I guess I am the first female to actually respond to this! My BF has his CCW and owns 5 guns. I inherited my dad's 9mm Helwan, which is a remake of a 1951 Beretta Brigadeer. He had wood grips added to it, and a custom holster made. Now that I am in MD, I most likely won't be able to get my CCW. However, my uncle teaches classes in Richmond, VA. I will take his class and apply for a non-resident permit.
I have been shooting at a very tightly controlled range in NC where you can't even walk in without reading the six pages of rules and information and they watch you read it on camera. You have to hold an ID up to the camera to come in once you are done reading. When you get in, you have to read more information and you get quizzed, your guns and ammo are looked over BEFORE you are allowed on the range. This is also a police qualifying range, so I was actually very comfortable there.
All of that being said, I don't know if I will carry the majority of the time when I live somewhere that I can. I would like to carry to work on the job I'm starting as I will be going into DC and the job site is NOT in the best neighborhood. However, gun carrying is a no-no in DC. Figures. I can say that if threatened, I might not shoot to kill if I don't have to, but I will take someone out at the knees. And I CAN hit them.