Informal vote on informing a resident before entering his/her dwelling?

[weekendskp]

Arkansas has an enumerated item regarding concealed carry that one must inform the resident before entering his or her dwelling that one is carrying a concealed sidearm. Do you follow this statute every time you enter someone's house? What's your opinion?

 

[Lowjiber]

To me, concealed means just that...concealed.

I don't offer to tell them that I'm wearing underwear either. Not being sarcastic, but my weapon is part of ME...just like my underwear.

 

[Dog5911]

i agree with Lowjiber, but it also depends on the person and how well i know them.

 

[weekendskp]

To me, concealed means just that...concealed.

I don't offer to tell them that I'm wearing underwear either. Not being sarcastic, but my weapon is part of ME...just like my underwear.

The difference being that your host, unless you two have an intimate relationship, is not going to get hurt by you removing your underwear. The law is the law. Do you also ignore signs at store entrances that say "No Guns Allowed"?

 

[jlamb]

I think this partially depends on what state/locality you live in. If you were to discharge your firearm, accident or otherwise, the owner/renter could be held liable. IANAL; just a hypothesis.

Ultimately IMO this is about respecting someone's home. I'm sure everyone here wants to be responsible and knowledgeable for what goes on in their own home.

 

[oldbanjo]

A girl one time told a Car load of people that I had a Gun, Immediately people wanted to see it, my answer was I don't show my Gun to anyone. That's the problem, keep it concealed and don't take it out unless it's needed.

 

[6shootercarry]

If they have a strong opinion and its negative and they know that I do, I won't.

For the most part I just go about my business and remain quiet and concealed. Its the Elmer Fudd approach to concealed carry, shhhhh vewy vewy quiet...

Places that are restricted by federal laws (schools, post office etc) are no go. If a store has a sign I make note of it and make sure my undies are not showing...

 

[weekendskp]

I think this partially depends on what state/locality you live in. If you were to discharge your firearm, accident or otherwise, the owner/renter could be held liable. IANAL; just a hypothesis.

Ultimately IMO this is about respecting someone's home. I'm sure everyone here wants to be responsible and knowledgeable for what goes on in their own home.

Yes, it does depend on the state you live in. We're talking about Arkansas here, and AR says you must inform the resident before entering his dwelling. I have mixed emotions about that part of the law. In Missouri, one has no obligation to inform the resident, so one could go to the home of an acquaintance, and not be obligated to inform. I want as few people to know for my family's and my own safety. The situation that prompted the whole discussion centered around a death in the extended family, and the reception after the funeral was at someone's home that I didn't know. How does one even begin to broach the subject with the homeowner? "Hi, I'm so-and-so's cousin's husband, and I'm carrying a gun!" Do you get my drift?

 

[Griffworks]

I've come to several folks' houses whom I wasn't sure of their opinions on CCW's and was just upfront with them - and not just because it's Arkansas law. I've done so on out-of-state visits where I wasn't required to inform home owners. I have yet to be denied entry. As jlamb said, to me its about respecting another persons home. I'm not all ate up about whether or not someone has the Right to carry a firearm or not, but I'd like to know that someone coming in to my home is armed. That's for a couple of reasons:

1) it allows me to know who else might be counted on to defend my family, other guests and - conceivably - myself and/or my property in case TSHTF;

2) if it's someone I don't know, I might want to get to know them a bit better before I just let them roam about my home. While they might have been vetted by their state of residence, *I* may not know that person at all. I like to think I'm a fairly decent judge of character, so would prolly get a good/bad vibe fairly early on;

3) just because it's the right thing to do, IMNSHO. To how I was raised, it's disrespectful to bring something in to someone's home that might conceivably kill them and theirs.

Just because the state vetted you on a background check - which is all paperwork, I'm pretty certain that in Arkansas they don't go around and talk to the folks on your application sheet, as none of those folks said they'd been contacted - doesn't mean that you're a responsible adult or firearms owner. I've got kids and would rather not take a chance with someone leaving their firearm lying about where my 4 year old might pick it up and then Something Bad Happens.

