Gun conversation at work?

[Neocode]

I'm a computer guy, and a couple of the other guys I work with have made comments about wanting to get a gun for defense. There is one guy who is very anti-gun, and another who owns a shotgun (maybe more, I don't know). A couple people know I have my CCW, but not everyone, and I don't make it public notice. They also don't know that I carry everyday.

 

[cmidkiff]

I always have to laugh when someone states that they 'don't believe in guns'

I always wanted to say 'Seeing is believing', and draw

No, I'd never do it, but it's worth a smile.

Everyone here knows I'm a gun nut... but since I shoot with the owner, I guess it's OK I don't try to convert anyone at work. Some of the people here who don't shoot are simply uneducated, some are felons. I do tack up a particularly good group from time to time, or show photos of my new firearms purchases.

 

[statelineblues]

armoredman: Everyone at my job has to qualify every year with Glock 19, Remington 870, and 37mm

ummmmmm......you guys carrying anti-tank weapons on the trucks now?

 

[CajunBass]

I'm one of the "gun guys" at work. My supervisor and I talk guns (and motorcycles) all the time. He's not as "into" guns as I am, but I think his son (about 14 or so) is pushing him more and more "into" them. Apparently the kid wants dad to get at least one SKS.

 

[Axman]

The restaurant I work at has a "No weapons allowed" sign posted on the door. With graphics of a gun and a knife. I do use knives in the kitchen. There are a bunch of guys who are locals that are there drinking coffee every day. One fella brought in a .22 revolver for another to repair and had it lying on the table in plain sight. No one said anything regarding the sign on the door even though the guy actually ignored the sign. I might just have to mention to the boss that an armed robber isn't going to obey the sign anyway.

 

[fatelk]

I have had no problems talking gun and hunting stuff at work on occasion. There is a strict no weapons policy that I would not violate as I value my job. Most of the guys are pro gun and probably half are into guns or hunting to some degree or another. The few anti-gun types (more like just a couple even though Eugene is Oregon's own little San Fransisco) are pretty tolerant of other people's "wierd hobbies". I've actually been told "I don't worry about you having guns, it's the criminals and wackos I don't want having guns and they might steal yours and commit mass murder".

armoredman: Everyone at my job has to qualify every year with Glock 19, Remington 870, and 37mm

Years ago someone gave me a long aluminum empty "37mm tear gas cartridge". They told me it was a military/law enforcement thing.

 

[Big Calhoun]

I don't really advertise it or go looking to solicit who is and who is not into firearms at my job. It's a major corporation full of soccer-moms and the pretentious types, so I figure finding like minded folks would take a little extra work. But, in the course of casual conversation (ie. someone asks what I did over the weekend), I will mention if I happened to go to a range and that's usually how I find out who my brothers and sisters are.

My cubicle mate next to me isn't so much a gun person but has shot and hunted. She had a CCW in Washington State and is thinking of getting one here in Texas (of course I encouraged her). And we may actually go shooting together because her husband passed last year and she hasn't used many of the guns he owns.

Then a friend of hers that is a few rows over is just a down home country girl. She's not really a shooter either, more of the fishing and camping type. Now she does have her CCW and .357 that she takes out occasionally but is mostly used for home protection.

The boss wants to learn how to shoot, although, I'm not the one to teach him. He's one of those that fall under, "If you can't tie your shoes, you probably shouldn't be using a gun." Nuff said...but he's real interested.

Now, an example of the pretentious type I work with is the snob over the wall from me. Very anti-gun and any time my cubby and I are talking guns, he pokes his head over all suspicious like. I've been tempted to wear only my holster (no weapons at work) just to spark a reaction out of him because I honestly believe he's wound tighter than a Timex.

Now, my old office in New Jersey, surprisingly, had a lot of fellow shooters and was a very open and comfortable atmosphere to talk about guns and hunting and the like. It all depends where you are.

