Question about Concealed Carry

[JTShooter]

Since the topic has come up about carrying a weapon concealed (or otherwise) unloaded, I thought I would post a question that came up over a few drinks the other night.

Do you feel it defeats the purpose of carrying a weapon concealed if you advertise the fact that you're a gun owner?

By advertise I mean people driving around with NRA stickers on their cars, or with bumper stickers that say something along the lines of "My .44 Magnum is my Co-Pilot". Or even t-shirts or clothes.

Why would you want someone to know you have a weapon? Sure, it might scare the average crack head looking to score some quick dough for their next hit, but what about the hardened crimal that may even have a weapon themselves?

Maybe it's from my training, but if I were to say, rob a store or bank, I would want to neutralize my biggest threats first, which would be the people with the guns, why wouldn't it be the same for the hardened criminal?

This is just my personal opinion. I'm not ashamed of the fact I carry concealed, but I don't advertise it. In fact I don't usually let my friends/family know that I'm carrying. What do you all think?

[sposhcop]

I agree, nobody needs to know what I have on me. The stickers on the car can also compel a burglar to hit your car first looking for a gun. some of my coworkers have the cop stickers and cop license plates on their personal vehicles, not me, thieves break into police cars in my town alot looking for guns. Don't advertise on yourself or your vehicle.

[k9 max]

I agree, nobody needs to know what I have on me. The stickers on the car can also compel a burglar to hit your car first looking for a gun. some of my coworkers have the cop stickers and cop license plates on their personal vehicles, not me, thieves break into police cars in my town alot looking for guns. Don't advertise on yourself or your vehicle.

I would tend to agree with the above poster. I could never understand why anyone in law enforcement would want to display pba stickers and the such on their personal vehicles. To me it's just an invitation for some loser to damage your car next time you're out somewhere.

[GreenMtnTac]

I disagree. An NRA sticker doesn't imply someone is carrying or that there is a firearm in a vehicle. If anything, a warning that someone is armed would tend to discourage anyone, even a hardened criminal. Why would they want to risk a firefight anymore than anyone else?

Frankly, if I were a hardened perp, I'd look for cars displaying old Kerry-Edwards campaign stickers. :p

[JTShooter]

Frankly, if I were a hardened perp, I'd look for cars displaying old Kerry-Edwards campaign stickers. :p

Very true... never thought of that! Work smarter, not harder, yes? :D

[David Hineline]

Just like a marked police vehicle is a deterrant to anyone thinking about breaking the law, the gun attitude stickers etc. is a deterrant to those vehicles and thier owners being hassled. If the criminal is so hard core they will ignore the red flags and attempt crime anyway then not having stickers would not have made any difference.

A truely hard core death merchant would indeed try to take out all the people wearing the shoot me first tactical vests, but the average criminal will be looking for a sheeple target that looks non threatening.

[farrellsm77]

I am a frim believer in the "element of surprise". I mean if someone messes with me I want them to drop an element in their shorts when I surprise them!! :D I think a NRA decal is ok. But I do not agree with the LE and "insured by Smith and Wesson" decals... An LE decal might make your vehicle a target of some idiot who wants to get even with a cop... No thanks, I like my paint job intact. Also, the others are funny and not much else. I believe in being low key, but to each their own...

[IL'sFuture]

Isn't the whole point of Concealed Carry to hide the fact that you are carrying? In IL it is illegal to CCW, but if we could I would hide it best i could. As a civilian, when I see NRA stickers, I think more of hunters than guys carrying pistols on them. I would bet there are many more than think like me.

[JTShooter]

This is why I asked this question on a LE forum. You guys handle the criminals on a daily basis and have some clue as to how these guys think.

Good point about the NRA stickers and associating them with hunters. Never thought of them that way... probably because I'm from Florida and hunting isn't a big past time... well, not deer anyways...

[TX_CO]

Most of the ones I see are cowards, looking for the easy targets anything that looks like it might resist is not their idea of prey.

It's the same inside the prison fence as it is on the streets, looking for the weak or gullible to prey on.

