Thoughts on being the “Gun Guy”

BreechFace said:

@NuShootr appreciate you insight coming from an "eastern European Communist" country, the insight has not fallen on deaf ears in my case.

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Thank you, sir. That's very much appreciated. I am terrified at the direction my adopted country is going. We must preserve our freedom at all costs. The United States of America is truly the last bastion of Civil Liberties there is. It can not be taken from us. Not by anyone.

If a long term employee is dismissed because someone overheard a conversation about guns and felt "threatened", I'd say there were other issues and that was just an excuse.NJ is an "at will" state when it comes to employment and dismissal, and many companies are finding they have to build a case-a "file"-to protect themselves against lawsuits. And many companies are adhocracies.
Here in NJ we have a fairly large but low keyed gun culture, hence the attacks on the RKBA are of the "salami slicing" or nibbling away type. I am the "gun guy" in my various social circles, I have some credentials-Army veteran, combat veteran, retired Reserve officer, reenact or and living historian that allow me to play the expert.
I have gotten some nice pieces through private sales. People come to for advice, ask about me taking them to the range, etc. I do not discuss guns with my neighbors, NNTK. No bumper stickers on my car, my NRA attire is limited to a couple of hats.

NuShootr said:

I don't understand what you mean. How can I be put in jail for exercising my 1st Amendment rights and being vocal about the Bill of Rights? Sorry, but where my family came from, it got that way BECAUSE people weren't vocal about their Civil Rights. As long as you aren't breaking the Law, it is your duty to be vocal about it. Especially now, it is required. You should not fear your Government. They should fear you. What battle is more important than your Civil Liberties? Once those are gone, you will be unable to care for your family and you will be without the things you should have been vocal about. This is the historical lesson of every Communist Regime. Ask the Venezuelans.

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See the bold portion. Most of the firearms that I own are illegal in your state. It's a fine thing to be vocal about our rights, but when exercising those rights becomes illegal, one must be discrete about how vocal they are. How vocal are you about the rights that many of the rest of us in other parts of the country enjoy legally but that are felonies in your state?

BTW, this is quite the declaration from someone who has owned a firearm for a grand total of one day.

I certainly don't advertise. I'm not the outgoing type and it takes me a while to get comfortable sharing opinions/beleifs with anyone. But given a hint of someone being interested, I'm all for sharing. Have mentored new shooters and gifted pistols to them, as was done for me by my BIL.

bearcreek said:

In my area, people who don't own guns are about as common as people with two heads.

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That’s the way it is around here. Although, I used to know a guy (I worked at the same place) that didn’t have any guns, but he actually did have two heads. At least he was the most two-faced blankety-blank I’ve ever been around. No longer having to be around people like him is one of the best things about retirement.
Nevertheless, I voted “Good,” but I can understand how it could be a bad thing to be known as the “gun guy” (or in my wife’s case, the “gun gal”) in an area where having guns is not all that common. I think it would probably be a lot like me being an avid handloader. Even in gun-loving SE Idaho, handloading is not all that common, and it can be awkward when a friend or acquaintance asks me to build some ammo for them - I don’t, so let’s not go there.

I certainly don't want to be known as a gun guy except when I'm at my range among other members, nor would I "advertise" that I might have weapons by posting an NRA or hunt club sticker on my automobiles for fear that I might be followed home by someone looking for guns. If you want to do that, fine do it, but IMHO I think you're asking for trouble.

Out in the sticks, in a very pro-gun area, and state. When the Sheriff is 45 to 90 minutes away, you know what they say, about
"no atheists, in the foxholes".
But from living elsewhere, definitely a mixed bag, leaning toward the negative. In the neighborhood I used to live in, if you were "The gun guy",
you'd get stink-eye looks from some, avoided by quite a few, like you were diseased, and others liked to be condescending, and act like you
were emotionally or mentally disturbed, based on the fact you could successfully fill out a 4473, or had a CCW permit.

Without wading into the ethical/moral debate (which is going to quickly veer off THR topic, BTW), I have learned that there are some practical considerations here.

Being "the gun guy" can mean having everyone come hang out at your house trying to cadge some reloads, a buffer kit, a holster, that Bennelli you are "barely using" and on and on and on . . .

So, a happy medium is better. And, every so often can work to your favor--like giving away half your stash of holsters []

I live in small town Nebraska. Most everyone has a firearm of some sort. There are many hunters and a number of self-defense individuals.

