Excuse Me, But Your CCW.....Isnt

This came up in another forum thought I'd ask the same question here. Given situation: You're in Wal-Wart ( why does all the good stuff happen at Wal-Mart?) and you notice that a fellow shopper's cover garmet has slip or their CCW is otherwise exposed. This is a complete stranger. Would you approach them? How would you react if you were so approached? The thread I originally read this from offers the option of asking for the persons CHP( yeah, right.....NOT!) or dialing 911.I personally see those as ridiculous options, so I chose not to include them. personally I wouldn't involve myself, because I know how I'd react if I complete stranger walked up to me out of no where and started talking about my gun. What's your opinion?

I live in Georgia where the Georgia Firearms License allows open carry or concealed carry wherever it's legal to possess a handgun.

If I see somebody carrying and it's clear that he's carrying open or semi-concealed, then it's no big deal. If I see somebody who clearly intends to be concealed but is "showing," like if the cuff of his pants leg has revealed his ankle holster or if his shirt got caught on his tuckable, I might find a friendly way to offer him a GeorgiaCarry.org card because I noticed that he was exercising his 2A right.

I'd ignore it.

Open carry is legal and acceptable around here, and I've got no way of knowing if their exposure is accidental or deliberate. There's no reason for me to assume there's a problem.

I've OC'd in Wal-Mart myself on countless occasions, and have seen plenty of others do the same. It has never become an issue.

If OC was illegal, I might point out the stranger's exposure out of courtesy, but I wouldn't make an issue of it - it's not my job to enforce dumb laws.

Well, to be clear... OC for permit holders is LEGAL in Georgia, but the attitude toward it can be very hostile in my area. Even though we can legally OC here, many permit holders CC to avoid getting tazered, wrongfully arrested, or hassled all the time.

That's why I might find a way to tell a fellow GFL holder if it looks like he's unintentionally showing his carry pistol.

Well, to be clear... OC for permit holders is LEGAL in Georgia, but the attitude toward it can be very hostile in my area. Even though we can legally OC here, many permit holders CC to avoid getting tazered, wrongfully arrested, or hassled all the time.

That's why I might find a way to tell a fellow GFL holder if it looks like he's unintentionally showing his carry pistol.


We live in the same area.

I open carry often in the City and it has never been a problem.

Norm, I don't really live in Atlanta. I live in Gwinnett County. Still metro-Atlanta, but it's the suburbs.

It's a crap shoot out here. You can OC all day without incident on Monday, then Tuesday the cop in Kroger can have you disarmed "for his safety" while he escorts you out of the store. The attitude of the public and LE toward open carry (and carry in general) is really spotty in the metro-ATL area. The GeorgiaPacking.org forums are full of both positive and negative OC experiences. The biggest problem is that the LEOs around here aren't all aware of the laws.

None of your business.

None of your business.


Maybe, 12131, be if should run into you some time and see your vest is hung up above your exposed gun --I'll still give you the courtesty of letting you know--and would thank you if you ever did the same for me-even if it wasn't any of your business.

None of your business.


Maybe, 12131, but if I should run into you some time and see your vest is (unknown to you) hung up above your exposed gun --I'll still give you the courtesty of letting you know--and would thank you if you ever did the same for me---even if it wasn't any of your business.;)

Nnobby45
+1. In fact it once happened. I saw that a guy's t-shirt was tucked up under the grip of his gun, and i could see the bottom of his holster. I just approached him and said "excuse, me i hope you don't mind my telling you, but you're printing." and I pointed to his hip. he smiled, and thanked me, and shook my hand and we went our merry ways. I don't know if he was a cop or ordinary ccw, but still... it was very jovial.

I've told more than one accidentally exposed or badly printing stranger that they were doing so; all thanked me and quickly made the necessary ajustments.

I should add that I sized them up, first. Good guys they were.

Thankfully we have OC legality here in VA as well, so printing or 'exposure' is no problem. Doesn't matter, sometimes I think I'm the only one carrying in my area.

