What is your answer when you are asked why do you carry a gun.

Y'all must advertise what you're doing a lot more than I do. They only people that know I carry are my wife and children. Even they, do not know when I am and when I'm not.
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+1. Despite my previous answer on this thread, very few people actually know I carry.
 
When I carry a gun, I don't do so because I am looking for a fight, but because I'm looking to be left alone. The gun at my side means that I cannot be forced, only persuaded. I don't carry it because I'm afraid, but because it enables me to be unafraid.
 
The question usually comes up around deer camp. Some guys in the camp never carry pistols and some always do. It also comes up in some social situations around family members. Other than that, nobody knows when or if I carry.

If the person seems open-minded and reasonable, I just ask them if they have watched the news or read the crime section of the paper lately and if they can predict who the next victim will be. That usually settles it.

If the person seems unreasonable, I just tilt my head sideways as far as possible, buck out my eyes, put on my best grimmace and look right through them. A couple of seconds of that is usually enough to make them turn their back and walk away. :D There's no point in trying to explain these things to a confirmed idiot.
 
I was issued a New York State carry permit back in the seventies which I still maintain today. Being a Nassau County resident, my carry permit had a "rubber stamp" provision that was put on the carry permit that said "To and from target and hunting". This was a limitation that Nassau County put on a standard NYS carry permit. In other words, I had the same permit issued in most of the other counties, but my county added this extra limitation that most of the other counties did not have. To my knowledge, no one has ever been prosecuted in Nassau County for violation of this "limitation".

When I initially got my permit, I would carry all of the time - because it was "cool" and my business was in a somewhat high crime area. I would carry either a S&W snub 38 or a 45 Combat Commander carried in high riding holsters that would be covered with the shortest and lightest clothing. During the first few months of carrying, I had two episodes where someone became aware of my holstered gun. Once was in a liquor store and the other time was in a gas station – keep in mind that this is a area where carry permits are not commonplace. This gave me "food for thought". In both incidents, I could sense the nervousness of attendants and realized that this could be dangerous. Any one of these store proprietors could have had past experiences with holdups and could "trigger happy' because of it. I changed my habits and became an occasional carrier of much smaller guns. I bought a small stainless 380 semi called the “Backup” that was made by a company called AMT in California. I called it my “pocket pistol” and even though it was purely a belly gun, it was totally concealable.

So to answer this question, no one ever asked me about why I carried because no one ever knew that I did. I think that was the safest way.
 
First off, in Texas, that question would generally be prefaced with "If you don't mind my asking....". "That's none of your business." is a perfectly acceptable answer to any such question and most Texans would not be offended to hear it.
Generally speaking the context of the conversation plays a large part in the answer I would give. It might range from the cute little "Because a cop's too heavy!" all the way to the sheep/sheepdog type deeply moral issues.

If it's a snarky female asking that question I usually say something like, "You're wearing those shoes with that outfit and you ask me why I'm carrying a gun?"
Conversation over.
 
"You're wearing those shoes with that outfit and you ask me why I'm carrying a gun?"
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Girlfriend please! Those shoes are a hot mess!:p

EDIT: Sorry for that, I have a teenage daughter and hear the strangest things.:)
 
Why do you carry a gun

Anyone that knows me, knows I was a deputy sheriff for 30 years and doesnt ask. The rest can't see that I carry a gun, so they don't ask either. In fact only one person has asked, sort of. He said my fanny pack looked like one of those secret holsters. I pretended to know nothing about them, and had the young security guard explain all about them to me. I then said, hmmmmmmm that's interesting, I may have to look into that. Then he told me where to get one. His eyesight couldn't have been very good because there is a small tag on it that says Bianchi International.
 
I just show'em my teeth and say, "Cuz I'm an impotent, rage-filled psychopath".

That always seems to end the interview.
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HAHA!!!!!!!!!!! best answer of the thread. +1000000000

i've never been asked but that is surely what I'll say if the occasion ever arises.

sorry to steal your material but that's just too good to pass up.:D
 
Never been asked because those that would be stupid enough to pose such a query have no clue I'm carrying. Those friends who know I do already understand and have no need to ask something so stupid.

Besides in this state damn near everyone has a CC permit. Even my 65 year old realtor carried when I moved here in the early 90's. She packed a snub nosed 44 Special. I didn't ask either, it simply came up when I inquired if she knew of any gun clubs or shooting spots... told me where she took her CCW snubbie for practice :)

Add to the high CCW population how tough Judges are in these parts and you'll understand why violent crime is not a big issue around here.
 
Preface: If someone's said the following already, I apologize. I didn't read through every post.

I carry a gun for the same reason I use a seat belt or have car insurance, just in case I need it.
 
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