Reason you decided to get CHL ?

[mrm1955Tex]

Hello Everyone from a newbie here. My license was mailed last week and should be here today or tomorrow.

I have never felt the need in my entire life to carry a weapon with me until a few months back.

I'm 57 years old and have used guns all my life since about 8 yrs old. I am very proficient with all types of firearms.

I decided to get my CHL because after a recent move, i have to drive about 38 miles to and from work. I drive to work before daylight.

In case I break down or have a flat on the road, I don't want to be without protection and I don't want any hassle about having a weapon if stopped by a LEO. I know the Castle law but some of the LEO's I know said you can still have many problems when getting stopped because every LEO has a different opinion about it.

I haven't decided if I'll carry on my person every day yet or not but will give it a try for a while and see what I decide. I don't go that many places other than work and home. LOL

Well, that's my reason, I would like to here your reason for getting your CHL.

[WildBill]

Hello Everyone from a newbie here. My license was mailed last week and should be here today or tomorrow.

Well, that's my reason, I would like to here your reason for getting your CHL.

Welcome to the forum Tex. Those are good reasons. No particular or single event in my life caused me to get my CHL.

My first answer is "Because I could."

The second is that there is evil in the world.

[snatchel]

Because I can.
Because I should.
Because if I don't take advantage of the rights afforded to me now, I risk losing them in the future.

[clarionite]

Because I can...

Because I feel that if I don't excersize my rights someone will believe they're not relevant.

Because It aggrivates anti's. (Just kidding, sort of, about that one)

I think we've somehow let the anti's frame the debate into "Why should you be allowed to?" instead of "Why can't I?"

<rant>
I am thinking of getting my Class III to buy a suppressor. When I mentioned it at supper the other night with my mother and a friend, she asked me why in the world I would ever want a suppressor. I explained that when I'm hunting, I don't wear ear protection because I want to be able to hear the sounds around me. That makes shooting while hunting more damaging to my hearing than shooting at the range. A suppressor makes it safer for me to hunt. Then I turned it around and asked her, why shouldn't I be allowed to own safety equipment that makes it safer for me to do a legal activity?
</rant>

[anygunanywhere]

Because the State of Texas requires a permission card to exercise a God given right.

Also, because it would be silly to be participating in this CHL forum if I did not have one.

Anygunanywhere

[Jumping Frog]

Another reason is I can't fit a cop in my holster.

[chasfm11]

Congratulations and welcome to the forum.

Only you can make your decisions about carrying but I'd recommend that for on- body carry, you get a good holster and a top quality gun belt.

Like you, I didn't start out with the idea of carrying daily. We have an RV and have been in some situations where the shotgun that we've always had with us was going to be too difficult to deal with. The inside of an RV can be cramped. With a Texas CHL, we could take a pistol into all of the States that we want to visit (we don't want to visit the others).

But after reading this forum and reviewing the stories that are posted, I realized that I was no better at predicting when something bad was going to happen and that I was foolish for not remaining as prepared as I could be if a bad situation did crop up.

I was fortunate that shortly after I got my license, PSC day for forum members occurred. I attended a couple of training sessions there that really opened my eyes about the need to practice. Since then, I've been working at getting better at a lot of things besides simply sending lead flying at paper targets. I still have a long ways to go but I cannot believe all that I've learned by study and practice since that PSC event. It is unfortunate that there wasn't one of those this year. I really benefited.

My wife was not happy with the idea of my carrying daily. It took her a while to accept it. Now, she occasionally asks if I am and I just smile. I was one of those who struggled initially with carrying one in the chamber, too. She finally accepted that as well. It has been a learning process for both of us. Our mutual concerns about concealment have disappeared. Again, having the right equipment and "dressing around the gun" was the answer for me. I've played a musical instrument in front of a church service with over 400 members present and wearing just a dress shirt while carrying and noone except my wife and I knew.

Our daughter recently got her CHL. 10 years ago, she was deathly afraid of guns. Our son and his girlfriend are also on a path to get their CHLs before November. I've had them both shooting and they will have no problems passing the test. None of the family is doing it for the same reasons as I did.

Lastly, the "because I should" aspect has become more important to me. As the Federal government continues to erode our rights as citizens and stomps all of the Constitution to do it, it has become more clear to me that I need to exercise my rights. Now, I would carry daily if for no other reason. Of course, there are plenty of other good reasons, too.

[RoyGBiv]

Lots of good reasons given already, many of them were also a factor for me...

I'll add one more.....


