Handgun on a bike

[old&slow]

Well, without getting into it too deeply, all I can say as a European is I find this thread incredible and truly bizarre. The idea of taking a lethal weapon on a bike trip just blows my mind. I honestly did not realise it was legal anywhere in the US for members of the public to carry guns. (cancels next trip to Florida).

We have crime here too for sure but arming oneself with a lethal weapon just in case seems so extreme a response. I cannot believe the US is that violent a society to justify carrying a gun. It's all about perception I suppose. I prefer to live in a country knowing Joe Public cannot access firearms at all.

WHAT ???? I sort of understand some folks ( which include non-Americans ,, socialist ,, and even some parts of the United States ) anti-gun thoughts.?!

But I DON'T understand the pacifist thought on letting some low life individual have his way with you ,, your wife ,,, your children..

When I was growing up ,, I'm not sure if we had a working lock on the doors of our house ,, we never use them ..

I don't lock the doors of my car now , unless I'm in the city ..

I don't feel like there is some boogy man behind every tree waiting to attack me...

But , God pity anyone that comes to harm my family or me ,,, because I won't...

I've been to 30 different states on MC trips and I've never had any problems with folks... About everyone I've met has been pleasant and helpful..

In 57 years and I have never needed a firearm to defend my life ,,, I truly hope I NEVER do....

( I carry a Fix a Flat repair kit on my bike ,,, and I've never had a flat tire)

However, I usually carry a can of pepper spray in my tank bag ,,, and sometimes on my person.. I have a CCW permit (concealed carry weapon).

Do I carry ? Some times (it's non concealed if everyone knows about it).

I'm a NRA firearms safety instructor ,,, I have an NRA expert rating in NRA Action Pistol and Bullseye ,,, I have a "B" class rating in IPSC/USPSA competition and

I shoot thousands of rounds a year in competition.. Plus, I have a black belt in Shorin Ryu Karate and use to be a Sensi ( instructor) in karate.

So I do know a couple things about firearms and self defense..

So, If you don't want to have a firearm or to carry ,, that's your right ,,, and is fine by me..

But, DON'T figure on changing my mind on the 2nd Amendment of the United States..

"God , Guns , & Guts is what made America great" ,,, God made man ,Samuel Colt made them equal" ,,, and "smoke them if you got them"......

old&slow Dan <<<<<<<<<<<<<

 

[08FJR4ME]

If you don't like our "FREEDOM" as of today anyway! OOOOOOOOOOOOOh Well. That's why we are the best country on this planet. (JMO)

Thank a soldier and keep them in your prayers.

 

[jeremyr62]

If you don't like our "FREEDOM" as of today anyway! OOOOOOOOOOOOOh Well. That's why we are the best country on this planet. (JMO)
Thank a soldier and keep them in your prayers.

Maybe the US is the best country on the planet. It just seems strange to an external observer that some citizens of this best country in the world feel the need to carry a lethal weapon capable of killing a fellow citizen. Strange definition of best you have there.

 

[old&slow]

If you don't like our "FREEDOM" as of today anyway! OOOOOOOOOOOOOh Well. That's why we are the best country on this planet. (JMO)
Thank a soldier and keep them in your prayers.

Maybe the US is the best country on the planet. It just seems strange to an external observer that some citizens of this best country in the world feel the need to carry a lethal weapon capable of killing a fellow citizen. Strange definition of best you have there.

It may not be the best country on the planet,, I haven't been to other countries... But it's ours ,,, I like it the way it is...

You may not understand us and the way we think ,,, That's OK ..

I don't understand you and the way other people think ... but that's OK too..

That is what is great about America ,,, you can think what you want to think ,, I can think what I want to think...

You can have the freedom to your own religion ,,, you have the freedom to speak what's on your mind ,, you have freedom to bear arms..

