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Revisiting Concealed Carry
Due to the growing conflicts in our own country in recent years, I made the decision to not only own a gun but to qualify for concealed carry. My husband and I were practicing every two weeks at a nearby range and enjoying our time together. Then life got in the way.
My excuses mainly arose out of pain that I was experiencing in my hands and wrists—which you sorta, kinda, need to shoot a gun. I was desperate to find a way to deal with the pain, which I was experiencing in other places in my body—and then discovered recently the likely source of my pain: anastrazole. It was a drug prescribed by my oncologist and has a nasty side effect: body pain. He immediately discontinued my taking the drug and about a week ago, I realized that my pain had reduced significantly.
But what does that have to do with concealed carry, you might ask?
Although I am still having some arthritis pain in my fingers and wrists, it’s manageable; it helps to take medication just before we go to practice. And today, I had a discussion with my husband that convinced me I need to restart practicing and gaining more familiarity with using my gun.
You see, I mentioned to him that I had bought a lovely new necklace online that was due to arrive any day. Immediately, he asked me if I was planning to “carry” regularly. The necklace has a menorah charm, which I bought to honor my solidarity with Jews and Israel. My husband clarified that he had no problem with that, but he thought it was important for me to be . . . prepared. So, I carry in a purse designed to carry a gun. Many men have suggested carrying with a special holster but I simply don’t want to do that.
If you were hesitant about getting a gun, I’d ask you to reconsider. I don’t think it’s wise to go out in public without one anymore. I never thought I’d be this paranoid, but there you are.
Previously when I decided to carry a gun, it was a wise decision because I would never know when I might need it. But now, it seems like it’s a much bigger commitment.
Now, it might be a matter of life and death.
Published in Guns
Thank you for the reminder, @susanquinn! Although I don’t struggle with getting out of the habit of carrying firearms and other defensive tools, others in my family do, and I must remind them to do so from time to time. When one is responsible for others, particularly, I don’t understand the mindset that doesn’t consider providing for addressing evil ones.
I feel naked without my hypothetical weapon . . .
Hypothetical?
Hypothetically hypothetical?
An important reminder for concealed carry that I picked up talking to a booth manager at the Smith & Wesson open house: Thieves know that CCP holders who visit places where they cannot carry into the building will leave their gun in the car. When they see vehicles in the parking lot with 2A message stickers on them and such know which vehicles to target. Carry, but don’t advertise.
@susanquinn – You have a very good man there. Last week Mrs. Bunsen and I were talking with a friend that has taken his wife to the range. In the past, I would never have thought to bring this type of thing up with her but my better 90% actually thought it would be fun.
Thank you for posting this as I am going to pursue shooting and also follow through on the purchase of a pair of pistols for us.
I am glad you followed through on your thoughts about a necklace!
I applaud you Susan for your courage but am just so sad that our country has come to this. That you can’t wear a symbol of your faith openly without arming yourself.
I have been counseling some Jews whose wives recently came to understand “Hamas might march down our street” and are now OK with having a gun. So they reached out to me to learn about what they may want to buy and sanity check their gut reactions.
It’s a bit of a shift in their positions.
I admire anyone who decides to carry. I do not for a number of reasons, mostly that I do not want to take on the added responsibility, and that I haven’t usually owned a vehicle that I felt safe leaving a weapon in when I was not there.
I hate that you feel that you need to protect yourself, but at the same time, the ability to defend oneself is sort of a basic adult responsibility IMO.
Just after the El Paso mas shooting I was having breakfast with my usual motorcycle buddies when someone asked if I was carrying – on that cold day I had driven the car and left it in the vehicle. It made me realize how delinquent I had been in only sometimes carrying. So now it’s all the time, except for where it’s prohibited (basically some government buildings and schools). Interestingly enough, I’m on a community advisory board for the sheriff’s department and we can carry everyplace in the sheriff’s office except the jail
There is so much involved with buying a gun: trying for “fit” at a gun store; ask if they have one they can try on the range.; go through training; know the basic rules for gun safety–there’s a lot. I just returned from the gun range, and it’s amazing how quickly I lose some of the finer points. I believe getting very comfortable with the gun is essential–and practice!
I’m so glad you were a resource for them!
It’s better to have it and not need it than it is to need it and not have it.
