Concealed carry problems?

We tend to beat these subjects into the ground but I suppose these discussions do inform, or at least that is our aim... so, yet another conceal post.

I was wondering... it seems all you guys and gals do carry often and I for some reason, feel sort of conspicuous when carrying, even concealed... like self conscious or whatever... is that normal??? I am always concerned that I will get myself in trouble if I go in the wrong place or I have to explain myself to LE or whatever.... I don't usually carry although I do have a weapon with me in my vehicle at all times... that little SP101 hammer less Ruger is what I normally stick in the small of my back and on occasion I will strap on my shoulder rig with the Cougar or the XD .40 but very seldom... I do carry when I make a pickup but even then it has a tendency to make me a bit nervous... Now let me say that I have been around guns all my life... I am a former Marine and have fired many different weapons and been shot at several times in my life... luckily not being hit, but I am an avid hunter and feel confident with a personal weapon of most any type... but I still have this sort of feeling when I strap on a firearm... do any of you have any idea what I am saying here?? Just wondering if this is unique to me. It is sort of like I have escalated the coming event to a higher level...

It seems that the only places that I feel like I need to have a weapon with me are the places that are illegal to carry........ ie: most public places that sell alcohol... which are most grocery stores and/or quick marts or bars... etc... and federal parks and some state parks and most all government facilities...

I once had a weapon on my motorcycle and had to cross a river on a ferry that was part of a federal park service facility... (Williamsburg VA) the group I was with included about 25 bikes and the lead biker was searched including his bike... they only looked at the first couple but had they gotten to me... I had a loaded pistol and would have likely been arrested even though had 2... that's two, carry permits... one for Virginia and the other with DCJS, but still illegal I believe.... this gives me pause when carrying... even in my vehicle... see what I am saying here... ?

So, although a model citizen (matter of opinion) I still face problems when trying to comply and follow carry laws and regs.

Comments?

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Bill Marx, Sr.
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"I was wondering... it seems all you guys and gals do carry often and I for some reason, feel sort of conspicuous when carrying, even concealed... like self conscious or whatever... is that normal??? ... Just wondering if this is unique to me."

While I can't speak for the entire community, I can say you are not unique in your apprehension, if that's the right word. I was "on the job" for almost twenty years, and carried every day, on and off duty, everywhere I went. It seemed that while on duty, carrying was never an issue, even when working in plain clothes and carrying concealed. However, when I was off the clock and carrying (always concealed when off duty), there was always a sense of self-consciousness that went along with carrying a weapon. Today, I may not carry every day, but I'm never without a gun, whether it's in my briefcase or in my vehicle. Naturally, there are places I can't carry now, even with a CCW permit, and of course I don't. (I'd rather write bail than post it! )

Even with all that, there's still that lingering sense of self-consciousness. I guess some things don't change.

_________________
Doug DiNatale Bail Bonds
Vienna, MO
(573) 368-6672

"Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups."

Yep to both of your posts. Come February tho we will be able (Legally) to carry in Federal Parks . . . The only thing that I thank Obama for. That little tidbit was enacted with the Credit Card legislation.
As far as the places most likely to be needed I am with ya there Speezack . . .
Bail_Maker_582 . . . . we can carry our weapon into the Jail we must then put in a Locker just as the LE.

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I've heard two different interpretations of the Missouri statute, both from LE. One says you can't carry into any gov't facility at all, and the other says you can, but must secure the weapon in your vehicle if asked to do so by LE. The second doesn't make much sense to me, given the obvious reason for restricting carry into such a facility anyway. I opt to play it safe and not carry into the jails. No sense in tempting the fates, so to speak.

_________________
Doug DiNatale Bail Bonds
Vienna, MO
(573) 368-6672

"Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups."

I never carry. Dont believe in guns. LMAO, OK Doug, I confess.

If you see me, most likely there is a gun of some sort on me somewhere. I dont pay attention to the little signs very often. Courts, jails and anywhere there may be a metal detector are the only places I pay much attention to signs or laws. Its my god given right, upheld by the second ammendment of our constitution, to keep and bear arms to protect myself, my family and anyone else around me that needs protecting. Gun free zones are turning into killing zones. Malls, churchs and many other places are where all the mass shootings take place.

I dont want to get into trouble, but I would rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6. And, if I went somewhere and some lunitic harms a member of my family and I wasnt able to protect them because I didnt have a gun on me, either by my choice or obeying someones little sign, I could never live with myself.

Of course this is my humble opinion and your mileage may vary.

I dont usually post, but Ill jump in on this one. BTW Speezack, I love watching your posts, your a great guy! Someday Im going to have a skip in VA and youre going to be my guy there.

Its your American & God given right to carry arms. Bondsmen & recovery community, are dealing with offenders and should be accustomed to carrying for thier safety, and for the safety of the public. Whatever the laws are in your state, you should abide by them and make sure you are carrying legally wherever you are.

Here in AZ, we are an open-carry state. We dont register guns here, we carry open, and we licence to carry concealed. We dont carry into fed buildings, fed land.....and we just passed a state law that allows us to carry open or concealed in a bar- as long as your not drinking. Seems to me a lot fo bar fights just got stopped before they even started, guns always make someone think twice.

Anyways, I think for the most part, the Bondsman community is a responsible community, and acting in accordance with the law is our way; so it stands to reason we feel comfortable doing so when we carry a firearm as well. There is tremendous responsibility in carrying, and knowing your actions will always be reviewed when you carry should be in the forefront of your mindset.

