CCW & Public Restroom..what do you do?

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Redlg155

Redlg155

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I know a long time ago there was a discussion on what to do on a public toilet. There may even be one going on now. But if not, here goes.

I detest a public toilet for a sit down time. Just knowing someone else not related to me has used the toilet makes me queasy. Oprah hasn't helped me since that one trucker guy passed the lie detector test to his wife..yep, he got crabs from a toilet seat. Yeah, sure. It also really grosses me out when the seat is still warm from the last customer. Nasty.

Ok..nature and an taco bell was not to be denied, so I said a prayer and gave in. Strange what you think of on the throne. Is someone gonna peek under the stall and see my gun? Can someone see my gun sitting in the next stall? I know for a fact that one guy either had long feet, or that it is normal to see feet, since I saw his. Or I think it was a "he". Can a report of a man in the crapper with a gun overshadow the fact that the observer saw my gun from the confines of his own crapper? At least if the cops come I hope they don't serve my stall with a "no knock" warrant. Give me a chance at least. Paranoia set it and I ended up sticking it inside of my pant leg.

Anyway..what does everyone else do when nature calls? Oh..and on a parting note..don't count how many folks you hear come in, flush, and never wash. You'll find yourself like "Monk".
 
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WARNING no "bathroom humor" regardless of how difficult it is to resist.

How to deal with public bathroom issues is something that we all have to think of.

SM has pointed out that you need to try to pick your public restroom facilities to minimize the potential for trouble. If you've got the choice between a Stop N Rob where they're dealing in the parking lot and driving down the block to a chain restraunt with a safer/nicer bathroom.

If you've got the choice between the standup and the stall with a door you have to decide between the advantage of privacy of the stall and the advantage of the wider field of view on the standup.

If you're using the stall then you've got to figure out what to do with the weapon. I always move from holster to pants and try to keep the pants as knee level for access.
 
This has never happened to me however if it were to happen I would try and get in the stall closest to the bathroom wall on my holster side that way when you drop your drawers there will be noone next to you to see the holster/firearm. Or if you are one of those people who has nature call a lot when you are out, you may want to think about buying a smartcarry holster.
 
For what it's worth, the stall closest to the door is thought to be statistically the cleanest (least used).

A method that is taught to LEOs by some departments is to unholster your weapon and put it your underwear, between your knees. This training tidbit came to light after a local plainclothes det. forgot his sidearm on the toilet paper holder after lunch at a local restaurant and came back 30 min later and it was gone.
 
Rarely, I say rarely, use the seat facilities but never do I remove the firearm from its location, which is either on my hip in a tight Fobus or Galco (depends on firearm that day) or in a leather pocket holster, for which I do nothing special. I do rebuckle the belt, although more loose, so that I can pull pants up and be on the go in an instant. Mark alternate position on the inside of the belt with magic marker to save confusion; practice can make perfect. This permits the firearm to not lay on the floor and is in a ready position at all times, except when body is in transition from up to down. Try it!
 
For what it's worth, the stall closest to the door is thought to be statistically the cleanest (least used).
Click to expand...

Until that report came out and everyone started using it! :D

I've never had the pleasure, but I believe I would de-holster and set it in my pants legs facing rearward. Not sure about the holster (person sees it, empty or not, they think "gun").

Can't be helped.

I've heard of people dropping their drawers, then fastening their belt around their knees to keep the rig up off the floor and out of sight (not to mention not in the possible puddle in front of the toilet), but I just can't get comfortable that way.
 
I ankle carry so it's not a problem. I can't type out the rest of my post because hso said so. Damn shame...

Biker
 
I'd put it on the back of the commode when it had a lid. For the pipes only throne, I've gotten a newspaper, placed it inside the middle, and put it on the floor folded over. Then I enjoy the added benefit of also having something to occupy my mind besides thinking about "when was the last time this thing was cleaned".
 
So far I have...

1) put a smaller gun in my shirt pocket (most of my dress shirts have pockets)
2) simply flipped up a "smart carry" type of holster
3) stuffed a gun in the top of my cowboy boots

I read a neat idea a while back but I can't find the page with the illustrations so I will attempt to describe it as best I can.

Have a neck lanyard (like you'd use for ID) and wear it or keep it in a pocket. When you have to go run the bottom of the lanyard through the trigger guard and then clip the lanyard to itself to create a loop (holding the gun secure). Place lanyard with gun over neck until done with the job.

Tidy yourself up, unclip gun and re-holster, put lanyard away.

