How did your family or friends react or feel about you owning a firearm?

[derrickgoins]

Even my 87 year old GrandMother used to shoot so I really don't have any problems with my family in regards to guns. I don't have many friends that shoot but when I actually started getting back in to shooting and handguns early last year, all of a sudden everyone was curious as to when we could go shoot. On the home front, our rule is as long as everything is away from our 3 year old and handled safely, it's all good.

 

[HighStrung]

My step-dad carries somewhat regularly, most of my aunt's and uncles carry daily. My grandmother carries her 38spl daily to her job at the bank. Most of those who carry, carry daily where ever they go, no matter where they go. For me, it was pretty much assumed that I would carry too.

 

[Bucko]

My wife wasn't fond of the idea initially, she's grown much more supportive now though.

My mother has never liked weapons. My father was very supportive from the beginning.

My In-laws all love it. Now going shooting is one more thing I do with brothers-inlaws.

As far as CC, only the wife knows I do, and I think my dad suspects I do. My 4 kids know I do as well, however they all know to NEVER talk about it. After all, concealed is concealed.

 

[Terribill12]

My wife is supportive of my CCW but is nervous since we have small children. My boys are 10 and 6 and our girls are 2 (twins). She hasn't made the leap to get a CCW but I am working on it. My boys can tell you the four basic rules of gun safety as if you were asking their names. They know that they are not to touch or be around a gun unless I am standing beside them. I recently took them out shooting and they both could hit a paper target pretty consistently at 50 yds on a bench rest. My parents both have their CCW. My dad always carries any one of his six firearms and my mom has her .380 with her all of the time. I have pretty liberal in-laws but they are country folks at heart so they are quite a few shot guns and rifles in their home but CCW wouldn't likely happen with them. They know that we have firearms in the home but they trust that we will keep our kids safe. I think safety and communication are the most important aspects of guns in the home. Kids need to know EVERYTHING about guns so curiosity does not become an issue.

 

[The Bubba Effect]

I have a large extended family and we have recently started shooting after the thanksgiving meal. This year I bet there will be around 25-50 long guns at thanksgiving. I think probably 75-80% of the adult males in my family have their handgun permits although few carry regularly. The most anti-gun people in my immediate family concede that firearms are necessary and that everyone should know how to safely use them.

My friends are all fine with me having firearms. I make sure that they know how to safely and effectively use my firearms because I care for my friends and trust them. If someone isn't OK with me being armed, we probably won't become friends.

Man, I'm looking forward to thanksgiving

 

[The Bubba Effect]

Kids need to know EVERYTHING about guns so curiosity does not become an issue.

 

[beararms1776]

My step-dad carries somewhat regularly, most of my aunt's and uncles carry daily. My grandmother carries her 38spl daily to her job at the bank. Most of those who carry, carry daily where ever they go, no matter where they go. For me, it was pretty much assumed that I would carry too.

Man, I just love those Thomas Jefferson quotes.

 

[88E30M50]

My family was not anti-gun but nobody owned one. I had done some shooting back in the 70s and very little from then until 2008-ish. We've always had the Marlin 22lr I got when I was 12 around the house, but that was it. When I brought my first handgun home a couple of years ago, they were all uncomfortable and acted like I was showing them a stolen piece of the Shroud of Turin or something.

Eventually, they got used to seeing a gun on my hip and I've done range trips with just about every one of them. Since buying that first handgun, I've aquired a small collection of them and shoot between 6k and 9k rounds a year. Now, if I'm not carrying, they get uncomfortable and keep asking why. When we go out, there is always the check to see if I'm carrying. Even my formerly anti-gun wife has come around and went from wanting it to be hidden from our (then 10) 13 year old, with no word spoken of it's existence (never happened that way) to be proud of how well he can shoot the 9mm. She even suggested that we give him an SKS for Christmas last year, which is way, way out of how she used to feel about guns and even goes shooting with us now. She has agreed to get her LTCH, but wants to wait a bit.

I guess my point is to take it slowly and impress them with how safe and responsible you are around guns. Follow the 4 rules religiously and be the model for safe gun handling. They are just now seeing the other side of gun ownership and it will take a while for the main stream media programming to wear off. It's new to them and they are uncomfortable because they think the dang things going to just go off randomly. They fear that you will be some yahoo on the evening news that shot his pecker off while trying to clean a loaded gun. They think your answer to every problem with be flying lead. Once they see that all the main stream programming is just nothing but urban myth and misinformation, they'll get comfortable around them. Until they do though, you MUST impress them with how responsible you are and that you did not just take a bit of safety away from their lives, but instead, added a bit.

 

[Cemetery-man]

I'm 54, been married for 34 years with 2 grandchildren and my mother still thinks she can order me to get rid of my guns!

 

[Monte#2]

I've owned them all my life so no problems. My wife isn't excited by them...but after 20 years...she tolerates them...and has even shot them.

