Why I Don't Talk To People About Concealed Carry

[LimaCharlie]

All of our relatives, friends, and neighbors know my wife and I both carry.

And everybody else your friends, relatives and neighbors tell - And who those people tell... concealed includes no discussion of the fact.

I never knew that carrying a gun included a membership in a double-secret society before gun forums on the internet. My wife and I also often open carry. People new to guns act like they are doing something wrong by exercising their Second Amendment rights. I really don't care who knows I am carrying a gun.

 

[Muss Muggins]

I never knew that carrying a gun included a membership in a double-secret society before gun forums on the internet. My wife and I also often open carry. People new to guns act like they are doing something wrong by exercising their Second Amendment rights. I really don't care who knows I am carrying a gun.

This is pretty much where I'm at. I don't open carry, but I could if I wanted to, and I don't see anything untoward about. Anybody that knows me is aware of my affinity for firearms, and my family and many others are aware that I likely have a gun within reach most if not all of the time. I don't have an acquaintance that would start a drunken brawl and ask me for a gun to settle it, and if for some goofy reason that situation would happen to occur, the person in question wouldn't be able to return to his first fight due to his new injuries. I also don't care who my friends and family notify about my affinity for firearms. If I get asked directly about whether or not I'm carrying, my response is always the same: "Do you think I have a gun?" I let them draw their own conclusions. If they press, they get "Nunya," or "This is an A B conversation. C your way out of it." None of these responses would be a surprise to anyone that knows me, and if I get told to "be nice," my standard response is "That was nice. For me." I'm in a position in my life where I don't care at all if you think I have a gun, and quite frankly, if you do think so, that makes me safer.

 

[Muss Muggins]

If you can't keep a secret, don't expect anyone else to. I don't care if it's a "friend"/spouse/other CC'r, unless it REALLY needs to be brought up, then don't. I've had complete strangers at LGS's tell me how they have 100's of guns and 10's of thousands of rounds of ammo at home. I usually tell them, "that will be me following you after you leave to see where you live".

Although I don't announce it like the town crier, most at my LGS know it, and it may come up if you are there. My response should you say that to me: "Why?"

 

[Biggfoot44]

On the one hand , the Grey Man theory maximizes your personal security.

On the other hand if Gun Rights minded people hadn't stepped up to lobby and participate in public events , there would only be widepsread concealed carry in 2 or 3 states still. The modern CCW era didn't magically come from the tooth fairy.

But these things are best done in the offices and hallways of your state capitol , and thru your state level 2A rights organization , rather than randomly to your business aquaintences.

 

[Rastoff]

I'm a gun enthusiast. I'm also an avid amateur wood worker. I'm also a musician. Those are just a few of the things I'm interested in. Therefore, I talk about these things all the time. I do it at work, at the range, at church and around the neighborhood. I tend to hand with like minded people and we all discuss our hobbies with each other.

I see no problem with talking about guns.

I'm also a CCW instructor. I have the name of my school plastered on the side of my truck. It's one way to advertise my business. I've obtained a few clients because of it. So, yeah, I talk about CCW all the time.

What I don't talk about is what or if I'm carrying. Why would I? There are so many other things to talk about.

I learned a long time ago, the best way to keep a secret is...








...wait for it...











...almost there...


















DON'T TELL ANYONE!!!!

There, now is that so hard?

 

[Rastoff]

I find it interesting that we have another thread in this section where people are proclaiming to the world at large exactly what they're carrying. 8 pages of it in fact.

 

[M1A]

It is nobody's business. At the range or anywhere. Even those who know I carry don't see a thing. Conversations about firearms in general are only with like minded individuals.

 

[Muss Muggins]

I'm a gun enthusiast. I'm also an avid amateur wood worker. I'm also a musician. Those are just a few of the things I'm interested in. Therefore, I talk about these things all the time. I do it at work, at the range, at church and around the neighborhood. I tend to hand with like minded people and we all discuss our hobbies with each other.

