CPL holders! Who do you tell?

[answerguy]

I'd like to get a feel for how many people you let know that you carry.

 

[Autolycus]

If I was able to carry I would not tell anyone. Perhaps a wife but not a girlfriend. Other than that I would not tell anyone unless they were a good friend. Very few people NEED to know.

The only people I would tell would be the people that carry themselves, and are the ones I trust with my guns. If I have to leave them over there for a prolonged period for some reason or another. But other than that I would not tell anyone.

 

[jungleroy]

Well just speaking for me.

Only those with whom I go to the range with on a regular basis, Who I know would have my back, and thats a precious few.

I figure if others knew I carried, they might be in someway emboldened to feel froggy toward another person and then expect me to bail them out.

I carry to save my life and those whom I love. Everyone else is on their own.

Would you be willing to let others know that your packing. If they might slip and tell someone someday and then that person follows you home and later robs you while your out.
Hope this helps answer your question.

 

[Bruce333]

Just close friends (those that may as well be family) and family. They all know I own guns anyway.

 

[Ares45]

Only those who, in my estimate, are on a need to know basis. My family knows I have a carry license but I don't announce the fact that I'm carrying when in there presence. For all they know I might have gotten the permit just to make hiding it in the car legal. Some of my friends have discovered it when the situation warranted it. One found out the hard way, during a traffic stop. Another caught me with my hand on my hip during an unusually tense situation. Some of my gun friendly friends have their own CCW permits so we discuss it. Other than that it's mind your own business. As far as I'm concerned my carry piece is my own private ace-in-the-hole. The surprise factor is a good thing to have in your "toolbox" IMHO.

 

[Hardtarget]

If I know people, (I know a few ), then some are going to know. If those people are around me, they'll see my gun sooner or later. I don't tell every one...just the ones that are shooters and trusted. I also know if, and what, they carry. Most at work also know because I don't want a "freak-out" if its seen inadvertantly. There are three others carrying at work besides myself...too much bad stuff happening too close to us.
Mark.

 

[SolaScriptura139]

I tell my friends and family that I plan on carrying. This opens conversation for gun rights and such. I'm not worried if my friends and family know, but I'm not going to announce it for the world to hear.

 

[up_onus]

I wouldnt tell anybody who i thought may be potentially dangerous. And knowing human nature, thats just about everybody.....

 

[Leanwolf]

My wife knows, but then, I know she carries also.

My next door neighbor knows, but he is my hunting partner, plus he carries too.

My neighbor across the street knows, as he and his wife carry, plus they go shooting with my wife and me.

Another hunting partner knows, but he, too, carries, as does his wife.

That's about it. I believe in being discreet.

There are a lot of people in Idaho who carry.

L.W.

 

[JesseL]

I've open carried on occasion since I was 21, so I guess I can't say that there's ever been anyone who I've made any effort to keep from knowing.

I carry almost every day, usually concealed. While I don't announce it to everyone I meet, if it comes up in conversation I may mention that I carry.

In my opinion, the "element of surprise" is overrated in regard to carry. I think that being visibly armed is much more of a deterrent than temptation to most predators, and I would rather simply avoid confrontations than try to surprise an attacker that already has the advantage of initiative.

 

[starshooter231]

Wife and close friends

are the ones that know. The wife knew that I had my CPL, why because she was pissed that I owned a gun. (She is a gun hating Republican). One of my buddies that I work with because we took our training together. Our shooting buddies that go to the range with us. Because we don't have to dick around when we get to the range, we are ready to shoot upon arrival. My brother-in-law because he and I had a conversation about guns, wanted to know why the wife (his sister) was an anti. And that is about it.

 

[Knotthead]

While I once was very open about my concealed carry, I am much more discrete these days, especially among coworkers and casual friends or acquaintances. I used to promote the practice openly, but these days I only inform those close to me.

 

[DMK]

Well, I wouldn't tell anyone, but since I took the class with my dad, he told my mom, and she has pretty much told everyone in my family. But other than family and extremely close family friends, nobody else knows.

I don't even like telling anyone I own any guns unless I know them well and they want to go to the range with me.

Not that I really care one way or the other, but people tend to reveal such things about you at the most inappropriate moments.

 

[PWK]

My immediate family but they are all under strict orders not to tell anyone.
Friends and folks I know who also carry I don't mind knowing but for me I believe that the fewer that know the better.

 

[mdao]

My family doesn't even know I own guns. One of my close friends knows I own and carry since I've gone gun browsing/buying with him. Another knows that I own guns (left one out when she was over). :banghead:

Oh yeah, and the local gun store/range owners/operators know.

Need to know and all that jazz.

 

[Nitrogen]

Voted "close friends and immidate family" even though my folks are antis and don't know. My inlaws know, and certain friends I trust know.

 

[kd7nqb]

I see no problem with telling people,I dont like the idea of OC because it draws too much attention. I guess my way of thinking is most people I know, know I am a gun guy and know I support CCW so they should be able to put 2and 2 together.

 

[Mr White]

Family members know. Close friends and people that I go out with just assume that I'm carrying, and I assume that some of them are carrying as well. I don't advertise that I carry but I won't lie to someone I know and trust if they ask. But then again, most people that I trust aren't the kind who would ask.

 

[psyopspec]

Close friends only, no family. I'm a bit more vocal with gun ownership since it draws interesting and entertaining reactions on a college campus, and by disclosing I've eventually taken over a dozen new shooters to the range.

 

[3rdpig]

I give out that info on a need to know basis. If they don't need to know, they don't get told.

Why should even family members know you carry a concealed weapon? It's nobody's business but yours.

Of course if you're married or living with someone there's little doubt they'll find out, so you might as well tell them so they won't freak out when they bump into it. And if you have children they'll need to be taught about firearm safety and may have some need to know you carry, specially if they're old enough to use your gun should you go down. But outside that group I can't see anyone else having a need to know.

 

[miconoakisland]

Very few

My parents, brothers, sisters and their spouses, and a couple friends know I am able to carry. None know the extent I carry.

Among friends/aquaintances, the subject never even comes up.

I ALWAYS carry my P3AT in my back pocket.
Most times, I carry IWB either XD40 or Bersa Firestorm in a tuckable holster.

The less people that know, the better. I want the whole issue to be a non-issue.

If I'm ever held up, I wanna pull my .380 instead of my wallet, if applicable. I don't want my companion to yell "Don't shoot him! Just give him your money!" or "Shoot him!" and be forced to either way.

The decision to defend my life or take anothers' must be mine, and mine alone.
The last thing I want is for someone else to expose my carry status to a BG and add yet another bad situation to an already bad situation.

I never want to have to be in any such situation to begin with, but I always want to be able to decide on my own.

 

[M2 Carbine]

I have a very small group of friends. They all know I carry. They also carry.


Long before legal carry a lot of co-workers knew I carried, because they did to.

 

[44Brent]

I open carry about 40% of the time, and conceal about 60% of the time.

Trying to hide the fact that you own and carry a pistol is like engaging in free speech only when you are certain that no one is listening.

 

[Danus ex]

I used to be much more secretive than I currently am. Some friends, family, and co-workers know that I have a carry permit, and even to those who are anti-CCW, it doesn't seem to matter. Granted, nobody knows when, where, or what I'm carrying at any given time. Moreover, I just don't seem like someone who might be carrying anything--my clothes, grooming, and attitude show only an upwardly-mobile twentysomething.

Ultimately, the element of surprise is still intact--the random bad guys most likely to assault you will have no idea what's on your waistline.

 

[IdahoFarmer]

Just my spouse, my father, another like minded CCW holder and you fine folks.