By Ryan Bridges
With great power comes great responsibility. I think I heard that in a movie once. Guns can be powerful tools for self-defense and provide unparalleled peace of mind, but they can also be dangerous to their owners and others when people fail to use them properly.
Even a moment of carelessness can lead to a fatal accident, which is why we have to expect more from people who choose to carry. Guns are a topic marred by controversy, one that can create dissent even amongst the best of friends. That, it seems, will never go away. But there are several fundamental things you can — and should — consider before purchasing a gun if you want to do it the right way.
1) Why Do You Want a Gun?
Have you been mugged before? Do you live in an area that scares you? Are there wild animals near your home? All gun owners have their own reasons for carrying a weapon. Since choosing to carry a firearm comes with a great deal of responsibility, it is vital to get inside your own head and understand your reasons for wanting a gun in the first place.
Self-defense is the most common reason for owning and carrying a gun. That may seem to be a simple concept, but the details can get surprisingly complicated. Gun laws vary from state to state and the topic of “defense” can become subjective. Shooters who focus on defense need to think about the situations in which they are willing to use their firearm. Thinking about these situations in advance ensures that shooters will be mentally prepared in an emergency.
As a gun carrier, you will face reactions such as anger and even fear from others. Some people aren’t going to understand your reasoning for choosing to arm yourself.
Are your convictions strong enough that you can face this kind of push-back and openly explain your beliefs to others? Some people choose to carry guns as a status symbol or as a representation of their political views. That’s valid…to a certain point. But if that’s your only reason for carrying you might need to reevaluate.
2) What Does Your Gun Mean to You?
Responsible shooters study and understand the nature of the firearm that they carry. It’s best to strip away the popular perceptions of guns and think about what they really are. A gun is ultimately a tool, one that’s capable of killing. Its ultimate purpose is to stop threats to your safety or the safety of those you love.
By carrying a gun you’re potentially introducing a weapon to any situation and that weapon has a chance of falling into dangerous hands through negligence. A gun, in and of itself, isn’t fundamentally good or bad. Its nature depends on the nature of the person holding it.
Your gun is an extension of you. It does precisely what you tell it to…unless you’re careless. That means all shooters need to know that they’re responsible for every bullet fired from their weapon, deliberately or accidentally. Individuals who don’t want to assume that responsibility should leave their weapons at home.
3) Do You Trust Yourself?
The final consideration calls for some introspection. Gun politics are highly controversial in the best of times so people who carry guns can get dragged into heated arguments. You need to ask yourself if you can stay calm and responsible if that happens. Avoiding questionable and possibly antagonistic situations is always the best course of action, particularly when you’re armed. Even a single mistake can lead to very serious consequences.
Bluntly, not everyone can do that under pressure. If you aren’t positive that you can handle problems in a calm and rational way if and when they occur, you should err on the side of caution and avoid carrying a firearm.
There’s no shame in admitting that and making the responsible choice. The key is to look at yourself objectively and make the decision as honestly as possible.
Responsibility Matters
Whether we like it or not, guns are a source of controversy. They probably always will be. They’re more dangerous than sharks, snakes and natural disasters because at the end of the day they’re used by humans. If a human holding a gun makes bad choices, people can and do get hurt.
But if you’re level-headed, responsible, and conscious of the tool at your disposal, it’s still possible to carry a gun safely and do a lot of good with it. What’s important is to recognize the decision as a serious choice and to treat it with all the respect that it deserves. If you consider the matter carefully and do all that you can to stay safe, you should feel free to carry your gun whenever it is legal and appropriate to do so.
Ryan Bridges is a contributing writer and media specialist for Galco Gun Leather. He regularly produces content for a variety of businesses and gun safety blogs.
I thought there were only two questions….
Did I fire five or six shots?
And Do I feel lucky?
“Ah, ah. I know what you’re thinkin’. Did he fire six shots, or, only five? Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement, I kinda lost track myself But bein’ as this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and would blow your head clean off…
The point about some people not being level-headed enough to carry is so true and so over-looked. In spite of the right to bear arms, there are some people who simply should not carry a gun due to their own personalities and tempers. All of us have to be honest with ourselves about this. It takes a bigger man to not carry a gun when they know they can’t handle it. I carry but I’ve gone through the soul searching.
Road rage incidents illustrate this perfectly. ‘You cut me off, so I am going to kill you”, mentality. Most of us might not appreciate being abused in traffic, and while we may curse the other driver, we don’t act on our anger.
Three things to overthink about when deciding to carry a pistol. Long winded drivel.
Some folks enjoy picking fly shit out of the pepper. Usually they’re lawyers or wanna be lawyers.
Yeah, this article was more than a little disappointing
That gun on the picture looks like a Sig p320 – not drop safe!
I noticed that too, my question was going to be “do you plan not to drop your gun!?”
Lol
Then don’t drop it. Under your control means under your control.
Y-A-W-N ……
I had one gun class last year and two this year. And I have another class at the end of the month.
If the time comes, I hope I’m ready. Ruger p89. I think all the bugs have been worked of them, compared to a sig 320. I prefer a hammer fired gun.
Love those 80’s vintage Ruger “bricks with triggers”. Still shoot my old P85 & 89, and they still haven’t failed me.
+1 on the P89DC Ruger with the Terhune AntiCorro finish.
