Who knows that you carry?


I have a couple of friends that know...one is a LEO. the other is a very close friend with a CWP also. My wife became very weird about it when my permit finally arrived,:so it is not mentioned and she has never seen my little friends:no::no: I have taught my kids not to touch guns, but they have never seen mine. I have several BB guns that I have used to teach them the proper way to shoot and handle a firearm. Hopefully it has helped with the curiosity aspect too. But back to the original topic, mine are concealed 100% always, period...:yu:
 
My husband and daughter know, she's getting hers soon. My father knows, I'm not close to the rest of my family so none of them know. I work for a small company and my boss' carry. They encourage me to carry as they are often out and that leaves me and one other non carrying woman. Our office is in a bad part of town. I've actually seen one shot out at the end of our warehouse complex. Several of my friends know, but I'm in a very pro gun area.
 
to prplflh71

In regards to this ...

I'd recommend you read Massad Ayoob's "In the Gravest Extreme" and check out the Thunder Ranch DVD training series since not all of us can afford $2-$3k every few years to keep our skills up to date.

I completely understand your being proud to have the right and duty to carry. You may be missing the responsibility you have to be discrete and keep the number of those who are aware you carry to a VERY select few.


Yeah I have read those books and many others, I do have training and I do check out the videos, many more than just Thunder Ranch, and I'm not missing the point.

I said all those who know me ... meaning all those who KNOW me ... not every acquaintance I've ever made.

I make one post ... first one in years ... and right off the bat I get some self important "expert" telling me how I'm wrong and making recommendations on how I can fix myself ... presumably to be more like they are.

BTW, EVERYBODY knows that Clint Smith and Massad Ayoob are packing ... does that make them less effective as well ? Does that automatically make them a target ?

And what if some of your friends are packing as well ? I know mine are. So wouldn't it be more effective to know who is going to do what in a fight to be more effective ?

I don't automatically presume that if something goes down I will be the only one that knows what to do ... I have friends that have far more training than I do ... professionals that train other professionals ... so yes, there are a lot of folks that know I carry ... and for a lot of different reasons.

My recommendation for you is that you know your audience before you start telling them what they should and shouldn't do.
 
If I chose to carry and if I owned a firearm I might carry a colt combat commander and two mags in galco holster if I owned any guns I don't own.
 
boycotting galco

I quit buying Galco when I found out the hard way that they don't warranty their products.

Up until then I loved them and thought the quality was very good. But one bad apple will spoil the bunch so they say ... and one bad experience with me definitely spoiled the experience.

So I've bought many holsters since then ... actually bought probably 3 just this last month ... two were Ross Yaqui slides and one was a Mitch Rosen.

Of course everyone knows that Mitch Rosen and Milt Sparks can't be beat for quality ... so not buying Galco has not been a burden.

All that being said, I wonder if this is the wrong thread for that as we were discussing who do you tell that you carry.
 
Well, the variety of responses have been interesting thus far. I'd have to say that I treat my carry gun like Switzerland does its nuclear weapons... :D ...I don't even admit that it exists, much less let anyone know where it is. I don't lie, of course - but no one really considers the idea, so it never comes up. I am a member of the NRA, and I do have a card, but there's no stickers or anything lying around that might make it obvious. I don't know anyone personally at the range or any of the gun shops where I go.

I'm not really sure why...I try to be fairly discreet to begin with, but IMO, I wouldn't necessarily want everyone I know to know that I carry, either. Some people can't control themselves when talking, while others might get a false sense of security. Most critically, in a situation that calls for self-defense, some people might give away (through a glance or in panic) the fact that I'm armed. Not to mention the one who will say, "Hey...it says no guns in here. Shouldn't you leave your gun in the car?" right in front of the greeter when walking into Walmart.

The best camouflage is to just look and act like everyone else, and then no one will give you a second thought. :)

Bear with me, I'm a little confused.. Are you implying that you would carry in Walmart or someplace that has a sign posted prohibiting it? Or is your comment more to the effect that you'd rather your friend be more discreet in advising you of the sign.
 
Guns are not toys,
this is not the movies,
carrying a gun does not make you macho.

Stop talking about your permit,
stop discussing your weapons,

and get that NRA sticker off your car and house.
(Hey look, I have guns, follow me home and then rob me when I am gone)

BE INVISIBLE

which is strangely opposite of the OPEN carry movement.
 
