# Do your neighbours know you have guns?



## Lisa (Jun 28, 2008)

If they do, how did they find out and what was there reaction?

Do you mind that they know or do you wish they didn't know?


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## jks9199 (Jun 28, 2008)

Some do -- because they've learned what I do for a living.  Many don't.  It ain't there business.  Unless they find themselves on the business end -- or I end up using it to help them out.


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## Xue Sheng (Jun 28, 2008)

No but one of them likely has more than I do he is an LEO


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## Kacey (Jun 28, 2008)

I know a couple of them do - one is a LEO, one is a retired fire fighter who hunts - but I have no idea about the rest of them.  I don't have one myself, but a friend of mine offered to teach me how to shoot this summer - now it's just a matter of scheduling it.  I don't know that I'd mind if they knew - but it's not something I'd go out of my way to mention, either.


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## girlbug2 (Jun 28, 2008)

A few of them do, at least the ones who we've gotten to know.
As to the rest, they probably don't know, not because we've tried to hide it or anything. But if one doesn't get to know one's neighbors, there could be quite a lot of imporant info missed. It's always better to be informed whenever possible.

Our next door neighbors are a nice quiet Mormon family and they're the polite softspoken sort, I don't imagine they even use foul language in private. Their reaction was polite and noncommital. I think  they're a bit timid about firearms or anything that hints of danger in the world, preferring to ignore such and praying those bad things never happen to them.
I think that's fine, but I also believe that the Lord tends to favor those who are prepared.

Our other neighbors who know are in the military and retired law enforcement, they don't seem to have strong opinions either way and have nice collections themselves.


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## kailat (Jun 28, 2008)

NO !!!!!!!!! and I want it to stay that way...


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## Tomu (Jun 28, 2008)

Our immediate neighbors know as we are friends.  They are fine with it.  Other neighors, I don't know for sure as we've never had a long enough talk for it to come up, but I assume since I come home often in the fall wearing camo and carrying an assortment of dead animals they have figured it out.:ultracool


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## sgtmac_46 (Jun 29, 2008)

Lisa said:


> If they do, how did they find out and what was there reaction?
> 
> Do you mind that they know or do you wish they didn't know?


 If they didn't know, they figured it out when they saw me in uniform carrying my patrol carbine and shotgun to and from the truck. 

So they've figured out I have at least three.


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## K31 (Jun 29, 2008)

A couple of neighbors I know have seen me take my firearms, cased, as well as target frames, etc, to my vehicle. One neighbor, a LEO across the street, gave me a big smile, I think he wanted to go with me and I would have offered but the timing wasn't right for some reason, I might have been going to a match, I don't remember. I don't care what others think but I don't advertise my ownership any more than I would advertise that I had cash in the house.  I'm kind of puzzled about the Mormons mentioned above, I would think that they would be as appreciative to private gun owner as I would think Jews would be, and many are.  Curiously, I once wore a t-shirt from a firearms website to my Dojang and the owner made a comment like, "So you're one of those guys". I said, yes and I think he was a little un-sure if I was offended by his remark. He said "We teach a course about disarming people..." I told him he could practice on me. I was trying to be joking about it not confrontational.


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## KenpoTex (Jun 29, 2008)

I'm sure some of my neighbors have seen me carrying them to/from the car when going to the range (it's hard to hide anything when you live in an apartment complex) but I do my best to be as low-key as possible.


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## MBuzzy (Jun 29, 2008)

Honestly, it is my right to have them and none of their business whether I do or not!  Though it really wouldn't bother me if they did know, they don't right now.

On one side is some grandparents who are raising their grandchildren and the other side is more military, so my neighbors are on different sides of the spectrum.


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## shesulsa (Jun 29, 2008)

I think the foreign war vet next door figured it out but we don't make a practice of telling people or ... not telling people.  I prefer people not know what all's in my arsenal, I don't think of that as a deterrent rather an invitation.

I'm just another neighbor here. Nothing to see. Move along.


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## 7starmarc (Jun 29, 2008)

I don't have any firearms at the moment, just started shooting and starting to find my first.

I do, however, have many martial arts weapons -- swords, sabers, long weapons, etc. My next door neighbors know, as they have seen me packing up for practice. Probably wouldn't be too surprised if I had a gun as well.


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## Grenadier (Jun 29, 2008)

Some of my neighbors know because they're also fellow shooters.  I seen some of them at IDPA matches, while others I've run into at the gun stores or gun shows on occasion.  

I've even had one ask if he could borrow some Hoppes #9, since he accidentally dropped his bottle earlier that day.  

Still, if there are neighbors who I really don't know, or those who know me, but don't know about my firearms, I'll simply keep such knowledge to myself.  

It's a lot like the martial arts.  A good number of folks know that I am a martial arts practitioner and teacher, and I have no problem with that at all.  However, there are some individuals who I would rather be kept in the dark, especially those looking to cause trouble.


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## Ceicei (Jun 29, 2008)

It is kind of difficult how to answer the poll.  I suppose I should ask, "Which neighbors?"

Those who are close to us or know us well, they know my family own and use guns.  We also carry our firearms with our Concealed Carry permits.  There are quite a few other neighbors we don't normally interact.  I'm not sure if they know; this point of whether they know doesn't matter to us as we try to remain low key anyway.  

