In your home with workmen present

[Tex1961]

First off, I like to say that I sometimes bring up these questions not because I need or even want the answer, but more for making people think and sometimes just to get the 'pulse' of the forum.

Senario: I work from home and as such anytime we need things done like appliance repair, etc.. etc... I am always the one here. We also have a cleaning service and yes.. sometimes there are guys on the cleaning crew. We live in a pretty nice area and have some nice pretties in our home.. I have seen a few wandering eyes from time to time from workers who are in our house. In the back of my mind I wonder if anybody has ever thought about coming back in the middle of the night if you know what I mean. Now.. I've always kept a loaded firearm close by anyway (my office where I work).

So, the question is, when you have service / cleaning / etc. people in your home do you carry? This question isn't for those of you who carry 24/7 even in the bathroom.. This is for those who of you who only carry while out, but normally not inside your home....

Like I said in the beginning, not so much looking for myself as I already know what I do, but just bringing up a subject for debate.

Oh, one small thing though.. Had a pest control service for about 17 years. Had the same technician every time. Got to know the guy since I see him every 3 months for 17 years and have NEVER had a single problem.. But honestly this guy just sets off every single alarm bell in my body... I don't know why, but there is just something that "feels wrong".. But as I said never a problem and we've had many conversations about family, etc. etc.. I just didn't trust him.. (He retired by the way so I don't see him anymore).

[GreenMan0352]

I don't really qualify for your question as I carry 24/7 365 unless I leave the country that year. I will say though that if he set off a lot of alarms in your head then its good to be watchful. There was this guy in my hometown and his brother owns a plumbing company. The guy worked all over just a big loser but one day he is caught raping his 12 year old step daughter with down syndrome. His at the time wife calls the cops but by the time they get there he made the girl shower. This piece of scum raped 5 young girls that I know of and who knows how many else. Being a plumber he would target families who were dumb enough to leave their daughters home while he did work or that he knew had single parents. He would offer to give them rides and then he would commit this heinous act.


He ended up dying. It was ruled accidental but some predators get jobs like this or city jobs because it allows them to target their victims easier. Obviously I don't know the guy you mentioned but its good to be suspicious is what I'm saying.


Edit: he worked for his brother btw just wanted to clarify that. He worked other jobs until he got the reputation. It wasn't until 2015 that no one would hire him but his brother because thats when the young girls finally had the courage to report his worthless butt.

[warnmar10]

...

So, the question is, when you have service / cleaning / etc. people in your home do you carry? This question isn't for those of you who carry 24/7 even in the bathroom.. This is for those who of you who only carry while out, but normally not inside your home....

...

While in your home delivering services I'll be carrying so I sure won't be offended if I find out you are carrying too. (Or even if I don't find out...)

[Syntyr]

I dont qualify since I carry 24x7x365 but a further question is when you are carrying around service people do you conceal or open carry and let them see?

I conceal because my guns are the most expensive things i have and i dont want to tempt a service tech into coming back later thinking he can score some shooting irons...

[bmwrdr]

I am at home most of the time as well, a habdgun and a shotgun are always close and available within seconds. I do not carry at home. I was burglarized several times in my life when I was not at home and therefore I am a bit paranoid about it. I also had a car vandalized with 4 slized tires and scratched up/ dented all around, total repair was >$3,900. Besides that I had one trunk popped open and one time somebody broke the lock on my passenger door. In both cases they did not get any valuables but the damage was done. In 2013 I would have been a drive by shooting victim if I were been at home. Several guys shot at the window of my old house my ex's house now, one of 5 bullets penetrated the window frame and the ended in the drywall about 3 feet above the bed. Carrollton PD could not arrest anybody because they could not find the gun.
I moved to a better place with a better reputation and actually had peace since with just one issue when a hobo hammered on my door.
I think it absolutely makes sense to be armed at home but more important is to adhere to gun safety, regular shooting at the range, maintaining discipline and common sense.
Having an LTC and legal defense insurance is helpful in case there is an issue.
Most important, if there are kids in the house keep the gyns locked up and away!

[Soccerdad1995]

I don't carry 24/7 since I don't have a gun on while I am sleeping and while I am showering (a gun is feet away in both cases). Do I qualify to answer?

Even if I carried less frequently, I would definitely carry anytime someone I didn't know well was in my home. My father owned a carpeting business when I was young and my cousin still owns a roofing business. Lets just say that some of their workers are not the most upstanding of citizens. I am sure this is also true in other, similar, professions.

If you are worried about making someone uncomfortable, then you are free to throw on a T-shirt over your holster, but I would definitely carry in these situations. While you likely won't have an issue, you never know when it will be the day that someone finally "snaps". I'd rather carry and not need it 1,000 times, than not carry and need it even 1 time.

[RogueUSMC]

I carry all the time but, when I have people in my home doing work for me, they usually see my gun in my holster. The only one that has ever said anything has been one guy who started asking questions about how he could go about getting his license. Even if someone had said something, it would be no concern of mine. I could not care less about how they think I should conduct myself in my own home...lol.

