Do you worry about others knowing how many guns you have?

[AKElroy]

My name is not Elroy, but I do own AK's. Like many in this forum, I own a number of guns and I stock a lot of ammo. Even though all of my guns were legally acquired and are perfectly legal, most uninformed citizens would consider this an "arsenal", because, well, it is. None of my neighbors know anything about my shooting hobby, because I am careful to hide it. When I go the range, I load the truck in the garage. When we have others over, all guns & equipment are out of sight. I am not ashamed of my hobby, I am just not willing to open the door to thieves or nervous officials. Am I a poor advocate?---Am I being paranoid? I am very active politically for RKBA.

 

[MaterDei]

To each his own. Without being too critical I would have to say that, yes, you are being a poor advocate. Guns are tools and when they are treated in some mysterious way they become something else. You are treating your guns as something mystical, dangerous, and as things that need to be hidden.

Regarding the issue of theft; do you treat everything you own so secretively? Where do you keep your other tools? Are they only loaded into your truck in the garage too? How about your truck itself? It's probably just as valuable as your guns. Do you keep it down the street in a secure storage facility and only get into it and drive it under the cover of darkness?

In the end though, they are your property and even if you wanted to keep them stashed at the bottom of the ocean that's your business.

 

[22-rimfire]

Once my house was burglarized while I was home. The perp(s) obviously had been watching me and my habits. They also liked photographic equipment and knew precisely where I kept it (handy place as I used it often). One morning at 3:00 AM I hear my dogs barking and growling; I wake up and wander out into the rest of the house and see nothing out of order. Went back to bed. Next morning, I discoveded that a large portion of my camera equipment had been stolen. It took under one minute to accomplish and I was home.

To answer your question, I believe it is always a good idea not to advertise high value items when moving them in and out of your home. It has nothing to do with your feelings about the 2nd Amendment and the Bill of Rights.

 

[Shung]

I only told them about a % of my things..

as you said, if I was to told them I have 5 AR, + AK + Sig550 + etc etc etc.. they would think I am some insane gun nut... (well, I am a very sane gun actually)

the most of them know I have guns, but have no idea of how many and what kind...

 

[earlthegoat2]

Definitely not a good idea to advertise you have anything of value especially guns since they retain their value so well unlike consumer electronics which you should also go to great lengths to hide. Im not being paranoid, just trying to lessen the odds of having to deal with situations.

 

[JeffDilla]

I don't blame you one bit.

 

[MaterDei]

We're talking about guns, not camera equipment. I would hope that you store your guns in such a manner that they could not be stolen from your house, while you were home, in under a minute. In fact, I'd be willing to bet that your camera equipment is more secure too, now that you've been victimized.

The bottom line for me is that I think that the need to demystify firearms to the general sheeple population is important. It is one of the most effective things we as gun owners can do for our 'cause'. If that means slightly increasing the likely hood that some of my guns might be stolen some day then so be it.

Besides, I shoot on my own property almost exclusively so hiding the fact I have firearms, even if I wanted to, would not be very possible.

 

[mongo4567]

I live on a quiet street. I have a project car in my garage or I would load my guns into the car in there. I try not to carry my firearms to the car when anyone is around (driving by or working in the yard). My coworkers know that I am a collector and shooter, but most of them are too. I think it is wise not to advertise.

 

[b-man]

Out of sight out of mind! We just recently bought a flat screen TV after assembeling shredded the box and put it the garbage so nobody could see it!Paranoid? Maybe! But why should other people know what I have!

 

[Ben Shepherd]

AKElroy-

You have valid concerns. As a boy my father did like you do, and outside the circle of family and close friends, no one knew about the guns.

But here's the decision I came to years ago. I won't do it that way. It's like sneaking out behind the barn when you're sixteen to smoke. Bull. I won't do it that way.

I don't advertize it when I load up for a range trip, but I don't act like I'm smuggling meth either. And as an active hunter ed/NRA instructor/range officer for the last several years putting 500-1000 students per year through classes, I guess A LOT of folks know/assume I have guns.

I have high quality locks on the house, high end RSC's, and a very alert dog. Just reasonable measures. If someone wants my/your guns, they can get them, it just matters how much time they're willing to invest and how much risk they're willing to take to complete the theft.

On the plus side-
Because I am known as a "gun guy", do you know how many people I've helped steer in the right direction. I honestly don't know, but it's a bunch.

 

[b-man]

I have alot of gun's at home, but nobody need's to know how many or what kind.

 

[AKElroy]

How about your truck itself? It's probably just as valuable as your guns. Do you keep it down the street in a secure storage facility and only get into it and drive it under the cover of darkness?

No, but having had a car stolen out of the driveway it sleeps in the garage. When I park it at work, I make sure nothing of value is in plain sight; IE, laptop, GPS, I-Pod. Guess I'm paranoid about that stuff as well. Call me silly, but I also lock it, and keep the keys in my pocket. ---It's a 1 year old Tundra crewmax 4X4, loaded, and for the record, it is not worth a fraction of the guns.

 

[Lightninstrike]

I don't make a secret of the fact that I own and shoot guns. I do not list them all anywhere public, including this forum, for the very reasons some folks have quoted above. Likewise I do not advertise the presence of other valuables that may reside in my home. When I recently disposed of some cardboard boxes that had contained some ammunition I removed the shipping tags that had my name and address on it before dumping the boxes at the recycling center. For that matter I shred any document with sensitive info (account numbers, SSN, etc.) before consigning to the trash.

