ccase39 said:
PhantomFanatic said:
I think you meant Ruger. Just a friendly suggestion to make your posts more readable: Use your "ENTER" key, to make paragraphs. It makes it much more readable.
Having said that, I read what you wrote and I have a no -quad experience that is related. After becoming disabled, I could no longer ride my GoldWing, teach SCUBA diving or dive and I lost SO many hobbies as I was very active. If the sun was out, either I was gone teaching diving, or doing some project.
To the point: I had always wanted to metal detect, but other hobbies used up my time. So, I finally bought a White's metal detector - top of the line, I got addicted and went out around 1 pm and I came back home around 9 - 11pm each night. Unless you find gold, all coins look like dirt. I would put them in my tumblers, while drinking a glass of wine. Then I would look at the brand new coins. Unfortunately, due to neuropathy, I couldn't handle the 12" coil and I used a 6" coil instead. This meant I didn't find the old coins that I wanted to find.
I hunted out all public parks, dealing with the kids who wanted to help. There was one park that I left for last. It was in the bad side of town. After an hour, despite wearing headphones, I heard some guys of another race, who said: "Look at that white guy trying to find gold!"
I acted as if I didn't hear it. I probably should have left much earlier, but it was so nice and cool. Suddenly three teenagers on bicycles rode very fast, towards me in three different directions. Their first question was: "What is that worth?"' Not what it cost.
I wasn't afraid, but I saw no reason to hurt or kill someone. I told them what it cost, I stated that I was still paying for it, via a credit card, because I was disabled. I then asked all three if they would like to see how it worked. After awhile, they all left.
I knew they planned to rob me. They didn't know that I was carrying a fully loaded, 11 round .45 pistol, with two back-up 10 round magazines. Was it was my being nice, showing no fear, etc., I don't know.
I've had a firearms license since the early 70's and I've never let it expire. AND, I ALWAYS carry! Call me a nut, or if you knew my life experiences, you would understand. I've never had to draw my firearm. What few know, what they call a concealed firearms license, also allowand s one to carry openly.
Due to this hot climate, I now carry openly, with a locked holster. Even if I'm flying. Sometimes it is easier to just carry my badge, with the gun.
So, yes, I'm a gun nut! When you are begging for your life, I'll be reaching for my gun!! Maybe I'll be too late if I draw that late, but I choose to die trying to save my life than begging for it. Honestly, by having a firearm, my life has been saved several times. Excuse this long post, but if one person applies for their state's FireArms license, it would be worth it!
I hear ya, sorry about the lack of spaces. My computer spell checks Ruger to Rugar. Pisses me off when I am in a firearm forum. I have had several instances where people have followed me to my car at gas stations and try to get in after I lock the door and beat on windows. Never felt threatened, just easier to drive off.
Its legal here to open carry without a permit, many do, I do not. Sometimes I think open carry can do more harm than good but that is a discussion for another forum
I am in the beginning stages of metal detecting right now. An old high school buddy of mine is getting me into it. Hadnt seen him in years and he gave me a ring to see if I wanted to go with him. We grew up on a property with a house built in the 1700's and are having a field day. Nothing too valuable yet but lots of fun and good to relive some old memories. Actually found some old arrows that we lost shooting rabbits together 20 years ago.
He will have a Phantom soon. We use the Phantom to scout out old Indian shell harvest areas. There are shell plots hidden all up in the marsh which are only visible from the air. Indians would set up for days picking clams and oysters and these plots as a post to trade with trappers and settlers. There is bound to be something there.
Amen about spell check! Posting in another thread, it turned a good word into a VERY bad word. I was happy I noticed it!
My state used to allow open carry without a permit. But, they changed that about 8 years ago. Open carry is a subject that many feel strongly about, both pro and con. There is an open carry forum that I'm on. We have our reasons and with a permit it is legal, so that should be the end of it.
I'll tell one story ot show why I started carrying openly: I was sitting in my vehicle, at a park, while eating some takeout. I heard on the scanner, that a local bank had been robbed by 3 black men. I was going to the mall and I was through with lunch. So, I headed that way, which was close. When I was on the street, that the bank was on, I noticed three black men, in a car, with stockings on their heads.
I called in and I asked if they had a description of the vehicle, they didn't. I shared what I saw and they asked me to follow the vehicle. As a private detective everyone in law enforcement knew me, even dispatch. I drove casually and I was a few cars behind them.
The dispatcher asked for the tag number. Mi told her if I got close enough to see the tag, they will most likely make me. Mi said I can follow at a distance and we could get Law enforcement to them. She insisted. When I was behind them, I noticed the driver checking me out. That vehicle with all the antennas, etc. made many tink it was law enforcement despite the fact it was a van! The driver also saw me talking on the phone.
Well, they started making turns and the backseat passenger was now turning around to look at me. The dispatch said all three were armed and they had fired a shot in the bank and pepper sprayed the tellers. I still held out some hope, but after more turns, they pulled into a drive way. I thought it might be their house, but then they pulled out and went the other direction.
As luck would have it, I found my rear view mirror on the floorboard. The only place for me to turn around was in an intersection with traffic. Without the mirror, I couldn't see them. I got turned around and they were gone. They either turned left or right. I chose left. Wrong! There were about 10 patrol cars stopped there. I had been calling out the streets and the officers were trying to get to me. I was a bit perturbed to find some standing outside of their vehicles, while I was putting my life at risk.
I got home hours later after the FBI asked me to go to the bank for debriefing, in the parking lot. I heard the local FBI agent,say: "We will hit them in the middle of the night. When I got home, I began thinking about it all. It seemed these were the ban robbers. It dawned on me that all they had to do was to stop in that narrow street, where they turned, and all three could have gotten out and unloaded on me.
All I carried then, was a .380 on my left ankle. Seven rounds, in the pistol was all I had. I had also been stopping at accidents and stranded vehicles. I would get an instant to turn down a road and always there would be someone in need.
But, not all cars pulled over are in need of help. They might be doing drugs or a drug deal could be going on.
I realized by the time I saw the gun, then bent down to get mine, I would be a dead man. But with temperatures in the 90's it was impossible to wear a jacket. So, I thought either I carry a tiny pistol with little stopping power or I forget what others might think and carry a larger caliber on my belt, with magazines on the other side.
I perfected this to what I call "Invisible Open Carry" The average person goes through life unaware of their surroundings. There are techniques to take advantage of that. But, you will have to wait for the book! When I first started carrying openly, everyone saw me! Now, I can go into Walmart, carrying openly, and no one says anything, no one looks at the gun, security isn't called, etc.
If it is cold enough for a jacket, sure, I will carry concealed. But, I am not going to risk my life because some don't approve of open carry. The heck with them! If you don't believe in carrying openly, carry concealed. It is YOUR right to carry concealed. It is also MY right to carry openly!