“All barrels, whether for blued chrome-moly pistols or stainless-steel pistols, are cast from heat-treated 400-series stainless steel. The specific stainless alloy used in the P-Series pistols has been designated as “Terhune Anticorro” by Ruger, and that label is stamped on the side of the slides. (It is named for longtime manager of Ruger’s Prescott investment cast foundry Stan Terhune, and it is the only name other than Bill Ruger’s that has ever appeared on a standard-production Ruger firearm.) Many other small parts—such as hammers and triggers—in all P-Series pistols are also made of stainless steel.”
Dragged into arguments? Brah, walk away. Those people usually aren’t worth talking to in the first place.
Maybe I just have a calm demeanor but 99.9% of the time I just don’t get how people react to this kind of thing. STFU and walk away. Who cares what a bunch of people you don’t really know (and probably don’t like) think about any issue, nevermind your personal life?
As for trusting yourself… I find this to be a fairly silly point. Dumbass people trust themselves to the hilt and/or don’t give this sort of thing much thought. Ergo it’s pointless to discuss this with most people because if you ask the most retarded and violence prone person you know if they trust themselves there’s a better than 95% chance that they will say “Yes.”.
People too stupid or too emo to have a gun are usually too stupid or too emo to realize/admit that they’re too stupid or emo to have a gun.
The people who trust themselves the most are the ones who are the products of the “self esteem movement” – and are some of the people I’d trust the least to have sober and adult judgement with a gun.
Tragically, you may be not far off in your assessment. Nevertheless, We the PotG ought to start to think about how to address this issue. Everything was fine so long as the carry community was comprised of old gun guys who understood such issues; we all sort of worked through the issue ourselves.
Today, we want to popularize carry by every qualified adult; indeed, we NEED to do so to protect the 2A. As our outreach extends more deeply into the general population we will invite plenty of people who really aren’t up to assuming the responsibility of carrying. How can we advise such people to self-screen themselves out?
We don’t need the bad publicity that comes with the MSM reporting on road-rage types of incidents by CWP-holders.
“As our outreach extends more deeply into the general population we will invite plenty of people who really aren’t up to assuming the responsibility of carrying.“
At last, someone grasps the problem and is willing to state clearly the issue, hallelujah!
Now we are seeing the fruit of this ‘guns for everybody’ policy, guaranteed profits to the arms/ammo industrial complex but what are the real consequences for society.
“We don’t need the bad publicity that comes with the MSM reporting on road-rage types of incidents by CWP-holders.“
Too late, my concern is that we have reached a tipping point.
“State lawmakers made concealed firearms legal without a permit. Then, more West Virginians died.
Lawmakers who supported the 2016 law said it would help keep people safe. But there were significant increases in gun homicides after it was enacted, according to a new study from WVU researchers.
Avatar photo
by Allen Siegler
October 12th, 2023
But in the months and years after the law was enacted, more West Virginians died from guns. A study, conducted by West Virginia University researchers and published in the American Journal of Public Health, found that firearm deaths were about 26% more frequent in the state after legislators passed HB 4145.“
https://mountainstatespotlight.org/2023/10/12/west-virginia-gun-deaths-concealed-carry/
Beats having similar increases in gun crime deaths with restrictions put on rights.
Critics finally found an outlier where gun deaths increased after permitless concealed carry was passed?
Study appears to lump pandemic year 2020 in with the others, w/o looking at individual years.
Miner, less than .00000084% of legally purchased firearms are used in crimes. We must deal with this gigantic issue, right? Police are more likely to commit crimes than a CCW permit holder. You have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about!
Miner49er,
How many of those “gun deaths” are suicides?
And how many of the “homicides” did police determine to be legally justified righteous self-defense?
Finally, how many of the “homicides” that police have not been able to solve yet are, in actuality, legally justified self-defense? (Hint: a lot of people do not trust police and would simply walk away from an incident where they were legally justified to use deadly force in self-defense. Police would never determine what happened in many such incidents and incorrectly classify them as murder.)
And now for an even more important question: how many murders do arsonists have to commit–using women’s feminine hygiene products to start their fires–before we outlaw sales and possession of said hygiene products? (Hint: if you are not willing to outlaw hygiene products, then you should not be willing to outlaw firearms.)
From the article:
“This is something that you could have foreseen at the time,” Palumbo said. “When you put more guns in more places, you’re going to have more accidents and more gun casualties as a result.”
Yet the referenced study shows a decrease in unintentional firearm mortality by 20%. It appears that Palumbo is pulling facts out of his rear end. The article’s author didn’t bother to fact check him with his own presented data. He also didn’t bother to mention the sharp increase some states had in violent crime and suicides since 2020. Hmm… It’s almost like he’s pushing a narrative.
We would have to analyze the individual cases of homicide to determine if it was related to legal carry without a permit. If it’s involving someone otherwise engaged in criminal activity or premeditated murder, does anyone with an IQ above Miner’s actually believe they had to wait on Constitutional carry to pass before killing someone with their handgat?
MajorLiar,
As usual you (i) miss the MAIN point, in search of an opportunity to trot out your idiot narrative, and (ii) exercise exactly zero ratiocination, and (iii) have no idea what you are talking about (so, in summary, a thoroughly typical MajorLiar spew).