I see no problem with talking about guns.

I'm also a CCW instructor. I have the name of my school plastered on the side of my truck. It's one way to advertise my business. I've obtained a few clients because of it. So, yeah, I talk about CCW all the time.

What I don't talk about is what or if I'm carrying. Why would I? There are so many other things to talk about.

I learned a long time ago, the best way to keep a secret is...








...wait for it...











...almost there...


















DON'T TELL ANYONE!!!!

There, now is that so hard?

Seriously? "DON'T TELL ANYONE!!!! . . . ?" Your post is indefensible. "No, Officer, nobody should have known that I had a concealed firearm. I don't understand why you would ask . . . ?" You don't have to worry about not telling anybody. You tell everybody who sees you in your truck. People assume it if they see you in your labeled truck, and they won't believe you if you say no, so you better be carrying every time you step out of that truck.

Bank Teller: Of course there's no money here. What makes you think so?

Donut Shop: Donuts? No way, how did you know?

Convenience Store: Beer, gas and Skittles? Not talking. Maybe. Look around.

 

[Johnmuratore]

My wife doesn't even know that I carry. I always make a visit to the basement to "check on things" before I leave the house.
She knows I CAN, but that's it.

I've never mentioned it to a soul and never been asked. Why would I?

 

[sgtsandman]

Only key people know I carry and it is never talked about out in public. The point of concealed carry is so no one knows you have it.

Now talking about general shooting, rifles, range time is fine. If the setting is right for it. It's not something I would bring up at Denny's but at the VFW or the local sportsman's club would be fine. Even then, that I'm carrying wouldn't be brought up.

 

[Wyatt p. Tato]

Guns scare me.

 

[Voyager28]

Old saying: "Speak softly and carry a big stick."

I say: "If you're carrying a gun don't speak at all."

Bob

 

[PuertoRican]

I live in a small town. Rode several years here as the HNIC of the local MC. Ran for state representative few years back. Everybody who knows me, knows I carry. Those who don't know me don't really wanna find out.

 

[NMPinNYC]

The first Rule of Fight Club is you don't talk about Fight Club. The second Rule of Fight Club is...

 

[motorcyclejoe]

Jason Bourne is the Grey man

The Grey man kind of sounds like Jason Bourne. Here are a few more traits of the Grey man.
The Grey man walks into the crapper and counts the stalls. He notices the position of everyone's feet and stays away from anyone with a wide stance.
When in a public the Grey man observes and evaluates every movement of every person calculating the trajectory of any shot fired from an angle of not more than 2 degrees from the hand position of anyone reaching inside a pocket or purse. The Grey man does this while appearing to not be paying attention to anyone in the room. This makes eating at restaurants very time consuming for the Grey man.
The Grey man journeys alone deep into the woods on winter nights wearing only summer shorts and sandals to practice firing when his body temperature has reached the point of hypothermia. Only timber wolves have seen the Grey man practice.

Please share you Grey man stories.

 

[Muss Muggins]

The Grey Man makes Chuck Norris tremble when he walks by . . .

 

[Safestuffer]

Last job I had i carpooled with a friend I thought I could trust with my CC status. I worked in a small fishing town as their fisheries manager and had been receiving death threats pretty regularly at work so started carrying regularly.
Turns out while hunting with someone in that town he mentioned the fact that I carry.
Two weeks later my boss calls me into his office and makes me lift my shirt and pirouette for him because "the rumor around town was that I was packing heat and looking for someone to use it on."
Luckily my heat was packed in my truck at the time.
NEVER tell anyone who doesn't need to know.

 

[walkin' trails]

My wife and I also often open carry. People new to guns act like they are doing something wrong by excercising their Second Amendment rights. [/'QUOTE]

The problem is that our own society has been so indoctrinated for the last 60-150 years (depending on the region) that the SA is a vague concept to them. I am not a fan of open carry for safety reasons (gun grabs, etc), but believe there are parts of the country where it is still an acceptable practice. For all other areas, the surprise a violent criminal experiences is priceless when a potentional victim suddenly produces a pistol...

