How do you guys deal with friends, family, and co-workers?

[BlueLineFish 615]

The sheep only like the sheep dog when they need him.

[SgtToadette 59]

On a related note, some good did come from my Facebook post. Turns out a relative is looking into getting a gun soon, which I did not know previously. I was considering deleting the Album but I think I'll keep it up. I don't like to delete things off Facebook for integrity reasons anyway.

[the mike 0]

That's the only way I'll eat a hot dog.

[NicePants 58]

And I have friends that put ketchup on hot dogs. Somehow we all get along!

 

Oh lord. Ew. My brother eats them like that.

 

My second trip to the range I brought my friend Alyssa. In fact, I've never gone to a range alone.

 

 

 

Part of the reason I'm still single, despite (as I've said before) my damn good looks. I refuse to date a girl who hates guns. For some reason I seem to attract anti-gunners, Liberals, Fat chicks, and Jewish girls for some reason. Not sure what those groups see in me....

 

How about a fat liberal Jewish chick?

 

And man, I wish I didn't know that many chicks who like guns. A lot of my female friends and girls I've tried to date are like "Guns are awesome!" But most of them are taken and the rest I have no interest in. Sometimes I wonder if I should maybe move south... Water if God wills it, I suppose.

[hd2000fxdl 422]

 

 

Sometimes I wonder if I should maybe move south...

 

Just Remember:

 

[Larry1851 0]

Just Remember:

 

 

Harry? Thank you.

[ExpendableRaj 1]

Depends on your job. In my experience, in blue collars jobs you will likely find a more gun friendly atmosphere, and in white collar jobs you will tend to find a more gun unfriendly atmosphere. Now that's not concrete or anything, by any means. But from what I've seen I work in a blue collar field and damn near 1/3 of my co workers seem to own guns, or go hunting, etc. My brother works in a white collar job and hides the fact that he owns a gun, because his co workers are flat out hostile towards gun ownership. He tested the waters a little bit to see what people thought of guns.

 

Now like I said this is by no means a scientific or even accurate assessment, but it has been my experience so far

[jermz1987 243]

Good things do come out of people knowing you like guns sometimes.

 

Isn't it the best feeling when you are reading a gun magazine or talking about guns, and someone introduces themselves and you find out they shoot and love guns just as much as you do?

 

Its like meeting an friend you never new you had. LOL

[Jon 264]

I can't say that I have any friend of family member that is actually "anti", thankfully.

[vjf915 456]

Not sure if you remember me from Starbucks, but I was there with Bob a couple weeks ago when we all met up. I'm kind of late to the party, but I'll throw in my two cents. I don't hide it. Everyone I know is aware that I'm into guns. The ONLY time I've ever been cautious is at work, simply because I didn't want any kind of backlash. If your friends are the kind of people who are going to run away simply because they don't agree with your hobby, then they're not really your friends. Not all of my friends enjoy the exact same things as I do, but they're still my friends. Trust me when I say you'll make friends within the hobby. You have no reason to be ashamed of your new interest.

[AnthonyG 36]

I have some friends that are pro gun and they enjoy and like the photos when I post a new purchase. I have other friends and family members that do like you mention saying, oh im coming to your house when the zombies come and so forth. The worst comment I got was from an aunt saying do you really need to post these pictures. I basically explained I do competitive/recreational shooting and have friends that do it aswell and its for them.

I don't knock people for posting tons of pictures of their grand kids or children so I ask for them to not knock my hobby. If someone is that closed minded and un-friend you over any of the gun pics they weren't worth having around to begin with.

[Vlad G 345]

I work in one of the most lefty pacifistic disconnected from reality place one could find, ie: a university. My answer is be yourself. I treat gun ownership as if it was perfectly normal and talk about it as if it was perfectly normal, because it is perfectly normal. Even in our state self reported gun owners ship was nearly 20% in 2000, before 9/11, before katrina, before the gun buying craze of the last couple of years. What do you think that percentage is at now, because I'm betting it is over 30%.

 

The interesting this is that when you confidently treat gun ownership as perfectly normal, neither hiding it or beating your chest about it but not hesitating to bring it into conversations as a topic no different then kitchen appliances you will find people more receptive to the ideas. Hey, this guy doesn't look crazy, doesn't seem to hide anything, doesn't look like a loon trying to convince me I should carry a machine gun, this seems like a safe topic to converse about. It becomes no different for non-gun owners then talking to someone who flies small planes, or races cars on the weekend, maybe something they don't do, but not in the "ritually sticking babies on spikes" class of alarming.

 

Eventually that leads to lots of people asking to go to the range.

[BullzeyeNJ 104]

I like guns but dont advertise to the world that I like guns. I would not put any pictures up on a social media site like FB showing me shooting a gun or holding a gun, etc. The primary reason is that the world of FB doesnt need to know what I like to do in my spare time. Its not just a gun thing. I collect other stuff too like wristwatches but I will never post my new wristwatch on FB.

