# Americans who Carry Concealed: Would you be reluctant to visit another country where you couldn't? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 3, 2015, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-carry-concealed-would-you-be-reluctant-to-visit-another-country-where-you-couldnt/708826 "2015-01-03T02:36:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2015, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-carry-concealed-would-you-be-reluctant-to-visit-another-country-where-you-couldnt/708826/21 "2015-01-04T02:00:21Z")
> [@Count\_Blucher](#): > > I don’t CCW, but when I was in Canada it was nice to know that No One Else Could either. You mean not legally. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2015, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-carry-concealed-would-you-be-reluctant-to-visit-another-country-where-you-couldnt/708826/22 "2015-01-04T02:11:52Z")
I carry when I can. If the laws forbid carrying in a particular area, I leave the gun at home. I am far from helpless without it, though it may be the best tool for the purpose. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2015, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-carry-concealed-would-you-be-reluctant-to-visit-another-country-where-you-couldnt/708826/23 "2015-01-04T03:13:28Z")
> [@Penfeather](#): > > You mean all of them except maybe Somalia? I’m not familiar with all the gun laws in the world, so can’t comment. 😉 However, **Nava** up thread has explained that it is possible for a visitor to Spain to get a temporary carry permit. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2015, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-carry-concealed-would-you-be-reluctant-to-visit-another-country-where-you-couldnt/708826/24 "2015-01-04T03:34:47Z")
Guy I went to grad school with took his 9mm to Nigeria - pretty sure legally but I’m not up on the details. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2015, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-carry-concealed-would-you-be-reluctant-to-visit-another-country-where-you-couldnt/708826/25 "2015-01-04T03:56:39Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > I’m armed at all times when awake. But it hasn’t stopped me from traveling. I’m willing to take the risk to travel. Been all over the world without my gun. I don’t like it, but what to do? > > Luckily I’m able to take it whenever I travel anywhere in the U.S… Took it to Puerto Rico last fall. No problems. Even with H.R. 218 I don’t bother with the hassle of getting on a plane. But then again until recently I haven’t felt the need to carry all the time. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2015, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-carry-concealed-would-you-be-reluctant-to-visit-another-country-where-you-couldnt/708826/26 "2015-01-04T04:07:15Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Even with H.R. 218 I don’t bother with the hassle of getting on a plane. But then again until recently I haven’t felt the need to carry all the time. Are you talking about being armed on the plane or putting it in your checked luggage? Because flying with a gun in checked luggage is easy as hell. Done it a zillion times. Rarely have had a problem and it only adds about 60 seconds to the check in time, if that. Puerto Rico is a territory and not a state but even flying there with a fire arm in checked luggage was a piece of cake. Flying with a gun on you requires paperwork that needs to be completed ahead of time. A while back it got even more complicated. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2015, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-carry-concealed-would-you-be-reluctant-to-visit-another-country-where-you-couldnt/708826/27 "2015-01-04T04:12:33Z")
All I can say is that some of the responses in this thread leave me wondering what the hell is wrong with some people. ---
**Author:** ![Glazer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a88e57/32.png) [@Glazer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glazer)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2015, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-carry-concealed-would-you-be-reluctant-to-visit-another-country-where-you-couldnt/708826/28 "2015-01-04T04:19:26Z")
I’ve never had a problem carrying overseas. 'Course the only time I have been overseas was while in the Army. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2015, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-carry-concealed-would-you-be-reluctant-to-visit-another-country-where-you-couldnt/708826/29 "2015-01-04T14:32:55Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Even with H.R. 218 I don’t bother with the hassle of getting on a plane. But then again until recently I haven’t felt the need to carry all the time. I’m curious here. What recently made you want to carry all the time? I don’t really have a ‘side’ in the gun thing - I don’t gI’ve a damn what you want to do - but with violent crime way down it seems curious that you would suddenly feel the need. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2015, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-carry-concealed-would-you-be-reluctant-to-visit-another-country-where-you-couldnt/708826/30 "2015-01-04T16:08:57Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > Are you talking about being armed on the plane or putting it in your checked luggage? > > Because flying with a gun in checked luggage is easy as hell. Done it a zillion times. Rarely have had a problem and it only adds about 60 seconds to the check in time, if that. Puerto Rico is a territory and not a state but even flying there with a fire arm in checked luggage was a piece of cake. > > Flying with a gun on you requires paperwork that needs to be completed ahead of time. A while back it got even more complicated. Yeah I can’t be bothered with that. Besides if I am flying anywhere it is most likely because I will be on vacation and doing activities that would make carrying a weapon problematic. I certainly don’t want to leave it in my hotel room. > [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > I’m curious here. What recently made you want to carry all the time? I don’t really have a ‘side’ in the gun thing - I don’t gI’ve a damn what you want to do - but with violent crime way down it seems curious that you would suddenly feel the need. There has been a huge increase in credible threats towards law enforcement. No I can’t give a cite, almost all have not made the news. I have seen the information from internal sources. People can believe me or not, I don’t care. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2015, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-carry-concealed-would-you-be-reluctant-to-visit-another-country-where-you-couldnt/708826/31 "2015-01-04T16:42:24Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Yeah I can’t be bothered with that. Besides if I am flying anywhere it is most likely because I will be on vacation and doing activities that would make carrying a weapon problematic. I certainly don’t want to leave it in my hotel room. Yeah, filling out that orange card at check in is 15 seconds of inconvenience. 