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What happened tonight solidified the idea of always carrying for me.

First off my plastic is in the mail and not in hand, I have my holster and gun all ready to go for when I have it.

I work at a location that sometimes holds private functions. Tonight was one of those nights. I got a call over the radio from one of our managers (I being one as well) requesting backup due to an impending fight about to break out. Long story short a guest didn't like one of our staff giving his cousin (female) a lift on our golf cart and rallied his other "cousins" (his words) to give him a hand in teaching our boy a lesson. These were the sort of people who like to puff up their chests and threaten people to show their machismo, and sometimes known to needlessly propagate violence. "Gangish" is a word I would make up to describe them. While I was pretty sure they were full of empty threats, I had one of my guys call 911 while we tried to defuse the situation, just in case. In the end they ran out of breath and left and a sheriff showed up that was kind enough to hang for a bit to make sure nothing came back up.

The point is, in the height of the incident when we were facing off (the "cousins" and our employees), all I could think was "I had better not get a knife or gun pulled on me while my CHL is sitting in a mail facility and my 1911 is locked up at home." This incident learned me quick that trouble can start anywhere for no reason at all (I knew that but I didnt know it, know it). When that CHL comes Ill have that thing on me like white on rice. Im lucky enough to work in a place with no restrictions on carrying, either as a patron or as an employee.

Not the most exciting story but a story none the less.

PS This is why only keeping your gun in your truck is ignorant to me. If you have time to break from the action, go to your vehicle, come back and use deadly force, you have made a misstep somewhere along the way. When the need does arise it will be immediate and require immediate action.

...it's always exciting when you avoid a "situation", go home without a scratch, and don't need to call a lawyer...

TheMilkMan wrote:What happened tonight solidified the idea of always carrying for me.

First off my plastic is in the mail and not in hand, I have my holster and gun all ready to go for when I have it.

I work at a location that sometimes holds private functions. Tonight was one of those nights. I got a call over the radio from one of our managers (I being one as well) requesting backup due to an impending fight about to break out. Long story short a guest didn't like one of our staff giving his cousin (female) a lift on our golf cart and rallied his other "cousins" (his words) to give him a hand in teaching our boy a lesson. These were the sort of people who like to puff up their chests and threaten people to show their machismo, and sometimes known to needlessly propagate violence. "Gangish" is a word I would make up to describe them. While I was pretty sure they were full of empty threats, I had one of my guys call 911 while we tried to defuse the situation, just in case. In the end they ran out of breath and left and a sheriff showed up that was kind enough to hang for a bit to make sure nothing came back up.

The point is, in the height of the incident when we were facing off (the "cousins" and our employees), all I could think was "I had better not get a knife or gun pulled on me while my CHL is sitting in a mail facility and my 1911 is locked up at home." This incident learned me quick that trouble can start anywhere for no reason at all (I knew that but I didnt know it, know it). When that CHL comes Ill have that thing on me like white on rice. Im lucky enough to work in a place with no restrictions on carrying, either as a patron or as an employee.

Not the most exciting story but a story none the less.

PS This is why only keeping your gun in your truck is ignorant to me. If you have time to break from the action, go to your vehicle, come back and use deadly force, you have made a misstep somewhere along the way. When the need does arise it will be immediate and require immediate action.

While there are obviously reasons for you to be seriously concerned about the situation you were in, its best that it ended the way it did. Obviously, I wasn't there and I don't know more than you posted here. However, remember that your CHL is not a magic device; it doesn't give you superhero status. Your weapon is for the DEFENSE of your life, and the DEFENSE of others. Its not to wave around at a crowd to "disperse" them or any other such stuff. (Not that you said that or anything, just an example.) It was smart to call law enforcement; they are both trained and paid to handle that sort of trouble. I've been a forum member here for a while now, and I am learning as I go. Lots of good folks here. Glad things turned out okay for you.

Chalk another situation up to being resolved without a weapon. The majority of them do, the vast majority. 911 really works.

911 is preferable to 1911 every time......except at the range.

I wouldn't have pulled a gun on anyone not actively trying to endanger our lives of course. It was just a tad tense for a moment, and I worried it could escalate. I agree that a visit from the Sheriff is preferable to a visit with a grand jury, or some paramedics.

The Annoyed Man wrote:911 is preferable to 1911 every time......except at the range.

That's what I was thinking. If I thought something bad was going to happen I would call the police, not more managers.

The Annoyed Man wrote:911 is preferable to 1911 every time......except at the range.

...but much less likely to be there at the split-second it's critical, you must admit!!!

TheMilkMan wrote:What happened tonight solidified the idea of always carrying for me.

Don't take this wrong, but.... duh!

stroguy wrote:911 really works.

Sometimes. In this situation, it sounds like management resolved the problem peacefully before the cops arrived, but if they weren't able to calm the savage beasts, then 911 wouldn't have "worked" except to clean up the bodies.

It was the same for this situation. viewtopic.php?f=15&t=49626" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Probably a better example than you think. Whether or not your plastic is in the mail, your weapon is in the car, or at home, it would really stink to be in THAT siuation where de-escalation does not work, LE does not show up timely, and the BG decides it is time to add a little punctuation with his gun. Watching people start to bleed and die would be something you would not forget. We all understand that the ultimate outcome with your scenario was the best, and I am not sure why that much a point gets made about it; it speaks for itself. The real lesson comes from exactly what was going through your mind.

My personal philosophy, not shared by all CHL holders (for whatever reason), is that you carry at all times unless legally posted or illegal to do so. Otherwise, why did you get it in the first place? I do not share the philosophy, found in reading between the (video) lines at some sites, that suggests you carry no matter what. I think some of the areas where we are not allowed to carry is nonsense, but it is legal nonsense. I am not willing to lose my license, and perhaps my freedom, by carrying everywhere because I think my 2A rights trump state law.

RJ

I had been telling myself even before spending a red cent on my license that I would carry everywhere I could legally do so, at all times. This was just the final nail in the coffin. Like I said in my first post, not too exciting in hind sight, calmer heads did prevail. The thing that made it stand out to me was that in every other tense situation I had been in before deciding to get a CHL, the idea of not having protection didn't register because it wasn't in the cards. Now that it is almost here (tomorrow hopefully) and I have decided that a responsibly carried firearm is necessary to help ensure my (and others) longevity, being without is quite unpleasant. I would liken it to being on a cruise with no life rafts and being told that we may have to abandon ship.

*Edited because I cant seem to make a complete sentence the first go

A gun is never the first recourse but nice to have as a ultimate if all of the de-esculation doesn't work.