White as a Ghost!

[RockingRook]

Other than family the only other person that knows I carry all the time is a friend of mine.

Why did I tell him? We travel a lot together going to chess tournaments all over the state. We split
the cost of a hotel room and I thought it best to let him know. Telling him up front rather than me revealing
a CCW in the hotel room.

You never know how people will react at seeing a gun. At a chess tournament a while back I entered a discussion
over lunch about guns and the CHL. I did not say I carried or had a CHL. One of the guys at the table
really freaked out at even the mention of the word "gun". I quit talking about it and dropped the subject.

People are just afraid!! I carry now all the time even in my house. Why? A few months ago a young man,
came to my door a told me he had a "tree trimming business". He wanted he and his friend [who was in the car
outside] to go into my back yard and give me a good price for trimming my tree. I told him I
did not need his service. He left!!

The one that came to the door was totally tatooed. I have to admit that I am a little prejudiced by personal appearance.
I guess that is part of "situational awareness".

Anyhow, a few mintutes went by and my door bell rang and he was at the door again. This time he was more insistant
about going into my back yard and seeing my tree to give me an estimate. I again told him "NO!!" This time I was more
insistant as I abruptly closed the door.

The door bell rang again. This time I went and got my .40 and held it behind me as I answered the door. He was there again
and I brought my gun around and at my side and watched his eyes gravitate downwards.
I told him "Get the hell out of here and don't come back".

Speaking with the police they told me that people have been preying on the elderly trying to get into their homes
then to rob them.

I know he was not talking about me [elderly], I will be only 70 soon but I understood. Now I wear my gun concealed while in my
house or out.

You never know when something will happen.

Kudos to you for being armed and knowing how to handle your weapon.

Chuck

[Photoman]

Good show Chuck!

p.s. Next time, don't bother answering the door a second time.

[DLBConductor]

RockingRook wrote:
Speaking with the police they told me that people have been preying on the elderly trying to get into their homes
then to rob them.

I know he was not talking about me [elderly], I will be only 70 soon but I understood. Now I wear my gun concealed while in my house or out.

[RockingRook]

Good show Chuck!

p.s. Next time, don't bother answering the door a second time.

If I do not answer the door I wouldn't know who was at the door. My front door
is one of those "burgler bar" doors that is locked and I answer the inner door. Around my neighborhood
which is normally quiet has been getting it's share of incidents.

Chuck

[74novaman]

My mother in law, who is otherwise a very sweet lady and about the best one could hope for in a MIL is a dyed in the wool, bay area born, California hippie.

She's even been robbed at gunpoint, and due to her experience, doesn't think people should have guns. Never mind the fact any thug willing to rob you will do it with whatever tool they can get...gun, knife, bat, crowbar, bag of chips....

I've just never bothered to mention that I own and carry them.

It keeps relations cordial.

Some people will NEVER see the light. We just have to hope they do what my MIL does. a)don't campaign against our rights and b)never get into a situation where they wished they'd not been so anti gun.

[Purplehood]

i have a friend who is the tin foil hat type it can get annoying.

Doesn't it get hot, too?

[The Annoyed Man]

I just had an interesting email exchange with a friend from church last night. He is a guitar player/song writer/worship leader, and he's on tour a lot. (He's actually starting to get well known.) In addition to occasionally playing with our worship team, his wife is also one of our occasional backup singers (and sings like an angel, to boot). In fact, she sang with us yesterday morning.

I'll call him "C" and her "K." So K shows up late at yesterday's early rehearsal before the services start, and she looks worn out. She didn't mention what it was about, but they have 4 young rambunctious boys, and someone joked that this would make anyone tired.

So last night I get an email from C, saying that they had decided to get a gun to keep around the house, and could I recommend any .380 pistols. So I sent him back a detailed reply with links and MSRP price information for the S&W Bodyguard, Sig P238, Ruger LCP, and Kel Tec P3AT. I also gave him my opinion on the .380 caliber, nicely, and added that I wouldn't recommend it, but that if that's what he wanted, I'd be glad to help them pick one out. I also added that I am an NRA Certified Basic Pistol Instructor and that I would be more than happy to donate my time to take them to a range and give them some safety instruction, and to let them try shooting multiple calibers to help them arrive at some other choice than .380, if they felt so disposed. I also said that having a chance to shoot a bunch of different guns would help give them direction in brand/type of gun.

Anyway, he took me up on the offer. He said that Saturday night, at 2:45 a.m., K had been woken up by very load pounding on their front door. C was still out of town on a playing gig, and she had nobody to turn to immediately. Police told her that it turned out to be just a bunch of teenagers running down the street and pounding on everybody's front doors, but that was no consolation to her at the time. She finally realized that with her husband on the road, she was home alone with 4 children and pretty defenseless if push came to shove.

After our first exchange of emails, he sent me back a reply saying that they had contacted a cousin who lives not too far away, and that person was loaning them a Model 64 revolver until they could get their own gun. He wanted to know if that was a good gun. I told him it was an excellent choice until they could find one that they wanted for their own. He asked if I also teach CHL classes. I told him no, not yet, but that I planned to get my instructor's license this spring. (Note to self, stop talking, start doing.) And, I gave him Crossfire Training's information and endorsed their business. C & K live out in Keller, not far from Cabelas.

So, one more family embarking on the journey. C told me that he already owned a 30/30 rifle he got from his dad, but that he needed to get a safe for it because of the kids, before he would bring it home to his house. So they weren't really "anti-gun" people. They had just never thought about needing one for personal protection. And so here, in the space of 24 hours, they went from being content without a pistol, to A) wanting one very badly, B) wanting to be trained in how to use it, and C) considering a CHL class.

For me, it is a privilege to be included in that walk with them.

