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bloke wrote: Even though we have permits to carry firearms, we have decided to (mostly) leave our guns at home when going to Memphis (with the strategy being to TRY to not go where people often get robbed)...

bloke wrote: ...In Memphis, though, the strategy of staying in the so-called "good" parts of town really doesn't work very well...

These statements are in conflict with each other. If it's all the "bad" part of town, how can you NOT end up in the bad part of town?

I know some folks who wold suggest that if you have a permit to carry, you should be carrying whenever you're outside of your home.

Be aware, be careful, and carry.

Steven

Disclaimer: I do not have a CCL nor am I sure I need or want one.

You are scaring me Joe! I'm bringing my 85 year old "tennis nut" mother to the Memphis ATP tourney in February to see her first live professional matches. I will only go inside 240 about a half mile. I don't have a permit anymore. Maybe I should re-up after 25 years of not carrying.

I've heard of the faux wallet before, too. The guy I heard it from also used it as a weight in his front/right jacket pocket to better facilitate (by making it easier for the jacket to swing out-and-away) presenting his CCW pistol.

I would also like to ask, though. Why don't you carry? For what reason did you get the permit?

bloke wrote: As to not carrying very often...Here it is:

Before considering carrying a weapon, I should first consider, "Why am I choosing to go into an area where I anticipate undue danger?"

I wish more folks with the carry permits would think this way. I often ask my gun nut friend why he feels the need to carry EVERYWHERE he goes, even though he knows he will be in no danger 99.9999999% of the places he goes.

I've heard of the fake wallet too. But usually they suggest putting real money in the wallet. Not a lot of bills — but maybe a 5 and 3 singles. I'd be concerned about the counterfeit bills causing you problems if you ever were stopped by police.

Joe... when you go to town... carry the pistol on the OUTSIDE of your jacket in clear view. Drag along that lime-green sousie, too. They'll leave you alone!

Having a CCL myself for more than 15 years I have to agree completely with Joe about when to actually carry.

If you think there's a really good chance that you'll actually have to defend yourself and shoot someone by going into a particular area, then why the heck are you going there?! There's no better defense than avoiding truly dangerous situations.

My having a permit allows me to transport my weapons to and from the firing range without worrying about violating some hidden weapons technicality. It allows me to carry a pistol hidden in my vehicle on trips when I could have a breakdown in a remote spot. You could count the number of times I've actually carried, other than the previously mentioned occasions, over the past 15 years on one hand.

But it's definitely NOT for playing macho man.

Most of the people I know with CCLs feel the same way. At least after the first month of having it.

Why not carry an old (expired) credit card along with an expired driver's license, a bank card from an old closed account and a few (real) dollars in the wallet. If the robber is even a little bit smart they'll probably check the wallet or empty it and toss it. If you're held-up at gun point and you hand over a phony wallet full of fake money and cardboard credit cards you'll have bigger problems than losing $3. I like the fake wallet idea but trying to fool a criminal is not as good of an idea.

CCL = Concealed Carry License? If that is the case, then I want to echo several of the points made: If you carry regularly, train with your weapon regularly, including what you're wearing when you carry. You wouldn't play a concert on a horn you hadn't played; don't go into battle with a weapon that you're unfamiliar with.

When you carry, be ready to take a life, and prepare yourself for that ultimate responsibility. Just because you can doesn't mean you should, especially if you're not ready to kill someone who wants to kill you. The emotional cost of taking a life is high, even when you're well prepared.

And I don't know that mere possession of "fake" money is the crime. Just don't forget that it is fake and try and buy something with it.

Strangelove wrote:

schlepporello wrote: Many of us have worked hard to legally secure this privilege. It serves no purpose to flaunt this privilege.

I don't want to pick nits, but I feel this is an important distinction. The ability to bear arms is a right, not a privilege.

Bearing arms is one thing. Concealed carry is another.

bearphonium wrote:

Strangelove wrote:

schlepporello wrote: Many of us have worked hard to legally secure this privilege. It serves no purpose to flaunt this privilege.