Concealed carry is having the element of suprise and also having options when the sh*t hits the fan and deadly force is the only option.

[Nightshift va]

I dont advertise any of my interest on my vehicle other than my eagle globe and anchor sticker that you can hardly see because of my limo tint. I think just as many criminals would use a "protected by smith and wesson" sticker on a car as a billboard for a unoccupied vehicle" break into my car and steal my gun" as it would for criminals "who actually take the time to read" that would see it as a warning that they will be shot. I dont want to be too obvious to anyone not just crooks but liberal anti2nd ammendment antihunting peta types either. They tend to also like to add a spray paint design to vehicles that display all they oppose as well. For those that do display NRA and firearm related stickers that's fine also I usually wave at them or give them a thumbs up when I pass them on the road.

[jwise]

I don't have any stickers on my cars, and I very rarely wear anything that is firearm/LE related. The exception would be when I attend an LE training class, when going to the station/range, or going to a gunshow/gunshop.

I figure if I'm at a gunshow, there really isn't a point being inconspicuous. Same goes if I'm at the department range. ;)

[jwise]

For what it's worth, we had a burglary of a squad car this year. Some of our officers get "take-home" squads. This particular one was parked in front of the officer's house when it was burglarized over night. The perp was later caught when he sold the rifle which he stole.

[cpd169]

Good points jwise, I was going to bring up the fact that ogres aren't afraid of breaking into paytrol cars and stealing firearms out of them. It happens frequently across the country (most departments issue BOLO's on NCIC).

[formerNOPD]

When I worked for the sheriffs office, I never left firearms in my patrol unit while parked at my house. Just asking for it to get stolen, so it came in with me every night.

[Blackdog F4i]

I don't leave anything in the front of my patrol car. Due to the way our trunk releases are setup you have to have power or the key to pop the trunk. I can pretty much bet that someone attempting to pry open my trunk is going to have my dogs going nuts.

[BklynsFinest347]

I agree, nobody needs to know what I have on me. The stickers on the car can also compel a burglar to hit your car first looking for a gun. some of my coworkers have the cop stickers and cop license plates on their personal vehicles, not me, thieves break into police cars in my town alot looking for guns. Don't advertise on yourself or your vehicle.

I second that...

[blueridge2]

The only cars I ever see with 6 or more bumper stickers, a faded Kerry/Edwards sticker is always front and center. Go figure...

[JTShooter]

I had a neighbor who worked for a local agency and had a take home car. He used to leave his shotgun, computer, and a number of other things in his vehicle. After a long debate with myself I decided to approach him about it. Well, that was mistake and basically told me to mind my own business. Then about 2 weeks later I noticed some police cars parked by this officer's house. Turns out someone decided that it was too good to pass up.

Why are so many officers I meet complacent? Is it due to being stuck in a routine? Or are they those officers that are just in it for the paycheck and off duty pay? It really boggles my mind sometimes...

[ThursCo]

I don't advertise. I don't even put up NRA stickers anymore. I'm sometimes afraid to wear my Navy cap (gift) because of all the anti-military nutballs out there.

[Dieter122]

i used to have an "I LOVE ASSAULT RIFLES" sticker on my old car...

if your dumb enough to break into a car with that sticker then you must be mentally impaired.

my one bumper sticker I put on my gun cabinet, says "INSURED BY H&K" with a pic of a HK USP .45 with suppressor. Shoulda kept it for my new car :cool:

I dont see any negative things about stickers or shirts about guns....except for some police getting their spidey sense being raised and becoming more apt to going on a fishing expedition, and no I am not kidding. Stickers and shirts DO get you looks, not all good looks either.

[KenW.]

Where I am the vehicles that stand out are the ones without a rifle in the back window or a "insured by (insert gunmaker here)" sticker.:D

[GCPD0171]

I don't have any stickers on my vehicles indicating my NRA membership or profession. I also only wear clothing that identifies me as an LEO while working or training and I am visably armed. I've always felt stickers like that would make my vehicle a target while sitting in some parking lot. Whether it was to look for a gun (which I don't leave in the truck) or just to mess with an LEO, I don't want anyone messing with my stuff. When I'm off, I'm off. If something happens I'll deal with it, but no one will know I'm a cop unless its necessary.

