Does your immediate family own any sort of working firearm?

[Guest]

We have guns for hunting. We have guns for self defense. My eight year old and six year old have a gun for for target practice. My fairly anti-gun parents finally got firearms after being robbed one too many times.

 

We like guns around here. They're useful, fun, and reassuring, depending on the application.

[SKL]

I would hope that someone who is carrying a concealed weapon would ask whether they could bring it in to my home before they enter and let me make the decision rather than making it for me. I would nearly always request that they not carry a gun into my house, but I know that my BIL in law enforcement always has at least one gun on him and I do allow him in my home.

 

Seems safer to let him quietly keep it to himself than to make him take it out and find some place to put it.

 

If I were carrying a concealed weapon, I wouldn't go and announce it.  Isn't concealing it the main point?

 

Where I live, which is in the USA in a politically mixed area, I am pretty sure I often encounter people with a concealed weapon.  Some of them have probably been in my home.  It doesn't concern me at all.  If anything it makes me feel safer in iffy situations.

 

[Guest]

I would hope that someone who is carrying a concealed weapon would ask whether they could bring it in to my home before they enter and let me make the decision rather than making it for me. I would nearly always request that they not carry a gun into my house, but I know that my BIL in law enforcement always has at least one gun on him and I do allow him in my home.

 

This doesn't come up much in my circles. Most of the people I'm inviting to my house wouldn't carry a concealed weapon and it's often not allowed or difficult to do in the countries I'm living in anyway.

In our state I absolutely have to disclose that, and the burden is on the gun owner to disclose, not the homeowner to ask. That get felonious fast and is an offense taken very seriously.

 

ETA - corrected jurisdiction, ours was a city and state issue, not federal.

[SKL]

That's interesting.  That's about the third person I've heard that about, and all around the same time as well - one of them also said it was around that time that they really started pushing the idea that people need guns to defend themselves.  I sounds like there was some kind of significant change in the group then.

 

 

Yes.  My dad is a life member, but if he weren't, he probably would have dropped out when things got stupid.  He thinks they are completely wrong about assault weapons etc.

[Amira]

In the US they absolutely have to disclose that, and the burden is on the gun owner to disclose, not the homeowner to ask. That get felonious fast and is an offense taken very seriously.

 

I thought it was the other way around- that the homeowner had to post a sign or state verbally that guns weren't allowed to be sure to keep them out of the house.

[HS Mom in NC]

Keep meaning to get around to buying one. We know how to use them and live in a concealed carry state. 

[Wheres Toto]

I live in NJ so I doubt I'm running into too many people conceal carrying. It's very hard to get a conceal carry license here.  Most people who have guns are either law enforcement or hunters.

 

We have no guns at all, never had guns growing up.  Some of dh's family does because they hunt but I don't think his house did.  I've thought about getting a gun for hunting in case we're ever in a situation where it's necessary (y'know EOTWAWKI kind of thing) but I'm certainly not worried or motivated enough to actually do anything about it.   :laugh:

 

Dh used to hunt with bow and arrow and still has his bow, the kids are getting into archery so we're probably going to get some updated equipment soon.   I feel like that would probably solve our hunting for food problem.  Dh also has ten tons of fishing equipment.

[Bluegoat]

Yes.  My dad is a life member, but if he weren't, he probably would have dropped out when things got stupid.  He thinks they are completely wrong about assault weapons etc.

 

Is there some other group that is more like the original one?  The NRA seems to present itself as the voice of people who have guns or support any kind of gun ownership and they are always citing big numbers and saying that everyone who opposes the policies they espouse is anti-gun..  I wonder if another group would be able to provide some kind of balance to the public discussion. It sounds to me like there are people who would be interested in that.

[SKL]

I thought it was the other way around- that the homeowner had to post a sign or state verbally that guns weren't allowed to be sure to keep them out of the house.

 

It probably depends on state law.

[Carrie12345]

We do not.

I want to, but I've chosen not to for now because I don't have the time/money/energy to learn to use and maintain a gun safely and because I feel like my youngest two kids are evil geniuses who could crack a safe and accidentally fire a weapon through telekinesis.  Not likely, of course, but their personalities make me a bit wary!

