Uber Paranoid ? Or Basic Safety Practice?

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Treo

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We've had a couple of threads recently, about CCW exposure. I noticed that a couple of replies were along the lines of " We had an interesting disscussion, he really liked my ( insert brand name of fire arm here).

Maybe I read the replies wrong but this indicates to me that the poster at some point unholstered their weapon for show & tell.

I was always taught that this was incredibly bad form, as well as tactically unsound.

I have been accused of being I little bit too paranoid around here so I thought maybe I'd throw this out for disscussion.

What do you think? Do you show your gun to strangers?
 
:confused: No, I would not show my carry gun - which, if I'm carrying it, will also be loaded! - just willy-nilly to any old person who is unknown to me. Please specify the social setting, as well as links to the thread(s) for more context.
 
What part of concealed don't you ( these people) understand.

My wife, my children, two close relatives and two selected employees know I have a permit. The only one who is told when I am carrying is an employee - required information. Even my wife is not told if I am carrying but she will surmise from the circumstances. The others would never guess.

If your weapon becomes exposed when it is supposed to be concealed you are not carrying properly or you are not using common sense. In my, readily admitted, cranky old-guy (TM) opinion.
1. Too many people feel they need to carry a hand-cannon that would be difficult to hide under a tarp. never mind a shirt.
2. Some kids get a kick out of flashing a gun.
3. Some people still are not, physically, comfortable with carrying a pistol (and see #1 above) so they are always fidgeting with it and make themselves obvious as carriers. Even though any firearm will show a bulge in some body positions, if your movement is natural, chances are nobody will notice.
 
There are various types of personalities in the gun world, Treo. You've met them.
Some get into guns just to have something to do and got a chp just to be in the clique with the fellow gunnies. These people generally crave the approval of others and will hand over their weapon for inspection with very little urging.

I think it's pretty stupid, myself. But, that's why I don't do it.

I'm no one's sensei either. If a person is old enough to get a chp, then they can make their own decisions.
 
Maybe I read the replies wrong but this indicates to me that the poster at some point unholstered their weapon for show & tell.
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I'd like some context as well before commenting. I've seen several of these threads over the years, even had some of these discussions at the range or among friends/hunting partners. I've never unholstered just to play show and tell. If it was a part of teaching a new shooter or allowing someone else to shoot my gun at a range, different story.

I don't think you're paranoid for finding it to be bad form; I do think you should provide some examples of people having done this before everyone gets in a huff over a practice people are not doing or is the major exception rather than the rule.
 
Do you have a link to one of these posts where someone had their CCW exposed and they actually state they pulled out a gun and let a stranger handle it?

While I've seen several of posts indicating there was a discussion, I can't recall seeing any number of posts regularly saying they pulled out their gun to show it off to a stranger.
 
Since I open carry sometimes, I'm not worried about people seeing my firearm. If I'm carrying concealed, I'm likely not trying to keep it covered, more likely my shirt tail just happens to be covering it so it's not readily visible. I don't go out of my way to hide it at all.

That said, I'd never handle a loaded weapon in public just for the sake of showing off my carry piece.

I'd likely not engage in enough conversation with a stranger to get to the point of knowing them well enough to do such a thing anyway. I don't mind a conversation but I've never had anything remotely close to a show and tell situation even come up.
 
If I'm in my own home or outside on my own property - I would show a GOOD FRIEND my weapon IF he asked to see it (my good freinds no I carry). However, I would never pull my gun out for "show and tell" like you described.
 
At home with friends or on the range, yes

I was in a car dealership office in Illinois waiting to get my temp tags with 5 or 6 other people. One of the men was a park policeman and the idiot had his new 45 out showing it to people. He was my size, a big guy so nobody was saying anything to him but this one woman was visibly upset. Fortunately I was the first to get my tag so I got out of there. Another couple of minutes and I would have been tempted to whack him up alongside the head with his own gun. I wouldn't have but the temptation was there. To me carry concealed means carry concealed and I hope none of my students was ever that stupid.
 
Would I remove my gun from its holster in public for ANY reason beside using it for defense, or because I was required to hand it over to a cop? NO

Would I remove my gun from its holster, even in private (or on private property) and hand it to a stranger, even if its was unloaded? NO. He's a stranger, who knows if he's will to just run oof with it, hit me with it, try to swallow it, or whatever.

Would I remove my gun from its holster in private (or on private property), after I made 100% sure it was unloaded with the action open, to a friend? Sure, why not? If I cant trust him not to damage or steal it, he wouldnt be a friend in the first place.Also,since we arent in public, handling it wouldnt be a crime, or a gray area of law, or cause anyone to misunderstand my intentions.Really no different than pulling one out of the safe to show a freind, IMHO. I personally dont hide the fact I own and carry guns (I OC on occasion), nor do I make a big show of it (even when I OC, I havent seen any indication that most people even noticed it, and none have seemed to care if they did) by waving it around, telling everyone and their brother, etc. It's all about using common sense about what is a good idea, when and where, and what isnt.For me, there is no single rule that covers every scenario, so I play it by ear.

YMMV.Your gun, your life, your decision.But if you do something monumentally stupid, dont come here whining about something bad happening because of it.;) Make your choice, and own up to the results like a man.That simple.
 
Another comment along the lines that I'd only do it in an appropriately private setting and only with someone I identify as more than a casual aquaintance.
 
What do you think? Do you show your gun to strangers?
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No. Not to friends, either. It's foolish to be showing (OT OC) or handling a loaded gun in public.

Nor do I want to be shown a loaded gun (OT OC) or be around someone handling one in public. (OT at range, etc.)
 
Ok guys I pretty much got my answer thanks, it doesn't seem like a wise idea to me & it never did. just wanted to double check

Do you have a link to one of these posts where someone had their CCW exposed and they actually state they pulled out a gun and let a stranger handle it?
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Nope, and I made that pretty clear in the OP.

Mods please feel free to lock this one up got my answer


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