First time

[ZenthaneX]

So as you can see from my location I live in the great state of Wisconsin. If you're informed at all you also know that we just got Concealed Carry. Nov 1 was when it went into effect. I mailed in my application and the like on 12/14. I got my permit yesterday and wasted no time. I got up, got dressed, tossed my Beretta Bobcat 21A in my pocket and went about my day.

My gosh what a great feeling! It was odd at first like what I was doing was wrong. I suppose 30 years (my age) of being told that you can't put a shirt over your sidearm affects you a little. But then I realized that no one was looking at me cause I have a gun hanging on my belt, no having to get my gun from the trunk when getting to my destination. And all legal as can be.

By the time I had to put my gun away to go into work I could barely remember it was there and it felt great!

I just wanna give a big shout out to Gov. Scott Walker and the Republican legislature that made it possible. Slowly but surely we can get more actual rights opened to the people of Wisconsin. Thank god they started with the Right that defends the rest.

Carry On Brothers! :third:

[LaP]

Welcome to America.

Glad to hear such good news. Stay alert and stay safe.

[Bawanna]

Good for you pal, it' a nice comforting feeling that many of us probably take for granted as we've carried for years. Glad you folks get to join us.

It reminds me of the very first time I got to drive the family car all by MYSELF with nobody in the passenger seat telling me what to do. I kept thinking I can go anywhere I want to go long as there's gas. I'll remember that day for long as I'm drawing air into my lungs.

Course then I got married and rarely enjoy that feeling anymore except the commute to work which is short.

[Tank]

Amen to that!

I'm in the same boat as you. Got my permit 11/23. Still feels like I'm doing something wrong. Kind of like how people my age (45) were brought up that you DO NOT shoot does (buck only). Then the DNR says "well, we guess that will be all right to take does". It just seems to go against what you were taught.

I work in ILL so daily carry is out and it may be taking me longer to get used to. However, I already have a liberating experiance to share.

I had 2 plus weeks off work at the end of Dec. After finishing all the interior painting and other project I had some time to my self to enjoy the very warm wether we had. Several days I got to walk a public trail that runs right along a local river. Basically undeveloped flood plain and ag fields or woods on both sides of the river. Typically in a few hours of walking I might run into 0-4 people. While one day I met a guy with an unleashed dog. Not usually a problem for me, I like dogs. This guy, who was walking ahead of his black collie/healer mix stops me and says "don't worry about my dog, he may charge and bark at you but he won't bite".

Now before CC I would have been scanning for a limb or branch on the ground that I could use and feeling for my pocket knife just so I'm prepared for the worst. I found myself just nodding and saying "OK".

I felt like saying "thanks to Governor Walker and the CC law I am longer a victom" but I let it go with the OK. The dog passed without incedent but it was a great feeling that I now control these situations and the law abiding people don't have to fear encounters like this.

I walk alot with my wife and daughter who is in a wheel chair. We have had issues with visious dogs just walking in naboring subdivisions. There is not a lot you can do for advasive action when you are pushing a person in a wheel chair. I don't fear for my daughter any more when we walk.

One other take away from when I met the man and the dog that I replayed in my head. I met them on a curve and didn't have a lot of warning. I was wearing gloves. I did have a round in the chamber, but when I replayed how fast the dog could have been on me and how much time it would have taken pull my heavy glove off, draw the gun and chamber a round I would have sustained damage if the dog willed it.

I know people new to carrying ponder the empty chamber vs loaded chamber and that sealed it for me. That time to rack one could be critical.

Anyway, welcome to the sight from another newbie from Wis and do what you can to help Walker!

Tank

[ZenthaneX]

Thanks for the congrats guys! It's been a great couple days so far.

I've been out to eat, to the movies to the gun range and so far the only place I couldn't carry was the gun show ironically. At the end of next week I'm gonna order a holster for my CW9 but in the meantime pocket carrying my .22lr is going just fine.

The more I talk to non-gun folks about this stuff the more people are definitely coming around to realize this is a good thing for Wisconsin. I'm surprised they're figuring it out this fast.

I have not had an experience when I thought I would need to draw yet but if I go out I'm not usually alone and I live in New Berlin which lets be honest is damn safe. If you live in the area Tank perhaps we could do lunch sometime. I have a couple other friends who carry that would be glad to join us.