[SKL]

Is there some other group that is more like the original one?  The NRA seems to present itself as the voice of people who have guns or support any kind of gun ownership and they are always siting big numbers and saying that everyone who opposes the policies they espouse is anti-gun..  I wonder if another group would be able to provide some kind of balance to the public discussion. It sounds to me like there are people who would be interested in that.

 

I don't know.  My dad used to be active in local recreational organizations but I doubt he has any interest in a national one at this point.  Big organizations often ignore what individuals really want.  NRA is not unique in that regard.

 

I suspect NRA gets more donations the more they toy with political extremes.  Money talks.

 

[Liz CA]

We use ours for killing copperheads.

 

Since you are contemplating a move, you may be happy to know that there are far fewer copperheads in the SFO Bay Area... :)

[Liz CA]

Dh has a 12 gauge. Since we moved from the "woods" he may not have used it for anything than just cleaning and checking that it still works. We used to live in cougar and bear country but thank God we never had to shoot a critter - only scare them.

[purpleowl]

I voted "No, and I would never consider it," but I don't begrudge other families who own/use them.  I do think that having them for self-defense is more likely to be unwise than wise.  For things like hunting, for people who enjoy that, sure, as long as they are properly stored.  

 

I didn't realize until I was...in my late 20s, I think, that my dad has a gun.  Mom was telling me about some snake that the dogs encountered in the yard and how dad got his gun and killed the snake.  I said, "Wait, so when Dad always used to say that he would be cleaning his gun whenever I brought a guy over, it wasn't just an idle threat?"  :lol: I honestly had no idea that he actually had a gun.  It's not at all surprising when I think about it, but I was completely clueless.

[Heatherwith4]

We have several. DH has some guns from his grandfathers that are sentimental to him. We enjoy target practice. We do not hunt. We have our concealed carry permits. I do not carry, because I just don't find it necessary.

 

All our guns are kept under lock and key.

[MinivanMom]

We do not own guns nor would we ever consider owning guns. Neither dh nor I grew up in homes with guns. I can't imagine having a gun for hunting or skeet shooting or target practice; that is just very far from us culturally.

 

Dh's sister married a guy who is a huge gun fanatic, always ranting about how you should teach small children how to be safe around guns rather than locking them up, etc. One year they sent out a Christmas card with a photo of their kids (all under 10) posing in front of a giant gun cabinet with all the guns lined up behind the glass. Weird. They live in another state, and the only time they have been in our home is when they have flown here, gun free.

 

Guns are not welcome in our home.

[foxbridgeacademy]

We only have the one, It's actually DS's hunting rifle.  DH would like to have more and I would be fine with that except that they're so expensive.  I grew up with guns in the house(as did DH), fired my first one at 6 yrs old and started "hunting" at 10.  We're from a rural part of the mid-west, it's rare that a family doesn't have at least 1 gun in the home.

[SKL]

We do not own guns nor would we ever consider owning guns. Neither dh nor I grew up in homes with guns. I can't imagine having a gun for hunting or skeet shooting or target practice; that is just very far from us culturally.

 

Dh's sister married a guy who is a huge gun fanatic, always ranting about how you should teach small children how to be safe around guns rather than locking them up, etc. One year they sent out a Christmas card with a photo of their kids (all under 10) posing in front of a giant gun cabinet with all the guns lined up behind the glass. Weird. They live in another state, and the only time they have been in our home is when they have flown here, gun free.

 

Guns are not welcome in our home.

 

When I was a kid, my dad's gun cabinet was his pride and joy.  At some point he decided it was not smart to keep them out where everyone could see (not just kids, but also potential thieves etc.).  He repurposed the gun cabinet to display his other pride and joy - teapots.  ;)

[mamaraby]

In the US they absolutely have to disclose that, and the burden is on the gun owner to disclose, not the homeowner to ask. That get felonious fast and is an offense taken very seriously.

This is incorrect. It will vary according to state laws.

 

I thought it was the other way around- that the homeowner had to post a sign or state verbally that guns weren't allowed to be sure to keep them out of the house.

