Don't tell everyone

[Jules]

As far as the beer goes, it's just small talk for employees at the auto parts store. Everything I said to him was in a joking manor (except for joining the forum). I think he had enough snap to put two and two together and figure out that I had a chl as well. Maybe he will join and can tell you his side of the story. At best I'm just a couple years older than him, and I'm sure he didn't seem to think I was going to rob the store. When it comes to buying a gun at the store, which I did a few weeks ago, I simply give my ID and CHL to the clerk when I tell him that I will take the gun. If he was to ask me aloud, I would say yes. I'm not worried about people knowing, I just normally don't bring it up.

He could have told a thousand people that came through his store that day that he had a chl. I'm sure 80% of them would have thought it stood for something like a "commercial hauling license".

[C-dub]

Or he could have been confused and didn't think he could be in a place that sold beer while carrying? There are people much older than 21y that misunderstand the laws.

[b322da]

Concealed means...concealed.

It may not be quite so simple.

"'Concealed handgun' means a handgun, the presence of which is not openly discernible to the ordinary observation of a reasonable person."

I cannot find anything in the statutes about a "concealed CHL." Whether or not one reveals to another that she has a CHL or, indeed, whether or not she has a concealed handgun on or about her person, is a matter of personal judgement and, I might suggest, the motivation for revealing it.

Elmo

[Scott in Houston]

I've been in dozens of conversations about CHL's and carrying, while carrying, and no one in the conversation has any idea.
It always make me laugh a little inside. People are sitting around at a dinner table at a restaurant and somehow it comes up, and there are those that are freaked out about it, and those that aren't. People know I'm a gun/hunting/2nd Amendment person, but I don't think anyone knows I carry. Anyway, I'll pipe up with, "There are probably several armed (legally) citizens in this room and you don't know it." The look of realization on their face is priceless, and the knowledge that one of those armed citizens is right next to them is hilarious to me.

[gus]

Only folks I share the info with are whom I try to encourage to do the same. Other than that just my immediate family knows.

[troglodyte]

While I don't wear a CHL badge and proclaim I have mine to everyone I meet I also don't keep it a secret if it comes up or if someone is interested.

I guess by being an instructor (and assisting in setting up several classes before) I am already "known" in my little world.

Oh well...

[HotLeadSolutions]

While I don't wear a CHL badge and proclaim I have mine to everyone I meet I also don't keep it a secret if it comes up or if someone is interested.

I guess by being an instructor (and assisting in setting up several classes before) I am already "known" in my little world.

Oh well...

No badge? I'll bet you are like me and prefer the CHL CAPE!

[LikesShinyThings]

I guess that would be normal for someone who is 21... When I was 21 (not all that long ago, but I have matured alot in the last couple of years) I would have done the same thing. Now I want to be the guy that so one suspects has a gun so I don't get tangled with when the poop hits the fan.

Yup...thats the thing about a lot of this. We know what we know from age, wisdom and experience and assume that everyone knows instantly what we know, or that they couldn't have a different theory. I have learned to talk to them like I would have wanted to have been talked to at that age or like I want someone to talk to my son. Even now, if someone talked about taking me out first, I might just alert authorities. Remember, we conceal because we are individual and don't follow a pack... allow room for others to do the same. In fact, even now, if a bank asks for 2 forms of ID, I might whip out the CHL just for a laugh watching their face. Not like they are going to hold it up to everyone saying "Look what he has."
BTW, when you go to buy a gun at Academy, a gun shop, etc. They will ask if you have a CHL... should we say no in case other customers might hear? There has to be some logic applied here rather than a concrete "No one else should know."

I believe that if you have a CHL, they don't have to do a NCIS check. Not sure about that though.

Correct...but I mean they will ask you and you present within earshot of other customers. My point is if we are so rigid that we don't want anyone else to know or hear, then we couldn't even do that.

You can avoid the question by beating them to the punch and pulling out your CHL along with your DL about the same time you start the paperwork. Granted, an astute observer might see that you have a CHL, but there isn't that audio support of the fact. I don't remember the last time I actually heard the seller ask if I had a CHL.

[wgoforth]

I guess that would be normal for someone who is 21... When I was 21 (not all that long ago, but I have matured alot in the last couple of years) I would have done the same thing. Now I want to be the guy that so one suspects has a gun so I don't get tangled with when the poop hits the fan.

