How do your friends react?

[Guest canynracer]

I will respect the wishes of any one while in their home. If they ask me to not a carry because they don't like it then me and my firearm will leave. It has only happened once.

A few weeks later the same couple invited us to a BBQ. I said No thanks, my friend calls back and says hey were inviting your gun to. So all s back to normal.

That is AWESOME....

and my friends wouldnt be "Friends" if they didnt want me to carry...they would be more like aquaintences, that i would speak with over the phone, or in passing..

They know I carry, they are expecting me to carry, and their kids know I carry...but for the most part, their dad is carrying too...all in all, it is one safe BBQ...

[molonlabetn]

The majority of my friends who have found out that I have gun and/or carry, want to or have bought guns of their own, some with intent to start carrying.

[Guest readyornot]

I have never had a problem. in fact it usually starts a great conversation because they were uncertain about the law and surprised at how many people do carry on a regular basis. I figure that me carrying and people finding out has led to at least a dozen new permit holders. Just doing my part to spread the word.

[TGO David]

If my friends show up to our house not carrying and have a permit to do so, I stop them at the door and send them back home to get their weapons.

[Guest GT_Rat]

<mental note. always go to Tungsten's house armed> Gas is too expensive to be making two trips.

[Guest tokarev]

My family and friends know that I carry and not only never mention it, but they expect me to be armed at all times.

Once, years ago, my youngest son dropped by while I was mowing my mama's yard and he was surprised when I took off my tee shirt and he saw that I was carrying. "You even carry when you mow?" Of course, now he has a carry permit too. (At 6'5", he can get away with his full size XD-45. I'm jealous! Dadburn skawny beanpole!)

[Guest ColdEspresso]

IMHO part of concealed carry is to not let anyone know. I carry wherever it is lawful. Nobody (except my wife who also carries) knows and I hope that anyone that I am with is never put in a situation where they have to find out that I carry. I do have a couple of friends who know I carry and it is NEVER brought up. The only time that I answered a friend about carying a gun was at the range. He asked "Is that the gun you regularly carry"? I told him it was not (Beretta 92FS). I told him I prefered a more concelable gun for regular carry. And that was the end of the discussion. As far as I know, he has never mentioned the fact that I carry (not even to his wife). There is no reason for it to be an issue.

[Magiccarpetrides]

IMHO part of concealed carry is to not let anyone know. I carry wherever it is lawful. Nobody (except my wife who also carries) knows and I hope that anyone that I am with is never put in a situation where they have to find out that I carry. I do have a couple of friends who know I carry and it is NEVER brought up. The only time that I answered a friend about carying a gun was at the range. He asked "Is that the gun you regularly carry"? I told him it was not (Beretta 92FS). I told him I prefered a more concelable gun for regular carry. And that was the end of the discussion. As far as I know, he has never mentioned the fact that I carry (not even to his wife). There is no reason for it to be an issue.

+1 But most of my friends know I carry because they do or have in the past. Around the girlfriends its usually not brought up and if someone does its usually followed by "if SHTF im going to Vincents House!"

[Guest BG38357]

I try to avoid no gun zones of all kinds, friend or not.

And, carry discretely.

[robbiev]

All of my close friends know I carry. In general, I don't feel any need to tell people. If I felt the need to inform people I had a gun, I would feel the need to tell them that I had a knife, pepper spray, cell phone, wallet, keys, etc. The gun is a piece of equipment.

If I know someone doesn't want or allow guns in there house, I don't go there.

I have an issue with one friend of mine. He knows I carry, and for some reason, he feels the need to mention it constantly, to anyone I am around. I've asked him several times not to do it, but he still does. I don't hang around him much any more.

[Guest Old goat]

The few friends that I would stop by their house, it's never mentioned, they carry too. The only one I ever asked was my son and daughter-in-law, we stopped by and ended up staying the night. I really didn't think there would be a problem, there wasn't.

[Woody]

Any man who has to ask his wife would be no friend of mine.

I truly don't understand how so many men get "P-Whipped" that bad.

I'd hate to know I had to ask my wife for permission for anything and everything. I may be a lot of things, but whipped ain't one of 'em.

[Guest dotsun]

I have no friends, so no problem here.