 

[Principal Skinr]

Some don't know about it, but my fellow school administrators mostly know, and don't seem to mind. (Although a few appear to be nervous). Those of them who have faced serious threats, which means most of them, appear to be pretty understanding.

Some of my parents and students know I hunt and shoot, and they like that. Many of them hunt and shoot, too. I bought an AR stripped lower from one of my parents with an FFL. He was surprised, but loved it.

 

[cp009]

My parents wern't to happy, but they eventually got over it.

 

[revsaxon]

After 10 years of being an ER nurse (and seeing more gunshot wounds than is healthy) my mom was horribly against it, but was ok with me keeping them in the house (temporary lack of employment forced to me move back home) as long as she never saw them. My Dad loves that I have guns and often goes shooting with me. My sister... well, she takes every potshot at me she can, often saying that people like me are whats wrong with America.

 

[The Bubba Effect]

I guess my point is to take it slowly and impress them with how safe and responsible you are around guns. Follow the 4 rules religiously and be the model for safe gun handling.

That is the perfect way to overcome anti gun bias.

Eventually the people go from being scared of you being armed to wanting you to be armed because they know they can trust your judgment and your safe handling.

 

[Ski]

Having grown up with a minister for a dad that is very liberal, we never had guns in the house. My two older brothers each have a shotgun for home defense but it was my younger brother that got me interested in gun ownership. I don't know where he caught the bug but he's got it pretty bad for his .380s. It's not a subject my dad and I would normally talk about but I've heard him talking to a friend and although they, when pressed, agree to the RTKBA, they toe the liberal line when discussing crime and guns. (i.e. we need more sensible gun laws)

 

[DaCoach]

I grew up in a family that both understood the benefits of owning a firearm, and the enjoyment one can get from using one. Going to the range and hunting are just about all my father and I do together. It has always provided us a means to connect.

 

[Cru]

My wife is all about it. She was slightly uncomfortable around firearms at first just because she had never been around them. Now she has her LTCH and her own handgun. She wants a small secondary gun now too.

When I went to a gun show to pick up a home defense shotgun and came home with an AR she said "AWESOME!"

My grandfather had firearms (was a collector) so my mom had been around them but has never shot one. She doesn't mind looking at them, and she's gotten more confident about handling them (when unloaded, she doesn't want to handle a loaded one.) It's funny, the pic i have on my phone when she calls is a side shot of her looking down the scope of my AR.

My dad used to reload his own ammo apparently when I was very young but they got rid of all guns when my brother and I reached the 3-4 range. He recently got his LTCH and encouraged my brother and I to do the same. He now carries an XDM.

It's funny to me now that my dad and mom are so cool with it because growing up I got the feeling that they really didn't like firearms. One of my dads friends had his own shooting area set up at his house, and we were allowed to watch but not participate. I think the thing that really turned them off of them for a while is that same friend tried to commit suicide multiple times and was eventually successful.

But yeah, education to the people you actually care about is the way to go, and try your best to not seem like a fanatic. Eventually they may come around. My mom said she felt super safe the other night at dinner in a restaurant (even though it was in a mediocre part of town) because 3/4 of us were carrying.

 

[balorg]

My parents have never really said anything to me concerning my ownership of firearms. When I told them that I was going to purchase my first rifle, they didn't object to having it in their house as long as it was unloaded. When I did move out their house, they gave me their Marlin Model 60 as a going away gift. I haven't told them yet of my intention to conceal carry, and I have decided to keep it that way for now.

 

[aikidoka]

My fiance is all cool with it and wants her own and to get her carry license, wants to train etc.

My mother is cool with it but worries about me when I OC.

My cousin and her husband have LTCH and have marked out a shooting range on their property When shooting there one holiday my brother's reaction - Why do you carry that?!! I tried to explain it like having car insurance or emergency equipment in the car. Not sure it sunk in but he has a decent head on his shoulders and pretty conservative normally so I'm not worried.

 

[Gpfury86]

My dad is not anti-gun, he owns two pistols. He does not think it is necessary to carry though. The only time he has ever said anything to me about is when I have been helping him with something and am not trying to conceal and he notices I am carrying. Doesn't say I shouldn't just makes comments like "why do yo really need to carry a gun".... My mom used to be kind of in between, but now she wants a small pistol so she can learn how to handle and carry it, she doesn't mind me carrying. My sister thinks guns are evil and cops should only carry them and I am a rebel hippie rebellion and stupid for carrying a gun, she also supports abortion, don't know what happened with her lol. My grandpa owns two big safes full of an array of different shotguns, rifles, and a few pistols. We have hunted together shot skeet and trap, he has given me a very nice browning gold hunter automatic duck hunting gun. "ex" Girlfriend didn't like guns much, but don't have that problem anymore due to more than just her not liking guns lol...