( the 1st amendment and the 2nd amendment of our constitution ,, there are more amendments but i usually list things in order of importance,,

,, guess our founding fathers felt the same way )

And Yes 08FJR ,,,

THANKS to a soldier ,, THANKS to all US soldier ...... :clapping: :yahoo: :clapping:

Freedom isn't free ,,, some folks gave some for freedom,, Some Folks gave All for Freedom...

God bless America ,,, and pass the ammo......

old&slow Dan , a US of A gun toting heterosexual conservative christian ,,, any questions ??? :clapping: :yahoo: :clapping:

 

[fjrrider]

Maybe the US is the best country on the planet. It just seems strange to an external observer that some citizens of this best country in the world feel the need to carry a lethal weapon capable of killing a fellow citizen. Strange definition of best you have there.

jeremyr62, not to be picking on you, but considering all you know, have seen, or heard about in the way of violent criminal activities towards innocent people, and given the fact that LEO's cannot be every where all the time. Do you really see it as "strange" that one man would arm himself with a weapon capable of "stopping" a vicious attack against himself or his family?

"Fellow citizens" are not the threat, it is those that would have ill will and evil intentions to get what they want, at any cost, from you and I.

Maybe having first hand experiance or being directly involved with someone who has been the victim of a brutal and sadistic attack would probably have you see things a little bit differently. As I stated earlier, I hope this never happens to you or your family!

 

[exskibum]

"Fellow citizens" are not the threat, it is those that would have ill will and evil intentions to get what they want, at any cost, from you and I.

Exactly.

Others have noted that in most states, legally carrying a concealed firearm requires demonstration of knowledge of laws, skill and emotional stability, as well as a lack of prior offenses. We have lots of laws (NOT trying to stir up a political debate on those or go on a rant about those I disagree with), which impress responsibility even further on the law abiding citizens who do own and carry guns.

Notably, if you use a gun in a crime, it's a substantial enhancement to the punishment for that crime, and committing either a felony or almost any kind of gun crime will deprive you of the right to own or carry in nearly all jurisdictions. (E.g., pulling it out to brandish it at someone who has just flipped you off.) To be clear to our friend from Oz, if he has sufficiently threatened you or yours to the point that you have a right of defense, then you have justification and it's not a crime.

Point is that most who carry or own guns here legally are acutely aware of their continuing right to do so being dependent upon doing so responsibly. It's not just the wild west here, where it's a common occurrence to see someone pull a gun at a restaurant when another patron gets into an argument with the waitress. It's far more likely that you go for decades without ever seeing someone pull out a concealed weapon in a public setting. I'm in my mid-50s, and I've never seen it happen.

 

[old&slow]

If you don't like our "FREEDOM" as of today anyway! OOOOOOOOOOOOOh Well. That's why we are the best country on this planet. (JMO)
Thank a soldier and keep them in your prayers.

Maybe the US is the best country on the planet. It just seems strange to an external observer that some citizens of this best country in the world feel the need to carry a lethal weapon capable of killing a fellow citizen. Strange definition of best you have there.

Must be a little bit of a problem with translating Irish to American..

When they are trying to harm or kill you or your family they are not " Fellow Citizens" ,, they are Criminals..

(rant on) ,,,,,,,

See,,, the problem isn't to many guns ,,, The problem is not enough guns...

example: When you watch the news where do they have the shootings and robberies,, etc ? "Gun Free Zones" ( no guns allowed)

schools ,, post offices ,, etc.. all gun free zones......

Where do you never see shootings ,, robberies ,, etc...

NRA conventions ,,, Police stations ,,, national IPSC combat shooting matches,,, etc.. " Gun Rich Zones"...

Why,,, because everybody has a gun on,,,

What kind of dumbass is going to go to a IPSC combat match,, with a couple hundred of the best shooters in the nation armed with some of the

best equipment that money can buy,,,, and say ,,, "this is a stick up" ....

You want to stop plane hijacking ,,, give everyone a handgun when they get on the plane,,,

Then when some dumbass stands up and yells "I have a gun" ,,,, everyone can say,, "so what,, so do we !! Sit down and shut up .."

