If you print, do you worry about it alot?

[El Tejon]

Was on my way to MPFreeman's this morning, carrying 1911, IWB with extra mags OWB, no jacket on and Orvis shirt tucked in. Stopped at a Starbuck's north of Indy.

Place was jumping. Received no looks. Granted this is Indiana and everyone has a gun, but there were several Illinois and Ohio plates outside. It is as if the IWB makes it invisible to them.

Maybe it's like cslinger sez. People are in white, wrapped in their own little worlds. Got to get one of those shirts.

 

[Topgun]

Around these parts, fanny packs are scoped.

Sorriest carry method available.

Oh it hides it. From cub scouts and the blind.

Bad part about it is if anyone tries to rob someone with a "fanny pack" he should EASILY get off on an insanity plea.

 

[Bainx]

Tourist.....I dream of working in a place that you described!

Having come back from the range yesterday afternoon to the parents house for late lunch, I elected to keep my G30 OWB [no cover] on and guess what, nobody in the entire house looked or commented, to my astonishment.

 

[P95Carry]

I think we gotta decide what actually constitutes ''printing'' ..... some seem to think a slight bulge is printing. I don't think so.

Class ''printing'' in my book is if the outline of the piece is formed and thus makes it recognizeable as what it is. That I go to great lengths to avoid. Some pocket carry situations can lead to bad printing . plus sometimes the apparent ''pull'' due to weight.

My current carry .... either SP-101 or M28-2 ... is 4 o'clock OWB belt slide ... and now and again I know that the grips can lead to a slight showing ...... but that IMO is insignificant. There is however never a ''silhouette'' shape. THAT would be printing.

My wife and I called round to the local state police barracks coupla weeks ago ... to furnish some info they needed on a case. We sat chatting to a guy for some while and I'd lay odds he would NEVER have known I was packing.. or any of the others we passed inside either.

I was at a model plane flea market a week ago and same there ... only time I might have been made was when I stopped to speak to someone I knew, they brushed against the piece ... and may have put 2 and 2 together .. but no biggie there!

I do believe ''concealed is concealed'' .... but that means no one can identify what is on your person, let alone know it is there.

 

[Ben Shepherd]

The CCW laws where I live make open carry legal when you have your permit. And I do it occasionally. I've been watched closely for a while, but never been hassled.

The places that would cause a stink, I try to keep the gun covered up, watch how I move, reach for things, etc. To date so far as I know, no one has "made" me while I was concealing the gun.

One guy I made was obviously new to the ranks of CCW: Here I sit in a booth at a resturant, when a guy across the isle leans back against the bench with a loud CLUNK!!! Now folks, I know the sound of a pistol butt slamming into solid wood, and that was it. He looked around like the cat caught with the canary, and I just gave him that "you know that I know" smile and went back to eating. After he looked around a minute longer and figured out no one else had noticed, and I didn't care, he went back to eating.

 

[cratz2]

Hrmm... I can honestly say that I've never really given it much thought. I figure as long as folks can't directly see the gun itself, it's concealed. I figure if a very knowledgable gun person sees me and can't identify the make and model I'm carrying, it's concealed.

Of course, this would preclude carrying an N frame while wearing spandex pants and a tanktop.

Honestly, I've always been more concerned with being able to carry comfortably.

 

[sturmruger]

I usually carry in MN so I don't worry too much about printing or people seeing my gun. MN issues a "carry permit" not a "concealed weapond permit" the law doesn't care if you want to carry openly. I choose not to open carry but if the occasional sheep sees my gun, oh well.

 

[Flashpoint]

When I first started carrying I was a little paranoid, but after carrying for a couple of years I don't worry about it anymore. I have learned that with the right shirt just about anything can be concealed. I try to steer clear of the more torso hugging shirts if I'm going to be packing, I reserve those for school because I can't carry on campus anyway. I'll also echo what has already been said; most people would never notice a bulge or a print.

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

I've had someone who knew me stop me for printing and tell me they could see the gun. I was carrying a gun but it turns out what the spotted was my cell phone which was clipped to the outside of my pocket and bulged a bit under the shirt. The gun was on the other side.

1) I generally don't think people are all that observant to begin with

2) People carry so much clipped to their belts nowadays (pagers, cellphones, PDAs) that even when they do notice something odd they are less likely to think "gun" as the first answer.

