How many here have a license or permit or whatever your state requires to carry a firearm?

[old mark]

I do-and I have had one for over 15 years now. I have never shot anyone, even any republicans.
There are well over 25 thousand persons in my county in PA who have state licenses to carry firearms.

I am curious to know how many there are here on DU.

mark

[Codeine]

1. I have no problem with guns,

I'm just too damned cheap to buy any beyond the old Soviet surplus rifle I have.

[leftofcool]

2. I do and have carried it only once

And that was just because I was travelling alone at night. I have fired the gun only once on a firing range to test it.

[murray hill farm]

7. Same with me!

I have the license to carry, but have never carried. I live alone way out in the boonies and am 70 yeas old...so I got it for just in case protection. I have shot the gun too for practice, etc. and am hopeful that will be the only reason that I will ever use it.

[Statistical]

3. I have (7 years). As a civilian never shot anything other than paper targets. n/t

[lpbk2713]

4. I considered it.

That was after my home was broken into. But it's been over two years now.

[doc03]

13. Don't need a CCW permit in your home. n/t

[lpbk2713]

24. I wanted to carry it in my car.

In case when I arrived at home and surprised a burglar I would have a surprise of my own.

[Seedersandleechers]

5. Guns scare me

It never occurred to me to own or need one as I've always been a city girl. I don't think guns in the city proper are necessary - at least for me. I don't think bad of people who own them however.

[Xenotime]

14. In a city you can always get an alarm or call a cop

[Pancho Sanza]

29. Yes indeed, when seconds count, the police are mere minutes away.

...

[Dappleganger]

34. LOL, call a cop?

In my area they don't come until well after the fact, and that is to collect bodies and evidence.

[Seedersandleechers]

41. Most likely scenario

for me - if I had a gun walking around town and in the event of an attack my gun would most likely be used against me. I'm such a klutz.

[Dappleganger]

47. This is why training is so important.

Regular training and practice are vital. I'm due for another class soon, as a matter of fact. I can't tell you how much that has helped me in my own confidence of what can be done under pressure. Not just using a gun (that is just a small part of the picture) but self-defense and self-awareness, in general. Most of my classes tend to have quite a few women in them so it helps me feel more comfortable.

[Statistical]

52. Much like if you got behind the wheel of a card with no training you might hurt someone.

Training is always a good idea. Of course if you don't want to own a firearm that is a fine choice too.

What crosses the line is when people (not you) decide they don't want guns and they don't want any other law abiding citizens to have them either.

[NightHawk63]

6. I had one for several years.

I let it lapse since I'm planning on moving to Canada very soon.

[L0oniX]

8. I have a CWP and I carry all the time. About 50% of DU members own guns....

...according to the last poll I saw on DU about gun ownership ...which doesn't mean they have a CWP. I'm also a security guard.

[Lucian]

9. I have no need to carry a gun.

And I find it rather annoying that people flaunt the fact that they carry.

[jaxx]

10. IL doesn't allow concealed carry.

I hope that never changes.

And no, I don't have a gun.

[Xenotime]

15. IL is an excellent progressive state.

[jaxx]

25. Thanks, I think so too.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

35. More like represive and regressive

The racist and classist roots of gun control are still with us today

[Dappleganger]

37. +1000

[slackmaster]

28. It must be nice living in a state where violent criminals never carry concealed guns

:grouphug:

[Pancho Sanza]

30. I could have sworn Chicago was in Illinois

musta been mistaken...

[jaxx]

36. That has nothing to do with concealed carry.

Criminals get guns....which means we need tougher laws and harsher convictions. The idea of everywhere you go having people with concealed guns isn't my idea of a good time.

[Statistical]

53. Everywhere you go DOES have people with guns.

You think criminals just "get guns" and never carry them.

Everywhere you go there is someone with a gun. They are just carrying illegally. The only people carrying weapons in IL are cops or doing so illegally. Now that is a comforting thought. 100% of the non-LEO carrying guns in IL are criminals.

[jaxx]

60. It may come as a complete surprise, but many people don't have guns.

Nor do they want them or to be around them. Really I don't think you can make the claim that everywhere I go there is someone carrying a gun. I would think it is a rare thing since it is illegal to do so. Yes, the criminals get them, but that is due to too many of them being around.

Guns are made for one reason, they kill. I don't want a gun, but I don't care if you have one...some place away from me. If you can legally pass strict guidelines and have no record of any type of assault or intimidation or mental problem, then fine, get your gun. If you have any of those things, you don't need a gun.

