Why you should ALWAYS carry(guns)

buckeyefirearms.org ^ | 7 July, 2011 | Chad D. Baus

[marktwain]

"If you carry a gun, people will call you paranoid. That's ridiculous. If I have a gun, what in the hell do I have to be paranoid for?"

- Clint Smith

"Remember the first rule of gunfighting ... have a gun."

- Jeff Cooper

"I'd much rather go to my grave never needing my gun, than go there wishing I had it."

- Phil Dalmolin

by Chad D. Baus

At the beginning of every concealed handgun class I teach, I take a few minutes to go around the room and allow students to introduce themselves and say as much (or as little) as they want about why they are taking the class. In addition to whatever else they share, it is quite common for students to note that while they are taking the class out of a desire for self-protection, they don't plan to carry regularly.

At some point during the day, as I strive to drive the point home that a gun left at home is as useless as the umbrella they left behind on a rainy day, I always have at least one student ask, "So you carry all the time?

Now, granted, part of this is likely due to the fact that I live in a rural area and many of my students have known and interacted with me for years outside of the classroom, not having any idea of the fact that I was carrying. But I find it interesting that while many of these same people wear seatbelts all the time, understanding that they can't know exactly when they might be involved in a collision, they aren't planning to apply this same strategy when it comes to carrying their concealed firearm. They'll just carry it, they reason, when think they might need it.

This faulty logic has come to mind a lot over the past few weeks as I've came across two incidents in the Buckeye State involving persons being attacked while working outside in their yard.

First from Chillicothe, OH, on June 4:

A 22-year-old Chillicothe man is accused of assaulting and robbing a man who was mowing his lawn.

Jesse R. McKeever, 22, was arrested at about 3 p.m. Friday and charged with one count of aggravated robbery.

McKeever, whose last known address was on Church Street, is in jail on a $50,000 bond.

Timothy L. Woods called Chillicothe police to report the robbery at about 9:55 a.m. Tuesday.

Officers responded to Woods' Church Street home and saw that Woods' face was injured and he was bleeding a lot.

Woods told officers he didn't know the man who robbed him, but he had seen the same man earlier at a nearby store and later walking up and down the sidewalk in front of his house.

Medics transported Woods to Adena Regional Medical Center for treatment.

Next, from Dillonvale, OH, on June 27:

Marsili told sheriff's deputies he was doing yard work around 4:50 p.m. Sunday when Kendle came to the house with Angelina Flinn, the 9-year-old daughter of Kendle and Chrisie Marsili-Kendle. Kendle's girlfriend, Sarah Deters, 22, of 314 Grandview Ave., Tiltonsville, also was in the vehicle, the sheriff's department reported.

Marsili, who has a valid firearm carry permit issued through the Belmont County Sheriff's Department, said Kendle threatened him, a deputy reported. Marsili said he was walking away when Kendle charged at him, the sheriff's department reported. Marsili said he pulled a .22-caliber Magnum revolver out of his pants but it didn't deter Kendle from coming at him, the sheriff's department reported.

Abdalla said Marsili claims Kendle grabbed at his hand and the gun went off. The bullet hit Kendle in the right side of the chest and it nicked Kendle's aorta, the sheriff's department reported.

"He (Marsili) is basically claiming self-defense. I'll be leaving it up to the prosecutor to decide what charges should be filed," Abdalla said.

Abdalla noted Kendle didn't have a firearm when the two men began arguing. He did say Kendle is a much taller and heavier man than Marsili, and that Kendle had threatened to kill Marsili several times in the past.

Flinn told a deputy she saw Marsili and Kendle arguing outside the house. She saw Marsili walking away and Kendle following, with Kendle grabbing Marsili, the sheriff's department reported. Flinn said she turned to go into the house and heard a gunshot, the sheriff's department reported.

Deters told a deputy she saw the two men arguing, and saw Kendle take off his shirt and hat "as if they were going to fight." Deters said Marsili told Kendle several times to leave, while Marsili was walking away. She said she tried to step between the men but Kendle pushed her aside, the sheriff's department reported. Kendle then charged at Marsili and the gun went off, Deters said to a deputy.

A witness told a deputy he heard Kendle in a "loud and threatening manner" arguing with Marsili. The witness said he heard Marsili about three to five times tell Kendle to leave, the sheriff's department reported. The witness said he saw Kendle take off his shirt, hat and glasses and attack Marsili, a deputy reported. Marsili was able to break free and one shot was fired, according to the witness.