 

[Chupacabra]

One guy I made was obviously new to the ranks of CCW: Here I sit in a booth at a resturant, when a guy across the isle leans back against the bench with a loud CLUNK!!!

That happened to me one time. I was sitting down in a metal chair and the grip of my 1911 came in contact with it. The sound of metal on metal filled the dining area. I was super embarrased but no one noticed. 99% of folks out there won't put two and two together unless they see the gun.

 

[sm]

Me worry - Nope.
<turns around> what gun? Jeans , tucked in LLBean Flannel shirt and tennis shoes.

<points> now that photo vest looks out of place, fanny pack too. Oh that "I brake for Iwannacoolgunvirus" T shirt looks suspicious....eww , eww I know - it's a mall ninja.

I'm in the South, "Ya'll ain't from around these parts" not just for foreigner or Yankees...we do that at little league games and back yard BBQ's...City vs country folk, b/t counties in state, amongst kinfolk , and don't get me started on the Goody two shoes hugging trees and eating tofu at some colleges.

I park off campus with the other trucks...ones with spent cases and hulls in the truck bed...RC and moonpie wrappers...BBQ stained napkins...I park next to fella with the "If it flies - it dies" and "Goat Ropers need lovin' too" bumper sticker.

I have no stickers , got a hang tag...somewhere...what - I'm supposed to use it...

What guns?

 

[sturmruger]

I was at a movie last night with my wife when I put my leg up on the chair in front of me. Out fell my S40 mag loaded with 10 rounds of JHP!! It made a hell of clank and scared the crap out of me!!!! No one noticed.

 

[Mr. Mysterious]

I was at a movie last night with my wife when I put my leg up on the chair in front of me. Out fell my S40 mag loaded with 10 rounds of JHP!! It made a hell of clank and scared the crap out of me!!!! No one noticed.

Spare mag or the one from the your piece?

 

[manwithoutahome]

Topgun,

Actually, the fanny pack is GREAT! as a distractor. I carry IWB at 4:25 strong side. I also use a fanny pack (this will stray the topic abit but the fanny pack is used to house wallet, cell, checkbook. The reason is that I used to have really bad back problems. Doc told me to not wear my wallet or anything in my back pockets. It worked, no more back problems) and the people who know me thought "Hey, I know where your gun is at". I say, "oh really, were?" , them, "In your fanny pack. We could tell a mile away" (was always said with SEG's on their faces".

Until I take it off and let them "hold" the pack. Hey they all said, it's kinda light, what type of gun is this light? I tell them to "open the secret compartment" of which they do. Inside is the receipts and other stuff that I'd thrown in it during the day .

M

 

[AJ Dual]

You can get away with fanny pack carry, but you have to be the kind of person that is normally seen wearing a fanny pack.

- A butch lesbian.

- A retiree with maroon slacks, powder blue sportcoat, and a teal polo shirt etc.

- Obvious tourist.

- Hiking/Camping.

Untill he died this Feburary, my granfather's preferred method of carry was a Galati rip-away fanny pack and a S&W mod. 66 snubbie. Something as unfashionable as a fanny pack probably didn't bat an eye on an 80+ y.o. retiree going about his business in the Las Vegas metro.

 

[ksnecktieman]

Does anyone know where I can get a bargain on some teal polo shirts? I guess I know why my concealment has been failing

 

[Rickstir]

This is a great thread for me. I am in the delightful delema of trying to come up with a good carry option. In MO we are about there. I have my app in for MO and FL. First come first served!

I have a Beretta 92 FS and a Taurus 650 CIA 2" .357. I don't want a "box full of holsters" like I see so many people write about. Rather buy guns than holsters

I have a pretty pear shaped figure (I'm working on it dear). So the 92 will be a challanged, kind of why I picked up the 650. I bought an Uncle Mike's little strip thingy, really just a couple of belt loops and a strap. The 650 fits real well, although the no hammer thing is a bit of a problem. Guy in the gun store suggest this little 11.00 piece of nylon would teach me about this type of carry, if I liked it I could move up to leather. Used it the first time this weekend and it went really well. I have to carry open now and that went just fine with a tee-shirt (Orange County Chopper no less!) tucked in. Compared to the Beretta, I didn't even know the Taurus was on my belt. I had to work with the cell phone holder a little bit and span a belt loop, but it was just fine. I could see concealing with the proper over garment. I think I will wait for fall and colder weather before I tackle the Beretta in an IWB. But this is the fun part......

