My recent concealed carry experience

[lamrith]

Rbid,
Great write up! I too spent a good bit of time informing my wife about carry, safety etc. Then again with each of my kids individually as I told them I carry. My oldest has now gone out shooting once and wants to again.

While my wife has not started shooting with me yet, she has come a long way and accepts my carry. (I carry 100%, even at home) I have progressed into reloading as well in the 6mos since since I started carrying, and she often asks how it went when I come in from the garage from a reload session. One day I am hoping she will got to the range and shoot with me, I have a feeling once she does she will ask to go again.

Congrats on getting the whole family active and bringing in some new shooters!!

 

[FarmerTed1971]

Great post!

 

[thewhitebuffalo83]

Interesting read. I'm looking forward to more.

I was decidedly against the idea of people carrying guns for most of my life. I always thought i might enjoy target shooting with a bolt gun or pistol, but I was in the "police will protect me" camp". I had a late awakening, and began researching the realities of carry, gun ownership, etc. I took a couple classes, read all kinds of material, and started looking at pistols. Through all of it, I exchanged notes with a friend whose dad used to be with Portland Police. He had been raised around all of this, and was a great guy to talk to.

The start of this was also around the start of a new relationship, for me. I had two pistols when we started dating, and she knew that going to the range was a hobby for me. She asked to go with me. Before we talked about anything else, we talked safety. Exhaustively. After that, we talked about the pistol she would shoot, starting with basic mechanics, and safety features (and limitations). This was before we ever went. We recapped everything on the day we went.

The first time out, I took her to PSTC in Clackamas, so she could give it a go at 3 yards, and stretch from there. When we got to the check in counter, I asked her if she was nervous. She said she felt safe. The range officer chimed in, saying she was in good hands. That was nice.

I made sure she had a great time. On the way out, she asked when we could go back. I think it helped that she's freakishly coordinated.

Fast forward a month. Things were going great, and since we each have kids, I wanted to have a conversation about my interest in a CHL. I asked her if she had any feedback, questions, concerns, etc. She asked the usual stuff. Why? How often? Etc. I answered everything. We talked about my gun box, storage, etc.

At the end of that, I asked again if she wanted to say or ask anything.

She said, "I think it's sexy."

I said, "That is not what this is about."

She said, "No. I think it's sexy that you're so attentive. You always go out of your way to make sure I'm OK. That makes me feel safe."

Fast forward again.

We live together. I carry every day. My lady shoots with me when our schedules line up. Last week, she fell in love with a Ruger LCR .38 spl. She wants to get a CHL, and we are talking about getting Utah licenses (lots of reciprocity). Her parents have come shooting with us (I got big points for teaching her mom). My brother is looking at pistols. Our kids know how pistols work.

Day to day, we mostly talk about the usual American family stuff. Kids. Work. Friends. Dreams.


At this point, carry just... Is.

Great write up. This is the reason I wish I had found this forum three or four years ago. I started getting interested in shooting again about 4 years ago and after doing tons of research over months of time, maybe a year. I bought my first firearm a 10/22. However, I didn't know how to get my wife interested in shooting and to this day I have just annoyed her so much with this hobby, that I don't think she will ever be interested. At least I have all three of my kids interested. I just wish I could have more time to get them out there actually shooting not just training at home. I think if I had read some more posts like this before I started bugging my wife maybe I could have go her interested. Right now I am taking things much much slower and hoping that if I can just not bring it up around her for a few months, that maybe I can test the waters in different ways and see if I can peak her interest by basically droping it around her for a while. It's hard but I am trying.

 

[RBid]

Thank you for the response, guys. When I realized how long that post was, I was a bit worried that it may lead to death by boredom!

I think that just being a considerate person tends to win people over, more than anything else we can do. When people see us being friendly, polite to strangers, etc, it stomps on the stereotype that so many associate with 'gun owner'.

The crazy part is seeing converts begin to advocate, and vocalizing that 'gun owners' are just people who own guns.

