What's the most likely place you'll need your firearm

[mightymouse]

This is a hard one to title.
As a kid, everyone had their boogeyman, monster under the bed or closet, something that scared them the most. Something you thought was certainly someday going to get you, ...if you let your guard down.
Now that (most of us... I'm working on it) are grown up, we look at the world around us and have concluded the world still isn't as safe a place as we'd like, the boogyman is real, and have chosen to arm ourselves against the threats.
After talking to many people I find the reason they carry, keep guns in the bedside table, hidden in the house plants, under the table, in the car etc is as varied as ourselves. Maybe your city's stats, a personal experience.
So what is your biggest concern, the most likely place(s) you believe you would have to use your gun to defend yourself and loved ones?
Home break in, shopping, gas station, walking the dog????
I feel really good about my home and neighborhood, most at ease, not to let my guard down totally by any means. The edges of town where I have to do business, gang infested and low income always high alert, as is anywhere at night as the scum travel more freely. Close second is surprising as I've had three encounters while with family out in the open lands, wilderness areas, no one for miles, but low-lifes looking to take advantage of easy prey. So far all ended well.
Yours?

[olympicmotorcars]

I live close to Little Rock AR. , Pine Bluff AR., and Memphis Tn. all these cities are in the upper tier of dangerous cities in the U.S. depending on which stastical lists you use the exact order varies.

I also go to run down areas of larger cities , such as Dallas, Baton Rouge, St. Louis, Kansas City. etc. in the course of my business.

Could happen at any time .

I was in Birmingham Al. a few weeks ago and my gps directed me off the interstate in one of the worst areas I had ever seen. Razor wire , graffiti, gang bangers (looked like anyway) were everywhere. My wife and I were extremely nervous until we got out of the area.

My wife asked me if I was carrying my Kahr (which I was) and I said "Honey, I would not trade it for a bar of solid gold right now. "

[yqtszhj]

I was in Birmingham Al. a few weeks ago and my gps directed me off the interstate in one of the worst areas I had ever seen. Razor wire , graffiti, gang bangers (looked like anyway) were everywhere. My wife and I were extremely nervous until we got out of the area.

There is no safe area in Jefferson County-Birmingham if you ask me. Just least worse. Stop somewhere else. And definitely don't stop anywhere that you can see high rise buildings, industrial areas, old steel mills, or anywhere that looks more than 20-30 years old. I lived there 20 years ago and it was bad then. It's lots worse now.

[Barth]

I've been asked several times over the years why I carry a gun all the time.
If I knew in advance when and where I would need it,
then I would only carry it at that time and place.

People have had house invasions siting on their couch watching TV in good neighborhood.
Carjackings have happened in broad daylight in a fast food drive through.

There are clearly high crime and high risk places and times to avoid.
But thinking you can impersonate the Amazing Kreskin
and know in advance when you'll need to be armed is dangerous folly.
http://www.bradharveycreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/the-amazing-kreskin.jpg

[Deano]

Good question. I work with a gal who's married to a police officer in town. Just today, I was asking her how often her husband has to respond to an armed home invasion. She called him and asked him. He said almost never, and when he does, it's always on the OTHER side of town. Doesn't mean it can't happen, but where I live, it almost never does. He said the burglars will ring the door bell to see if anyone is home. If no one answers, they head around back and break a window, and steal what they can get away with. One good reason to answer the doorbell if you're home. They (usually) DON'T want to rob houses when you are home. If someone breaks in while you are at home, it means they have already decided they'll kill you if necessary. Not to many of those types where I live.

On the other hand, there's an all night convenience store a couple of blocks away from where I live that I stop at frequently. It's been held up a few times. I think I'm way more likely to need it there.

When I go to the big city for a game or concert, I get a creepy feeling sometimes late at night heading back to the car on a dark street or a parking garage. That's another scenario I think may call for a weapon some day.

I still keep a gun by my bedside. Like someone wiser than me said, you don't decide when you need it.

[TheTman]

I know where you won't need it - A Donut Shop. Just Kidding.