ZenthaneX

[CJB]

WoooooHaaaaBoooooYahhh!

The only part I missed, thought I was gonna see in your post Zen, was that you went straight away to Walmart carrying.:) Maybe thats a Florida thing - we call it "the Wally Walk".

When I first began to carry in Florida, I pulled a permit number "under 200", so I was a first wave carrier like you. I didn't feel it was "wrong" to carry, but more like "' 'bout F'n time...!".

What I do remember, and this still goes thru my head sometimes, is to watch others, as a test of how I'm concealing. Just... being observant. Now that we have a less restrictive concealed mandate, I dont think I'll be concerned if I flash. Printing was never against the rules for CWP holders in Florida.

Get that Kahr ready to carry - better yet - yet a nice light PM to go along with the new permit.

Congrats!~

[jlottmc]

I think the Wally walk is a right of passage for all new CHL (or whatever you want to call the damn thing) holders. Just something about that. I did it, my wife waited a little, but then she said she felt like she officially had her CHL after the first time she went to Wally world armed.

[wyntrout]

Congratulations, guys. And Tank, thinking about situations like that... situational awareness and thinking about what you need to do to stay on top of situations, are good ways to become prepared practically. Just carrying isn't enough. Mental and physical preparation are needed.

Wynn:)

[Tank]

Wynn, I was lucky to get a situation that turned out to be nothing and was just with an animal to begin with. But it gives you lots of things to think about. That day I had my P380 and I know there is no way I could operate the trigger with a heavy glove on. Now I was out on the trail today and had my T40. I wanted to try out a new holster I got for it. I could get a heavy glove in the trigger gaurd on that gun, but I have never shot it with a glove on and I'm wondering if a heavy glove would give it a limp wrist recoil? I wouldn't want to try it until I fired the gun with a heavy glove.

You're right that there are a lot of things you may not think about until confronted. My confrontaion amounted to making a plan in my head, I didn't even have to remove my right glove or so much as make a defensive move. Just having to make that plan gives you a lot of food for thought though.

I also want to make it clear that even though I was talking about dogs, I hope I never have to use a gun in self defence.

ZenthaneX, I'm a ways from you, strait south of Madison by the ILL border.

[KMA]

Congrats on the permit! Glad you enjoyed carrying the Beretta.

[muggsy]

So as you can see from my location I live in the great state of Wisconsin. If you're informed at all you also know that we just got Concealed Carry. Nov 1 was when it went into effect. I mailed in my application and the like on 12/14. I got my permit yesterday and wasted no time. I got up, got dressed, tossed my Beretta Bobcat 21A in my pocket and went about my day.

My gosh what a great feeling! It was odd at first like what I was doing was wrong. I suppose 30 years (my age) of being told that you can't put a shirt over your sidearm affects you a little. But then I realized that no one was looking at me cause I have a gun hanging on my belt, no having to get my gun from the trunk when getting to my destination. And all legal as can be.

By the time I had to put my gun away to go into work I could barely remember it was there and it felt great!

I just wanna give a big shout out to Gov. Scott Walker and the Republican legislature that made it possible. Slowly but surely we can get more actual rights opened to the people of Wisconsin. Thank god they started with the Right that defends the rest.

Carry On Brothers! :third:

You have a rock solid conservative republican Governor in Scott Walker. Do everything you can to beat the recall effort and keep him in office.

[cesande]

another congrats here...

Remember what my dad always told me (God rest his soul)..

Have one....
If you pull it, you better HAVE to use it...
If you HAVE to use it you better be able to aim and manage it..
If you HAVE to aim and manage it you better know where it is going ...
If you know where it is going you MUST know what is behind it...

This is an awesome comfort and with it an awesome responsibility....

Off the soap box now....

As you were.....

:popcorn:

[Zukoda]

Tank - where are you? Straight south of Madison near IL border is Beloit. That is where I grew up in 60's and 70's. Haven't lived there in years. Still have family there though.

[wyntrout]

My grown daughter and my Ex-Wife... friend and family... live in Marion. I wish they would make some headway on concealed carry up there. IL is the ONLY state with no carry of any kind for civilians and it's the only state I have to travel to and in. I really hate not being able to defend myself up there, not that I've had any problems.

Wynn:)