I'm moving to Vermont....... :-)
I wouldn't have to wear those expensive custom fitted jackets...... :-)

Wow this blows my mind (metaphorically)
So you all carry weapons just like in the movies?!
Have been to the US of A four times, but have to say I didn't notice the prevelence of weapons(hence 'concealed' I guess)
You should move to Australia where you don't have to carry and assume no-one is...
OK just joshing. I respect your laws and how you adhere to your amendments and all; just hard to grasp the concept
Brad

Hello Alan,
It's not so much about having to carry but wanting to carry. Hey, I've taken lunch breaks and driven to one of the local ranges and gotten some target shooting in.

Tanks
Andy

Seriously , I wouldn't brag about having one.
I would let the bad guys wonder...

I would like to carry but laws in Massachusetts are very strict and from what I hear it is difficult to get a CCW license. This said, SWMBO would probably divorce me if she ever found out that I bought and carry a gun.

Connecticut has CCW. They make it a fairly ardous process to get one but you can get one. First, gun class. This is about 6 hours of class room instruction. Then you file for a permit from your town. You need to state a reason for requesting but transporting to a range usually is accepted. You are finger printed and then you wait. And wait. And wait. And wait. Average used to be about 6 weeks. Once you get your town permit you file for a state permit. Two weeks is the usual time from the state. I guess they assume the town has done a full background check. Still have mine but I have not carried in years.

Wisconsin does not allow concealed carry, (and I believe it is one of the few states left with that restriction). There have been efforts in the legislature the last several years to allow it, but so far, no go.

For those with the CCW, -- (1) is the individual restricted to carrying a single weapon, and (2) do any permits restrict the caliber of the weapon carried?

Thanks

Steve

Someday I will get me a CCW. I spend all of my time either at my Armory (no personal firearms allowed) or at home. There is only 8 miles in between my unit and my house so I don't really feel a need to have one for 8 miles of highway. While in my house, my Kimber 1911 .45 is never too far away.

I am huge on home security do to being home during a break-in when I was 15. To make a long story short, my shotgun would not fire so I hit the guy with it as he was coming in the window. He fell back outside and ran off.

If you break into my house and I'm home, you are leaving one of two ways, in handcuffs or on a stretcher.

Ciao everyone,
I know that many of us are Americans, and we certainly do enjoy a free society, but I do not, in anyway, think that it was weapons that have given us a free society. I would not encourage ANYONE to liberally carry firearms on thier person, permit or not.
We must all remember that a firearm is a weapon intended to kill another human being. Having a gun and using a gun are two disparate things. Besides, more children are killed accidently by weapons than intentionally killed by weapons. I have seen gunshot wounds and they are hideous and cruel. Great responsibility must be considered with weapons. I think we, as Americans, think too little of guns and their use.
Okay, I'm off the high horse.

For those with the CCW, -- (1) is the individual restricted to carrying a single weapon, and (2) do any permits restrict the caliber of the weapon carried?

Ciao Steve,
As far as I understand, most permits allow only one weapon to be carried, that weapon must be a handgun and the person must be capable of handling that weapon in a safe and proficient manner. Now, I am curious, and I will look up the law (at least in Florida)

Hello Carl,
I get a kick out of explaining what that bulge is, especially to females...They don't like it when I tell them it's my gun, so I just tell them it's me blackberry.

Tanks
Andy

Man, it's getting so PC in the UK even the Army is having to give up its guns!!!

Um, except those serving in Iraq, afghanistan, Bosnia and half a dozen other hotspots... At least, for the moment anyway...

(Of course none of this applies to criminals who can do as they want. Human rights etc... Oops, I didn't say that, honest Guv!)

Quote from Husky1943---"I know that many of us are Americans, and we certainly do enjoy a free society, but I do not, in anyway, think that it was weapons that have given us a free society."

I respect your thoughts on this but couldn't disagree more. America was founded and defended by individuals who had personally owned firearms. The original militia that defeated the British originally consisted of average, everyday people who responded to the call with their personally owned firearms. The citizen militia existed before our formal standing military. Their weapons were never government controlled at anytime.

This is a quote from a book titled "Freedom: A history of US" page 13.
"So, on the night of April 18, 1775, when Paul Revere saw two lights in the church belfry, he knew the British were taking the water route across Boston's Charles river. Revere leapt on his horse and rode hard through the night. The British are coming, the British are coming he warned all in the countryside. A few miles from Concord, at Lexington, the American farmers were ready, and THEY GRABBED THEIR GUNS. They were called minuteman because the could fight on a minute's notice."


There are more people killed in traffic accidents every year than are killed by firearms. You don't hear anyone demanding the control or banning of automobiles. Alcholism (or diseases resulting from) kills more people every year than firearms. There is no talk of prohibition. Gun bans only keep the law abiding citizens from getting firearms.

There are gun bans in Australia and Canada and the statistics show that crimes against people are higher now than they have ever been in those two countries. Criminals will always have guns. They don't get them legally and obviously any bans will not effect them but will help provide them with more defenseless victims.