Are you paranoid? Not in my book, just cautious. A poor advocate? Not in my book, but maybe a lukewarm one only because you hide the fact that you are a gun owner. I agree with comments above that guns are tools. However, I do not treat them with the same level of security as I do my hacksaw. My hacksaw and Craftsman wrench set do not have their own safe.

 

[RP88]

I 'advertise' to my friends, and that may be it. I don't sit around in the middle of a public place and be like "Yea, my gun collection is worth a hefty _____ dollars." There are pics of me and my guns on my myspace, but that picture folder, along with everything else that is no one else's business, is kept private so that some stalker can't just wander about my page and see them and be like 'hey, I went to high school with him. I know where he lives still'.

I don't mind sharing pics and lists of my firearms here because I've not posted any personal info. I'd doubt anyone here would know me, so it's not something I have to feel concerned over.

 

[kingpin008]

To each his own. Without being too critical I would have to say that, yes, you are being a poor advocate. Guns are tools and when they are treated in some mysterious way they become something else. You are treating your guns as something mystical, dangerous, and as things that need to be hidden.

This.

But, as others have said, it is a valid concern. Every one of us must find the balance between discretion and advocacy for ourselves. In some situations more is better, in other cases, mum is most definitely the word.

 

[AKElroy]

A poor advocate? Not in my book, but maybe a lukewarm one only because you hide the fact that you are a gun owner.

My friends & family are all aware of and participants in my hobby, so it is not a secret. If anything, I am a poor neighbor. Lived here 11 years & could not tell you who they are. We live in an upscale gated neighborhood & I am not an upscale kind of guy. We built here for the added security. Sad, but I'm just not looking for anymore friends--

 

[Ben Shepherd]

AKElroy- I hear 'ya. Small circle, like it that way, nothing wrong with that.

Ah the balance between privacy/security and paranoia, eh?

 

[jws527]

Frankly, I keep a low profile with my guns and other high value items for the same reason that I do not leave items of value laying around within in plain sight inside of my car. I am certainly not naive enough to believe that I can prevent a skilled or dedicated thief from acquiring my possessions if he so desires (any and every anti-theft measure one could conceivably take is ultimately little more than a deterrent - some far more powerful than others, of course), but I do know that I am far less likely to earn his attention if I do not appear to have anything worth stealing, which is perhaps the most effective deterrent of all.

None of this prevents me from being vocal with my support of 2A rights, of course.

 

[Titan6]

If I could find a brave enough soul to count them all and tell me how many I have then that would be appreciated.

 

[Sebring Pop]

I don't worry about it because I keep that information to myself.

Thanks Pop

 

[Hungry Seagull]

I can tell you a little bit about all of my neighbors. But they cannot tell much about us either.

We live a quiet lifestyle and dont have many people over. That is a nice thing. We know our neighbors on a passing basis and work with each and everyone of them on matters impacting our property line like tree felling etc. But... no one could tell anyone much about anyone.

Folks in these parts generally live here for some peace and quiet. And a little self reliant as well.

It's easier to live in peace when no one is lusting after your stuff. Big screen 2000 dollar HDTV? Nope. Sorry not here.

One thing we do is process our own trash, particularly the cardboard boxes. I recall that the gun boxes themselves were burned, the labels run through the shredder and then the left overs taken to the city dump. A bit of a trip. But no one on the street knows anything about that trash bin containing a mint cardboard box advertising a remington 870 shotgun because said bin never had it.

Just keep in mind that when you say "Howdy Neighbor." That nice neighbor might just have a big bore in the belt somewhere on his person.

 

[SCKimberFan]

There are pics of me and my guns on my myspace, but that picture folder, along with everything else that is no one else's business, is kept private so that some stalker can't just wander about my page and see them and be like 'hey, I went to high school with him.

Wanna bet they aren't as private as you think?

 

[Brian Dale]

No, but having had a car stolen out of the driveway it sleeps in the garage. When I park it at work, I make sure nothing of value is in plain sight

To refrain from displaying your possessions when you have already had one car stolen from the driveway is not paranoid.

People know that I'm a shooter, but I don't display my valuables. For example, when I must leave my laptop in my car, it's covered by valueless clutter (a worn "dog towel," an old coat or the like). I don't have gun-related bumper stickers, either.

Only a small percentage of the population are serious criminals. Unfortunately, those few are often very, very active. A larger number of people will freely yak about anything interesting, including other people's stuff, and word of potential targets makes its way to thieves.

 

[Hungry Seagull]

Let's say that the criminals in my area are smart. Very cunning and predatory smart. Nothing escape thier notice.

Regularly for example those portable GPS units that you suction cup to your windsheid or dashboard leave behind rings when you park somewhere.

You come back to car and find a window broken and your GPS missing along with other stuff of oppertunity.

It's those rings that clued the thief.

Dont leave clues, Pray for Safety but Lock the car anyway. It does not take much more than a small strip of metal (Blood pressure cuff expander) and a few seconds to get into one.

 

[Southern Rebel]

Since I shoot on my own land, It is obvious to all of my neighbors that I have at least a pistol and a rifle. I have no problem with that information being known - I WANT it be be known that I have the equipment for protection of me and my family.

What I don't want known is whether or not I have an "arsenal", by definition of the news media. Most thieves in my area won't risk a break-in for a couple of guns, but they probably would if they believed a house contained numerous guns. Thus, any information shared about the total collection is shared with only a trusted few. (The Bible teaches that we should not "become a stumbling block to them that are weak".)