One off Concealed Carry Stories

This happened one night at a diner to a friend who was a federal officer, department immaterial. This was back in the day of fanny packs, which most people wore in front as some kind of belted man purse. Anyway, his was for carrying concealed and was set up so that the front bag part was "hinged" by a seam at the bottom and velcro closed at the top so that it could be popped open and gun accessed. He wasn't slim and sliding into the booth he happened to pop the thing open and the gun fell to the floor. He retrieved it and had his creds out to show anyone curious that he was, indeed, a LEO.
Next time I saw him the bag was gone and an IWB holster nestled his gun snugly.

I was out walking in the days shortly following my return to carrying, and didn't always carry. This day, I'd chosen to carry only my folding knife, which was in a belt pouch.

A large dog broke from its owner's property and charged me. I went for the knife as the dog's owner quickly called it back. The dog was quick to comply, and it was fortunate for me that it did, as the spare magazine for a Bersa Thunder 380 would likely not have been much use against it.

I had donned the wrong belt pouch.

SCMikeyP said:

Yikes, I live in Cinci area too, so hopefully I don't run into that cop... I can't understand for the life of me why introducing a firearm into a situation where it would otherwise go untouched is a smart idea. I can't imagine anyone who intended to do harm to a police officer would announce to them upfront that they a gun...

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I've actually been told twice by State Troopers to remove my firearm, once I was told to place it on the passenger side dash and the other time on the passenger seat next to me. At least the second time the trooper was pretty chill and didn't act like he was ready to shoot me. I agree though, it seems odd and is the opposite of a safe practice. Removing the "duty to inform" law keeps coming up from time to time in our state legislature (it's being considered in the House right now). I hope eventually it passes.

Several years ago in a Tulsa OK motel parking lot, 6 AM and I am loading suitcases. I was approached by a large man in what looked like clothes he had slept in for many nights. Just starting to get light. He ask for money as he walked briskly toward me. I put my hand in my pocket and found the grip of my J frame Smith & Wesson.
Very comforting, and I told this guy “I got nothing for you”. He must have made a good guess because he immediately turned and walked away. Glad I didn’t have to make a life and death decision (his, not mine).

Pier fishing last Sunday with a coworker.

Several stingrays had been pulled in while we were there, most of which were tossed back because nobody wanted to keep them.

Finally someone pulled one in small enough to actually fit in our cooler, so my buddy (in response to the obligatory "anybody want this" question between fishmen) said "I'll take it!"

He cut the barb off the tail, then staked the ray to the pier next to the cooler with his fishing knife right between the eyes. Then went back to fishing while waiting for the ray to quit flipping around enough to stuff it into the cooler.

A few minutes later, he looks over and notes "he ain't dead yet!"

I looked at him and said "how dead do you want him to be?"

He looked at me.

I looked at him.

He smiled.

"How dead are we talking here?"

I smiled.

"230 grains JHP times 8 not counting the reload."

I looked at my waist and said "I didn't even notice!"

I said "Can't be too careful...one of these buggers killed the Crocodile Hunter, you know!"

In the interest of preventing a panic (and an arrest), we decided to let the knife do its work!

bassjam said:

I've actually been told twice by State Troopers to remove my firearm, once I was told to place it on the passenger side dash and the other time on the passenger seat next to me. At least the second time the trooper was pretty chill and didn't act like he was ready to shoot me. I agree though, it seems odd and is the opposite of a safe practice. Removing the "duty to inform" law keeps coming up from time to time in our state legislature (it's being considered in the House right now). I hope eventually it passes.

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,
Got pulled over in HICKORY N,C. bringing my 79 yr old mom from a doctors apt.,her car expired tags . Informed officer I had TN.permit and was armed ,he just said don't show me yours and I wont show you mine .

Tallball said:

A couple of weeks ago I was driving cross-country with an old college friend (we are in our 50's now).

He has lived in NYC for a long time and is somewhat in favor of gun control; we don't really talk about it. We are more like cousins than just merely friends, so we don't let things like that come between us.

Towards the end of the trip he said something to the effect that he doesn't really understand how people can carry handguns around all of the time. He's not used to them and he felt that it would would be kind of scary.