The easy part is that the VAST majority of carry, these days, is concealed carry. Personally, I think ‘concealed’ MEANS concealed – if I’ve done it right, you don’t even know I HAVE the freakin’ gun. So how is that intended to ‘intimidate’ or ‘scare’ anyone? Oh, that’s right, it isn’t. It’s intended as a tool for an emergency and, in extremis, to protect myself and others. But you’re too stupid to know that, or even understand it.
Others above have already spanked you about this, but concealed carry permit holders have a lower crime rate than cops, so . . . Ess. Tee. Eff. You. You ALWAYS do the normal Leftist/fascist immediate pivot from violence committed with a gun, to ANY gun ownership. Presumably because you are too stupid to process the myriad logical distinctions, but also because it ‘fits your narrative’. I would say, “do better”, but that is far beyond your capability.
Last, and most important, in a (theoretically) free society, WITH a right to keep and bear arms, it is AUTOMATICALLY incumbent on ANY citizen wishing to avail themselves of that right to evaluate their ability/fitness to do so . . . and to simply decline to to exercise a right that they are not fit to exercise (for whatever reason, and without imputing anything negative). I sure as HELL don’t want some drooling, incompetent, flatworm-brained moron of a government bureaucrat making that decision for me . . . God forbid, I might get someone as stupid as you.
Just as it’s my responsibility to evaluate my fitness to keep and bear arms, it’s every citizen’s responsibility to participate in society . . . like, for example, are you too stupid and uneducated to vote or exercise free speech?? Consider dropping off the Internet, and not voting in the future, because you are objectively stupid, uneducated, and incapable of reason.
“How many of those “gun deaths” are suicides?“
Irrelevant, increased deaths are indeed, increased deaths.
“Critics finally found an outlier where gun deaths increased after permitless concealed carry was passed?“
Because West Virginia already had a high level of unlicensed concealed carry, once constitutional carry was passed we saw a quicker increase in violence involving guns.
“concealed carry permit holders have a lower crime rate than cops“
But we aren’t talking about CCW permit holders, we’re talking about constitutional carry where there are no training or background check requirements.
“you are objectively stupid, uneducated, and incapable of reason“
Ah yes, the ad hominem attack, the first refuge of the cognitively challenged.
Miner the 70+% of all gun deaths in WV is very relevant as it has absolutely nothing to do with any form of concealed carry. Those would happen no matter what laws were in place and are linked to other variables. The remaining 20 whatever % of firearm related homicides which appear to be under 120 for any given year in a state of 1.8 million are a pittance especially when no mention of whether the deaths involved justified homicide or gang related crime of which only one is relevant to concealed carry and strangely would mean it’s working the right way.
‘“How many of those “gun deaths” are suicides?“
Irrelevant, increased deaths are indeed, increased deaths.”
Manner of death is very relevant when you discuss restrictions on rights. How is my right to carry a firearm for self defense dependent on whether some people use a gun to commit suicide or are killed while committing a crime? In fact, my right is reinforced by the fact that some people are killed with a gun while committing a crime and is not at all affected by suicides.
MajorLiar,
No. Please learn the definition of “ad hominem”. I am NOT saying “Ignore MajorLiar’s arguments; he’s a bad person.” In fact, I am saying the exact OPPOSITE, “Look at this idiotic ideas MajorLiar is spewing! Isn’t he stupid!”
But you are far too challenged in the realm of logic, debate, and rhetoric to understand that. What other logical fallacies do you totally misunderstand? Oh, that’s right, ALL OF THEM.
So, basically, what you are implying (if you had the wit to formulate an argument) is:
1. We will have more concealed carriers, not adequately vetted (in your pathetic opinion – when do we start vetting VOTERS before we allow them to exercise THAT right, you illogical moron??). Except, it has happened in exactly ONE instance that is preliminarily documented (let’s see overall results in a few years). Where is the “Wild West” scenario in other states that have passed permitless carry?? Oh, that’s right, IT HASN’T. You are taking ONE anomolous (and contradictory to other, far better established) data points, and saying that disproves all the others?? Please don’t consider a career in science. On second thought, since modern “science” is become political, result-oriented, Leftist/fascist nonsense (c.f., Tony Fauxi, the COVID Gnome), it would be IDEAL for you. “Facts? I don’t got to show you no facts! We don’t NEED no stinkin’ facts!!” From MajorLiar, starring in “Treasure of the COVID Lockdowns.
2. You conveniently NEVER address my continuing point about rights, and which ones are “limited”, which ones aren’t, and how the distinction is made. If drooling quarter-wits, such as yourself and dacian, are permitted to exercise your rights to vote and engage in free speech, on what POSSIBLE grounds to you propose to limit the right of others to keep and bear arms?? Is there no limit to your hypocrisy, double standards, and prevarication???? I guess I answered my own question, there.
Why I now refer to you as MajorLiar – all you DO is lie. Sometimes affirmatively, but ALWAYS you lie by omission. And you wouldn’t understand logic is it fell from space, landed on your face, and started to wiggle. Nice chatting with you, moron. To steal from Sen. Kennedy of LA, “when your IQ gets to (in your case) 25, you should sell.”
Miner, you’ve had over six years to respond to that comment (see datestamp) and then est you can come up with is your usual canned bullshit?
You truly are one ignorantfuk, aren’t you?
Yes, the 2017 date stamp is interesting, I wonder what TTAG’s hidden agenda is for posting these ancient messages?