 

I would say 99% of my friends and family are supportive of the "gun thing". At the very worst they are neutral about it. Thats probably out of respect for me and what I like to do. For example, I am a die hard Yankees fan and one of my closest friends is very passionate about the Red Sox. We both like baseball alot and are very knowledgeable about the sport. When we talk to each other about baseball we never have a pissing contest about Yankees and Red Sox. We have enough respect for each other that we are beyond that trivial stuff.

[Jon 264]

I work in one of the most lefty pacifistic disconnected from reality place one could find, ie: a university. My answer is be yourself. I treat gun ownership as if it was perfectly normal and talk about it as if it was perfectly normal, because it is perfectly normal. Even in our state self reported gun owners ship was nearly 20% in 2000, before 9/11, before katrina, before the gun buying craze of the last couple of years. What do you think that percentage is at now, because I'm betting it is over 30%.

 

The interesting this is that when you confidently treat gun ownership as perfectly normal, neither hiding it or beating your chest about it but not hesitating to bring it into conversations as a topic no different then kitchen appliances you will find people more receptive to the ideas. Hey, this guy doesn't look crazy, doesn't seem to hide anything, doesn't look like a loon trying to convince me I should carry a machine gun, this seems like a safe topic to converse about. It becomes no different for non-gun owners then talking to someone who flies small planes, or races cars on the weekend, maybe something they don't do, but not in the "ritually sticking babies on spikes" class of alarming.

 

Eventually that leads to lots of people asking to go to the range.

 

I can't agree with this more. A neighbor I've never talked to saw me putting the realtor sign from my house in my car and asked about it while he was walking by. I explained in a matter-of-fact tone that I use it as a target stand when I go to the range and while he didn't ask any more questions, we now wave to each other and BS a bit whenever I see him walk by with his dog.

[Danno 127]

If I'm in a group and the the subject comes up I usually shoot some one in the leg and then say,"Wow you guys are right guns ARE dangerous.".

[PDM 91]

I've gotten a few negative responses from people when they find out that I own guns -- one woman said "I used to think you were a nice guy." So idiotic that I didn't even respond (I was never a nice guy). However, I am more often than not pleasantly surprised. I've taken 3 or 4 friends to the range already (none of whom had handled a gun before) and have had requests from a bunch more. I think you will find that there are some idealogues who -- logic be damned -- will look down on you. Most people tend to be neutral or curious about the gun issue, and tend to get into it when they have the opportunity.

[smoothie 0]

I dont advertise the fact that I own a few guns, because quite honestly, it is no ones business but mine. When I am in discussions with family and friends, I take into account my audience and temper my remarks and comments accordingly. While my family is very pro gun, my wifes (who has her fid and is a gun owner), is abt half anti gun. What I have found interesting is that I have had some discussions with that half and found that a lot of them have no experience with guns at all, and that it is all based on what they have been told over the years. I have offered to take them to the range, and of the ones that have gone, while they still hold their opinions, I find they have changed a lot of their thinking and no longer see guns as the terrible thing they were led to believe.

[gunnarsport 13]

I look at it this way.....

 

I feel, living in NJ, that I need to keep the hobby of firearms somewhat discreet to people, particularly co-workers. I never bring it up in conversation on a Monday morning when you get the

typical, "Do anything special over the weekend?" Even though I was at the range or club Saturday morning for a few hours. However, if others express an interest or bring up the topic

of firearms in a positive manner, than I will engage them and its fun.

 

But overall, I feel its a hobby to keep a bit discreet about. Particularly for me, working in a non-profit higher educational reseach firm where its overwhelming liberal.

[302w 83]

Depends. If people "know" me, they know I have guns, and those that are interested I usually BS with them and those that aren't interested in guns we never talk about it. Same way I talk about lacrosse or cars. I don't talk to girls about carburetors because they simply don't care.

 

When I got my FID, people at work poked fun at me for "being armed", but went away quickly.

[NicePants 58]

You should've poked fun at them for "exercising free speech." That'll learn 'em!

[GlockinNJ 0]

Good thread! I've had my pistol for a year and I've taken many of my family, friends and coworkers to the range and some even applied for their FID/pistol permits. But, I've also gotten those shocked looks at parties if/when I bring up the subject of shooting. It's certainly a strange reaction that most Americans outside a non 2A friendly state ever experience. I believe even hunting is more "acceptable" in north Jersey than owning a handgun.

 

But, I believe I am an embassador for 2A, as we all are. People know me as an upstanding citizen, so when they hear I own firearms, their knee-jerk reaction of labeling me as a criminal doesn't compute, forcing them to rethink their views about guns. That's a very good thing. If each of us can alter the mind-set of a few of our closest trusted friends and family members about guns, we can make a difference.

