This is a legitimate point. Most of us will never have to use the weapon that we keep stashed away but in the event that you do, and there is any question as to the appropriateness of your use of the weapon, the prosecution might want to portray you as someone who just couldn't wait for the opportunity to shoot someone. From my support of the 2nd Amendment, you might assume that I have a weapon, and I think I have mentioned it here but, for most of my life, I didn't have a gun. I like having one with me when I'm in the woods, although, to be honest, I generally forget to bring one. However, I am not overly afraid of someone breaking into my house with the intent of harming me. That's only happened twice in the history of the town that I live in; once it was a family thing and the last time it was a drug dealing thing. Mostly, I just enjoy going out and shooting and do intend to set up a range on my land, hopefully this coming summer. A lot of people will just go out in the woods and shoot and, on a hundred acres, that's probably safe enough, particularly since my land is posted, but I'd feel safer with a range and a set spot to place a target.
Another way to look at it is, we could easily live in a “small town” population where pretty much everyone knows each other. Some people are very private people, while others, like us, not nearly as much. Some people refuse to allow anyone, except family and close friends enter there home. We aren’t nearly like that. Now, most likely, if I was talking to a total 100% stranger, I wouldn’t mention anything about our firearms, However, knowing my personality, it just might come up. I’m an excellent judge of character, when it comes to “how much I can, or should, say.
Yes, it's important not to mention a lot of things to total strangers and our acquaintances too. You never know who knows who and who is listening.
The day i moved back here I had 3 neighbors come to visit and bring food, 2 male and 1 female all were armed with cakes and pies and a side arm, I never thought anything about it at all, I know most all my few neighbors and they all shoot some, I shoot weekly here at home, rarely growing up did I not set some ammunition for a birthday or Christmas from someone. I also gifted the same to many. Today we are having several over to eat later I would bet if anyone has a new firearm they will show it and we may all shoot it in the back yard on my range. We all enjoy shooting is all it is, my neighbor closest to me bought his wife a new Glock 43 for anniversary and they brought it over. We don't even give them a 2nd thought here, yesterday at our church shooting team 3rd Sat match we had 27 families show up (say 2-3 per family x 27 = at avg of 2-1/2 =68 people x 100 rounds = 6800 rounds fired. That will increase as weather gets better, am yesterday was in the light rain.
@Tex Dennis "Proud not to be politically Correct" If you do not mind too much, I am proud to quote your own profile, a fact of which I support whole-heartedly! Frank
Any time my friend fine. Just got home from supper with friends all we got to see new was 1 Glock 19X in desert sand color, It felt very good.
This is exactly what I'm talking about. There are those that like to talk about firearms and show off their new firearms/firearms and not think nothing about it. Like I already stated, anyone who would come into our last house in Colorado, the first thing they would have seen was our glass gun/rifle case by the front door. That "anyone" could be anyone.
I think it depends on where you live and what the circumstances are. When I lived in California, no one but the State of California and the dealer who sold it to me knew that I had a handgun. My son didn't have a clue that I had it until he saw me pack it away when I moved to Texas when he was twenty. Although pretty much everyone here in Maine has a gun, I don't hang around with a lot of people, and I don't spend time with people who are so enthused about their guns that they. talk about them all the time, so there would be no reason to bring it up.
After 52 years as a barber in Millinocket, my barber is retiring. I would go to him every few years, when I needed a haircut.
Years ago when my Vietnamese barber saw my gun in a small-of-the-back holster, he was not happy. He did not kick me out, but he certainly was not in favor of the right to carry.
I once told a renter who had seen foxes on my farm that he could shoot them if he could get a good shot. Now, 'good shot' is a loaded statement. Where he pointed when he told me of the sighting was towards my woods. Behind my woods is a subdivision. I am glad he didn't bother. I have a railroad berm running the length of my land which is as tall as my poll building walls. I shoot towards that when just doing target practice.