[Guest Grout]

The only friend I have is my dog,and he could care less if I carry.

[Mike.357]

dotsun says

I have no friends

I will be your friend handsome

[mrming]

I told several of my friends where to go for their carry class.. was pretty much the first of the bunch to go through it.

Mostly they just make fun of me for carrying pocket pistols instead of my sig 220...

[cadillacdude1975]

a close circle of family and friends know i carry, and it is no issue to anyone. my gun goes with me like american express. never leave home without it.

[strickj]

All of my close friends know I carry. In general, I don't feel any need to tell people. If I felt the need to inform people I had a gun, I would feel the need to tell them that I had a knife, pepper spray, cell phone, wallet, keys, etc. The gun is a piece of equipment.

If I know someone doesn't want or allow guns in there house, I don't go there.

I have an issue with one friend of mine. He knows I carry, and for some reason, he feels the need to mention it constantly, to anyone I am around. I've asked him several times not to do it, but he still does. I don't hang around him much any more.

I have one of those friends! Went to Hooters with him a while back,and afterwards we were supposed to go to the range.

However while we were eating a group of his co-workers came in,and got invited to our table,and of course everyone started drinking!

After we left,in the parking lot he decided to blurt out to all these drunk people that I dont know,that I have a trunk full of guns and they should come along

Needless to say we did not go that day,nor have I invited him since!

The only friend I have is my dog,and he could care less if I carry.

Thats the best kind of friend! Heck he will even lick peanut butter off.....well never mind!

[chipperi]

My wife likes guns and shooting. But often asks why I want to carry. She thinks it was a waste of 200bucks when we live in a peaceful area. I have tried every angle possible but she dont see it the same way I do.

[Guest Hyaloid]

I have no friends, so no problem here.

Beat me to it. I'll have to ask my wife if it is ok if I make some friends.

[towerclimber37]

Needless to say we did not go that day,nor have I invited him since!

That's ok JC, you can always give me a call... I'll go shootin with ya!

[et45]

The only friend I have is my dog,and he could care less if I carry.

I have seen your dog,with him around you don't need to carry.

[Guest Halfpint]

Most of my friends carry, all of my friends are gun people. I don't consort with riff-raff!

Very nicely put.

My friends want to know if I brought them one too.

Seems like I have a few friends like that, too.

If my friends show up to our house not carrying and have a permit to do so, I stop them at the door and send them back home to get their weapons.

That's about the ONLY reason I can think of to have a car/truck gun that's not constantly on me . . .

A couple of my own experiences . . .

There were times when my little brother used to ask, out of earshot of everyone else, IF I was carrying, now he asks WHAT I'm carrying.

I was in south Texas until last week, and I went to visit my brother on the last Saturday I was in town. We headed over to his mother-in-law's for a barbecue, and coming through the door with the cooler I happened to whack my hip (and consequently, pistol) on the doorframe. MIL looked up, but said nothing until later.

MIL came up to me while we were eating outside and said, "Why would you carry a gun? It's not going to solve anything, and you'll just get into trouble." Before my older brother or I could respond, my 9-year-old niece looks at her and says, "In case bad people want to hurt me or him."

Other than a woman I see maybe two days out of the year, family and friends have no issues with my carrying a weapon--some even prefer that I do, since they don't have anything except the typical shotgun in the bedroom.

[threeshot]

This topic reminds me of a thread from another forum I read a few years ago. There was a lot of debate regarding informing verses not informing people you know like friends and family that you carry a firearm.

After reading the pros and cons, I came away the following:

1) Never tell anyone that you carry.

2) Never tell anyone that you have a CCW or HCP license.

Why? Simple. To avoid problems caused by other’s actions. Besides it is no ones business but your own.

There were posts in that thread on how certain friends or even family members would behave more foolishly since they knew you carried and that you “got their backâ€.

And as seen in this thread, there can be certain friends or family members that just have to tell everyone that you carry.

You should consider keeping your carry information confidential. Not because you are ashamed that you carry, but to avoid other people putting you into a bad situation that could have been avoided.

I am not doing justice to the other forum thread that I mentioned, however I doubt I could find it today.

Edited June 21, 2008 by threeshot
Fix grammar errors

[Guest Grout]

Bingo threeshot.That is also why I don't open carry.