I don't expect everyone to like firearms, just respect an individuals right to choice. I don't support unrestricted carrying of a firearm. If a person is going to carry one, there absolutely must be training requirements as well as adequate background checks.

Accidental shootings are tremendously tragic. Unfortunately, they are the result of an adult that has made some bad decisions and was irresponsible with a firearm. A firearm should never be accessible to children. Never.

The police can never be everywhere at once. Private citizens must have a way to defend their lives and property when the local, state or federal government is unavailable.

Weapons don't fire themselves (usually), they require someone to pull the trigger.

Stepping down off of soapbox..........

I don't carry. That said, I never walk anywhere and I live in a fairly dicey neighborhood of a really sleepy Indiana town. I guy got wounded in a drive by three weeks ago, two doors up. I don't carry because I drive my weapon, my new Chevy truck. The way I have it figured I can drive out of any problem I get into between my house and work.
However, I do have the 12 gauge Mossberg loaded with 00 by the nightstand. It has a wire rope breach lock so my 17 year old step son won't use it on me or anyone else. I was brought up around firearms and learned to respect them at an early age. I think if anyone took the time to do the research they would find that most of the children that died tragically in accidents lived in households with criminally negligent adults.
Constitutionally, I think the founders wanted to assure that if the people ever thought it was necessary to over throw the sitting government, again, they would be armed.

Just some 2nd thoughts,

MOLON LABE

Shaun

/Not some whack job. Just believe that all of the Amendments to the Constitution are as important as the Second.
//Would no sooner give up my right to "keep" arms than I would to my right to free speech or freedom of assembly

According to Missouri law there are no restrictions on the nature or number of weapons you can carry with a permit, although a concealable gun is one with a barrel of less than 18 inches.

I think one major factor in my getting a CCW is that I want to make a statement in my own way to the federal, state and civic governments that I, as a citizen of this country, will support the second amendment to the constitution to the utmost of my ability. I never want this government to forget that its citizens were commanded by their fore fathers to take arms against injustice, especially if its the government that is being unjust. Do not mistake this for hatred of the man or anything like that. I love my country very much and want it to remain as free tomorrow as it is today. Therefore I excercise my freedoms as much as I can.

I don't have a CCW nor do I see the need for one in the near future. However I believe that I shouldn't ever be denied from getting one should I want one.

As for MI a CCW is not limited to a specific weapon. THe CCW allows you permission to carry a concealed handgun but I believe you can only carry one handgun at a time. However you need to apply for a purchase permit for each handgun

Brent,sorry to correct you but Canada does not "ban" all guns.We restrict who can own them and what kind they are.To most of us there is no reason to own hand guns or full auto weapons.Yes many of us do have rifles and shot guns for hunting.

I do know people who own hand guns and things like AR 15s but to them that is their hobby like I do models.

Jim

Ummmmm Alan? I am not referring to an M1 handgun, if you look at my banner you wil see the M1 I am referring to.

Yeah I guess my joke didn't go over so well. I was just thinking how funny it would be to get a license to hide a tank in your pants

Just remember, an armed person is a citizen, an unarmed person is a subject. Our right to keep and bear arms is one of the reasons no other country in thier right mind has ever invaded the US and won.
Just imagine, millions of P.O.'d cilvilians waiting for your US invading butt to walk down the street and turn you into a walking gun club target! I'll be at the top of THAT list waiting for some offshore chowderhead to think he can take my country!

Interesting thread.. For me, its something unexpected to hear the sounds of gunshots when we, my wife and I, visit her family in New Hampshire. We tried to bring about a gun registry here, and after I think, 2 BILLION dollars, its been found to be utterly ineffective. I would love nothing more then to take up handgun shooting as a hobby, but the responsible gun owner is completely handcuffed. It would not even be worth my while to persue it.
But here is my question with regards to the safety of your self and to property. With what seems to be the growing trend towards the criminals rights(oxymoron if you ask me) , what happens if someone breaks into your house or threatens you on the street? Are you required to announce the fact that you are armed and will protect yourself if so required?

Dave

All of your firearms and weapons are useless against someone with my powers :-) :-) :-) I have heat vision I can be up in outerspace and blast my enemies with heat vision :-) :-)

Thanks Dodge01RT. I appreciate the correction. I too fall victim to media bias. The bias and deception definitely goes both ways in this country. I'm not sure what to believe from the news sources anymore.

As said before this is an interesting thread, In New Zealand you can own a gun if you are over 18 and have a Firearms lisence which means you have been background checked by the Police. There are exceptions to this rule such as no Automatic or Military style Firearms. The main reason the majority of New Zelander gun owners have guns is not for peosonal portection but rather hunting and pest control. In NZ the armed crime rate is going up. So much so that there have been calls to arm our Police (which is very radical). An example of Criminals not giving a hoot is a Wanted drug dealer running from the Police hid out in the bush and when his hide out was un-covered he had been "packing"(hehe I love this word in this context), Two .22 Hunting Rifles with scopes, a AR-15, a AK-47 and another assault rifle I can't remember.

LOL @ Zod

And I for one welcome our new alien overlords...Hail Zod!