I will always remember an article I read almost twenty years ago on the Survival Mom’s website titled “Gardening with a Gun”. Made sense to me then, still makes sense today.
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Welcome to the family brother and you are in the right place at the right time.
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I usually carry all the time unless I am going somewhere where it is prohibited.
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SHHHHHH!!! Don’t tell CNN. 
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Thank you AdamHutch. So glad to be here.
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@Guy4, Welcome to the forum. Yes, I carry every time I leave my house and where I can’t legally carry (i.e. City Hall etc) then it’s locked in my safe in my truck. My mentors from long ago taught me that ccw is a life long Discipline. One which requires constant awareness, commitment to safety and moral responsibility. I believe when one starts to carry & not carry, one can lose focus and become a little lax in ones training. Does that make sense?
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The only reason I don’t carry, is I can’t carry at work. I keep a gun in my vehicle. If I’m going somewhere where it’s illegal to carry, I will leave my gun in my vehicle (I try to avoid those places). All other times, I have a gun.
Even when I’m going to a family members house I carry. A few weeks ago a car stopped in front of us on the highway on ramp trapping my wife and I. We both agreed it’s good to have a gun in the case of someone using that blockage to shoot. You could get a flat and get stranded. You might have to make unexpected stops.
Most things aren’t likely, but it’s not that hard to throw a gun on your hip 
.
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@Scoutbob, always be prepared. being prepared does not mean anything will happen, or that there is any paranoia.
When you stop a car at a light, stop at least a half car length back, keep a space, in case you will need to accelerate and bust through a road block, or turn the wheel and accelerate up and over the curb or some other escape route. Also, always be prepared for the sudden appearance of people in the street in front of you.
Most times, there is nothing to worry about, totally innocent… the other driver needs a proctologist to have their head examined…, but for those times when it is a terrorist attack, some form of attack to cause you harm or capture you, be prepared.
So, a car stops in front of you (if you get too close, you lose some leverage and safety space), and you and your wife start to prepare… GOOD. (check your mirrors, check the sides of the road, watch the car in front of you, and prepare to ram if needed.)
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It should be as close to 100% of the time as you can manage. You should have a carry set-up, to include the gun, that is light and comfortable enough that you can put it on like a watch and it can go with you whenever, where ever, with no need, or even thought, to take it off except for those times you have identified as necessary.
Attackers, either through cowardice, convenience, or good thinking, are naturally going to pick a time and place when you are unlikely to be armed. some quick little moment when you are likely to be 30 feet from the gun in your night stand or end table. They will approach you while your busy with keys in your hand unlocking your car door, or your front door, or that quick trip to take the trash to the curb.
Believe me, I wrote a lot of reports where the thing that immediately proceeded a fatality was one of those “quick little things” where usual precautions were thought to be unnecessary and an inconvenience. Seriously, so many fatal events are at just such a moment, that since then, I consider those “quick little things” to be the most likely time for the bad things to happen!
And it makes sense. It should be no surprise that the most common time for someone to get hurt is that moment when they are not protected.
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Speaking for myself, I carry all the time unless I am going into a government building. That’s the point of “concealed carry” no one knows I am carrying. I CC for self defense in this crazy society we live in now where crimial rioters can do anything they like and get away with it. Well not against me or my family.
I live in a “stand your ground” state and I will do the required evade, avoid and everything needed to not have to use deadly force but if it comes down to me or them I am going to be the one standing in the end.
TAKE the USCCA DSF-1 and DSF-2 training! It will get you mentally and firearm ready for anything that will come at you. After the training you will feel much more calm and confident with your EDC.
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The only time I do not carry is when I’m in the shower. If my pants are on, I’m armed. Too often there are incidents where an individual being assaulted in his/her home is unable to reach a firearm. If you decide to carry why only carry part time? That implies you know when and where the threat is going to occur.
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Since the day my permit arrived, I’ve had a firearm on my person every single time I’ve left my house. When I’m at home, it’s on my desk if I’m in house shorts, or my belt if I’m dressed. The only difference is that at home, I don’t keep one in the chamber, as the door is always locked, and the noise of someone trying to enter would give enough time to rack the slide.
There’s only one friend that I visit, and even that is rare due to the pandemic, and I asked him if he minded if I carry when I visit. He gave permission, so I carry there as well. Had he said no, I’d just leave the firearm in the car. I figure his Rottweiler would give an intruder plenty to think about should it become an issue.
Otherwise, I’m carrying. Obviously I wouldn’t carry into a government building or bank, but other than that, my state does not recognize a ‘no firearm’ sign as legally restricting you from carrying.
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I do carry all the time as well. But when I go to friend homes I know it can be tricky. So what I do is talk to my friends and family. I do have a small lock box that I take on the road with me in a backpack. This way I still have access in the homes of friends that feel uncomfortable me being armed in their homes. I know some may not agree with this but if they are your friends they will understand your point of view and they should understand yours.
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Thank you USCCA fam for all of your inputs. I’ve taken a little of everyone’s replies and stories and really learned a lot from it all. I’m so glad to be part of the community.
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Insert Parachute Theory here. If I leave the confines I am carrying. If not, it’s on the coffee table.
Parachute Theory= A gun is like a parachute, if you need one and don’t have one, you won’t need one again.
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Pull out a map. Pull out a calendar. Does the map show where crime or violence is contained to? Does the calendar show when bad things are going happen? Answer is, they can happen anywhere at anytime. Carry always. Stay safe
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I understand completely. I have no idea what the law says about that, but I do know that if I didn’t carry, and a friend came over and I asked them not to have a firearm in my home, I’d feel betrayed if they concealed one, came in my home knowing I didn’t want the gun there, and I found out.
I’d not likely invite them over again, and would probably reexamine our friendship to see if it was a ‘friendship’.
I am a strong supporter of the 2nd Amendment, but my home is my castle. It’s MINE. As such, I expect guests to be mindful of my rules. If they don’t, they’re out and don’t come back. I also expect the reverse to be true. Had my friend in the above post said “NO”, I’d never ever bring a gun into his home.
That said, I probably wouldn’t have a problem with a friend carrying in a suitable holster in my home.
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