Conceal Carry Fire Power (vanity)

[Qwackertoo]

In light of the incident in FL, woman whacked shooter with her purse, and now in AZ and the woman grabbed the second clip before he could re-load . . . I'm a lady and carry a .380 Ruger LCP. I'm thinking it wouldn't do much good in these situations AND I'm thinking I could easily get myself shot IF the police or others thought I was the SHOOTER and not someone trying to help.

Scary days we live in. Play dead OR try to take the shooter out? Get a bigger gun? I also own a Colt .357 but too big to carry much less conceal.

I think both of those two older ladies were quite brave in the face of grave danger in both of these shootings.

[T Minus Four]

If you CC and you would choose to play dead in a situation like this, you should shred your permit.

[panaxanax]

No need for a bigger weapon. Just practice with your .380 and make your shots count.

[Qwackertoo]

Really? With a .380? I’m prepared more for a one-on-one situation, not a mass murderer.

[oyez]

Take the shooter out and find yourself in a serious law suit by the Brady types. You probably would be acquitted, but be in debt for the rest of your life.

[flintsilver7]

The new (introduced last week, I believe) Ruger LC9 is slightly larger and heavier than the LCP, but you would have the added benefit of the larger cartridge (and the added stopping power of +P loads).



As for worrying about what good you can do, that's a tough question. If you're concerned about your ability to handle a situation where a mad gunman is shooting wildly, I think that's perfectly reasonable. Few if any people are really equipped to handle that. Few if any people will ever be exposed to that, though, which is good. I think if you're actually concerned about that you should consider taking some shooting courses (or even some tactical shooting courses). If you're not comfortable with your weapon or your ability to use it effectively, it won't do you much good.

[Qwackertoo]

I was thinking get off a shot(s) to the chest or the face but that guy in FL after the security guard started shooting at the shooter, he still managed to get off another 6 or so shots at him and the security guard had clipped him in the leg or shoulder, not sure which.

[TSgt]

If you CC and you would choose to play dead in a situation like this, you should shred your permit.

BANG BUMP!

[Qwackertoo]

I think your suggestion of a shooting course is a good one that I should do. I’ve only had my carry permit a less than a year and spent several months this summer and fall with a broken ankle so haven’t been able to practice much. I’m thinking the element of surprise, as I don’t look like someone who would by carrying a gun, would help in taking someone out. I doubt I will ever be in such a situation but neither did these two women in these recent shootings.

[Robbin]

I also CC a 380 LCP pocket pistol. And when in public places I carry a Sig S&W 40. I carry the LCP so I am always armed, but I wouldn’t start a gun fight with it. If my family and I could retreat, I would. The Sig on the other hand is fast, accurate and plenty of stopping power. I would be much more likely to come to the defense of the public at large with that in my hand. Chances of a cop showing up before the shootout is over is near zero. The only reason it happened in this case is because it was a public building with security. Anywhere else, and the cops are there to draw lines around the bodies.

[mnehring]

IMHO, your comfort with a gun is more important than size. A .38 is a great size and does have the stopping power for most situations. If you are comfortable with that, stick with it.

[T Minus Four]

I’m prepared more for a one-on-one situation, not a mass murderer.

Well, there was only one of him. If I had a shot I would take it. Maybe I'd go down too, but maybe I could have gotten to him before he shot that little girl.

[Renegade]

Trade in the LCP for the .357 LCR.(same size) You can use personal defense .38 Special +P without killing your wrist and get twice the knockdown power than the .380 Odds of a malfunction with a wheel gun are much lower than a semi-auto.

[Little Ray]

Your weapon would be perfectly adequate for this situation. The main question would be, “Do I have a clear shot?”

In any case, pistols are all about placement, placement, placement. “Knock down” is a myth.

Spend more time at the range. Don’t practice punching holes, but shoot like you might have to in real life. The are some some shooting groups, like IDPA, that can help you. But anything that mixes it up and makes you react to different situations and stimuli than just a pistol target is good.

Use JHP (jacketed hollow points) if you’re worried about how big a hole you’re making.

[VeniVidiVici]

Learn Situational Awareness. If you do, you would always anticipate that something like this could happen at a political event. And you’d be ready for it.

[GenXteacher]

You carry a gun to defend yourself. Do exactly that. The gun you mention is useful at short range at a very close encounter. And that is fine- most shootings happen at less than 7 yards. If caught in a situation like the one in Arizona, you just have to evaluate- very quickly- what your ‘probs and stats’ are, and go from there.

[Qwackertoo]

Also, I’m sure at the school board meeting, being school property carrying there is illegal. Twice in the past two weeks I’ve had to go to the courthouse to pay property taxes, no carry and left in console and again at a school function on school property and again left in console. Does one break the law, NOT in the courthouse, but other places and carry anyway or just what do you do in those cases? That is probably when I would need one when someone went crazy and mine would be in the console of my locked vehicle or I would have had to make the decision to break the law myself.

[hoosierham]

What difference could it possibly make whether the bad guy shooting people is "only" a robber versusus a mass murderer?

If you're armed ,shoot the scumbag,because if he is a robber planning to leave no witnesses alive or a mass murderer ,either way he will shoot you.

And a cold-bloooded killer of any type will likely make sure by a head shot to each victim if given the time.Playing dead is a risky strategy.

[West Texas Chuck]

Just my $.02 but I don’t plan to play dead. I intend to make dead any attacker that confronts me. I’m too old and broke down to try and fight with somebody so I have an equalizer.

.357 is a good weapon if you can handle it, I sometimes carry one. Not one of those little lightweight things either, a big full-on S&W with a 2-1/2” barrel. I keep it loaded with 125 grain JHPs. My normal CC weapon is an XD-40, 13 rounds of 165 grain JHPs. I am comfortable in handling it since I’ve put probably 5000 rounds through it, accurate enough for CQB and plenty of knock down.

Nothing wrong with that .380 IMHO, you can get some pretty decent self defense ammo for it, not like the old days. Learn to use that pistol and get some training as has already been asserted and I think you can trust it. Yeah, there is always the chance of being mistaken for a bad guy when you have it out but I’d rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6. I have also wondered how a post shooting situation would go with all the chaos and LEOs rushing into the scene. Shoot the baddie and then reconceal your weapon and prepare to face the consequences of your actions. Most cops won’t shoot you if you obey their commands and put the weapon down if they catch you still presenting it when they show.

Stay safe. You’ll have to live with what you do either way you decide to go in a situation like that.

[Eagle Eye]

Concealed Carry is not a permit or license for heroism.

Permit holders are not obligated to insert themselves into gunfights.