 

[deen_ad]

"Federal building" is not a Post Office. Not all Federal properties are illegal to cary in... for example, National Forest and National Parks legally follow state law, and Military Bases follow the Base Commander's discretion. this rule is mainly meant o prohibit firearms in courts- most federal buildings are courthouses and the justice system deals with criminals- they don't want extraneous firearms there.

What I have read is that is IS illegal to carry into a park services building in the National Parks or National Forest. And the buildings are so marked as I understand it.

 

[deen_ad]

Yeah 365,000 of us here in WA alone!!

378,000 now!!

 

[deen_ad]

Oregon is an open carry state, so even if it becomes revealed for a split second, it is not illegal. There are states that I have heard of that if it flashes and someone sees it, it can be called brandishing, but not here. Just because you have a permit to carry it concealed, you do not give up your right to openly carry it.

One of the problems with WA law is the "brandishing" part! It's up to the general public to decide if you're brandishing or not. If it elicits alarm in the public then you can be arrested for it whether it's true or not. The legislature needs to define "brandishing" in the laws.

 

[thewhitebuffalo83]

Well it's been a while since I have posted in this thread.

Update. I still carry daily, I started carrying two firearms after the Colorado shooting, and because I was talking to another member during a deal on here who said it might be a good idea, in case you are out with another person you would trust to cover your back in a bad situation.

I have my wife coming around now, we had a rough patch back in the fall and I decided things needed to change and I bought the book "Everyman s Marriage". I tell you what, it opened my eyes and I never felt luckier that my wife stuck around all these years. I actually don't know why she even dated let alone married me in the first place. It definitely wasn't rugged good looks that won her over. That new country song "I'm hard to love" about sums it up. We have been married almost 10 years now. It sounds dumb but that book changed our marriage 18o degrees, it was awesome and the results came quick. Back to the point I was getting too. I have been able to use current events like the mass murders and the natural disasters on the east coast, to get her start thinking about prepping some and about shooting. I even talked into a shooting trip right before the first of the year, but two of our munchkins were too sick to go to the sitter that day. I have done a couple firearm safety lessons with her and we have talked about and she understands that for our family's personal safety that we need to add to our inventory and that her and my oldest need to get some trigger time and more training. I have yet to bring up about her possibly getting a CHL in the future. I figure we need to have time behind the trigger before she can make an informed decision. However, even if she doesn't want to carry, I don't think should would be opposed to getting one at this point (money and time permitting).

That is basically it. She isn't a gun nut yet, but I have gone through and shown her almost all of my firearms and discussed philosophy with her about them. There is a couple she thinks are intimidating but not too bad. It was funny though. I brought out my AR's to show here and she really liked the carbine with FDE magpul furniture but she thought the 24 inch with the free floated tube was intimidating and then when I discussed the uses it was fine. The only one she really doesn't like is the 30-06, at this point she still isn't on board with the hunting idea yet. However, I can't wait to get her out there shoot line. I bet it wouldn't be long before she was a better shot than I am. She literally my better half, she is better at everything. I take that back, I can kick her tail at Mario Cart on the wii.

 

[Oregonhunter5]

Your too paranoid....about who will see it. Stop checking your shirt..and I got news for you there is no perfectly safe place or "crime free area". Hell I even carry in my own home 24/7.

You that dude is paranoid?
And you carry at home 24/7?
Lol!

 

[thewhitebuffalo83]

I finally spent the money and went to Keiths to have Trijicon night sites installed. I should be going shooting this weekend to see what I think. I have been practicing my trigger pulls and so far they seem awesome, However, we will see how accurate I am with these this weekend.

 

[teflon6string]

RBid, the fact that you took time to approach a truly polarizing subject so sensibly speaks volumes. Lots of gals I know already own weps, and a few have CHL. So convincing them is not an issue.

But too many voters lack an open mind or sense persepctive, like yours or hers. I wish your mentality could somehow make it to the forefront so anti-gun libs could be influenced by actual reason - instead of yapping, talking heads (from either side) on the tube.