Carrying in customers' homes

[evsnova74]

I know it's not against the law or anything, but I'm curious to get some opinions on how I should approach carrying at work. I'm a self employed wood flooring contractor who does mostly remodel work, so I'm working in people's homes every day. I usually CC but the problem is that I'm bent over or on my knees a lot of the time (yeah yeah, get it all out of your systems LOL) and it's almost impossible not to print badly with my shirt tucked in, which doesn't stay tucked in long. And of course if I leave it untucked it just rides up and exposes grip after 1.5 kneeldowns. lol

Should I just not worry about it and if they say something, respectfully not carry in their house from that point on? Ask if they mind on the first day? Just don't carry in their house at all?

Some of my previous customers wouldn't have minded but on the other hand there have been a few that would have minded too. Just looking for different ways of thinking about it, perhaps some angle I hadn't looked at it from.

 

[VERT]

I would not recommend letting people see you EDC. Some people won't care. Others will. Their house their rules. I would invest in a tool bag with a hidden holster. You need tools to lay flooring don't you?

 

[lovemachine]

I wouldn't tell them that you are carrying. If you feel the need to carry, keep it concealed.

But if you're having problems hiding it, I would keep it in your truck, or find a way to hide it in your toolbox.

 

[dross]

I don't think you have any ethical obligation to tell, but it could cost you in the bank account if it's discovered.

 

[Sylvain]

You should try to conceal it as much as you can.
Some people may not even notice even if you print badly.
If you cant and if people see it, they may be ok about it.
If they tell you something about it, tell them that it's legal, that you are licensed and such because they may just not know that it's legal.
If they have a problem about it after you explained them, then leave it in your car.

 

[Mgderf]

My first question would be, who do you work for?

If you're self-employed, it's entirely up to you. All you stand to lose is business.
If you work for someone else, you'd best ask their company's policy about carrying at work. You COULD be out of work before you know it.

I'm self-employed and I carry into EVERY house I work on. The vast majority of the time, 99% of people have no idea I'm carrying. My slight build, along with a small EDC makes it very difficult to notice.

I'd say you need to act on a case-by-case basis if self-employed. You never really know who may be offended.

That said, I generally try to strike up a conversation about firearms to judge the situation.
I talk about collecting, and shooting, but I also talk about training. I became an NRA certified instructor last year, so I use that to break the ice.

By starting conversations related to firearms I have had some really interesting discussions. I've also gotten the chance to fondle many a firearm that belong to my customers. I am routinely asked firearms related questions by my regular customers, and I've even found a couple of deals.

I've talked customers into attending training classes at our local range.

Just last year I picked up a 7.7 Jap Arisaka (with intact Mum), a "Smle" .303 British Enfield, a S&W model 31 in .32S&W, and a Marlin model 90(?) O/U 12ga. along with a "gun-cabinet" (tool box),all from the same job,and ALL for $390!

 

[BigBlock502]

Have you looked into ankle holsters? You should be able to do all the "kneeldowns" you want without having to worry about it showing. I'm guessing that you wear boots to work?... if so then you my be surprised how comfortable an ankle holster can be if worn on the outside of your boot.

 

[rgrimm01]

You should try to conceal it as much as you can.
Some people may not even notice even if you print badly.
If you cant and if people see it, they may be ok about it.
If they tell you something about it, tell them that it's legal, that you are licensed and such because they may just not know that it's legal.
If they have a problem about it after you explained them, then leave it in your car.

If you consider some of the various threads in this forum covering topics such as situational awareness, home invasion and threat risk assessment, it would be easy to see how being allowed to carry a firearm on/in someone's private property might easily be denied. I would not like it if my Lady would be home alone while a relatively unknown to me individual worked on (and this case in) my home/property while armed. One could argue that I should be there in this situation anyway, but for those familiar with residential construction/home improvement/warrranty work will appreciate how that is not always possible (and I might add that I only schedule anything that needs done around the house, to be completed when I am home). We all approach things by our own angles on any given situation and knowing who we are and our own honest intentions (in this case, laying/finishing some flooring while providing yourself a certain level of personal safety). A homeowner having a different angle may not be as trusting in this situation and place more emphasis on trying to insure the safety of his family and himself or at the very least, tipping the odds in their favor. I would suggest that if you feel you must carry in someone's home during the course of your employ, that you deep CC, period, and if you are made and asked/told to not do that, that you immediately comply without argument. His/her castle, his/her rules...

As a side bar, this is Indiana, I always assume eveyone is carrying whether I see it or not...

 

[trillobite]

I'm likely the exception, as far as the general public. But if a contractor is carrying while working on my house (rare as I try to do my own work), I feel a bit better about them. But, my wife is also a weapons fanatic, anybody messing with her or my kids will probably be staying put until I get home.

But, when visiting others, their house is their rules. My house, my rules. Tossed my wife's brother out of the house once, for violating the "no beer/weed" rule. I was kinda prejudiced against him already, though. If he'd just ask first, or left it in the car....

 

[WC Deer Hunter]

I would suggest if you have problems concealing a larger EDC while at work maybe consider a pocket pistol. My best friend installs and works on water heaters/softeners etc... in peoples homes all day long and that was his solution. He started carrying an LCP Ruger in his front pocket which is completely undetectable.

 

[coolcat1104]

CC in a customers home?