I don't want to pick nits, but I feel this is an important distinction. The ability to bear arms is a right, not a privilege.

Bearing arms is one thing. Concealed carry is another.

I carried a pistol for many years. I don't any more due to an incident where I could have easily killed a man... in self defense, of course. I don't see where carrying a concealed weapon is a deterrent to crime in any way, shape, or form. Now.... if you strap a pistol on the OUTSIDE of your clothing.... THAT's somewhat of a deterrent.

A little over a year ago, I started a new job that has me frequenting some of the worst areas in Atlanta. Thankfully I seriously considered getting a CCW and carrying. I say it that way because, had I given it casual consideration, I would likely be carrying. After giving it serious thought, I came to the realization that it would likely do me very little good. In areas where gunplay is a daily occurence (and where, for many reasons, I stick out like a sore thumb) my joining in the activity when provoked would not play out well for me. I still frequent those areas as part of my employment but simply use common sense. I am friendly with and speak to everyone inside and outside of the buildings that I visit. I always make sure I have multiple exit strategies. If I happen to be sitting in my car doing a bit of work, the car remains running and in gear so I can have a quick escape. And, I also recognize that my car can serve as a very effective 4,000lb weapon.

Fast forward to just a few months ago and my wife started a new job as a home hospice nurse. She is in and out of the homes of strangers. Mostly in decent areas but, occasionally, not so decent areas. She is on call from 5pm Fri 'til 8am Mon. If the phone rings at 2am on a Saturday nite, she may need to go out. When she started, I once again considered her obtaining a CCW and carrying. Again, I came back to taking a heads-up approach as being the best defense possible. When she gets a call that makes either of us nervous, I go along and, if needed, will even go in the home with her.

In my opinion, common sense (aka "street smarts") will get you a hell of a lot further than any firearm, concealed or otherwise.

I am an insurance agent. My company requires me to physically inspect every home I write. I received a call from a very "high crime" area a few years ago inquiring about home insurance. I explained that I could not help them because I did not wish to personally inspect the house. They called the insurance commissioner’s office and turned me in for "red lining". That is the practice of discriminating on the basis of location, which is illegal in the insurance business. My company told me to go anyway and instead I suggested they hire an inspection company if they wanted it looked at. They did and the dwelling was refused on the basis of its condition. There was a period of time that week that found me in the pawn shop looking to get back into a handgun. I too had come to the same conclusion that many of you have. There are far less serious consequences to my psyche with avoidance rather than confrontation. I have no doubt that I would pull the trigger if absolutely necessary, but by the time I was sufficiently provoked, I might be shot instead. He who shoots first and hits his intended target lives. He who has to first decide in his own mind whether he really wants to take a life never gets off the first shot.

TubaTinker wrote: Now.... if you strap a pistol on the OUTSIDE of your clothing.... THAT's somewhat of a deterrent.

True Story.

Some years back there was a 7-Eleven near where I live. I used to stop in from time to time. It was robbed several times. The manager started wearing a .45 ACP in a holster under his store smock. The problem was that when he started doing that he also started mouthing off in front of his customers about how the next robber was in for a nasty surprise. I heard him myself.

I guess he did that often enough that the next robber heard him running his big mouth while he "cased" the place because that robber walked in just before closing and shot the guy dead before he could reach his weapon and emptied the register. Keep in mind that the pistol was concealed at the time. Just knowing it was there was enough info for the robber to kill the manager out of hand.

I doubt anyone would be able to convince his widow or 2 children that a pistol is any kind of deterrent.

Like I said before, don't play macho man with a firearm.

Mike-ICR wrote:Why not carry an old (expired) credit card along with an expired driver's license, a bank card from an old closed account and a few (real) dollars in the wallet. If the robber is even a little bit smart they'll probably check the wallet or empty it and toss it. If you're held-up at gun point and you hand over a phony wallet full of fake money and cardboard credit cards you'll have bigger problems than losing $3. I like the fake wallet idea but trying to fool a criminal is not as good of an idea.

My experience of getting mugged is that they take the wallet or whatever you give them and run off quickly.

they look at it later and toss what is not useful to them.