So you are retired?

45 Gunner.

Keep up the good work! I ran my own Training School in Toronto for 25 years.

We could not carry, unless in the range. I had a Florida CCL for many years, as a Citizen now, I carry every day. A Glock 19 Gen4, keep my skills up by shooting IDPA.

At 80 yeas of age, I am kind of fit, an accident were my Jeep was wrecked, kind of banged me up, on Dec 26th 2015.

Spending 5 years as a Bouncer (part time occupation, 3 nights a week) in Liverpool UK, left me handy with Fists (And other things!) so I never had to shoot anybody yet! Close a couple of times.

The reason in posting, was to give everybody the question?

Me? I carry all the time, out or home. Why 16 rounds ready to go? Why not.
 
"I don't feel threatened in my normal travels or activities, hence I choose to not carry.
I do have a loaded .380 and a .38 revolver in my home, but heck I rarely lock the doors so I guess I don't feel very threatened there either."

Unfortunately, by the time you "feel threatened", you may also be robbed, injured, or dead.
I don't buy good insurance because I expect to have an accident.
 
So now, the question arises, should I carry every day, and what do I carry?
Click to expand...

You live in Orlando, so the answer is yes. I live elsewhere in a smaller FL city and the answer is maybe.
 
Don't seem the connection between retirement, and CCW.
While retirement usually means older, and possibly less able to physically resist an attack, so does being younger, employed, and over powered, or out gunned.
 
Retired NYPD since 1986. You bet your boots I still carry my 'shooting iron' where ever I go and I do mean where ever I go, including around the home. For that I carry my Mdl 85 5 shot in a pocket holster. Very comfortable and hardly know I have it on me. For street carry, it's a S&W Shield 9 mm with the 8 rd mag & 1 in the tube for 9 rds. I also carry a spare mag. I shoot at a range at least once a month to keep tuned up.
I feel that as a Senior dinosaur, I'm a prime target for some 'dude' who thinks he can take advantage of my silver hair or what is left of it on my head.
When we leave the house, it's wallet, keys, hearing aids and S&W. I don't consider myself being paranoid :p. It's just a good feeling knowing I can make an attempt to protect both of us if , God forbid, :eek: a situation happens. I take the HR 218 course yearly, so when we're on the road, so is my S&W 9 mm. I don't leave home without it.
 
So many sharp thinking old Guys here! All with the idea that being a victim is not a good idea.

My second Wife (22 years) and I enjoy an extremely happy, and loving life, every day, I thank the almighty for that.

I have always accompanied my Lady to her side of the Jeep, made sure she enters in safety, and lock her door as I close it, Paranoid? No, a realist.
HI Heels are cause for care, predators are deterred? At least I scan for threat, have always thought that way. Car parks can be vulnerable locations.

We have had one incident in the 12 years we have lived in Orlando.
Two Hood Rats, late teens, early twenty's, followed my Wife around Publix, neither one with a Basket, or Cart.

I was in the Jeep, reading a Library book, watching my Lady pick peaches? Not one of my favorite pastimes. On being informed of her admirers! (handy Cell phones) I was leaned against the back of our Jeep, the older one prior to it being written off (marked security vehicle, my Sons Company) under the overhang, on spotting this old attentive Chap, they took off across the parking lot!

They had no vehicle, my Wife was driving it. Pants hanging down below their bottoms, no sign of any weapons, none shown anyhow, it would have got loud and messy if any had been shown! Distance, me to them, 7m.

A little elevation of blood pressure, all's well, that ended well.

Yes, I do go with her now. I am the cart pusher.
 
I carry everywhere. When we go to bed at night I unlock my nightstand with my .357 in it. Only exception is when we have company staying overnight, then I leave it locked. Reason being, I don't want to accidentally shoot our guest because I'm not used to having someone else in the house.
 
Several years ago, I broke my ankle and was on crutches for a few months. The one change I noticed was my relationship with the homeless. Without crutches the homeless would ask politely for spare change and being more Liberal at the time I'd often give them 50 cents or a dollar. Once on crutches I was approached several times with demands for money. I couldn't legally carry a gun at that time, but I could and did carry 2 legal knives. I responded to such demands with a polite !@#$ off.
Now that I'm older, I realize I may appear to street people as easy prey. I carry everywhere I'm legally allowed to.
 
