Did not want to interrupt the other thread that I believe Grand Pa posted.

Maybe it is because of living where I do, but most of my life I never even considered a need to carry. For probably 50 years I have worn a side arm on my hip in the fall. Have not gone into supermarkets etc. but have stopped hundreds of time for coffee and a snacking small mom and pop stores and never gave it a thought. No one ever mentioned it.

The last few years I have been getting the feeling that going with a concealed carry is getting to be a better and better idea.

Some may not want to say but I am wondering how many carry? I suspect way more than don't.

If you carry, you must have to do a lot of target shooting?

How many have joined the outfit that provides all the those video trainings. (Cannot remember the name)

Just never thought I would need to think of lugging a gun but times are getting sketchy and I am getting older.
Thanks for any input and advice.

Mac

I got a permit for a few reasons. I no longer need to load and unload my S&W 10 shot revolver at every stop to check traps.
I can keep a loaded pistol in my truck at all times, and I like that.
When I am out in the brush working I carry my little 9mm Sig in my survey vest, not so young anymore and it gives me piece of mind.
I like guns, having one with me gives me pleasure. Some folks will find this odd but handling a well made firearm to me is enjoyable.
I guess the old adage better to have it and not need it rather than need it and not have it rings true with me.
I have done some training and shoot targets a bit.


Zim

I rarely go without some sort of side arm. I have a small revolver that rides in a pocket for those time a 45 just won't hide well. A bit of a funny. My 94yr old neighbor passed last fall, at the funeral his wife commented about how the neighborhood around the church had changed and she was glad one of her boys had a pistol. The fella I rode with and I both had one and started to chuckle just a bit. After the conversation was over we determined about 1/4th of the group was carrying.
As for open verses concealed, I prefer concealed unless in the bush or home. When in town I think people don't get nervy about what they can't see it. Also if for some reason a bad guy was to try something, I think the guy with a gun showing would be the first target. If that fight starts I want it to be a surprise to said bad guy that I have a gun, giving me a better chance to save lives.

I carry all the time, Mac. So much crazy stuff has happened up here with the meth epidemic it just seems reasonable to be prepared. I feel very self-conscious when I enter a store with a gun in my waistband. Perfectly legal but I still feel a bit like I'm doing something wrong. Open carry to me is an open invitation for a bad guy to pay close attention to you.

I have a ccw for several reasons.
In NM your car is an extension of your property and can carry a loaded and concealed in it w/o ccw.
Having a ccw you are allowed to carry on more places than open carry. Like the booze section in the gas station.
With crime at all time highs in NM ccw is's the best option. I'm not in the best health.
I hate being unarmed even at my kids school the hospitals etc...
If it hits the fan I know I'm ready to protect my life, my family's lives, and those around me.
My current church has numerous people with ccw I sit in a strategic position position. One of the churches I used to go to is one of the safest public places in the state.

not long ago i couldn't imagine carrying in my rural area.now i wouldn't consider not carrying.

Always have a gun handy either on me or in the vehicle I open carry all fall and winter and CC over the summer.

I am retired work part time and run a little side job of buying and selling items because of the times we live in I almost always have a weapon on my person or in the truck. The times have changed so much all you see and hear on the news around hear is shootings or theft . Kids shooting kids or drugs. Years ago you could leave a gold brick in your yard go to work and come home and it would still be there. Sorry got a little long with this.

I can't carry in my home state - 2A not recognized here. I have two non-resident permits from other states. Because of reciprocity, I can carry most places when we're traveling. If I'm on vacation, I'm usually carrying. Always concealed. The less attention the better.

I always carry a handgun where it is legal. Here is Kansas the ccl gives you legal status to carry in a gun free school zone, we have constitutional carry but that method without a ccl is illegal in a gun free school zone. I almost always....99%+ of the time...carry concealed.

I carry all the time. Also have a backup in the trunk of the car! Only a 20 gauge shotgun with buckshot!

Mac, you may be referring to the USCCA that provides the video training. I am a member and they have different liability insurance plans if you ever have to use a weapon to defend yourself. Their representation not only includes firearms but anything that is used in your defense including knives and even pepper spray. The policy also covers home invasions. I believe the NRA program only covers firearms. The Concealed Carry monthly magazine that USCCA puts out is an excellent magazine full of a variety of articles.

I only carry when in the woods. I have a CC permit because I've heard stories of guys getting in trouble for having their coat conceal their pistol unintentionally. While in my mind I open carry according to the letter of tee law and a chilly morning I probably conceal carry.

Carry any time I can for sure. Mostly concealed but in the winter it's usually on my side for ease of use.

I carry a pistol almost everywhere I go other than work, and that is because it against policy. With a wife and two kids I feel it is my responsibility to carry. When I first started I was always concerned about making sure it was totally concealed. Over time I realized people really dont pay attention or they just dont care. Now a days when I go out if my shirt covers it great, if doesn't I dont worry about it. In fact I will go into walmart or some other big box store and pull my shirt up so the pistol is totally exposed just to see if I can get someone to notice. I figured out my wife is right I am not as good looking as I think I am, because people just dont notice or care I guess.

we didn't get CCL licensing till 2011 .
before that we had to carry open or illegal.

most of the time I just carried mostly legal had a bag that would ride with my in the truck between the seats so it was an easy reach in side of it was a gun case mostly unzipped with a 9mm and the magazine was rubber banded to the grip. so technically unloaded and encased but not fully zipped and not out of reach but still impossible to see it was a gun in the unsuspecting bag. a calculated risk but low risk.

given state law it was low risk yet easily accessible.

since 2011 I have carried concealed 99% of the time

honestly most of the time it is a pocket 9 in a Kydex pocket holster , just so easy to carry and always have with me. 8 round in the gun with generally another 7 in the other pocket

I also sometimes carry IWB with a different 9s from the glock family.

from some less than totally scientific but some what repetitive testing on coons not worth skinning but that needed to no longer be a nuisance I prefer a 124gr hollow point I tried some 147 but they weren't as effective just don't seem to expand much.