Sorry for the rant ,,, I know I should be out riding ,, it's beautiful day ,,, but I hurt my back the other day moving all my ammo...

(rant off) :clapping:

 

[jeremyr62]

Maybe the US is the best country on the planet. It just seems strange to an external observer that some citizens of this best country in the world feel the need to carry a lethal weapon capable of killing a fellow citizen. Strange definition of best you have there.

jeremyr62, not to be picking on you, but considering all you know, have seen, or heard about in the way of violent criminal activities towards innocent people, and given the fact that LEO's cannot be every where all the time. Do you really see it as "strange" that one man would arm himself with a weapon capable of "stopping" a vicious attack against himself or his family?

"Fellow citizens" are not the threat, it is those that would have ill will and evil intentions to get what they want, at any cost, from you and I.

Maybe having first hand experiance or being directly involved with someone who has been the victim of a brutal and sadistic attack would probably have you see things a little bit differently. As I stated earlier, I hope this never happens to you or your family!

I've been to the US loads of times. My parents owned a house in the Villages in LadyLake. I have done the other touristy things too as well as visited on business. I never saw any evidence of violence or violent behaviour. In my experience everyone I met was polite, kind and intelligent. Was just like being in Europe then. I'm not saying violence doesn't happen, we all know it does. But it is incredibly rare in Europe and the US. The chances of being subject to a violent attack are vanishingly small. So the level of paranoia is out of all proportion to the reality. I suppose that's my argument. There is a massive downside to (relatively) easy access to guns too, accidental shootings, looneys going postal etc.

 

[ndivita]

If you don't like our "FREEDOM" as of today anyway! OOOOOOOOOOOOOh Well. That's why we are the best country on this planet. (JMO)
Thank a soldier and keep them in your prayers.

Maybe the US is the best country on the planet. It just seems strange to an external observer that some citizens of this best country in the world feel the need to carry a lethal weapon capable of killing a fellow citizen. Strange definition of best you have there.

Jeremyr62, the deal in the U.S. is this. As to certain rights we have, i.e., constitutional rights, the government does not "grant" them to us, "let" us have them, or "permit" us to exercise them; rather, in the case of the Bill of Rights, which includes whether anyone likes it or not the Second Amendment, these are pre-existing, fundamental rights incident to our view of the nature of mankind; the Constitution does not create them rather it mentions them merely to point out that they are guaranteed. Many people opposed the Bill of Rights back at the time because the whole exercise could be misunderstood as an attempt to create or grant rights. It is a mistake for you to think that our government is in the business of granting or pulling the very basic freedoms sketched in the Bill of Rights. Yes, I know there are certain limits on the rights in the first Ten Amendments to our Constitution (you cannot yell "fire" in a crowded theater in the name of the First Amendment and the feds can license ownership of automatic weapons without, so far, entrenching on the Second Amendment) but let's not confuse that with the idea you apparently have that we live at the mercy of a government that can pick and choose when and how we have or don't have the fundamental positive and negative freedoms listed in the Bill of Rights. My rights to petition the government to redress grievances or to assemble peaceably to protest government action or freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures, are not things I "get" from the government; I have them because I am a human being; and the government, our government at least, cannot take them away. Sure, it is a constant battle to make sure the government does not encroach on them but the theory of the Framers remains clear. The U.S. Supreme Court's job among other things is to ensure that the Bill of Rights is enforced and protected, a job that is never free from political influence.

 

[Warchild]

Don't make us close this thread down... I have my finger hovering on the "lock" key right now.

Confine your comments to carrying a weapon on a motorcycle, and this thread will remain open.

Start with the flag-waving horsecock, comments regarding "us vs them", your bill of rights, etc, and that will be that.

Carry on. For now.