[Blackdog F4i]

That reminds me, I need to put my new NRA sticker on my truck. I have also been planning on putting a Cry Precision sticker (see Justhomp's avatar) on it.

To me it's a reminder to the Sheep that the Sheepdogs are out there. I don't worry about someone breaking into my truck because of the sticker. I rarely leave it where it would be prone to such things.

I had a close call many years ago with my "beater truck". The window got busted out and my CD player (worth less than the window) stolen. The scary part was I was DD for a friends bachelor party and we were at a Strip Club. I was carrying, but due to the fact that the last time we were at this club (years ago) they had metal detectors and wouldn't let you in with so much as a pocket knife. Before we went in, I slid my beloved Colt Combat Commander under the seat. We went in, saw that they no longer checked for weapons and I promptly went back to my truck and put the Commander back in it's holtster. When we were ready to leave we went to my truck and found the window busted out and the stereo gone. I couldn't believe someone actually stole a CD Player I payed $20 for out of a '83 F150 with more rust and primer than paint. That was the last time I locked that truck. I never kept anything of value in it and it had liability insurance only (paid $1500 cash for the whole truck). I would rather they just open the door and see if there was anything worth taking instead of busting another window.

Now with my 2000 Dodge Durango, I keep it parked in high traffic/high visibility areas. I have an alarm on it, and I don't leave valuables in view. I DO have my patrol gear bag in the back with "POLICE" embroidered in BIG letters across the front and the department patch on the top (it was actually cheaper than the plain bag). Hopefully that would be a little "deterrent effect". If not, that's why I have insurance. I take my M4 out every night and it never gets left unattended. I do plan on installing a lock box for my spare handgun and a rack-lock for my "truck" shotgun. It stays hidden in a "secret" location. With the car alarm any vehicle theft is going to be a "smash and grab". They are not going to do a detailed search or attempt to defeat a bolted in pistol safe.

I don't wear LEO gear off-duty. I have seen a couple of NRA Hats and Shirts that I would like to have, but we have enough "country boys" around that those would fit in just fine.

[JTShooter]

That reminds me, I need to put my new NRA sticker on my truck. I have also been planning on putting a Cry Precision sticker (see Justhomp's avatar) on it.
.

I'm thinking about getting the decal also. Right now I just have the shirt and I enjoy wearing it around here. There are a lot more liberal people in these parts so its fun to see some of the reactions, or speak to those brave enough to say something to me about the shirt :D

[jwise]

I used to have a nice H&K T-shirt that said, "In a world of compromise, some men don't." I liked it, and wore it a lot. That was both before I was Police and before I had my CHL.

I got a free t-shirt from my local dealer, and it has a big AK and a 1911 on the back. I love it, but my wife doesn't. She thinks it "scares people."

It's actually the shirt I'm wearing in my avatar, you just can't read it.

[jwise]

I don't leave anything in the front of my patrol car. Due to the way our trunk releases are setup you have to have power or the key to pop the trunk. I can pretty much bet that someone attempting to pry open my trunk is going to have my dogs going nuts.

Are you ready for this? The burglar had a Ford master key that he used to open the trunk! The alarm was only wired to the side doors, and never went off. Suck...

[APD06]

I personally wouldn't recommend it. I used to work P/T at a pistol range to make ends meet, and a co-worker of mine had all sorts of gun stickers on his truck, GLOCK, Springfield Armory, Winchester, everything.

I worked at this pistol range for about eighteen months, during that time frame, his truck was broken into four or five times.

[Blackdog F4i]

The burglar had a Ford master key that he used to open the trunk!

YOUCH. That's not cool. I don't think Ford does that anymore unless you ask them to. I know back in the day my department had our cars keyed alike. Any key opened any squad. After a rash of folks "moving" other officers cars the practice was abandoned.