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concealed carry

LukeD

Registered User
Texas is well known for it's many concealed handgun carriers. I was curious if concealed carry is allowed in a lodge of your State's license, or one that shares reciprocal jurisdiction. I've asked a few brothers in my lodge. Answers varied from "sure, why not?", to "are you serious? No way." I carry concealed whenever possible, but do not carry into the lodge during any type of meeting.
 

nwendele

Registered User
In my Lodge we all turn our pistols over to the secretary to lock up in the office before the meeting starts. Our lodge is downtown, no longer the nicest part of our fair city, and nobody wants to leave them in our cars or motorcycles. Looks like a military armory before big meetings! Nobody carries into the lodgeroom.

It took me a little while to ask, but I was glad I did. The WM and I had talked outside of the lodge about CHL, and I knew he had one. I finally asked during a dinner before practice. He told me not to leave it in the car and give it to the secretary. Brother Secretary opened a locking drawer and there were 7 pistols and holsters in it. There were 10 people at the meeting.
 

Brent Heilman

Premium Member
Same here too. Our WM is also a law enforcement official and locks his up too. The lodge is one place I usually don't carry my gun to.

Sent from my iPhone using Freemasonry
 

JJones

Moderator
We have several law enforcement officers that our members of our lodge that carry concealed firearms. It may not be allowed in the near future but I personally don't see any harm in it if the brother is an officer.
 

choppersteve03

Premium Member
i carry here in iowa but not into lodge, ive got no beef with carry in the lodge,as long as the brothers a cop or has the proper permit. i just dont feel the need to arm myself when in lodge,i mean the place has no widows for cripes sake, if you dont feel safe in lodge youve got problems.
 

LukeD

Registered User
True, no windows. But, some lodges are not located in the best parts of town. There is a front door to the building that remains open for brothers who may show up late. We have had a few questionable individuals wander in. Last time I checked our Tyler wasn't an expert swordsman. However, It's not something I worry about during meetings. I was more interested in the legality of the issue, and seeing how Texas is one of the larger CHL states, I was interested in what brothers did with their firearms before a meeting.
 

JJones

Moderator
if you dont feel safe in lodge youve got problems.

It's actually other people's problems that I worry about. We live in a time where people will even go into churches and start shooting the place up. Lots of people have wrong ideas about the craft, all it would take is one nutjob who thinks they'd be doing the world a favor. Lots of lodges, mine included, haven't been as vigilant as they should about who they let through the west gate in the past either.

People always say masonry should change with the times, take the tyler's sword away and give him a sidearm!
 

Bill Lins

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
I was more interested in the legality of the issue, and seeing how Texas is one of the larger CHL states, I was interested in what brothers did with their firearms before a meeting.

Art. 226. (266). Weapons.
Weapons, either offensive or defensive, must not be carried into the Lodgeroom.

Most of the Brethren I know who hold CHL's either leave their weapons in their vehicles or secure them in the Secretary' office. I'm told that the old Temple Lodge #4 near Houston PD downtown had actual gun lockers for the use of the Brother officers.
 

robert leachman

Registered User
As a peace officer I always carry
I just leave my handgun in a little room outside the lodge room
Depending on your neighborhood and town leaving it in the car vs locked in an office would just depend.
I don't think I need a firearm in lodge because of my brothers but because of who may show up at lodge and I've got to get from home/work to lodge and back.
 

choppersteve03

Premium Member
i hear you bro nwedele, there should be up dated security measures. i didnt think of the nut jobs getting in, but if you carry conceled and lock it up, how can it protect you unloaded and locked up. btw im playing devils advocate here. but i carry 24-7 locked and loaded even at home i have it on me till bed, then it gets secured but is still accesable locked and loaded.
 

nwendele

Registered User
I agree completely choppersteve03, I carry 'till I'm in bed, then it goes into crossbreed bed-mount holster. Lodge is the one place where I don't carry, and am able to let down my guard. If some crazy busts in shooting up the place, well, slidin' out the backdoor becomes the only option.
 

Kenneth Lottman

Registered User
Here's a idea let's just change up what the Tyler carries... Get rid of the sword and give him a AR-15 with a 30 rd magazine! ;-)
 

MikeMay

Premium Member
Here's a idea let's just change up what the Tyler carries... Get rid of the sword and give him a AR-15 with a 30 rd magazine! ;-)

LOL, I can see it now, Tyler Qualification requires an afternoon at the range for weapon proficiency...:thumbup1: :41:

So then when there is an alarm at the door, hopefully the Tyler will be calm enough not to do anything like...:33:


Or, we could just give the Tyler a Light Saber...

:45:
 

JBD

Premium Member
Hmmmm so that's what all those funny little boxes are for!!! I thought it was Hampster storage for all the snakes or they were storage for the goat stirrups.
 
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