 

[entropy]

I was raised by a cop and taught to 'make' CCW's as a game when I was a kid. Funniest one I ever spotted was in the gun shop I worked at.
Scene: Minnesota, 1989(before shall issue. In the Twin Cities, where this was, it was almost impossible to get a carry permit.) Guy walks in, about 5'6" tall, wearing a softball jacket looking like he has a giant tumor under his left armpit. He looks at the used gun rack. I sidle up next to his left side, my left arm at the ready to pull his piece out before he can.... I comment "You'd better have either a carry permit on you , or a badge." His answer; "Oh, you noticed? Yeah, here's my permit" Shows me his permit from Pine County, which is about 80 miles north of the Twin Cities. Says the sheriff told him to apply for the carry permit as long as he was applying for a purchase permit, it was the same paperwork as far as he was concerned. Turns out the guy was carrying a 5 1/2" Ruger Redhawk .44 Mag! I made a few suggestions; first that although He and I knew that his permit was good statewide, the local po-po's for the most part didn't, and it just wasn't worth the trouble;jail, bail, etc. Second, nothing against the Redhawk, I had one too(at the time; I later sold it:banghead: ), I'd suggest maybe a GP-100 or SP101 for carry in the Cities, they'd be a tad less noticeable!
The cops were usually impressed when I'd 'make' them, often it led to a sold Model 60, or Glock 19.
I've used this little number made out of 550 cord to carry all sorts of handguns, including M1911A1's and M9's (92FS):

 

[armoredman]

I could open carry with a white shirt that says "Hello, My name is Chris and I am currently carrying a fully loaded .45 caliber semi automatic handgun. Have a nice day!" emblazoned in road hazard orange letters and still most people would be clueless.

When open carry was all we had, I wanted to get a t-shirt that read...
YES, it's real!
YES, it's loaded!
NO! I'm not psychotic!



I know an officer who uses a fanny pack, but she'll learn....I hope!

 

[Mr. Mysterious]

I sidle up next to his left side, my left arm at the ready to pull his piece out before he can....

I hope that you were not really going to pull it out.

 

[pwrtool45]

Absolutely mortified.

Most recently I made a gentleman carrying a compact auto IWB at 4:00-4:30 less than a week ago. He spent a not insubstantial amount of time with his back to me, so had I been a BG looking to take advantage of the situation instead of a fine, upstanding GG he would have been at an immediate twofold disadvantage-- the opponent knowing where his gun was and being required to react instead of the act. All in all, not a good way to fight.

In cases where someone may or may not know you're armed, it's good to keep them guessing as to the specficis. "Yeah, I'm carrying. But the real question is how many and where?"

 

[Red_SC]

Last Thursday, I was visiting people for church with a friend, and felt like my clothes were making me print. When we got back in my truck, I made a comment about it showing too much for what we were doing and took the gun out. He just gave me an amazed look and said, "I didn't even know you were carrying."

 

[strambo]

I'm very good about not printing in public (I hope) and no one has "made" me (to my knowledge) since I started carryin' in '95.

I don't know what to do around my in-laws though. My father in-law assumes I'm always packin' so no prob there, but his new wife is kinda huggy and I try to go arms low but that doesn't always work and her arm hits the gun. Same for my mother in-law and my brother in-laws new wife. I don't know whether to keep ignoring it and trying to keep them from in-advertant contact, or just say "look I pack heat!" so they don't make a scene in public some time at an in-opportune moment. They aren't anti (I'm not sure about brother in-laws new wife) I just don't want one to say "whats that a gun?" out loud in public some day!

 

[LynnMassGuy]

I wear a model 36 in a Bianchi Shadow II or in a Uncle Mike's tuckable with a loose black T-shirt or polo shirt to work. I'm sure if someone knew what they were looking for they may be able to see it but I don't believe anyone has. I always try to wear dark colored shirts because they seem to print less.

John

 

[roo_ster]

IWB holsters and baggy, long shirts are your friend. Especially LOUD Hawaiian shirts. Fugly print of the shirt helps to conceal any embarassing bulges.