I’ve written numerous articles on gun owner etiquette. Whether you’re in the gun store, at the range, carrying in public, or just interacting with people, there’s a right and wrong way to do it. Those articles all touch on a common theme at some point: don’t be THAT GUY. We all know THAT GUY. Most of us try to avoid him. He usually identifies himself through his loud voice and robust opinions. THAT GUY exists in all environments, but we’ll focus on how he manifests himself in the gun and shooting realms.
A big problem with THAT GUY is that he often believes he’s doing the right thing and that people appreciate his efforts. More likely, we’re just politely trying not to encourage him while looking for a way to exit the encounter. I won’t delude myself by thinking this article will change or even discourage THAT GUY from doing his thing. He sees himself as a walking, talking Public Service Announcement, after all. But perhaps we can raise awareness of what THAT GUY does to help you avoid him and keep you from becoming THAT GUY down the road.
THAT GUY in the Gun Store
Many of us have likely encountered THAT GUY in the gun store. You know the type. There is no gun other than the gun he carries or hunts with. Everything else is garbage. Die-hard brand loyalists can be THAT GUY, but not always. Those only qualify if they feel the need to preach the Gospel of Saint Gaston, John Moses Browning, or some other firearms luminary.
Before you get your drawers in a twist, I acknowledge the greatness of Glock pistols and 1911s. But I don’t believe that everything else is trash. Hearing someone pontificate on such matters is a sure sign that he’s THAT GUY.
His actions sometimes give him away, allowing you to turn aside before he engages you. Never fear, however, he’ll try to find you anyway. He’s sometimes sneaky, waiting for the perfect opportunity to insert himself into someone else’s business. He often interrupts employees trying to help customers, opining on what they should buy and what they should not.
Even if he knows what he’s talking about, neither party welcomes that behavior. Let the employee do his job and let the customer buy what they want. Even if you’re convinced that your handgun of choice is the greatest thing ever, please remember that everyone is different and that your brand or model may not be the best gun for someone else.
This version of THAT GUY may also stand at the counter and loudly proclaim various things about guns or accessories, hoping that someone will engage him. Don’t do it. He just wants the attention. If you feel the need to bloviate in the gun store, please try to control yourself. No one cares. And you just might find that you’ll attract someone who will quickly demonstrate how much you don’t know.
Gun Store Part 2
Please, please remember that the basic rules of gun safety still apply in gun stores. You may have seen THAT GUY who asks to look at a firearm, then proceeds to swing it around the room, flagging everyone in the store. And he’s totally oblivious to what he just did. A good employee will ask him not to do that. An irate customer might do the same.
This same guy might also start dry-firing the gun, maybe even while pointing it around the room. Don’t do that. Running the trigger is perfectly acceptable. But ask the employee first, and at least act like you’re aware of your surroundings. I once saw a guy get a handgun from a store employee and immediately field strip it on the counter. Don’t do that either. The store will probably let you inspect the gun’s inner workings, but they will likely want to disassemble it for you.
THAT GUY respects neither the store employees nor the other customers. No one thinks he’s cool. Just the opposite, in fact. If this sounds like you, please just understand that you aren’t at home and act like you’ve been somewhere before.
THAT GUY at the Range
You’ll find THAT GUY at the shooting range, too. He’s the one not exercising muzzle discipline as he turns to jaw at his buddies. Another guy might stop by and tell you all about your guns, eventually turning the conversation to why his guns are better. Don’t confuse him with people who ask questions about your setup out of genuine interest. You’ll be able to tell the difference.
I do not include the guy who fires long shot strings as fast as he can pull the trigger, including mag dumps. That may not be your way of shooting, and it may annoy you. But if he observes the safety rules and stays in his lane, he’s not doing anything wrong. If you feel inclined to complain or “correct” him, it could be that you are THAT GUY.
Finally, we’ve all likely seen folks at the range who clearly need a little help. It’s alright to help them, so long as we do it respectfully. Don’t be THAT GUY who starts spouting off about everything that person is doing wrong and imposing yourself on their situation. You’ll likely turn them off and make them hesitant to come back. Maybe make a benign comment and ask if they’d like a little help. They’ll likely be grateful, and you’ll help create a willingness to ask for help when they need it.
