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View Poll Results: Do you carry a firearm?
No - Firearms are evil.
8
14.29%
No - but I do have some sort of firearm in the house.
Sounds like you got a reality check early in life with a job like that.
I spent 42 years as a long distance trucker pulling into rest areas in the middle of the night and walking to the rest rooms.
Switching trailers in a back lot in Chicago or Detroit or hundreds of other places at 3am I could tell you some things that would make your hair stand on end.
BB..In the places and scenarios that you just described that would make some scene...in your every day life of going to the grocery store, shopping, etc...I just don't see it...however..I live in a pretty mundane area...maybe if I lived in a big city I would feel different...but just caring a gun for the sake of caring one...its not me...
Hi guys Ive been reading the responses to this topic. Pretty interesting views. Well living down here in South Texas ,an avid hunter ,amateur gunsmith and former law enforcement. Both my dad and I have always carried a firearm in our vehicle and respectivley own our share of hunting rifles,shotguns, pistols and brush (assault) rifles . We live out in the country out here. Its a nessesity for animals and sometimes people. Yes I said people we have alot of illegal imigrant trafic go through our place and despite what we hear in the news some of these fellows arent as inocent as they are made out to be. We have never had to shoot anyone thank god. My mom and my ex-wife both have had to pop off a couple of rounds hold off a couple of illegals before trying to break into each of our homes. In this area unfortunetly guns are a necesarry evil.
BB..In the places and scenarios that you just described that would make some scene...in your every day life of going to the grocery store, shopping, etc...I just don't see it...however..I live in a pretty mundane area...maybe if I lived in a big city I would feel different...but just caring a gun for the sake of caring one...its not me...
If you were driving through south side Chicago in early morning and you catch a red light but you see a group of young blacks standing on the corner would you stop.
If you stop for the red light one of them will run out and unhook the air line to the trailer.
This will cause the breakaway system to lock the trailer brakes.
Now the only way you can move is get out and connect it and that is exactly what they want you to do.
What they did not count on was me coming out of the cab with a sawed off 12 Gage shot gun.
Once while switching trailer at National can in Chicago I had dropped my empty and backed under my loaded trailer and was cranking the landing gear up when 3 young blacks came between the trailers carrying large clubs.
I knew right away they were not looking for romance.
I pulled out my 357 revolver and fired right over their head.
They dropped their clubs and ran like H###
What chance would I had against three of them with clubs.
I'm not so naive as to think that all my fellow man are nice friendly people that mean me no harm.
Interesting discussion. BB it sounds like you could be in an NRA ad!
I'm 23 years old, and I personally don't carry a firearm, and the main reason is because I don't feel that I have the training to carry one. I'd love to become better trained and feel more comfortable so that when I'm in a bad area I don't have to worry about it. But right now, I'm just not comfortable with it.
I live in Georgia, and was raised around guns, and one of my roommates has a gun in the house. He's former Army and well trained. Personally, I think that I should have the right to get a CWP and carry a handgun if I like, and one day in the near future will hopefully do. Coming from Georgia, it's hard to imagine living in a place where handguns are outlawed.
2000 Black Eddie Bauer Explorer "Detailing Isn't Expensive... It's Priceless."
Interesting discussion. BB it sounds like you could be in an NRA ad!
I'm 23 years old, and I personally don't carry a firearm, and the main reason is because I don't feel that I have the training to carry one. I'd love to become better trained and feel more comfortable so that when I'm in a bad area I don't have to worry about it. But right now, I'm just not comfortable with it.
I live in Georgia, and was raised around guns, and one of my roommates has a gun in the house. He's former Army and well trained. Personally, I think that I should have the right to get a CWP and carry a handgun if I like, and one day in the near future will hopefully do. Coming from Georgia, it's hard to imagine living in a place where handguns are outlawed.
I'm retired now and where I live crime is nearly non existent so I have not been carrying but if I was going to be out late at night I would carry.
I don't agree with Beamer about police training making them so special.
If you discharge a firearm regardless of where you are you should be able to hit your target.
Most people don't know that FBI statistics show that nearly ALL shootings take place at a distance of 6 feet or less.
Beamer has been watching too much TV.
When I read a post like Charles made it tells me he should not carry.
If you pull a gun on someone he is now in fear of his life and will act accordingly.
If you are not mentally and physically able to take this scumbag out then you should not carry because you will only make your chance for survival less.
You should practice once a month NOT once a year like most police departments require.
I practice with a silhouette not a target this will get you accustom to shooting at a human figure.
The main thing is to be in control of your surroundings.
Always know if anyone is close and be aware of what they are doing.
If you feel like you maybe in a bad spot cross the street or attempt to go inside a public place where they will not follow you.
If possible it is always better to avoid confutation but if you find yourself in a real bad spot if you believe the police will save you all I can say is God Help you because no one else will
First I'd like to say this thread is probably inappropriate for a detailing forum
Second again I'll repeat ..this is all about location, location, location....
