# Poll: How many of you carry a concealed weapon? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 18, 2009, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-of-you-carry-a-concealed-weapon/514207 "2009-10-18T06:49:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-of-you-carry-a-concealed-weapon/514207/61 "2009-10-19T13:31:56Z")
I have a CCW license, but don’t typically carry. The primary reason for the license was the time I spent at a shelter/soup kitchen in Alexandria, when I would deliver food and supplies collected by the K of C to a somewhat unsafe section of town, after a situation where another guy doing the same thing was robbed and kicked repeatedly, severely enough to be hospitalized. Apart from those errands, I don’t carry. > [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](#): > > No, I don’t nor am I licensed to do so. I would probably think less of a person who did without a sensible reason (as I find it needlessly antagonistic and indicative of a low sense of self-esteem/self-efficacy). A generalized mistrust of the world is not a sensible reason in my view. It’s unclear to me by what method you might divine the sensibility of the reasoning underlying a decision to carry, unless you mean you’d withhold judgment until you spoke to the individual. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-of-you-carry-a-concealed-weapon/514207/62 "2009-10-19T13:43:59Z")
I haven’t gotten around to getting the CCW permit. I will occasionally carry openly, for which no permit is needed here. ---
**Author:** ![Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimmy_Gibbler)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-of-you-carry-a-concealed-weapon/514207/63 "2009-10-19T15:28:12Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > It’s unclear to me by what method you might divine the sensibility of the reasoning underlying a decision to carry, unless you mean you’d withhold judgment until you spoke to the individual. No, I wouldn’t. I would form a slightly negative opinion based on the fact that I think most people do not have good reasons for carrying weapons in ordinary situations. It would be a rebuttable presumption, but they would start from behind the eight ball. Life’s a bitch, I know. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-of-you-carry-a-concealed-weapon/514207/64 "2009-10-19T15:40:08Z")
Absolutely not. I have never owned a gun nor have I ever handled a gun in my entire life. I’d rather live where nobody did. ---
**Author:** ![Walkabout](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/46a35a/32.png) [@Walkabout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walkabout)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-of-you-carry-a-concealed-weapon/514207/65 "2009-10-19T16:15:35Z")
No. No firearm, no need or desire for one. ---
**Author:** ![Marienee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@Marienee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marienee)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-of-you-carry-a-concealed-weapon/514207/66 "2009-10-19T16:47:42Z")
I carried concealed on a regular basis for many years. After 2 years courtship and engagement, my husband discovered that I had been carrying most of that time. He also discovered that it continued to bother him. Ultimately I got rid of the gun because his botherment was stronger than my desire to have a gun. I now live in a place where gun ownership is impractical so I don’t have one any more. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-of-you-carry-a-concealed-weapon/514207/67 "2009-10-19T17:25:42Z")
I don’t own a gun. I have no problem with others owning one, but I don’t want one in the house with my child. ---
**Author:** ![Hirundo82](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/919ad9/32.png) [@Hirundo82](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hirundo82)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-of-you-carry-a-concealed-weapon/514207/68 "2009-10-19T17:37:32Z")
> [@Projammer](#): > > Licensed and carry when in public. The only way you’ll ever know is to ask me and I’m not going to clue you in that you might need to. > > It’s like any other type of insurance, far better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. Pretty much this exactly. I carry weherever and whenever it is legal. Only my closest friends and family know that I own and carry guns, and I make it a point of pride to keep it well concealed when I am carrying. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-of-you-carry-a-concealed-weapon/514207/69 "2009-10-19T18:21:46Z")
I finally figured out why great bushy long beards are so popular with some folks in the US – it makes concealed carry easier on a hot day. ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-of-you-carry-a-concealed-weapon/514207/70 "2009-10-19T18:49:14Z")
I don’t own a gun (though I am comfortable handling and firing them), and have no CCW license. I have never been in a situation where having a gun on me would have been useful. That said, if I owned a gun and had a permit, I would occasionally carry when travelling to sketchy places. I wouldn’t carry 24/7, as I just don’t see the need for it. ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-of-you-carry-a-concealed-weapon/514207/71 "2009-10-19T19:15:37Z")
Current CCW holder, will probably renew because I’m a freedom-to-carry advocate. Have never carried regularly, currently own two target-shooting long guns and no handguns. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-of-you-carry-a-concealed-weapon/514207/72 "2009-10-19T19:41:28Z")
Have a License to Carry, but never carry. Got the unrestricted LTC because the “Target Shooting” license I’d require just to go back and forth to the range with my target pistol added too many restrictions and too many possibilities for a simple mistake to lead to unfortunate misunderstandings. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-of-you-carry-a-concealed-weapon/514207/73 "2009-10-19T19:46:42Z")
Nope. Perhaps I’ve been lucky, I’ve never been in a situation where it was needed. I hope that continues! ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-of-you-carry-a-concealed-weapon/514207/74 "2009-10-19T19:53:33Z")
I’ve had my permit for 10 years now, and carry intermittently. Better judged by 12 type of thinking. ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-of-you-carry-a-concealed-weapon/514207/75 "2009-10-19T19:55:13Z")
No, seems pointless. If someone pulls a gun on me, I would probably get shot if I reached for mine. I’m not going to pull a gun otherwise, so pointless. ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-of-you-carry-a-concealed-weapon/514207/76 "2009-10-19T19:59:35Z")
Nope, no license and no interest in one, probably because I don’t own a firearm. I don’t even carry a cellphone, unless I am expecting a call, so I just can’t figure out why anyone would choose to tote around something as heavy as a handgun. ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-of-you-carry-a-concealed-weapon/514207/77 "2009-10-19T20:24:10Z")
I have a license and carry when and where I can. ---
**Author:** ![Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimmy_Gibbler)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-of-you-carry-a-concealed-weapon/514207/78 "2009-10-19T20:24:36Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I’ve had my permit for 10 years now, and carry intermittently. Better judged by 12 type of thinking. Maybe I’m dense, but “better judged by 12” than what exactly? ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-of-you-carry-a-concealed-weapon/514207/79 "2009-10-19T20:25:31Z")
> [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](#): > > Maybe I’m dense, but “better judged by 12” than what exactly? “better judged by 12 than carried by 6” is the full saying. ---
**Author:** ![hende](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/aca169/32.png) [@hende](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hende)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-of-you-carry-a-concealed-weapon/514207/80 "2009-10-19T20:26:21Z")
I don’t, as it would be illegal in my state. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-of-you-carry-a-concealed-weapon/514207.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-of-you-carry-a-concealed-weapon/514207.md?page=5)