I had a recent conversation with a bondsman from New Jersey, he made the claim that firearms are a liability, so he never carries one. Its sad that Americans in certain states allow thier governments to limit themselves on weapons laws, thereby forcing them to feel negativily about a gun. Nobody should live in fear of a gun. Nobody should be concerend when you see a guy in the grocery store carrying a holstered firearm. OUr 2nd Ammendments Rights are there for us, for the public.....God knows our government to include local law enforcement cant protect us when youre in need of a gun.

Last night I was interviewing an informant on his front porch. He came outside wearing a sidearm. He asked if it was ok, or if it made me nervous. I told him, no- it was his porch and Im his guest, not to mention my firearm was strapped to my hip. Thats the way it should be, makes men think differently. Dont let the public mindset get you down on carrying responsibly. You have your job to do, do it safely.

Thats my two cents.

S O'Connell
Fugitive Recovery Services of AZ
http://www.frsofaz.com

Bill. I feel the same way. When I was in LE, it was comfortable carrying. It was part of the uniform. The public knew what I represented and didn't think twice about my sidearm, just like I didn't. But as a BEA, it's a little different. Though I possess a CCW Permit, the public has no idea who I am, so I try to keep my sidearm concealed as much as possible. There are times we make an apprehension in the higher profile clothing that identifies us. There is definitely a difference in how people look at you. Identified they just look, unidentified they tend to keep an eye on you. I can't blame them. If I should notice someone carrying, I'll watch him or her like a hawk! I think a normal person carrying legally does tend to feel a little different. Maybe call it self conscious. You're carrying something that was made to kill another person. If you're carrying without thinking twice about what you have strapped on, I'd call it reckless. When I go into that very bad neighborhood, in the back of my mind, I'm remembering that I have my gun for my protection along with the people with me. When I go into the gas station to fill up the tank and buy some munchies, I'm thinking about concealing my gun as not to make any cashiers or customers nervous. Think about it. Some of these cashiers in the bad parts of town have been robbed before. The last thing I need is some scared, nervous, or "not this time" cashier pointing a gun at me. Just my opinion.

As to dealing with anyone answering a door with a weapon of any kind, informant or not, I'll politely but firmly ask them to put it away just to ease my mind. We may not know each other, but they know I'm carrying because I have a potentially dangerous job to do, I don't know a thing about them or their intentions. Nobody has ever had a problem with that yet.

With all do respect, Icer, if you came to my door and politely asked me to put my gun away, I would not so politely tell you to get off my property. I would never do that. That person has every right to carry and even more right to carry in his own home. Easing your mind would be the least of my concerns.

Bill, I guess I was a little self conscious about it when I first started carrying. Its been so long, I dont really remember it too much. Now I feel really wierd if I dont have a gun strapped on me somewhere.

Andy.
Let me clarify. Where I live, people don't answer the door with a gun strapped on. The majority of our skips are in the bad parts of St. Paul/Minneapolis. Not saying that everyone living in those neighborhoods is necessarily bad, but alot of them are. So far we haven't been met at the door by a good Samaritan carrying a gun. If that did happen, I wouldn't necessarily ask them to put it away. It depends on the circumstances. We had a case where we went to a defendants residence on his application. We were met at the door by a roommate holding a large knife and talking on his cell phone. We told him who we were and why we were there. He invited us in. The man sat on the couch and talked to us. After a little while, he started to yell about his roommate and other things. He'd yell and then just stop and stare off into lala land for about a minute. Then he'd kind of shake it off and ask us why we were there and who we were. On something? You bet. One of my partners was across a coffee table from him talking. The whole time I had my gun side away from him standing about 15 feet away with my hand on my gun. Finally he got up and walked away from where he was sitting. His nephew went over and sat in his spot with the knife next to him. I went over and explained to the nephew that I was going to move that knife over across the room. He had no problem with that.

Bill,
Thanks for this post as it inspires us to think about what we do, how we do it and the cause and effect relationship of our actions and methodology. In my AO there are places that you can't carry, like Washington, DC. There are individual cities where you can't carry a Taser, like Baltimore and Annapolis. We are looked at with disdain by most law enforcement, with the exception being the Warrant Squad detectives who value our skill sets and assistance. The regular road dog cop is not an investigator, but a responder, and does not understand what authority we have. Their opinions are often not based on facts but Parroted and assumed from other officers, that may or may not be based on a factual situation. LE opinion of us is based on the worst in our craft and it taints us all. When I carry, which admittedly is not everyday, I am very cognizant of where I am and where I may need to be, so carrying in any fashion may not be an option. I share the concerns of others on here, and liability is always an issue. I prefer to be alive to defend myself if needed, rather than the converse. It is not an uncommon occurence to heve defendants and their families claim that they all had guns pointed at them and the Bounty Hunters had badges that said they were FBI, Police, US Marshal's etc., though nobody had weapons, licensed or not or badges of any kind. In this area, LE will put more credence on the statements of criminals and their families, and critique us to death. Because of ths enviroment, our decisions are further convoluted and the climate must be considered in one's decision to carry.

i have a ton of respect for all of you, because I am scared to death of individuals that have not even considered this discussion previously.

Scott

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R.E. "Scott" MacLean III

"Leaders are like Eagles, you never see them in a flock, but one at a time"

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