Do you care if you "print"?

I will add (in a new post, since editing is a pain with an iPad) that I have tended to pack quite heavy most of the time since I started in 1984, worrying MUCH less about printing than many folks, who seem to obsess about it. The types who would be most upset about a firearm are also the least likely to notice anything being out of place.

No I don't care at all. Here in Alabama,open carry is legal(no permit required) and concealed carry with a permit. The most that would happen if I print is for an LEO to ask to see my permit.

Not particularly since we are are a Carry Permit state. That was a result of concern over "failure to............", what I gather is the meaning of printing. I prefer concealed for tactical reasons as well as not becoming a lightening rod.

We have a small, somewhat obnoxious, open-carry minority who have stirred up some unneeded crap. I retain my LCP for special occassions and extreme summer wear, otherwise .357 or greater is the norm.

Since I'm in a OC state (VA), don't care if I print. But in my home state of MA, you'd get a face full of cops prob a day in jail and a real good chance of loosing your permit!

I heard that Florida law was recently changing. It's apparently not oing to be a crime any more to accidentally print when CCW'ing. If it's true that's nice. Can anyone expand on that?

Wyoming is open carry. In fact beginning on July 1st no permit is needed to carry concealed. Still, I do care if I print because concealed means concealed. I guess it's a matter of etiquette.

In general, I try not to print as I'd like to keep any element of surprise I might have but at the same time it's not a big deal for me as VA is also open carry, so it's not a requirement to be 100% concealed (or concealed at all for that matter). That said, I've been amazed at how little people notice...so often you really don't have to try that hard, especially with the prevalence of cell phone holders on belts, I think most people just ignore strange lumps around someone elses waist or frankly maybe people jsut aren't as observant as I used to think.

I live in Arizona, the state where they practically beg you to carry a gun. Nobody here gives a sh......I mean nobody cares.

I can't believe Arizonans have totally disregarded the "element of surprise".

Mainsail said:

I can't believe Arizonans have totally disregarded the "element of surprise".

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I can't believe all the criminals aren't flocking to Arizona to shoot them first and take their guns from them!

Yes, I care. I'm not obsessive, but I make every effort to make it undetectable. My EDC is an M&P40c which seems to strike a good balance between size, weight, caliber and capacity. I haven't had any problem keeping it concealed under an untucked t-shirt.

I use to worry about it when I was new to CC. I could care less now. I sometimes carry a Commander size 1911 with a full length grip IWB under a tee shirt. It's pretty easy FOR ME to see the corner of the grip. The sheep don't notice a thing. We have a few people in town who OC. They get very few comments and most of them are positive. No MWAG problems that I know of.

When I first started pocket carrying, I was concerned about printing and I was paranoid that "everyone knows". After a while I relaxed and realized that nobody notices. If I sit down in an open area I usually put my hand on my lap to cover my gun. It prints real bad when I'm sitting down.

gwlammers said:

When I first started pocket carrying, I was concerned about printing and I was paranoid that "everyone knows". After a while I relaxed and realized that nobody notices. If I sit down in an open area I usually put my hand on my lap to cover my gun. It prints real bad when I'm sitting down.

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I pocket carry my pm9 in a blackhawk in pocket holster. When I sit down it looks like my cell phone in my pocket.

One of the biggest advantages to carrying concealed, IMHO, is the element of surprise, so, yes, I don't want my handgun to print. Letting any potential BG know you are carrying gives them an undue advantage that could endanger the lives of your or your family.

Printing?

Most people pay no attention to those around them and their surroundings.
And now that the GunShine State has the brief flash lawsomebody has to be a test case for how long brief is.

P5 Guy said:

Most people pay no attention to those around them and their surroundings.
And now that the GunShine State has the brief flash lawsomebody has to be a test case for how long brief is.

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The legislature passed the bill, as a political compromise alternative to the original Open Carry legislation, but the governor hasn't signed it into law yet. I'd suggest staying concealed, if you don't want to be a test case.

I can't see any advantage to advertising that I'm armed, under normal circumstances. If I ever actually have to pull out a handgun to defend myself, I'd rather it come as a complete surprise.

It isn't against the law here, so I don't particularly care if I print a little.

That doesn't mean I'm running around with a desert eagle IWB under a t shirt while wearing shorts, but someone who knows what they are looking at may or may not notice I'm carrying. Those people are few and far between, LEO's included from what I've noticed in my area. If they have been noticing, they haven't hassled me so again...I don't care. If some other gun nut notices me carrying, I really don't care that he knows I'm armed. Heck, most people don't even notice if you open carry.

If it was a big deal, I may switch to a smaller frame and/or caliber. It isn't here, so I'm not going to sacrifice caliber or capacity just for the sake of being 100% stealth. I carry what I shoot well with and it is comfortable for me without having to dress around the gun too much, so I'm happy.

I personally try to keep from Printing but in 2 years + of carrying I have been around Leo's and Security people and none of then have stopped me neither have I had some anti start screaming he's got a gun. But I do take care how I dress and wear a vest or jacket when I carry OWB even with a untucked shirt. I pocket carry a J-frame 85% of the time.

Depends on where Im at. Most of the the time a small bludge is ok. One place I go I do worry about printing after one day there my permit and credit card came out togather and somebody who saw it screamed OH MY GOD DO YOU HAVE A GUN???

Reasonable steps to ensure concealment would be prudent, especially in a state with a requirement to conceal. Frankly though, most people won't notice if you do. Many people run through their day so out of it that they wouldn't notice a pink firearm in a paisley holster, openly flaunted by a flamboyant gay cowboy. (Say that three times fast)

In my state, concealed means just that .. concealed.

I would think that it defeats the purpose of CCW'ing if your printing. That's just me. I keep my lines as clean as possible.

I make a reasonable effort to keep it out of sight & out of mind. I prefer the world not know what I'm up to. If it gets exposed, it means I failed to do my job correctly. Not the end of the world, I know, but still irritating. Anything worth doing is worth doing correctly.

I would think that it defeats the purpose of CCW'ing if your printing. That's just me. I keep my lines as clean as possible.

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I have a friend that says that same thing, yet he has a huge square bulge on the other hip under his shirt caused by his droid and a huge bulge on his leg caused by a bunch of keys. Something, somewhere is going to bulge unless you have really loose fitting clothes, which I don't like to wear.

My purpose of ccw'ing isn't to conceal, it is to have a firearm. Whether or not anyone notices doesn't particular bother me. A slight print of a grip when you bend over at the grocery store looks 10x bigger to you than to everyone else around you. To each his own.