Concealed? Is it really?

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Gus Dddysgrl

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I have not seen many friends from high school since we graduated. I will be getting together with a couple of them soon for my wedding. Now I was not into guns or shooting or any of that in high school. Many of them do not even have a clue I know what a gun is let alone the fact that I own, and carry one.

How do you know when, how, where to address the issue? I want them to know where I stand, but I don't know how to tactfully go about it. For the guys it'd be easier, but for many of the girls I'm clueless about how to bring it up.

How would you tell an old friend that you've gotten into guns? It's never been a topic of discussion so I do not know where they stand?

Along those same lines how would you tell a new friend that you are into guns?

My other thought was when do you know or when do you tell a friend that you carry concealed? I know if they are a complete bliss ninny it might be best not to say anything, but who knows. Is it truely concealed then if the friend knows? Should friends know? Where do you draw the line? I mean I know dad carries all the time so for me his ccw is not really concealed, or is it?

Just a few questions.

:D
 
If any of the guys were into guns or hunting, you might start up a conversation with them and bring up your enlightenment.:D If they're anything like the people I know, they'll mention it or make a joke about it in front of the others.

As far as concealed carry, I wouldn't mention it unless the person needed to know.
 
The best time you to tell someone you carry is as you are drawing it to confront a threat.


If these are people you are going to only see once and then not see again for years, then just leave the subject alone.

If these are people you plan on making a part of your life then I'd feel out their political leanings and then someday if you are pretty sure they aren't antis then when discussing plans for the weekend say "Well, Sunday I was planning on hitting the range for a little practice." and see where that goes.
 
I wouldn't hide the fact that I was into guns, but I wouldn't just bring it up.
Sooner or later it will come up naturally in conversation. Or you can invite them to come shooting with you sometime, which will surely lead to a broader conversation about shooting and firearms in general.

I wouldn't tell any of those guys that you carry....some people will freak out, others will feel awkward, and in their eyes you will look like a rambo wannabe. My close friends know that I carry, but I don't tell many people, and while I have my IDPA hat on my rack at my house where visitors can draw their own conclusions, I certainly don't wear it around.

You shouldn't have to 'tell' a new friend that you are into guns. That seems too much like a disclaimer, or like you are warning them because they may not want to associate with you anymore. Once again I think the topic will eventually come up, and it shouldn't be a big deal.
 
I agree with Zundfolge. If these are people you plan on seeing again just kinda feel them out. Just let it come naturally to a conversation and you should be fine.
 
Allot of times with people I haven't seen for a while or new friends I will mention that I am in a pistol league at my Sportsmans club. It isn't the first thing that I mentoin, but if the conversation gets around to hobbies I will freely talk about it. I really like to bring new people to the range. It is a ton of fun I also like to offer some subtle political commentary as we are shooting. When they are shooting anything with a Standard capacity mag I will mention how Bill Clinton outlawed those magazine. Then they will ask why I still have one. Then I comment how he was dumb enough to let us all keep the ones we have!!! It is always fun to challenge people's beliefs in a non threatening way.
 
Being an Ohio resident I have to uncover my gun any time I'm in a car so most of my friends will find out this way, unless I just wait til we get pulled over and then pull my shirt up or something, but then I risk my friends in the car freaking out as the cop is walking up to the car lol.
 
Not in any conversations I ever have. It sounds like most of you really want the world to know you have a gun. I'm not sure why ?
Click to expand...
ysr_racer,
I have plenty of conversations in which guns come up, largely because I tend to surround myself with shooters. Generally, I don't go around talking about guns with people who I don't know are in to it, but sometimes the subject comes up ("Sorry, I'm not free that day" "Why?" "Going shooting with Kcustom45"). I don't run around yelling "Hey! Check out my gat!", but I'm not ashamed of my hobby either.
 
perhaps you could broach the subject by going into how you've become a Constitutionalist, working hard to preserve the rights every person is guaranteed.

afterall, that is part of what the aclu is attempting, and if your old classmates are liberals, you'll discover that right away. they might whip out their aclu membership card and you can counter by whipping out your cwp.

if they have no real opinion about human rights, you can ask them if they feel that the governments intrusion upon civil rights in the name of 'homeland security' sits right with them. you can follow up by stating that the original homeland security consisted of armed citizens, and how sad it is that our society has de-evolved to the point where no one wants to step up to the plate, they'd rather have someone else provide for their security.

another way would be to simply bring up news items from your locale. if theres been a rash of burglaries or rapes in your community, discuss that. ask your friends if they've ever considered what they would do if they became an intended victim. most often a person will give their response and then ask what your plan is. you could say that you have researched the options available, and discovered that there is no 'foolproof' plan, and that many of the options advised just arent that trustworthy. would you trust your life to pepper spray? a whistle? let them ponder that. tell them that there is no way you would give up fighting for your dignity, your life, or that of your loved ones.
even if they only assume you are talking about hand-to-hand fighting, they will at least know you have adopted the warrior mindset.
 