That's the way it is in my state. If I don't clearly post a sign at my front door saying you're not welcome to bring your gun into my home, then you can. There is no disclosure required on the part of the person with the CC permit.

 

There is a gentleman who open carries when he shops at the local pet food place. I don't shop there anymore. I try to stick with places that posts signs stating that guns/weapons are not allowed on the premises.

 

Do you address this with every guest who comes into your home? If not, how would you know if they are concealed carrying?

The only way I can prevent it, according to state law, is to post a sign at my front door. Since I don't really have that many people over who aren't related to me, it hasn't been super high on my list. None of the people who are related to me own guns. I want to get a no-soliciting/proselytizing sign, though so I'll probably just tack that on, too.

[Word Nerd]

In the US they absolutely have to disclose that, and the burden is on the gun owner to disclose, not the homeowner to ask. That get felonious fast and is an offense taken very seriously.

 

Doesn't that depend on the state law? I don't carry myself and may be misinterpreting it, but I don't see anything in my state's regulations that requires a permit holder to disclose that they're carrying before entering a home. Property owners have to post approved signage to prohibit guns there.

[jenn-]

We have them. I can't even tell you how many there are (I'm pretty sure it is less than 10). We have rifles and handguns that are all used for target practice. All of my children are trained on the .22s except the youngest who still has to used the pellet gun (not as mature with his sense of people around). DD can fire the bigger revolver but it gets heavy quickly. I just got "my" first gun. It is a slide action pistol that is slightly bigger then the one that kept biting me.

[MistyMountain]

I would not want one for safety because I only would want a gun that is stored locked and unloaded so there is no chance kids or anyone visiting could get to it and then it would not be very useful for defense anyway. Plus the last thing I would want to do is shoot someone unless our life was being threatened and that would take tons of training. I would consider it for hunting if dh was interested in that but only certain things.

[AimeeM]

Yes. All are unloaded, with safeties on. All of the larger firearms are in a safe in the basement. I've never shot one, although DH wants to teach me; DH does take DD to the shooting range sometimes to shoot with her. 

We live in the suburbs - not critters to catch or hunting around here :)

 

ETA: I don't really consider them as "home protection". DH is the only one who can safely and reliably shoot. I consider our GSD as "home protection", lol. Although I would say that I consider a dog to be more unpredictable than a gun. While Obi (our GSD) is well trained, he has a mind of his own - a gun doesn't.

[73349]

In our immediate family, it would be too much of a risk to be worthwhile. (Inside city limits, few critters, low crime, adults' needing a long time to learn to use it properly, and a seemingly genetic tendency for children to be highly curious and impulsive...) I believe that folks in the extended family feel the same, if the option has occurred to them at all. Just not our kind of hobby.

[SparklyUnicorn]

hell no

 

 

[Tsuga]

I'll add the option.

 

In some countries, one can't just go buy a gun and even here they're kind of pricey so some could want one, but not actually be able to get it.

 

Well, that's true, but usually on this board it's a good 50% US/Canada at least.

 

And even where it's not easy to obtain a firearm, you can still have one and regret it, mainly due to different opinions between spouses, or parents/children. For example I'm not sure my mom wants to live in a house with a gun, but she also would want to help a kid stay at her place for college. What if my nephew, raised in what I'd call "gun culture", went to live with her while going to college? Or similarly, what if there were an older parent with a gun in Switzerland, and the young adults, who had the older parent staying there to help with the kids, didn't like it?

 

Okay, the horse is totally battered and unrecognizable now so I'll shut up. :)

 

(ETA--I have shot a gun and I think target shooting is a fun sport, actually. It's almost sad that the culture is so insular in so many ways, because I really enjoy shooting and not a bow and arrow, but I hate the creepy feeling I get around those gun shows and the gun range... it is NOT the place you want to be as a non-white, tiny woman with a book in her hand and a nonprofit tee-shirt on. I'm pretty sure if anyone saw me buying a gun they'd mark me down as a potential domestic violence case or something!)