I am on the list twice.
1. Not only do I own guns, I collect guns. So I'm a real deep gun person. I load my own ammunition. I can identify a number of 'old' guns and have an idea from where they came.
2. I'm also a hard core Christian and somewhat of a theologian. So not only do I know about the Bible and mainstream Christianity (what is generally called 'Protestantism') I know from where the conflicts derive and usually have at least two theories of 'problems'.

So people come to me to ask questions about firearms and stuff pertaining. I am also the recipient of 'stuff' on the basis of "... you're a gun guy, so here!' I always say thank you, because even though usually it's worthless, I have picked some good ammo (including some old .32 Rimfire in boxes) and bits and bobs of reloading equipment or old, out of print books. Some folks also come to me and ask about homosexuality. Or why did God authorize slavery?
Often times I can satisfy those curiosities and at least make a new friend. Or a connection at need.

At times I get called a murderer for having guns, and a bigot for being Christian. It's a mixed bag, but it usually works out for the best.

bearcreek said:

See the bold portion. Most of the firearms that I own are illegal in your state. It's a fine thing to be vocal about our rights, but when exercising those rights becomes illegal, one must be discrete about how vocal they are. How vocal are you about the rights that many of the rest of us in other parts of the country enjoy legally but that are felonies in your state?

BTW, this is quite the declaration from someone who has owned a firearm for a grand total of one day.

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I am very vocal about the fact the NJ gun laws are so restrictive and write to my Senator and Congressman, as well as the Governor of our State and Mayor of my township about these matters, often. I also write to them about the lock downs and how damaging they were/are. Let me tell you a story. I came to the USA, from Canada, where my family initially immigrated to, as a student. On a legitimate visa. My wife and I put ourselves through school and eventually got an H1-B1 visa, which allowed us to stay and work as non-resident aliens. We then got our Green Cards, and eventually became citizens of this great nation. This process took 25 YEARS and cost my wife and I close to $70K in legal fees. Not only is my family from a Communist Eastern European country, but my family also lost family and friends in the Holocaust. We know first hand what happens when you are silent about your civil rights. How many generations of your family have lived in the USA?

As far as your firearms being illegal in my State, I'm not sure how that factors into this discussion. You can still be vocal about the 2nd Amendment being trampled on in other States, can't you? You don't live in NJ, so you don't have to worry about the legality of the firearms you own. That's a State's Rights issue and has nothing to do with the Bill of Rights.

Yes, I've only been a gun owner for one day. I've been around firearms for about a decade, and was always interested in talking about the 2nd Amendment with anyone who would listen. Including politicians. I personally don't feel that the only way to support the 2nd Amendment is to own a firearm. All you have to do is vocally support it.

In my office I’m one of two “gun guys”.

Most often the conversations revolve around some of the others contemplating a handgun or hunting arm purchase so they ask one of us (or both) about a gun or cartridge they’re looking at and go from there.

The others (and most important) involve case strategy/prosecutorial questions. These may be where a DDA has a gun-related case submitted by an agency and wants an opinion on the merits, or is in the pre trial or trial stage and needs an expert to testify about the gun or ammo in question.

Friends also reach out, mostly with “what should I buy” questions.

Stay safe.

NuShootr:
I've seen indications that many people no longer want to be specific, even about .22LR guns they own, while Texting people they know quite well.

Some rumor apparently is flying around that the Gubmint is monitoring texts of Legal gun owners, saving that data for whatever "X-Files event" they choose to be anxious about.
Some of these gullible people normally understand the limitations of politicians' 'real world' "political capital".

As in some of the first papers signed by Tovarich Joe yesterday at the White House--in stark contrast to new gun show website Warnings I've read (! "He gonna Grab 'em, Now! ).....
future workers (if any) on the Trans-Canadian Pipeline and others in the fossil fuels industry etc will have Far more "Appeasement Targets" to worry about.

aaronu said:

Red flag law, anyone?

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I live in Oklahoma. Not any time soon.

My world is pretty much redneck, so it is no big deal.

I work in the service dept at a dealership. The amount of non-gun owners is easier to count than gun owners. Even those who aren't owners have no opposition to the 2nd amendment

I’m indifferent, I’m more comfortable around gun owners than non but I also don’t view my gun owning as something I need to share with the world.