THAT GUY On Social Media
I confess that I used to be THAT GUY on social media. In some ways, anyhow. I delighted in picking keyboard fights with anti-gunners. But that isn’t what made me THAT GUY. It was the manner in which I did it. I was full of slogans like “From My Cold Dead Hands” and “Come and Take It.” I admit to still doing that on occasion, but I now save my rhetoric for overly zealous anti-gun politicians. However, I rarely do social media anymore, so that tendency mainly polices itself. But I found that typing such things at people, even when I used all caps, never did any good. If anything, it further entrenched those with whom I was arguing. No one ever changed anyone else’s mind by arguing with them on Facebook.
However, reasoned, factual social media posts aimed at no one in particular might resonate with people in the middle. And those are the folks we need to convince anyway. You’ll never change a true believer’s mind, but you might just push a moderate into the anti-gun camp by yelling “Shall Not Be Infringed” at him. Don’t get me wrong, I share those sentiments. But like my Dad used to tell me, “It’s not always what you say; it’s how you say it.”
THAT GUY in the Comments
Staying online, we’ve all seen THAT GUY in the comments section of articles or videos. You know, the one who simply must tell everyone why the article or video is wrong and that they should buy this gun or that gun instead. And woe be unto the other commenters who might disagree with him.
Well, Jethro, glad you stopped in after advising the gun store customers. You no doubt have some knowledge, but you also fail to understand that different people have different priorities, budgets, and needs. And sometimes (gasp!) people don’t like the same things you do. Do us all a favor and go be THAT GUY somewhere else. But I’m sure you’ll do that anyway.
Carrying Like THAT GUY
If you’re reading this, chances are you carry a firearm at least some of the time. Chances are also very good that you carry responsibly, and no one else is the wiser. But sometimes, THAT GUY shows up. Very rarely, but it does happen. The vast majority of people carry the right way. But not him. These are the guys you see plastered all over social media.
Remember the two guys who walked into a Texas Starbucks, one with a slung AR-15 and the other a tacticool SKS? Then they posed for photos, not even realizing they were being trolled. That incident is a clear example of THAT GUY becoming THOSE GUYS. The thing is, they weren’t doing anything illegal. But man, it made us gun people look bad. Returning to my Dad, he also told me, “Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.” I’ve found that advice to be very good through the years, especially when I occasionally chose not to heed it.
I don’t care for open carry in most scenarios, though I wholeheartedly support the right to do so. But please, don’t look and act like a fool while you do it. Once again, no one thinks you’re cool, but many people, usually the ones whose support we need, think it looks stupid and even dangerous. If you choose to open carry, have a proper holster, and don’t embarrass yourself and your fellow gun owners. Please.
After All That…
You may think I’m some kind of Fudd. Whatever. All I ask is that we understand that we aren’t the only ones with some firearms knowledge; we aren’t the only ones on the range; other folks can and do have differing opinions; and the Snake Plisskin cosplay doesn’t win us any friends.
Most of us have run into THAT GUY somewhere along the way. He sometimes turns up in unexpected places, like behind the counter at gun stores. A gun store salesman once told me that buying anything but a Glock was a waste of money. Bad move, Hoss. I don’t know whether he was trying to get a bonus for selling the most Glocks or was just a fanboy, but I didn’t appreciate being lied to. I bought my Walther PPQ from a competitor shortly thereafter.
Our actions as gun owners have consequences. Those consequences include turning off new gun owners who are still finding their way. There’s a right way and a wrong way to help those folks. Being THAT GUY is the wrong way. Acting that way will confuse them, at best. At worst, it may completely turn them off from the shooting sports. If your response to that is to think they shouldn’t be so fragile, you may be THAT GUY. No one wants to hang out with annoying people, especially within an already expensive hobby.
What we do also has political ramifications. Like it or not, firearms are intimately intertwined with politics. Acting the fool makes it worse. Walking around with an AR across your back frightens people. I wish it didn’t, but that’s just reality. Frightened people are fodder for anti-gun activists, and we don’t need to give those people any more ammunition against us. We need the middle 80% if we want to keep the Second Amendment intact. We risk everything by alienating even some of them.
So, let’s think about what we’re doing and try not to be THAT GUY. All I ask, to quote my Dad one final time, is that we all strive to “act like somebody.”