Yup...thats the thing about a lot of this. We know what we know from age, wisdom and experience and assume that everyone knows instantly what we know, or that they couldn't have a different theory. I have learned to talk to them like I would have wanted to have been talked to at that age or like I want someone to talk to my son. Even now, if someone talked about taking me out first, I might just alert authorities. Remember, we conceal because we are individual and don't follow a pack... allow room for others to do the same. In fact, even now, if a bank asks for 2 forms of ID, I might whip out the CHL just for a laugh watching their face. Not like they are going to hold it up to everyone saying "Look what he has."
BTW, when you go to buy a gun at Academy, a gun shop, etc. They will ask if you have a CHL... should we say no in case other customers might hear? There has to be some logic applied here rather than a concrete "No one else should know."

I believe that if you have a CHL, they don't have to do a NCIS check. Not sure about that though.

Correct...but I mean they will ask you and you present within earshot of other customers. My point is if we are so rigid that we don't want anyone else to know or hear, then we couldn't even do that.

You can avoid the question by beating them to the punch and pulling out your CHL along with your DL about the same time you start the paperwork. Granted, an astute observer might see that you have a CHL, but there isn't that audio support of the fact. I don't remember the last time I actually heard the seller ask if I had a CHL.

Your kidding? I have probably purchased 30 guns, and everytime I have, I have been asked even when I'm standing with the card itself. I wasn't trying to say we shouldn't affirm it...I was trying to show that we should be careful in imposing a strict rule on others to say "don't let anyone know we have a CHL."

[LikesShinyThings]

I believe that if you have a CHL, they don't have to do a NCIS check. Not sure about that though.

Correct...but I mean they will ask you and you present within earshot of other customers. My point is if we are so rigid that we don't want anyone else to know or hear, then we couldn't even do that.

You can avoid the question by beating them to the punch and pulling out your CHL along with your DL about the same time you start the paperwork. Granted, an astute observer might see that you have a CHL, but there isn't that audio support of the fact. I don't remember the last time I actually heard the seller ask if I had a CHL.

Your kidding? I have probably purchased 30 guns, and everytime I have, I have been asked even when I'm standing with the card itself. I wasn't trying to say we shouldn't affirm it...I was trying to show that we should be careful in imposing a strict rule on others to say "don't let anyone know we have a CHL."

No, I'm not kidding - I hand them my CHL and DL before they ask, and then they don't ask. I may be proactive in handing them the ID before they get to the point of asking. Don't know.

Regardless to that, yes strict "don't tell" rules can be a bit excessive. Every rule needs its exceptions.

I also feel, though, that with few exceptions (husband, LEO, etc), it's nobody's business but mine that I've got a CHL. And for the most part I tend to work to keep it that way. I'm not even sure my mother knows I've got one. (Among other things she's rather liberal, and also tends to have a fear about generally allowing folks to have guns. I guess there's no accounting for some folks' parents.)

[b322da]

I guess there's no accounting for some folks' parents.)

We just have to choose better next time.

Elmo

[troglodyte]

While I don't wear a CHL badge and proclaim I have mine to everyone I meet I also don't keep it a secret if it comes up or if someone is interested.

I guess by being an instructor (and assisting in setting up several classes before) I am already "known" in my little world.

Oh well...

No badge? I'll bet you are like me and prefer the CHL CAPE!

Just can't bring myself to wear the tiara.

[troglodyte]

I really do live in a little world. Most days find me no more than a block from my house and church is only a half mile away. Pretty much everyone at school and church know I carry. People are always hittin my gun when we share a friendly hug. Nobody even bats an eye.

I guess it may matter where you live, who you know, and attitudes. Around here nobody even pays attention...that and a lot of us have ours. I don't just bring it up in casual conversation with everyone I meet but if the opportunity presents itself then I have no problem. Part of that is as an instructor I'm trying to get clients. While I'm sure there may be some I can't imagine there are many instructors that don't have their CHL. I guess that outs most of us immediately.

Will it cause trouble sometime? Who knows? We'll find out when it happens and I'll deal with it the best way I know how.

I've got a whole bunch of kids at school that know I carry when I can. To me this is a great education for them. I lead a normal everyday mundane life with a pistol on my hip when I'm not at school. Hopefully this breaks down sterotypes.

Pretty much the same thing at church. Just the everyday run-of-the-mill member who happens to carry. I've never had a problem.

I will add that my little corner of the world is very gun tolerant if not out-right friendly.

So I guess it can make a difference where you live/work and the attitudes. We have a running joke at church that if a gunman comes in that the members don't need to worry about him, they need to worry about the crossfire.

Prudent judge should always rule.