Having doubts, is a CHL even worth it anymore?

[HoserBoi]

I'm glad we could help. This is a great bunch of people with a wealth of knowledge. Any questions you have, just ask them here. Your question will get answered from many different angles, just like it did here.

Welcome aboard and don't be a stranger!

Thank you guys greatly. Getting my fingerprints done on Monday. I sure am glad I came across this site. Look forward to asking more questions and learning from you folks.

[RogueUSMC]

HoserBoi:

Please follow through on your decision to carry.

What handgun(s) do you own, what will you carry, and have you considered your preferred carry rig?

All of us here on the board would like to see you carry SOMETHING every moment that you are awake, everywhere it is legal.

We all carry car insurance in force at all times. We never know when a wreck will occur.

It's the same thing with your handgun. Carry all the time. Bad guys don't set an appointment to rob you or carjack you.

SIA

I currently own a Springfield Armory 1911-A1, looking at getting an M&P Shield .40 for carry. Not sure I can pull of carrying the 1911. I've been told by several folks that they do. Perhaps it's just another excuse for me to add to my collection.

I bought my XDS because it was so small and easy to conceal. Once I started carying it, I realized I could conceal alot more gun just as easily. Then, when I had to send it in to Springfield for recall, I carried my 5" 1911 in a snapslide inside the waistband. The only thing that was uncomfortable was having that much barrel sticking so far down in there when I sat down...but it was very doable. You would be surprised how much you can conceal.

[SewTexas]

It's a shame your instructor didn't make that perfectly clear during your class.

Many times students are coverd on this and just don't remember it. There is a ton of info thrown at you when going through the class, so it is a very common thing to forget it or miss it entirely.

I understand, but it's been almost 7 years since my initial class and I clearly remember my instructor hammering home two things; where you could carry and when you could/should use your firearm. In fact, each of us had to recite "Subsections (b)(4), (b)(5), (b)(6), and (c) do not apply if the actor was not given effective notice under Section 30.06" to the instructor before he would let us take the test. It was his way of making sure it registered.

And you live on this forum where you get reminded freqently.

You sound like Mrs. JMRA. She claims I live on here too.

Just tell her it's better than spending time at a bar.

I thought the nickname to this forum was Cheers! isn't it?

[Jumping Frog]

... it's been almost 7 years since my initial class and I clearly remember my instructor hammering home two things; where you could carry and when you could/should use your firearm. In fact, each of us had to recite "Subsections (b)(4), (b)(5), (b)(6), and (c) do not apply if the actor was not given effective notice under Section 30.06" to the instructor ....

Well played.

What I remember the most from taking Mr. Cotton's CHL class is the way he emphasized we all needed to memorize "aggravated kidnapping, murder, sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault, robbery, or aggravated robbery."

[The Annoyed Man]

It is already legal to carry in the vehicle without a license, it's legal to have a weapon in your home without a license, and where we are allowed to carry with a license is pretty limited as it is, so having a license seems to only make you more liable and identifies you as an armed citizen.

Welcome to the forum.

To put things into perspective for you, I live in the DFW metroplex, and I RARELY ever run up against a place where I cannot carry. It's a pretty small list......as in, I might go months and months without ever having to worry about the fact that I have a gun on my hip. The other 99.999999% of the time, it is a total non-issue. As to legal liability, your legal exposure is reduced by having the CHL. Hence all the uses of the term "defense to prosecution" in the language of the law. Without the CHL, you have none of those defenses to prosecution.

[jbarn]

It is already legal to carry in the vehicle without a license, it's legal to have a weapon in your home without a license, and where we are allowed to carry with a license is pretty limited as it is, so having a license seems to only make you more liable and identifies you as an armed citizen.

Welcome to the forum.

To put things into perspective for you, I live in the DFW metroplex, and I RARELY ever run up against a place where I cannot carry. It's a pretty small list......as in, I might go months and months without ever having to worry about the fact that I have a gun on my hip. The other 99.999999% of the time, it is a total non-issue. As to legal liability, your legal exposure is reduced by having the CHL. Hence all the uses of the term "defense to prosecution" in the language of the law. Without the CHL, you have none of those defenses to prosecution.

To what defenses to prosecution are you referring?

[puma guy]

Like others have posted there are many more places to carry than not. Personally that's not a consideration anyway. I have had two encounters in my lifetime where a gun was I was facing someone with a gun. Statistically I am probably not the norm, and maybe I've been "pre-disastered", but I'm not going to be w/o the means to defend myself and my family just because I can't carry in some establishment. Most people only need a handrail on a staircase once in their life. If they're not holding on the consequences can be catastrophic. My instructor asked everyone to decide before starting the class if they were willing to shoot someone in self defense. If not - no need to take the class.
Edited; my "f" key is intermittently malunctioning.

[The Annoyed Man]

It is already legal to carry in the vehicle without a license, it's legal to have a weapon in your home without a license, and where we are allowed to carry with a license is pretty limited as it is, so having a license seems to only make you more liable and identifies you as an armed citizen.

Welcome to the forum.

To put things into perspective for you, I live in the DFW metroplex, and I RARELY ever run up against a place where I cannot carry. It's a pretty small list......as in, I might go months and months without ever having to worry about the fact that I have a gun on my hip. The other 99.999999% of the time, it is a total non-issue. As to legal liability, your legal exposure is reduced by having the CHL. Hence all the uses of the term "defense to prosecution" in the language of the law. Without the CHL, you have none of those defenses to prosecution.

To what defenses to prosecution are you referring?

That of carrying a handgun, which is otherwise illegal. I should have restated it thusly: "Without the CHL, you have none of the protections of the law when you carry a handgun around, away from your home, while not in your vehicle.

[sugar land dave]

Your firearm is just like any other tool. Usually you won't need it, but when you do, if you do not have it with you, you will find that doing the job by hand is not very easy. You can be safe and perhaps help others to be safe, or you can perhaps be sorry. After you have carried for awhile, you will feel uncomfortable if you do not have your firearm in its place.

[asbandr]

I was the same as the OP for a while. My husband and I were going to take the class together a year or so ago, but I decided not to because I just couldn't see myself carrying. I don't watch the news much but some stories had caught my attention and I started watching a bit more. I quickly realized that there are no "safe neighborhoods" or "safe stores". Look at what happened at that petsmart! It's happened at malls, movie theaters, gas stations, restaurants, fast food places and many others. All types of places I frequent especially with my children in tow. And being a woman I'm already at a disadvantage against an attacker. So I decided it was time I take the course. I only got my license a few weeks ago, but I've spent more time with my gun than my children since then! And I'm a stay at home mom so that's saying a lot. And the only places I've seen a 30.06 sign is at different hospitals and medical centers I've been to. "Gun busters signs do nothing. They are not legally enforceable. Know the law of where you can carry, and when you can take action should you need to. Know your gun, your holster, your carry method. Stay alert to possible threats and what course of action should be used given location and situation if the worst did happen. It's been helpful for me to read stories of defensive gun use and consider what I would have done differently if anything. I've run what if scenarios by my husband and got his input and advice. We don't know if or when we'll need to use our guns, we just have to be as ready as possible for anything.