😛 Seriously. Get a baby Glock or one of those little .380’s. Easy to carry even in a bathing suit. At one time I never carried off duty either. Mostly because my gun was a big heavy Ruger P89 and hard to conceal. Then 2 shitbags attacked me while I was trying to mail a letter. I just happened to have it on me because I was coming back from a training session. Had I not pulled it they’d have probably crushed my skull with the rebar they had already struck me with. From then on I started carrying 24/7. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2015, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-carry-concealed-would-you-be-reluctant-to-visit-another-country-where-you-couldnt/708826/32 "2015-01-04T19:41:31Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > Yeah, filling out that orange card at check in is 15 seconds of inconvenience. 😛 > > Seriously. Get a baby Glock or one of those little .380’s. Easy to carry even in a bathing suit. > > At one time I never carried off duty either. Mostly because my gun was a big heavy Ruger P89 and hard to conceal. Then 2 shitbags attacked me while I was trying to mail a letter. I just happened to have it on me because I was coming back from a training session. Had I not pulled it they’d have probably crushed my skull with the rebar they had already struck me with. From then on I started carrying 24/7. I will never wear a gun while in a bathing suit. I guarantee that. What kind of beaches are you going to? Although I carry more now, the percentages as still well in my favor that nothing will happen to me when I venture out. When I do go out unarmed I don’t give it a second thought. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2015, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-carry-concealed-would-you-be-reluctant-to-visit-another-country-where-you-couldnt/708826/33 "2015-01-04T19:42:33Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > Flying with a gun on you requires paperwork that needs to be completed ahead of time. A while back it got even more complicated. There’s ANY way AT ALL you can bring a gun on board a plane?!? How does that work? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2015, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-carry-concealed-would-you-be-reluctant-to-visit-another-country-where-you-couldnt/708826/34 "2015-01-04T19:44:05Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > There’s ANY way AT ALL you can bring a gun on board a plane?!? How does that work? For law enforcement officers. Federal officers all can. State and local can but its more complicated. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2015, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-carry-concealed-would-you-be-reluctant-to-visit-another-country-where-you-couldnt/708826/35 "2015-01-04T20:11:46Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > I _ **hate** _ As for visiting other countries… I try not to. Will only travel outside the U.S. if there’s an absolute need. I think that’s a terribly paranoid and sad state to be in. There are so many wonderful countries around the world in which you are far safer (without a weapon) than you are in your own country and yet, you won’t go because you can’t take a gun? Bizarre. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2015, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-carry-concealed-would-you-be-reluctant-to-visit-another-country-where-you-couldnt/708826/36 "2015-01-04T20:51:32Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > There’s ANY way AT ALL you can bring a gun on board a plane?!? How does that work? I’ve done it quite a few times, and I’m not in LE. It’s not a big deal. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2015, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-carry-concealed-would-you-be-reluctant-to-visit-another-country-where-you-couldnt/708826/37 "2015-01-04T20:55:17Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > I’ve done it quite a few times, and I’m not in LE. It’s not a big deal. Do you mean concealed or in stored luggage? Because we are talking about carrying in the cabin. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2015, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-carry-concealed-would-you-be-reluctant-to-visit-another-country-where-you-couldnt/708826/38 "2015-01-04T21:10:06Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I will never wear a gun while in a bathing suit. I guarantee that. What kind of beaches are you going to? Bradford Beach, Siesta Key, Carolina Beach. Just a few I carried in over the last 6 months. You don’t have to bring an expensive duty weapon. Just get a [little](http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQutpikydQQ0clD3xX7GkfoMOwj6dOH_PfjLqmKJPEHiCuBbLgH08MYja0) .380 [pistol](http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSpaNo3hcqC6kufkSGNQmNH45VppuETYlz0RB-fn20y82ACfcP8PvhXOODa). It will [fit](http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRvcWvAavB1gBbfpnmg5lCoRyTpCbViUK6AP2MN_7oeSPPfJkBPLN-t4xN2) in the pocket of a mens bathing suit. Water won’t hurt it if you wipe it off later. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2015, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-carry-concealed-would-you-be-reluctant-to-visit-another-country-where-you-couldnt/708826/39 "2015-01-04T21:14:13Z")
I used to have a CCW, it was strongly suggested by my boss and quickly approved by the Sheriff as I had had some death threats in carrying out my code enforcement duties (my job came with a badge, but no gun). It did make me feel safer in that County and also when going to bad areas in (for example) SF. But when visiting Canada I had little fear of those death threats, and i stayed away from seedy areas. Never missed it. Not living in that County anymore, my CCW has lapsed. There are times when I miss it, but since the fear of retaliation from decades ago work is pretty gone, no big deal. Still, when I have to go back to Oakland or SF, I wish I still had it. But I wouldnt carry daily any more, or if I did, it’d just be a pocket pistol. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2015, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-carry-concealed-would-you-be-reluctant-to-visit-another-country-where-you-couldnt/708826/40 "2015-01-04T21:25:07Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Do you mean concealed or in stored luggage? Because we are talking about carrying in the cabin. Oops, my bad. :o In luggage. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-carry-concealed-would-you-be-reluctant-to-visit-another-country-where-you-couldnt/708826.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-who-carry-concealed-would-you-be-reluctant-to-visit-another-country-where-you-couldnt/708826.md?page=3)