[Guest]

Doesn't that depend on the state law? I don't carry myself and may be misinterpreting it, but I don't see anything in my state's regulations that requires a permit holder to disclose that they're carrying before entering a home. Property owners have to post approved signage to prohibit guns there.

Yes, it does, but it's also common sense. Our federal permit for reciprocity acrually has more restrictions on us than if we didn't have it, in this state.

 

Every state I have lived in requires declaration if you're carrying concealed. I'm surprised to find that isn't the default, but it does appear some states don't require it. That's dumb. Someone should have the right to forbid firearms on their property and if they can remain concealed and undisclosed it removes the ability of the homeowners to secure their own property against something they might not want there.

 

Public spaces, I'm great with concealed carry. We do it. But never, ever in someone's home unless we have a standing agreement with them or permission.

[*Lulu*]

DH and I have guns, but none in our home or property. I have mine stored on the other side of the neighborhood in my dad's gun safe. DH's is at his parents' house in their gun safe.

 

One day we will buy a gun safe and they will live here.

 

One day many years from now when the children are children no longer.

[idnib]

Realistically I would never consider owning one, but I left it open in case one of those solar flares takes out the power grid and/or one of my kids takes up shooting as an actual sport.  Oh, and if I move to a more remote area with bears.  :D

[Guest]

We do not own guns nor would we ever consider owning guns. Neither dh nor I grew up in homes with guns. I can't imagine having a gun for hunting or skeet shooting or target practice; that is just very far from us culturally.

 

Dh's sister married a guy who is a huge gun fanatic, always ranting about how you should teach small children how to be safe around guns rather than locking them up, etc. One year they sent out a Christmas card with a photo of their kids (all under 10) posing in front of a giant gun cabinet with all the guns lined up behind the glass. Weird. They live in another state, and the only time they have been in our home is when they have flown here, gun free.

 

Guns are not welcome in our home.

I'm not going to touch your crazy BIL but he is right on one point - the safest children around guns are those who have been taught specific gun safety. The Eddie Eagle program is great, and a child who understands the rules about gun handling (namely, NEVER DO IT WITHOUT AN ADULT. TELL AN ADULT IMMEDIATELY IF YOU ENCOUNTER A FIREARM. DONT EVER AIM AT ANYTHING YOURE NOT INTENDING TO KILL. DONT EVEN PRETEND, GUNS ARENT TOYS) tends to be one who isn't going to be involved in an accidental discharge. Ignorance and curiosity are at the root of most of those, even more so than access.

 

We are extremely focused on gun safety, even when cleaning. We never set ous guns down without the slide open or all shells removed. It's considered basic gun handling to demonstrate to the person you are presenting a firearm that it isn't loaded, or explicitly state that it is. Because we have guns, and even if we didn't many people around us do or might, we wanted to gun-proof our kids, instead of kid proofing our guns and hoping some random friend or neighbor was as fastidious about gun storage and handling as we are.

 

The most dangerous gun situations are the random up-in-a-closet ones, where the homeowners don't handle regularly and their kids might not even know they have one until they go exploring and find it.

[mamaraby]

TELL AN ADULT IMMEDIATELY IF YOU ENCOUNTER A FIREARM. DONT EVER AIM AT ANYTHING (YOURE NOT INTENDING TO KILL). DONT EVEN PRETEND, GUNS ARENT TOYS

Minus the bit in () this is what we teach our kids and we don't own guns. We also add "never touch a gun if you come across one, even if you think it might be a toy. Go right away and tell an adult. Guns kill people."

[Guest]

Because we hunt and concealed carry, and our kids are involved in shooting sports, teaching them that they must be in control of the muzzle at all times and anywhere it swings is something they are aiming at to kill is super helpful. More than one adult has been shot because of careless handling and assuming safety, rather than regarding it as something meant for deadly force against animal or humans and to be handled like an unsheathed knife at all times. Even cleaning. Never forgetting to be aware of the firearm and where it is pointing is a big safety point for handlers :)

 

It probably is unnecessary for kids who aren't dischsrging firearms, though! I'm glad to hear your teach your kids this. Every child needs to know basic gun safety. Ignorance is the enemy with this.

