[icwtumn]

After reading a couple other posts, I began to think about this:

Do you discuss with your family members, close friends, children, etc. the idea that they should not talk about your gun in public. I had this discussion with my girlfriend after getting my CCW, and emphasized that in specific stiuations (i.e. being victimized) that at NO TIME should she even hint at the fact that I have a gun. I emphasized that I am carrying the gun and that I should be the one to make the decision about if and when it will be introduced into the situation.

I think it is important to talk about these things before they happen in order to avoid possibly tragic results later. How have you handled this?

 

[stealthsniper]

Very few people even know that I carry a gun, and most of those that do are fellow CCW holders. All those who are "in the know" recognize the importance of keeping things discreet. "No one else should know about my gun unless I'm pointing it at them," usually gets the point across.

 

[paper tiger]

I'm new to CC, so any mention in public of me 'packing' really makes me cringe. It's bad enough people around here are mostly scared of firearms, but to have a 12 year old next to you asking if "you've got it on today"... :shock:

I envy those large, jovial guys that don't mind open carry and enjoy people asking about their weapons. Nuh-uh...not me.

 

[hobocircus]

How about giving a good friend a hug? I have to turn my hip to the right slightly. If they feel your "heater" then they will know. :shock:

P/S. The hug is for females.
For guys the "hug" is , face to face with a slight hop and chest bump in mid air :mrgreen:

 

[CmptrN3rd]

Maybe the females feeling the heater wouldnt be such a bad idea if they didnt know it was a heater :wink:

 

[CmptrN3rd]

I'm new to CC, so any mention in public of me 'packing' really makes me cringe. It's bad enough people around here are mostly scared of firearms, but to have a 12 year old next to you asking if "you've got it on today"... :shock:

I envy those large, jovial guys that don't mind open carry and enjoy people asking about their weapons. Nuh-uh...not me.

I wouldnt do open carry but I would imagine that it brings some sense of security to an area where somebody might have something bad on their mind even if people are scared.

 

[Frenchy]

P/S. The hug is for females.
For guys the "hug" is , face to face with a slight hop and chest bump in mid air :mrgreen:

You're scaring me here!! :shock:

 

[hobocircus]

Yeah, Frenchy I know what you mean. What was I thinking? :lol:

If I ever get to meet you one day I will just shake you hand. :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[Frenchy]

Yeah, Frenchy I know what you mean. What was I thinking? :lol:

If I ever get to meet you one day I will just shake you hand. :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Good!...I feel much better now!! :wink:

 

[just a coastie]

I had a bad experience with that. A lady friend of mine slipped her arm around my waist, exclaims, "what the hell is that?!?!?" Then, as if that wasn't bad enough, tries to pull up my shirt to look for herself. She gave me a mighty interesting look when I smacked her hand away and told her that wasnt a toy for show and tell in the grocery store.

 

[bd]

My wife made a couple of comments, around friends, that I was carrying when we were first married and I had started carrying on a regular basis. I told her I was going to start announcing in public when it was her "time of the month" if she kept it up. She knew I meant it.

Hasn't happenened since. :wink:

bd

 

[dolanp]

LOL, good one bd.

 

[msidner]

I'm a one-arm hug kind of guy, the right arm is always free, so I just keep it hanging down at my side. No worries there. Now for the wife, well, she'll know its there anyway, so no big deal if she runs across it. The other thing is, keep your gun-side arm low, forcing the other person to put their arm high, keeps them away from it. Unless you're carrying mexican in the front, then, well, become a hermit and don't let people touch you if you don't want them to know.

Matthew

 

[st61980]

During Christmas my friend's daughter, she's about 6, ran around me and lifted the back of my shirt. And then she said

"you have a gunnnn..". So I backslapped that girl and said shut your mouth.

I'm kidding, I just told her its no gun. And shes so gullible, but I told her mother anyway about me packing and she was cool with it.

Thats my story, the end.

 

[mpholic]

I'm not a touchy feely kind of guy and all my friends and relatives know it so hugs or something similiar is not a problem. My wife and sons (youngest is 17) all know its there so if they hug me they are not surprised to feel it. They all know not to mention it or draw attention to it.

 

[c22m22c]

most of my family is oblivious to the fact that i carry. my friends know i have it though. hugs aren't common at all. handshakes are rarer still. i'm not worried about contact discoveries.

other than that...its not talked about.