The BTK killer hit 2 houses within a couple miles from me. I live out in the country down the road from and interstate exit, and always worried someone is going to get off there and look for a house to ambush. So I have weapons hidden here and there throughout the house, and a dog that barks when people drive up. Fights can break out anywhere people gather to drink, and spill over into innocent people just walking by. Our most frequent robberies are at liquor stores and quick marts and fast food joints, and cafe's mostly at night. Other than that, most of the crimes seem drug related, so I'm not worried about that, except for some of my prescriptions may have some street value. But I keep them out of sight so visitors don't see anything.
But I sure feel naked when I forget to grab a gun once in awhile when I run down to the quick mart. Probably should throw a CC gun in my trunk for those times I forget. In fact I just wrapped my snubby in a plastic bag with a couple of silica packs, put it inside a gun rug and hid it in a box full of stuff I carry in my trunk.

[clever alias]

Short answer: EVERYWHERE. Those who would do you harm respect no geographical boundaries.

[kerby9mm]

I live in a near to Detroit suburb amd it doesn't matter what happened yesterday or in all the days past there is today and tomorrow that something will happen here. The only place I don't carry is a no-carry zone and sometimes make exception to that.

[Yogi 117]

Short answer: EVERYWHERE. Those who would do you harm respect no geographical boundaries.
+1 to EVERYWHERE! Including in & around the house when at home, always armed! Certain parts of town just call for more powerful & additional rounds! Like Deano said, we don't choose when & where we might need it! :)

[downtownv]

Philadelphia the city of brotherly love

[Bawanna]

Most likely place you'll need it is the first place you don't have it. I think Murphy has a lot of control in this area.

[Infidel proud]

Don't know when or where the unthinkable may happen, always armed, always alert...prepared for as much as I can as often as I can...

[Bill K]

I've been mugged several times when I lived in NYC housing projects (Lilian Wald and then Woodside projects). Getting into trouble was just a part of growing up in city housing. I thank God that my summers were spent in then rural Oxford, CT.

Any place, anywhere and anytime...

April of 2010 I used my carry gun to prevent getting stabbed... In broad daylight, during the noon hour and in one of the "nicest" New Haven, CT neighborhoods! That year New Haven, CT was ranked as the 4th (by FBI statistics) in a list of the 10 most violent cities. I believe I saw where in 2011 it dropped to number 14.

[Snidely Whiplash]

Remember the TV ad where the husband is sitting at the breakfast table reading the paper while drinking a cup of coffee (at least that's what I recall), not paying attention to what the wife is saying? She asks him one of THE QUESTIONS: "Does this dress make my butt look big?" The husband, on automatic pilot with regard to paying attention to the wife's chatter, replies, "You betcha."

THAT is the most dangerous place I could ever be. Even my Kahr CM9 wouldn't save me.

[downtownv]

Camden NJ is a great place to practice your readiness skills!

[Tinman507]

Camden NJ is a great place to practice your readiness skills!
With what? Fists, chains, clubs? Certainly not your firearm.

[MO_Soldier]

+1 tinman! Lol

[downtownv]

With what? Fists, chains, clubs? Certainly not your firearm.
My Tactical PEN Silly!
I'll risk the self defense at a trial in that city......
I didn't know crossing the Ben Franklin was a different state......
They were wearing Phillies Hats must be Philadelphia, no?
See be creative, or I'm Chris Christies Brother-in Law.

[les strat]

I don't think there is any one place you could bet you would have to use your weapon. You might live in a nice, gated neighborhood, but someone might still break in your home. You might be in the owrst part of town, yet meet some of the nicest folks.... or not. You just never know. Best to be prepared regardless. It's when you let your guard down that shi+ happens.




I was in Birmingham Al. a few weeks ago and my gps directed me off the interstate in one of the worst areas I had ever seen. Razor wire , graffiti, gang bangers (looked like anyway) were everywhere. My wife and I were extremely nervous until we got out of the area.

My wife asked me if I was carrying my Kahr (which I was) and I said "Honey, I would not trade it for a bar of solid gold right now. "


There is no safe area in Jefferson County-Birmingham if you ask me. Just least worse. Stop somewhere else. And definitely don't stop anywhere that you can see high rise buildings, industrial areas, old steel mills, or anywhere that looks more than 20-30 years old. I lived there 20 years ago and it was bad then. It's lots worse now.

