For those that carry Guns and Overlanding

[rruff]

The worldviews of people posting in this thread are certainly interesting. Not surprising, though.

Some people feel the need to carry because they are afraid (or to ward off fear, better to be armed rather than a victim, etc), and others don't wish to carry but are usually just as afraid. Maybe more. I understand these very well. But there is another option.

I knew an attractive young woman who liked to take strolls through the worst parts of Philadelphia on a regular basis. At night. What do you think happened to her?

 

[plainjaneFJC]

At the range 75% of those I see shooting are a danger to themselves and to others.

So true. I don't hardly go anymore because every tom ******** and Harry doesn't have an effing clue about basic gun safety.

 

[rruff]

Hmmm...
You murdered her, married her, mugged her ? I dunno.. You better tell us.

She got a lot of attention, but no one ever physically accosted or harmed her. Fearless. It makes all the difference. I understood what she was doing, but I didn't have that kind of faith. I've never gone out looking for challenging situations like that. But I have enough faith to be open to whatever (and whoever) comes my way.

 

[Christophe Noel]

I'll bet you carry all kinds of emergency supplies, recovery gear, rations, extra water, medical supplies, etc., etc. and you likely never use any of them either.

Maybe you remember the Boy Scout motto and great advice: "Be Prepared"

Like all of us, I calculate my perceived threats, measure the reality of those threats, then put the things in place to prepare for them accordingly.

How likely am I to need a first aid kit? Likely. How comprehensive it needs to be depends on the situation and what I can carry. How likely am I to need my life-saving insulin and diabetic supplies - have to have them or I genuinely die. Do I need a life jacket? Not if I'm going to the desert. Recovery gear? Depends entirely where I'm going and what I'm doing. Do I need a motorcycle helmet? Only on my motorcycle. When I run down the list, certain things pop up as more likely to happen than others. When I lived in Alaska, the back of my truck looked like a survival store. Now it's nearly empty every day of the week.

I assess the likelihood of threats to my well being and those around me, and plan accordingly for them. In my experience, of which I have a considerable amount, the need for a firearm simply seems distant. That's all. And part of mitigating those potential dangers in the backcountry is similar to urban settings. Just as I wouldn't walk around high-crime neighborhoods with a stack of cash on my head, I don't camp or recreate in remote places like the border areas known to be potentially risky. It's all about risk management. Everything is. Gun or no gun.

But please, do carry if you prefer to, and I love Scott's suggestions about training...lots of it.

 

[Christophe Noel]

The only other thing I would add. When I travel in group settings and I know someone in the mix has a firearm, but I don't know what level of training or proficiency they have, that makes me as nervous as anything. Even if that person has training but I'm not 100% sure about their judgment, that too gives me pause. Just food for thought.

 

[plainjaneFJC]

People who choose not to exercise their civil right really don't have a right to criticize those who do. .

Agree or disagree with them, they sure do. I always want to defend the right to protest of those I disagree with.

 

[Clawhammer]

I used to carry a .45 in my truck but eventually decided it was more trouble than it worth. I never used it (or even remotely needed it) and when I was away from the vehicle, I worried about theft. Sold it and bought some tools. No regrets.

 

[kmlacroix]

The only other thing I would add. When I travel in group settings and I know someone in the mix has a firearm, but I don't know what level of training or proficiency they have, that makes me as nervous as anything. Even if that person has training but I'm not 100% sure about their judgment, that too gives me pause. Just food for thought.

What he said.

 

[Martinjmpr]

Like all of us, I calculate my perceived threats, measure the reality of those threats, then put the things in place to prepare for them accordingly....It's all about risk management. Everything is.