Just a note about telling folks. . .

When I first got my permit, I was naturally excited. A gentleman in our church had also just gotten his, so I was talking to him about CCW.

I saw him about a month ago. He has been helping put on CCW classes in our *small* town. He says to me: "Yeah, I told them in that class 'Ya'll don't bother o' Jack T. He carries everywhere. . work, home, everywhere'".

Thanks, man. . .why don't you just take out a ad in the newspaper.

So my advice? Talk about guns all you want, but when it comes to CCW, ****.
 
If it comes up, promote RKBA by all means.. but,

No point in mentioning that you carry, especially to friends and relatives you don't see that often.

If hobbies, sports, shooting comes up, certainly discuss your participation, acknowledging that a woman enjoys shooting and supports RKBA can only help beat back stereotypes that help fuel the anti-gun movment. If it's a friend or relative that you see often that you think you could bring to the range and get the to enjoy shooting, and support RKBA in their political attitudes, go for it.

There's no point in bringing up that you carry with anyone other than your most trusted and closest friends, family, and shooting partners.

Imagine this worst case scenario:

After shocking all of her friends with the information that she CCW's, Gus Dddysgrl and her out of town friends go out for a little pre-wedding lunch to catch up on old times before the hustle, bustle, and formality of the actual wedding.

As you are seated, there's a commotion nearby at the front of the resturaunt, a man is shouting, a woman screams... An armed robber is holding up the resturaunt and ordering the cashier to empty the register! Gus Dddysgrl's heart pounds, she thinks frantically about what to do. Can she help? Should she draw? She realizes with some relief that the robber is already turning to leave with his cash, and hurting no one. This can be a matter left to the police.

Just as the robber heads for the door, and safety is about to return to the room, the most airheaded and bliss-ninny of Gus Dddysgrl 's friends screams out,

"USE YOUR GUN GUS DDDYSGRL!"

The robber, who was leaving a split second before, turns to face the threat...

An extreme example, I know. But is that what you want?
 
My opinion is the less people know about your defenses, the better for you. Many a man has been killed by somebody he thought was his friend. And if that 'friend' knows you carry, he is more likely to kill you while your back is turned or use a weapon with more stand-off than the weapon he knows you carry.

You can take people to the range or hunting all you want. But when it comes to your last line of defense, only you have a need to know. I practice my draw and stress-fire out of the eyes of those who know me.
 
Gus,

Here are the basic rules I live by:

1) Don't try to bring it up.

2) If someone asks you what you did last weekend, and you spent the day at the range, tell the truth. If they're more than politely interested, invite them along next time.

3) Don't ever tell casual (or even close) friends that you are carrying right then -- unless it is someone who needs to know. By "needs to know," I mean, "needs to know." If you're in an awkward situation, such as the group has just decided to go somewhere you can't because you are carrying, either excuse yourself quietly and lock your gun in your own car, or quietly go along with the group, or find some other way out of the situation. Don't whisper to a friend, "I can't, I'm armed..." -- it'll come back to bite you later, so don't do it. They don't need to know. (One exception, in rule 5).

4) Later on, you may have friends who decide they want to get their own CCWs. If they have gone to the range with you a time or two, they may eventually ask you if you have one. Tell the truth, but don't go on and on about it. Let it drop if they don't pursue it.

5) Eventually, you may have a friend who is trying to figure out how to conceal a gun. If they ask you, tell them how you do it. This is the fun part -- having a friend say, "I couldn't keep it really concealed because ..." and you responding, "Why not? It's possible, you just have to ..." and have them look at you and go, "Yeah, but you don't carry a gun ... do you??" :D So very much fun to grin and say, "You've never seen me without it."