But the WVU study I cited is not six years old, check the date stamp on the article I linked.
@Miner, it’s probably done to increase the chance of engagement, and therefore clicks, on old articles.
“As a gun carrier, you will face reactions such as anger and even fear from others.”
Good.
“Guns are a topic marred by controversy, one that can create dissent even amongst the best of friends.”
If it creates dissent, they’re not my friends.
“Do You Trust Yourself?”
Yes, more than anyone else, and certainly way more than the po-po who are supposed to protect me but don’t.
While I understand your point, the reason why you may not be able to trust the police to protect you is because people negatively answer the first two questions, thus creating laws or rules causing the police not to be able to protect you (because we don’t want to lose our jobs because we have to provide for our own families). It’s a shame, but police are so scared at times to act because of the backlash of the news and the citizens that have no idea of what truly happened at a particular incident. I’m not saying police are always right, but we aren’t nearly as wrong as people nowadays seem to think…
Hey Ralph how are you? Long time no comment. Anyway this “contributor” is not worth commenting on…
Time stamp on his comment is from 2017.
“As a gun carrier, you will face reactions such as anger and even fear from others.”
Good.“
So you carry a gun in order to provoke ‘anger’ and ‘fear’ from others, got it.
What a diplomatic and considerate ambassador for the gun community you are, bravo!
Why would I care what the fuck other people think?
Miner I carry the flag I was issued December 19th, 1989 to affix to my sleeve. I carry it my wallet in the center window. It has been seen while I have purchased items in stores. I was asked if I was some sort of extremist for carrying it. As if the US Flag denotes membership in some sort of extremist organization.
If some seems angry if the notice I am armed, lawfully, the issue is not that I am armed, the ussue is the ignorance of who is angry.
Weak people are easy to trigger, they constantly look to be triggered. Maybe you can start the conversation with your friends on the left that not all who are armed are a problem. Then they wouldn’t be concerned of my lawful carry of a firearm.
One who jumps from perfectly good airplane, I understand many people react with anger or fear if they notice someone is armed, that’s a common reaction. And that’s not your responsibility, but rather theirs.
The problem I had was that the poster said he thought it was “good” that they felt “anger and fear” when they saw that he was armed.
Seriously. If I can’t trust myself who can I trust. As for a confrontation? A heated argument? That takes 2 people.
If you follow me as I walk away that’s not an argument. That’s stalking/harassment and if you escalate, that’s an attack, not an argument.
To get a confrontation with me you will have to be the aggressor. And that’s why we carry weapons. For self defense.
“A heated argument? That takes 2 people“
I applaud your self control.
But the fact is, I have observed innumerable individuals on the street who feel justified in taking physical action after another person has merely used words they didn’t like, or seemingly cut them off in traffic or beat them to the parking space.
You know this is true, and with the high level of firearms saturation in the marketplace, many of these incidents that once would’ve been simple physical assaults will now become ‘gun violence’.
Yet these feelings are not born out in any area where they are expected……….strange
That’s a comment I made in 2017. There is no such thing as gun violence.
Don’t you have a jack booted anti jewish rally to lead?
Violence;
behavior involving physical force intended to hurt, damage, or kill someone or something.
Explain how a gun can execute on those behaviors without human action?
Sig P320, when your absolutely positively sure you won’t drop your pistol…it’ll work.
(Just don’t get taken to the ground, fall or have anyone blindside you in the hip with a shopping cart at lowes. You should be fine.)
1) Self defense
2) Defense of myself, my service dog, and anyone else who is defenseless.
3) Yes I do trust myself. More than the police or anyone else.
Just so you’ll know, if you use deadly force to defend your dog you will spend a very long time in prison without your dog. Sucks, but that’s the way it is.
I’ve always felt that if someone injures or kills my canine companion it’s clear they have demonstrated their willingness to use violence and I may have a good reason to stop their continued attack.
1) Why Do You Want a Gun?
Because I like to have options.
2) What Is Your Gun to You?
It’s an option.
3) Do You Trust Yourself?
Yes. I also trust myself with automobiles, toxic chemicals, swimming pools and stairways. All of those things are involved in more accidental deaths than guns.
To be fair:
This article wasn’t directed to the majority of us here – we who have long before considered all of these questions and arrived at our own satisfactory answers.
It is directed at the person who may not have yet decided to purchase or start carrying their gun, to give them something else to consider in their decision making.
None of it is wrong or unnecessary, just that it is ground most of us have covered, but I like to think TTAG would be a good resource for noobs too, particularly before making their first purchase.
I disagree, quite a bit of it is wrong by implication.
Why do I want a gun?
Because the Constitution of fhe United States of America enshrines my civil right to have as many as I deem necessary.
End of story.
There are many people who should not carry. That being said, I am not your keeper or your conscience, so you do what you need to do. I wouldn’t even own a gun when I drank – every day – now that I am sober, I would, if the sherrif in my county would allow me to. Non LEOs do not get CCWs here in Los Angeles County.
“Some people choose to carry guns as a status symbol or as a representation of their political views. That’s perfectly valid,”
and that should have been a full stop, but it goes on to say
“to a certain point. But if that’s your only reason for carrying you might need to reevaluate.”
That’s the same attitude that leads to may-issue permitting systems. And then there’s this gem:
“It does precisely what you tell it to unless you’re careless.”
