor it to your outfit/comfort level.

It probably varies by state, but a couple benefits of having a CPL (at least in WA) is that it is legal to carry a loaded handgun in a vehicle and you don't have a waiting period buying new weapons. Also, most guys that are serious shooters (not gun show commandos) will not sell a private weapon to you unless you have a CPL (at least in my experience).

I'd rather people carry them concealed than open. Last two people I've seen open carrying (who weren't LEOs) scared the shit out of me. Both were old men, who probably weighed about 300 lbs, and looked like they were about to teeter over. I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but if you can hardly walk I don't trust you can handle that gun all that well if need be. I'd rather just not know you had it.

One of these was in Acadia National Park, which surprised me you could carry there.

US National Parks follow the rules of the local area. So if allowed in the area, it is allowed in the park. However, certain building like a ranger station may not allow firearms to be carried inside. It should be posted.

Thanks

You missd the obvious safer route in this scenario...

15yrs ago I went thru a competitive shooting phase. Mostly pistol and mostly scenario driven competitions where targets are popping up and down, there's good guy and bad guy silhouettes so you have to make rapid decisions re. which cardboard person to shoot, obstacles to move around, shooting while moving, pretty much any kind of scenario one's imagination can generate, as long as it can be done without shooting the people staged to take their turn next.

One of the most interesting lessons I learned is that there's a large # of firearm enthusiasts that are very skilled, and some are absolutely magic. Hollywood would tell us that the Infantry are darn competent with their weapons. I'm here to tell you, civilians that have dabbled in local competitions are vastly more skilled with conventional firearms than infantry.

Special Ops types like Rangers, Green Beret, Seals, etc. could go to a civilian regional or state firearms competition and, on a good day, they might be average. I'm talking about scenario driven competitions like IPSC and IDPA. Only the very elite of SOF would be good enough, I'd estimate, to battle for podium positions at those regional or state firearm competitions. At the national level the civilians are untouchable in scenario driven competitions. Civilian enthusiasts are better shots than military types (or law enforcement) because they simply practice a lot more.

I routinely watched some no-account looking old gent put on a show of putting down bad guys and targets in a scenario with a speed and precision that should not have been possible by a human being. It was positively magical.

So sure, untrained folks would be kinda hapless with a firearm, and that's spooky. But we shouldn't forget that there's also a several hundred thousand enthusiasts out there with competitive experience in firearms and most of them are pretty darn good.

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Wife and I both have ours, although we don't really need it anymore as since we got them our sate changed to statewide concealed carry with no permit. Shockingly there has not been blood in the streets since that happened.

I wanted it just to have it. I didn't like the fact that I could carry a gun in my truck if it was "in plain view" but if it was obscured at all I was guilty of breaking the law. Living in Idaho I doubt I would have many problems with that, but the possibility was there. Main motivation was for the wife to get her permit. She needed the training so I did it with her.

She works in a criminal defense law office, she is the back office on the 4th floor. The office consists of her and two attorneys who are often gone or in court. She has people of questionable character come in quite often and she is the only person there. She is 30 years old, 115lbs, and better looking than Mrs. Duffy ;P. As such she wanted some form of protection. She has a concealed carry purse and has her gun on her all the time.

I have carried mine a few times. It really is a hassle for a man. I don't wear gangster pants and also don't weigh 300lbs and wear cargo/tactical pants. I generally have one in the car, and I may carry it depending on the situation but likely less than 3 times per year. I have carried it for some craigslist deals in parking lots.

Either way the training was beneficial and not very expensive so seems worth it. I wish it had more reciprocity with other states. I can drive 35 miles one way and be a felon in Oregon. We once took a trip to Northern Idaho and the wife took her gun. We then unexpectedly extended the trip and went to Seattle. On the way home we had a cop follow us with his lights on, I immediately thought "oh shit, we are in Washington and she has a gun!" Luckily he pulled over the car next to us. But we looked up the laws and she would have been in cuffs if we got pulled over.

Only reason I can think to not get it is the finger print deal, but I had to get my prints taken for my insurance license so they already know me.