Same. Very few people know I own one and have a concealed license. Made sure the gf knew how to shoot and that she wouldn't hesitate to use it if necessary. But that's it. Been locked away at least since Valentine's last year when we went to shoot.

how do you use it in a home invasion in the middle of the night if it's locked up and unloaded?

No, you'll know gun culture when you see it. The people that put the stupid stickers all over the car, the firearm brands, the calibers, stuff like that, becomes a major part of their personality.

Like the other commenter said, you would never know that I even own a gun unless we were pretty damn close.

I don't really have a solid answer for you. I think it started growing up where my dad had guns, rifles, in the army but he was super protective of them, he wouldn't show them to us, he wouldn't let us see them at all, he wouldn't teach us about them so I was just genuinely curious. So when I moved out that was the first thing I bought.

And I hated the gun laws here, you can buy and sell guns just like you're selling a car, just do a bill of sale. There's no background check for secondhand guns. i bought my first one at a metro stop in DC area, rode the train out, guy pulled up to the metro parking lot and we traded. i mean we took pictures of each other's IDs and did a bill of sale, but beyond that, nothing.

Mine doesn't really ever come out of lockup unless we're camping or going on a long road trip. I haven't carried it in years and I think my license might even be expired at this point. I'm not scared, maybe wildlife, I'm near the Appalachian Mountains. I don't carry it around to intimidate anybody, or try to use it for coercion. But I guess the fascination has just always been there since it was withheld growing up.