If you recall, I posted a thread back around Christmas about a gang member in Birmingham breaking away from the several others and approaching my truck window (kids/wife with me) very aggressively and nodding for me to let my window down, hands in hoodie pocket. I had my gun unholstered against my chest and told him "Nope", and preceeded to my wife's side and I took off. Scary stuff, but would have unloaded the mag on him in a second had he made a move.

Very similarily, a couple months ago, a 13 yr old new gang member in B'ham was shot during an initiation as he approached a car with a gun. The driver drew his gun and killed him instantly. Luckily the driver was black, so no racial crap was stirred.

That said, there are parts of Birmingham I do feel safer in, but always carry regardless when I am there or anywhere.

[DKD]

What a thread to read just before I leave the shop and go out on an estimate. I checked the map, oh damn right in the middle of the worst part of town, good thing I have my PM9 and back up magazine, not to mention my New York reload in my left front pocket a 22 magnum NAA Pug. At least I can fight my way back to my truck and retreive my XD Compact 45 ACP. Yea that ought to get the job done. I also carry spare ammo for both calibers in my vehicle.

[Tinman507]

My Tactical PEN Silly!
I'll risk the self defense at a trial in that city......
I didn't know crossing the Ben Franklin was a different state......
They were wearing Phillies Hats must be Philadelphia, no?
See be creative, or I'm Chris Christies Brother-in Law.

My wife told me to kiss her in a dirty place, so we went to Camden

[340pd]

An interesting thread to say the least. We never know when or where but we all need to work off the red, yellow, green system. I do know that I am revamping my thoughts about my car gun. It was a lightweight snubbie and it will now go to a Sig 226 with 18 round mag. Darkness now seems to come in larger groups.

[mightymouse]

For those of you stating 24/7 and the like, I appreciate the fortitude, dedication, but do you really have the same awareness answering the door for the fourth time early evening for you daughter's sleepover vs unexpected 2:20 AM? Getting groceries at the high end shop mid town 10:30 am vs the shop N rob @ midnight. I think the effort to be on guard 10/10 would burn out the best of the best.
I usually have at the least my .380, more often my .40 and back up, at home, and about. How I arm myself isn't so much according to threat level as dress and weather. Today I'll carry my .22 'cause its a good neighborhood isn't really good practice. The typically 2 or 3 rounds up close will be the same, the BG won't be softer at the nice store vs the thug-mart. Re-loading your 30 round mag probably is a fantasy, but yeah, might make you feel better.
I'll always dwell on specific times in my life that made my hair stand on end, seem to visualize these scenarios. Probably just human nature.

[GROTMAN]

I agree you never can tell when something might happen and you may need to defend yourself. I guess for me the times I feel/felt most vulnerable is when taking long trips with the family, out at night and have a possible breakdown in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night. We travel from nc to ohio to see the folks and over the years have had a couple of incidents where I felt pretty vulnerable.. also the time we were out hiking a bunch or guys kept "running" into us. That was the time that I finally decided to get my permit and start carrying. Hope to God I will never need to use my gun..but at least I will feel a little more secure if I am ever put in a "questionable" situation.

PS.. my wife just took/passed the concealed carry class and will also be getting a gun of her own.. so on our next trip we'll both be packin :9:

[ltxi]

Well, the last time was in a normally quiet suburban grocery store. Sometimes the, apparent, naivete of these questions amaze me!

Just dropped back by for a visit and couldn't quite hold my tongue.

[mightymouse]

...... Sometimes the, apparent, naivete of these questions amaze me!

Just dropped back by for a visit and couldn't quite hold my tongue.
Please fill us in, oh one of such experience. ;)
I'm happy to have the title of student even though shooting hand guns many many decades. Hope to retain this honorable title when I'm 100.
imo, if you are truly amazed, then you must be relatively young (edit: hmm I guess not) or opinionated, and/or as you say, just can't hold your tongue.
Demean or encourage, your choice.


