Why, how, and when did you start carrying?

[.40caltrucker]

Well I started carrying awhile before I got my LTCH. I lived in TX and they don't require a CCP to carry in your car, when we moved back up here I continued to do that until I found out it was illegal and applied for my LTCH last year. Now I happily carry OWB most of the time and went from owning 1 handgun to 6.

 

[SilentWarrior1]

There were a compounding list of the reasons WHY I started to carry. A few stick out in my mind, however.

1. I took an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States against ALL enemies, both foreign and domestic. I wasn't informed that the oath had an expiration date, only my term of service did.
2. 11 September 2001. I remember where I was, what I was doing, and the swirling myriad of emotions I felt when I saw the 2nd plane smack into that building. It wasn't a question of if, but a question of WHEN I was deployed. Within minutes, I was re-packing my duffel bags and setting them by the door, leaving a set of BDU's and boots out to dress into WHEN I received that phone call. It didn't come until almost five years later.
3. I married my wife in 2002, and as it was my honor-bound duty to protect my family, I applied for my LTCH, and bought my first handgun. After a few digressions stated here: https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo..._finally_snatched_them_off-9.html#post1192293 , things have came around.

It's a myriad of things. Moreover, I've made promises, and I'm a man of my word. If I tell you I will do something, I will do it by every legal means necessary, even if it takes a bit of "out-of-the-box" thinking.

 

[gharris18]

I applied for my LTCH the day after i turned 18 and the day i got it back in the mail (about 3 months later) i put my gun on and never leave home without it.

 

[MrSmitty]

Love it!!!

About 43 years ago, right after Cpt. Blivett said,"OK people listen up!" " Your Benevolent Uncle has decided that you should be issued one of his precious Model 1911 A-1 sidearms. While I do not necessarily concur with his judgement of your character or abilities, I have nevertheless been tasked with ensuring that you DO NOT shoot yourself in the foot,thus damaging Government Property". That was when I began to carry.

+1 love it!

 

[Relatively Ninja]

I started carrying a little less than a month ago, when I purchased my first handgun and got my LTCH. Being a student and living in a town like Bloomington is definitely a hindrance to carrying. The locals hate seeing someone with a gun and I could be expelled if I'm caught carrying at school so I never bring it on campus with me. The rest of the time I keep it with me, even if I'm just at home. I'm only 22, but one of my real passions is martial arts. In the time that I've trained I've learned a lot about defending myself, and moving from fists to weapons always seemed like a natural progression to me. I typically OC, and I do so for two reasons. First, I believe that OC'ing provides a real advantage towards deterring criminals. Second, the SuperTuck holster I ordered hasn't arrived yet. Now if I can just convince my mother that a responsible person with a gun is not dangerous...

 

[longhuntr]

I started carrying in 1976 when I was 16. I lived out in the country in illinois then, and, driving around, it seemed like there was always something I wanted to shoot. Didn't really care about the foid cards and other nonsense.In 1981, moved to ind. and took a job in law enforcement.Of course I carried openly then and off the job.I quit carrying in the spring of 2001 when I left Law enforcement and went back to school to become a nurse. sept.11,2001, I put the damn thing back on,don't plan on taking it off.Sometimes, when you have to carry a gun because of your job, it gets to be a headache.I've had back problems for years from wearing a duty belt with all the junk hanging off of it.Now, just carrying the gun and a reload, the weight doesn't seem so bad.

 

[steve666]

I started carrying when I worked in the court system back in the late 70's and have carried ever since.

 

[Ter]

I start carrying 33 years ago when I took a job with a security company specializing in union strikes.

 

[goinggreyfast]

My wife and I both carry. We have for over a year now. OC? CC? Depends on the situation. If OC, I carry my XD9SC in a Blackhawk Serpa. (Try to CC with one of those and it's useless because it prints so badly, HA!) The one piece paddle holster that came with my XD works well too, but I like the push button of the Serpa.

CC holster, I just purchased a nice black leather Tagua. Sometimes, I OC with it cause it just looks sharp.

My wife mostly CC's cause that's what she's comfortable with, but once and a while, when I am OC, she will too. She's quite comfortable with her S&W 442 38 spec.

Why do we carry? Safety mostly, as other's have indicated, we're not as young as we used to be. Self defense is more of a concern now. At the time, the job I had required me to be out of town quite a bit as well. Some ex-con my wife's friend broke up with threatened my wife if she would not help him get back together with this lady. So, I got my lovely wifey a nice Mossberg 500 410 with some of those Winchester Elite's loaded up in case this mental midget or some other BG got stupid while I was out of town.

Also: At the time the Dem's were in charge and I don't ever want anyone to tell me what I can't do if it's part of our Constitution.

 

[LtScott14]

Back in 1982 my wife worked for a medical hospital. While on 3-11s she got off work and her car was hit in the rear by a car on a dark roadway. When she got out to look at the damage, 3 male subjects got out of their car(veh #2) and started to approach in a manner that she felt she was in danger. She drove right to the police station a few blocks away, gave a report, and the next morning the newspaper reported a rape at that spot, approx 1/2 hr after my wife left.
We both applied for permits, bought a S&W 38(snubnose), and a Colt 1911A,45Acp.
Took a handgun safety/target class and have held on over the years.

5yrs later a guy tried to stab me while in my car in Gary, I pulled the Colt 1911A, and he dropped the screwdriver. I did not shoot, but the hammer was cocked, safety off and within a millisecond of meeting the Almighty.