Bart you have obviously been in a job and situation that calls for the carrying of a gun and i believe most long haul truckers I've met do carry for the reasons you've mentioned ...
sjr ...again living in the area you do I also see a very high priority to have protection
JP ..I've only been through your area once a long time ago, but I have heard of some troubled areas that would call for carrying protection.
Dave ..you and I live in areas that do not generally have issues with the need for protection
personally I have walked and driven the streets of Harlem and the Bronx with friends of mixed race and color and never had an incident... I was told of areas to avoid and have abided by that advice.
Can anyone be unexpectedly be put in an unsafe situation, absolutely! but as someone who who grew up with a police officer as a grandfather, and he carried his gun 24/7, he only had to pull his gun once in 31 years due to a confrontation with a crazy guy on drugs, I see no need for the general public to carry. There are too many people who stereotype others by their race or religion and may regret the use of a deadly weapon and have to live with the consequences for the rest of their lives ..
GH...your of the minority of gun carriers..IMO...I don't have hard numbers to post on this but I would be willing to believe that most gun owners...practice at shooting for accuracy..competitions, hunting, etc.....but do not have the training of skill sets that it takes to use in a public setting...for self defense.
You might be interested in what places like Front Sight offer. This isn't the only training provider nor am I saying the best but it is well known.
If you were driving through south side Chicago in early morning and you catch a red light but you see a group of young blacks standing on the corner would you stop.
If you stop for the red light one of them will run out and unhook the air line to the trailer.
This will cause the breakaway system to lock the trailer brakes.
Now the only way you can move is get out and connect it and that is exactly what they want you to do.
What they did not count on was me coming out of the cab with a sawed off 12 Gage shot gun.
Once while switching trailer at National can in Chicago I had dropped my empty and backed under my loaded trailer and was cranking the landing gear up when 3 young blacks came between the trailers carrying large clubs.
I knew right away they were not looking for romance.
I pulled out my 357 revolver and fired right over their head.
They dropped their clubs and ran like H###
What chance would I had against three of them with clubs.
I'm not so naive as to think that all my fellow man are nice friendly people that mean me no harm.
BB...as I stated given the scenarios your have laid out...yes I can see having a gun, would be necessary...going grocery shopping, to the movies, etc?
If you need one for that, then you should be thinking about the area that you are living.
Oh and for the record...I was a line driver for 12 years and raised on a larger farm where we had many..I'm well aware of how a tractor and trailer work...I'm sure you didn't know that
You could also spend 6 years to life for making the wrong decision...using deadly force.
This is absolutely the case. In effect you support my feeling to the tee. I want to be able to make the decision as opposed to someone else potentially making the decision how my life will end. I fully realize the responsibility associated with carrying. Furthermore I take that responsibility seriously. I think anyone who makes the decision to carry needs to willingly commit to be appropriately trained. To not do so is a disaster waiting to happen. As for me and my experience, the people with whom I associate feel the same way. They've gone through the same type of training that I have and we use particular care when shooting or carrying. We feel the same uneasiness expressed in this thread when we get around other people at the range or hillside that don't have the same standards. By the way it doesn't take a great deal of observation to determine whether one handles a firearm safely or not. When I'm around this type of person and I'm not comfortable, I leave. You can't just leave when people are carrying (I understand BB's concern), you don't even know they are or at least you better not, if you do, they are breaking the law by not properly concealing the weapon.
This is where I'll get in trouble with my fellow gun lovers. With the freedom comes the responsibility and obligation. I believe everyone should have the choice available to carry or not. That said, I believe that the classes offered to provide certification to CCW holders to be totally inadequate. In my state you don't even have to shoot in order to get the permit. I best be careful here or someone will mistake me as a liberal.
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I've been around guns all my life, I casn't speak for the age that I first shot one but I know I had to of been a youngin'. Where I currently live I don't see the need to carry a concealed weapon, but know a few folks who do. I do carry a pocketknife with me a lot of the time (Mostly my sweet Leatherman I found Which comes in handy quite often, and no not the knife part!), I've never had to brandish it but have had a couple times where I was glad I had to at least have it on me. Hell the Leatherman I carry is heavy eough itself that if I were to lob it at anyone, it'd probably distract them long enough for me to get them on the ground
Anyway since this topic is about guns and not Leathermen products, I digress from that. It's been probably 3+ years since I've fired a firearm (I think...), mainly because I haven't been hunting in a while. But lately I've had a knack to grab a box of clay pigeons and go out to my grand[a's with my 12 guage to remind myself how damn good of a shot I am I just want to make sure I'm up-to-date on my skills and remember how to care for them. Considering my backround I feel a bit embarrassed that I've kinda forgot what I know about them
Which comes in handy quite often, and no not the knife part!), I've never had to brandish it but have had a couple times where I was glad I had to at least have it on me. Hell the Leatherman I carry is heavy eough itself that if I were to lob it at anyone, it'd probably distract them long enough for me to get them on the ground 
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