If it's someone I know - even if they're not a good, close friend - I seriously doubt I'd have a problem with that. If you're someone I know, then you know how I feel about firearms and it won't be an issue. If it's someone I don't know at all, but they're accompanying a friend/acquiantance, I doubt I'd have a problem with that, either, but might well reserve the right to talk to you a bit before feeling fully comfortable.

If I don't know you, I'd want to go over my rules for carrying in my home. They're simple rules, which mostly are confined to "leave it in your holster unless you absolutely have to pull it out" - sorta like how I'll be talking to boys who want to date my daughter in a couple of years and the same talk that MY boys will get when they get old enough to start dating. If you're spending the night in my home, we'd cover where I'd prefer you keep your firearm so that there's no accidents from a child picking it up. I've got a couple of in-car safe's that can easily be adapted to a bedframe and the combo set to something that only you and your SO would know.

Under most circumstances, I would never require a guest to spend the night in my home disarmed if they came across as a responsible CCWer. If I got a bad vibe from them, tho, I prolly would do so. Actually, if I got a bad vibe from that person, I'd prolly ask them to leave and to not come back.

Let me put it like this... If hand grenades were legal to carry, wouldn't you want someone carrying one to inform you of that?

 

[weekendskp]

Griff,

Your posts are very easy to read because you make clear and concise statements, and you use punctuation, and proper spelling. Thank you. I see you are a fan of the XD. Do you compete in IDPA or USPSA? What made you choose the XD over something else like a Glock or S&W M&P?

 

[Griffworks]

Thanks for the compliments. I appreciate it. I tend to be something of a spelling nazi, tho don't usually post anything about it unless there are flagrant misspellings of words. I'd like to know when I do something wrong and don't mind too much when folks correct me. I also believe that it's important to get words spelled correctly so that the meaning of what you're trying to convey doesn't get lost in translation.

As to shooting competitively... I don't compete in any of the various clubs. I don't think I'm good enough a shot to get to even the lowest level. Maybe one day.

I chose the XD for a couple of reasons. The first was partly because I'm burned out on the hype about Glock's. The rhetoric has worn me down to the point I didn't want to even touch one for a couple of years. I eventually shot a friends when I was stationed in New Mexico and decided that they weren't half bad, but was still a bit put off by all the Uber Glock Fan Bois who are obnoxious about their love of Glocks - sorta like how I feel about Fan Bois of sports teams, or really much of anyhing when they get over-the-top ugly.

Anyhow, I'd never heard much bad about Glocks, so gave them some consideration. I've since fired several other Glocks, all in 9mm, and kinda like them, tho was a bit surprised when I took a couple of troops shooting one time and had one start having issues w/"limp wristing" causing failures to feed. Never had the problem myself, but had heard of it before this event and finally saw it myself.

The second was that I'd heard really good stuff about them. I've got two friends who had XD's, as well as my Dad has an XD-45 Compact in Bi-Tone. I'd not heard anything bad about them other than folks' opinions on them wherein they didn't like XD's for - usually - cosmetic reasons. Some folks feel they're too thick and don't conceal well, but I have the XD-40SC as my EDC and have had no issues w/it hiding well enough. As with all pistols, I'd argue it's about what you wear to hide the weapon, as well as how you dress for your frame.

Finally, when I picked up the pistol that became Dean (yeah, my firearms have names), I just fell in love w/the feel of him in my hand. It's a better fit to my hand than a Glock or several other pistols that I've tried and/or fired. Once I got to take Dean to the range, I decided to pick up a second XD, tho this one is the Service (4" barrel, and his name is Sam).

And there you go. Prolly more than you or most anyone else wanted to know. But you did ask.

 

[jesusfreak]

It's the law in AR. So, i may not like it but it's the law. Just like the speed limit, if you break it you will pay a penalty if something goes wrong.