But that's the end game. Do not try to rush that moment.

pax
 
Personally, I wouldn't bring it up. It's probably not worth the hassle--and since you've not seen most of these folks for 5 years, nor will you again for at least another (?) years, who cares?

BUT--all of us here at HighRoad want to see your wedding pix. Gotta see how you carried concealed with the wedding dress on!!!
 
A lot of people I know know that guns are a hobby of mine, but I have never brought it up unless it occurs naturally, in the flow of conversation like "what did you do this weekend"? Then I will tell them, "I went out and shot some rounds of skeet", or whatever. I am not in the least ashamed of it, and don't try to hide it. However, other people's hobbies are usually boring, so I don't discuss it with others unless it fits. I certainly don't want to have Joe corner me and bore me about his stamp collection, so I don't do this to others either.

Only 2 people in my life know I carry (need to know basis) -- I never mention it to anyone -- it is none of their business.

So my advice would be, just forget about it, just like your stamp hobby, until someone asks!;)
 
I had a similar situation. I started off the conversation with,"Check this out." and showed him my CZ 75 P-01. We then went to the range and shot it. He now owns that one and I bought anther one. :D
 
Being an Ohio resident I have to uncover my gun any time I'm in a car so most of my friends will find out this way, unless I just wait til we get pulled over and then pull my shirt up or something, but then I risk my friends in the car freaking out as the cop is walking up to the car lol.
Click to expand...

Same here. I don't bring up the concealed part. friends know i am into guns and are pretty confidant that i will carry. i have just never confirmed it to them. i had a girl digging in my pants to see if i was packing. well at least that's what she said.:D

so do i admit it by just being asked nope! but if i am made ohh well i am not breaking any laws!
 
Not in any conversations I ever have. It sounds like most of you really want the world to know you have a gun. I'm not sure why ?
Click to expand...

Because if the RKBA arms is to survive, then we all need to come out of the closet and make ourselves heard.

That's why.

And here's how it comes up: Had a conversation sitting in the dental chair this morning. Dental assistant has big trouble with neighbors, police were at the neighbors house last night because the wife was pouring gasoline around the house threatning to set it on fire at 3am.

Another neighbor videotaped the teenage son trying to break into this womans house.

They live in PA so I said, time for your husband to go for his CCW; she said, oh I don't feel right about that.

About what? Well having a gun in the house with the kids.

I went through the, it's not the gun it's the hand that holds it and you are doing it for the kids, to protect them in case these looneys go over the edge. My four kids are fine and we've had guns since before they were born.

Dentist jumped in and said that she had been telling her the same thing . . . .

So yes, I pushed the opportunity, but that's how I do my part. People can say, gee, nice family, good guy and he has guns. Maybe guns aren't evil.

That's why I put the NRA stickers on the car as well. Time to be counted.

We're not going to turn this thing around keeping quiet.
 
Unless you are going to be socially active with these freinds on a regular basis I see no reason to bring it up.

Concealing a handgun means not just concealing it from eyes. It means concealing the knowledge of its existance from others.
 
Most folks around here own guns and have them just lying around the house as well. But probably not too many carry most of the time like I do.

I don't make a big deal to hide it, but neither do I advertise it either. If anybody has noticed, they haven't said much of anything.
 
I applaud you for wanting to let your old friends know where you stand on shooting sports. Here's what I do.

I don't try to force shooting into the conversation. Don't want to seem rude or pushy. But if people ask about, or talk about hobbies, I say mine include hunting, fishing and shooting sports. Nothing to hide about that.

If they ask about the NRA, I say you betcha. I want my kids to be able to be involved in shooting sports.

If some anti says something rude, I just say "Now why would you say/ask something like that?" Let them come off as the rude one.

But the ONLY people I tell about CCW are my wife and close family. I may tell people I have a license if they ask about CCW, but I just joke if they ask if I'm carrying now. That kinda blows the whole "concealed" thing. I just say something like "Ah, that's the trick, no one ever knows..."
 
If they don't ask, keep your mouth shut.

Once I gave a ride to a very close friend (we've known each other since 1st grade) and he wanted to listen some punk rock music that we listened back in the early 90's. I told him to open the glove box and reach the cd case labeled "skate or die" and pick one up. What he found inside the case was a loaded mag:what: that I forgot it was there:uhoh: . That sparkled a nice conversation and we realize that both of us were into guns since 2001, that we were CCW holders, and that our wives dislike "those things."
 
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