Concealed Weapons in Phoenix (Mesa, Carefree: real estate, how much, houses)

[Captain Bill]

Do you carry a concealed weapon in Phoenix?

• Do you open carry?
• Why do you feel it necessary to carry a weapon in Phoenix?
• If you carry concealed or open, do you have a CCW permit (it isn't required in AZ, but is recognized in some other states)

1. How much training have you had if you carry?
2. Do you practice on a range at least once a week.
3. What is your weapon?

I carry a concealed weapon plus a couple other self defense measures. The reason is that I go into a lot of empty houses, and sometimes with a female client. We never know who may be in that empty house, nor what their intentions are.

Many Realtors, male and female, have been raped, beaten and killed all over the country, and sometimes by the "supposed" client.

With all the vacant homes that I have to go into, I feel the need to have self defense measures to protect both myself and my clients.

I have training, and continue to do training. I fire at least 2 times a week at a range near me in Mesa.

I chose a Ruger SP 101 38/357 revolver for it's reliability. For practice I can use 38 SPL which keeps the cost down. For protection I use 357 ammo for stopping power.

The reason I'm asking is that I see so many people in the Phoenix area who open carry, and at the range and classes I'm aware of many more who carry concealed. So I'm curious as to why others feel the need to carry here in Phoenix.

[khuntrevor]

Now, the Realtors are the victims? How many clients got raped?

As far as guns.....we still don't know why people drive SUVs because it ain't the snow or the gas mileage...but might have similar answers. A guy at Sprouts told me he carries because of loose dogs.

[Ponderosa]

I have a CCW, but rarely carry in town. I have always thought it is mostly paranoia and I don't like lugging the thing with me. Cell phone, wallet and keys is enough. I always open carry when I go camping because the woods are full of weirdos from Phoenix anymore. They don't know how to behave when they get away from the mall. Showing the gun is a worthwhile deterrent and it scares away the easterners too. I never go to a range - we just drive down the road into the BLM land. The whole family, sometimes with neighbors, shoots for sport out there. I have had more weapons "experience" than I care to remember as well as the CCW course way back when.

[AZ Tracy]

Right after I got my real estate license in 1995, a realtor was murdered in a model home. I got my CCW permit right away. I always used to carry. I went through several purses that had built-in holsters. It really does get heavy though, lugging all that stuff around.....hard on the shoulder.

Now, I usually just carry if I'm holding an open house....or, if my instincts tell me to.

I go to the range, and out in the desert, but not as often as I should. I really wish you still had to get a CCW permit and take renewal classes. It forced you to stay up-to-date on the current laws.

I keep a human shaped target in my garage, with several shots to the head. I hope it might make someone think twice about unlawfully entering my home.

[Captain Bill]

Originally Posted by khuntrevor

Now, the Realtors are the victims? How many clients got raped?

Realtors have been targets for many years, and a lot have been killed; both men and women.

I haven't heard of a client being raped while with a Realtor, if that's what you're referring to.

[Captain Bill]

Originally Posted by AZ Tracy

Right after I got my real estate license in 1995, a realtor was murdered in a model home. I got my CCW permit right away. I always used to carry. I went through several purses that had built-in holsters. It really does get heavy though, lugging all that stuff around.....hard on the shoulder.

Now, I usually just carry if I'm holding an open house....or, if my instincts tell me to.

I go to the range, and out in the desert, but not as often as I should. I really wish you still had to get a CCW permit and take renewal classes. It forced you to stay up-to-date on the current laws.

I keep a human shaped target in my garage, with several shots to the head. I hope it might make someone think twice about unlawfully entering my home.

I prefer the range over the desert because of the possibility of someone walking, running, or riding between me and the target. I would think you need to have one person as a lookout to keep from shooting someone who rides through, and take turns shooting.

[TBCasino]

Originally Posted by Captain Bill

Do you carry a concealed weapon in Phoenix?

• Do you open carry?
• Why do you feel it necessary to carry a weapon in Phoenix?
• If you carry concealed or open, do you have a CCW permit (it isn't required in AZ, but is recognized in some other states)

1. How much training have you had if you carry?
2. Do you practice on a range at least once a week.
3. What is your weapon?