I agree you never can tell when something might happen and you may need to defend yourself. I guess for me the times I feel/felt most vulnerable is when taking long trips with the family, out at night and have a possible breakdown in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night. We travel from nc to ohio to see the folks and over the years have had a couple of incidents where I felt pretty vulnerable.. also the time we were out hiking a bunch or guys kept "running" into us. That was the time that I finally decided to get my permit and start carrying. Hope to God I will never need to use my gun..but at least I will feel a little more secure if I am ever put in a "questionable" situation.

PS.. my wife just took/passed the concealed carry class and will also be getting a gun of her own.. so on our next trip we'll both be packin :9:
Good for you and just what I was taking about.
Congrats on your wife.

[CJB]

The gun range

[ltxi]

Please fill us in, oh one of such experience. ;)
I'm happy to have the title of student even though shooting hand guns many many decades. Hope to retain this honorable title when I'm 100.
imo, if you are truly amazed, then you must be relatively young or opinionated, and/or as you say, just can't hold your tongue.
Demean or encourage, your choice.




Well, if you've really been around firearms that long you shouldn't be asking such stupid questions.

Opinionated? Of course. Pushing 70. Carrying for 50 years. And been forced into justified btdt...both armed professional and personal...too many times.

Crap like this simply tries my patience.

over & out

[PattayaPistol]

This thread is both interesting and extremely sad. I live in Asia, travel extensively between Middle East, Africa, Europe and Australia. In 40 years of traveling through these "dangerous" places I have only been shot at once, never threatened, but had the cr*p kicked out of me once by 2 supposed "friends" and just can't get my head around a country that sounds as dangerous as this thread is making the USA out to be.

We shoot as often as possible, ensure that we have holsters and sufficient ammo for all our guns (at least 2000 rounds in the safe) but that's just me paranoid that one day the world might change and it might become necessary. In most of the world, that day isn't today. My wife (a US citizen) has convinced me over the years that I need to secure the house at night and sleep with loaded guns by my side, plus the 2 dogs for advanced warning .

I have to sit and take some time to take in the info from this thread. It certainly provides a lot for me to absorb and sort out in my mind.

Cheers
PP

[jocko]

For those of you stating 24/7 and the like, I appreciate the fortitude, dedication, but do you really have the same awareness answering the door for the fourth time early evening for you daughter's sleepover vs unexpected 2:20 AM? Getting groceries at the high end shop mid town 10:30 am vs the shop N rob @ midnight. I think the effort to be on guard 10/10 would burn out the best of the best.
I usually have at the least my .380, more often my .40 and back up, at home, and about. How I arm myself isn't so much according to threat level as dress and weather. Today I'll carry my .22 'cause its a good neighborhood isn't really good practice. The typically 2 or 3 rounds up close will be the same, the BG won't be softer at the nice store vs the thug-mart. Re-loading your 30 round mag probably is a fantasy, but yeah, might make you feel better.
I'll always dwell on specific times in my life that made my hair stand on end, seem to visualize these scenarios. Probably just human nature.

I try not to get to paranoid about carrying , although I do carry 24/7 and have for 48 years, but a few years back in 06 my wife and I was at the detroi auto show and had parked our Jag about 4 blocks fromt he cobo hall where the auto show was and when we wlkae dto it, it was daylight and when we got out it was dark and my PM9 was in my car as cobo would not allow any guns inside period, and the parking garage was 5 floors and we could not remember what floor our car was on and to top it off 95% of allthe carsin the garage were gone to so here we were andering around in the most dangerous area indetorit and my kahr was in my car and we couldnt find the fokker. Took us a half hour to finally locate it and that my fr\iends was the most terrfying half hour I have spent in ages.

I don't carry because I am scared, I carry be cause I am not scared, but this time I was scared sh1tless as I had no gun and my wife was with me, so I could not run even If I could have..

[doc540]

Absolutely no way to know these days.

I live in the "nice" end of town in a group of well kept townhouses.

Within the last 6 months we've had daytime home invasions and armed robbery shootouts within 1/2 mile of my doorstep.