What members of your family or friends do you tell about your CWP and the fact that you carry? Is it obvious that you even own a gun to begin with? I've seen some people who are completely discrete about it, and others who practically wear it on their sleeve. One example Link Removed, who got his name and picture in the paper on an article about students wanting to carry on campus.

Carry what???:biggrin::secret:
 
My family and a few close friends know I have a carry permit but they never know when I'm carrying...well except maybe my wife.
Tomcatt
 
Only 2 members of my immediate family and one of them only because they saw me getting dressed one time.
Loose lips sink ships.
 
My family and a few close friends know I have a carry permit but they never know when I'm carrying...well except maybe my wife.
Tomcatt

Yep, same for me. A few also know at work know I have a CCP but that's was to encourage them to secure one for themselves. One, a female actually has bought a nice 380 and is the process of obtaining her CCP.
 
I really don't care who knows I'm carrying a concealed weapon, it's my right and I'm exercising it. I have a NRA Life Member decal on my truck along with a USCCA decal below my Oathkeepers decal and next to my USAF retired decal. Note: Even my License Plate is in a NRA Lifer case... I've had a NRA Lifer decal and USAF retired decal on ever vehicle I've owned since I retired in 1983! :yu:
 
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Our own situation.

I really don't care who knows I'm carrying a concealed weapon, it's my right and I'm exercising it. I have a NRA Life Member decal on my truck along with a USCCA decal below my Oathkeepers decal and next to my USAF retired decal. Note: Even my License Plate is in a NRA Lifer case... I've had a NRA Lifer decal and USAF retired decal on ever vehicle I've owned since I retired in 1983! :yu:

I feel the same way and in Florida they are trying to get open carry legalized. Why have open carry in any state and why fight for the second ammendment rights if we don't exercise them or use them?
I don't go around telling everyone that I have a weapon on me but if the subject comes up I let them know and encourage them to get a Conceal Weapons Permit to protect themselves. I have stickers on my bumper too and have never had any problems yet and hopefully like using my weapon for self defense, I never will.
Situations are different from person to person so do what you feel you have to do to handle yourself when it comes to people knowing or not knowing about it. There are no right or wrongs as long as we get to carry. :biggrin:
 
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My wife knows I have a permit.....but even she doesn't know for sure that I'm carrying at any given time. In my usual attire, using a bellyband as a holster, she (and the general public) are oblivious to the fact that I'm carrying....as it should be. With the weather here in the Carolinas' still in the 70's....that means tee shirt and shorts for me. Can't wait for the weather to get a little cooler and I can throw on an open shirt or light jacket. I've moved to wearing a large vs medium tee, but I've developed confidence that with a darker colored tee the medium still works fine...even walking past LEO's.
 
My wife, parents and some friends know that I do carry (ie that I have my permit). They (except the wife) don't necessarily know WHEN I am carrying unless they spot it. AFAIK this has only happened once, when a friend figure out what was in the fanny pack I was carrying one day when I was on a walk (was in gym shorts and a t-shirt so no where else to conceal the gun). He's a permit holder so I'm guessing he knew what to look for, plus those things only conceal the weapon in the technical sense (you don't see steel) but they kind of advertise it's presence. Reason #1 why I don't like carrying in a fanny pack.
 
I tend to disagree with the sage advise that a fanny-pack = obvious gun carrier. I see people in the university rec center all the time with fanny packs. They can't all be carrying firearms, because in South Carolina, that would be illegal.

Which University? (doesn't matter, just curious).

As far as the fanny pack thing I guess it depends on the type of pack. Mine is more square with a zipper all around so it screams gun more than some others I suppose. Its made more for fast access to the gun than discretion. They are probably more common at rec centers because of lack of pockets. Bodybuilders used to carry them too, at least the ones that were so big that normal clothes didn't fit them.
 
Everyone. I open carry here in Michigan.

There seems to be many myths that someone oc'ing will be attacked. With all the story's on opencarry.org this is obviously not the case for anyone including me.

It scares people. I've yet to see anyone with a panicked look.
Our forefathers told us of the importance of the right to keep and bear arms and I let others know I believe it's important too.
:yes4:
 

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