Right to Carry

Yesterday I was at the gun show. Right now you can’t find the Bersa .380 Concealed Carry model. Nobody has ‘em because they can’t keep them in stock. Because of that I ended up picking up a new Kimber Ultra CDP II .45 for carry. Yes, I know…big gun, but it comes in a small package and compared to something like a .380 double-stack it is actually a little smaller and weighs about the same.

I got a pretty good deal because Bling! had the same gun and was looking to step up to the same model gun, but with a larger (5”) barrel. Because I was looking at buying the exact same one I ended up buying his off him for a couple hundred less than it was going for at the show. That also gave him enough cash to pick up the one he wanted. We both ended up happy, and since Bling! takes immaculate care of his guns I didn’t have any problems buying a used one off of him.

Of course, I can’t find bulk .45 target rounds because everybody is out. So while I was able to load it with some nice hydro shock ammo, it may be a while before I can get to the range and finish breaking the gun in and get used to it. I’ve shot the gun before, and it kicks quite a bit (due to its small size and being a .45).

But why carry at all?

About a year or so ago I decided to get my CHL (concealed handgun license). I had a few reasons for this, but there were three prevailing reasons:

1 – the writing was on the wall. The republicans couldn’t possibly hold any control over the white house in the upcoming election. It was likely that the house, senate, white house, and Supreme Court would soon be under democratic control and those democrats in powerful positions favor gun control. Better to get it while I could, before a law gets passed that makes it impossible to get one.

2 – While I didn’t carry my other guns too often I did take them in my truck from time to time if I was traveling. Though some of the laws had changed in Texas regarding this, I figured it would be a lot less hassle if I was legal to carry at all times rather than deal with esoteric loopholes and allowances in the law. This way, there was no question that I was legal to have it on me.

3 – it affords me an opportunity to protect myself, my family, and my friends at just about any and all times. Don’t get me wrong, that is a huge responsibility and one that should not be taken lightly.

But despite getting my CHL I wasn’t packing heat. This really wasn’t an issue but I had been thinking about it more and more. The more I thought about it, the more it occurred to me that I wasn’t exercising my rights appropriately. My g/f says that most people scream and bitch about their rights yet rarely exercise them responsibly. While I wouldn’t say that I was being irresponsible, I would say that I wasn’t exercising them.

Statistically speaking CHL owners that have a chance to draw their guns usually survive the encounter / situation. Perps are not so lucky. Those CHL owners that never drew, or were unable to draw, don’t always end up so lucky. Let’s face it, the truth of the matter is that in some situations someone will walk up to another person and shoot them point-blank without provocation. In those situations you don’t have a chance and it doesn’t matter if you are packing or not.
So my thought process was that here I am with the right to carry, the right to defend myself or others, the responsibility that goes with it and I wasn’t carrying. If I got into a bad situation and got shot or allowed someone else to get shot and I didn’t have my gun on me what does that say? You wouldn’t buy a refrigerator, car, or some other item and not use it would you?

Because of that I decided to start carrying on a more regular basis. I’m still figuring out exactly how I want to carry, where to carry, etc. But it’s a start. It’s a great responsibility and I hope and pray I never have to use it. However, if that situation arises I also hope that I’ll be able to make the right decision when the time comes.