Not a debate/political thread, but rather, more of a math and statistics question:
I know there are concealed-carry gun folks who treat their handguns almost like smartphones or wallets; they carry them around in clothing or in purses almost as accessories. There is the risk of accidental discharge, the gun being lost or stolen, maybe get in trouble with the law, etc. How dangerous does one’s surroundings have to be for the benefits of CCW (the % likelihood of one needing the gun to defend oneself, outside of one’s home) to outweigh the drawbacks (the % likelihood of those bad things happening, such as lost or stolen gun?)
Sorry, there’s no way this is going to remain a discussion of math and statistics, especially since there is probably little or no data on the risk factors you mention. Moved to Great Debates.
When I had a death threat, I carried. When I was working in some bad neighborhoods of SF and Oakland, i carried. But I havent bothered now for about a decade, let my CCW lapse (it was in another country , so there’s issues about renewing anyway). Of course if you have a CCW there’s no real danger of getting in trouble with the law, and only a idiot has a accidental discharge.
So, I’d so you’d have to be under threat or be in a sketchy neighborhood. Here now in the suburbs of LA, I have no reason to carry and of course the LA County Sheriff wont issue any CCWs without a very large campaign contribution or a celebrity anyway.
I OC or CC all the time. When I’m carrying, I forget I’m carrying.
Some say the only “risk” is the potential legal repercussions in a self-defense shooting. But it’s really a non-issue. It’s like saying there is “risk” when wearing a seatbelt in a car, since the belt can cause bruising during an accident.
The only real risk I can think of is the psychological impact of killing someone, even if it was justified. It can weigh heavily on a person for years.
I think there may be another factor at work that people don’t always consider - how capable the person with the CCW may be of running away rather than getting involved in a confrontation. My late spouse carried for awhile when he lived in a rough neighborhood because, since he was not physically able to run, he lacked that option for avoiding a problem. Also, as someone who visibly had trouble walking he was at times targeted as an easy mark (he wasn’t).
Then he was able to move to a better neighborhood and sold his guns, not feeling a need for them anymore.
So I can certainly see someone disabled, frail, or elderly deciding to arm themselves.
The question is absurd. I live in downtown Baltimore. My zip code is 21201, the Central Police District, here is a link if you would like to look at the crime stats: Crime Stats | Baltimore Police Department . By my count, that’s more than 100 violent crimes this year. I have lived here for 15 years or so, and have never needed or wanted a concealed or open fire arm.
How dangerous do one’s surroundings have to be for everyday concealed-carry to be worth it?
Not dangerous at all. There are benefits to me and almost no downside.
The only downside to carrying a concealed pistol that I have found is dealing with the places I can’t enter while carrying. An unexpected need to enter such a place requires that I return to my car and stash my gun in the small gun safe in my trunk. A small inconvenience.
I don’t have a CCW, and nor do I feel the need for one, but Crotalus’ answer is pretty much what I figured the correct answer is.
Basically there’s very little downside- you may have to restrict where you carry, you may have to devise places to store your gun, and you have whatever discomfort or inconvenience of actually carrying a gun. But that’s about it- otherwise if you already have a gun and a holster, the cost to you to carry it is minimal.
Which makes the real question whether or not those minimal costs are outweighed by whatever peace of mind someone gets from carrying. In my case, they’re not- I can’t have a concealed weapon at work, and since the only places I’d feel like having a gun might possibly be useful would be going to and from work on public transit, it’s a moot point. Even at that, I don’t feel so threatened that I would want to, even if I could have one at work.
Now I’m a 6’1" broad shouldered, 290 lb man (fat, but big regardless), so it’s rare that I feel threatened. I imagine if I was a frail older person, or a woman, my feelings about the threat level of public transit could be VERY different.
There are many businesses that ban the carrying of firearms onto the premises; I imagine it would be easy for a CCW carrier to inadvertently bring a weapon in.
There are fifty different sets of state laws; but, very often, in jurisdictions where violating a “no firearms” policy of a private business is itself a crime, there is a requirement that businesses with such policies prominently post signs at every entrance to such an establishment for that law to apply. The size and wording of such signs is often spelled out in state law (and signs which don’t comply with the law may not have any legal effect).
Depending on your state it may or may not be an issue. In Missouri, the sign must meet certain size and wording requirements. If you ignore the sign and are noticed, they have to ask you to leave. If you do so there’s no crime. If you do not leave and the police are called you could be charged with trespass.
Additionally there are some no carry places listed in our law that don’t need to post signs. But again if you are spotted you must leave if asked.