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I used to carry a bit when I had a permit (I let it expire and did not renew back when WA state went to new rules on the permits). During the summer I like to wear Hawaiian shirts - in the breeze they flop around and more than once exposed that I was carrying. Never had anyone call anybody that I know of - that was pre 9.11

Back in the 90s I was working one place and I would take my gun off an put it in my briefcase when I went into work. They had no written policy about guns. I forgot it was in my case and opened it while one of my subordinates was beside me, and he noticed the gun. Just to be safe, when nobody was looking, I moved the gun out to my car, but never had anyone mention it.

About a month later the employee handbook was revised and distributed. It contained a small blurb about - and I quote - "illegal weapons". It was quite obvious why that was in there as it was about the only change. My 'colleague' had ratted on me, someone had checked and there was no policy against guns so they changed the policy.

Now of course, if you have a carry permit, a handgun is not illegal (they obviously did not understand that fact), and some states (including WA state IIRC) have (or had) an exemption for carrying concealed at a workplace without a permit. So their policy change really did not apply. Nonetheless, I took the hint and no longer carried inside the building.

Everyplace I have worked since has had much more explicit policies about any kind of weapons on the premises and it is an immediate terminating offense if you violate the policy, so I don't. I have a gun in my car, but I don't carry concealed - I do need to get a permit though - just in case I need to.
 
I haven't been cc'ing that long, and since I mostly get around on bike/bus I usually carry in a 'man purse'. The only time I've been made is when a VERY firearms-friendly barrista at my local coffee joint saw the extra mag I had stashed next to my wallet in the bag... no worries there, she just wanted to know what my ccw was. We'd talked guns before (she has several more than I do!), but before then I'd never mentioned that I carried, I try to be Mr. Discreet. BUT I've since found a better way to stash the extra mag, no use alarming (so to speak) all the Moms & kids who go there.
She's sounds like a keeper. Marry that girl!
 
I used to carry a bit when I had a permit (I let it expire and did not renew back when WA state went to new rules on the permits). During the summer I like to wear Hawaiian shirts - in the breeze they flop around and more than once exposed that I was carrying. Never had anyone call anybody that I know of - that was pre 9.11

Back in the 90s I was working one place and I would take my gun off an put it in my briefcase when I went into work. They had no written policy about guns. I forgot it was in my case and opened it while one of my subordinates was beside me, and he noticed the gun. Just to be safe, when nobody was looking, I moved the gun out to my car, but never had anyone mention it.

About a month later the employee handbook was revised and distributed. It contained a small blurb about - and I quote - "illegal weapons". It was quite obvious why that was in there as it was about the only change. My 'colleague' had ratted on me, someone had checked and there was no policy against guns so they changed the policy.

Now of course, if you have a carry permit, a handgun is not illegal (they obviously did not understand that fact), and some states (including WA state IIRC) have (or had) an exemption for carrying concealed at a workplace without a permit. So their policy change really did not apply. Nonetheless, I took the hint and no longer carried inside the building.

Everyplace I have worked since has had much more explicit policies about any kind of weapons on the premises and it is an immediate terminating offense if you violate the policy, so I don't. I have a gun in my car, but I don't carry concealed - I do need to get a permit though - just in case I need to.
I too carry with the Hawaiian shirt setup which can effectively be open carry with the wind. Wide eyes is the biggest reaction to date.
 
7 years after my last post and feeling the same:

No. And frankly IDGAS about them.
 
After almost nine years of carrying the only time I can recall someone mentioning it was when I was at the Bend Black Bear diner and I was in the restroom.

I was washing my hands and I had forgotten to pull my shirt down over my carry piece, the guy behind me asked what I was carrying and that was it.
 
Took my sweetheart out to meet another couple for supper. Instead stumbled into a surprise engagement party for us, 100+ people, very cool. Lots of hugs and posed group pictures with arms around friends (and incidental bumps on the holster under my Hawaiian shirt).

Local Detective: "Aha! Your .38?"

Me: "Nope, it's her 9."

Detective: "Congrats man!"
 
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^^^Remimds me of Church. Had a couple guys do the old pat on the lower back how you doing thing only to run their hand into my ccw of the day. A lot of guys carry at church anyway, so no biggy.
 
I rarely body carry (work policy is unclear and wife is uncomfortable with it on my person) and avoid going out and about whenever possible as it seems I always end up places I can carry. So when not body carrying, it rides in a 5.11 RUSH MOAB 6. in the velcro pocket. The bag goes with me everywhere but have never even had someone glance at it. On the rare occassion that I body carry, the wife always notices as she likes walking arm on my waist, mine on her shoulder. No one else ever knows.
 
I've had a CHL, if I recall correctly, since 1999; maybe early 2000. In all that time, I've never had anyone comment on carrying a piece. When in town or in the city, I only carry concealed. On my own acreage, I, generally, open carry. When I've hunted out in the hinterland, it was, naturally, with arms out in the open. To the best of my recollection, I've never had anyone look askance. And no one, as far as I know, called a law enforcement agency.
 
