To report about the process of getting a concealed gun permit, Journal-World reporter Chad Lawhorn bought a gun. Now he’s going through the permit class. He’ll take your questions about his gun experiences.

Moderator

Hi: I’m Joel Mathis, managing editor for convergence. Chad is here and ready to take your questions about his series on concealed carry.

Chad Lawhorn

Hi. Let’s go.

Moderator

Chad: You’re working on this series, making yourself a guinea pig in the process of getting a concealed carry permit. Why did you decide to do this project in this manner?

Chad Lawhorn

I thought it probably would be the easiest way to really get details about the process. It seemed easier than trying to find someone who would consent to let us follow them around to the degree that we would want to. The only downside is that it has brought more attention to me than I would like. I just try to remind people that I’m not an expert on any of this. I’m just the test dummy — emphasis on dummy.

JSDAD

now that you have completed the class, do you feel more inclined, less inclined, or unchanged in your thought of carring a concealed handgun?

Chad Lawhorn

Probably unchanged. It was a good experience. It was a thought-provoking experience. I would encourage any one who is thinking about getting a concealed carry permit to make sure you have thought through it.

kneejerkreaction

Chad,

I have a question. What is the number of individuals carrying a concealed weapon without the permit? You’d have to do one of LJW’s anonymous polls to figure this out, but it would interesting, and enlightening, to see the results.

Chad Lawhorn

I have no idea. Sorry.

Gopher

Now that you’ve done the training, will you be packing?

Chad Lawhorn

First, I have to get the permit still. You must go through the class before you are allowed to apply for the permit. Now that I’ve went through the class, I’ll apply shortly. They’ll then do a background check on me to make sure I’m not a felon or any of the other things that prohibits people from obtaining a permit. I think I’ll pass the background check. Assuming I do, I will at least carry some because I’m planning on writing about the experience. After that, I’m not sure. Part of it will probably depend on how it feels to me.

Moderator

A lot of our commenters criticized your choice of firearm that you bought in the first story – a .22-caliber semiautomatic. Care to respond?

Chad Lawhorn

Sure, boss. First, it is a crappy gun. It is not real reliable because it jams up some. So on that point, I would agree that it is not a great gun for concealed carry. Any gun should be reliable at a minimum. Some people criticized me because it was a .22 caliber, a pretty small caliber. They said it wouldn’t do much to a would-be attacker. I don’t know. I don’t want to get shot with it. My guess is it will stop some people, but not all. The same can be said of a .44. Bottomline is you have to decide what type of situation you’re going to prepare for. You can always come up with a scenario where you are not going to have enough weapon for the job at hand. I bought the .22 because it was cheap and it was small. I think that was what a lot of ordinary Joes may do, so I wanted to report on how that worked out.

kneejerkreaction

Your first article had an antigun ring, whether intended or not. The 2nd was more informative. comments?

Chad Lawhorn

I didn’t think the first one had an anti-gun ring. I didn’t intend it to, but everybody reads things a little differently.

Moderator

I’ve also heard from people who thought this project was a defense of the practice. What sense have you gotten, after these pieces, about how intense the gun debate is – at least locally?

Chad Lawhorn

Folks certainly have strong opinions about the subject. That didn’t suprise me. I was pleased that there are some folks on both sides of the issue who have really thought about it. There are plenty who haven’t too, but that’s always the case with anything. I think it is an issue that lends itself to a real good debate. I think rational people can see points on both sides.

Moderator

Have the people you’ve talked with so far — gun sellers, instructors, etc. — given you any sense of how many other people are trying to obtain concealed carry permits? A few? A middle number? A lot? Your story this weekend said you only had three people in your instruction class…

Chad Lawhorn

I don’t think people are beating the doors down, but there has been a noticeable increase in business for some gun sellers, I believe. My class only had two other people, but it was on a Monday. Most are on a Saturday or Sunday.

RETICENT_IRREVERENT

Chad,
In your first article “Buying into the gun culture”, you seem to be a bit detached…
In the second article “In the line of fire” I felt a more personal side was communicated… 1.) Did you wrestle with thoughts of not actually submitting your application?
2.) In discussion with a significant other or those close to you, have you had to defend your decision?

Chad Lawhorn

No, I haven’t had any second thoughts about submitting the application. I think the wrestling may come when it is time to carry one concealed. On your second question, let’s just say this hasn’t been the most popular story I’ve ever done on the homefront.

scenebooster

Chad – thanks for answering some questions. Have you ever had a gun pointed at you? I ask only because I have, and my sense of the experience is that had I had a gun, and had I tried to use it, the only outcome would be that I would be dead. Given a scenario like this, in your opinion what function does CC perform? Do you think that the idea is that if a criminal thinks that you have a gun this will prevent any nefarious action?

Chad Lawhorn

Well, it comes down to every situation is a little bit different, I’ve been told. One thing that seems pretty clear to me is that if the other guy already has a gun pointing at you, and yours is still in your holster, you’re at a pretty big disadvantage. To me that’s the toughest part about the whole deal — knowing when to pull your gun. You don’t want to pull it too late, but you also don’t want to pull it too early and escalate the situation. It is tricky business, but there’s some situations it would help, and some that it wouldn’t. It kind of depends on how you play it. Do really do this right, you probably need to go over several scenarios in your mind, and quite frankly, that’s not a lot of fun.

Moderator

Kneejerkreaction offers some information…

kneejerkreaction

moderator, fewer than 300 have applied for permits in Douglas County so far. Less than 3/1000s of the total population.

Moderator

As you go through this process, how easy or difficult does it seem to you to obtain the concealed carry permit?

Chad Lawhorn

So far, it doesn’t seem too hard. It costs a little bit of money, and you have to devote a day to training, but other than that there hasn’t been much to it.

Sigmund

Chad, your latest article has enjoyed a much better reception than the previous effort. I think that might be because of a much more serious tone set in the current piece. Can you discuss how purchasing a firearm and getting training changed your attitude about guns and gun ownership?

Chad Lawhorn

Honestly, it hasn’t changed my attitude. Evidentely some people took the tone of my first article as a sign that I don’t like guns. I didn’t intend for it to come off that way. I also tried to have some fun with it by pointing out that I wasn’t going to carry a loaded gun – cocked and ready to fire – down the front of my pants. I still think that is a good decision. Others may not.

smitty

Since there was no follow up statement about training to the clear reference in your article on the butcher knife attack, please follow up on whether or not this how experience prepared has you for a butcher knife attack.

Chad Lawhorn

Well, if someone was charging me with a butcher knife, and I didn’t think I could get him to stop any other way, I guess I would shoot him.

Moderator

I think we’re ready to wrap up. Any other thoughts about this topic?

Chad Lawhorn

Not many. I realize as I read it, my answer to that last question may sound a little flippant. Sorry about that. It is a serious subject. I hope no one ever attacks me or anyone else with a butcher knife. Who knows what I would do in that situation. Unfortunately, I think you don’t figure it out until you are there. Hopefully, most of us will never have to figure it out. Thanks for the reading the articles.