My first CCW experience - wierd.

[dave3006]

I have been around guns my whole life and am an avid shooter. I have carried concealed on just a few occassions while backpacking in the wilderness. Carrying a gun concealed in public is something I have never done because of our draconian laws. I just received my CA CCW on Monday and things are different now.

I went to the a large local indoor mall today to do some Christmas shopping. I had my Glock 27 in a small, black Tommy's Gun Pack. Illogically, prior to going in, I think I half expected dozens of people to scream "gun" as I walked by. To my amazement, I did not notice ONE single person give me a second look. Not one. Thousands of people completely oblivious to me and my fannypack designed to hold a gun. Kind of amazing.

This will not be a surprize to those of you who have carried for years. However, a first venture out into the real (and gun unfriendly California) world is a real unique experience.

No one noticed. Wierd. In a good way.

 

[Tamara]

Folks just don't notice.

I carry a full-size steel 1911 with a magwell under a Shoot-Me-Vest every day, but people remain stubbornly unrecognizant.

 

[xjer]

I know what you mean. I just received my license on December 4th.
We went to the mall that night. I kept thinking someone was going to
yell "HES GOT A GUN" .
I have carried every day since. SP101 in front pocket.
Now finding the perfect holster battle starts.

Mike

 

[michiganfan]

congrats on your permit. been about a year and a half for me. nobody has ever noticed. not even my co workers that i am around all day. hell my wife and daughter nver notice.

 

[Perfesser]

I know just what you're saying...first time I carried in public was at an outdoor flea market; kept expecting that tap on the shoulder - I was carrying front waistband under a loose shirt. But as you said, no one notices. Texas law says 'concealed in a manner that would not be noticed by a person with normal power of observation' or words to that effect - so who decides if it's concealed enough?
SP101 (.357) with Winchester SXT .38+P's is a nice combination for daily wear.

 

[Bob F.]

Go ya' one better! Dropped a steel/compact 1911 in the mall last Christmas-bad shoulder holster/stuipdity. Picked it up, stuck it under my arm as if reholstering and went to find a rest room where I could work on el cheapo in some privacy. Not a problem. Wasn't anybody really close when it went clunk and this is a pretty gun-friendly area. Thank God!
Bob

 

[Logistar]

I remember when I went out into public the first time carrying concealed. Although I had been around guns all my life, I kinda felt like a criminal or something. I just KNEW somebody would notice and yell for the cops!

I went into the men's room to see if it was printing. I wasn't as far as I could tell. Somehow I just expected SOMEONE (I suppose with X-ray vision or something) to notice and have a SWAT team charge me.

I know how you feel. I think most of us kinda felt odd at first. Good news is that it passes quickly. And unless you are REALLY obvious with it... like you said... no one notices!

I have had a couple of friends get their license and I asked to go out with them the first time they carried. - Kinda fun to watch them be all nervous and paranoid!

Bob F. - not sure how that would have worked around here but glad it went OK for you. Although I no longer worry about anyone "noticing", I am still very paranoid about retention. (Dropped my gun from an "unsnapped" horizontal shoulder rig onto the hardwood floor. Thankfully there was no one around nor any damage to the gun!)

Logistar (Been there)

 

[DMK]

Yea, going out with a concealed weapon is weird the first time.

I acclimated myself by carrying a full size 1911 concealed at home while waiting for the application/approval process. Nobody in my family ever noticed, even during a huge family get together.

Still, going out among strangers was a little unnerving at first, you feel like everybody's watching you, but it's all in your mind. Most people just don't even notice things out side of their own thoughts and routine. I'd bet most folks couldn't even remember what color your shirt was two seconds after you talked to them.

Once you jump in with both feet, you get used to carrying pretty quick. Now, I almost forget about it.

 

[Pendragon]

People in CA are mostly oblivious - CCW is rare enough that it never occurs to most people and there are very few restrictions on where you can tote it.

 

[BerettaNut92]

The best way I can describe it is walking around with your fly down. You think everyone is watching. But your fly is located at 4:00 so you can't really check it.

 

[tetleyb]

Pendragon hit the hammer on the head. People walking around California with concealed weapons is not normal (unless they are crooks or cops). Here in good ole California, most people don't even think about CCW. Therefore, there isn't even a need to check.

 

[Sylvilagus Aquaticus]

I've had my CHL for over 2 years. I catch myself checking my 4-to-6 in mirrors or reflections all the time. AFAIK I've never been made, though. I do sometimes carry in a Galati fannypack worn slung right at 3 but I just call it my 'man purse' and keep guy-type things in the front end of it.

Congrats on becoming a responsible Citizen and carrying. You'll learn that some folks appreciate you doing it as much as you do yourself.


Regards,
Rabbit.

 

[c_yeager]

Its amazing what the average croud member will not notice. I bet you could carry openly on your belt with just a windbreaker for cover and get away with it (dont try it unless you have open carry though ) I think what gets most people "made" is attitude more than anything. Back when i first got into carrying i notice that i was a LOT mroe aware of the people around me. And i started to notice people that were carrying. For me the thing that always caught my attention wasnt so much SEEING a gun but, seeing the behavior of the person with it and what they were wearing. Seeing a guy checking his four o'clock frequently, or regularly brushing (checking) behind his strong side hip or wearing way more clothes than necessary (untucked shirt w/ jacket in the summer) tend to tip me off more than anything. I also noticed that i did the very same things untill i grew more comfortable with carrying. I think being "succesfully" concealed has more to do with how comfortable you are with your set-up than anything else.

