Knowing how many gun lovers we have on this site, I thought I'd pose a question. I do own a couple of guns but have never applied for a concealed carry permit for several reasons. First, my job take me inside county courthouses on a daily basis where I can't carry legally even with a permit. Second, all of my guns were legally purchased from individuals so there is no record of me owning them. Third, my fingerprints are not on file anywhere. Based on those three reasons, my gun ownership is legally under the radar.

Now the reason for my question. When my drivers license gets renewed later this spring, they will require a fingerprint. I don't like it but don't know of any way to get around it. If/when that occurs, that eliminates a big reason for not getting a permit. Once I'm in the system, should I go ahead and get a permit or stay as far under the radar as I can? My philosophy is to stay legal without offering any more information to Uncle Sam than necessary and I know that no one here thinks that Big Brother is watching us (sarcasm intended) so tell me what you think.

 

I personaly have nothing to hide from anyone. I am to going to get my carry permit soon because I visit downtown Memphis TN every week. If you dont have a gun when you enter the city limit of Memphis, they give you one so it will be fair. I have to go to some pretty rough areas and have to walk also so a little added security is worth my fingerprints to me at least.

 

ill be getting one in a couple months too. i would say do it.

 

I got one just so I wouldn't have to deal with the BS if I ever got to the point where something happened and I had my pistol on me.

Whether it be I needed it for self defense, got pulled over by a Edit cop, etc.

Just sorta makes things easier.

Plus I'm working on aquiring some class 3 weapons, so the background and everything else for the CHL was minute in comparison.

 

Let me put on the flame suit, and make a comment, i totally belive in guns for sport and in the home for protection, but i also believe if you carry then you intend to use. Isnt anyone worried about a mistake in judgement that will land yo in prison, or that having a gun will get you into something that you might avoid otherwise? If someone invades your home, there is no question, you have no choice but to fight, on the street, I am not sure that is the case

Opinoins welcomed, this is only mine

 

Hopefully through the required classes and instruction. You learn what that good and bad judgement would be. I feel much safer knowing that someone else who is licensed and has some heads up is out there carrying a pistol, than gangsta dave and his whack .22 trying to save the world or maybe end it.

But no one is perfect.

 

If you decide to carry you have to be ready for the responsiblity that comes with that. You MUST practice regularly so that you can handle the firearm in a responsible manner.

You MUST keep that firearm in a safe place at all times, leaving it where someone can pick it up and use it is also a no no. In your case you will have to remove it before you enter the courhouse so a lockable gun safe under the seat is a good idea.

The point being that carrying a loaded gun requires certain responsibilties that MUST be adhered to or you end up being a hazard to the rest of us. Unless you are willing to do all these things all the time, then please don't get a license.

 

Lary has it nailed.

Put yourself in the situation those folks found themselves in a week ago in the Denny's restaurants.
While sitting there with your family watching a nutjob picking off patrons one-by-one, would you rather pull a gun or a cellphone to protect your loved ones?
I realize it doesn't happen to you everyday.
But it happens to someone almost every day.
Question is.....Do You Feel Lucky Today?

Wifey asks me why I carry when "We're only going to the store."
My answer, "For the same reason I pay for full coverage insurance on my truck,.....Just in case."

 

It used to be common sense that every man KNEW that the safety of his family fell on him. That meant you prepared yourself to take care of any situation that might come up, and arming oneself was as natural as making the morning coffee.

Sadly now far too many individuals do not take there responsibilties as a man seriously any more. They think that the safety of their family is in the hands of a Police Officer who is grossly over worked and underpaid.

The truth is that todays Police Officers job is to take the report AFTER the altercation has happened. The chance of you calling for help and getting it in time for it to make a difference, is astronomical and not something I choose to trust my life on.

So I take my position as head of the household quite seriously, it is MY JOB to ensure the safety of those around me at all times. I carry a concealed weapon and I am trained to use it if necessary.

In most situations avoiding a situation where you may need a firearm is of course the smart thing to do, but sometimes you just end up where you don't want to be.

Brandishing a firearm is illegal in most jurisdictions, that means simply that you better not pull it unless you have to use it. Concealed carry means just that, you don't want any one to know you have it or you become a target.

I think armed citizens is a good thing and something that more people should be doing these days. But ONLY with the proper training and know how to keep from becoming a liability to the rest of us.

 

Larry is very correct... the responsibility is paramount when you have a permit.

Other than what has been said above, I say yes, get one. It is your legal right and there is no telling when that right could be taken away. I feel like if you already have one and the laws change, at least you are grandfathered in.

The thing that scares me about carrying is that I could find myself or my family in danger, shoot the threatening person, be totally legal about it, and still get sued in civil court and lose.
Also, the law does not see any difference between shooting somebody in the knee or shooting them in the head. It is all lethal force. Even if you shoot a warning shot and don't hit the person, that is lethal force. My point is, don't ever pull the gun or use it unless you, your family, or a helpless citizen are going to die if you don't pull the gun and fire.

 

A dollar says this thread's locked in 24ish hours.

BC Concealed Carry Permitted

 

The answer is to never pull the gun unless you absolutely have to, in order to protect lives. I would never even pull my gun if I thought I didn't have to. If I could simply slide my cell phone out, dial 911, and nothing else, and I did not think that anybody was going to get shot, then I would not act. I would only act if another shot was fired or it appeared to me that a person's life was about to be taken. In the home, you shoot and ask questions later. Out of the home, you ask questions first and then make a decision... if you have time to think about it. If I was walking down the street and somebody started shooting at me, I wouldn't think about it, obviously. If I was walking down the street and saw some armed robbers run into a bank or gas station, I would think about what to do. In that case, I would call 911, unless I heard gun shots and then I would consider the situation and think about firing on them in order to save lives.

 

In my experience being a CHL holder also saves you some hassle from LEO's and may get you out of small driving infractions (speeding, etc..).

 

Anytime you can take a course on how & when NOT to use a gun it is a good thing. If you ever have to use it to defend yourself, or someone else, it WILL be a life altering event.

 

What if the need did arise and you didnt have a gun that you are by law allowed to carry? Then instead of the 50/50 chance of jail you end up in the grave? I personaly would run the other direction if I even remotely thought a situation was not going the right way. But if the bad guy gives chase?

I think Larry sumed it up pretty good. I live in one of the last few states that does not require a class be taken before you get your permit. Here if you have a picture of yourself, and $125 you can carry a concealed weapon. I personaly would like to see everyone that carries to go through the course to learn just what Larry talked about. Im in no way trying to say your wrong, my opinion is no better than yours or anyone else's. The more opinions we get on this topic, the more we learn about it.