[prairiewindmomma]

Yes. I grew up rural and in a law enforcement family and guns are a part of everyday farm life. We have sharpshooters and armorers in the family. Gun safety is a huge part of our regional culture, and we follow all of the usual safety precautions.

 

I'm not going to deal with a rattlesnake or a copperhead with a hoe, and we've lost a horse and a few dogs over the years to venomous snakes. 

 

The only gun problems we had in public schools growing up were teens who forgot to take their hunting rifles out of their trucks before they came to school. (They had mounted racks in their trucks.)

[Guest]

Yes. I grew up rural and in a law enforcement family and guns are a part of everyday farm life. We have sharpshooters and armorers in the family. Gun safety is a huge part of our regional culture, and we follow all of the usual safety precautions.

 

I'm not going to deal with a rattlesnake or a copperhead with a hoe, and we've lost a horse and a few dogs over the years to venomous snakes.

 

The only gun problems we had in public schools growing up were teens who forgot to take their hunting rifles out of their trucks before they came to school. (They had mounted racks in their trucks.)

That happens here, and boys and girls forgetting to leave their utility and hunting knives at home :lol:

 

It usually only takes one suspension for them to remember to unpack better.

[creekland]

The only gun problems we had in public schools growing up were teens who forgot to take their hunting rifles out of their trucks before they came to school. (They had mounted racks in their trucks.)

 

Different era... when I was going to school many of the guys purposely brought their hunting rifles to school (in their vehicles) to show them off to each other.  Some of the teachers did too.

 

I definitely agree with teaching youngsters gun safety.  Mine grew up with it as second nature.  My nephew did not.  It took me by surprise when they were together at ages 5 (nephew) & 3 (my oldest) at a relative's toy box.  There was a toy automatic weapon in there.  My nephew pulled it out and immediately "shot" everyone in the place.  My three year old was trying to stop him.

 

I suspect it also makes a difference with what they are allowed to watch on TV/movies at that age, but still...  That "toy" disappeared for good that day and I got a good eye opener into how all those "accidents" with preschoolers and toddlers can happen really quickly even with adults in the same room.

[Word Nerd]

 

The only gun problems we had in public schools growing up were teens who forgot to take their hunting rifles out of their trucks before they came to school. (They had mounted racks in their trucks.)

 

I did that once when I had to borrow Dad's pickup to go to school. I realized as I was getting out of the vehicle that there was a gun on the rack. No one else even noticed. 

[Audrey]

Unless you count the syringe gun for dispatching hogs, then no and I wouldn't allow it. Ever. Period.  I find fire arms of all kinds completely disgusting and unnecessary.  I would kick my husband out if he brought home a gun.  I'm not kidding.  It's a deal breaker.  Luckily, he dislikes guns and has never had need for one either.

 

Oh, and I live on a working farm that my husband was born and raised on and there have never been guns around even when he was a kid, so the arguments that everyone "has to have" guns if they live in the country are bu!!sh!t AFAIC.

[Bluegoat]

(ETA--I have shot a gun and I think target shooting is a fun sport, actually. It's almost sad that the culture is so insular in so many ways, because I really enjoy shooting and not a bow and arrow, but I hate the creepy feeling I get around those gun shows and the gun range... it is NOT the place you want to be as a non-white, tiny woman with a book in her hand and a nonprofit tee-shirt on. I'm pretty sure if anyone saw me buying a gun they'd mark me down as a potential domestic violence case or something!)

 

You could always take on a  shooting persona - sort of like David Bowie.  It would be a good reason to buy some camouflage undergarments.