[old mark]

58. They wouldn't dare - it's against the law!

:rofl:


Look, when you live in a place that does not allow the general public to hae guns, all that means is the only people who don't have guns is you...The cops sure do and the bad guys have them, too.
Only the good people are unarmed.

mark

[RSillsbee]

55. IL doesn't allow concealed carry.

Doesn't seem to stop the thugs in Chicago from carrying guns though does it?

[doc03]

11. I've had a CCW permit for over a year now. People with the

CCW permit are the least likely of anyone to commit a gun crime, we are fingerprinted and a background check is run on us.
on edit: I am in a rural county and we have over 2000 permit holders.

[Dappleganger]

39. Yes, so are we here in FL.

[proud2BlibKansan]

12. Not me.

I'm surrounded by gun violence in the community where I work. Don't want to bring that into my personal life.

I have no problem with responsible gun ownership. Just don't see much of that in my corner of the world.

[mwb970]

16. I read that AZ allows concealed carry with no permit.

Can that be true?

[krispos42]

19. The law passed very recently; I don't know if it has taken effect yet.

There's typically a lag time for the laws to come into effect. It might be the 1st of January of this year, or the 1st of July, or it might be X months after the law passed.


In any case, getting busted for illegal concealed-carry is now the least of this guy's worries.

[galileoreloaded]

23. Correct. Along with Vermont and Alaska I believe. Not a new concept really. n/t

[krispos42]

17. Nope, although...

...the legislators in Hartford, in their infinite wisdom, have apparently decided that one you bring your pistol home from the gun store, it can't leave the four walls of your house unless you a) have a pistol permit, b) have a concealed carry permit, or c) are moving.

This means that, legally, I can't take my pistol out for target practice.


I'm not quite sure how this is suppose to "enhance" gun safety when it makes safe handling and practice difficult.

So, if time and money permits, maybe I'll get a concealed carry permit. If I'm going to have to go pay money to get a piece of paper saying I can carry a pistol, I might as well get one that says I can carry concealed.





I had a permit when I lived in South Dakota. The permit was cheaper than driving back and forth to pickup a pistol. The state has a 48-hour waiting period for handguns, so the $10 was cheaper than all the gas to make the trip twice.

[Recursion]

18. Still not easy to legally own a gun in DC

Also, it turns out if you rent your landlord has the right to evict you if he finds out you (legally) own a gun.

That must be why there's so little gun violence in the city.

[WinkyDink]

20. Not I. I'm a hot-head! :-)

[RSillsbee]

21. I've had a Colorado permit since we went shall issue NT

ETA FWIW I happen to be carrying my gun right now and I don't notice that it's sending out any little thought control mind waves telling me to "Kill". It's just sitting there like the inanimate object that it is

[Pancho Sanza]

22. Here...although I don't often carry one, I have the permit.

Never had an 'incident' nor do I know anyone who has...

[northoftheborder]

26. I have no personal weapon. We have many hunting rifles at our ranch, & I can shoot a shotgun when...

....dangerous varmints such as rattle snakes come around. But I do not keep it under my bed, or in the car, I have no license to carry. It is locked in a room with other guns. I do not live a life of fear or paranoia.

[jeepnstein]

27. I have two.

One is a normal CCP permit. The other is a department ID that pretty much allows the same thing. I prefer to use and comply with the rules on my CCP permit when I'm not on duty.

[Cognitive_Resonance]

31. Wife and I both hold permits and carry. Professionally trained and we practice. Hope we never

have reason to defend ourselves with deadly force, but it the situation arises we are prepared.

[Dappleganger]

32. I do and carry pretty consistently when doing certain things.

Thankfully have never had to draw but have had my hand on my peace of mind ready to go a number of times. Dh has his as well but only carries when we go to our favorite craft brew place (in a not-so-great area of town). He is a big guy and has become convinced that this is why people leave him alone. Let's hope that continues.

I began to carry because of doing so much business through craigslist, and do to the fact that having been attacked before I know it could happen again (I'm a woman). The sheriff in this area has made it very clear that the police aren't here to protect us but to come after the fact. Armed home invasions have also increased around here.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

33. I do.

When is a judgment call. The permit does allow me to carry in the car or on the bike, which is mostly why I got it. I also open carry on my property for safety reasons, though that is not germane to this thread

[rbrnmw]

38. I have a South Carolina Security Weapons Permit

For work

[RamboLiberal]

40. Another PA resident with a CCW from both PA and Utah

I do carry every day. And I do competition handgun shooting. I got the Utah permit because I travel to Ohio for some competitions. Utah permit good in Ohio, PA is not.

