CCW Etiquette

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MrAcheson

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This July 4th I was at the City of Fairfax fireworks display at Fairfax High School with my girlfriend. While there I saw a man with his family (him, his wife, and 4 kids) wearing a a pro-2nd t-shirt ("2nd Amendment the original homeland security") and large heavy fanny pack on his left hip situated for a good cross draw. Now I couldn't actually see the handgun but I can put two and two together...

In the end I didn't talk to him for three reasons. The first is that I really didn't know how he would react. I didn't want to ruin his 4th for something that only I noticed. Second, it was a very public place so by telling him he was "made", I might "make" him for others. Third, I am not familiar with CCW law in Virginia, but what he was doing would have been a serious no-no in Delaware. So without knowing the consequences of my actions I opted to keep quiet.

My question is this. Should I have given the guy some surreptitious advice about his CCW choices? What would you have done?
 
Hey, anything that takes the BG's attention off you and onto someone else.....

I prefer to stay away from 'loud' clothing...I saw an older gentleman walk around Pep Boys with an NRA hat on, and see some big buff clean-looking White guys walk around in police themed shirts...:scrutiny:
 
I'm confused. What's unlawful in Delaware...wearing 2nd Amendment t-shirts or heavy fanny packs?

I would have said hi and told him I liked his shirt.

If you can't see the gun it is concealed.

John
 
All you "made" was a fanny pack. And how is this your business anyway?
I'm not trying to be rude, but unless your a cop and the guy has his picture up on the wall stay out of it. There are other rights besides the 2nd.

Elliot
 
I would've 'moved along, there's nothing to see here'. For all you know, he could've had his cellphone, camera and a few Snickers bars in the pack. I've worn my Blackhawk 5-5-10 at a theme park. All I had in it was my wallet, keys and camera. You did the right thing by respecting that man's privacy and right to carry concealed!

prefer to stay away from 'loud' clothing...I saw an older gentleman walk around Pep Boys with an NRA hat on, and see some big buff clean-looking White guys walk around in police themed shirts...
Click to expand...

I agree. No LEO or gun themed clothing for me. Concealed means concealed. The less I stand out, the better.
 
We were at a sports stadium and on school property. I know school property is an issue in Delaware and I believe DE has a sporting venue clause too. I don't know anything about Virginia.

I would want someone to tell me if I was printing or being obvious. This guy was obvious enough to draw my attention. I wasn't looking for people carrying weapons, but I noticed him as soon as I saw him. Was he concealed? Enough for the legal definition yes, but not enough to for practical purposes since he actually drew my attention. But I'm glad I made a good judgement call.
 
Last time I checked (a month ago), a non-LEO citizen carrying on school property in Virginia is committing a Class 6 Felony.

Now, with that out of the way: I agree that you shouldn't have said or done anything. The "no guns on school property" law is absurd on its face, plus you weren't sure he was carrying; if he were not, and you attracted a LEO's attention to him (whether intentionally or not), it could have ruined his and his family's evening for no reason.

And you'd have felt foolish for having done it, I imagine.

Another thing: "obvious to another gun owner" is not the same thing as "obvious to the typical member of the public". Chances are, 200 soccer moms looked at him that night and never even noticed a thing.

-BP
 
Suppose the fellow had nothing but a rock or two in the fanny pack to make it LOOK like he was packing to a person who might be considering making trouble for him?

Unless you see the gun, it's concealed. There is no proof that he was carrying, although it certainly seemed so. Perhaps that was good enough to avoid being a target. In a place where you cannot carry, looking as though you are may be the best option. There is a fair chance that this was the case, and in another setting he would choose to blend in.

Not saying anything was the right course of action. In the end, the bidness ain't your'n.
 
Another thing: "obvious to another gun owner" is not the same thing as "obvious to the typical member of the public". Chances are, 200 soccer moms looked at him that night and never even noticed a thing.
Click to expand...

I wonder about that quite often. Do other see the world the same way THR members do? Are we just really aware of our surroundings? Do other go through life not wanting to see the real world?
 
I wonder about that quite often. Do other see the world the same way THR members do? Are we just really aware of our surroundings? Do other go through life not wanting to see the real world?
Click to expand...
JeepDriver,
It's not necessarily that people don't want to see the world. It's that people tend to notice the things that are familiar and important to them.

If you're interested in NASCAR, you're more likely to notice (and understand the meaning of) the little number-stickers that some NASCAR fans put on their cars. Most people who don't care about NASCAR at all might see the sticker but not really notice it, and even if they did, they wouldn't attach any particular significance to it, so it would quickly fade from memory until they couldn't recall whether they'd even seen it.

Same thing with gun telltales and inside jokes. I saw a car with the license plates "TWO2COM", once. I know what it meant, and it was amusing to me, so I remembered it. Someone who wasn't a gun nut probably would never have figured it out, and would certainly never have remembered it over time.

We notice the bulge or the spare-mag carrier or the Molon Labe hat or the bigger-than normal fanny pack, and we draw a conclusion that's probably accurate. I've had soccer moms mistake my spare 10-round Beretta magazine for a cell phone.

People see what they expect to see. A cop in a high-stress traffic stop can easily mistake a cell-phone for a gun. Why? Because he is expecting a threat.

-BP
 
XavierBreath,

Frankly I don't think that faking CCW is a wise idea from the tactical point of view. It may make you less of a target to the knowledgeable criminal seeking an easy mark, that is true. However it also says "I'm a threat to you, shoot me first" to anyone looking to cause serious trouble. It only works as long as the threat is smart enough to see your bluff, but doesn't have the guts to call it.
 
I had a similar circumstance here in Houston.

A guy came into a crowded family place for dinner wearing a thunder ranch tee-shirt, a NRA baseball cap and a "photo vest" and shorts when it was nearly 100 and 100% humidity (outdoor seating most of the place). He had a 1911 of some type that I could see becuase he did not button his vest. At the same time I had my IWB VersaMax 2 with a P7psp on and it was descretely hidden by an untucked tee-shirt.

The only thing I did was comment to my wife about the guys lack of style and how he stood out in a crowd as a ccw holder.

As someone earlier said. Mind your own business which is what I did and you did the right thing also.
 
Got to say keeping your opinion on the guys wardrobe and carry method to yourself was the right thing to do.

If he was breaking the law, that is on him. He may get caught. If he just liked looking like a doof, that is on him. Matter of fact anything he does is on him.

Letting that slide was no doubt the right thing.
 
If you truly could not see his firearm then he was concealed and you have no right to address him about it. You assumed he was carrying and we all know about the word assume. You may not appreciate someones style of carry, but it's really none of our concern.
You did right to notice, log the event in your mind, and continuing on with your affairs.
 
There's a good chance he was a cop. I'm generalizing here, but I've noticed that a lot of cops don't bother to spend too much time concealing off duty. They change out of uniform and plunk their weapon in a fanny pack and off they go. As a cop, I'm sure he was exempt from any laws barring him from carrying on school property too.
 
I don't see what the big problem is with people carrying in an overt way. If more people out there knew how many people were carrying maybe we'd get a little better press.

- Gabe
 
I agree with Kcustom. If more people realized home many CCWers there were, there would be more gun control laws not less. Fear can be huge motivator for fearful people to do stupid stupid things. Case in point: The Patriot Act.
 
Something about hiding in the shadows rubs me the wrong way.

- Gabe
 
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