How private do you keep your CHL status?

[Morgan]

I have a few CHL friends I ride with. They're going to be likely to know if I'm carrying if they're on a trip with me... and I them. That's just good unit tactics. ;) Otherwise, the only person who will know if I'm carrying if I can help it is my lady, who deserves to know when and HOW I intend on protecting her if the shizzle hits the fizzan.

[CainA]

Just out of curiosity, how long have you been waiting? Ive heard some real horror stories as of late. I know that when its time to renew mine, Im not gonna dilly-dally about it. six months should be sufficient. Of course, Im assuming that we will still be 'allowed' to have our CHLs.

Took the class Aug. 27th, I think they got the paperwork in Austin, Sept. 2-3rd something like that.

-Cain

[anygunanywhere]

I freely discuss CHL, the 2A, and all other matters near and dear to our heart.

Most people know that if they see me outside of prohibited places that I am very likely armed.

I hang with my kind. If Someone is left leaning I will coach them.

If someone is in my face anti I leap back.

Even my boss knows.

Anygunanywhere

[flb_78]

Im in the same boat as above.

Gotta get the information out there and educate folks about us folks that carry guns.

[NcongruNt]

I live in Harris County, so I'm on the loooong waiting list; I don't have that problem as of yet, so I didn't vote.

-Cain

Oh you can still have the problem, even pre-CHL. I had a bad experience at my former job by simply discussing the possibility of CHL with a coworker (who had displayed an interest in getting a gun of her own in previous discussion). Bad things happened, I was accused of carrying a gun at work, and had to have a discussion with my manager about it. I was fired within a couple of months, in circumstances that indicated they were looking for an excuse to do so.

There is a thread about the event, and I would recommend reading it, especially pre-CHL. Watch who you tell, folks.

http://www.texasshooting.com/TexasCHL_F ... f=7&t=6052" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[seamusTX]

Many episodes like this have been described here.

The bottom line is to keep the lips zipped at work until you know for a fact that your boss is a gun nut.

One day my boss told me how he had pulled a shotgun on a prowler the night before. I took that as a good sign. Then his boss was telling hunting stories over lunch.

But even with that kind of signal, you can't be sure that they are comfortable with concealed carry.

BTW, it's handy to do some sport shooting that is not CHL-related, so you can talk freely about it. People seem comfortable with the concepts of skeet or trap shooting, bullseye, or plinking.

- Jim

[The Annoyed Man]

I answered "Family & Friends Know." Of course, my wife, son, and MIL (who lives with us) know. A few of my friends know, including most of the the guys in my Friday a.m. Bible study which meets at my house. 3 or 4 other CHL holders from my church know, as does one of my pastors. I don't make a point of broadcasting it, but when the whole CHL thing has come up in conversation with friends, depending on where they go in the conversation, I might let them in on it, which is how those of my friends who know about mine found out about it.

[NcongruNt]

Many episodes like this have been described here.

The bottom line is to keep the lips zipped at work until you know for a fact that your boss is gun nut.

One day my boss told me how he had pulled a shotgun on a prowler the night before. I took that as a good sign. Then his boss was telling hunting stories over lunch.

But even with that kind of signal, you can't be sure that they are comfortable with concealed carry.

- Jim

Yup. The coworker in my situation had an expressed interest in guns for self defense. That all changed when the topic changed to concealed carry.

I am sometimes surprised at the people I know who are avid hunters who are offended at the idea of defensive or carry guns. I have a friend I converse with quite often who is a hunter, whom I have occasionally discussed guns with. When the topic shifts to some of the firearms I'd like to purchase (such as a Dragunov SVD, pointing out its 4" grouping at 600 meters), he has historically made statements like "what would you EVER need that for?". I have not discussed concealed carry with him because of this.

It is an interesting turn of events however, that this friend has changed his tune on the subject since the elections and talk of new gun bans. He's asked me about purchasing defensive firearms, even the evil black guns he previously saw no use for. He's gone to making statements of "I want something I can shoot with as far away as possible", and we've discussed handguns - a topic that he has never brought up before. He's also surprised at the stupidity of some of the proposed legislation, especially when I pointed out and explained what a barrel shroud is, and why the antis think it should be banned. I'm hoping that this becomes a trend for other hunter-types who are historically complacent on bans that don't affect "their kind of guns". We need all the help we can get.

[seamusTX]

I have to add that after I was with this company a couple of years, a guy that I had just started working with used a phrase that only a shooter would use. I don't remember what the phrase was. Something like squib load, that you just never hear outside shooting circles.