 

[old&slow]

Don't make us close this thread down... I have my finger hovering on the "lock" key right now.
Confine your comments to carrying a weapon on a motorcycle, and this thread will remain open.

Start with the flag-waving horsecock, comments regarding "us vs them", your bill of rights, etc, and that will be that.

Carry on. For now.

Ohhhh come on !!! ,,,, this was starting to become a really good pissing contest ,,,,,,,

I was just getting ready to throw out some of my Irish jokes...

Oh well ,,, I guess if we have to.......... <_<

 

[k7lvo]

I'm curious, what would be a conservative response, to defending yourself "just in case"?I think anywhere in the world is violent enough to justify carrying a gun.

I've got plenty of guns, but respectfully disagree. Some examples:

I virtually never stop directly behind cars at lights & the last time I felt threatened was on my FJR at a light in DC. I work downtown & my son goes to U of Md, so if traffic jams, I'll run the side streets thru DC if I need to get to campus. Anyway, as some stoner grabbed my arm, I simply dropped the clutch, went between cars, and watched him bounce off a fender. It sure happened faster than trying to go for a weapon. If I'd gotten off the bike I would've been in a bad situation.

Once long ago, an old Honda I had in college died at a gas station while I was lost in a REALLY bad section of East St. Louis. The place really sucked so bad the locals looked like they ate the street signs. I pushed the bike to the barred gas station window, gave the owner $20 to put it in his locked trash gate, and called for a tow truck to pick up me & the bike. The guy with the business came out & threatened all the locals who'd started to gather & I gave the tow-truck driver a tip to make it a quick exit, which he did. Both yelled at me for being in the wrong part of town and questioning where my dumb-ass lack of common sense was. They were both right, of course! That's what I got for trying to push how far I could get to the next gas. If I'd had a gun in that E St. Louis situation, one of the locals would've probably had a bigger one, and there sure were more of them than I would've had bullets. I've gotten out of tight spots in Colombia and Cameroon (Africa) with no gun, too. Just truly listen to people, have a goal, and use what you have; rather than going straight to ultimate responses.

But then if it came to it, I also grew up with a Marine D.I. for a Dad & the inevitable friends & upbringing that brought.

Bob

Okay, color me confused...

IMO, in situations like those above, a concealed weapon only ADDS to your options, not take away from them.

(Now, I have talked to people who've said "I wouldn't ever carry a gun; I'd probably shoot someone if I did!" However, it doesn't sound like you fall anywhere near that category.)

 

[hppants]

Disclaimer - this thread is not meant to be a political or philosophical discussion regarding anything even semi-related to gun control, the 2nd amendment, etc. and I would hope our mods lock this thread immediately if it gets this way. I honestly want advice from those of you that are more experienced.

So, if you have read my most recent ride report, you may realize that at 47 years old, I'm starting to shop for my first hand gun. I specifically want a gun that I can bring on my bike camping trips. Immediately following my purchase, I plan to enroll in a basic gun safety course, followed by a concealed weapons carry permit safety course, followed by several sessions at the shooting range until I get very comfortable with doing what I hope I never have to do.

I have done a good bit of hunting with shotguns and even deer rifles in my past, but when it comes to hand guns, I don't know squat.

Now that said, I have several questions for those of you that carry a hand gun on your bike:

1. Obviously, the biggest one - Which gun do you carry and what went into the decision to use that particualar gun? What do you like or dislike about it? I'm trying to select a style and caliber of gun first, then concentrate on manufacturers. Is this the wrong way to do this type of research?

2. Where do you keep the gun on your bike? Do you have some kind of special holster or other accessory that makes things easier when traveling with the gun?

3. Do you have a concealed weopons permit and to the best of your knowledge, are there any places you can't bring your gun even with that permit?

Friends - I know that for the most part this forum is widely entertaining. But please, this is a very serious matter to me right now. I don't want to mis-interpret any advice you offer. I really appreciate in advance any suggestions you may have.

Cheers.

