Carry on a motorcycle.

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Don357

Don357

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May 30, 2007
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Semmes Alabama
Does anyone here carry while riding a motorcycle, ccw or open, or in a saddle bag? If so how, and what kind of piece?
 
I carry IWB at about 4:00 just as I carry it off bike. The gun just depends on what I'm carrying that day. Usually a PPS, P30SK or maybe a 1911 Commander. Holster choice is the Mike's Slim from TT Gunleather or a Crossbreed Supertuck. I don't find that it moves at all. That being said, I'm on a cruiser now. When I rode a sport-bike, I generally pocket carried in the zipped pocket of my leather jacket. The position was much more aggressive, so IWB wasn't comfortable.
 
I also carried IWB at 4:00 when I could still ride. In the beginning I wore a Galco shoulder rig and actually went down once on the asphalt (low speed, in town when some pilgrim pulled in front of me). I remember worrying more about the gun coming free and sliding down the asphalt more than I was worrying about me or the bike sliding down the asphalt (dumb huh?). Amazingly the Galco rig (under a leather jacket) retained the weapon perfectly and I was OK. I would never stash the gun on the bike - I want it on ME all the time. I lived in Indiana at the time and open carry was legal. You would get some looks at traffic lights though. Cops would just give you a big grin.
 
Tank bag. You can't much use it while you're riding, so no need to have it on your person, and it presents an injury risk if you go down. When I stop I simply get the handgun out of the tank bag and drop it in my holster and go about my business.
 
PowerG said:
Tank bag. You can't much use it while you're riding, so no need to have it on your person, and it presents an injury risk if you go down. When I stop I simply get the handgun out of the tank bag and drop it in my holster and go about my business.
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In theory, great. Problem is that you are in the open handling (some may construe as brandishing) a firearm every time you go into the gas station, the bank, the store, work, etc..... OR you're leaving it unattended in a zippered nylon pouch. I have no delusions that I'll engage in a Sons of Anarchy bike shoot-out, but concealed carry is concealed. My $.02..... everyone has their own way of things.
 
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You just have to be a little discreet, you'd be surprised what people never notice. We have open carry here, and the general attitude about firearms is very relaxed...it's not going to be construed as brandishing.
 
"...no need to have it on your person..." That would be exactly wrong. One fine day I was attacked by three scumbags who came from behind me while i was stopped at a light. The only thing that kept from from being knocked unconscious with the first blow was my helmet. I instantly had two choices - pull a gun or run a red light at a very busy intersection. I ran the light and somehow missed being hit by a car. If my bike had stalled or died they would have undoubtedly beat me pretty good. My gun will always be on my person - not stashed away on the bike somewhere requiring both hands and time to get it in your hand. May as well leave it at home if it's not on your belt and IMMEDIATELY available in an emergency.
 
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I have a neighbor that uses the saddle bag method. He keeps a Makarov that I actually sold him in a saddle bag on the bike.
 
I carry every day, and days when I am riding my motorcycle are no different. My normal means of carry is having my Ruger LC9s in a pocket holster. I find it is not at all a problem when on the motorcycle, and being in my pocket means I have it with me at all times with no need to change position or re-holster it. Whether valid or not, I always feel that I need to carry a gun even more when I am on the motorcycle than when driving my car.
 
I like better retention when on a bike and prefer a thumb break snap or shoulder holster. I'll agree with those who advise to keep the gun on your person in a way that allows uncomplicated draw.
The possibility of having or wanting to be separated from the bike is to great as is the chance for ND or hassles with the law during multiple public reholstering in the course of the day.
If your wearing a holster might as well have the gun in it.
 
The thing you have to think about is what happens when...not if....that mini van driving cell phone talking idiot crosses 3 lanes of traffic and clocks you....or that deer pops out and you smack it.

I hit a opossum and went down and got hurt pretty bad by the gun....if not it would have been a no big deal....just landing on it and sliding along at 30 with that small of a pressure point can do a number....and if you wear armor when you ride....and you should....it does little good.

I have yet to find a good solution.
 
That's just part of climbing on a motorcycle and thundering down the road. But it's WORTH IT! A possum huh? I hate those little buggers. They're just stupid beyond belief. We have mainly squirrels all over our roads. The good thing about squirrels is you can't hit them even if you try. They'll always jump out of the way at the last possible microsecond. I learned that you're better off trying to hit them than swerving around because you can never guess which way they'll jump (usually the same way you swerved - Murphy's law). But I have tried for many years to run one down and never been able to hit one. It is amazing. The worst thing has to be deer. They'll just stand there chewing their cud and watch and never move while a truck runs over them. They're dumber than Democrats. They should all be extinct now.
 
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I think OWB is probably safer in a wreck than IWB by a small margin.
Once your on that path it's hard to know what will hurt and what will help.
Sliding down the road at 60 it might feel good grinding holster and gun away first.
 
Drail said:
The worst thing has to be deer..
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I hit one at about 55 mph in the rain. It across the road. It saw me, tucked it's head and tried to out run me. It hit my front brake rotor with its head. It knocked me into a high speed wobble. I thought I was going down, but straightened it out.
 
Ugh. High speed wobble IN THE RAIN - Very Very Bad. The ultimate in multi tasking....... Was the rotor damaged?
 
Going home one day I noticed a biker in the inside lane with a small semi-auto on his right hip. He wasn't trying to conceal it and I'd like to have talked with him but didn't get a chance. I saw him several times as we'd stop for lights and then he was off in a different direction.
 
Drail said:
Ugh. High speed wobble IN THE RAIN - Very Very Bad. The ultimate in multi tasking....... Was the rotor damaged?
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It was bent so bad it would push the caliper piston in to where I had to pump the lever to build pressure....I had no front brake when rolling.
 
Springfield XD mod2 .45acp. I carry in front pants pocket. But if I have the leather on, I move it to an inside pocket.
 
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