If I were you, I would not carry my weapon into a customers home. I am a general contractor. I am not telling you what to do, but me myself, I am trying to feed my family, and that being said, carrying my gun into a home of a customer, could 1.) possibly make me lose the job. 2.) Make my customer and his family feel very uncomfortable. 3.) I have been in construction all of my life, and have never wanted to carry my gun while I was working, would be uncomfortable and get in the way, oh and could get it really dirty. For one, if someone was to try and attack me while I was at work, usually have a nail gun and a framing hammer handy. I did like the tool bag idea with a concealed pouch idea though. Bottom line is this, it is up to you what you do outside of a customers home. It is up to the customer what you do in their homes, And it is up to your bank account if you want to lose a sell. I would choose the latter!!!

 

[Double T]

If someone was in my home doing repairs and was carrying, I might ask them to leave.

If you are on all 4's crawling about carrying IWB, who is to say you don't lose/drop it?

I'm constantly keeping my 3 year old off my 1911, I can only imagine him seeing someone else's EDC. He already knows how they work, but sadly has no sense of danger or how to tame his curiosity. Those two together with him and a non-retaining holster are a bad combo.

If it's not retained, I'd ask you to leave. It's not that I don't trust you, I just don't trust him at this stage in his development. He puts 5y.o. girls to shame!

 

[evsnova74]

Their house their rules.

His/her castle, his/her rules...

when visiting others, their house is their rules.

Absolutely. That's why the first option was respectfully not carry in their house from there on out. (if they don't just kick me off the job right then)

My first question would be, who do you work for?

Self employed, edited first post.

If I were you, I would not carry my weapon into a customers home.........

If someone was in my home doing repairs and was carrying, I might ask them to leave.........

Good points, some jobs I don't see the need and leave it in the locked van. But for those jobs that I do see a need to carry from the van to the house, I never really felt comfortable having it somewhere in their house not near me. They go looking for a screwdriver or something to borrow and happen across that. Idk, maybe that's irrational, but that was my worry. Sounds like I need a small lockable box to leave in the tool box.

 

[Double T]

I was trying to say if said person didn't have a retention holster. Dunno if that point was made or not.

I'm not saying I wouldn't let you work on my floors, he wouldn't be there anyways

 

[sloughfoot]

A firearm is not the only weapon available to you. I suggest you leave the firearm in your vehicle and rely on the other weapons readily available to you while you are working.

Here is my little example.

My wife and daughter work in the County Courthouse. Everybody, including LEO's, are required to be disarmed when entering the Courthouse. During the Courthouse renovation, which lasted a couple of years, I took my ladies to lunch.

While walking through the Courthouse to their Office, I made mental note of all the box cutters, screwdrivers, hammers, pipes, and other deadly devices available to defendants and others walking through the hallways.

When I brought this to the Court Security's attention, they just kind of shrugged and closed their eyes to it.

You are armed with weapons that people don't think of as being weapons. Leave the gun in the truck. It will be close enough to you.

 

[scottka]

I think a pocket pistol (.380 or single stack 9) would be good for this situation. Either that or a Smart Carry depending on your build. I've never used one, but they seem to have a decent reputation among owners. I would personally go pocket carry though. Even if it "prints," they will just assume it's a tool or phone. Plus it would be very difficult for it to fall out (for Double T's concern). I pocket carry my LC9 a lot and love it.

 

[Benny]

If someone was in my home doing repairs and was carrying, I might ask them to leave.

If you are on all 4's crawling about carrying IWB, who is to say you don't lose/drop it?

I'm constantly keeping my 3 year old off my 1911, I can only imagine him seeing someone else's EDC. He already knows how they work, but sadly has no sense of danger or how to tame his curiosity. Those two together with him and a non-retaining holster are a bad combo.

If it's not retained, I'd ask you to leave. It's not that I don't trust you, I just don't trust him at this stage in his development. He puts 5y.o. girls to shame!

I was trying to say if said person didn't have a retention holster. Dunno if that point was made or not.

I'm not saying I wouldn't let you work on my floors, he wouldn't be there anyways

Thanks for clarifying that.

I don't work on floors anymore (I did for a while when I was in college), but I wanted to say you wouldn't have to worry about kicking me out, because if your kid wasn't "retained," I(we) wouldn't have been working on your floors anyway.

 

[mrortega]

+1 on the ankle holster. You can carry some serious firepower (G26, 27, SP101) and be comfortable and concealed all day.

 

[rgrimm01]

A firearm is not the only weapon available to you. I suggest you leave the firearm in your vehicle and rely on the other weapons readily available to you while you are working.


You are armed with weapons that people don't think of as being weapons. Leave the gun in the truck. It will be close enough to you.

I agree completely, especially if the poster is dealing with occupied dwellings. Carrying a large folding knife would not get a second glance (might even be expected by the owner). I might even suggest carrying a 4' or 6' level into the home under the premise as possible need for a straight edge. Anything that looks like a tool will get a nod with no suspicions of duality in purpose. If the jobsite is in a remote area and is unoccupied, I, as an owner, would not have a problem with deep CC. In this case, due to possible liability, I would not want to see the firearm (in the spirit of don't ask, don't tell...).

 

[Titanium_Frost]

its up to you but I would feel weird NOT carrying. I remember a story from not too long ago that there was a vacant house that a criminal broke into and called a bunch of contractors to do some work there. They were ambushing them as they came in one at a time and if it weren't for one of them carrying they might all be dead.

I have just never had a non gun owner scared of guns when actually faced with them. The THOUGHT of them is way scarier. The only issues I have heard about are from other uptight gun owners that think they are the only ones who are safe with them. A Clint Eastwood quote comes to mind: "My thoughts on gun control are if there's a gun around, I want to be in control of it."

I think most IWB guns would be ok but pocket or ankle carry would be best.