Clearly, all of the facts of this case are not yet known, and I will not presume to suggest that this was a "good shoot" or a "bad shoot." The prosecutor apparently believes self-defense with a deadly weapon was not warranted in this case - Marsili has been charged with one count of felonious assault with a gun specification.

Whether or not this CHL-holder is found to have acted appropriately, these incidents clearly show that we cannot anticipate the time or the place when we might be faced with a violent attacker. The robbery victim in Chillicothe made no plans for this reality, while the Dillonvale man did. In Chillicothe the victim was seriously injured, but the Dillonvale man was not.

Think you're safe working in your yard? Think you only need your sidearm when you're going to the "bad" part of town? Think again.

The fact is, bad things happen to good people, and we do not get to chose the timing. People intuitively acknowledge this in other areas of life. They have insurance, seat belts, spare tires, and fire extinguishers, hoping to never need to use them.

Why not have another tool that can be used for protection when things go very wrong? It is better to have a firearm with you and not need it than to need it and not have it. If you need it and don't have it, you might never need it again.

Chad D. Baus is the Buckeye Firearms Association Vice Chairman, and an NRA-certified firearms instructor.

[marktwain]

After you have carried for a while, it feels uncomfortable not to do so, like not wearing your seat belt.

[Jonty30]

That’s what those back straps are for, so you can carry two.

Like Highlander, except you have a gun.

[ixtl]

Major Ping!

[zavvone]

Makes sense to me! I am actually going to buy my first handgun today. Have been putting it off for so long but my wife and I have been discussing it for a while and decided we were not going to wait any longer. Looking at a revolver to start with since it has been a while since either of us have fired a weapon. Looking into CCL for MD. Talked to a few gun onwers here and they said it was very difficult to obtain here in MD. Have to look into that so more.

[Recon Dad]

I have to get something smaller, that’s for sure.

[qaz123]

TThe prosecutor apparently believes self-defense with a deadly weapon was not warranted in this case - Marsili has been charged with one count of felonious assault with a gun specification......Here’s what needs to happen - one day, when the prosecutor is on his/her property, minding their own business, someone needs to go up to them and do exactly what Marsili did. Two things will happen: 1. prosecutor gets the ever livin’ s**t beat of him/her and they can see firsthand what it feels like to be defenseless or 2. they pull their firearm, shoot the perp and then get brought up on charges, so they can see what it feels like to be defenseless. What’s interesting is that all the witnesses have the same accounts as to what happened and this is still happening. Hopefully, the Grand Jury, if it makes it that far, will ‘no bill’ the case and let the man free.

[PalmettoMason]

“Back straps”?

[Jonty30]

All right, back holsters. :)

You know the kind, in vampire movies, where the hero reaches behind him and pulls out two big-ass shotguns that were hanging off his shoulder blades :)

[qaz123]

Correction.....what Kendle did

[MAD-AS-HELL]

Why carry a firearm? To defend against a drunk (or sober) Buckeye fan, some of the most idiotic fans in the land, at least online :P

[johngalt42]

You got that right. On the rare chance when I’m not carrying, I find myself checking where my holster should be because I unconsciously feel something is missing.

Some of my friends will ask why I carry all of the time. I simply response with a question, “What’s the Boy Scout motto?” When they answer the question, you can see the realization come over their face.

[NavyCanDo]

I’ve had a CWP for about 12 years, and only carried maybe half a dozen times not counting when I go hiking when I always carry my 9mm Ruger. But just in the last week in my own neighborhood, I had to fend off an attacking pit-bull, putting myself between it and a lady with a stroller and a girl walking her dogs who we heard screaming from our house. And just yesterday the neighborhood was buzzed by news helicopters as Police dug up an adjacent power line road looking for the buried remains of a murdered high school girl. And more and more houses are being bought up and turned into rentals as the newly unemployed are selling and moving out, and a majority of those new rentals are going to some pretty seedy people. I have to change my normal routine and pack my Beretta Tomcat when going out. That is why I bought that small and light gun, so I could carry it without feeling burdened by bulk and weight. Time for it to start earning its keep.