I've been licensed a long time, but people like these have been trying to take away my liberties for even longer.

[mrm1955Tex]

Thanks for the welcome everyone and all the great reasons you have listed.

I agree with them all

[Scott in Houston]

Here's one of my reasons... turned 9 Monday.




The other reason won't let me post her picture. :)

[RPBrown]

I have always owned a few guns and when the chance to be able to carry became law, I took advantage of it. However, I travel all over the state (and several others) for work. Many years ago, I was robbed at gunpoint twice in three weeks in different parts of the state. I decided then to start carrying, legal or not. That was 35 years ago and been carrying since. Just that I am legal now.

[mrm1955Tex]

Here's one of my reasons... turned 9 Monday.

[ Image ]


The other reason won't let me post her picture. :)

Extremely Good Reason, I have Grand kids around her age and know what you mean.

[glockstero]

I got my CHL primarily for 3 reasons.

1. It's my right.
2. There are too many liberals out there trying to prevent citizens from the right to arm themselves. The first step will be preventing new CHL's. My hope is those who already have a CHL will be grandfathered.
3. It just doesn't make sense that only law enforcement officials and bad guys are armed.

[BigGuy]

Copied from my post on another thread:

I grew up in southeast Arkansas and thought of guns as tools, not terribly different from fishing poles, frog gigs, or pocket knifes. They brought meat from the woods to the freezer. For the first 4 decades of my life I was taught that you don't point a gun at a human being for ANY reason. I just grew up in a world where you left you house unlocked and the keys in your car. The idea of needing to kill a human was just not something we ever experienced. The whole concept of having, and carrying, a gun for the purpose of pointing it at and possibly killing another person is a little tougher than I expected.
Please don't waste your time or mine with the logical reasons. I know them, which is why I'm getting my CHL and will carry. Making a logical, mental decision is easy. Overcoming 40 years of conditioning is a little harder.
I first carried almost 30 years ago. There was a three year period where I deemed it necessary. There was no CHL in those days. I just bought a little .25 ACP and made sure I could pull it and knock over a coke can at 25 yards. The mind set was different from what I gather from most on this and similar boards. It was absolutely a last ditch option. De-escalation, or more likely escape was the first goal. By the time the gun came out, there would already be the strong probability of death or serious injury. It was my hope that the little .25 might make it them rather than me or mine. I was not a lawman. I did not get the gun with the idea of going into a situation, gun blazing dispensing justice.
So, where am I now? Why did I decide to get my CHL?
My wife and I ride motorcycles. I prefer small backroads, puttering along at or even slower than, the speed limit. We used to ride with friends, but for one reason or another, they have all stopped riding. That leaves just me and the missus out on the back roads by ourselves. A quick check of the calendar shows me it's no longer 1970. With all of my former compatriots gone, I decided it might not hurt to have along a friend of a different caliber.
My mindset when I set out on the endeavor was the same as the one I practiced 30 some years ago. just mind my own business, run if possible, shoot only if I absolutely have to. Other people can take care of themselves.
I'm not saying I've changed my philosophy, but lurking around this and a couple of other boards get's me to a least thinking about it.

Like several other have stated, hanging around this board has changed my perspective some. I now carry everywhere I legally can. I'm also going to move up from my .380, which I'll keep as a BUG, to a 9mm. Additionally I now carry a knife and pepper spray. (More options)
I really don't think I'm paranoid, or have gone off the deep end. It's just I never really gave enough real, and rational, thought to self protection before.
And finally, I'm 56. I had my cancerous bladder cut out in September of 2011, and replaced with one my urologist made from a piece of my small intestine. While I still look pretty decent, and try to stay active, I'm simply not the physical force I was just a few years ago.

[mrm1955Tex]

Copied from my post on another thread:

Like several other have stated, hanging around this board has changed my perspective some. I now carry everywhere I legally can. I'm also going to move up from my .380, which I'll keep as a BUG, to a 9mm. Additionally I now carry a knife and pepper spray. (More options)
I really don't think I'm paranoid, or have gone off the deep end. It's just I never really gave enough real, and rational, thought to self protection before.
And finally, I'm 56. I had my cancerous bladder cut out in September of 2011, and replaced with one my urologist made from a piece of my small intestine. While I still look pretty decent, and try to stay active, I'm simply not the physical force I was just a few years ago.

Same for me, at 57 I'm not the physical specimen I used to be either, makes us more of a target as we age I think.
I remember when I was young, strong and bullet proof, but those days are behind me now. LOL