[ktgrok]

Wanted to clarify that you can lock up your guns and still have them easily accessible. Ours are in combination locked safes. The combination is 8 numbers long, and if you enter the wrong combo more than 3 times it shuts down for 5 minutes, so you can't just keep trying combinatoins over and over. It also beeps as you hit buttons, so I would hear a child trying to get into it, if I were home. Another option is a biometric safe, which requires the fingerprint of the owner. We keep our safes in our bedroom on our nightstands. Guns are loaded, but not chambered. IF somehow i went deaf and my small children managed to guess the 8 digit combination properly, AND knew to press the asterisk afterwards on one, or the pound symbol on the other safe,  and to turn the knob the right way immediately (it only unlocks briefly), they do not have the strength or dexterity to rack the slide and chamber a round. Honestly, many grown women can't rack the slide on a Glock, let alone a child. (which is why many women prefer a revolver.)  My teen could rack the slide, but he knows how to shoot, has been trained, goes to the range to practice, and knows all hell would break loose if he ever so much as touched a gun in this house without permission and supervision. And of course, again, he doesn't have the combination. It is not a combination we use for anything else, or that he is able to guess. We don't have it written down anywhere, and there is no key to misplace or to worry he has access to. So i consider them safely locked up. But, in an emergency, I can open the safe in a few seconds, and I can rack the slide in another half second. (I do it a particular way, because it's hard even for me). So it is available for defense, as much as if it was left out on a dresser or something equally idiotic. 

[Xahm]

I voted that we have them but don't use them. My husband has duty weapons that come home and he does lots of target practice with those, but we've been too busy to get into hunting, so the long guns we own get used like once a year for target practice. As our kids get old enough, my husband wants shooting to be a family sport. I can maybe get into that. It feels really foreign to me, but dh was active duty infantry and armed so much of the time that it is second nature to him. And safety is tops, with lots of stories about idiots who weren't careful.

[The Girls' Mom]

We have them.  Dh's father is actually a gun repairman/restorer.  Dh has them for hobby shooting, hunting and home defense.  He also reloads ammo as a hobby.  I do shoot occasionally, just to be familiar with them.

[FaithManor]

Numerous hunting guns and one wild west replica six shooter for fun target practice. We dispatch ground hogs and possums in the garden on a regular basisand the occasional aggressive coon. Dh may go coyote hunting with some other guys because several area farmers have lost lambs to the pack and two small dogs on the edge of town were attacked and barely survived. One adult male was seen inside town limits which is just too close for comfort.

 

We teach gun safety from a very young age as this is an agricultural area with tons of hunting so guns are everywhere. On any given Sunday in church there are probably twenty handguns on the premises with hunting guns in nearly every truck during deer season.

 

It is normal here, and we have pretty close to zilch for gun relatex crime.

[Melissa in Australia]

Yes, several long arms for hunting. Ds19 and Ds17 are right into hunting and pest control of introduced species. Ds19  goes hunting  at least every second day. Local farmers also get him to come and shoot introduced pest species( foxes and rabbits). They are stored correctly in a gun safe with ammunition stored separately. everyone who handles the guns has the correct gun licenses and hunting licenses.

[Tsuga]

You could always take on a shooting persona - sort of like David Bowie. It would be a good reason to buy some camouflage undergarments.

I actually joined a biathlon club.

 

But then global warming upped the ante and we haven't had good xc snow in two years.

 

I would leave the rifle at the range though if possible.

[waa510]

No. Dh has a healthy respect/knowledge of guns from being former military but they terrify me. Now, this may be b/c I am woefully ignorant of how to shoot one, carry one safely..basically any of that good zombie apocalypse gun know-how. Dh wants to take me shooting sometime in the future but I'm so afraid. I'm also incredibly accident-prone. I imagine I'd shoot myself or someone else by mistake within a few minutes! It's just probably better for everyone if I stay away from guns!

 

For the record, I'm not necessarily against guns. If someone wants to own one and fire it, go for it, as long as they aren't a careless moron about it. 

[DragonFaerie]

nm

[Guest]

This might be one you want to stay off of, then. Nobody here is trying to make you uncomfortable but this is obviously a sensitive subject for you. I'm sorry about your father, I'm sure you miss him very much :grouphug:

[DragonFaerie]

This might be one you want to stay off of, then. Nobody here is trying to make you uncomfortable but this is obviously a sensitive subject for you. I'm sorry about your father, I'm sure you miss him very much :grouphug:

You're right.

[Punks in Ontario]

Here in Canada, handguns are restricted, but we own a few long guns.  I put down that we don't really use them, but they are used for critter control and occasional hunting and target practice.  We are rural.

[DawnM]

No, and we won't be getting any.