CCP Advice

[Seagoon]

Hi Guys,

Just met with the Detective from the Fayetteville PD - the conversation we had was sobering to say the least. According to him, most of the churches in town have been hit, some of them multiple times. The PD in our city is too small to keep a handle on the crime (305 officers for almost 200,000 locals plus transients) - I don't want to say exactly what he said but he indicated they don't have a handle on crime here and its getting worse at a very quick pace. He also indicated that the biggest growth sector for crime at present is the military population, the lowered recruiting standards are having a catastrophic effect in regards to crime and for instance just last night 3 shoppettes on Ft. Bragg were robbed. We've had soldiers robbing banks and stores here at a truly scary rate.    

Anyway, one of the places that is getting much worse is the neighborhood where I live. There is one block between us and a very bad neighborhood, and at least one of the houses in our neighboorhood is dealing. Because of this, I've decided that it is time for my wife and I to finally go get our CCPs.

Do any of you have any advice on how to find the best place to get trained and how to begin the process? Also, We are both experienced with firearms but have never carried before, any advice?

Thanks in advance,

SEAGOON

[Phaser11]

Seagoon
Most any gunstore will have that info. The big thing is to move to a safe place. You can allways say the bad guys are not pushing you out, but when the lead starts flying it's to late.
 I lived in Spring Lake off the Pope gate. It used to be a real nice area and then we moved up to Cameron. I know it costs money to move, but it might be for the better.

[Maverick]

Andy,

First off, are you and your wife really determined to use a weapon if needed? I know it sounds like a silly question but it isn't. If you figure on just threatening with it, don't. If you cannot decide now in a clear non rattled non stress decision that when needed you WILL pull the trigger don't bother with the ccp or having a firearm for defense.

If you have decided that you will use it if needed then look in the phone book in the firearm section of the yellow pages and start calling them. Ask questions about who are the instructors, do they have Police experience / military experience. What is the basis of their core curriculum regarding self defense home defense on a shoot don't shoot situation? In other words do they understand the legal ramifications and can they make YOU understand them so you know when to make the shoot decision. Often it's more important to know when to NOT shoot than to shoot. Away from home and church building is when the avoidance is best policy really kicks in.

Are you and your wife committed to proper security of the weapon when home? You have small children and they need to be separated from the weapons yet the weapons also need to be available for use when needed.

I might think of other things after a bit but that should get you started. Don't forget to increase the liability coverage on your home to as much as you can afford. If possible you might also consider an umbrella policy to add more coverage. Being sued will be a likely possibility, but being sued is preferred to being dead.

[tedrbr]

What Maverick said.

Having or waving a gun is not a magic wand.  If you are not up to actually using it, if the situation merits it, you will likely find yourself the recipient of your own rounds.  

Go to you local gun store and ask about it.  Many indoor shooting ranges also give classes (mine does) on CCW/CCP.  Practice.  Keep the gun clean and well maintained.  

Consider what you will use to carry too.  Smaller frame, simple, rugged, reliable, effective.  Revolver or automatic.  Personally, I have a Model 29 Glock, subcompact -- it's a 10mm, 10 round mags (I load 9 and rotate magazines to keep wear off springs), small frame pistol, with Cor-Bon JHP rounds.  Easy to conceal, very reliable, and a great knock-down ability, but the 10mm in a small frame is a handful for handling recoil.  Takes practice.

What caliber is a concern.  Over-penetration can be a problem in crowded areas.  Recoil control a problem with larger calibers.  Too small a round, and that hopped up druggie that sticks a knife into you after you shot him 3 times won't know he's seriously hurt till long after you are dead.  

Finally there are many consequences.  Beyond the personal one's for injuring or taking a life.  You can be forced to shoot or kill a person to defend yours or another's life, it may be a righteous shoot, but you can still end up in a civil court case in a wrongful injury/death suit.  Even if you win that, it can be expensive..... but, then, what is your life worth?  The chances of a liability suit go up if you only wound the other guy; he's got time while in jail to sue everyone he can think of, and him sitting miserably in the courtroom 1 or 2 years after the incident will hurt you in some cases.  