I carry a concealed weapon plus a couple other self defense measures. The reason is that I go into a lot of empty houses, and sometimes with a female client. We never know who may be in that empty house, nor what their intentions are.

Many Realtors, male and female, have been raped, beaten and killed all over the country, and sometimes by the "supposed" client.

With all the vacant homes that I have to go into, I feel the need to have self defense measures to protect both myself and my clients.

I have training, and continue to do training. I fire at least 2 times a week at a range near me in Mesa.

I chose a Ruger SP 101 38/357 revolver for it's reliability. For practice I can use 38 SPL which keeps the cost down. For protection I use 357 ammo for stopping power.

The reason I'm asking is that I see so many people in the Phoenix area who open carry, and at the range and classes I'm aware of many more who carry concealed. So I'm curious as to why others feel the need to carry here in Phoenix.

I carry, mostly for work but that quickly morphed into personal protection as well. Hit the range on my own ( outside of mandatory training ), about 3-4 times a month. I shoot mostly pistol ( SiG P-226 in .40 cal ) but also do rifle and shotgun as well. I use a range in central Phoenix and Ben Avery up on Carefree.

Walking into empty houses all the time, if I were a Realtor, I'd be carrying too. Some tweekers are taking advantage of the housing crisis and setting up shop in random abandoned homes around the Valley. Is it an epidemic? Not at all, but in the long run, when you deal in empty houses, who wants to take that chance?

[AZ Tracy]

Originally Posted by Captain Bill

I prefer the range over the desert because of the possibility of someone walking, running, or riding between me and the target. I would think you need to have one person as a lookout to keep from shooting someone who rides through, and take turns shooting.

Yes, I'm sure the range is safer, but we are very careful, and always haul out more stuff than we brought in. It's disgusting the glass and other debris some people shoot. We also go during the week, when it's not very crowded.

[Captain Bill]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

I have a CCW, but rarely carry in town. I have always thought it is mostly paranoia and I don't like lugging the thing with me. Cell phone, wallet and keys is enough. I always open carry when I go camping because the woods are full of weirdos from Phoenix anymore. They don't know how to behave when they get away from the mall. Showing the gun is a worthwhile deterrent and it scares away the easterners too. I never go to a range - we just drive down the road into the BLM land. The whole family, sometimes with neighbors, shoots for sport out there. I have had more weapons "experience" than I care to remember as well as the CCW course way back when.

When I was in the Army basic training I shot what I recall to be the M1, which should tell you it was a long time ago.

Then in the second 8 weeks I was in a tank division and we had really big rounds :-).

After the Army I only occasionally shot a 22 that I owned, for fun, but had no training. When I decided to carry in this job, I committed to training and practice. One of the things I learned when beginning the training is that in order to defend yourself better, you have to understand that with the adrenalin rush when under attack, you will not function as well, and it's easier to miss the target, or fall apart if the gun misfires. (That's one reason I chose a revolver. Misfires are not common with revolvers)

So the more training and practice one has, the better chance they will have of being able to control the gun and hitting their target if they have to fire on someone.

Before doing the training, I was more than a little concerned about the number of people carrying in Phoenix. Everyday, in stores and on motorcycles it isn't uncommon to see someone open carrying.

Now I've learned that many of the people who are carrying are doing a lot of training and practicing, so these are not the people one has to worry about.

[Border Scot]

Years back I was the victim of an armed robbery while living in the peoples republik of Maryland. I then actively pursued a transfer with my company to West Virginia, a state that is 2a friendly. I immediately got my permit and my first purchase was also an SP-101 to carry concealed. I since have added considerably to my list of personal rescue tools. Short barrel, long barrel and double. When I lived in WV I had a friend who had a private shooting range on his property so we went out quite often with everything from .380 to 454 casull. Since I've moved to Arizona I haven't had the opportunity to shoot as often as I like but I still carry everywhere it is legal to do so. Yes, I have my AZ CWP and while I have zero objection to open carry, I find it isn't for me. I much prefer concealed carry.