Retirement can be a relative thing...joined the military at 17,
which meant that minimum retirement would be 37.
So, being a semi-smart individual, bought some land, paid it off,
then after retiring the hard way (medical-early at 9 & 1/2 in),
built a small home on it and basically planned on puttering around,
fishing, hunting, and SASS/Archery competitions until I keeled over ;)

Carry was often, and relaxed...not a whole lot of problems in the area
at the time...still relatively decent for the most part around here...

Then, at 40, met The One...two years later, married and twins on the way...
at which point, "Dang, I gotta go get a real job to take care of the twins!"
comes into play...

Now carry is always, and a little more serious, as I have family to protect.
The world has gotten more stupid, and more dangerous.
The movie "Idiocracy" turns out to be more truth now than fantasy...
the average American is now a dope-addled and indoctrinated fool,
and few have a proper sense of self-preservation. Or common sense.

We now have to be vigilant for others...family and extended family...
might as well be as well-prepared as possible,
and try to enlighten as many non-aware folks as we can.
 
If you want one more example . . .

I'm recently retired. I live in the center of a small (6000) rural town in southern IL. I also recently acquired my CC license. After some shopping around and one false start (Beretta Nano) I settled on a sig p238. I have three vests that work well for CC and wear one when I carry. Or if I'm going on a bike ride I'll carry in a fanny pack. I carry when I go out of town, especially on trips to St. Louis and when I go for a bike ride out in the country. I don't carry at home, and usually don't carry around town. There are several locations in my home where I have well secured fire arms with "quick access."

I know I'll raise all kinds of hackles with this next part, but I carry with an empty chamber.

I am not comfortable carrying with one in the pipe, the hammer cocked and the safety on. If my gun was a double action, that would be different. I'd carry with one in the pipe. But the little guy is SA only so I carry with the safety off and the chamber empty. I figure if someone has the "drop" on me I'm not going to be able to draw and shoot without getting shot myself anyway. I practice drawing and racking all in one motion at the range and am comfortable with my ability to do that. So that's me.

And regardless of everything else, we all know that the gun you have with you is better than the one that's home in the safe.

Live well, be safe
Prof Young
 
I am a young retiree. It was not my choice but by medical necessity. I have carried every blasted day since I got my first CCW. I have done armed security work so I have to carry every day now. My CCW is just another thing that I have to carry just like my wallet and cell phone...the handcuffs stay in my vehicle.

Today I was installing a new gas line for an old customer of the former family business in an area that is a known gang territory. I just went about my business as usual with my Star tucked in it's IWB holster just in case.
 
Carry. Carry daily. And carry as powerful a gun as you can control and conceal.

Might be just a pocket .380 or .38, or a big .45, but do carry it and practice often.

Deaf
 
I always carry and during the night I keep a .357 in my nightstand. The nightstand is locked during the day and at night I insert my keys to unlock it. I can't leave the house the next day without locking it and getting my keys to the car on the same key chain. I don't really need this since now retired but started doing this when we had little kids in the house.
The only exception is when we have company staying in the house with us. I leave it locked to prevent accidentally shooting a guest who I'm not used to hearing in the home at night.
 
I retired two years ago.

I'm in a pretty low risk lifestyle. No fancy vehicles, flashy jewelry, or engaging in any risky business.

Still, the S&W 642 goes into my pocket pretty much each time I leave the house.

Many years ago, I was a Boy Scout: "be prepared."
 
I carry every day because it would be a shame to need a gun and not have it after all the time and money I've put in becoming proficient, learning the laws of self-defense, acquiring permits and good quality equipment.
 
I retired 1 1/2 years ago and my retirement hasn't changed my carry practices... I do need to get a bigger fanny pack so I can carry while riding a bicycle
 
once you reach retirement age, you either look old, move old, and/or act old. all of which makes you a tempting target for criminal attack. carry accordingly.
 
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