do we carry our guns or do our guns carry us?

[toreskha]

The job of the weapon and holster, 99.99% of the time, is just to be available. If it's there, and doesn't do anything, then it has done its job for the day. I tend to be cautious and will try to position myself and my companions out of bad situations at the first hint of trouble. I avoid areas with high violence and try to watch my surroundings closely. There's a very good chance - hopefully - that I'll never encounter a real-life situation that requires me to draw.

At the same time, the more minutes in your life that you are covered by a readily accessible firearm, the less minutes there are in which you're vulnerable. It's better to have more coverage than less.

If I want to relax, I'm going to relax whether I'm carrying a P3AT under swimming shorts, or have the Moss covered by a towel under a deck chair. Since you're potentially vulnerable everywhere, it's best to just accept it and make sure that you're covered as much as possible. Even if you have to go into the ghetto, stay relaxed while being alert. This may require meditation, or whatever does it for you.

I think there's a greater chance of a car crashing into my house and killing me in the shower than an armed assailant randomly storming in. But, I'd feel extraordinarily stupid if I happened to be in the shower at the time, and couldn't access any one of the five firearms on the other side of the wall. I'd much rather that one of the guns be doing its job of being available for defensive use, than just sitting pointlessly in another room.

[wuzfuz]

I have carried for so long that when I don't, I feel naked, as when we first mmoved to Washington. Someone mentioned situational awareness, and I agree wholeheartedly. I digned one of my deputies once for standing in hte cone of death on a suspicious call while being in condition white, and our sergeant criticized me for being too hard on the guy. Being in condition yellow takes nothing aaway from my enjoyment of whatever activity I am taking part in, but at least I am not drifting along, totally unaware of what is going on around me. No, my gun doesn't carry me, but is there if the situation escalates to red, so I can avoid condition black.

[mot mayhem]

Granted I have not been carrying for long, but like the others, I do almost everywhere except places I am legally not allowed. I was visiting the outlaws in Canada in April, & felt so naked and like a potential victim. I still had my holster w/ me d/t it is second nature when I put on my belt. So, it was my silent protest to the Canooks. LOL! The mrs did say that she felt different when we went on our walk one night. We both kept looking around, even though we were in a "safe" part of town.

I do not feel it carries me personally.