Do you have you Oregon Concealed Handgun License (CHL) yet?
If not, you may want to ask yourself why not. There are practical advantages to having a CHL. Not least of which is that you no longer have to worry about falling foul of the local ordinances in places like Beaverton and Portland. Although cities can make their own law about certain aspects of firearms possession, a CHL overrides these so you don’t have to worry about what is legal on one spot being illegal five feet away over an invisible city boundary. Even if you are not concerned about the self-defense aspects, the practical advantages are worth thinking about.
The reason my wife and I first obtained our CHLs was that we would often go to an indoor range (The Place to Shoot) on an evening, and on the way home, would want to stop to get something to eat. We were faced with either leaving over $1,000 worth of guns in the car, or taking them in with us, and breaking concealed handgun laws (we assumed that most restaurants would not appreciate us leaving them lying on the table).
Later, it became a habit to carry on a more permanent bases as it became clear that no-one is immune to some of the nastier aspects of criminal behavior. It is worth remembering that Oregon law allows you to use deadly force in defense of anyone, not just yourself. I was reminded of this by reading this news report.
If you are interested in learning more about obtaining a CHL there are several members of the club who are certified instructors who will be more than willing to talk to you about what is involved and provide classes if required.