I'll keep looking for pictures/illustrations of what I mean.

I do not take the firearm "off body" at all (I.E. put it on the tank, roll holder, door hook, etc).
 
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Since I'm a setter rather than a pointer, avoiding the stalls isn't an option for me.

Things I've learned:

Never, ever, ever, ever take the stall next to a small child. Little kids are too likely to look under the stall and then comment (loudly) about what they see.

Don't hang the gun on a hook or set it on a TP rack. You're too likely to walk off without it (and don't say it can't happen to you. It can.)

If the gun is on your right hip, try to take the stall with a solid wall on the right side while you're sitting down. End stalls have the lowest likelihood of someone peering through the crack in the door, and with a wall on your gun side you've got a lower chance of someone spotting it underneath the stall either.

You might try rebuckling your belt around your knees before you sit down. Since I appendix carry, I simply keep one hand on the holstered gun and never drop my pants below the knee level anyway.

Be nonchalant. You're not breaking the law! If you act furtive, you're more likely to draw other people's attention.

If you've gotta use a porta potty at a match, drop your pants before you raise the lid, and lower the lid before you pick your pants back up. It's no fun to stare down into the tank looking for your dropped firearm. (Not me, a friend of mine.)

pax
 
I've done this several times and public restrooms are rarely that much of a issue for me. When nature calls, convenience suffers, just how it is. My hip holster has a stout clip and holds the pistol very well. It never seems to be a problem. I'm conscious of it and careful, but it's not much to fret about in my book. Being I have a poly gun, any rattling on the porcelain is quiet relative to a metal framed pistol.
 
For those of us who want to hang a firearm on the door hook, we've had a thing happeneing in my area where theives will go into a restroom, reach over the door and grab whatevers hanging on that door hook and bolt. By the time the victim is ready to pursue the thief is LONG gone.

Apparently in cold weather (jacket weather) a lot of people put their wallets in a jacket pocket so the theives have been making off with a lot of stuff. They have been targeting both mens and womens restrooms (they LOVE to grab purses this way).

Not something you want happening with a firearm.
 
Wow, living in NJ never presents these kinds of life choices. We just hope there's enough paper when we're done:)
 
I carry a fairly large gun holstered OWB on my right hip. It's not exactly convenient to do, but when the situation at hand arises... I simply hold the holster up, and switch hands to do what needs to be done to complete the job. Sure it's a pain in the behind (no pun intended.. well ok, maybe a little ), but it's just a few minutes of minor inconvenience, and how much convenience do we really need ALL the time ?
 
this issue gives shoulder holsters a bit of a leg up. Me, no problem: unless I'm riding the motorcycle to where-ever, I'm in a kilt: problem doesn't arise...

And honestly, I'd like to see the theif that could drag my riding jacket and colors over the door: total weight is around 25lbs (when there isn't a gun and ammo present)...
 
+1 for shoulder holsters . . . I dress for the occasion whenever possible (sometimes I even wear my GOOD jeans). Sticking it in the top of a boot works well, also.
 
personally, i wouldn't care much. this is theoretical, of course, because i haven't carried [i'm 16]. just keep your pants aboke your knees, maybe re-position your holster, i dunno. i plan on using a shoulder holster anyway, provided that it's comfortable.

~tmm
 
PAX...

the final line of your post reminded me of the "Dookie filled Beretta" story posted on here by Skunkabilly YEARS ago... he even had a nickname for that 92 Elite... "Nina" If I remember...

it fell in the blue water, and he SHOT it in competition after fishing it out of the water, the story was freaking HILARIOUS...

OOPS, it was on TFL... I FOUND it! The Beretta Dookie Torture Test when the SHTF, Beretta is the ONLY one truly guaranteed to work!

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=112168&highlight=dookie+++beretta
 
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Hemicuda ~

That's funny!

My friend had her handgun fall into the tank. Second match she'd ever been at. She went and found an RO to explain about the dropped gun (following match rules).

RO walked over, looked in the tank, said, "Yep, it's in there. Go ahead and pick it up."

:what:

Helpful sort.

pax
 
That Skunkabilly story has stuck with me... and EVERY time I see a "what gun for SHTF" post, I always think to myself... "Self, you have a Beretta 8040F... and Skunkabilly asures me, through thourough testing, that Berettas function when truly in the S, so you're well covered!"

Sorry for your friend... were it me, I'd be weighing the guns value as a "drop gun" and whether I would be better off leaving it there...

your reminder to "drop trou" before lifting the lid, and then reversing it when done is a REALLY good one!
 
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