I just kind of shrugged. It never occurred to him that I might be carrying, and I thought it would be easier just not to mention it. Those micro 380's are extremely unobtrusive.

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Reminds me of sitting in a restaurant with mother in law as she went off on something, a library I think, removing their "no guns" sign and how she just couldn't feel safe going to a place that allowed guns like that.

Meanwhile I'm nodding and grunting in all the right places, perfectly legally concealing a .45 not 4 feet away. To my knowledge she's never yet noticed I carry nearly the entire time I ever interact with her.

Several years ago, I was riding down the North Shore of Lake Superior towards Duluth on highway 61. Anyone who has been on this route knows it is almost always cooler by the lake. Anyways, I decided to take one of my scenic routes back home up north, but needed gas to get home. Better get it here, so I pulled into a station with my Harley on top of the hill, maybe close to Hermantown.. Gosh, I am warm. Will not need my jacket for the ride north.Got off my bike, and as I pulled my jacket off my micro Desert Eagle flew out of the inside chest pocket, skidding on the ground on on the other side of my bike right towards a Minnesota State Trooper fueling up his squad!. Am so accustomed to having this pistol in the heavy jacket, secured that I forgot about it. (Obviously, not secure)This gas station was busy at the time, I could feel the embarrassment in my face, (blushing, even at this age) but either the Trooper did not see it (hard to believe) or did not care. I know others saw it and/or heard it hit the ground. Walked around my HD as if nothing had happened to pick up the .380 and did so. Ended up paying at the pump with the magical credit card and went on my merry way!

I had posted this a while back.

I was “made” a few years ago by the computer at a Sleep Number mattress store. I had injured my back and at the recommendation of a friend I went to buy a Sleep Number bed. I assumed it would be similar to any other mattress store, where you lay on the mattress and if it’s comfortable, you buy it. At this store, as part of their sales process they have you lie on a mattress which is connected to a computer. The computer’s screen shows your body’s profile, and any body part that’s putting excess pressure on the mattress is red in color. As they adjust your sleep number to relieve that pressure, it fades from red to blue. When lying on my back, it worked fine, with the salesman adjusting my sleep number until all red areas were gone. He then asked me to lay on my side. I couldn’t lay on my left side, as I was carrying IWB on my right side and was sure he’d see the gun, so I turned to lay on my right side. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t get the red area caused by my gun pressing into the mattress to disappear. He became increasingly flustered, assuring me I’d be happy with the mattress even though he couldn’t find my “sleep number”, having no idea why he couldn’t get that red area to disappear. I bought the mattress, with him mumbling as he was putting the paperwork together about having someone come out to fix the glitch in the computer. I felt bad not telling him his computer was working fine, but telling someone you have a gun is almost never taken the right way.

JoeHenry said:

Several years ago in a Tulsa OK motel parking lot, 6 AM and I am loading suitcases. I was approached by a large man in what looked like clothes he had slept in for many nights. Just starting to get light. He ask for money as he walked briskly toward me. I put my hand in my pocket and found the grip of my J frame Smith & Wesson.
Very comforting, and I told this guy “I got nothing for you”. He must have made a good guess because he immediately turned and walked away. Glad I didn’t have to make a life and death decision (his, not mine).

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If you had to explain your actions to a police officer could you? Can you articulate a specific action on the part of the panhandler that would cause any reasonable person to assume that they were in danger of losing their life or suffering extreme bodily harm?

At a time in my life when I was carrying more on an as needed basis than an all the time basis, in leaving for a trip for work, I grabbed one of several ammo cans, and one of several cases of pistols, thinking more about whether I might want to go shooting at some point, than whether I might need a CCW. Several days later, I found myself near a delivery site, needing to scout a sketchy area at night, to make sure there would be room to maneuver. I opened my cases, and found that of several pistols, and several calibers of ammunition, the only ammunition that fit any of the pistols was some cowboy .44 Spec, which fit a 7.5" Super Blackhawk. No holster for it, either. Sticking the barrel down the beast pocket of my leather jacket, and praying "Dear Lord, please let me not have to shoot anyone. I do NOT want to have to explain this," I headed out.

