To CHL or not to CHL that is the question

[some guy]

OK here goes with thread #2! Ha!!

As described in my other thread I am considering carry in my vehicle only. It has been pointed out that TX law does not require a CHL for such carry except when passing within 1000' of a school zone.

This got me to thinking which is something my wife says I should give up.

Question:
Is there a benefit to having a CHL if I ever need to use my weapon even though the law may say in the instance used I didn't need one?

I plan on getting one like I said. Just posing the question. Hopefully I made the question clear enough.

[Wodathunkit]

Welcome to the forum
Either you want a CHL or you don't. If you want the "freedom" of being able to exit your vehicle while keeping yourself defended, then you answered your own question. I believe the vehicle itself gives you better protection than any handgun, especially flight.

[cb1000rider]

Reasons not to get it:
1) You have to disclose when armed and asked for ID by a LEO. If you're in a car and armed, no CHL, you don't have to disclose.
2) You're on "the list". Your license will likely show up during traffic stops in-state. It may or may not show up out of state.
3) There are some corner cases where you're more inhibited having your CHL. They're rare, but they are out there.
4) Fees, etc.

[RPBrown]

Reasons to carry:
1) You can get out of your vehicle with your weapon (ie; going to the store)
2) In most cases you don't have to leave your weapon in the vehicle
3) You don't have to worry about the 1000' school zones
4) you can protect yourself and family if away from the vehicle
5) By taking the class, you learn some basic laws

[suthdj]

When I first thought about getting my CHL it was for those time when I might need it. Well in the research I found this place and upon my reading I understood 1 simple fact, if you know your going to need it then you should alter your life to avoid the need, not meaning you never need to carry it means you always carry as you never know when you will need it, unless of course you can predict the future.

[E.Marquez]

Another for:
If the day comes you need to use it, and defend your self in court.. Your lawyer gets to bring up you are part of the statistically most law abiding groups of citizens in the state, at last count more law abiding then LEO's, Judges,and of course elected officials.

The Lawyer gets to say you have been trained, checked, background scrutinized before being issued a Texas State License.

[Teamless]

Reason to get CHL, even if your only purpose is to carry in your car:

Ever drive by a school?
Within 1000 feet of a school?

If you do, with gun in your car, without a CHL, you are breaking the law.
With your CHL, you are exempt from that law.

It seems you want to be a law abiding citizen, so don't break the law by carrying a gun in your car past a school.

I know in my 8.5 mile drive to work, depending which route I go, I drive past 4 different schools at times, sometimes only 2.
But i ALWAYS drive by at least 2 of them.
Think about all the other times you are driving, not just to and from work.


2nd reason:
what if you are in a "bad neighborhood' and have to go into a certain building or store that gives you the 'creeps'
I am not saying there are thugs outside and you shouldn't go in, with or without a gun, just saying 'the creeps'.
Wouldn't you rather have the ability to legally carry to protect yourself, if the need arises, rather than break the law and carry anyway?

There are a number of reasons that can be given for carrying, but I think the best one was given way up on this thread - BECAUSE YOU CAN :)

[MechAg94]

When I first got my CHL, I mostly just had one in the car. I didn't carry very much. Finding a decent holster was a problem also in that time since I hadn't yet found the internet gun forums. Anyway, I started carrying on my person more and more to where I eventually carried just about all the time outside of work where I am not allowed. It really came down to a decision or concern: what if something happened while I was in the store and I needed my gun, but it was out in the car? The gun does me no good whatsoever if it is out in the car 50 feet away, but I need it on my person right now. Even if nothing happened or maybe if someone else was hurt, it would eat at me later if I would have had the chance to defend myself or someone else and my gun was out in the car. If you have a wife or children to protect, that is only magnified.

Another reason: If you have kids, the safest place for the gun to be is on your person even around the house.

[chasfm11]

Here are a couple of things for you to think about.

- when I originally took my CHL class, my reason for getting it was just to legally carry a pistol in our RV. I never intended to carry daily. As I begin to read the crime blotter, I realized that the threats to my wife and I were potentially far greater than just when we were in the RV. I bought a holster and started carrying. Then I bought more holsters so that I could conceal better in more places. My family laughed at me when I first started carrying in church. Now they are happy that I do. Having a CHL can be an evolution for both you and your family.

- I think the CHL class is often a starting point for the learning that is necessary in today's world. I wrote down the references that were used in one of the modules and have read every one of the books. The combination of information in those books and what I have read on this forum has greatly changed my outlook.

- I'm active politically. It has become clear to me that having a CHL makes a political statement. I had a situation this past weekend where actions of a group could have limited my right to carry if I had not stood up to them. Without the CHL, I never would have faced the choice nor pressed the issue. I work daily at encouraging others to get CHLs and to join the NRA to help protect our rights. I don't think that I would be as successful at selling those ideas if I hadn't done both myself.

[some guy]

Excellent posts guys. Some of my thoughts have been confirmed, and I now have some perspectives I had not considered before.

Still watching....

[The_Busy_Mom]

My husband and I both ride motorcycles. Without CHL, I would not be able to carry, and would have to stow the firearm in a saddlebag. Saddlebag = no way I'm getting to my firearm before bad guy gets to me, should the need ever arise.

A few weeks back, RX8er and I were out riding, and we stopped to get a soda at a gas station way out in the middle of no where. I wouldn't consider this anything close to a 'bad part of town'. Completely rural area, off the beaten path. We got off the bikes and headed in, and about the time we reached the front doors, we noticed this gentleman who was following us inside. RX8er opened the door to allow the man to enter first, but he refused and wanted us to go before him.

DING DING DING

Spidey senses are off the charts. RX8er and I both knew something wasn't right. If we had only had our firearms on the bike (or in the car, had we been driving a car), we could have really been in trouble. To make a long story short, the man tried to buy alcohol without a license and without money, and then asked us to buy it for him or give him some money. Hindsight being 20-20, we should never have entered the store. I really believe that the guy was going to try to rob the store. However, because I carry, I had my hand on my hip, RX8er had his hand ready, and I think the guy realized that maybe tonight wouldn't have been his lucky night. Or might have been his unlucky night.

Either way, taking the CHL class will help you understand the mindset, laws, and advantages of personal protection. Just look at it this way: If you have CHL, as someone posted previously, you are statistically more safe than LEOs, judges, and elected officials; you have been trained and have knowledge of the law,; and you DON"T HAVE TO CARRY. You just have the option to carry. You should always have all options available to you, whether you choose to execute those options or not.

TBM

[aaangel]

have you ever tried to buy a gun @ a gun show on a busy weekend? with a chl you simply fill out the form and wala! you need booolits with that?

[jmra]

have you ever tried to buy a gun @ a gun show on a busy weekend? with a chl you simply fill out the form and wala! you need booolits with that?

Yep - it's awesome.

[Oldgringo]

Why do you wear the seatbelts in your ride? You do wear them, don't you?

[texanjoker]

Reasons not to get it:
1) You have to disclose when armed and asked for ID by a LEO. If you're in a car and armed, no CHL, you don't have to disclose.
2) You're on "the list". Your license will likely show up during traffic stops in-state. It may or may not show up out of state.
3) There are some corner cases where you're more inhibited having your CHL. They're rare, but they are out there.
4) Fees, etc.

If one is worried about saying they have a gun when stopped due to some sort of law violation all I can say is ...but then chl holders are statistically more law abiding then chl holders so we shouldn't be reading about any law violations or traffic stops (sorry E.Marquez but I had to )