Deterence vs Tactical Surprise

[Fenris]

I am sure this topic has been beaten to death. And I preemptively extend my deepest sympathies to anyone who can not restrain themselves from reading something they don't want to. But here goes...

Some on here appear to advocate full time concealment. Never give anyone any idea that you carry a gun, own a gun or even know what a gun looks like, etc.

Some on here appear to advocate full time openness. Open carry if legal, wear tactical clothing, NRA/pro-gun bumper and home window stickers, etc.

My question is NOT to either of these groups.

I want to ask those that fall in the middle. Maybe usually CC, but have an NRA sticker on their home window, and a bumper sticker on their car. My question is this: Other than in situations where the decision is forced on you (i.e. CC or OC is illegal), how do you decide when and where to employ each tactic/strategy and what advantage do you think it gives you?

 

[NavyLCDR]

That's an easy one for me. I carry however is easiest. Summer time, light shirt, shorts, it's open carry. Winter time, with a coat on it's concealed. Until I go inside and take my coat off then it's open. I just don't really concern myself with it.

The advantage that I think it gives me is that I am not spending my time worrying about if my gun shows or doesn't show, and I am not dressing around my gun. I just put my clothes on, put my gun on and head out the door happy.

 

[hankdatank1362]

Only CC is legal here in SC, and it better stay concealed. Tommy Bahama shirts in the summer and 5.11 jackets in the winter make for easy concealment.

I prefer the Tommy Bahama / Hawaiian print shirts (for those who are into those gawdawful prints) because they are nice and loose fitting, make for an easy draw, and don't print. I hvae no problem carrying a full sized P226 under one.

My 5.11 stuff is just purely function over form, but some of it looks decent. I like it because it doens't scream "GUN!", so the general public doesn't notice, but I guarantee you that the bad guys know that "look" well... the last cop that busted them was probably wearing something similar.

 

[expvideo]

Just an asside to Hankdatank, I also carry a Sig P226, but I found a holster that will allow me to carry it very well concealed in as little as a t-shirt. This style of holster costs about $20 and it is universal. I've got a drawer full of Galco, Safariland, etc and nothing I've tried has worked as well or as comfortably as this. It's totally worth the $20 to give it a try. Here's a stock pic of the style of holster I'm talking about:



I wear it at about 3 o'clock, and it is absolutely the best concealing and most comfortable holster I've ever worn.

 

[Mainsail]

That's an easy one for me. I carry however is easiest. Summer time, light shirt, shorts, it's open carry. Winter time, with a coat on it's concealed. Until I go inside and take my coat off then it's open. I just don't really concern myself with it.

The advantage that I think it gives me is that I am not spending my time worrying about if my gun shows or doesn't show, and I am not dressing around my gun. I just put my clothes on, put my gun on and head out the door happy.

Great answer.

As an aside to the thread title, there is no such thing as defensive tactical surprise; surprise is an offensive maneuver. Surprise in a defensive role is really just damage control.

 

[chuckusaret]

Here in Florida it must be concealed. I wear and under the arm T-shirt style holster under a loose fitting Tommy Bahama style shirt. Only the idiots don't know that you are armed.My CCW is a SA XD40 SC

 

[gotime242]

I couldnt agree more with expvideo.

I have the same holster and have used it for a while. Right now i use it with my P3at but have in the past carried other guns in it, its really perfect for what i want to do. I live in FL as well...not a huge framed guy and it hides it very well. I even leave it on when the gun is not on me so i cant just slip the gun in any time.

 

[Bailey Boat]

I'm not sure where I fit in. I adopted the "pants on, armed, pants off unarmed" theory. I do my best to keep it out of sight since I don't to be a walking billboard but don't get really upset if it prints a little....... It is what it is......

 

[mljdeckard]

Carrying all the time has less to do with tactics than it does to protect liability. If you start deciding when you do or don't carry based on "Places I think are safe" and "places I think there might be a problem with my safety", it opens you up to the possibility that you should have not gone there in the first place, not put on a gun. If you just always carry whenever you are legally allowed to, it can't be said that you did anything differently than you normally do.

Open carry is allowed in Utah, but I don't do it often just because life is already complicated enough between going to work, school, shopping, doing stuff with the kids, etc. Having my 1911 in a thigh holster doesn't make life easier. However, I often carry in a fanny pack, I find it to be the most convenient method. There are some who don't like them because they are somewhat obvious. I think, they are mostly obvious to other gun people, whom I am not afraid of.

Most of the time when I open carry, it's in outdoor activities.

 

[jason10mm]

I try to be the grey man as much as possible. No gun stickers, no gun t-shirts, no open carry, nothing. I rely on POSTURE to ward off attacks. Head up like a meat eater, look around, LOOK at threats, don't look away and be cowed. With my haircut and bearing, most would assume I'm a cop anyway.

I would never single out my house or car for anything, be it political signs, gun stickers, or school stickers telling the world who my kids are, what they like to do, their ages and names. A Brinks home security sign is all I have, which tells bad guys to move along and hit the neighbor, he is a softer target.

 

[expvideo]

I try to be the grey man as much as possible. No gun stickers, no gun t-shirts, no open carry, nothing. I rely on POSTURE to ward off attacks. Head up like a meat eater, look around, LOOK at threats, don't look away and be cowed. With my haircut and bearing, most would assume I'm a cop anyway.

Same here, except that I would not be mistaken for a cop. I'm fairly fit (as in not fat, but not in particularly good shape) and in my mid 20s, but I don't dress or act like a cop, or have a cop haircut. But you are absolutely right about not acting like a victim. All I do is make sure that I am aware of what's going on around me and I make sure that anyone around me knows that I know that they are around me by making eye contact. Other than that, I am a very friendly and easy-going person, who most people are somewhat surprised to discover carries a gun. I just make sure not to look like a victim.

My point is that I don't have to be mistakeable for a cop to be left alone by scumbags. It's all about body language. Just like any predator, they will single out the weak and situationally unaware. Just try not to appear as weak or situationally unaware, and you should be fine. Confidence and awareness are key, not 5.11 clothing and a short haircut.

Also, if someone starts to approach me that looks suspicious, I will generally take a subtly more defensive stance. This is not something that a normal person will notice if they are just wanting to ask you for change or directions, but if they are trying to rob you or hurt you, they will be paying very, very close attention to your body language. A subtle change of stance will be a huge deterant to a mugger, but not to someone with good intentions. But be careful. It will also be a huge red flag to a cop. Cops are used to carefully reading body language and will notice your subtle changes. So will dogs.

Now bear in mind, that I am talking about a subtle change in body language, not flipping back your jacket and getting into a weaver stance.