 

[cvann]

I make habit of telling everyone I trust, especially if I'm taking it into their homes (ask for permission). It's totally legal with CCW, and there is no shame in packing. It's sad that owning and carrying are getting to be more and more taboo in trendy circles, so I try enlighten those that aren't 'in the know' by taking them to my gun club and\or indoor range and teach the basics with a .22, lending them books (John Lott is my favorite - lots of #'s, proof), etc., etc....I figure if I can convince 5 people a year that don't know the responsibilities and joys of gun ownership, I'm doing some good and helping to protect our rights.

Of course there are the strong minded friends that absolutely will not give it a try, hate guns, and think I'm a nut......strangely they're also the bigots that ask me for venison in November too.... ....my usual reply is 'you can come with me next year and get your own'....

 

[[TASF]Overkill]

I think anyone who has my screen-name knows I pack due to all of the pro-gun links (to this board) that I put up...

My sister in law (Whose house I am at right now) is terrified of guns. Hates them. I taught her son (Now 4 or 5 I think) the proper response to "What do you do if you find a gun?" Originally, he said "Shoot bad guys." Ummm... no... Now he knows "Don't touch it, find an adult."

I came in to their house to spend two nights and bee-lined for the kitchen to un-strap out of respect. Unloaded the XD, locked it up in the case, put the mag in my pocket, and she asked me what I was doing. "Properly and safely storing away that which you hate most in the world." She told me to put it in my car. "No ma'am. Then some guy who SHOULDN'T have it who you SHOULD worry about can end up with it." "It's my house!" "It's my gun!" And now it rests safely locked up and high on a shelf in their kitchen. Which is still, interestingly, not as safe as being on my hip.

As for "keeping it quiet"... I usually tell people not to draw attention to it. My friends, when I'd open carry somewhere, would be hella nervous. When you're nervous, what do you do? You joke. So a waitress would tell me "Sorry, we're out of Dr. Pepper" and they'd say "Haha, now you HAVE to shoot her." I had a talk with them about that, because that was BULL ****.

My little brother, after filming all of that video... We were at the Homestead sports bar playing pool with his friends, and they asked what he was doing tomorrow. He went and grabbed my coat to flash the gun on my hip (Which was covered by the coat), and fortunately grabbed the wrong side. He got the look of death. And a talking to.

The people who know me, know. They just don't believe it sometimes.

 

[The Tegnu]

Some people are devoid of common sense and shouldn't even be allowed to know you even own so much as a slingshot.

 

[FatMatt1981]

I open carry here in Indiana quite often...but mostly keep it under cover. Most of the friends I have know me and know I carry, and know to keep silly jokes to themselves. As for what people think, or say, while in stores etc. I really don't care. I've come to become close with several Indiana State Troopers, and have become comfortable with talking to em about things....."It is not illegal, but might cause some old ladies to be nervous."
If a manager of some business would ask me to take off my firearms while shopping, I would be obliged to do so according to state law. I admit I have had some weird looks, and even the occasional smartass asking "what are ya, afraid of somebody comin after ya?" None of your business is the usual response.
I once even had some dude come up to me and claim to be a cop, and give me a big speal in front of my wife, that there was brandishing laws somethin or other, and that I need to cover it up. I told him to prove it, and to show me his badge. He wasn't too thrilled when he figured out I knew my rights. After talkin to my trooper buds, they seemed very upset that someone would bother me in the middle of a store like that.
Now if I was wavin it around, playin with it in the store....that's different.
The way I see it it's my business where, what, how , and why I carry as long as it's within state laws. You don't see me goin up to strangers and givin em grief why they're wearing Nike's when everybody knows Reebok is the best. Know what I mean?
My wife has told me that she feels safer in public when I carry. Especially when we have our two kids with us.
Bein a little 10yr old girl was kidnapped off of the street here locally, and later found dumped in a creek nearby....later to find out it was because of drugs. "She seen us with meth, she might tattle"
My friends have told me similar feelings.
I've been preachin like my Dad did to me....there are mental cases everywhere. You never know when someone is gonna try to snatch your kid, bash you in the head for your wallet, or wanna beat the hell out of you in road rage. ..etc
Sorry for the book but that's my two pennies