If you were a college student on the main line would you carry to class?

[Zet70]

I'm currently a commuting senior at a college on the Main line and often take the train into the city or to and from college.

My question is, given the world we live in would you carry to and from college? Do you personally feel that with the shootings on college grounds in recent history that out of fear of a shooting ON CAMPUS that it is a smart decision to carry to class?

During my commute to and from school its a no brainer. Im either on the R5 or in traffic on 422 everyday. With night classes forcing me to be at the train stations after dark and the shooting on 422 I chose to carry in transit.

When I get to campus I usually stow my pf9 in my back pack loaded. Obviously, it never leaves my sight and no one knows I have it on campus. I recently have begun to wonder if I should ankle carry while in class. I attend a very small private school and would honestly say I am the ONLY student on campus with real life street smarts who isn't naive to the world and realizes how quickly S can HTF. The security force on campus is a joke and the local PD is small to say the least.

Am I being paranoid on campus? Would you carry if you were currently a college student?

The reason I ask, in abnormal psy my prof is trying to say that those who carry are suffering from paranoia. I had to bite my tongue in class as to not label myself as the crazy gun nut. Im thinking about pointing out the naivety of her statements and doing a final paper on the subject.

Obviously, I do have a LTCF : )

[Steve_NEPhila]

If you are going to carry, make sure it is on your body. It is really hard to leave your body somewhere, have someone open a pocket, find your firearm, lock down the campus, bring in the SWAT team and the news crews find out it was yours and really nail your ass. Inside the waistband, pocket carry, whatever floats your boat. I advise against ankle carry as it is easy to flash it with pants that ride up.

I do not leave the house unarmed, but that is my choice. You must weight the pros and cons (being armed is a pro, being expelled from school is a con, as I am sure your school has a zero tolerance weapons policy) and make your own decision.

[hertz]

I'm a college student as well and I would never carry on campus. Where I attend there is a fair amount of crime outside the campus but I feel it's pretty safe on and in the area around that is primary off campus housing. I know, I know, anything can happen anywhere but I just don't want to risk expulsion, I pay a ton of money to be here.

It's one of those things, if I could do it, I would. Obviously, you have to be atleast a little paraniod to carry. You are a fool if you're not ever paraniod about anyone/anything. This is far from a perfect world.

[cslangan]

Not knowing the gun laws of the school you attend I can't weather it's a problem in that respect. My thoughts are if you are aloud to carry then I would and I'm getting a FL and VA permit just so I can Carry to my girlfriends house in Newark,DE she goes to UDEL and I don't like the neighborhood at all. I feel the same way you if some teen aged psychopath goes crazy I wanna be prepared.


Connor

[twoeggsup]

...The reason I ask, in abnormal psy my prof is trying to say that those who carry are suffering from paranoia...

It's not really paranoia once you realize that everyone IS out to get you!
Wow, and I thought that all educators were pro-carry

The typical response of those who can not justify their position on any issue is to vilify those they oppose.

In any event, if the institution prohibits carry and you risk legal issues or some sort of sanctions by doing so... you have no choice but to either not carry or be prepared for the potential shit-storms. If it does not, then I see no reason to even consider not carrying in a legal fashion.

As far as viewing those who carry as being paranoid, well the simple fact is those who carry simply do not depend on the hired help (the po-lice) to always be there on-scene before they are needed.

• We realize that often the police can only bring enough chalk to draw outlines on the sidewalk
• We realize that the SCOTUS has determined that the police do not have a duty to protect an individual
• We realize that self-defense is not just an inherent right but also a serious personal responsibility
• We realize that police will do their best to arrive within minutes of need when seconds count
• We realize that for a favorable outcome the best response to a threat won't necessarily be complete submission

Perhaps the best comparison to raise if you choose is to aim the analysis on those who do not and will not carry.

• Are they simply naive... Do they lack understanding of the world that surrounds them?
• Are the simply arrogant and believe that they possess a situational awareness that will always protect them from being in a incident that threatens them?
• Are they simply egotistical believing they can always talk their way out of a dangerous situation?

The list could go on...

[H.E. Pennypacker]

I didn't carry at my school because I didn't need to be kicked out my senior year. But, of course, that's assuming you get 'made'. Concealed does mean concealed. And if you plan to carry, it's probably best to keep your LTCF status and your opinion of guns to yourself.

[RobW]

I wrote a paper on competition shooting. A classmate questioned whether my subject matter was "appropriate for a college class". I replied that her question illustrated why it is not only appropriate, but necessary - to enlighten the ignorant. Got an A ;->

--RobW

I didn't carry at my school because I didn't need to be kicked out my senior year. But, of course, that's assuming you get 'made'. Concealed does mean concealed. And if you plan to carry, it's probably best to keep your LTCF status and your opinion of guns to yourself.

[GreenBlood10]

I agree that it should be kept on your persons and not inside a pack. I also agree that an ankle glove is a bad idea for your needs. I would purchase a good IWB holster and make sure its concealed well. With all the shootings going on at college campuses, its perfectly normal to be concerned with your personal safety. But not everyone is gonna think your carrying for self defense. It will only take one slight hint of a gun for the school to be on lock down and I guarantee they will not go easy on you....Best of Luck!
GB

[Dredly]

For deep concealment you can't beat a smart carry. If I were carrying in a place where I absolutely CAN NOT be seen it would be in a smart carry.

worst case scenario the ladies think you are well hung.

with an IWB if you stretch the wrong way or lean forward you may show your gun which would be bad

[cigarmanpa]

i didn't, but i wasn't a firearms guy back then so i can't really say what I'd have done. I doubt I'd have carried on my person but in the messenger bag I had there were several great places to hide a small pistol or revolver and I've seen ones that have a built in holster to hide the pistol completly.


if you do carry STFU about it and tell NO ONE it's there