Rude awakening.

[M118LR]

Oh that S&W J-frame has worked so well since I really never had to use it. I've gone half a century with all 5 rounds of .38 special or less and never used it. That means that I can dictate to others that they need no more and won't ever use it.

Then one day a bad guy with a micro nine challenges me. So since I have never actually spent a round in anger. Everything I practice on the safety of the one way range assures me I'm going to come out on top.

Don't worry, my two shot .22LR derringer that I never used is more than enough

What happens if it doesn't?

 

[Jeepnik]

OH, you're gonna hate me. I carry everything from this.

To this.

But always this.

But mostly I like one of these.

And I change type. caliber and capacity when ever the mood suits me.

 

[Jakeintexas]

Funny I do the same thing. I sometimes carry

But it’s often

When it’s not that it can be

Or even

Or

Sometimes

I’ve even got a Dick pic !

 

[blume357]

If you don't carry a 1911 cocked and locked then you are totally out of the game anybody who has done any research knows this for a fact.

 

[Neon Vernon]

We were a better country when everyone bowled.

 

[Mobuck]

Over the years I've carried a variety of self defense handguns from a 5 shot 38 to 7 shot 22 to 14 shot 9mm to 6 shot 44 and have never shot anyone in this hemisphere with any of them.
I know what a 22 CAN do but don't personally have high expectations of what it WILL do (consistently).
I don't deny that range practice is a valuable tool but it's NOT a gunfight.

 

[M118LR]

OH, you're gonna hate me. I carry everything from this.

To this.

But always this.

But mostly I like one of these.

And I change type. caliber and capacity when ever the mood suits me.

Actually don't hate a thing about it. Kind of runs concurrent to my train of thought. Most folks don't really concern themselves with what their carrying so long as their just more comfortable carrying.
IE remember those little one shot 22 deringers that fit on belt buckles? They were so small that you could basically view the end of the 22 round when they were loaded. But the folks that wore them felt better, because they were carrying. It's probably a good thing that 99 percent of civilians that carry will never actually need to use their Concealed Carry sidearm.

So let's say you're entering the hardware store and two guys are beating a third guy with fence posts.
As a civilian there is no legal or even moral reason to insert yourself into the ruckus. Yet maybe it's different for an off duty cop? Perhaps what he carries and how often he practices with it are a bit different than the average Joe. Instead of just a comfort the sidearm he has concealed is more of a tool of the trade. The odds that an off duty cop will need to pull or use his concealed sidearm are far different than the average Joe. JMHO YMMV.

 

[blume357]

Here's the problem with your 'fence post' scenario ... learned this in a force on force class where two guys came around a corner chasing another guy caught him and started beating him....
You have no idea what either the 'chased' guy or 'fence post' guy just did and actually who is in the wrong.

 

[M118LR]

As just a citizen why get involved at all?

Now if your morally or legally supposed to Serve & Protect you probably should stop the altercation and you can figure out the right and wrong once the situation is deescalated.

 

[blume357]

In the scenario I described above no one did anything until a woman came around the corner and tried to stop the two guys beating on the other guy and one of them knocked her down.... only one of the students in the class did what the instructor explained was right... he engaged the two guys and they tried to bate him and he just stayed calm and talked them down ..... he was a psychiatrist ....
I actually did the exact opposite but was in someways 'justified'. I yelled at them to stop and they both turned and engaged me and I did nothing as they called me all kinds of names and wanted to know what I was going to do and I said nothing but call 911 but then one of the dudes turned and started kicking the guy they had been beating and was laying on the ground unconscious ... I yelled at him to stop and he started to kick the guy in the head and I drew and shot the guy about 3 times center mass.... he went down... then his buddy starts screaming and coming at me... I told him to stop or I would shoot his ass too... he kept coming...

 

[BigPapa53]

IE remember those little one shot 22 deringers that fit on belt buckles? They were so small that you could basically view the end of the 22 round when they were loaded. But the folks that wore them felt better, because they were carrying. It's probably a good thing that 99 percent of civilians that carry will never actually need to use their Concealed Carry sidearm.

I've never seen a single shot buckle, but I have seen these 5-shot revolver buckles.