I would assume that saying "you're printing" is all it should take. If they're legal and/or the slightest bit aware of themselves, that should be all it should take. If they haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about, I would assume they don't know what they're doing, and keep going.

But this is only if I've sized them up and would feel comfortable doing so.

No, what if they don't have a CCW? What if they are planing on robbing that place in a few mins? You can not judge a book by its cover.

At this point all you know is the guy has a gun, and is trying to conceal it, nothing more.

I was told once in a nice manner that I was printing and didn't realize it. I appreciated the heads up and fixed the problem. I would do the same in kind.

I would as discreetly as possible let the person know. Out here in California, 3 types of people carry concealed . . . Law Enforcement, civilian with a permit and the undesireables. Before contact, you will be generally able to reasonably figure out which they fall under.
Its tough representing gun ownership out here, we try to uphold the proper image. :)

I thought this had already been established as a common courtesy.

For God's sake don't just let me walk around with my fly open, my shoe untied, or my CCW printing. (Especially the third one. If my concealment isn't working I may need to rethink how I'm doing it).

i had it happen to me when i was moving out of my last apartment, i had just put a box into the bed of my truck as someone drove by. i noticed the woman driving had a freakedout look on her face and i just chuckled not thinking i was printing.

her boyfriend i presume had her stop. he get out and waves me over. and kindly says "your firearm is printing" i thanked him and we both chuckled and went on our ways.

now it is open carry where i was and still live, but its concealed for a reason and if i was printing i would be thankful that someone let me know so some dumb butt person doesn't freak out and make a scene.

I noticed a guys holster showing at a hair cut place while he was in the chair, a while back. As he was walking out the door I quitely let him know. He very much appreciated it. Also you can do it in a way that does not alarm other people. For example "By the way your leather is showing". I find that would would well.

Arizona allows open carry, and concealed carry with a permit. If the firearm is exposed accidentally or inadvertently and it is clear the person is minding his/her own business, I will do the same and not say or do anything. Asking to see another person's permit? Definitely not. No one but a law enforcement officer has any right to see it. If the person is acting suspiciously in some manner, then I will retreat and call the police.

Should someone point out to me that my "slip" is showing, I will smile and nod in acknowledgement, keeping things discreet.

I would appreciate if I was told that I was showing, in a friendly way, and would assume that I could give the same courtesy to a fellow CCW holder in FL, should they be in a similar situation.

Open carry is legal in PA. I'd mind my own business.

I don't see it so much as an issue of legality as much of an issue of failing to accomplish concealment.

All an openm carrier has to do at that point is disregard.

I'll point it out politely and I'd appreciate the same even though I open carry sometimes.

I live in Los Angeles, California and my closest Wal-Mart is in Panorama City and doesn't sell ammo.

Pretty much no-one has a CCW permit here, so for me I'm going with the fact I've seen more gang members carrying than permit holders, and getting some sort of help. :)

Its nice to hear that there are still places in the US of A that it is legal for carry.

RFB

Not sure if it still is this way, but in Idaho if you were carrying in open it was OK and likewise if you were carrying concealed.

But, if you were carrying concealed and it became clear you were carrying it was a criminal offense. Cops in Idaho aren't jerks so it was unlikely to become an issue, but it was a technical violation.

In Arizona I don't care what I do. I've got a CWP license and open carry is the norm. No shades of gray.

I just worry about what I do at work. No particular rules for my employer, but I don't want to be the test case...

You know, I think I would just leave well enough alone. I am not going to walk up to some guy and tell him I "made" him, especially since so much breath is wasted on the horrors of being "made" to begin with. I am a big proponent of minding my own business, basically.

Also, and this is just my opinion, if you carry at work like Loop does, I strongly advise clearing it with your boss first. In public, I don't care about being "made" (I really hate that term, by the way), because I am not breaking any laws, and frankly if someone does see it and raise a stink, they are out of luck. At work though, you risk freaking everyone out unnecessarily, getting fired or any of a number of other consequences.

