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Open carry at the gym?

Greg Bradburn

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 8, 2011
Messages
139
Location
Cary, North Carolina, United States
I feel silly asking this question as my gut tells me that common sense trumps legality but I thought I'd throw it out there and see what other opinions are.

I live in North Carolina where OC is legal. I have been carrying concealed for 10 years and only recently started coming around to the concept of OC.

I am a member of a fitness center/gym and haven't seen any signage against carrying firearms.

How do y'all feel about carrying into the gym (in my street clothes prior to changing into my workout clothes, which is typically shorts and a t-shirt).

The main thing that's preventing me from doing this is that I'd have to lock the gun in the locker while I'm working out and the gym states very clearly that they are not responsible for stolen valuables. I think the odds of someone busting my lock and stealing the gun in a very public locker room are slim but it's still a remote possibility.

I run the same risk leaving it locked in my car except nobody will know it's there because they didn't see me carrying it.

Thoughts?
 

midnight61

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 27, 2009
Messages
69
Location
New Haven, Connecticut, USA
Locker room thefts in gyms are more common than most people want to admit, its not worth the risk. As far as leaving it in the car, look into the Nano Vault models by Gunvault. I have one in each of my vehicles and its an extra safety option for me. It's great to have especially if I choose to go somewhere or do something that's contrary to standard gun safety or according to my state's gun laws (i.e. having a beer after work)
 

billv

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2010
Messages
84
Location
Houston now, Asheville soon
I'm in Texas with no Open Carry (yet). I go to a gym but don't bring my gun. I've talked to a LEO that works out there and he keeps his firearm in gym bag that goes where he goes. Not open, but he can get to it in a hurry if needed and most don't know he's a LEO. Most LEO's are on duty 24/7 so he needs to keep it nearby. There have been lockers broken into at this gym. And they have an (unarmed, meaning no gun, not armless - is there a difference?) security guard, walking around in the parking lot.
 

clarkebar

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2010
Messages
136
Location
Mesa, AZ
I just carry a very small .380 (Ruger LCP) while I workout, it provides defense but is small enough that I can wear it in a belly band without issue. I do weight training and run about four miles every time I workout. It's worked pretty well so far.
 

Badger Johnson

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2011
Messages
1,213
Location
USA
Why not use a fanny pack? My take is that inside the gym there is not a real reason to be in condition orange (green-orange-red) so the fact that I'd need more time to access the HG would not be at issue. As I'm leaving the gym, in the privacy of the locker room, I'd move the HG to a sweatsuit jacket pocket.

Yes, it's off the body, but if you analyze the situation, it seems prudent enough.
 

onlurker

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 15, 2009
Messages
251
Location
Everett, Washington, USA
Ask for a copy of the gym policies and procedures, pretty sure you can find items they restrict listed there. At least that was the case with 24 hour fitness, which explicitly states no firearms allowed in the policy. I'd hazard a guess and say that many gyms carry such a policy.
 

Michigander

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 24, 2007
Messages
4,818
Location
Mulligan's Valley
I don't believe it's prudent to carry to a gym. I especially don't believe it's prudent to open carry.

The reasons are that first and foremost, muzzle control is out the window. Your muzzle will, as a matter of fact, be covering other gym users as you work out on various machines, grossly violating the 4 rules, and very possibly state law.

Next is the concern that depending on the size of the gun, it may be hard to even use the machines while carrying it. It could also damage some fabric to have a holstered gun on. Retention could also be a concern, depending on how you were carrying, and with open carry you'd have to worry if there might be anyone there that would try a grab while you are in some strange position lifting weights. And that's all just assuming you won't get kicked out, or that they won't immediately adopt a no weapons policy.

All this is why I carry a knife to the gym.
 

deathtolltally

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2010
Messages
40
Location
, ,
I feel silly asking this question as my gut tells me that common sense trumps legality but I thought I'd throw it out there and see what other opinions are.

I live in North Carolina where OC is legal. I have been carrying concealed for 10 years and only recently started coming around to the concept of OC.

I am a member of a fitness center/gym and haven't seen any signage against carrying firearms.

How do y'all feel about carrying into the gym (in my street clothes prior to changing into my workout clothes, which is typically shorts and a t-shirt).

The main thing that's preventing me from doing this is that I'd have to lock the gun in the locker while I'm working out and the gym states very clearly that they are not responsible for stolen valuables. I think the odds of someone busting my lock and stealing the gun in a very public locker room are slim but it's still a remote possibility.

I run the same risk leaving it locked in my car except nobody will know it's there because they didn't see me carrying it.

Thoughts?

Simply check the Gym and its policy. If they dont say anything about OC then I would say do itjust be safe keeping others in mind. Watch the excercises you do and always keep safety as #1 precaution. If they frown on it they will let you know and they have the right to ask you to leave or take the gun out off the premises. Its that simple.
 
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