 

[ptmmatssc]

the owner of the company I work for came up to me and another co-worker when I was showing him my new XD45 . The co-worker knows I have mucho guns and asked the owner jokingly if he was worried about all my arms . Owner simply commented " I don't care what he's got , as long as he's on MY side " . Great place to work . Was told out rite that if I chose to carry while at work that there was no problem with it . Only thing is , the owner wants to see what I'm packing , just to see if he might want one to

 

[Hokkmike]

Moslty it is OK, but I have to be politically correct "some of the time".

Hey, soon "America" (the song) will not be PC!

 

[JWarren]

The last company I worked for before starting my firm was VERY PC and liberal (corp HQ was in San Francisco.) Typically, you could see very liberal attitudes in everyone you met.

While there was no specific policies regarding gun-ownership other than SEC rulings about having guns in brokerage firms, you KNEW that voicing unpopular opinions were what we called CLM's (Career Limiting Moves).

Every now and then, I'd somehow get roped into a conversation that has a firearms theme. I'd say nothing and find a way to excuse myself from the conversation.

Typically, you aren't going to change these persons' minds in the short time you have to talk at work. They are only-half listening anyway, and all they will remember of what you say is something that will get twisted into something that will ruin your chances of advancement at best, and have management looking for a way to fire you without you storming thier office with a machine-gun at worst.


Its better, IMHO to avoid firearms related discussions like the plague at your workplace. Even with the best intentions, someone will use it against you.


John

 

[SoCalShooter]

Talk guns all the time, hell I converted 8 people in the past year to likeing and understanding guns and even going out and shooting. Not to mention most of them want to now try hunting atleast once.

 

[Lonestar]

I when from LE to owning my own business, so it's no big deal. I usually keep my gun owner ship between myself, my family and the guys I shoot with. I hate arguing with anti-gun types, as much as liberal and Neo-cons. The original poster mentioned the guy was building an AK in his Dorm. Isn't that violating the school's policy. I don't know of any college campus that allows there students to be armed. I can sort of see breaking the rule and trying to sneak in a pistol for protecting, but how are you going to build an AK in a dorm room without no one finding out?

 

[Igloodude]

After having worked at this place (in northern Massachusetts) for about five years, I'm "the gun guy". I've taken five coworkers (out of a possible 30) and one's son (getting deployed to Iraq) to the range, one of them being the manager of the office so far, and a couple more are on the list for the next run. They all know I shoot Bullseye league on Wednesday nights, and that that is roughly as dangerous and exciting as bowling except that you can't quite see the pins drop.

Funny, just today I was under a desk replacing a workstation that was in pretty poor shape (couldn't power it up without taking the cover off) and the cubicle dweller next door said (roughly paraphrasing) "bet handling that is safer than a gun". I understand where she's coming from, her neighbor's son's cousin's friend or somebody accidentally shot their friend with a gun lying around the friend's house. But that doesn't stop me from being taking advantage of the question:

"Actually I've been zapped by PCs, but am absolutely safe with a pistol".

"Yeah, but zapping with a PC isn't fatal"

"Actually, neither is getting shot with a pistol, necessarily. It is only fatal something like 10% of the time, don't believe the movies and shows where whenever someone gets shot they're dead before they hit the ground."

Okay, my percentage might be inaccurate, but the spirit of the statement is correct...

 

[armoredman]

While I would love to see 37mm anti tank guns mounted in either trucks from my old company, of the towers around the prisons I now work in, I have to say 37mm multi munitions launcher, capable of more than just gas by far. Knee knockers are fun too...

 

[30 cal slob]

i keep it to myself. the few guys @ work who shoot (sporting clays, etc) get a little scared of me when i bring up NFA toys.

 

[Axman]

Igloodude, I don't know why, but your response about the fatality of gunshots reminds me of a famous quote. "Sure there have been deaths in boxing but none of them fatal!" I can't even remember who said the quote.