I'd want you to tell me if my "concealed" pistol was showing. Having an exposed weapon defeats the purpose.

I'd want you to tell me if my "concealed" pistol was showing. Having an exposed weapon defeats the purpose.

You can't shoot a BG with a visible gun? :rolleyes:

I meant the purpose of carrying concealed, not carrying in general. I don't want the rest of the world knowing that I am armed.

Besides, here in AZ(where open carry is legal without any sort of permit) you can get in trouble if you're attempting to conceal but still showing, if you get the wrong cop and/or judge. The open-carry laws here require that a weapon be plainly visible, enough so that the casual observer can tell pretty much at a glance that you are armed, according to "The Arizona Gun Owner's Guide".

Given such potential for hassle, I'd rather a friendly fellow citizen "catch" me than the wrong cop.

Since OC is de facto illegal in AL, I would want to know if I was printing. I see it as a common courtesy. While there is always the possibility of a negative reaction (such as getting shot by the bank robber you just addressed :eek:), I would think it remote.

"Dude... like your gun is show'n, dude."

Loud voice: "Hey, nice Smith and Wesson!"

Assuming I was reasonably sure it was a S&W of course.

Not quite OT, but I met a very nice old gentleman outside Borders last weekend and had a chat, during which I asked "Are you a shooter, sir?"

His eyes widened and he immediately patted the side of his jacket and apologised for showing; I apologised for worrying him and assured him that I hadn't seen anything - I'd simply noticed his instructor's belt and put 2 and 2 together.

Turns out he's a WWII vet who spent 4 years in the Pacific; I regretfully let him go to carry on his shopping, but I wish I'd asked for his contact-info to visit with him sometime - the stories he could have told :)

As I walked by a police car one fine sunny October afternoon, the police officer sittingin the passenger said to me: You Girdle is Showing. It only took a brief moment for me to realize what he meant. I covered it up told him I was an LEO and went on my way. Over the years since then, I have used that same line on a few people. I try to satisfy myself that they at least appear not to be criminals about to pounce before I say anything.

All the best,
Glenn B.

I've used the girdle line before! But I live in the SoCal OC, so you can usually tell. I wear mine in my coats and make sure to have a suitable enclosure. But I also go with CCD - Conceal, Camoflague, decoy (used to work stealth weapons). Having a little black beauty with dark colors goes a long way.
Anyways good luck
-bix

I think its about being subtle and polite. I would want someone to tell me. I try to be mindfull of it, but the more I carry the more comfortable I get and could forget its there. I agree with some of the others. I don't want anyone to know Im carrying. Hell half the time my wife doesn't know. Saturday evening she said why are you wearing your gun? I said because I can, I've had it on all day.

I would want to be told on the QT and would do the same to another, after observing them for a spell.

I would as discreetly as possible let the person know. Out here in California, 3 types of people carry concealed . . . Law Enforcement, civilian with a permit and the undesireables. Before contact, you will be generally able to reasonably figure out which they fall under.

I would want to be told on the QT and would do the same to another, after observing them for a spell.

Only after observing and determining that they are no threat (just as I) would I even consider saying a word. If I have any doubts, I'd keep my mouth shut. If their behavior sets off alarm bells, I'd consider calling the cops.

All depends on the situation.

Your fly is down = your piece is hanging out.

situational awareness and detailed oberservation and analysis of the person would determine my action

situational awareness and detailed oberservation and analysis of the person would determine my action
opps! sorry double post

A few months ago my buddy asked me if I was a printer. I asked why, and he said "you're printing". Adjusted accordingly. If I caught someone who was obviously intending to conceal, I'd let them know politely.

I can spot those IWB CCWers all the way across a store!

I must admit saying "Hello" to my fellow CCWers.

If it was a concealed carry only place, and it was clear they weren't aware it was visible, I'd tell em they were gonna scare grannies, or in some sort of lighthearted way, let them know.