A couple, here.
The scary one: I was heading to lunch at my retail job. Worked near the theater. No uniform at the time, but obviously I couldn't carry, what with having to tie on an apron and carry a scanner and radio on my belt.
Walking down with my hands in my pockets, a guy about my age, not well off but obviously not homeless, starts walking my direction.
"Hey man, I need to catch the bus. Have any change?"
"Sorry, I don't have anything on me."
"Nah, man, I just need a little money."
"Yeah, sorry. Nothing on me." I start feeling in my pocket about then.
He, however, squared his shoulders and headed directly at me.
"You don't get it. I need some cash."
Click. He stopped, looked at me thoughtfully for a second, and decided to turn around and walk off without a word.
I had bluffed him off by popping the clip on my pen.
Told the cop that parked next to the theater and got lunch. Clocked back into work before it hit me.

My first CCW, I got the cheapest holster I could find, dumb young man that I was. Grabbing a few things at Walgreens, just walking, it turned and my pistol went scooting down my pants leg. Slipped to the bathroom, with the pistol wedging itself in my sock, to resettle things. That gun's gone now, and that holster was in the trash ASAP.

The funnier one: After the same retail job as the first, I spent the evening doing metalwork in my garage. My cell phone rang, and after the seventh ten-hour day in a row with a radio clipped at my 4-o-clock, I reached back to grab it out of habit. I had the butt of my CZ at shoulder height before I decided that was all kinds of stupid and fished my phone from my pocket.

Mine is short and sweet. Shortly after I started carrying concealed I was getting dressed to go out shopping. I walked over to my dresser, opened that one special drawer, took out my belt holster, threaded my belt through the appropriate belt loops and the holster, snugged up the belt, adjusted the holster, grabbed my clip-on mag holster and adjusted that, donned my cover shirt, did a quick check in the mirror to make sure everything was covered and headed out the door........without putting my pistol in the holster.

While making a visit to the doctor he checked circulation on my lower leg by raising pants leg and squeezing my leg, right leg no problem, left leg had a 5 shot 38, 1 yr later same doctor he ask if it was safe to check my legs I smiled and said sure then he showed me his leg with a small semi attached , then I showed my shield45 in the bib of my overalls.

ric jackson said:

,
Got pulled over in HICKORY N,C. bringing my 79 yr old mom from a doctors apt.,her car expired tags . Informed officer I had TN.permit and was armed ,he just said don't show me yours and I wont show you mine .

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This has nothing to do with you but that is the most asinine thing I have ever heard a cop say and the worst part is so many of them seem to say it.

I'm really glad that none of them have said it to me yet because I could totally see myself looking at him and asking him if he knows how stupid that sounds

OK, I've got one I challenge anybody here to top!

NOT really a concealed carry story, though the are plenty of people who seem to think vehicle carry of any kind qualifies.

A few years ago, I built a 2/3 scale replica of a 24 pound cannon off the USS Constitution. That puts the barrel at close to 6 feet long.

It's a carbide cannon, using calcium carbide to generate acetylene gas, which is then ignited using gas grill igniters. The project was related to the upcoming July 4th celebration that year as something for my kids (and me) to play with.

Now, this is made from PVC pipe and foam insulation sheets with the intent that this LOOK like the real thing... not PVC painted black. Standing next to it without touching it you'd swear it was the real deal.

You can see it being test fired in the video below to see what I mean.

Anyway, I had finished the work on the barrel and had gone to my oldest brother's house to work on the carraige in his shop. Way late Sunday night/early Monday morning, I had packed everything back in my car for the trip back.

The passenger seat next to me was fully reclined and the 6 foot long cannon barrel was laying across it, pointing over the back seat and into the back window.

About 2 a.m., I get pulled over by a Virginia State Trooper...I was tired and had drifted across the lane lines.

The lady trooper comes up to my door, tells me she pulled me over because I had drifted across the lines a couple times and asked me if I'd been drinking or smoking something I shouldn't be.

I said "No ma-am, I was just late driving back from my brother's house in time to make it to work this morning."

At this time, she probes my car with her flashlight asking "Do you have any weapons in the vehicle I should know about?"

And her flashlight paused.

I looked to my right where the beam was lighting up the 6 foot long black cannon barrel on the seat next to me.

I looked back at her and said "Would you believe me if I said 'no'?"

Her eyes hugely round, she said "Is that a CANNON?!?"