Crack, meth, and bath salts dealer arrests have come down within 1 mile of home.

I stay armed and aware.

[TucsonMTB]

This thread is both interesting and extremely sad. . . . just can't get my head around a country that sounds as dangerous as this thread is making the USA out to be.
. . . .
Cheers
PP
Try not to be too alarmed. http://home.mindspring.com/%7Ejustsomeguy/icon_lol.gif

I live in the "wild west" of Arizona. We don't even require a permit to carry concealed weapons, so you know there are many people from all walks of life who carry around here. But, I don't know of any who will admit to having drawn their weapons.

The desert west of Tucson is part of the well traveled path for many illegal aliens, some probably armed and dangerous. I have spent many hours in the desert on my mountain bike, but have never needed to draw my weapon.

The scruffy looking guys in aisles of our local supermarket would probably include me after a long hike, especially on the days I forget to shave in the morning, but none of us have ever posed a threat to other shoppers.

OK, so maybe if I were more of a bar fly, there might be more reason for concern. But, generally, carrying is a habit and maintaining a reasonable level of situational awareness is just common sense. I have never needed my convenient PM40 and don't expect to.

It might be worth noting that I have one casual acquaintance who has taught classes for Arizona's CCW for years. He has a wife and kids in the house so he does not carry at home. When asked, he recently remarked, "If I have to carry to feel safe in my own home, it is time to move!" So, I guess the west is not so wild as it sounds.

Anyway, my neighbor across the street carries all the time because he is a local LEO and tells me he can never be sure when someone recognizes him that the earlier meeting was friendly. We probably have lots of people on this forum with similar concerns. That may make day to day life sound more exciting than it seems to be for most of who are not involved in law enforcement.

[Alfonse]

The gun range

Absolutely! I need my gun 100% of the time at the range. Clearly the answer to the question asked.

[LorenzoB]

Absolutely! I need my gun 100% of the time at the range. Clearly the answer to the question asked.

That is too funny! Totally what I was thinking of typing when I first read the question, but didn't want to come across as sarcastic. Very funny.

[LorenzoB]

... How do you delete a post in TapaTalk?

[QuercusMax]

The gun range

+1 on this answer for me!

I know that I hold a minority opinion here, but I don't expect to need a firearm anywhere else.

:behindsofa:

Perhaps I have been lucky enough to always live in good places. I have done that on purpose.
Perhaps I have been lucky enough to know how to avoid trouble. Through training and experience, I have very high situational awareness, which has served me well.
Perhaps I have just been lucky. Even though I have not won the lottery - yet.

But during my half-century on the planet, in this country and others, I have never once been in a situation where I wished I had been carrying a gun. Except at the range. YMMV.

[yqtszhj]

I don't think there is any one place you could bet you would have to use your weapon. You might live in a nice, gated neighborhood, but someone might still break in your home. You might be in the owrst part of town, yet meet some of the nicest folks.... or not. You just never know. Best to be prepared regardless. It's when you let your guard down that shi+ happens.





If you recall, I posted a thread back around Christmas about a gang member in Birmingham breaking away from the several others and approaching my truck window (kids/wife with me) very aggressively and nodding for me to let my window down, hands in hoodie pocket. I had my gun unholstered against my chest and told him "Nope", and preceeded to my wife's side and I took off. Scary stuff, but would have unloaded the mag on him in a second had he made a move.

Very similarily, a couple months ago, a 13 yr old new gang member in B'ham was shot during an initiation as he approached a car with a gun. The driver drew his gun and killed him instantly. Luckily the driver was black, so no racial crap was stirred.

That said, there are parts of Birmingham I do feel safer in, but always carry regardless when I am there or anywhere.

I think I remember that. I remember Birmingham was a zoo after the tornadoes last year too.

I had a retired neighbor when I lived in Mobile that had to make a trip to Bham overnight. Right outside his hotel he was mugged and came home with 2 black eyes, no wallet, and no credit cards. In the late eighty's when I lived there I worked as a service rep downtown and on the northside (Norwood). Not a nice place. I didn't carry then either.