 

[spacemanspiff]

We talk about guns at one of my night jobs. More in the context of "Those gangbangers keep talking about putting us in bodybags, everyone who can needs to get strapped up, those who don't stand behind us and be ready to call the police if the 'bangers start walking this way again."

 

[22-rimfire]

Your workplace becomes a second home since most of us spend so much time working. We think that everyone are friends until what are termed political discussions develop. Things can get heated at times like on this forum. After much experience with saying the wrong thing from a PC perspective and maintaining peace, I think political discussions should remain away from the office unless you are close friends.

 

[TimboKhan]

Everywhere I have ever worked I have let it be known that I am very much into guns, and that includes the high school I am at right now. I find that it's a matter of tact. For instance, I call myself a "Battle rifle collector". That is both a true statement and a better way to broach the subject. After the subject is broached, I will start talking about my other shooting interests, but thats the easiest way to let people know that I am a 2A supporter.

 

[22-rimfire]

I worked for a small family owned company, and they were pretty anti gun, but very conservative. I was well known for my strong 2A support, hunting, and shooting discussions. Straight dicussions on politics generally are what gets you in trouble. My previous comment was made looking in hindsight rather than present day. I work for myself now in a small business and I can talk about any darn thing I want to now within reason.

 

[Daedalus7]

I work at a police department (I'm non-sworn), so everyone's a shooter And most people also share my interest in motorcycles, so I love it. I can sit around on slow nights and talk guns and other fun things for hours.
There is a varying degree of interest in guns among the officers I work with. Some only have their duty gun and one or two back-up revolvers or such, and others have a huge collection of various AR-15s, SA M1's, pistols, bolt actions etc etc. Lets just say I love range days, just for the selection of guns I get to shoot.

 

[MrPeter]

Unfortunately, since I'm pretty much the only IT guy in my company, save my boss, I get Zero social interaction with any of my co-workers.
At my last job, there were two CPL holders, one of which became my shooting buddy, and the other I have shot with once. It was a pretty laid back place to talk about such things, but carrying at work would get you fired in an instant (electronics retailer).
My current boss seems to care very little about what I do outside of work, so I tend to keep to myself. I'm still wondering if I should ask if I can carry to work, or if I should just do it. I have read the employee handbook cover-to-cover, scouring it for any mention of weapons whatsoever, and it completely misses that subject entirely. I do like my job though, so maybe I should ask...?

 

[imatt]

My old boss was a Canadian....nuff said.

He had the normal anti-gun facts and we disagreed a lot. We're in NC and we "don't do things the same way you did in Winnipeg!"

Hey, another Fuquay resident! Glad to meet a local.

At work several of my co-workers took the CC class with me, so it's really not an issue - not that we're allowed to carry at work.

 

[alucard0822]

I work for a large company where most of the people in the building are fairly liberal, but our department is mostly ex auto and truck technicians and a little more in the know. The company generally dislikes political speak, but also encourages people to be themselves, so I avoid gun talk with people I don't really know, but talk often with my buddies around my cube. I have found out most of the IT guys are gun fanatics, I have run into a couple at the local range about a mile from the office, they always talk about their new AR's, AK's, pistols, and the like, but then they start up on halo, counter strike and so on and I get lost, Im not so much into "virtual shooting".

 

[flynnguy]

A lot of it depends on where you live and your particular work environment. Me, being in NJ, most people are fairly anti-gun so I try to avoid the topic.

Once, another coworker brought it up (he was pro-gun) and the other two people there were anti. The one anti actually pulled the "I don't believe in guns." I just responded with "They're real, you can see and touch them." I then said If you make guns illegal, only criminals will have guns. He just responded with "That's not true." I decided then the conversation was going to go nowhere so I just reaffirmed my position and dropped the subject basically saying this was getting off-topic from what we were discussing and not really important. (Well that particular gun discussion wasn't important because they were too set in their ways).