Once I was in my comfy shorts watching a movie when the doorbell rang at about 11pm. I picked up my handgun off of the end table and went to the door. I looked through the peephole to see a police officer. I opened the door with the handgun behind my back. She explained that she was doing inquiries regarding some suspicious activities in the neighborhood and asked if I had seen anything. At the end of the roughly five minute conversation, she asked, "do you have a gun behind your back?" I said, "yes ma'am." She just smiled and told me that that was a prudent thing to do...lol.

[oljames3]

I don't carry 24/7 at home, as my attire, or lack thereof, will not always support the weight of my S&W M&P Mod 2.0, 9mm 5inch and 2 spare mags. Or SWMBO says not to. When I don't, my holstered pistol is within easy reach.

When we have visitors of any kind, or we visit others, my pistol is visibly on my hip. When we have visitors who are not visibly armed, my first thought is "why not?"

My wife has had her license as long as I have had mine, but she only recently had an epiphany that has led her to want to carry consistently. Now she is either wearing her Walther PPS M2 LE or has it within easy reach. Always. Sometimes openly, sometimes concealed, but always there.

Any other firearms that may or may not be in our house are hidden and secured.

Having selected modern auto-loaders as our self-defense tools, we find it best to always have those tools readily available.

[Txtension]

First off, I like to say that I sometimes bring up these questions not because I need or even want the answer, but more for making people think and sometimes just to get the 'pulse' of the forum.
...
Oh, one small thing though.. Had a pest control service for about 17 years. Had the same technician every time. Got to know the guy since I see him every 3 months for 17 years and have NEVER had a single problem.. But honestly this guy just sets off every single alarm bell in my body... I don't know why, but there is just something that "feels wrong".. But as I said never a problem and we've had many conversations about family, etc. etc.. I just didn't trust him.. (He retired by the way so I don't see him anymore).

How did you bring this man into your home for 17 years, and never get comfortable. Why didn't cognitive dissonance and Stockholm syndrome kick in? Sounds like a man who was really good at controlling...pests.

[Lynyrd]

The only time I don't carry my sidearm is when sleeping, or in the shower. I always wear jeans so I don't have the problem of where to put a holster. If there are workers on my property, I always OC. I want them to see that I am armed. My house sits back in the woods and you cannot see it from the road. If a thief did make it back to my house while no one was home, he would be unobserved by anyone until he left. If someone performing a service for me has any idea that they might like to come back and go shopping, I want them to see that I am always armed.

[lildave40]

I dont carry 24/7 due to my job. But when I have workers in my house I generally do not carry as it is during the day. But anyone I use I always check with the bbb before I contact them. I think there is more of a chance them coming back at night or when your gone.

[oljames3]

The only time I don't carry my sidearm is when sleeping, or in the shower. I always wear jeans so I don't have the problem of where to put a holster. If there are workers on my property, I always OC. I want them to see that I am armed. My house sits back in the woods and you cannot see it from the road. If a thief did make it back to my house while no one was home, he would be unobserved by anyone until he left. If someone performing a service for me has any idea that they might like to come back and go shopping, I want them to see that I am always armed.

[swilkes]

...

So, the question is, when you have service / cleaning / etc. people in your home do you carry? This question isn't for those of you who carry 24/7 even in the bathroom.. This is for those who of you who only carry while out, but normally not inside your home....

...

While in your home delivering services I'll be carrying so I sure won't be offended if I find out you are carrying too. (Or even if I don't find out...)

I will carry in a customers house also. So far no one has said anything or noticed. I will unholster when doing change outs in the attic or if I need to crawl under your house. But I lock it in my work truck.



I try not to get to nosey but sometimes it is hard not to glance around as your walking in and out if customers houses.

[Pariah3j]

I don't carry 24/7 - I carry just about every time I leave the 'house'(live in an apartment). I typically take my gun off when I come in and set it on the counter/bar. However, the couple of times maintenance has needed to come in while I was home, I hid any guns I typically keep out, IE my AR and put my EDC gun on. Not really because I really had any thought of needing it, more like I didn't want him to see that I had them in case the maintenance guy got any crazy ideas in his head to return when I wasn't home.

If I lived in a house and had a stranger coming in, I would most likely do much the same - but more with the idea to make sure I was prepared 'in case'.

[strogg]

I always carry in or out of the house. It doesn't matter if any friends, family, hired help, etc come in. If they see what I have on me, then so be it. I'm not going to go as far as hide the fact that I have guns. I'm definitely not going to advertise it, but if I have some gun parts, tools, etc laying around and they see it, then they see it. One thing I will make sure is to have no guns in sight. The way I see it is that my place presents a lot of friction. Sure if the people coming in aren't completely honest (I feel the risk is super low. It's not like I invite anyone in), they would see that it's a tough target compared to a host of other easier targets they could hit. Any normal criminal scoping the place will see strong locks, a monitored alarm system, cameras, etc.

As an aside, one time the pest control people came in to spray the interior. One of them is an avid shooter. We ended up shooting the breeze for fifteen minutes or so after he noticed my reloading kit. He was a pretty cool guy. I"ll probably be seeing him again next quarter.