Are you really worried about printing?

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Aaryq

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Howdy, folks

I bought my first IWB holster many moons ago. I put my PA-63 and my TT-33 in it once each. I saw myself in the mirror and put it in the back of my safe and used my belly band.

Well today, I decided to be a bit adventerous...I threw my TT-33 in it and I've been wearing it all day. My wife hasn't noticed it yet (as of now it's been 5 hours).

If you worry about printing, see if you get "made" once. No one notices but you. My wife gets excited when I carry and always points it out (not publicly) whe she sees it. Try it once for me.
 
Have " been made" when I carried anything larger than my 642. The first were gangbangers in the mall and I "made them" too, was also "made" by a second group of undesireables at a restaurant. Carrying concealed means not getting "made" as this allows for the opposition to pre-plan in the event that they are planning on hitting you anyway. Haven't yet been "made" with my 642 in the pocket.
 
Most of "being made" comes down to behavior. If you check your piece regularly, turn sideways when approached or just generally act "odd"- people will notice. If you are used to carrying and have made it part of your routine, you will rarely- if ever- get noticed. The only people that are looking for guns are cops, criminals and CCW holders. The general populace will only notice you IF you do something to draw attention to yourself.

In this day and age of cell phones, iPod's and PDA's, most folks have some kind of a bulge on their belts. John Q Public has been conditioned to think that the bulge is from an electronic device.
 
cc and oc are both legal in tn. , so i dont have to worry about printing. im sure at some point i have exposed my weapon unintentionally , but in tn. it doesnt matter.
 
Theory from personal experience: one of the reasons shootings are at such short distances is that people don't notice anything until you're close enough to spit in their face.
A vertical shoulder rig with offside magazine pouch is my latest primary carry method. This rig has two very wide black straps. I carry a full-size Gov't model, also black - comfortable enough, but it takes up a lot of real estate. You'd think people in your own house would notice that, right? There's no crowds, no vehicles to avoid, etc. Nobody noticed until they were within spitting distance - and I was not concealing it at all.

Another thing nobody notices is your watch. No matter how shiny the band. Not if you switch the wrist it's on thirty seconds after they come in. Not if you get a completely different one. Unless they're looking for something to steal/envy, they don't see it at all.
 
The thought of printing makes me absolutely crazy.
Concealed means Concealed...that has been drilled into my head forever.
To contrast that opinion, I have asked many I see at the range, gun shops etc and they all claim to throw a shirt tail over it with the handle bulge VERY noticable and go about their business.

Naturally, I can see the one I am attempting to conceal, so I tighten the belt to suck the handle in closer
...aaah... that's... better,...must...remember...to...breathe....

I just got my CCW, so I have been carrying in different places to see if anyone notices.

I took my CZ75DPCR with me one day, and was certain that everyone could see it (because I could) and guess what...nobody did...nobody cared.
Lots of public interaction too. Haircut, Misc stores, wallyworld (that one was first...and rough I tell ya, I was nervous about nothing as it turns out)
I did get a nod from a stranger, but nothing more.

The next outing I took my 5" Kimber and yet again, nobody said a word or gave me any special attention...and that's a big arse pistol too.
That wasn't as comfortable to wear, but it was really comforting to have that .45 there.

That said, when you first start CC'ing, it is positively nerve-racking if you allow it to be...trust me, I know.
 
"its not the world looking at you diffrently, its you looking diffrently at the world"

personally I see people that are most likley healed all the time as its my nature to be looking for it.

I just give a nod and a sly smile if they notice me notice them and go about my buisness. Did get into a quick convo regarding if I was carrying as well once though.
 
After a short time, you will quit worrying about it.. Think for a minute, before you became concerned with carrying a concealed weapon, how much time did you spend looking at other people's waists and arm pits?

I have been carrying concealed since 1966 and nobody but my wife and a few close friends have any inkling that I am even interested in guns.
I have carried everything from 6 inch N frame S&W's, Model 1911 Govt models, to a Seecamp auto, and nobody notices a thing.

BTW, my wife carries too, and has for quite some time. One person other than me knows it, and she had to be shown the gun to believe it.

Go forth and worry not!!
 
People don't notice anything. I often OWB carry a full sized 1911, with nothing but a slightly snug t-shirt. I end up printing a bit several times thruout the day. Never been called on it yet.

I firmly belive I could be wearing a t-shirt that said "Oh my god, I'm carrying a gun!" and still nobody would notice.
 
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I've been a Correctional Officer for 12 years and I have a pretty good eye. When I started carrying I made a point of trying to make someone else carrying for about three weeks. I didn't find a single one. I'm perfectly comfortable that unless I draw attention to my weapon or somehow expose it, no one is going to notice.
 
I am with KC shooter. I carry concealed most of the time but even if I open carry there are a lot of people that don't even notice.
 
I'm not worried. This is why:
I make the effort to go about the business of CC correctly. I buy appropriate, quality equipment and dress around the gun/gear. Therefore I can go about my daily activities without having to screw around with said gear.
Practice at home with your carry setup frequently.
I'm one of the many millions of average Americans going about my daily activities without attracting unusual notice (Except for my rugged, manly features, and I'm okay with that :D).
I've carried a 5" 1911/.44 Mountain Gun around tourists, soccer mommies and LEO at every level without any drama.
Do it right and you won't second guess yourself. Good luck, Ray
 
Hardly anyone notices when I open carry.

Most people that ever see a bulge under your shirt (or even some object hanging off your belt in plain sight) will convince themselves of all kinds of things it could be before they think "GUN".
 
I am concerned about printing. Where I work I CAN NOT print. I do wear my different options around friends and family as a test run before I go to work. I also don't really have the option of dressing around the weapon as I am pretty limited in what I can wear to work.

My job places me in a very public environment, with a minimum of thirty sets of eyes watch me while I work (think public speaker). So, printing is a big deal and I don't half-asp my concealed carry choices.
 
I OC about half the time that I carry.
Click to expand...
Myself as well. When I cc most everybody, mainly friends and family, ask "Wheres your gun?" I just tell them "In my pocket." They always ask "Which pocket?" So if they can't see it, I'm not worried about anyone else seeing it.
 
Yes and no.

Yes because the law around here is decidedly not gun friendly and will hassle you even though we are technically an open carry state. Try open carry and you'll be booked for inciting panic, disturbing the peace, whatever else they can come up with.

No because most people are oblivious. Any reasonable attempt to cover up a sidearm is likely enough to go unnoticed. Even if a bulge is noticed, it's going to be mentally checked off as a cell phone, PDA or such.
 
Nope.

If folks cant see a white 8x8 sign at eye level with red lettering that says "pre-pay only" I doubt they would notice I was armed if I had a neon sign floating over my head saying so.
 
No one has ever noticed mine. My fiance tells me my OWB holster I hate doesn't print noticably, but she is blind as a bat and pretty oblivious much of the time. I have started to carry nothing but my FNP9-m since I got my MTAC, because it is my best holster and the gun really does disappear in it, holds it tight, perfect size grip for both carry and shooting, so I am happy. All is well until I get my FIST holster for my PCR so I can start carrying the gun I love!
 
If I carried, I'd probably be paranoid as all get out. Of course, it's not like I can just show a permit to any nice police officer that gets called on my behalf.
 
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