Factory sportswear versus concealed means concealed

[PUCKER]

I routinely wear this shirt:

[The Annoyed Man]

Does any one put their NRA stickers on their car?

- Yes

+1. I am a proud NRA member, and I deliberately advertise them. Once in a while, it begets a conversation in which I get to make the other person aware of its importance in maintaining their civil liberties. If that gets someone else to join once in a while, it's worth the risk.

Besides, I drive an SUV. There's nothing in the car that isn't in plain sight. I've been sporting my NRA Life Member sticker in the back window for {{cough}} years, and I just haven't gotten around to putting up my NRA Endowment Member sticker yet. Haven't ever had my car broken into because of it. Meanwhile, several forum members who presumably are suitably cautious about putting stickers on their vehicles have had them broken into in the five years I've been a member. I mean, I can see where if you lived in a given area that might be a problem, but for me, where I live, it isn't. Wanna know where the largest part of the vehicle break-ins occur in Grapevine throughout the year? The parking lot of the Grapevine Mills Mall, that's where. Just read a few days worth of the local police blotter. The mall is posted 30.06, and I consequently avoid it like diarrhea, and I wouldn't go in there anyway because I respect their stupid sign and I understand that they don't want my money there. Maybe an NRA sticker there might draw a thief who is aware of what the 30.06 sign means. But there really isn't anywhere else here where that would be an issue.

[Watchful]

I recently had another type of "inadvertant" advertising happen to me. I just this month took my CHL class and am still waiting on plastic. The only people who know about my endeavours to get my CHL are my wife and a close friend who I shoot with sometimes. And I plan on keeping it that way. At my CHL class the instructor awarded a coffee mug with his CHL logo plus the words "Top Gun" to the person who shot the best qualifying score on the range. That happend to be me. So, last weekend I had my new top gun mug full of coffee in my hand when I went out to the driveway to get something out of my truck. My neighbor (whom I don't particularly care for) happend to be outside and walked over to ask me something. I forgot all about the mug, but he noticed it and asked "do you have a chl?" I had to do some quick thinking but I didn't really want him knowing my business, so I lied and said oh no, my brother in law gave me this. He probably never would have noticed a gun (if I had been carrying) but he sure noticed that mug!

[C-dub]

I do not think a photography vest or fanny pack screams "shot me first." I do think that most of the sheeple who even notice my fanny pack just think I'm a dork. So what! When I did wear it I also wore a large t-shirt that hung partially over the FP. I was still in the frame of mind that I didn't want to stick out. No one ever asked me about it if they even noticed.

Either of these items might be a deterrent similar to OC to a BG paying attention. However, how many of those actually pay attention to a random customer that is not their target?

[bizarrenormality]

I've been to events where some people carried openly, some people wore shootme vests, some people wore camp shirts, and some people wore other cover garments. I can say the two most obvious I HAVE A GUN categories were the guys wearing those vests and the LEO in uniform.

[03Lightningrocks]

When anyone asks me directly if I have a CHL I always said yes. The very few times it has happened, they were interested in acquiring one themselves or were considering it. I want to believe I was an example of a regular person who just happened to have a CHL.

I avoid answering the question about having a gun on me. But I don't think it hurts to tell someone who asks I have a CHL. I don't run around bringing it up.

[C-dub]

When anyone asks me directly if I have a CHL I always said yes. The very few times it has happened, they were interested in acquiring one themselves or were considering it. I want to believe I was an example of a regular person who just happened to have a CHL.

I avoid answering the question about having a gun on me. But I don't think it hurts to tell someone who asks I have a CHL. I don't run around bringing it up.

That's a very good point. I have probably been asked less than a dozen times in the almost dozen years I have had mine. I can't think of one that asked me if I was currently carrying. They wanted to know how hard it was to get, how difficult the shooting portion was, or if a lot of places were off-limits.

[03Lightningrocks]

When anyone asks me directly if I have a CHL I always said yes. The very few times it has happened, they were interested in acquiring one themselves or were considering it. I want to believe I was an example of a regular person who just happened to have a CHL.

I avoid answering the question about having a gun on me. But I don't think it hurts to tell someone who asks I have a CHL. I don't run around bringing it up.

That's a very good point. I have probably been asked less than a dozen times in the almost dozen years I have had mine. I can't think of one that asked me if I was currently carrying. They wanted to know how hard it was to get, how difficult the shooting portion was, or if a lot of places were off-limits.

Yep... Same here.

[Watchful]

When anyone asks me directly if I have a CHL I always said yes. The very few times it has happened, they were interested in acquiring one themselves or were considering it. I want to believe I was an example of a regular person who just happened to have a CHL.

I avoid answering the question about having a gun on me. But I don't think it hurts to tell someone who asks I have a CHL. I don't run around bringing it up.

My answer might have been different if this neighbor was a friend of mine. I don't particularly trust this guy. Basically IMO it's none of his business.

[03Lightningrocks]

When anyone asks me directly if I have a CHL I always said yes. The very few times it has happened, they were interested in acquiring one themselves or were considering it. I want to believe I was an example of a regular person who just happened to have a CHL.

I avoid answering the question about having a gun on me. But I don't think it hurts to tell someone who asks I have a CHL. I don't run around bringing it up.

My answer might have been different if this neighbor was a friend of mine. I don't particularly trust this guy. Basically IMO it's none of his business.

And IMHO, there is nothing wrong with your thinking on this issue either! Some folks just don't need to know. If I didn't trust the person asking, I would avoid answering or say no.