License To Carry

I almost feel like this when I say "License To Carry", but that's not really it. It feels funny saying it, and it's not because, this was my least favorite Bond of them all! Last weekend, I took the Texas "License to carry a handgun proficiency course" and now I have a "certificate of training". This is what's necessary in Texas to be licensed by the state to carry a handgun, either "open carry" or "conceal carry". Of course, there's still come paperwork to be done, but I've done it and soon, I'll be fully legal to carry a handgun around (unless, it's an illegal location such as a school etc.). Why would I do that.

It's mostly because of this. Well actually, let me start from the beginning. I'm not afraid of bad neighborhoods and bad people. I've lived in New Orleans and Chicago. Been to Cabrini Green and regularly went to the St. Louis No. 1 Cemetary in New Orleans which is literally right up against the projects. But the stuff represented by the imagery above scares the "Dickens" out of me (aren't you glad I didn't use another Bond title Living Daylights as a pun here). There are more and more groups (of both side) which are advocating violence and concepts of anti-authoritarianism. I just don't want to turn the corner in the wrong place at the wrong time and be in the wrong situation with no recourse. 

So now, this will be me. Which gets me to the gun itself. Although, I'll start by packing my Walther PPQ which is what I have. However, I don't see it as being the optimal solution. It's just too big for the summer months here in Texas where shorts and T-Shirts are the norm. Eventually, I'll get around to picking up something that's smaller, lighter and more conducive to every day carry. 

Right now, the front-runner is this: the Walther PPS, M1 (or "old") version with the paddle mag release. It's a single stack (read thin) with a much shorter grip making it way easier to conceal, which is after all, the name of the game!  I will have to get over the awkward proportions and general ugliness, but I don't want to have to develop a different muscle memory for a magazine change. I'm a paddle-release guy and will probably continue to be that unless I switch primary handguns. 

Whichever way I go, I know I'll feel a lot better out and about with my family in today's increasing unstable society.