You can even be sued for not using it, in defense of another person's life, depending on your state's laws, and they learn you were there and armed.  You need to know your state's particular CCW laws.

And never, never, never use reloads in a personal carry.  Some idiot DA or lawyer will try to convince the jury that "standard" loads were not good enough for you and you had to make them "extra deadly killer bullets".

[Seagoon]

Hi Phaser and Mav,

Thanks for your replies and the good advice.

First, regarding moving, we are living in our first home which we bought in July of last year, and it really is ideal in several respects. We have a huge fenced back-yard and live just 5 minutes from the church. On the other hand, the housing market has taken a down-turn since we bought it  and I'm not sure we'd recoup the money. Plus the process of getting a loan for us is roughly the equivalent of one of the 12 labors of Hercules, probably somewhere between cleaning the Augean Stables and capturing Cerberus.

Second, regarding actually shooting, both my wife and I fully understand that if the circumstances are so dire we need to pull out the gun, that we will be shooting immediately afterwards and that the target will be center mass. This comes from our understanding that amongst the positive and negative duties included in the sixth commandment are: "all careful studies, and lawful endeavors, to preserve the life of ourselves and others...by just defense thereof against violence." (WLC 136)

We also understand the need for a secure place for our firearms. I will be buying a gun safe and quick access touch pad safe for the bedroom very soon. We already own several handguns, but sadly only one of them is really suitable for CC. I tend to prefer big-frame revolvers to easily concealed pistols.

- SEAGOON

[AWMac]

What was that Clint Eastwood Western movie?

Clint was a man of the cloth packin sidearms preachin in a town of heathens?

Didn't he have a cut out Bible with a small Derringer in it also?

Was that High Plains Drifter?

Hmmm...

This could make a modern day Good ~vs~ Evil Movie.

"Fort Bragg Preacher.... He'll send you to Heaven, one way or another."
"Do you believe in GOD punk?... well do you?"

Starring Clint Seagoon or Seagoon Eastwood as Andy DaMann... Coming to a Church near you soon.

Both have a good ring to it.



Mac

[x0847Marine]

NC firearm regs
http://www.jus.state.nc.us/NCJA/ncfirearmslaws.pdf

You can also inquire about whats called a "tech reserve" here in Ca, if such a thing exists in NC.

The Dept. chaplain where I used to work was a tech reserve; he was non sworn and took a basic firearm & powers to arrest class (AKA in Ca "PC832 class"). He went on ride-alongs unarmed and not wearing a uniform.

He was basically a non paid civilian volunteer with a little training who could wear a uniform during funerals, or when representing the Dept at special occasions... in return he got a CCW from the COP.

NC might have a similar position, your local dept could tell you more.

[lasersailor184]

Originally posted by x0847Marine
NC firearm regs
http://www.jus.state.nc.us/NCJA/ncfirearmslaws.pdf

You can also inquire about whats called a "tech reserve" here in Ca, if such a thing exists in NC.

The Dept. chaplain where I used to work was a tech reserve; he was non sworn and took a basic firearm & powers to arrest class (AKA in Ca "PC832 class"). He went on ride-alongs unarmed and not wearing a uniform.

He was basically a non paid civilian volunteer with a little training who could wear a uniform during funerals, or when representing the Dept at special occasions... in return he got a CCW from the COP.

NC might have a similar position, your local dept could tell you more.

NC isn't going to mirror the near inability to get a CCW like California does.  Or at least I hope the NC I remember wouldn't.


It seems like you just have to apply to your county Sheriff, plus complete a firearm training course.

In PA, you just have to apply to the County Sheriff.  I've been considering doing it myself, but up until recently I had no money with which to do it.