In which case it still does what you tell it to. A gun has no moral judgment, sense of right or wrong, or knowledge of the appropriateness of the trigger pull. This is the same reasoning that leads to stupid phrases like “gun violence.”
Not to mention gun confiscation.
An armed society is a polite society.
If you are a dick or a dumbass, a gun will not cure that.
If you carry a gun, society will hold you responsible….. unless you are rich or a Chicago gangbanger.
What a load of fetid dingos’ kidneys.
1) Why Do You Want a Gun?
I went up there, I said, “Shrink, I want to kill. I want to kill! I want to see
Blood and gore and guts and veins in my teeth! Eat dead, burnt bodies! I
Mean: Kill. Kill!”
And I started jumpin’ up and down, yellin’ “KILL! KILL!” and he started
Jumpin’ up and down with me, and we was both jumpin’ up and down, yellin’,
“KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL!” and the sergeant came over, pinned a medal on me,
Sent me down the hall, said “You’re our boy”.
2) What Is Your Gun to You?
My Precioussss.
3) Do You Trust Yourself?
(Whispering) Trust no one.
Cue drowning pool, bodies . . .
https://www.bing.com/search?q=drowning+pool+bodies&qs=SS&pq=drowning+pool+bodies&sc=5-20&cvid=6077400938A0422B90B1D78ABD8B30A5&FORM=QBRE&sp=1
What does daddy say, kids?
Daddy says kill.
You Can Get Anything You Want, At Alice’s Restaurant, Gollum.
The highlight of every Thanksgiving morning.
You know what I mean. Others may need an 8X10 color glossy photograph with a paragraph on the back explaining what it is.
I can’t believe this is Galco’s guy. Sounds like they hired somebody upthe college who needed a job, and the best they could get doesn’t really like guns or gun owners.
Sorry this read like drivers ed. It read like I imagine dui / driving ticket school lectures go.
I get the sense that gun-grabbers have had an unwelcomed influence on the author …
Wrong. A firearm’s only purpose is delivering a tiny projectile, in a known direction, at a known velocity, in a highly repeatable manner. Whether someone applies that purpose to recreational target shooting, hunting, self-defense, or attacking someone is entirely up to the user.
This happens so rarely as to be statistically insignificant. Quite literally, ANYTHING could happen. And yet we don’t alter our behavior or choices because of everything that could happen. If someone is going to mention the downside to something, they should mention the ENTIRE downside, including how rare the downside occurs.
A gun has no nature at all. All it does is launch a tiny projectile in a known direction, at a known velocity, in a repeatable manner. How someone applies that design is up to the user.
Take these questions and apply to new police officers. Why do you want to be a cop? Ready for the responsibility? You’ll be met with scorn by a large number of people. You’re responsible for every bullet and action.
. . . Do you find yourself thinking that you are better than those around you? Do you think hanging a badge on you will get you there? Are you wanting a job in public service to “serve”? Does “public service” mean that you serve them, or they serve you? WHAT IS THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT YOU WILL EVER EQUAL?
“If a human holding a gun makes bad choices, people can and do get hurt.”
And people can and do get hurt if they are helpless to defend themselves. They get hurt in dozens of other ways as well. Break out the bubble wrap!!!
If only those who are perfect paragons of virtue may go armed… forget about it. But, given the fact that most non-criminal people who carry a gun do NOT shoot others indiscriminately, or even cause many accidents anymore, maybe we don’t have to be so perfect after all.
Galco hired a sliding 1984 facist.
The very first question to ask yourself before deciding to carry a gun is:
“Am I willing to, and capable of, using it?”
And therein lies the soul searching. Everything else stems from the answer to that one question.
“Does it make me look fat?” 🙂
A lot of support and opposition to this piece. Frankly, I think gun owners should be responsible and consider many aspects of their lives before carrying. This article (to me at least) doesn’t call for stringent licensing as some in this threat have claimed. It calls for you yourself to be responsible. It’s my job to be responsible for me. To personally be safe. This felt like advice to me on how best to do that. I’ll listen. It’s not government’s job to protect me from myself and I didn’t get the message this guy wants government to protect us from ourselves.
4) Does this make me look fat?
3. Do you trust yourself?
This you can trust.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vOofKsny66o
Extremely well-written, unbiased, and straight to heart of the matter. Well done, Ryan, thank you.
Ask yourself, .45 ACP or .50 AE?
I say .25acp, makes a hole half as big as a .50 and it fits in a pocket.
Off topic
The other evening I thought President theBiden had come to see me. My heart started beating fast and I was overjoyed and very excited, getting to meet our President.
No knock on the door, but I was sure theBiden was near.
What a disappointment when I found what I thought to be a visit from the Prez was just cat sht on the floor.
Speaking of which – a person named Rudy allegedly pooped on a deceased possum in a South Florida intersection. I speculate that it was so flat, yet furry, he could not resist.
Be careful out there
Isnt it Wolverines that crap on their food to keep others from eating it, maybe its pi$$. I reckon this Rudy fellow was doing the same thing.
Whatever.
Someone is wearing Levi Straus jean’s, I quit reading after I saw that.
What could be your objection to Levi Strauss jeans?