 

[Bokerfork]

My suggestion would be any semi auto in 9mm or 40 S&W. Carrying concealed laws vary from state to state, so I would look for a book that explains the various laws in the states you may be visiting.

A good general rule of thumb is to put the gun in one saddlebag and the rounds in the other, preferably not already in a magazine.

Hope that helps a little.

Mark

 

[FJRTom]

...A good general rule of thumb is to put the gun in one saddlebag and the rounds in the other, preferably not already in a magazine...

Huh?! I hope you mean you have a fully loaded magazine in the pistol also. Otherwise, why carry?! My Ruger LCP in .380 Auto is a darn fine little concealable weapon. Yes, I'd rather be carrying my Para Ordinance P12-45, but it's too bulky for easy concealment in riding gear.

 

[Chuck35]

A gun in a saddlebag takes a good while to get to.

I prefer a small pistol that fits in a pocket.

This is for defensive use after all and the element of surprise along with hasty retreat is my plan.

Concealed permit is a must!

You have to know what states honor your home states permit when traveling.

Having a gun on you add a whole new realm of risk and responsibility. Once its in play you may have to use it or it will be used against you.

 

[puppychow]

hppants asked:

1. Springfield XD-40 is my choice for carry on the bike. Durable, inexpensive, very accurate and reliable and if it gets marked accidentally it won't piss me off as with the other expensive pieces. Comes with 2 mags standard, although in Kalifornia that means 10 rounds only (probably 16 rounds for you). I like the Ambi mag-release since I am left handed, it has grip and trigger safeties and those work for me very well.

2. In a pelican box in one of the locked hard cases (top box or side bag, top box preferably). Unloaded as in no magazines in the mag well. But I keep my magazines loaded, just not the gun. (Yes, I researched the laws and the case laws ad nauseum in Kalifornia.)

3. No CCW here, since I am in Kaliforniastan and I am not VIP enough or LEO for them to consider letting me have one. I think usually any place which is declared a "gun free zone" means your concealed permit is no good there.

Ha! Off to NEPRT we go!!

 

[FargoFeej]

I carry a small .45ACP in the storage box. 7 shots available but if I need more than that then I was in a situation I should have foreseen and avoided. I feel that having it closer to hand than you describe is important. I have CCWs from 3 states and those get me through nearly all states that allow concealed carry. I check for law changes before each riding season and I do have a lockable case to transport the pistol and ammo through the unfriendly states. (You know who you are!)

 

[FJRay]

Whatever you chose practice with it until it is second nature. Revolvers don't jam and if ypu chose an auto become comfortable with clearing a jam. It's a huge responsibility to carry so be absolutley sure you are able to make the right move when the shit hits the fan. If not don't carry.

 

[jmdaniel]

1. Obviously, the biggest one - Which gun do you carry and what went into the decision to use that particualar gun? What do you like or dislike about it? I'm trying to select a style and caliber of gun first, then concentrate on manufacturers. Is this the wrong way to do this type of research?

2. Where do you keep the gun on your bike? Do you have some kind of special holster or other accessory that makes things easier when traveling with the gun?

3. Do you have a concealed weopons permit and to the best of your knowledge, are there any places you can't bring your gun even with that permit?

1. Walther PPS 9mm. Single stack, which contributes to it being a good choice for CC. Single stack means the rounds sit on top of each other in one stack in the magazine, allowing it to be narrower in the grip than a double stack, and due to this, easier to conceal.

2. In the Smuggler. Loaded.

3. Yes, I have a CHL, and there are places in Texas that a gun cannot be carried into, even with a CHL. That info is delineated in the class that is mandatory to obtain the CHL, called out in the manual given out in the class, and also declared in signs posted at the doors of the establishments. For a great website for information on Concealed Carry, I recommend USA Carry, which includes a map where you can select your home state, and learn what other states accept your permit: https://www.usacarry.com/concealed_carry_permit_reciprocity_maps.html I feel for the folks in Illinois...