I generally never let on what I know about guns until someone asks me directly about something gun or gun related.

Then I usually end it with “Not that I know anything about that.”

My circle is extremely pro gun. I don’t remember that I’ve ever run across anyone vehemently anti gun.

All, and I mean all of my friends, acquaintances, and relatives are strongly pro gun

And yeah, I’m the “go to” gun guy. I no longer share what or how many I have, which is WAY less than I had at one time

Most people make incorrect assumptions about me as the gun guy. Retired LEO, four year Marine and hunter. I'm not a badass, as badasses go, and I don't brag, show off, or fill people in. My family and inner circle know who I really am. I don't generally advertise my proclivities toward gun ownership with stickers, tee shirts or hats. I really have no wish to be the first one shot during a robbery because I was wearing a tee short that says I don't call 911 and shoot AR15's and Glocks, or a COVID mask with Thin Blue Line insignia on it. I work on my head shots, magazine changes, and use of cover. Those are not visible to the public I come in contact with.

If you don't like my interests, I won't share them with you.
If you don't like my interests, keep it to yourself.
If you don't like my interests, and want to do something about it, I'm your huckleberry.

WestKentucky said:

Where I live guns are very commonplace. There are lots of folks who speak openly about the guns that they have for hunting, target shooting, collecting, etc. Guns are simply more common here as opposed to other areas where they are less common and as such they are frequently discussed here where in other areas they would not be. So, that brings a question. Is it a bad idea to be known as a gun owner, or to be knowledgeable about guns? Just this week I have had situations where I felt strongly that it was beneficial and that it was not wise. Specifically when asked if I could put together an AR kit for a guy I felt it unwise as he is not the most standup guy ever but he legally purchased a lower so legally there is no concern, but I would not want him around my wife or kids. I could show him a few things and let him use my assembly blocks and punches to put a lower together and drop on a factory built upper which I wouldn’t mind doing. On the other side of the discussion is another guy who came to me with a bunch of odds and ends and left them for me as a gift. He had gotten stuff in a bench buy, couldn’t use part of it and knew that either I would use it, or I would find it a good home. I now have 2 full boxes which are a combination of 32 long, 32 short, and 32 acp factory loaded ammo, and about 500 mixed 32 brass of those varieties. So which is it? Good to be known? Bad to be known? Indifferent?

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I probably wouldn't do any firearms related dealings with him if you think he has any kind of criminal tendencies.

I know what you mean about not wanting to share too much, I have regretted outing myself as a "gun guy" a few different times. It just kind of seeps out on occasion and people who come to know me at all just know I'm a gun guy. I'm pretty happy to pursue this lifestyle on my own, share with family too but its mostly a solo thing, so sometimes I can start yammering just because it's an area of interest and a lil knowledge so I will rap with people about it sometimes.... just an example is like one of the contractors we work with from time to time was saying how he would love to have an AR but couldn't find a left handed one, so I felt it would be helpful to explain some options he could pursue such as ambidextrous controls, etc.. and he was totally thankful for the insight. Just stuff like that in nature can kick off a conversation with somebody who would never otherwise know you were into guns.....

I have heard on more than one occasion, "if X,Y,Z happens, I'm coming to your house". I always say, you'll have to kill me first. In a not really jokey way because while I know they are saying it in a jokey way, I think what if they perhaps aren't joking.

Ive had more problems being known as an obnoxious rice rocket or crotch rocket guy, even if my machines were fairly inoffensive..... automatic assumption we were all gonna be A-holes.

Most folks who know me know im a gun guy, ive have/had friends and co-workers who didnt agree with me but its never been an issue.

Craig_VA said:

Generational confusion:
Dirty Rotten Commie 8@$7@rd
or
Flyover-Country Conservative / Republican?

Based on my age and background, that phrase led me immediately to the first option.

Craig

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Oops, should have said "Red Elephant-leaning."

I like being the “gray man.” They know I hunt but not how much I’m into guns.




Oh and for some reason I find real life gun conversations to often be tedious and boring. That’s why I’m on the forum. I can engage with only the things that interest me, in only they way they do so.

I can pass pretty good as a hippie. Nobody knows what I do and tie-dye and thanks to C19 increasingly long air nobody needs to know I love guns almost as much as I love peace. Like, man, like, peace out .

3C