Walking in to a hotel with visible firearm - acceptable?

[Zauber]

Hello people, I’m posing a question based on a scenario I observed this evening and want to see what the general consensus of the community is.

This evening I was passing through Braemar and stopped briefly outside the Fife Arms to let the dog out. I saw a group of two stalkers (presumably guests at the hotel) and two guides park up, and the two guest headed in to the hotel. One of the guests had his rifle loose around his shoulder without a slip and walked straight in to the hotel through the main entrance.

At the time I was a bit taken aback by this - personally it’s not something I would ever do - always erring on the side of caution with the general public and the visibility of my guns. Perhaps I am way too sensitive though, so I wanted to see what the general consensus is.

I know that the Fife Arms has a gun room and there will frequently be paying stalkers heading in and out, but would you walk in to a public hotel lobby carrying a visible firearm?

 

[Malxwal]

Not personally, no. Did you notice if the bolt was removed from the rifle ?

 

[enfieldspares]

I think it is best left to make comment to those involved. The two "rifles" and the hotel. Personally in the late 1970s when I gained my first issued FAC I used to take my late mother's .22 Martini rifle by bus to and from the indoor range where I shot it.

But I accept there's a difference between having you guns obviously viewable (to neighbours and casual passers by) outside where you live (from a security basis) and bringing them into a private hotel that lets rooms to shooting sportsmen and sportswomen.

And thanks to the OP's post if I did ever get an invite to go shooting or stalking up near Braemar I've now a good idea where I'd be wanting to stay. An hotel that welcomes my brothers and sisters in our sport..

That is if I could afford it! I've just looked at the prices! Well beyond my pocket! £350 for two hours clay pigeon shooting? Perhaps there's a Premier Inn nearby that can set up something in its car park.

 

[Zauber]

Not personally, no. Did you notice if the bolt was removed from the rifle ?

I didn’t see.

 

[Zauber]

I think it is best left to make comment to those involved. The two "rifles" and the hotel. Personally in the late 1970s when I gained my first issued FAC I used to take my late mother's .22 Martini rifle by bus to and from the indoor range where I shot it.

But I accept there's a difference between having you guns obviously viewable outside where you live (from a security basis) and bringing them into a private hotel that lets rooms to shooting sportsmen and sportswomen.

And thanks to the OP's post if I did ever get an invite to go shooting or stalking up near Braemar I've now a good idea where I'd be wanting to stay. An hotel that welcomes my brothers and sisters in sport and in arms.

I agree that it is great that the hotel facilitates stalkers and accommodates secure storage of firearms. We need more like it!

As for it being a place to stay when in the area - at £500 per night for the smallest room I would hope they welcome their guests warmly, guns or not!

 

[timbrayford]

Hello people, I’m posing a question based on a scenario I observed this evening and want to see what the general consensus of the community is.

This evening I was passing through Braemar and stopped briefly outside the Fife Arms to let the dog out. I saw a group of two stalkers (presumably guests at the hotel) and two guides park up, and the two guest headed in to the hotel. One of the guests had his rifle loose around his shoulder without a slip and walked straight in to the hotel through the main entrance.

At the time I was a bit taken aback by this - personally it’s not something I would ever do - always erring on the side of caution with the general public and the visibility of my guns. Perhaps I am way too sensitive though, so I wanted to see what the general consensus is.

I know that the Fife Arms has a gun room and there will frequently be paying stalkers heading in and out, but would you walk in to a public hotel lobby carrying a visible firearm?

Under those circumstances yes

 

[Skietindiekop]

In my experience, Scotland has a different approach to firearms in rural public places as they are seen as being ‘business as usual’.
Visiting tourists tend to follow the crowd so the absence of comments or actions by locals sets the tone for ignoring them.
Personally I would always use a slip anywhere I would have already unloaded it because it isn’t going to be used.

 

[Bo Diddley]

Sounds like a refreshing approach to me.
I remember walking down the lane with my shotgun 40 years ago to get to the edge of "The Hall" I would expect an armed unit of 20-year-olds to be dispatched from the local constabulary now if I tried that.
(But that has been closed)

 

[Dickie]

I suppose it’s all about the location really, would you think about it in any city centre hotel no, in a location where people don’t bat an eyelid and are likely to ask how you got on today and it appears half the town are in tweed then it’s probably ok.

 

[The Singing Stalker]

Would I do it? Probably not.
Is there anything wrong? Not that I can see.
More power to them.

 

[Rake Aboot]

Absolutely legal and acceptable
There is no requirement to cover a firearm when transporting it in public and the more people that see this and become normalised to it the better .


Nothing illegal and totally acceptable

 

[purdeydog]

No. Just show boating. No need for it. Can’t speak of the Scottish laws.

 

[Malxwal]

Guests at that particular hostelry may be a tad detached from the realities of life.

 

[Stalker62]

Whilst I accept that there is nothing 'illegal' in doing so, it is (in my view) unacceptable.

I was there last week (with two colleagues), none of whom felt it necessary to wander around with 'un-slipped' (is that even a word?) firearms.

Had I seen such an incident, I would have had no hesitation in leaving my (very expensive) pint and establishing in no uncertain terms, that there was no 'threat' (intended or otherwise) to me or any other patrons.

 

[cjm1066]

In practical terms my rifle will be in a slip when being driven to/from the hotel to the stalking so it would be covered in this seranio.

In context in a rural area at a stalking hotel, what's the issue?

 

[Foxyboy43]

Hmmm. Different times and certainly different hotel rates but twenty years ago the bar in rural Glenisla looked like a chaotic gunroom with rifles and shotguns leaning against walls and corners all over the show. Mind you everyone in the pub was either a gamekeeper, stalker or guest stalker….

 

[Jagare]

If its legal to do then good on the person doing it. If the OP is, taken aback by what he saw in Scotland he will go into a melt down to see a hunter up in a hunting tower with a loaded rifle by the roadside here in Sweden.

 

[Bo Diddley]

If its legal to do then good on the person doing it. If the OP is, taken aback by what he saw in Scotland he will go into a melt down to see a hunter up in a hunting tower with a loaded rifle by the roadside here in Sweden.

Sounds good to me. You have reminded me of when I visited family in South Carolina. It was an eye-opener for me to see hunters lining the roadside in high-viz jackets, fully armed, waiting for the quarry to be driven towards them by their friends with small packs of beagle type dogs. And nobody batted an eyelid, just country folks doing what country folks do.

 

[KimE]

Its normal to carry your rifle/shotgun uncovered to your car if you live in a village/suburb here in Sweden i did have a slip on it then i lived i a city. I havnt seen hunters in hotels but f you rent a cabin you can bring your gun to your car anyway you like it. On public transportation have I used a hardcase.

 

[Klenchblaize]

The Op would have had kittens had he visted the trade rooms and marquees at these events:

That said, I recall the NRA clamped-down on 'open carry' in the latter years of the event.

K