I live in small town Wis but on a state HYW were I am not unaware that has a lot of drug traffic on it.

if your local police and sheriff carry off duty , you should ask yourself why you are not.

you like them should probably never need it but if you do it will be nice to have readily available vs not.

a lawyer I shoot with some times was telling me most of these carry legal defense things are not insurance they carry no performance bond and most in the fine print will say they can choose to just give you your money back.

they are also taking a very calculated risk , based on some recent Florida data used in a study police in FL commit felonies at a rate of 103 per 100K while CCL holders commit them at a rate of 15per 100k , you might find that a CCL holder who buys insurance is even less likely to commit a crime.

this isn't news older Michigan data already had told us a CCP holder was unlikely to even have a speeding ticket in a 3 year period much less a felony as I recall the MI date put CCP holders at about 8 per 100K while the general public was more like 400 per 100k


training I was shooting about 2-3K a year in 9mm I am down in the 1-1.5K range now.

there are a lot of drills but EL-Prez is a great drill for determining what you need to train on and if you have it all put together.

you start back to 3 targets 1 yard form each other left right and 7 yards away from you.
your in the surrender position hands on your head.
on the buzzer you turn toward the targets
drawing out only once turned for range safety then fire 2 rounds into each target reload and fire 2 more rounds into each target 12 rounds total 4 in each target with the turn and draw the time to beat is 10 seconds.

depending on what is keeping you from a sub 10 second time with 12 hits on target determines what other drills to run.

this is a good target to use https://ads.midwayusa.com/product/939510982/midwayusa-official-uspsa-target-cardboard
but a 18x18 inch cardboard with 8 or 9 inch circle draw in pencil in the middle works fine the point is that you learn to shoot the middle and not an aiming point you don't want to be able to really see the circle from 7 yards it is for deciding if your in the middle enough basically a no cheating line.
work out your accuracy first when you can consistently hit the center of the target at 7 yards then speed it up
second work on controlled pairs this is a timing function aim once hit twice
third the reload load your first mag with 3 rounds and 2 in each of your other mags fire 2 mag change repeat till your out of mags
then work on your draw with an empty gun and a par timer

painters or masking tape are your friends for target preservation you can put a lot of round in a target if you keep covering up the holes with tape or pasters.

all this training and practice is good but honestly most SD shootings take place at just farther than arms reach , be safe ,comfortable and confident in what you can do with your gun.

develop good muzzle habits .
good muscle memory.

the USAMU United states Army marksmanship unity has many good videos on grip , sight alignment sight picture stance trigger press and reloads as well as moving with your gun from shooting point to shooting point. they develop the training procedure for the army , they figure out what works and how to best train it to the Army trainers to train soldiers in effective handgun use

mostly CCW

if i carry open, its because I am doing something, will be doing something, or have been doing something that gives me a good reason to open carry (like hunting, trapping, etc)

X2 I always have a gun on except when I can’t such as at work where it’s against the law. But we are hoping to change that. Greencountypete gave some good advice about training

I work out with my gun a couple times a week mostly using one of those training laser cartridges but I try to get to the range as often as I can for some live fire

It is amazing just how many gun fights even at arms length end up with multiple missed shots, so practice and then do it some more it’s something you will not regret if push comes to shooting

To quote Karl Mauldin: "Don't leave home without it!"

I carry every day.

I practice often. I made myself a range at home but most often I go to an indoor range close by so my neighbors don't hear me shooting all the time. I can shoot for 1/2 hour for $12.00. In a half hour I can shoot 300 rounds but most of the time I shoot 150. I practice my draw, failure to fire drill, far , medium, and close shooting. I practice my draw, clip drop, load and aim all with an empty pistol in my basement.

The range where I shoot also has a simulator that puts you in bad situations where you have to decide what to do. They also have some classes that give you an idea of what to expect and then they teach you how to shoot while they are yelling at you and in the dark.

This is totally different than the kind of shooting I grew up with. Grandpa always talked about one shot / one kill. All of the things I have been taught about carrying have been taught to me by Army men who don't stop shooting till the threat is '' neutralized.''

I got a Dillon ''B'' loader and reload my own. The range does not allow me to shoot my re-loads. Both my CZ pistols like my reloads and it saves me money to load my own so I shoot factory ammo at the range and my own reloads at home or shooting with buddies.

The best money I ever spent was at the range learning from the Army guys. They want to see you learn and they took extra time with others to help them. Make you get a gun you like and can control. I have seen several people get large calibers / large guns and then not want to shoot them because of recoil or expense. That shows when you go to train with others and you aren't familiar with your gun. Some of the people I have seen being trained do not know how to handle a gun but the trainers help them. I'm sure you would do fine