I haven't had any one say anything if they noticed that was carrying concealed but ...
I did have a neighbor who got all upset when I worked on guns in my garage / shop or took them to the range / hunting.
Sooooooo glad they moved.
Andy
Edit to add :
After the first "We don't like guns" comment , I even took to carrying them in a case to my garage...It wasn't like I was waving them around ... I'd even wait to bring them in or out if I saw that my neighbors were out in their yard... Still got nasty comments and or the stink eye .... Soooooo glad they moved.
 
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There is a guy who works the door at the Costco in Lacey who got all angry because my partner and I walked in to get a couple of pizzas for a potluck while we were wearing our regular duty gear. He was causing a scene about the potential customer angst that might be caused by "SWAT" officers in the store. We explained to him that this is our regular work attire and equipment and we wear it for our safety.

So, he doesn't call our supervisor, he calls the agency head. We get asked to dress down. We all start a unit boycott on Costco.

Fast forward a year and we decide we cant live without a hotdog. We go in dressed in plain clothes with our duty weapons in paddle holsters, our badges clipped just ahead of the holster, and a single magazine/cuff carrier. We walk in and the dude yells at us, "You need to conceal your weapons! I dont recognize you as law enforcement in street clothes!" Funny that he mentioned that we were law enforcement given he didnt "recognize" us.

My partner very calmly tells the dude that he used to work at Costco when he was in college and was pretty sure the store manager wouldn't be pleased when a story airs on King 5 about how poorly Costco ws treating local law enforcement or other citizens who carry firearms in a safe and legal manner. We go in and eat our hotdogs. On the way out, the guy starts to talk and I tell him to get bent. I know, not professional.

We get on the road and my partner is still irritated. So, he calls the store manager and tells them about one-eye Willy's antics. We then eat there every week for the next year, no comments. We actually didnt see him for a couple months and figured he might have got canned. He didn't seem nice to anyone.

Enough time goes by and he tries to say something again. Partner says, "do I need to speak to your manager again?"

We are in another quiet period.
 
I haven't had any one say anything if they noticed that was carrying concealed but ...
I did have a neighbor who got all upset when I worked on guns in my garage / shop or took them to the range / hunting.
Sooooooo glad they moved.
Andy
Edit to add :
After the first "We don't like guns" comment , I even took to carrying them in a case to my garage...It wasn't like I was waving them around ... I'd even wait to bring them in or out if I saw that my neighbors were out in their yard... Still got nasty comments and or the stink eye .... Soooooo glad they moved.

When I lived in Bellevue I lived in a huge apartment complex within walking distance of work (they moved to Kirkland about a year later :-( ). There was the occasional burglary and car break-in so I never let anyone see my guns. I would take them back and forth to the car in Pelican cases. One time a girl noticed the cases and asked if they were guitars - I just said 'yes' and went with it.
 
There is a guy who works the door at the Costco in Lacey who got all angry because my partner and I walked in to get a couple of pizzas for a potluck while we were wearing our regular duty gear. He was causing a scene about the potential customer angst that might be caused by "SWAT" officers in the store. We explained to him that this is our regular work attire and equipment and we wear it for our safety.

So, he doesn't call our supervisor, he calls the agency head. We get asked to dress down. We all start a unit boycott on Costco.

Fast forward a year and we decide we cant live without a hotdog. We go in dressed in plain clothes with our duty weapons in paddle holsters, our badges clipped just ahead of the holster, and a single magazine/cuff carrier. We walk in and the dude yells at us, "You need to conceal your weapons! I dont recognize you as law enforcement in street clothes!" Funny that he mentioned that we were law enforcement given he didnt "recognize" us.

My partner very calmly tells the dude that he used to work at Costco when he was in college and was pretty sure the store manager wouldn't be pleased when a story airs on King 5 about how poorly Costco ws treating local law enforcement or other citizens who carry firearms in a safe and legal manner. We go in and eat our hotdogs. On the way out, the guy starts to talk and I tell him to get bent. I know, not professional.

We get on the road and my partner is still irritated. So, he calls the store manager and tells them about one-eye Willy's antics. We then eat there every week for the next year, no comments. We actually didnt see him for a couple months and figured he might have got canned. He didn't seem nice to anyone.

Enough time goes by and he tries to say something again. Partner says, "do I need to speak to your manager again?"

We are in another quiet period.

Funny, I have the opposite reaction. I like seeing LEO's in their gear in public places. If nothing else, the chances of something bad going down are likely reduced substantially.

What a turd.
 
Just tossing this thought out there...
Whenever you are seen with a gun , like it or not , you are now representing all gun owners.
What you say and do , will be how all other gun owners are thought of and judged.

When in a situation where someone is giving me grief for being a gun owner , I have often wanted to say: "Go have carnal relations with yourself" .
I haven't said it , cause it would make the situation worse at that moment and saying such would make all gun owners look bad.
( Not that I haven't thought it...:D )
Andy
 
Whenever you are seen with a gun , like it or not , you are now representing all gun owners.
What you say and do , will be how all other gun owners are thought of and judged.

So I guess practicing fast draw with the Vaquero on the mannequins in the mens department at Sears, while going "Pew--Pew--Pew", is probably unadvised? ;)
 

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