“During this time in the 19th century, Levi’s declared in ads and on its products that the products were “made by white labor.” The thinking was that this would improve sales and align with consumers’ viewpoints at the time. The company later reversed its policies in the 1890s, the spokesperson said“
Oh, yes, that did seem to be a problem but that was many years ago.
I always find it fascinating when one minority oppressors another minority by appealing to the dominant group.
Careful with that minefield you are between a lot of isms on that topic.
Levi Straus was THE cowboys Jean’s for many years. Then they went woke and started supporting gunm control.
I dont mind who, what, you support or dont support it’s the hypocrisy I reject.
The can sale their clothing to the Japanese for all I care.
Wranglers👍
Whiner49er, Levis exercised their free speech and donated money to removing and/or curtailing my civil rights. They have that right to do so but I have the right to never ever spend a single penny for one of their products nor would I be caught dead wearing them. That’s my right -as well as lobbying far and wide for others who care about their rights to do the same. I hope they go bankrupt along with every other company that is on my boycott list.
If I knew where you worked I’d add that company to my boycott list as well and call the owners to explain why.
“call the owners to explain why.“
Yes, explain to the owners that one of their employees, on their own time and on a private venue, expressed an opinion you find annoying so you have decided to punish the company and all the other employees.
How very American of you, bravo!
So leftists that dox people for opinions they don’t are not Americans? Cool
NO, MajorLiar, ONCE AGAIN you’ve gotten it pathetically wrong!!! Levi Strauss made significant CORPORATE contributions to anti-gun causes, as well as CORPORATELY supported anti-gun propaganda. Gun owners have FAR more reason to boycott Levi Strauss than you Leftist/fascists EVER had to boycott any of your ‘targets’. But you can’t point to a single instance of me saying you Leftist/fascists didn’t have the RIGHT to boycott. Knock yourselves out.
We boycott Levi Strauss because they actively campaign to limit and restrict our rights (or actual rights, not our invented or made-up rights). I know that’s a subtle distinction for a quarter-wit like you to grasp, but do your best.
well well, Miner49er, the hamas terrorist supporting and praising and loving troll, posts stupid again.
miner was just comparing the Doolittle raiders to hamas.
We need a Nuremberg 2.0 for fascist scum like him.
“miner was just comparing the Doolittle raiders to hamas“
Yep, I consider anyone who machine guns school children and bombs schools is a terrorist, you sure got that right.
Do you think it’s OK to kill children as long as they’re yellow or brown?
Or maybe for you it’s about the shape of their eyes, or the size of their nose.
Killing children is terrorism, whether it’s Jehovah and his followers or Allah and his followers.
goebbels would be so proud of you miner. You’ve taken the title away from him.
“Miner49er, the hamas terrorist supporting and praising and loving“
I’ve never expressed praise or love for any terrorist, and personally I think the vast majority of the Hamas fighters have committed heinous war crimes that they should answer for.
As has the IDF.
What are your sources for the charges against the Doolittle raiders, miner?
“Gray strafed what he thought was a factory, complete with a rooftop air defense surveillance tower. But it was Mizumoto Primary School, where students, like many across Japan, attended half-day classes on Saturdays. after school let out at 11 a.m., many students had stayed to help clean classrooms; one died in the strafing attack. At Waseda Middle School, one of Doolittle’s incendiaries killed fourth-grader Shigeru Kojima. Children’s deaths became a rallying point. A Japanese sergeant later captured by allied forces described the furor that erupted from the raid. “One father wrote to a leading daily telling of the killing of his child in the bombing of the primary school,” his interrogation report stated. “He deplored the dastardly act and avowed his intention of avenging the child’s death by joining the army and dying a glorious death.”
https://www.militarytimes.com/off-duty/military-culture/2018/04/18/the-doolittle-raid-generated-more-ripples-than-once-thought/
Of course, it was an ‘accident’ to strafe the school…
And another ‘accident’ to fire bomb another school.
Yes. It likely was an accident. Unlike your hero’s in hamas that targeted women and children on purpose.
You truly are a pathetic wretch miner. We badly need a Nuremberg 2,0 for your kind.
“As has the IDF.”
Here’s more mindless moral equivalence talk as if the IDF and Hamas are one and the same because children were killed. The IDF goes out of their way to warn citizens to leave before they attack. (Then Hamas tells them to stay.) How many other military forces in the history of the world have gone to the same lengths as the IDF to warn of their incoming attacks? Answer: none.
Hiding military installations among civilians is a war crime. Hamas asked, no begged, for every single innocent civilian death they’re getting. As a matter of fact they counted on it for propaganda. That’s how they earn their living. That’s why their leaders hiding in Qatar are billionaires thanks to the American taxpayer. Ignorant, bleeding heart liberal, holocaust-denying fools enable Hamas. If the IDF has to stop attacking Hamas because they’re hiding behind civilians, then why wouldn’t every single military in the world use the same tactic?? That’s why what Hamas is doing is a war crime.
By contrast to the IDF, Hamas went out of their way to attack an unarmed civilian festival and an almost entirely unarmed civilian area. Miner’s freedom fighters slashed children in bunk beds, threw babies into ovens, raped the females (children included), and took the most vulnerable as their hostages. The morons marching for Palestine enabled that. The moral equivalence fools enabled that. The Bush, Obama, and Biden administrations enabled that by empowering Iran. (Bush empowered Iran by taking out Iraq.)
