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He's a lot less nervous about guns; mostly I think because he saw how paranoid and careful everyone at the range was with them.

I dunno if he's fully converted yet, but he's on his way.
Around the office, it seems to be an "open secret" that i'm the gun guy, and I think he's more comfortable with it now.

I used to not care who knew I was carrying. I have had this stance for about 12 years now, I would tell friends, co-workiers etc, if it came up in conversation, I didn't run around telling everyone I carried, but if the topic came up, Id offer it up.

UNTIL NOW..

During a recent visit to a relatives house, I realized that the anyone else in the WORLD can be a potential attacker, and therefore no one needs to know I am carrying.

Some strange events happeded at my siblings house that made me actually sleep in their house with my weapon and surefire close by. Dont' get me wrong, I wasnt' afraid to be there, but certainly knew having a weapon close by wasn't a bad idea either.

I will NEVER again, let anyone, ANYONE, Mom, Dad, Brother, InLaws know that I am carrying, people have secrets about them selves, you don't know anyone but yourself, so having the element of surprise may be your best friend. No to mention, if they knew you were packing, you would be the first target.

This sounds crazy, but teenage nephews are exactly "safe"..

I'm converted.

I don't tell people that I carry. my parents know that I have my CHL, but they've failed to comment if they have noticed that I carry.

A couple of close friends know, one has his CHL, another is wanting to get hers, roommate is one of those people I don't WANT carrying!

when I got mine, my mom was bragging to a couple of her friends, they kinda had a shocked look on their face, I politely asked her to not do that EVER AGAIN! explained why and she's fine now. FWIW I think her friends have forgotten, but they are really cool folks.

i've been "spotted" once. clip on my IWB reflected some light and a family friend noticed it and came up and asked me about it. knowing him, and the fact that he straight out asked if it was a gun, I told him. He was 100% cool with it and has never brought it up again. even when i've been to his house to help his daughter with her algebra.

I don't broadcast that I carry and i'm not going to volunteer that I do, but if someone that I trust asks me point blank, I will answer them straight.

GreenGuy wrote:During a recent visit to a relatives house, I realized that the anyone else in the WORLD can be a potential attacker, ...

More people are killed and injured by people that they know than by random strangers.

- Jim

seamusTX wrote:

GreenGuy wrote:During a recent visit to a relatives house, I realized that the anyone else in the WORLD can be a potential attacker, ...

More people are killed and injured by people that they know than by random strangers.

- Jim

Yep. I carried at a New Years Eve party at the house of very good friends, but I didn't know many of the invitees, and intrudes can invade at ANY time.

I carried at my own Memorial Day party here at my house.

Funny story, a couple of years ago I attended a small gathering of couples that are all close and like-minded about guns. One man is another former cop and SWAT team leader, one other former military who has been to the sandbox doing force protection, etc.

We were horsing around and decided it would be fun to see how many of us it would take to throw Shawn in the pool. It got very serious for a moment, then suddenly there were several handguns on the poolside table. The wives threatened to hide them from us and make us "earn" them back, whatever that meant.

EVERYONE had been carrying that day.

BTW, three 1911's and one Glock.

txinvestigator wrote:Yep. I carried at a New Years Eve party at the house of very good friends, but I didn't know many of the invitees, and intrudes can invade at ANY time.

Yes, sir. It's a common occurrence: A guest brings someone along, or gets on the cell phone and invites others without the host's knowledge. People drink. Toes get stepped on or someone flirts with someone else's girlfriend. It gets ugly.

It should be needless to say that you had better be as sober as a hardshell Baptist judge in these situations.

- Jim

seamusTX wrote:

txinvestigator wrote:Yep. I carried at a New Years Eve party at the house of very good friends, but I didn't know many of the invitees, and intrudes can invade at ANY time.

Yes, sir. It's a common occurrence: A guest brings someone along, or gets on the cell phone and invites others without the host's knowledge. People drink. Toes get stepped on or someone flirts with someone else's girlfriend. It gets ugly.

It should be needless to say that you had better be as sober as a hardshell Baptist judge in these situations.

- Jim

I never drink when I carry, and I meant to write that in the post.

then suddenly there were several handguns on the poolside table. The wives threatened to hide them from us and make us "earn" them back, whatever that meant.

EVERYONE had been carrying that day.

BTW, three 1911's and one Glock.

dws1117 wrote:

The boss asks me, "Can you bring your gun in in case he comes back to start something?"
"Sorry, I can't legally. Don't have my CHL."

Sounds like an excellent time to educate the man, help him get some training and purchase his first gun. I say first because as we all know you can't stop at just one.

Ha! Agree!

Welcome aboard maximus. Glad to have a new member. Give us an intro in the General Gun Section under Introduce Yourself. You will get a lot of welcomes.

My ex in laws are anti - gun and have a small semi good reason to do so.

Ok to inform you my ex brother in law was murdered in front of his momma's house and 12 year old and his mom and sister in law witnessed the whole thing.

We was shot in the head with a shot gun. I have children by my ex hubby and I am afraid to see how his mother's face get when she finds out. I know at some point she will trust me.


My opinion about the situation is well I think the rest of you can figure that out.

I'm sorry for your loss.

I don't know how to address this tactfully, but as a CHL holder, you realize that the gun is not the criminal regardless of what the anti-gun crowd says.

That is why I decided to go ahead and get mine even after this happened. "Guns don't kill people, People Do." I have to face my fears not run from them. Maybe if one of them would have had a gun or something maybe well... You all know the rest.

The way I see things is that if anyone knows youre carrying, wether you tell them or not, counts as failure to conceal. Just my 2 cents.

killerquad wrote:The way I see things is that if anyone knows youre carrying, wether you tell them or not, counts as failure to conceal. Just my 2 cents.

We have discussed this on several threads, and I disagree. So do ALL 6 of my CHL instructors.

My wife knows.

I see my shooting buddy at Kroger and he asks me what I am carrying that day. Is that a violation?

I show my DL to cash a check and the clerk sees my CHL in my wallet. We have a conversation about the program and I invite him to a class. He asks if or what I carry and I tell him. Is that a violation?

I agree that one should keep that information discreet, but telling a person you are carrying is not a violation.

The Texas Government code that IS the CHL law defines concealed as; 411.171 section (3). "the presence of which is not openly discernible to the ordinary observation of a reasonable person

Texas Penal Code
§46.035. Unlawful carrying of handgun by license holder.

(a) A license holder commits an offense if the license holder carries a handgun on or about the license holder's person under the authority of Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code, and
intentionally fails to conceal the handgun.