My CCW Helped To Make A New Friend Today !!!

[David]

Both my wife and I had the day off today, so we decided (well, really, SHE decided) to drive about 50 miles to a factory outlet mall to go shopping and have lunch.

While waiting for my wife outside her favorite clothing store, another guy, who was also waiting for his spouse, started to talk with me.

At one point in the conversation, he says to me, “…so how to you like that Surefire flashlight and those Oakley assault shoes?â€

(I had my Surefire E2e clipped to my rear pocket, and I was wearing my Oakley SI Shoes.)

It turns out this guy is a retired cop.

Our conversation quickly turned to the subject of firearms and CCW. He is very pro-CCW. I told him I have a CCW permit and I carry a J-frame. He tells me he is a Kel Tec P32 man himself (it was his old police back-up gun and he really likes it as his now “retired†CCW pistol).

Long story short (is it too late for that?), he invited my wife and me out to dinner next time we are in town, and he also invited me to go shooting with him at a range he belongs to.

I think it’s really great that my interest in firearms and CCW helped to make a really cool new friend today!

Has anyone else had a similar experience where their CCW helped to develop a new friendship from a total stranger?

 

[1911Ron]

Great it's nice to know that you can have an intelligent conversation with a stranger and find common ground Assault shoes eh thats a good one.

 

[P95Carry]

Nice one David.

Closest I have gotten to something along these lines was last year. I was at a surprise birthday party ... carrying as usual (of course) ..... and struck up a conversation with a guy of similar age ... ''getting on''! General chat first and then ..

We got onto the topic of vandalism .. and compared notes for our local areas .. after that, got onto robberies etc. After a while he expressed his disgust of anti's and gun grabbers generally and the need for regular Joes to have some means of SD. From there it was a short step to discussion on carry - he volunteering first that he carried and then I ''owned up''! We enjoyed a long, and enjoyable further conversation.

Kindred spirit that was for sure - whether we meet up again and shoot is hard to tell .. but the bond was there .. and it's a strong one I think most would agree when discovered.

 

[TonyB]

Discovered my Ciropractor is a 1911 shooter.....went in for a tune up,with my CCW,and told him I was packing so he doesn't freak out when he sees it.....he looks at my sp101 and says"I'd be happier if you carried a j-frame airweight for your back's sake."then he tells me about his 1911 collection...you never know who the shooters are

 

[halvey]

Yup, lots of guys I work with. Although EVERYONE around here seems to hunt deer. Which is good.

 

[client32]

"I'd be happier if you carried a j-frame airweight for your back's sake."

Well, if the Dr. says so.....

Can you get a perscription for that?

--------------

On topic now.
When I moved to my current house, my conversation with the neighbors was just a simple "hi" until guns were brought up. The guy to the east loves bird hunting, probably go dove hunting with him sometime. The lady to the west grew up on a farm and still has all of her firearms, rifles and shotguns mainly.

 

[GigaBuist]

"I'd be happier if you carried a j-frame airweight for your back's sake."

Try getting medical insurance to pay for that one!

 

[sturmruger]

I do love my Ruger, but I must agree with the good Doc 15 oz of J frame is a lot easier on the back.

 

[veloce851]

I have made many new friends since I started carrying.. I've also made turned some people off, but heck who wants to be friends with an anti anyways

Awhile back I went home just to visit family and friends. I attended a party with all my old HS buddies, (I hardly drink anymore and prefer to be sober around most drinkers) I was carrying my Mauser M2 at the time and at some point in the evening some guy I didn't know happened to catch a glimpse of my CCW and started asking questions about firearms.. he wasn't anti but wasn't pro either.. just curious. Well of course when I'm around a bunch of guys and guns come up I start talking.. he asked to see it.. so I pulled it out cleared it and handed it to him and gave him a quick rundown of the vital 4. Funny thing was this hippy chick walked by about that time and saw the gun and nearly freaked out.. she left the party about 5 minutes later.
All my old buddies are either unbiased or progun.. so we all shrugged it off and went back to discussing the finer points of the RKBA.

I'm generally the "shy" type at parties and don't talk much (usually because most regular partyers are annoying) but it was nice to have that common ground with a total stranger.. and frankly it livened up the party after that discussion. Since we all realized we have a common uncommon bond.

 

[Penman]

It can be surprizing to see who shares a common interest. I think the greatest lesson is to never dismiss anyone by their appearance or any assumptions you may make. I've been surprized to learn about people at work who are shooters, and to find I have much more in common with them than I had thought.

 

[Tom Servo]

I met two of my best friends this way. I was running a shop where I carried, and I was helping the wife. When I bent over, she saw my p229 print and said, with a bit of playful sarcasm, "packin' heat, huh?" Expecting the usual reaction, I straightened up and "loosened" out my shirt. Then she asked me what it was, to which I replied, "Sig Sauer." Her response? "Yeah, I know THAT. What model? Have you tried the [then new] .357 round?"

(I admit that part of my surprise was prejudicial. She's a normal-looking yuppyish type, 5'2", trendy dresser)

We got to talking, and when her husband walked over, she introduced us, and he started to preach the gospel of Rossi wheelguns. She was carrying an Defender, but with time, I talked her into a p245, which she considers "a good backup gun."

Had it not been for our mutual love of guns, I doubt the three of us would have ever had more than a business conversation, much less a lasting friendship. Turns out, we also share common tastes in music, and the husband's an avid book-collector and history buff, and we've spent many a weekend digging through musty old attics and estate sales together.

 

[kernal_panic]

Discovered my Ciropractor is a 1911 shooter.....went in for a tune up,with my CCW,and told him I was packing so he doesn't freak out when he sees it.....he looks at my sp101 and says"I'd be happier if you carried a j-frame airweight for your back's sake."then he tells me about his 1911 collection...you never know who the shooters are

he he he we are everywhere and we are nowhere. true story at work.

Manager hired this left wing loony from ohio. she gets to talking to me how guns are evil. i dead pan her with this " i own 13 guns, 2 are ar-15 assault rifles one is an ak-47" she gets this shocked look on her face and i continue " and your buddy scott over there? yeah the one you are some chimmy with owns 16 guns one of which is an ar-15 assault rifle, oh and our CEO is a HUNTER!" she didn't last took long i helped get her canned.