Only a fool or a liar would try to draw a moral equivalence between Hamas and the IDF.
I’m sure Alec Baldwin knew exactly why he wanted that gun and what it meant to him to have it. I’m sure he trusted himself too.
Another State Stands Against The Feds In Defense of 2nd Amendment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzPD4aJ0Axc
The carrying of a weapon should have more limitations so that misfortunes do not occur.
Uh yeah for sure I agree, now have you discussed your feelings with the local gang bangers, thugs and thieves?
The activity of speech should have more limitations so sissies don’t get their feelings hurt! Firearm safety should taught to everyone in grade school and Hollywood should respect the 4 rules. I’d bet misfortunes would go way down, just like crime after Constitutional Carry is implemented.
“just like crime after Constitutional Carry is implemented“
Like this?
“State lawmakers made concealed firearms legal without a permit. Then, more West Virginians died.
Lawmakers who supported the 2016 law said it would help keep people safe. But there were significant increases in gun homicides after it was enacted, according to a new study from WVU researchers.
by Allen Siegler
October 12th, 2023
“But in the months and years after the law was enacted, more West Virginians died from guns. A study, conducted by West Virginia University researchers and published in the American Journal of Public Health, found that firearm deaths were about 26% more frequent in the state after legislators passed HB 4145.“
https://mountainstatespotlight.org/2023/10/12/west-virginia-gun-deaths-concealed-carry/
Good Post Miner, I found much the same thing as the studies I found proved that homicides went up when gun control laws were either weak or had been relaxed or done away with altogether.
The only thing I would like to add is that even when you are in the right in a shooting it can cost you thousands in legal fees because its almost a 99% probability you will be sued.
One homeowner shot a young man who broke into his home but the young mad turned out to be a star football player in a small town and it cost the homeowner a huge amount of money when he was sued in court.
In another incident a man was at a stop sign when a homeowner who had property damage done to his yard previously mistook the hapless motorist for the wrong man and opened his car door and started to beat him. The motorist shot and killed the homeowner and was sued successfully by the homeowners wife for “Loss of Companionship”. The motorist lost big time financially.
An armed society “is not” a polite society, it’s a kill crazed society. That is why most civilized nations completely outlaw concealed carry. Our road rage incidents and parking lot shoot outs alone prove how right the European’s and Asian gun laws are.
After wading through a bunch of misleading wording of terms a increase of about a dozen or so non suicide deaths over a few years in a state of 1.8ish million for a bit over 100 odd non suicide deaths involving a firearm (325ish including suicide) with no indication of criminal activity in the breakdown. Miner you are going way out on a limb here with poorly defined data and likely deliberately misleading presentation. I would have dismissed your assertion based on previous observation of your behavior alone but damn dude at least try. What’s next Maine has a doubling of criminal homicides for the year 2023? Would be true but the context would be garbage.
“Miner you are going way out on a limb here with poorly defined data and likely deliberately misleading presentation“
Not my study, not my data, not my presentation.
I merely shared the publication by academics of their findings regarding West Virginia’s concealed carry law.
And I don’t really get why everyone wants to distinguish between criminal activity and suicide, the people are just as dead so it seems to be a distinction without a difference.
1 you presented it as a point
2 dead is dead but when presenting data it needs to be relevant to not be garbage
3 publication vs propaganda or nuance vs nunce
MajorLiar,
COOL STORY!! TELL IT AGAIN!!!
“More West Virginians died from guns.” In what way, exactly, is that “data” supposed to inform the gun debate? What guns? In whose hands? Do we know where/how they were obtained? Why is this result so anomalous to all other states that have adopted permitless carry? Were there any changes in data collection during the term of the study, and were those changes adequately accounted for? What is the statistical level of reliability of this “study”?
You’re really not very good at this, MajorLiar. Consider pursuing an alternate hobby; you’re embarrassing yourself with this one.
Lamp what is a bit funny on my end is best case apples to apples comparison (assuming the 100 odd non suicide related gun homicides are all crime related) WV would have a gun related criminal homicide rate of 5 per 100k. Albany (where I work) has a population of just under 100k and has been seeing mid 20’s gun related murders the past few years (got worse post CCIA) so at minimum Albany is 4 times more murderous than WV as a state. I was of course reviewing Albany data today and state to state NY is safer but always funny to see how strongholds of certain ideologies outcompete.
“And I don’t really get why everyone wants to distinguish between criminal activity and suicide, the people are just as dead so it seems to be a distinction without a difference.”
The reason is because carry laws don’t matter when it comes to suicide. Your article is trying to make the case that constitutional carry is bad.
“The reason is because carry laws don’t matter when it comes to suicide.“
That’s quite the assertion, and I think you are incorrect.
It’s clearly recognized that the use of firearms in suicide is directly related to their availability, and constitutional carry results in an increase in availability of firearms, especially by the inexperienced/untrained.
And those who decide to ‘constitutionally carry’ are not suddenly immune to depression, psychosis or suicide ideation just because they now have a firearm in their pocket everywhere they go.
“constitutional carry results in an increase in availability of firearms”
I’m not following your reasoning. If someone wants to obtain a firearm to use for suicide, constitutional carry is irrelevant.
“If someone wants to obtain a firearm to use for suicide, constitutional carry is irrelevant“
“Obtain a firearm for suicide”?