 

I need to be careful though. Some people just don't like guns and won't open their minds to it. I have kids and I don't want their friend's parents fearing that my house is unsafe because there are firearms locked away in it.

 

The best thing for gun owners is for our neighbors to see us as responsible citizens, and not like those people they see in the news committing horrible gun-related crimes.

[BigHayden 77]

Facebook is now able to be admissible in court and used against you since it is volunteered public info. I only made the point about LEO because that is why I worry about it. I have seen it used against people in many ways and in regard to many different situations

On a related note, some good did come from my Facebook post. Turns out a relative is looking into getting a gun soon, which I did not know previously. I was considering deleting the Album but I think I'll keep it up. I don't like to delete things off Facebook for integrity reasons anyway.

 

In response to both of these posts, remember that anything that you put on the internet is out there forever. There are too many crawlers/archivers that will take snapshots of websites, not to mention as soon as you put something out there, anybody could snag a copy of it and you can't un-ring that bell.

 

But, I believe I am an embassador for 2A, as we all are. People know me as an upstanding citizen, so when they hear I own firearms, their knee-jerk reaction of labeling me as a criminal doesn't compute, forcing them to rethink their views about guns. That's a very good thing. If each of us can alter the mind-set of a few of our closest trusted friends and family members about guns, we can make a difference.

 

The best thing for gun owners is for our neighbors to see us as responsible citizens, and not like those people they see in the news committing horrible gun-related crimes.

 

This!

[Bowling Ball 22]

Good thread! I've had my pistol for a year and I've taken many of my family, friends and coworkers to the range and some even applied for their FID/pistol permits. But, I've also gotten those shocked looks at parties if/when I bring up the subject of shooting. It's certainly a strange reaction that most Americans outside a non 2A friendly state ever experience. I believe even hunting is more "acceptable" in north Jersey than owning a handgun.

 

But, I believe I am an embassador for 2A, as we all are. People know me as an upstanding citizen, so when they hear I own firearms, their knee-jerk reaction of labeling me as a criminal doesn't compute, forcing them to rethink their views about guns. That's a very good thing. If each of us can alter the mind-set of a few of our closest trusted friends and family members about guns, we can make a difference.

 

I need to be careful though. Some people just don't like guns and won't open their minds to it. I have kids and I don't want their friend's parents fearing that my house is unsafe because there are firearms locked away in it.

 

The best thing for gun owners is for our neighbors to see us as responsible citizens, and not like those people they see in the news committing horrible gun-related crimes.

 

Excellent write up. All good points.

[Kingsoverqueens 10]

My experience has been mixed. I don't hide it, in fact, we're pretty open about it. "We were at the range" or "I'm going to the range" is a perfectly normal and acceptable response in my view when people ask what we did or are doing, kind of thing. They are surprised to hear that I'm not fishing as much and will sometimes ask.

 

Some guys I know got a little taken back, but as we discussed it and they asked questions it was obvious their aversion or reaction was simply due to a lack of education and understanding.

 

My 91 y/o Grandmother was in town over the weekend and natually the subject came up. She was all for it, thought it was a great thing me taking my son to the range. She doesn't like the idea of loaded guns in the house and was happy that I'm educating my kids. She even hinted that she might like to go to the range. That would have been a hoot. Me and my Grandmother. It was too late and I'd had a cocktail or I might have done it. lol.

[tt-33 8]

I wear it on my sleeve even the name of my company screams gun owner.Ive gotten accounts that others bid cheaper becouse ofguns or hunting

[notmetoo 41]

I work at a college and have brought several of my co-workers to the range, including two new shooters yesterday. I've only encountered a tiny bit of negativity so far and have since discovered there's a surprising number of gun owners around me at work. Full disclosure, I am NOT faculty and the slight negativity I've encountered has been from faculty.

[Ron 0]

 

 

Harry? Thank you.

 

Nice Taurus 92 on that girl,,

[scarecrow 0]

Wife while not an active shooter has an FI card and her own S&W model 64. Other close family members are retired police and career military. So no problem there.

 

At work I do not hide my passion for firearms but talk about it only when appropriate. Like when some asks how my weekend was and I say “Great went to the firing range”. If the other person has any interest at all in guns they will engage in conversation about them. Also people who know me at work that are novices and/or thinking of getting a gun will come to me for advice. I go out of my way to help such people in any way I can. One such person just got their FI card, first pistol and rifle. He’s in his 50’s and thrilled.

 

The sad part is that I know quite a few people including some card carrying liberals who would like to own a gun. But don’t because of disapproving wife’s, fear of what friends & family might think or too lazy and/or timid to go through the “process”

 

I do have one co-worker who is a gun hater but we are both adult enough to realize that there is a reason they make 42 flavors of ice-cream.