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This right here. With risk management there's always a 4 way analysis: 1. What is the risk of the proposed action (in this case, carrying a firearm)? 2. What is the benefit? 3. What is the risk of NOT taking the proposed action? 4. What is the benefit of NOT taking the proposed action? Those are the things you have to weigh.
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Traveling in the American West in a car or truck I'm generally armed for self defense because there is very little "risk" in doing so. In 30+ years of camping and 4 wheeling I've never yet had to so much as present a firearm, much less use one. But then again, I've never had to use my fire extinguisher either but I still carry one, just in case. My firearm stays out of sight. If you are camping with me you would not know I'm armed unless you asked, as I see no point in making a show of it.
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On a motorcycle I leave it at home, simply because the ability to secure the firearm is much less available to me. The risk of having a firearm stolen or lost, in that case, outweighs the very low likelihood that I'd need one.
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Last year the wife and I took a 2 week camping trip with our trailer that included about 4 days passing through Canada. Needless to say, we left the gun at home. No big deal, not worth the hassles or the red tape to try and bring a long gun in and you generally can't bring a handgun into Canada. We were also spending time in the non-gun-friendly states of New York, New Jersey and Illinois, so that made it an easy decision.

 

[ClayH]

I open carry a 1911 everyday. Once you have a gun pointed at you, you may decide you need that level of self defense. I did. Never know when you may need it.
I keep a fire extinguisher in my kitchen also... Just in case I need it.

 

[brentbba]

To Scott's point on training - I'm new to this, first handgun purchase less than 6 months ago. His thread on the training at Gunsite was a great inspiration. I've now done two one day classes locally and a 4 day at Front Sight in NV. I plan to continue that training at least annually with trips to a local range for practice. It's a perishable skill like any other.

To Christophe's point - just doing research and 1 1/2 years to make the decision to carry for me, when I found out on one particular trip that a certain individual carried, I was as nervous as HE!!. Most others no.

Nice to see that this thread hasn't gone the way of so many others into personal attacks.

It's a personal decision one way or the other and you need to be comfortable with that decision.

 

[Scott Brady]

I open carry a 1911 everyday.

Why do you 'open' carry?

I have not found a single functional argument for open carry if the option for concealed carry exists. Tactically and statistically, it is more dangerous than not carrying at all... Just something to consider.

When I worked on the family ranch, I open carried on the horse. I will often carry my USP 45 in a cross-draw shoulder holster when I am driving in the outback. But I never, ever open carry in populated areas.

 

[Christophe Noel]

To Christophe's point - just doing research and 1 1/2 years to make the decision to carry for me, when I found out on one particular trip that a certain individual carried, I was as nervous as HE!!. Most others no.

Two incidents brought me to that conclusion. The first was in Alaska at a popular campground. A bear wondered through camp and one particular camper, unknown to any of us, took it upon himself to take a couple of shots at it with one round going into another camper's pickup through the trees.

The second was with a group of overlanders I didn't particularly know well. Sitting around the fire in the dark, we heard a noise in the woods. I looked up to see a dude with a pistol in his hand. The noise was his dog walking through the bushes.

I have since had a few overlanders tell me they were bringing a firearm along and had the courtesy to ask if I minded if they did so. That alone made me feel better. Just having a gun in any setting doesn't inherently make that setting safer.

 

[kmlacroix]

Proof again, Too many have guns.

Too many are irresponsible with guns.

 

[rayra]

Your camp / tent / RV / hotel room are almost always considered your domicile, equivalent legally to your house / home. Consider what US state you are in and no the wildly-varying regulations that obtain. Make an informed choice about what how and where. And some places carrying concealed is only a misdemeanor.

Myself I transport and/or carry firearms wherever and whenever I am able. Been too many shady places, too many sketchy encounters to even consider NOT having something available. I don't take any road trip out of town without food, water, tools and firearm(s). And I make the effort to transport them however local or state law requires.

And when I'm out beyond the ready response time of law enforcement (and even when not), my personal safety is my job / responsibility. Hell, there's 'overlanders' here that speak of using a public trail like a racetrack and 'nerfing' slower-moving traffic. Their rude lawless behavior can be a two-way street, only they don't seem to realize that.