Not sure if this is a silly question... (firearm related)

[Kendo_Bunny]

So, I'm a gun nut. I'm not militant or anything, but I love my gun (my 21st birthday present) and I got a holster for Christmas. I live in a state where open carrying a firearm is legal in all but government buildings, though of course I would leave private property if asked. Note: this gun will be loaded.

So, I plan on open carrying every chance I get. My close friends know this, and out of respect for the two who are uncomfortable with the presence of a firearm, I plan to leave my gun in my car. But for people I don't know as well, or who I haven't seen in awhile, should I inform them about my gun and my prediliction for open carrying it before visiting? Or would it be rude to walk in and wait to see if anyone comments? My sweetheart OC's almost everywhere he goes, and most people barely even notice it. I've just been wondering this since I unwrapped my holster this morning. 

[wellisawstar]

I don't know much about gun laws, but could you maybe conceal it when meeting strangers? I don't think leaving your gun in the car, where it may be stolen, is a good option.

[jimithing]

I think the polite thing to do would be to inform people, especially if you are going into their home.  DH has guns, but I really don't like them, and I would not be OK with anyone, other than a police officer, bringing a gun into my home.

People have very strong reactions to guns, usually one way or another, and I think it would be polite to give them a heads up.

[Kendo_Bunny]

I don't know much about gun laws, but could you maybe conceal it when meeting strangers? I don't think leaving your gun in the car, where it may be stolen, is a good option.

It's illegal to concealed carry without a license... when I leave my gun in my car I hide it well. No laws about having a gun hidden in an unoccupied vehicle that I know of.

[Salvage3]

First of all, I have no problem with guns --raised around them.  Also, I have many law enforcement friends required to carry, even when off-duty.  

But I have a big question:  Why do you want to carry?  If it is for personal safety reasons, that is one thing; anything else, I would have a real problem with.  IMHO, guns are not a fashion item, nor a toy.

I realize this is snarky, but it really bothers me.  And I would be very, very upset with someone carrying in my home or even in someone else's home without my knowledge.

[Kendo_Bunny]

Personal safety and personal statement. It is my right to carry- especially since according to my state's law, as an able-bodied citizen over the age of 17, I am a member of the State Militia. I believe a right unexercised is a right lost, and that's something I am 100% unwilling to lose.
Plus, I determined long ago that my days of being a passive victim were over, and I was never going to let myself be caught in a position of weakness again. I know better than to carry in Condition White.

[waterwren]

Tell people. I would be highly offended if you came into my home with a gun. Cops are not allowed in my house because of their guns, either.
 

[NOVA Lady]

My DH and I are both gun lover and owners. We have guns in the home (they are locked properly separate from their ammo.

I don't know why a friend would need to come visit me with their ***loaded**** firearm. If it was someone I knew well, had shot with, and trusted I wouldn't be so worried. If it were someone I didn't know as well i would be more than a little suspicious of exactly why they needed they loaded weapon to come visit me (should we get our weapons, load them, and all sit around together with loaded guns?). In either case, I would be personally more comfortable if any firearms were properly locked in their cases in the person's trunk, or if they were inside that they were unloaded and physically *showed me*.

[jimithing]

This is something that I would have to talk to DH about, as he wants to get a concealed weapons permit, which I am vehemently against, but it's not my hill to die on.  I could see him not even thinking that this would be an issue, so if he does get it, we'll have to have a discussion on etiquette issues. 

[Gambitgirl]

if i didn't know you well enough to know you pack heat regularly, i'd like to be clued in if i am inviting you into my home. i am not a gun fan, am fine if other people carry, but i don't allow them in my home. if i found out someone brought a gun into my house without telling or asking me i'd probably be upset, even if i never saw it. if i was in their home or in public or something then i am fine with them carrying, but my home is strictly gun-free.

[waterwren]

 Would all of your friends agree that "it's not their hill to die on" if he takes a loaded gun into their homes? If not would he be willing to loose friends over it?
 I know several folks who consider their homes, their scared place and have ceremonies dedicated it and sanctifying it in their religions....and they would definitely consider it a hill to end a friendship over, If he's married to you, Jimmiething, I would think that he's be horrified at the thought of desecrating a scared place even if he did not subscribe to that belief system, so perhaps you could make him aware of the possibility and
he can them go from there? 

[jimithing]

Would all of your friends agree that "it's not their hill to die on" if he takes a loaded gun into their homes? If not would he be willing to loose friends over it?
 I know several folks who consider their homes, their scared place and have ceremonies dedicated it and sanctifying it in their religions....and they would definitely consider it a hill to end a friendship over, If he's married to you, Jimmiething, I would think that he's be horrified at the thought of desecrating a scared place even if he did not subscribe to that belief system, so perhaps you could make him aware of the possibility and
he can them go from there? 

We haven't even had this discussion, but after reading this topic, I could just see him bringing a gun into someone's home without thinking about this issue. He can be clueless about these kinds of things. I'm 99.9% sure that if I spoke to him about how he needs to let people know that he has it, and if they are not OK with it he needs to leave it in the car, he would be fine with that. If not, he can sit in the car while I was inside in the warm house. 

[Kendo_Bunny]

Anyone who's home I appeared at would most likely notice it... after all, I don't plan on getting a concealed permit anytime soon. I don't have any good place to conceal it in the first place. I guess this is more a question of should I alert people that I carry in case they happen to not notice the .38 revolver hanging on my hip? That's really my main concern... since so many people never notice James's gun until he makes some reference to it. Then again, I don't want to sound patronizing, like 'I don't know if you noticed, but I carry a loaded revolver with me at all times'.

[NOVA Lady]

Anyone who's home I appeared at would most likely notice it... after all, I don't plan on getting a concealed permit anytime soon. I don't have any good place to conceal it in the first place. I guess this is more a question of should I alert people that I carry in case they happen to not notice the .38 revolver hanging on my hip? That's really my main concern... since so many people never notice James's gun until he makes some reference to it. Then again, I don't want to sound patronizing, like 'I don't know if you noticed, but I carry a loaded revolver with me at all times'.

I think you should.

We would notice and we would ask you to unload your weapon or not bring it into our home. I am curious....would that be OK with you?

[Kendo_Bunny]

Fine with me. My best friend's mother is not a gun fan, so my gun stays in my car during my visits. Another of my friends has a bit of a phobia about being shot, so I unload my gun before visiting her- she wants to learn how to shoot someday, but I figure it's better to get her used to the presence of an unloaded gun first.