nwr. Concealed weapons permit [may be a touchy subject]

I want to get my permit. Ive gone shooting plenty so I know how to handle one, just never got around to it.

I do have a permit to carry/conceal. I have a 380 and I love it. I keep it in my purse or in a holster on my side when I leave the house. When I am in my house I have it in my bedroom which is on the first floor. I live in a town where we have the city drug dealers and gang bangers coming threw. I have had a guy try to walk in my house before I got my gun. 2 weeks later he was in jail for attempting to rape a minor. I went and got my gun. Will never be without it if I can help it. You have to protect yourself and loved ones some way.

Right, that's what I say

I have no issues with guns, I know how to shoot and I think they are fun...BUT...unless you are trained (and not just a single lesson, mind you) then it is useless. So NO, you don't need a gun and I think you are getting one for all the wrong, knee-jerk reactions.

You are much better off learning to be aware of your surroundings. When in doubt, listen to your gut. Don't blow it off. and head to safe ground until you can assess the nature of the situation

And don't let fear rule your life! The chances of you being abducted, raped and killed are low. And in regards to the rape specifically--odds are it would be by someone you know and therefore, much less likely to shoot.

And I have also had someone break into my house in the night and I managed to talk him out of hurting me and got him out the door.

I have a carry permit, and stories like this just re-enforce my decision. My only advice, is to become well aquainted with the gun, go to the range and find a gun that is right for you, and that you are comfortable shooting. Educate yourself on how to load, unload, clean, and take apart the gun. In other words, don't just buy it and throw it in your purse. You also have to ask yourself, if it came to having to protect yourself, would you be able to do so? Some people could never shoot another human being regardless of what they were doing to them. I wanted to be a police officer all my life, and I taught myself all about guns. I also competed in shooting matches. It saddens me to hear stories like this, and to think if only she had a way to protect herself. It is a touchy subject, no matter where it is brought up, but you have to do what is right for you. If that is what you choose to do PLEASE EDUCATE yourself on the firearm, and firearm safety.

Can I ask a question? If you get a gun...are you actually willing to shoot it at another human being to harm/kill them? If yes, get the gun. If no, don't get one. An attacker will know if you are confident with a gun or not, and if your not, they will not back down.

There are other things you can do to make yourself less of a target, like not getting gas at night by yourself, and being aware of your surrounding when you are alone. I do not know that in that particular situation a gun would have helped you not get attacked. After being run off the road, you would have been disoriented, and maybe not aware that he was coming to hurt you, but check on you and surprise.

I grew up with guns in the house, and even now we have a couple rifles in our apartment. They aren't loaded but I do know how to use them, and can confidently do so. But the main thing is just to really be aware. You don't want to become so paranoid that anytime someone approaches you, you reach for the gun

HTH

I want my permit...FH knows and he doesn't have a problem with it.

Well I will be taking classes first

but she didn't wreck, he ran her in a ditch, she tried to get out by putting the car in reverse, but she got out and ran through the woods. but when they found her car it was still running in reverse in the ditch

I totally agree with Dallas-

It will be interesting to see how things develop with the conceal and carry seeing is that it is a 'new' thing here in WI.

I have never-ever wanted to carry a gun to protect myself. Maybe I am naive or just so small-town but I feel that being over 6 feet tall, carrying pepper spray, and not putting myself in the situations/places where I feel threatened is enough for me.

Though I do enjoy trips to the shooting range!!!

Also, do not let a gun create a false sense of confidence. Still remember that there are situations where a gun will not help you.

Are you willing to take a life to save yourself or someone you care about? If yes, then take a class and learn how to control a firearm. NEVER leave it loaded around children, unless you are carrying it. One rule: "TREAT EVERY GUN AS THOUGHT IT IS LOADED".

One rule every cop is taught: Be willing to "destroy" anything you point your weapon at (and anything down range from that). If you can't handle that, don't get a gun.

I agree with Dallas as well.

I've grown up with guns in the house, so its not a touchy thing for me. Just honestly, like Dallas had asked, I dont think I'd ever actually attempt to fire one at a person.

I have a thing of mace that I usually keep with me. But honestly, I'm not ever in those situations where I ever feel nervous or insecure.

I think before people should be going straight to carrying guns, maybe just make sure to have a phone and some mace.

Plus, I wouldn't want to worry about any other responsibility that goes along with carrying a weapon.

See, this is what I find so interesting. I live here in Canada, in Alberta, which is the more 'red-neck' province of the country. I know numerous people who own guns, but most are for hunting. Very few people would ever think of owning or purchasing a handgun, even here in a large city I live which has had our highest murder rate this year...46 people for a population of about 750,000. In fact, most of these murders were committed by knives. Even if something like what Morgan M. described above were to happen here, no one I know would look to getting a gun. People would probably invest in alarm systems, make sure they carried a phone, become more aware of their surroundings or even take a self defense course. I just thought the difference was interesting. And that is my two cents.

Smh after that happened i would get a gun smh that is soooo sad smh...and the question is am i willing to shoot someone to save my own life....answer yes without a second to think...i watch the id channel all the time and every person that walk pass me i have my eye on smh...make you look at eveybody as a potential person to harm you smh.....did they find who did this?

I don't think having a gun prevents you from being a victim of crime. If a guy gets you pinned, how are you going to get the gun from your purse or glove box?

You are better off taking steps to avoid that situation and getting yourself a little can of mace to attach to your keychain. When you walk out to your car alone carry your keys in your hand at the ready. How many stories do you see where a woman is not attacked because they have a gun? If they really worked as a crime prevention tool, everyone would have one.

I think, Tiffany, that up here (in Canada) it's a lot harder to get a gun for non-hunting purposes. It's the difference in the law but also in our mentality I think.

I used to live in really sketchy area of my city, right above the worst bar in town, so I care a knife in my purse. Now I'm sure I would never use it, and I don't think it is sharp enough to hurt anyone anyway, but it is still in my purse. I also always carry my keys between my fingers so if anyone came at me I could stab someone with them.

Sometimes a gun can get you into more trouble than not having a gun, as a person who wants to hassle you can see you have a gun and the situation can escalate a lot more quickly...

Also, couldn't taking a self defense course be more effective? Then, like pumpkin said, if you were pinned, you would be able to get out of it rather than thinking "crap, my gun is in my purse, which I can't get to."

Of course! How else will I protect myself from the Zombie Apocalypse?!

I'm not going to read ahead so forgive me if I repeat someone else. The first thing you need to do is take a safety class on handguns. From reading your post I think it's fairly safe to say you are not an experienced marksman or even someone who has handled guns.

I don't think you necessarily need a gun maybe something such as mace for protection (if that's legal in your state) I know they make mace for key rings.

I do believe in conceal and carry licensing but only after much safety training and even in some cases psychological background checking.

I live in NYC so I pretty hear about some sort of violent crime everyday. I am still horrified what happened to the woman in Brooklyn who was burned to death in an elevator.

I'm not sure a gun would do me much good. You have to be trained to use it in situations where you would be attacked and actually keep up the training. Maybe if someone tried to break into my house and I had time to actually get my gun ready. I think following the advice from the book "Gift of Fear" would help to prevent some situations.

My FH just got his permit and wants me to get mine, however I am very hesitant only because we have toddlers in the house..so I figure, I wouldn't bring it out when I have them and if I have it in the house, it would be locked up and unloaded..so by the time I get it out of the safe and load it, I might be a goner anyways, right? I am Sooooo sorry about what happened to your neighbor