It turns out that he has taken foreign employees who are visiting Texas shooting many times, and makes no secret of it. So apparently top management is cool with it.

(Unfortunately, we still have that lousy parking lot policy.)

- Jim

[NcongruNt]

We've had some discussion on this topic before, and here's a quote from one of those discussions:

With the exception of my father/stepmother, my girlfriend, & the one friend who got me into shooting and ultimately my CHL, I don't disclose to anyone that I am carrying. The only time it IS revealed is at the range with friends, when I go to the line and clear my carry gun to change out to practice ammo. By then we've already done some rifle shooting and is a good time for discussion about CHL and self-defense with new shooters. At that point, we've gone past the "guns are scary" feeling of most shooters to a more realistic exposure to what guns are and what shooting is really like.

Since that post, the list of people who know I carry has opened up a bit, but the guidelines of who I tell is still the same.

My direct family for the most part, knows I carry. I have a younger sister and older brother whom I've never told directly, but I believe at least my brother knows via my dad. We're having a post-thanksgiving family range day this weekend, so it should be quite clear to all of my siblings that I carry by the time that is over.

There are a couple of close friends added to the list, mostly folks I have taken shooting and one friend/coworker whom I hunt and talk guns with. I still don't disclose whether or not I'm carrying (except at the range or in new-shooter pre-range safety instruction) and anyone who knows about my CHL is asked to respect my privacy and not to tell other people about my carry status. My girlfriend's parents and her sister, brother, and brother-in-law also know that I carry, as we've all gone to the range together and cleaned guns at her sister/brother-in-law's house while out of town.

Obviously the people at forum days and local meet up events know, but we're pretty much all CHLers there.

[The Annoyed Man]

Many episodes like this have been described here.

The bottom line is to keep the lips zipped at work until you know for a fact that your boss is a gun nut.

Well, I can talk about guns at work as much as I want to. The Owner, the President, and the Vice President are all cool with it. Of course, I am the Owner and President, and my wife is the Vice President (and the boss). My employee manual (which currently exists only in my head) says: "Since Wham Productions cannot guarantee any employee's personal safety, all employees are urged to buy a gun*, learn how to use it, and obtain a Texas CHL."

Some day, I may actually make enough money to employ someone.

(* I wonder if I can use this policy to convince my wife we need more guns....)

[Morgan]

I love working for a company that owns and issues firearms, has firearm instructors, owns private ranges, and even goes so far as to teach free CHL classes from time to time (I took a private class just because I didn't want to wait). They don't care who has guns....they'd like EVERYONE to carry in the HQ, in truth, even tho there's on significant need like in our branch offices. (We do armored car transport and other stuff).

[atxgun]

Family and close friends. The friends I do tell I make a point of saying I would appreciate them not spreading the information further. Of course these need be people that I trust to respect my wishes :)

I have some coworkers that are gun friendly and I've even gone shooting with, however I keep it from them as I believe the majority of the office, including upper management is not so gun friendly.

People I barely know that I carry: employees of the range. I haven't flat out told anyone but I have walked in holding nothing but a box of ammo and walked out holding nothing when I pay. I think it's okay if they know though :)

[Jason73]

Everyone I work with knows I carry, and several co-workers have CHLs as well. The president of my company gave me permission to carry at work after an incident last year with a disgruntled temporary worker so its pretty much an open subject discussed often, along with firearms in general. (were all a bunch of "gun nuts" at work)

All of my immediate family knows about it, we all own guns and have CHL's. Most of my extended family is in the dark about it. They all live in NY, and Im sure they would burn the 2nd amendment if given the chance as theyre all foaming at the mouth Chairman Mao bama supporters.(I think its something in the water from lake Ontario.......) We do not discuss religion or politics at family reunions, it gets uncomfortable in a hurry......

As a general rule of thumb I do not discuss CHL's with strangers, if I dont know you I definitely do not want you knowing Im armed.

I've also educated my kids to not discuss my CHL with any of their friends or classmates. They also know not to advertise the fact that I have an "arsenal" in my home. (saw the other post on arsenals, had to be done! )

[seamusTX]

People I barely know that I carry: employees of the range. I haven't flat out told anyone but I have walked in holding nothing but a box of ammo and walked out holding nothing when I pay.

All they know is that you have a handgun (assuming that you aren't just throwing cartridges at the targets).

It's perfectly legal to carry a firearm to the range in whatever manner you chose, and LEOs and others who don't need CHLs also practice.

I'm envious that they let you draw from a holster, though.

I have found that people who are heavily into shooting assume that you have a CHL, and are surprised if someone doesn't.

- Jim