I live in Los Angeles, California and my closest Wal-Mart is in Panorama City and doesn't sell ammo.

Pretty much no-one has a CCW permit here, so for me I'm going with the fact I've seen more gang members carrying than permit holders, and getting some sort of help.

Its nice to hear that there are still places in the US of A that it is legal for carry.

RFB
In this type of situation, I'd keep my mouth shut.
"Yo, homey, five-0 is gonna see your gat" ... no, I don't think so :P

As I live in California, if I saw someone carrying, the odds are that it's either a cop or a criminal.

If it's a cop, I don't want to talk to him... because my personal philosophy is that any day I can avoid dealing with Law Enforcement is a Good Day. No slight on them, I just dislike drawing attention to myself.

If it's a criminal, then I definitely don't want to talk to him, or be seen by him, or stay within a hundred yards of him for longer than it takes to flee unnoticed.

The bottom line is that, in my state, if somebody's carrying it's just bad news for me, and I bug out.

Also, there is a cultural difference here. In California, people generally ignore each other. Neighbors often never meet (I don't know who my neighbors are, but then again, I seem to have a new set every 3 months). Friendly conversation with strangers is vanishingly rare. If my fly were open, nobody would tell me; that's how it is here.

Sounds like myy kinda place :rolleyes:.

;)

I would size the person up, and if he didn't appear to be hinkey, I would as quietly, politely and unobtrusively as possible let him know. That's how I would want to be treated if it were happening to me. But I don't know that I would do that for everybody. It would depend a lot on my gut instincts.

Ah, it's not as bad as all that, Magnum. I wasn't complaining about the lack of interpersonal communication... I enjoy it. People leave me alone, I return the favor. One thing I found a bit off-putting living back East (Illinois, but still) was that my neighbors seemed to want to socialize. They were nice enough, but that didn't mean I wanted to necessarily be buddies or anything. In California, good fences really do make good neighbors (aside from the poem's ironic intention).

The gun laws suck, though, and I'm personally not a fan of hot weather, so I guess Cali's going 1 for 3 right now.

In Michigan we can't open carry nor can we carry at a sporting event,While at a hockey game I spotted a iwb assumed he was 50 and I let him know his cell phone was showing..He smiled and covered, no one else was any wiser to the situation...

I pocket carry a G30, and it prints like hell but it's never obvious what it is.

Is that a Glock in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?

A little of both. Seriously though, even people who carry have no idea where I'm carrying when I ask. Pocket carry, even with a glock 30 with slightly baggy pants (I'm just a big guy) is pretty easy. I wouldn't want to do it with nuthuggers, though.

If I was carrying and accedently showed, I would appreciate someone kindly letting let me know. It isn't legal to carry open here, so I could get in trouble if that happened to me.

If I felt it was safe, I would politely say something to someone if I saw it to help prevent trouble for him/her.

double

In my state it doesn't matter if your weapon is concealed or not. So, if I see someone printing, I'll ignore it. They're not breaking any laws and it's none of my business...

I would discretely say to the person that they're printing and quickly move on. I would want someone to quietly bring it to my attention under similar circumstances.



I open carry often in the City [of Atlanta] and it has never been a problem.

Just curious about the locations in the city in which you carry.

APD still won't willingly recognize the preemption clause of OCGA 16-11-173(a) in spite of being sued for infractions of that code. They seem to think local ordinances which they drafted long ago to curtail the rights of firearm license holders trump state statutes which specifically prohibit preemption. Kinda the same thing that went on in Cleveland last year (?) after Ohio law was rewritten. The local cops don't know statutory nor case firearm law and think all gun holders are criminals unless they have a badge. Bad juju to OC where I live, which on a map is just outside of downtown ATL.

You sure must have a big brass set.

Well in Colorado Open Carry is legal so I wouldn't call 911. If you know the person is trying to conceal it and not open carry it i would walk up to him and tell him that he's showing. After he checks his zipper he'll probably notice his handgun is exposed. That's when you give him a friendly wave and walk away.