BTW in PA you can open carry without a license. I've never open carried except on the shooting range.

Also in PA the CCW is cheap - around $25 and requires no training. I would not have a problem if my state did require.

[-..__...]

42. In my regressive state (MA)?... LOL!!!

I had a CCW permit at one time (5 years ago), but, due to the nature of the obscene "may issue" law here, the CLEO in the community I moved to "dumbed" me down on renewal (my current license is only good for range/target/sporting use).

Didn't matter that I previously held a valid CCW license for 12 years... didn't matter that I have over 30 years firearms experience (and probably know more about MA and federal firearms laws than %90 of the police offers out there, as well as having way more range experience)... didn't matter that I had never been arrested in my life... didn't matter the references I supplied (yep... that's a requirement), were glowing... didn't matter that the community I lived in prior was a scant 3 miles away... didn't matter that, ah well, enough of that... you get the idea. :mad:

3 more years until retirement and a move to Arizona is looking better and better.B-)

[seabeyond]

43. husband does. i hate guns. nt

[Xithras]

44. Yes, and I don't even own a handgun right now.

My safe is full of rifles, but I recently pulled a California CCW simply so I'd have it if I ever had need for it.

[Common Sense Party]

45. I do, just got a concealed permit 2 years ago.

I don't carry, but I could.

[DeschutesRiver]

46. I got my concealed carry over 20+ years ago; am in my fifties now.

For me, I do it for the same reason I carry other insurance, and has always been a responsibility that I do not take lightly. My first response to threats is, and always has been, to run; ie if a situation raises the hair on my neck or causes me to be concerned, I leave immediately (no matter how small the indicator may be - my gut sense has a scary good track record by now, so I never question it anymore).

That has worked for me for decades; hope it always will. But in case I am ever in a position where I am not able to do so, I will not be a compliant victim. It is not in my dna, and I prefer to stack the deck even ever so slightly in my favor, should I not have any way to retreat from such a thing.

[Dappleganger]

48. +10000 for gut sense and running.

Also, an instructor I had once said if you feel that the situation warrants you carrying on your person, then ask yourself honestly if it's the best choice for you to go there. That has saved me a LOT of hassle.

[Zebedeo]

49. I have several guns

and shoot off my back porch from time to time, either to scare off a coyote or just for target practice. Guns are just tools.

[timo]

50. I do

I live and work on the border of Texas and Mexico, some of our farm is right on the river.

[GreenPartyVoter]

51. I don't. My dad had guns and I inherited them, but for now they are at

the in-laws and will stay there until the kids are ready to take safety courses. (I'm scared of guns myself but there are so many of them around it seems like leaving the kids ignorant about them is the more dangerous issue.)

[williesgirl]

54. I've had one for over 7 years. Never even aimed it at anyone, much less fired it.

[MineralMan]

56. I do, but I almost never carry. I don't need to.

[11 Bravo]

57. I've got a Virginia concealed carry permit.

[Cleita]

59. I have no problem with being licensed to own or

carry a gun, but even that seems unacceptable. I was asked if I needed a license to vote or use the internet. Therefore I shouldn't be licensed to carry or own a gun. This is how shallow the gun nut argument has become.

[aikoaiko]

61. I do.

[Ganja Ninja]

62. I don't have a license to carry but I'm beginning to think I need one. n/t

[old mark]

63. Thank you for your responses...nt

[Seedersandleechers]

64. dupe

dupe

[Seedersandleechers]

65. I got carjacked and kidnapped

a few years ago. One male got in the front seat and another male got in the back and had me drive them to a really bad part of town. I thought okay, they just want a ride and will get out. What happened next after I pulled over was the male in the front seat took my key out of the ignition and threw it in the street. I got out to retrieve the keys and all the keys were there except for the ignition key. The male in the back got in the front and started my car up as I jumped in the back as I did not want to let go of my car. He drove my car a short way really fast, stopped and turned to me and said " lady, you need to get out of the car", which I did, and they drove off. Would a gun have helped me out? Don't think so. Luckily I didn't have a purse with me but just a DL and cash in my pocket so they didn't know to rob me. If I had a gun it could have been worse.

[X_Digger]

66. Like the amex commercial- never leave home without it. n/t