[dogcaller]

Wife took her CCW training earlier in the year. Was going to recommend the S&W .38 Airweight for her but she preferred the Ruger .38 LCR (and she is good with it). After trying it myself I had her buy one for me as a birthday gift. Unlike my S&W .640, I hardly notice the weight when carrying. Carry far more frequently than I used to. May not be for everyone but works for me.

[JAKraig]

When someone asks me if I'm carrying I tell them that if I was I wouldn't tell them.

I carry most of the time. I have a little Kel-Tec PF9. Very light and very small, with one in the chamber it gives me 8 shots. Double action only so no chance of accidental firing.

It has a clip on the side that fits on my belt. I carry inside my trousers and only a very tiny portion of the gun sits above my pants waist line. I cover that by pulling my shirt out just a little and blousing over the top of that. It's very effective and very comfortable.

I have health insurance, car insurance, house insurance, I wear seat belts and yes you might say I carry “Life Insurance”.

[TXnMA]

A friend asked, "Do you actually carry -- even in church?"

I responded with a counter-question: "Do you really think you have ever seen me in public when I was totally disarmed?"

(That's why they call it, "concealed carry"...)

~~~~~~~~

With these (exact same size) available in .380:

There is no good reason to leave home without your "other wallet":

...even when you expect no threat and aren't packing "heavy metal"...

You don't shoot a pistol this small (with .380 loads) for fun -- but the small discomfort is 'way better than the alternative.

~~~~~~~~

American Express had the right idea... "Don't leave home without it!

[johngalt42]

Yea, my life insurance comes in two forms, monetary and .40 S&W.

I had friends ask me a couple of times if I was carrying. I respond, “It would defeat the purpose of being concealed if I told you.” So they don’t ask anymore.

I use a DeSantos IWB holster with my XD40. It a hard plastic holster with a tension holding screw and two J hooks for the belt. It’s the closest thing to a FOBUS holster I found that is inside the pants line. I usually wear a untucked shirt for casual wear. I have the DeSantos “TUCK THIS” holster, I use when I need to tuck my shirt in my pants.

[Envisioning]

After you have carried for a while, it feels uncomfortable not to do so, like not wearing your seat belt.

Yep. I won't go anywhere I can't carry, except next week when I have jury duty. Pisses me off that I have to disarm.

[Quis Custodiet]

Serious question for all constant carriers:

Imagine this situation and tell me what you’d do.

You are out doing some shopping when you hear gunfire for the supermarket next door. Since you are carrying, you decide to see what you can do to help, as you enter the store you see lots of blood and several shooting victims lying dead, a man covered in blood is holding a gun and screaming at the man on the floor in front of him “You son of a bitch I’m going to kill you”

What do you do?

This isn’t a hypothetical situation but exactly what happened to Joe Zamudio, a solid citizen and CCW permit holder on the day of the Jared Lee Loughner shooting. Had he taken the the most obvious course he would have shot the Colonel who wrestled Loughner’s gun away from him and was using it to subdue him.

Thankfully Zamudio had enough sense to stop and fully understand his scene before reacting, but who could have blamed him, given his limited info if he’d made the wrong choice?

Trying to work out this problem of potential “blue on blue” accidental shootings is why though I enjoy, and am a pretty good shot with a fair number of guns, I don’t carry any of them.

I’d be interested to hear others thoughts on how they’ve worked this dilemma out for themselves

[Envisioning]

You are out doing some shopping when you hear gunfire for the supermarket next door.

Having a CHL does not make you LE. I would not run toward gunfire unless I knew for a fact my loved ones were in danger. As you stated in the case of Joe Zamudio, it would be very easy to shoot an innocent person if you don't know all the facts. Also very easy to be mistaken for the gunman by responding police.

Since you are carrying, you decide to see what you can do to help

Take defensive cover, preparing to defend yourself if need be, and be a good witness for the police.

[mad_as_he$$]

I have been in two civilian gun fights. In one case there was no question who the bad guy was. In the other there was some doubt in my mind but I pulled the trigger anyway since I was certain he was going to kill the other guy unless I stopped him. In retrospect I think I instinctively knew who he was the bad guy. Body language was the key.

In the Tucson deal I am not sure what I would of done. Best answer is probably to disarm everyone and put them on the ground. Hard thing for one guy to do. If he pointed the gun at me or my wife I would fire no matter what.