Do you think all suicides are planned?
“Oh yeah, I need to run by the gun store and pick up that pistol so I can blow my brains out later tonight”
Almost half of all suicides are impulsive acts, and often involve intoxication from drugs or alcohol.
“A total of 48.0% of the participants were impelled by sudden inclinations to attempt suicide. Impulsive attempters were younger, unmarried and less physical illness than non-impulsive attempters,“
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4965648/
Minor idiot, that some people commit suicide or have accidents with guns is not my problem and has nothing, I’ll say it again, NOTHING to do with my right to self defense with a firearm.
Miner,
You still failed to explain how constitutional carry increases the suicide rate.
“Almost half of all suicides are impulsive acts, and often involve intoxication from drugs or alcohol.”
Yet they aren’t trying to limit access to drugs or alcohol. As a matter of fact, they’re doing the opposite.
“Almost half of all suicides are impulsive acts, and often involve intoxication from drugs or alcohol.”
So what? Some people commit election fraud so should no one be allowed to vote?
@Miner, Compare and contrast the suicide rates in S. Korea vs the USA. How many S. Koreans use firearms to commit suicide? Yet, you’re telling me it isn’t firearms, but constitutional carry, that increases the suicide rate? Let’s see the proof.
The use of computers and cell phones should have more limitations so that misfortunes do not occur like trolling left wing anti-gun people.
Yet more evidence for the side that espouses that the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution was a terrible mistake.
President Xi Jinping, the dictator, was coming for a visit last week. So Joe Biden calls up Newsom and says “Clean up some, the boss is coming for a visit.” Newsom says “Really, the boss? I gotta get some more hair gel and get that addict and homeless vermin off the streets.”
So Newsom had the streets of San Francisco cleaned up, got the homeless off the streets and took away all their tents and any other meger belongings they had and disposed of them in true China communism fashion, even power washed the sidewalks to ‘flush the toilet’ and paved the streets around the APEC conference area and areas of the guided tour planned, even painted ‘culturally correct’ murals to cover the graffiti.
And a week later the drug addicts and homeless are filtering back in. The open air drug market is starting to hang out their ‘open for business signs’ again.
Follow the money.
Third times a charm on this one?
TikTok Communists Begin MEAL PREP For The Revolution In HILARIOUS And SAD Video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Avo2CK7gyjI
My favorite was always reading about what jobs they wanted to do after the revolution, it is a grim comfort to know that however bad my death would be they would at best shortly follow me into the ditch and at worst have to live out their larp.
Mind-set is the first hurdle that needs to be settled for anyone who doesn’t already own a firearm and is thinking of obtaining one for self-defense. They need to ask themselves if they could kill someone if the situation called for it. If not, don’t get a gun. If you do make that mental commitment that you would use a firearm to protect yourself or others, then prepare for that possibility by practicing (mentally and physically). The type of firearm should be chosen based upon where it will be kept. Is it for in-home defense and/or CCW? It should also be a family decision because a firearm in the household affects everyone living there. It is a tremendous responsibility that should not be taken lightly. The chilling videos of the Oct. 7 Hama attacks on defenseless Israelis have convinced many non-gun people to re-consider their opinions about protecting their families.
I think the person should ask themselves.
Am I ready to go to jail and spend time with the same type of SOB’s that I just shuted.
Am I ready to through the legal battle that I will be put through.
Am I ready to admit that I’m guilty until proven innocent.
Am I ready to spend 10’s of thousands proving my innocence.
Is a sardine sandwich worth it?
Depends
After a sardine sandwich, “Depends” are highly recommended!
How much dog poop can be spread into a baloney sandwich before it stops being a boloney sandwich and is now considered a dog poop sandwich?
When my wife said she wanted to start carrying a firearm, my first question to her was “Can you, will you, take a human life to protect yourself and/or others from deadly harm?” She had to think long and hard on that question.
Can I drop the hammer if needs be? yes. Been there and done that. S.E. and S.W Asia as well as Central America. Can I control my emotions? Again Yes. And lastly do I care what other people think about what or if I carry a weapon? Not at all.
Not going to bother with pissing contests with idiots and generally avoid situations that result in someone being angry or violent.
When I was young I did not carry for several reasons but mostly, yeah, I didn’t trust myself for multiple reasons. People always marveled at my composure and control but quite honestly it was a cap on a boiling caldron. There were instances where I would not, to this day, swear that I would not have used a gun if I had one.
Now that I’m older, the fire under the caldron is smoldering and the fluid inside just kind of simmers so I carry. It’s hard to make me mad these days because I realize that only people whose opinion I value can make me angry and there just aren’t many people whose opinion I value.
Ryan,
You should acquaint yourself with John Lott and study his research DEEPLY if you cannot forge a personal relationship with him.
What’s with the comments dated mid-August 2017???
You don’t have to answer questions from ANYONE before exercising any of your Civil Rights.
As a Texas License to Carry instructor, one of the first questions I ask my students is could you shoot and possibly kill someone in self defense? I’ve had two students think about it and tell me no. I excused them from class and refunded their money.
The Three Questions You Need to Ask Yourself When Deciding to Carry a Gun are:
What gun can I afford?
How much ammo is “enough”?
Which of the models I can afford is the most intimidating and guaranteed to “trigger” non-gun owners/anti-gunners when seen (buy THAT one)?
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