- Ceicei


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## Deaf Smith (Jun 29, 2008)

First off, this is Texas, and everyone has a gun. So I presume most of my neighbors do. Heck down the road at a garage sale I bought 2 boxes of Remington UMC .45 ACP rounds, and a box of 20 guage. I suspect my neighbor might have a few!

Now my co-workers. Well a few of them have been my CHL students! And a few of them worked where I used to work, and did martial arts exibitions at company cookouts (as well as being ex-CHL students!). So, you can guess they might know a thing or two about what I do for my past times.

But since I'm kind of a open book, and have been at my current job for over 10 years with nary a problem, they don't sweat it (and almost 18 years at my previous job.) 

I'm well known.

Oh, and I do have a safe. A big one. Bolted down to.

Deaf


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## chinto (Jun 30, 2008)

actually like my training in unarmed combat, I do not tell people weather I own guns or blades or other weapons. If I ever need my weapons or unarmed training I want it to be a nasty nasty unexpected surprise!!  I DO NOT have to register fire arms in my state, and so no one really knows who has a fire arm or not unless they tell them they do.
I prefer it that way..


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## Andy Moynihan (Jun 30, 2008)

They didn't used to until my mom, being uninitiated about such things, brought it up in a conversation.

But those neighbors also know I'm in the State Guard, Civil Air Patrol, and am a firearms instructor, so it apparently weirds them out a lot less due to those.


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## allenjp (Jul 1, 2008)

Mine might have seen me take them to or from the car like others have posted here, but I don't go out of my way to mention it. It really doesn't matter to me one way or the other. Now some of my neighbors are good friends of mine, so they know.


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## Brian S (Jul 2, 2008)

There is no reason for your neighbors to know you have guns unless they are family or close friends and you have guns in common.


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## VegasM4 (Sep 23, 2008)

Since my neighbors know that I am a Cop,I'm sure they probably assume I have guns in the house,although I don't advertise it.


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## jlhummel (Sep 24, 2008)

Its really interesting reading the different answers like the Texas member I live in rural Michigan about 20 minutes from the capital, Lansing, we actually have schools take a day off and where I work shuts down for the opening day of deer season.  I would be more surprised if my neighbor didnt have at least a shot gun.  I really would have a problem with anyone who thought they had a right to question my right to have a gun in my house.  Dont know how anyone would tolerate that at all.


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## jlhummel (Sep 24, 2008)

I reread everyones response and it really does surprise me that in the area I am from (in Michigan) it is more un-usual to not have a firearm in your house or to at least have hunted and or done some target practice.  I did a quick poll here at work and even the two women in my department (engineers) have at least target practiced before.  I think that it is pretty obvious that the part of the country you are from has a big effect on how you will answer this question.  Like I said earlier i would be more surprised if my neighbors didnt have a gun and I personally want the rest of the world to not only know I have a weapon in my house but be very sure I will use it to protect my family.


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## sgtmac_46 (Sep 24, 2008)

jlhummel said:


> I reread everyones response and it really does surprise me that in the area I am from (in Michigan) it is more un-usual to not have a firearm in your house or to at least have hunted and or done some target practice.  I did a quick poll here at work and even the two women in my department (engineers) have at least target practiced before.  I think that it is pretty obvious that the part of the country you are from has a big effect on how you will answer this question.  Like I said earlier i would be more surprised if my neighbors didnt have a gun and I personally want the rest of the world to not only know I have a weapon in my house but be very sure I will use it to protect my family.


 It's the same here in central Missouri.  It's assumed most folks have guns of some sort.


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## Drac (Sep 24, 2008)

Do your neighbours know you have guns? If they don't they are BLIND..More than once I've walked into the house wearing my uniform duty rig instead of changing in the garage...The neighbors on one side are a retired couple and are good people, the ones on the other are not..


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## HM2PAC (Sep 26, 2008)

Out here in Maine, most everyone has firearms. We know who in the community doesn't have them.


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## arnisandyz (Sep 26, 2008)

I have a Dillion and a couple other reloading presses and related reloading equipment in the garage that you can see from the street if my garage door is open. Had a few friendly neighbors ask what they were....so they know I have ammo! I think most people have no idea what they are.


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## tshadowchaser (Sep 27, 2008)

If I owned guns and my neighbors did not know I owned them or if the police did not know then I would certianly not say i did on an open forum


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## teekin (Sep 28, 2008)

I think the Live Fire Range and all the warning signs saying Danger! Firing Range may tip some of the nieghbors off. Ohhh and the noise or maybe some one yelling "Pull!". or not.
Lori


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## anubis4b (Sep 30, 2008)

Most of my neighbors know that I have firearms.  They have seen me go to and from the house in my uniform.   A few are fellow hunters, and we compare the day in the woods.  I have a couple of fellow officers on the street, as well as, a retired sheriff's deputy a couple of houses down.  None of us hide the fact that we have firearms and know how to use them.  We have a couple of houses on the street that are rental property.  One of the renters said that she decided to move on the street because there are several law enforcement officers in the area.  She feels that this would be a safe place for her to raise her two boys.  Knock on wood, this is a pretty quiet neighborhood.


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## HM2PAC (Oct 1, 2008)

We even hold the annual "Deer Opener Hunter's Breakfast" at our local elementary school.


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