I said "Well, yes and no..." and proceeded to tell her the story behind the project.

Quite an interesting conversation it was, too!

Anyway, I got off with a warning to pull off the road somewhere off I got tired and we parted company.

I'd have given a lot to be a fly on the wall as she told her coworkers that story!

ric jackson said:

Got pulled over in HICKORY N,C. bringing my 79 yr old mom from a doctors apt.,her car expired tags . Informed officer I had TN.permit and was armed ,he just said don't show me yours and I wont show you mine .

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Trunk Monkey said:

This has nothing to do with you but that is the most asinine thing I have ever heard a cop say and the worst part is so many of them seem to say it.

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I think those cops are just saying, in an indirect way, that they have no objection to honest citizens going armed. I'd rather they do that than treat me like a suspect during a felony stop.

JR24 said:

Reminds me of sitting in a restaurant with mother in law as she went off on something, a library I think, removing their "no guns" sign and how she just couldn't feel safe going to a place that allowed guns like that.

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You might have replied that the only ones likely to obey such a sign wouldn't harm her anyway while the ones she should be afraid of would ignore it.

Kendahl said:

I think those cops are just saying, in an indirect way, that they have no objection to honest citizens going armed. I'd rather they do that than treat me like a suspect during a felony stop.

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You're probably right

Trunk Monkey writes:

This has nothing to do with you but that is the most asinine thing I have ever heard a cop say and the worst part is so many of them seem to say it.

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If that's the "most asinine thing" you've ever heard a cop say, you have done well, being you haven't been around too many cops (and this is coming from a former LEO.) Now, I never worked in a "duty-to-inform" jurisdiction, so I don't know how weary many cops are of having to hear from every armed person they stop the fact that they are armed. I know I would be after a while. In jurisdictions friendly to armed citizens, most cops don't care that LACs arm themselves.

There, dangit, you've drawn me into a thread derailment attempt. I didn't even pay attention to who started it.

Kendahl said:

You might have replied that the only ones likely to obey such a sign wouldn't harm her anyway while the ones she should be afraid of would ignore it.

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Shes one of those liberals who's convictions are determined by the day's Facebook feed. Argument is both pointless and unnessary friction so I just smile and nod.

Don't see her all that often and she does love my kids

Trunk Monkey said:

If you had to explain your actions to a police officer could you? Can you articulate a specific action on the part of the panhandler that would cause any reasonable person to assume that they were in danger of losing their life or suffering extreme bodily harm?

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Nothing in Joe Henry's post would even justify the police being called in the first place. There is nothing indicating that he displayed a weapon, threatened the use of a weapon or did anything other than to tell the person he had nothing for him. So what that he put his hand in his pocket. Under the circumstances I would have probably done the same thin. What's he going to do, call the police to report that a man refused to give him money? As a retired officer I would have had no concerns at all about the steps taken by Joe Henry.

Thomas Mayberry said:

Nothing in Joe Henry's post would even justify the police being called in the first place. There is nothing indicating that he displayed a weapon, threatened the use of a weapon or did anything other than to tell the person he had nothing for him. So what that he put his hand in his pocket. Under the circumstances I would have probably done the same thin. What's he going to do, call the police to report that a man refused to give him money? As a retired officer I would have had no concerns at all about the steps taken by Joe Henry.

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JoeHenry said:

Several years ago in a Tulsa OK motel parking lot, 6 AM and I am loading suitcases. I was approached by a large man in what looked like clothes he had slept in for many nights. Just starting to get light. He ask for money as he walked briskly toward me. I put my hand in my pocket and found the grip of my J frame Smith & Wesson.
Very comforting, and I told this guy “I got nothing for you”. He must have made a good guess because he immediately turned and walked away. Glad I didn’t have to make a life and death decision (his, not mine).

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That last sentence is a little problematic given it indicates he was getting ready to throw down on someone for panhandling

Trunk Monkey said:

That last sentence is a little problematic given it indicates he was getting ready to throw done on someone for panhandling

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No, it just indicates that he was prepared for the panhandler to become more aggressive or attack him, a prudent measure that involved no action that violates any law. He never said or even implied that he was was going to "throw down" just because he was asked for money. You're making a giant leap in your conclusion in an effort to question his judgement and actions.