[Jeremiah/Az]

Two incidents that come to mind were in Circle K parkin' lots. I did not have to unholster either time, but was sure glad that I had it.

[tarheelcm9]

I go to UNC Chapel Hill, so I'm most likely going to need my gun on Franklin St. It's a shame we can't carry on campus, there was an armed robbery in a dorm last year, and another robbery just about a block off campus. CH is not a crime ridden town by any means, but I think people may come here because they know there are a lot of unarmed college kids with valuable items (laptops, tvs, ipods, etc...) to steal

[TucsonMTB]

I go to UNC Chapel Hill, so I'm most likely going to need my gun on Franklin St. It's a shame we can't carry on campus, there was an armed robbery in a dorm last year, and another robbery just about a block off campus. CH is not a crime ridden town by any means, but I think people may come here because they know there are a lot of unarmed college kids with valuable items (laptops, tvs, ipods, etc...) to steal
Astonishing! We have family in Chapel Hill and Carrboro. Not too many years ago, my uncle Byron operated the Carolina Coffee Shop. We have spent many happy days in the area, most recently about four years ago for a family wedding. It's hard to imagine trouble in that small version of paradise. :eek:

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-XunG3Ij-Vgg/T4w7oOBjd2I/AAAAAAALiog/0btqzsXlvPs/s876/Carolina+Coffee+Shop (https://plus.google.com/104027159949519906771/about?gl=us&hl=en)

[jocko]

that don't look like the coffee shops I go into!!! Just sayin.

[sharpetop]

that don't look like the coffee shops I go into!!! Just sayin.

Same here! It looks more like one of the saloons/pubs/taverns I've frequented sometime in the last 40 years or so.

[tarheelcm9]

well Carolina Coffee Shop isn't so much a "coffee shop." It's more or less a restaurant/bar now.

[CJB]

I'm waitin' for the zombies....

[CrabbyAzz]

I recently went to a U-Pull It junkyard out in the middle of nowhere. I was the only person there. When I stopped by the shack to pay for what I pulled, the owner was the a shiftiest person I've met in a long time. He kept looking around to see if anyone else could see us. As I got creeped out, I put my hand on my waste band CC. When he realized I was carrying the tone changed right away. This happened about a month ago. It still give me the creeps. He was definitely planning something, I can read people really well.

[Longitude Zero]

Its not the one you see that will generally be the most trouble, it is the one you don't. Having conducted the interviews and watching/reading hundreds of survivors interviews one thread is common.

In the vast majority of justified shootings they did not think it would happen where and when it did. Most occur when you are in a place you do not necessarily feel threatened.

As CA alluded to when in a seedy location your hacks are up and the predators recognize it.

[muggsy]

This is a hard one to title.
As a kid, everyone had their boogeyman, monster under the bed or closet, something that scared them the most. Something you thought was certainly someday going to get you, ...if you let your guard down.
Now that (most of us... I'm working on it) are grown up, we look at the world around us and have concluded the world still isn't as safe a place as we'd like, the boogyman is real, and have chosen to arm ourselves against the threats.
After talking to many people I find the reason they carry, keep guns in the bedside table, hidden in the house plants, under the table, in the car etc is as varied as ourselves. Maybe your city's stats, a personal experience.
So what is your biggest concern, the most likely place(s) you believe you would have to use your gun to defend yourself and loved ones?
Home break in, shopping, gas station, walking the dog????
I feel really good about my home and neighborhood, most at ease, not to let my guard down totally by any means. The edges of town where I have to do business, gang infested and low income always high alert, as is anywhere at night as the scum travel more freely. Close second is surprising as I've had three encounters while with family out in the open lands, wilderness areas, no one for miles, but low-lifes looking to take advantage of easy prey. So far all ended well.
Yours?

The most likely place I'll need my gun is where I'm least likely to expect it to be needed.

[Haven]

Bad stuff can happen anywhere....But, I think for me, the biggest fear is a disgruntled client. I work most of the time alone in a very isolated environment. I've had a few people show up that have quite frankly given me the creeps. I hope I never have to make the decision to use my gun. But, it's nice to know it's there if needed.