My husband said an exception to my occasionally not carrying is for him to be with me (with his weapon). Otherwise, I’d best be armed.
“Previously when I decided to carry a gun, it was a wise decision, because I would never know when I might need it. But now, it seems like it’s a much bigger commitment.”
Feeling comfortable with handling a gun is an admirable quality and I appreciate all the adherents to the Second Amendment because they help keep society safer. I haven’t gotten to that place yet; am still afraid of guns and as a detective once told me, “If you don’t get over that discomfort, don’t buy a gun because you will always come out second best in any dangerous encounter.”
Kudos to all who have the courage to carry!
Good Job! With both the menorah and the gun. It’s a shame, but it’s true.
One of my all-time favorite expressions is: Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you.
By the way, Mark Eckels’ post, Principalities and Powers, though spiritual, does relate to all this.
Have to also consider weight, size of your hand, 9mm vs .45 (My Marine friends swear by their .45 ACPs). Kind of like shopping for a new car but without all the hassle at purchase.
Oh, you’ll still have to fill out forms and then wait three days (at least in FL you do). Nothing is easy!
Unfortunately in ILLinois there is this little thing called Firearms Owners ID (FOID). Takes forever for the State Police to do the simple background because Gov. Jelly Belly doesn’t want the peasants to own firearms.
So I’m one of those 1911 .45 ACP guys. It’s easy to shoot and if you reload ammunition it’s a forgiving cartridge (you can safely reload a case many times). The truth, though, is that with modern 9x19mm ammunition and good shooting one can be just as effective, and the weight savings means you can carry more ammunition. And modern striker fired handguns are good, reliable handguns (and less expensive than quality 1911’s). But then again I can buy custom grips for my 1911 – accessorizing is important. This is what I wore to breakfast this morning.
Also, 9mm ammo is significantly cheaper than virtually every other cartridge except 22LR, making practicing less expensive.
I can make all sorts of arguments that 40S&W, 10mm, and 45ACP are superior to 9mm in various ways. For a first-time gun owner, my advice is 9mm every time, unless they have some sort of physical limitation that requires less recoil, when 380Auto can make sense, or even 22LR in extreme cases.
After someone has become proficient, if they decide they want more power than 9mm, they can experiment with the bigger boys.
9mm is boring, but dependable.
Oh, and, nice pistol, there! Love the grips.
Susan, I can relate! I was on anastrozole for a year after my cancer treatment, and it was miserable. It hurt to walk. At the time I was my late husband’s caregiver as his health was beginning to decline, and it made a difficult time much worse. It was tough going. Finally my oncologist said that if my pain was going to improve (sometimes it does) it would have done so by then, and so he put me on a different class of hormone reducer and life improved dramatically. I’m glad you had relief as well!
I haven’t read all the comments so I don’t know if someone has already suggested this, but perhaps you could find someone who reloads their own ammunition (my husband was a reloader) and see if you can get lighter loads made up for your practice shooting. Maybe that’s not going to make enough of a difference (my husband was the expert on these things, not me) , but it’s what came to mind. Maybe someone here knows if this is a reasonable course to pursue.
About 2007 a couple people were shot in a church parking lot in Denver. The shooter drove south to Colorado Springs and then encountered armed security in a church lobby. He died in the shoot out. Thanks to the security, a former police-woman, there were no other fatalities.
My parents had lived nearby and that incident hit close to home. When they moved in with me my father asked me to carry during church services, which I have done ever since.
That must have shaken you we quite a bit. I’m so glad you can be there for them.
I’m just so glad to read that your pain has gotten to a manageable level! That’s wonderful. Hopefully some day it can be gone forever
Me too, Bill! But unless I grow younger, probably not (sigh)
So you can truly relate!
Reloading is not a problem; gripping the gun is painful after a while. But I got in a good practice today, and if I need to protect myself, I don’t anticipate a lot of shots. They don’t call me Annie Oakley for nuthin’!
In fairness, no one is allowed to carry in jail, and ignoring the law there is a felony.
Actually, this is the biggest issue I have with carrying. By state law, I can’t carry at my public defenders office, the courthouse, or the jail, which is basically everywhere I go. I could carry in the car, but why bother when the car itself is a weapon?
Those who are exposed to the most evil have the least chance to carry a weapon about their lives… since they can’t at work.