Why did you decide to start carrying?

[PriestEG]

i was working for my dads company in a less than wonderful part of town and didnt want to risk anything as an 18yr old. then after getting out the military i have a mode that i cant shut off, i havent had a day in which a firearm was not on my person or within arms reach 24/7. Once you spend so much time living with the idea that EVERYONE is trying to kill you and you never do anything with out you weapon, it becomes 2nd nature

 

[lonehoosier]

I started carry because I worked by my self in places that I didnot know about 14 years ago. Sints then it has always been second nature to be armed just like putting your shoes on. I would not leave the house with out it just like I would not leave without my wallet.

 

[gcoop]

The A-Hole next door to me threatened to kill me. I never leave home without my trusty sidearm.

 

[Six Forty-Two]

Like many of the previous posts, I was a victim. Our house was burglarized with us asleep upstairs. Fortunately, nobody was hurt. We have a large dog with a mean growl that scared them off with just a few material items. We had just moved outside the city limits a few months before. I had never owned a gun, but was considering it since we were now out in the country. After the break in, I realized grabbing a kitchen knife wasn't enough. Since then, my wife and I both have LTCH. I occasionally carry, my wife hasn't yet without me, but has gone shooting. I have taken a couple of handgun classes and plan on more training when my schedule allows. I would carry more often, but most of the time, I am going places where it is not allowed.

 

[Bunnykid68]

I started carrying because the State gave me permission to exercise my right to protect myself.

 

[techres]

The day I decided that, while I would be willing to die for my kids, I was not willing to die in front of them.

That + Katrina = LTCH.

 

[RockofStrength]

Because I became old enough that I could carry a firearm legally with a LTCH

 

[Six Forty-Two]

The day I decided that, while I would be willing to die for my kids, I was not willing to die in front of them.

That + Katrina = LTCH.

Oh! You've had run-ins with my ex-wife, too!

 

[Markedup]

tweakers

 

[johenz]

I work until 2:00 AM and park my car in the alley behind my house.

 

[SEIndSAM]

I've had two things happen in the past year that caused me to take the plunge into concealed carry.

First, the wife and I are avid hikers. Most weekends when the weather is nice we will drive to a state or national park in So. IN, KY or TN and spend a full day just hiking in the woods. We may be 10-12 miles away from the trailhead at times. Last fall, we were hiking in Eastern Ky and we both had the feeling someone/something was following us. Don't know if it had two legs or four, but it was eerie. We both felt it and all we had was pepper spray. Now, we are both better armed if we run into a predator.

Secondly, someone from my wife's past was making subtle threats towards me, nothing direct, just subtle threats. Since word has gotten around the family that I usually have my MP9, have ran at least 12-1500 rounds through it since the first of the year and have become damn good with it, those subtle threats have stopped.

Then to top it all off, I am an avid news junkie. You never know when some nutjob is gonna think it's a good idea to shoot up the Kroger, the church or just the corner BP, I want to be prepared.

 

[Sticky]

Because a gun is a lot lighter and easier to carry than a cop is.

I prefer to be responsible for my own safety.

 

[skseifert]

1. Because it's my US Constitutional right
2. Because it's my State Constitutional right
3. Because the only person who is directly responsible and accountable for my safety and my families safety is me
4. Because if I am confronted in a situation that warrants it, all the cops can do is process the evidence after I have been violated

The list can go on, but these are the basics

 

[Bartman]

It's funny, I never used to watch the news and I never thought about owning or carrying a handgun. When I did start watching the news, I realized that there are far too many people in this world who think that what you have in your pockets or purse is worth more than your life is.

 

[rmabrey]

I was having back problems from carrying the cop around

 

[bigcat1971]

I started carrying last year after I got my LTCH. If you watch the news like I do and see all the crime that's going on in INDY, I realized it was time to get a gun to protect me and my family.

 

[T.Lex]

The reason I started carrying was rather unremarkable - a desire to be prepared.

But, a very specific incident confirmed why I carry. As part of my job, I became involved in a case where a very athletic young mother was riding her bike while training. Just an ordinary day. She carried mace "for protection."

A guy, after an argument with his girlfriend, saw this woman out on her bike, and forced her off the road with his car. He had a box-cutter, and the mace pretty much just pissed him off. After forcing her into his car, taking her to a remote location, doing several violent unspeakable things to her, probably the most tame of which was trying to kill her, he left her in a field. She survived, he was prosecuted, and is probably out of prison by now.

Completely random tragedy. Unlike many 'victims' who to a certain extent make choices that put them in situations to become victims, this lady did nothing wrong. Her only wrong 'choice' was to use a less-effective method of self-defense than other options.

I couldn't help but think that a little .380, or even .25 or .22, in a fanny pack instead of mace would've made all the difference. She might've gotten cut, but he would've gotten shot. Or just run away.

At the risk of sounding gay, any one of us could be that woman, in an abstract sense. Our ordinary choices might, unwittingly, put us in a situation to be a victim. As rare as it may be, the chance is greater than zero. That is too great of a chance to risk making the wrong choice to have the wrong tool.

 

[Kitty]

I don’t have my LTCH yet –getting finger printed today (is it normal to be nervous even if you’ve never done anything wrong?)- but I’ll throw in 2cents as to WHY I want to carry.
I’m little and female. I’m 5’1 on a good day and 140 lbs. I might be 40 but I get mistaken for 25-30 all the time. So I kinda scream “MARK”. Let’s just say my first marriage ended badly with me having minor damage in one eye, restraining orders against the ex’s family , and my ex doing some jail time. I was in IL so all I had was the police or a baseball bat. He was strong enough to take the bat.
I moved to IN, started to rebuild, and got remarried. Then last year, we were broken into. They broke a broom on my dog’s head (she’s ok) and took everything. The wonderful detective said there was no reason to fingerprint because it was “probably just kids”. When I tried to insist they do SOMETHING, I got treated like the criminal. It ended with being told to check pawn shops for my stuff and a police report for my insurance.
Not long after that (dog was still recovering) I went outside with the dog and found 3 “young men” in my yard at about 11 at night. We went in and locked the doors. An hour later the po-po showed.
Now I own a Taurus and my grandfather’s shot gun (no one else in the family wanted it). I want to carry so I will never be defenseless again. And if they break in again I don’t want them getting my Taurus!

 

[japartridge]

I thought I had seen a thread like this before, but I couldn't find it and I kept seeing threads about why people started carrying. I figure everyone can add their reasoning in this thread, so let's hear them INGO.

For me, I got my license last year and have only carried a couple of times thus far. I was going to ease into carrying since my girlfriend and my family aren't used to it. Then earlier this week, I found out my girlfriend is pregnant so I'm going to start carrying more often now.

Congrats on the forthcoming mini-INGO'er!

 

[yotewacker]

I started carrying when I was 18, cause my dad did. I have carried everyday, everywhere I have been now for 34 years. Only one exception was a few years ago, I have to enter the Federal Building downtown Indy.