[johnson0317]

i have a friend who is the tin foil hat type it can get annoying.

Doesn't it get hot, too?

I poke a few little holes in mine, breathes just fine

[RPB]

i have a friend who is the tin foil hat type it can get annoying.

Doesn't it get hot, too?

I poke a few little holes in mine, breathes just fine

So that I don't use up all my "Minutes" I keep my calls short, so mine doesn't really have time to get hot when I ...
"phone home"

Also, the overhead fans help if I talk too long ...

[Divided Attention]

they have 4 young rambunctious boys, and someone joked that this would make anyone tired.

Anyway, he took me up on the offer. He said that Saturday night, at 2:45 a.m., K had been woken up by very load pounding on their front door. C was still out of town on a playing gig, and she had nobody to turn to immediately. Police told her that it turned out to be just a bunch of teenagers running down the street and pounding on everybody's front doors, but that was no consolation to her at the time. She finally realized that with her husband on the road, she was home alone with 4 children and pretty defenseless if push came to shove.

So, one more family embarking on the journey. C told me that he already owned a 30/30 rifle he got from his dad, but that he needed to get a safe for it because of the kids, before he would bring it home to his house. So they weren't really "anti-gun" people. They had just never thought about needing one for personal protection. And so here, in the space of 24 hours, they went from being content without a pistol, to A) wanting one very badly, B) wanting to be trained in how to use it, and C) considering a CHL class.

For me, it is a privilege to be included in that walk with them.

Kudos to them for making the decision to be more responsible for their personal protection and to you for helping them. With all the misinformation out there I think the collective "we" as a community of like minded individuals (starting to sound a little borg like) have to help each other. I am always amazed at the preconceived notions people have made about firearms simply because they do not know. I am thrilled to see they are considering the safe, one thing I had not thought of before, but am adamant about now is including the entire family in your "plan" on what you would do should the "unthinkable" happen. The classes I have been blessed to attend and the information here and recommended by folks here have given us the tools to hopefully react in a constructive manner should we have an issue. We have a code word from the kids, and they know where they are to get should something come down so we are not worried about where they are in relation to the boogie man. The journey to personal protection with a fire arm is not a day trip, but a complete change in lifestyle. I am proud to see the difference in personal situational awareness in my children, and get tickled when I hear my 15 year old roll her eyes about her peers that are "so clueless" in regards to their personal safety. (yes, you can hear them roll their eyes )

*steps down from soapbox*

[KEast]

You should invite him for a couple of hours at the range, if he would go. He might have a very good time, and come away with at least a since of confidence that the gun wont go bang on its own.

I say the above because a very good friend of mines wife sound very much like your friend. This past weekend my wife and I were planning to go to the range, we decided we would invite them and see if they wanted to come with us. He had not shot a gun in over 22 years, and his wife had never shot a gun. To our surprise they accepted the invitation. Our range has a selection of rental guns so we decided to start them with something that would be enjoyable for a first time shooter and rented a Ruger Mark III .22 and Walther .380. I went over basic firearm safety, the mechanics of the two firearms they would be shooting, and what to do if something went wrong (malfunction, etc.).

We spent probably 3 hours at the range and during that time I saw a transformation in their confidence with the guns they were shooting, and her fear of guns in general. She now knows that its not just going to randomly go off, she knows whats going to happen if she pulls the trigger, and believe it or not shes a pretty darn good shot. She had fun, He had fun, that was the point.

We went and ate after the range and in the truck we were talking about guns, my friend would like to own one around the house but she is not ready fro that and that's OK. She wants to go shoot again, which is huge.

I'm not saying your friend would want to do this, but I would definitely put it on the table.

[DLBConductor]

You should invite him for a couple of hours at the range, if he would go. He might have a very good time, and come away with at least a since of confidence that the gun wont go bang on its own...

I'm not saying your friend would want to do this, but I would definitely put it on the table.

Thanks for the advice.

Of the three lunch buddies, one seems to be slightly more open to the idea of people owning guns. I showed him my targets from yesterday at the range, which had 10 shots from 20' and 10 shots from 50'. All of the shots could be covered with my fist. It seemed to make him a little more interested in what I was doing at the range. I think I will invite him to go to the range with me first. If I can get him on board, I will then schedule an outing and invite all four of us to go to the range just as a learning experience for the "lunch group." Perhaps, the peer pressure will get my "scared" guy to at least join us and watch. Part of the problem is that he has never been around guns. His grandparents came to the USA from Germany during the war and were apparently were very anti-gun. It is totally an emotional issue with him.

While they know I enjoy target practice, they do not know that I actually have a CHL or that I carry 24/7. I plan to keep it that way unless one or more of them shows an interest in a CHL. My CHL is to protect my wife and me. I did not sign up to be a policeman.

[RPB]

It is totally an emotional issue with him.

I say this non-judgmentally ...
That's almost always the case.
Anti-gun people are almost always about the feelings/emotions they got somewhere ... may not be their "fault" might be their upbringing/training/brainwashing/socialization/conditioning.

After a dog bit me as a little kid, took me a while to like dogs again, but I got over that fear... Had to be around them and learn about them to do it.

[DLBConductor]

It is totally an emotional issue with him.

I say this non-judgmentally ...
That's almost always the case.
Anti-gun people are almost always about the feelings/emotions they got somewhere ... may not be their "fault" might be their upbringing/training/brainwashing/socialization/conditioning.

After a dog bit me as a little kid, took me a while to like dogs again, but I got over that fear... Had to be around them and learn about them to do it.

I agree. Incidentally, when I was four, I was mauled by a German Shepherd and even to this day, when a dog growls, the hair goes up on the back of my neck. I eventually learned to be around dogs but that event was probably what led me to be a "cat " person.