 

[only1asterisk]

c_yeager is exacty right!

body language is the give away. They may not see your gun, but they can tell something is up from the way you fidget. Fortunately for us, most people don't have the awareness to notice. You're best chance for "getting made" is more likely the lady working loss prevention for WalMart than a cop.


David

 

[dave3006]

I reminds me of buying beer when you are 20 years old (I'm 41 now). The key to your success 25% how you look, 25% your attitude, and 25% how sharp the guy behind the counter is. The other 25% is just luck.

 

[TheOtherOne]

I carry a full-size steel 1911 with a magwell under a Shoot-Me-Vest every day, but people remain stubbornly unrecognizant.

My CCW instructor told us to stay away from "Shoot me first vests" and "Shoot me first packs". He said he could always pick out those packing, but now that I think about it the only ones that are really ever going to notice or even be suspicious are the uber gun nuts and then you don't have to worry about them in the first place anyways.

 

[El Tejon]

Mmmm, a very small percentage of the bgs know what they are. The sheople have no clue.

Dave, not so wierd, just usual. The few times that I've open carried around here I hardly get a glance.

 

[sctman800]

Shoot Me First?

Can someone help me out here, I don't consider myself a sheople but I haven't a clue what this is. Jim.

 

[TheOtherOne]

Shoot Me First Vests

Someone else can probably explain it better, but as I was told if you're a bad guy and looking to rob a store you'll want to take out the biggest threats first and those that appear to have guns would be your first victims.

 

[Oracle]

I believe they are talking about the ubiquitous "photographer's vest" that many CCW'ers have taken to wearing as a cover garment, especially in hot weather. The Royal Robbins 5.11 vest is a good example. You can often see various gunwriters wearing one in the gun rags, Massad Ayoob seems to be wearing one in every other photograph I've seen of him.

 

[capt_happypants]

During the summer, I usually wear a Sig P228 in an OWB holster when I work at Blast-O-Rama. On occasion, I'll need to go down to the mailbox across the street. Even though the neighborhood has a lot of car traffic, I've never been questioned or stopped by the sheeple* - most of them suffer from severe cranial-rectal inversion.



*Sheeple (noun) - an overly domesticated strain of Homo Sapiens. Common traits include an unreasonable fear of weapons, a strong desire to be protected to the state, and the ability to whine for extended periods of time.

 

[TonyB]

You'll get used to it.....the only weird time is trying to find a place to put your carry gun when using public bathrooms(for a sit down job)........but people in general are clueless...especially around Christmas.....like they have blinders on(lucky for us)...
A good holster and belt make all the difference......if your gun stays put you don't have to fidgit with it a whole lot.IMO

 

[Wedge]

I like to look at people and see who is carrying. Unfortunately, living in NY not a lot of people tend to carry so I have slim pickens for observing. With that said, only gun people tend to look and notice other gun people. I tend to not carry except when I am going camping/hiking/work on the property because my piece is not very concealment friendly (5.5" Ruger Blackhawk, .45 Colt) but a quick flannel shirt does more than enough to cover up my shoulder holster.

If it wasn't breaking the law in NY (and I had the training for it) I would like to open carry at a mall just as an experiment. I bet that 98% of the people would ignore you and the other 2% would ask what sort of gun it was and if you got a good deal!

 

[Hot brass]

dave3006

I also carry in a Tommy fannypack, 1911 or a P14, both are 45acp. The only time I have been made was at the local shooting range. A rent-a-cop came over to talk gun. I had my fanny pack on. He asked if I was PD? NO. Sherriff? NO. What cha carryin? What? I said what cha carryin? What? He turned and walked away.

I mostly carry in the Tommy, or a Sparks VMII.

PS, congrats on the CCW

 

[P95Carry]

The feeling of ''obviousness'' is probably the strongest impression in early days .... but as everyone comments .. really, the average Joe is just not that aware to see things ..... plus, the ubiquitous cell phone bulge etc is another common factor people are used to.

Even so - I do still find a measure of the ''obviousness'' feeling even now ..... but channelled more now into just a careful alertness to my concealment. Plus, having developed ways to check which will not bring attention.

Last night, wife and I went to my son's FIL surprise 60th b'day party ..... I wanted to be discrete of course and even thought perhaps the Smart Carry would be #1 choice. In the end because pretty cold ... used thin shirt over t-shirt and kept the regular pancake hi-ride with SP .. but more to 3.30 then 4.30 so that right arm was a better ''shield''.

Only prob remaining was the coupla times at close quarters ... people squeezin by or a ''hug situation'' ... but .... I know I was not made. Even my wife I think forgot to check me as she often does .... but she is totally used to it anyways.

I think the ''mall situation'' is perhaps the one above all where because of being often surrounded by large numbers of people ... you can feel much more obvious.

But hey .. carry with care and responsibility ... and remember you are a societal asset!