 

[vito]

Reading through this entire thread its obvious that there really is not much disagreement here. But we all know that there are people who think having a concealed carry license makes them a sort of unofficial LEO and they just can't wait to tell that to the whole world. The very fact that there are concealed carry badges for sale on the internet (why would any sane person even want one of these?) shows that there are some real fools out there. Or the guy who goes to the mall dressed in his best camo outfit so that his status as a mall Ninja is clear to anyone who sees him. I try to avoid such people as best I can. Not two weeks ago, standing at the gun counter at a sporting goods store, waiting to ask the clerk for some ammunition, another customer looks over at me and says "if you're looking for a good gun to carry, buy one of these" and lifts his shirt to show some unidentified semi-auto in an IWB holster. I just ignored him, bought my ammo and left the store. My guess is that this guy never misses a chance to show off his gun and brag about carrying a concealed firearm.

 

[MOONDAWG]

Don't be Rude.

Common Courtesy Southern Style

One should NEVER ask...

A Woman
1. How much she weighs
2. How old she is

A Man
1. How much money he makes
2. If he's carrying a gun

 

[pete950]

No one needs to know im cayying until its needed.

 

[Semper Fi 57]

During my time as an LEO, I had many occasions to handle more that a few burglars & thieves. The majority of those would tell me that one of the ways they located their victims was to look for NRA stickers on vehicles, then follow that vehicle home, later to return and relieve them of their property(i.e. firearms). Just a word to the wise.

Jim

 

[ralph7]

I think the problem has to do with how a lot of gun owners perceive guns. I can't explain it but I notice how guns are treated as some sort of a awe inspiring thing. People have to show them off, play with them, polish them never sell them or regret selling, ooh and aaah over them. This I don't get. To me its just a thing. I can buy 34 guns and unless my friends specifically ask I never show or mention the purchases. To me it would be like saying he guys come check out the new socks I bought. Or hey look at this new box of detergent. They are all just things I buy for use

So which sock and detergent forums do you frequent?

 

[LostintheOzone]

Which brings us around to OC. That must be the florescent orange man. Although my wife never notices the flo orange man. She must be color blind.

 

[Bob T]

What I do or do not have in my pocket or under my jacket is no ones business but mine.

 

[wuluf]

I used to own guns but I took them boating..

 

[motorcyclejoe]

more on the Grey man....

The Grey man eats corn flakes for breakfast every morning while sitting on the throne. He washes the dishes in the bathroom sink and puts them away. His wife of 30 years thinks he does not eat breakfast.

 

[Practical]

You talk a lot yourself for Read-more-post-less comment...

 

[shouldazagged]

As he often does, Iggy nailed it:

Some folks carry guns as a tool, others wear them as an accessory.

I'm perfectly content being as nearly invisible as possible. Little old man with silver hair and beard, walk with a cane, face has sagged till I always look sad and/or grumpy until I smile. Nothing to see here, move along. I like fading into backgrounds.

Unless asked by law enforcement, I will lie with a perfectly straight face about whether I carry. I used to reply, "Now why would you ask a question like that?", but I changed my mind about using that one.

The fact is, I haven't been asked in years, and I don't look like someone who would be armed.

Yeah, I know, I may look like easy pickings. But I drive a battered, fifteen-year-old car; I dress casually, to put it as gently as possible; I really don't get out much; and I made my living for many years observing people.

The Grey Man I'm not, but I'm a pretty low-visibility and low-value target, and I cultivate that.

 

[S&W SS Revolvers]

All of this was read. The views given here all warrant great consideration. Personally we tend to keep things private unless shared with a very few likeminded friends and family. We are low profile folks who value privacy and freedom. Mostly we fit the Grayman and keep to ourselves.