Is the Surefire light a dead giveaway?

[tdow]

I carry a surefire E2 in my left front pocket with the clip out. I get the feeling sometimes that this "marks" me as a carrier of a concealed pistol. I'm not too worried about it, I think its kind of funny. If you were to see someone with a Surefire light, would it be obvious to you that they were "packin"?;)

--tdow

[XLMiguel]

I might think you were the a/c repair man (nah, most service techs carry AA Maglites-).

Seriously, I think a serious folding knife clipped & visible is more suggestive of someone with a CWP than a light. I don't think the public at large asociates flashlights with guns, nor do I think they would recognize a 'professional grade' light as anything special. JMHO.

[mdwest]

probably only a dead give away to another "defense" oriented person.

your typical thug doesnt carry a flashlight, read SWAT Magazine, or surf The High Road...

most of the sheeple probably dont know what a surefire is since it isnt sold at Wal-Mart.

Stay Safe and Win at All Costs!
Dave West
www.legionconsulting.com

[El Tejon]

Yes, if one is paying attention and knows how to read the signs. It's a totem of the gun culture, like a clippy knife. It marks you as one of us!:D

[Shawn Dodson]

I carry an E2 for work, mostly, because I crawl around in confined, poorly lit spaces aboard submarines.

[TheeBadOne]

I love that baggy and now even cago pants (even in jean styles) have come into vogue. I can carry a lot of stuff (knife/light/gun) without standing out.

[Schmit]

Mitch Rosen Speir Off Side (SOS)(Extra Magizine & Surfire Holster) on left hip and Ayoob Rear Guard with 1911 on behind right hip. One of a few different knives with clippy in front pocket.

Large untucked T-Shirt or Polo cover.

Who? Me! Carrying? Naaaaaaa :D

[Betty]

-giggle-

A few years ago, while working in my dad's store, I was eyeballing this customer who was leaning over the counter with his back turned to me. He had the clippy knife, a walkie-talkie, handcuffs, and other gunnie doo-dads. I didn't know if he was a cop, security, or other, since he was in plainclothes. I was trying to find the gun, but his left side was hidden to me. So here I was scrutinizing this guy's waistline, not realizing that he had turned his head and was grinning at me.

"That your sister?" he asked my brother, grinning from ear to ear.

I think I turned this color red ---> :evil: because he thought I was admiring his posterior..... :o

A couple of years later, he ended up being my baton instructor, and he always has this, "You're the chick who was staring at my butt" grin whenever he sees me.

[El Tejon]

runt, that's odd, I use that excuse in bars all the time. I get a lot of beer thrown on me by angry young & nubile.:D

[CWL]

I think what would really give you away to any BGs is your state of alertness, not any doo-dads that might on your person.

If you are always in 'condition yellow' and aware of your surroundings, most BGs will sense this and move on to find better pickin's.

Even if you were strapped with sixguns but were totally oblivious to what was happening around you, you'd still stand out as a target.

Ultimately, it isn't what you are carrying, but how you are using your brain that people will zone-in on.

[Erick Gelhaus]

CWL-
I think you're definately on target with your first sentence there.

Erick

[Skunkabilly]

I saw a guy who was dressed like this at Target:

http://www.skunkabilly.com/images/tactical_poser.jpg

Except he had black pants instead of khaki +3 tactical points, and had a Wilderness belt which scored +2 tactical points over my elephant pimp gunbelt.

I he had his shirt tucked smartly in, but no gun.

But still, I probably thought this guy was 'in the know' and/or a tactical poser. Heck, I thought he was a TFL member!

[krept]

WAY too funny...

Ultimately, it isn't what you are carrying, but how you are using your brain that people will zone-in on.

Amen.

If you are worried about people knowing you are carrying, they will pick up on your worry. Moreso, it's easier to pick up on peoples vibes than what they are carrying as Runt found out :D

When a person acts nervous, shifty or has a bad attitude, I start looking for weapons.

[Double Naught Spy]

Wow, all these ancillary paranoia threads. Does your mail give you away? Does your Surefire light give you away?

Of course the real question is, who would a flashlight give you away to? Is the two-bit street mugger going to associate a Surefire with carrying a gun? How about the prostitute, office spree killer, rapist, etc.? Just how many non-gun carrying people do you think recognize particular brands of tools like flashlights and then directly associate them with gun carrying? Heck, most normal folks don't even know the difference between regular fanny packs and those designed to carry guns. They don't know what a wilderness belt is, what Royal Robins pants are, and see Camelbaks on sports TV being worn by folks to do crazy stuff like running marathons, but they would not recognize the Camelbak name.

Usually what tends to give people away are poorly concealed guns, wearing a shirt that is a name brand of a gun maker or one of those stupid "Kill them all and let God sort them out" shirt, or the cop wannabes and some cops who find it necessary to wear clothing that identifies them as a cop when they are off duty.

[Preacherman]

If you are worried about people knowing you are carrying, they will pick up on your worry. Moreso, it's easier to pick up on peoples vibes than what they are carrying as Runt found out

When a person acts nervous, shifty or has a bad attitude, I start looking for weapons.Why on earth would I be worried about people knowing I'm carrying? When I'm armed, I'm usually feeling at peace with the world, confident that I can handle any trouble that's likely to arise, and walking briskly with my head up. I agree that BG's don't like that kind of attitude! On the other hand, you probably wouldn't be looking for weapons on me, as I don't fit the "profile". I like it! :D

[krept]

Exactly...

the only reasons I can think of is a) they are CCWing in a place where their rights have been neutered or b) they are worried about being hassled by the ignorant ("bobby! go tell the soccer team to get in the SUV, I'm calling the police to report an armed man on the loose!").