How many guns in this room?

[kd7nqb]

So I like to think that I am better than average at spotting a CCW if it prints or if somebody dresses in a way that might mean they are CCW'ing. (Not that I care) but the more I think about it I find it really hard to judge what percentage is at any one time. I know for example well over 95% of the guys I know who have a carry permit DONT USE IT. For example my father has had his Oregon CHL since 92 when he moved here and his CT CCP well before that. However he has told me honestly that he has never carried in the last 20yrs, of course I try and tell him he should but thats past the point. Any good way to guess how many firearms there are in a given room?

1. Does anybody else try and guess who is and who is not CCW'ing?
2. Any hard numbers on percent of permit holders do carry?
3 Should I care?

 

[El Tejon]

Should you not assume everyone is armed?

 

[scurtis_34471]

Its hard to tell. In some places, a fanny pack is a dead giveaway. That's not true in places like Florida, land of a million tourists. Untucked shirts don't help either in a place where lots of people do the T-shirt with unbuttoned, untucked shirt on top thing. There's also a fair number of people wearing Hawaiian shirts, which are not designed to be tucked in. Photographer's vests are a dead giveaway, but only the most severely fashion-impaired wear them anyway and they are pretty rare. Bulges are not as good an indicator as they once were, because so many people wear phones and PDAs on their belt.

All of these things are good news for people who carry for the very reason that it makes them hard to spot.

 

[JesseL]

Around here I see quite a few people with hats, shirts, bumper stickers, and license plate frames with the Gunsite raven. I usually assume that these people are armed.

 

[NailGun]

It is easy...the CCW holders that carry are the ones that are looking you in the eyes and grinning back at you.

Ya, it is pretty tough to tell who is packing and who ain't. My wife can't tell when I am carrying my 442. She says my CZ makes me look fat though.

Should you care? You Bet! Try to get everyone you know out to the range for some shooting fun.....plant the CCW seed.....nurture it....Grow some more gun enthusiasts and 2A right supporters!

NailGun.

 

[3fgburner]

Heh.

Virginia resident, middle-aged, upper-middle-class white guy with a fanny pack and an Outback vest. I might as well open-carry.

I was at a sci-fi convention this weekend. Saw some guys in Stargate military uniforms, and some 501st Imperial (Stormtrooper) Legion types. Waiting for an elevator, I happened to catch myself in the mirror, and had a realization:

I look more geared-up and heavily-armed in my STREET CLOTHES, than those guys do in costume.

 

[hagar]

I can be dressed in dress pants and shirt, and carry a Glock 26 mexican style, and you will not make me. I pull my shirt up a little, and fold it over the Glock, and it looks natural as long as I don't reach up. The one person that made me once, asked if that was a pager I was carrying, and I replied with, "no it's a medical device" and that shut them up. I did not tell them it is a medical device because it keeps my backside alive!

 

[Axman]

Should you not assume everyone is armed?

Could this question be asked at a nudist camp?

 

[WolfMansDad]

I play the guess-who's-armed game a lot in public. I live in a "safe" town, but I still see a lot of gun-shaped bulges on shaven-headed, tatooed, baggy-pants type guys. Once I was watching a group of "urban youths," young teenagers with baggy pants, etc., and thinking that they sure looked armed. Presently one of them reached into his pants and pulled out an airsoft pistol.

That said, a properly carried gun shows no signature at all. You'd be amazed how a 1911 can disappear on somebody who knows what he is doing.

 

[Working Man]

She hid the gun where!??!?!

Could this question be asked at a nudist camp?

Oh yes, indeed it can.......

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=180609&highlight=.25

 

[BADUNAME13]

Everyone thinks I'm a cop anyway... So I don't really care. (Military haircut and the way I carry myself)

I DO ditch the Wilderness belt if I care about being made by someone who CCW's, and I've made people myself based on their belt or clothing.

One time I was in a fast food bathroom behind this guy, I asked him "What do you carry?" he said "What do you mean?" I said "CCW" He said "Mini Glock, How'd you know?"

I told him "You're wearing 5.11 pants"

I have a couple 5.11's myself, but after that I only wear them when I'm:
-Riding the Ambulance
-Don't care if a cop or another CCWer 'makes me'

 

[Axman]

Geez, I missed that thread!

 

[Caimlas]

I can't speak of elsewhere, but SD has the highest per capita citizens with CCW permits - 7% - in the country. Some counties are as high as 13%, with the most populous being 6% and 8% (Minnehaha - Sioux Falls - and Pennington - Rapid City), if I recall correctly. Most of the people I know with a permit do not carry regularly if at all, but I can generally tell who's likely to be carrying after talking with them for a bit.

 

[xd45gaper]

i do sometimes but its pretty tuff and most of the time i forget about it after eyeballing 3 people lol

 

[ball3006]

Yes, I scan people to see....

if they are possible CC folks and to profile the rest. Yes, I was taught to profile at the police academy and FAA airport security school I attended.

Last weekend I spotted a CC guy, a real Joe Bob cowboy steriotype, plaid shirt, ironed jeans, polished boots, big rodeo belt buckle, black bad ass cowboy hat and big belly. His holster was sticking out below his belly. He knew I spotted it and gave me a dirty look. His cell phone holster had one of those circled stars on it to give the impression he was some sort of LEO. I knew, and he knew I knew.........chris3

 

[Cogster1]

I'd post pics...

but I've got an ugly mug. I carry a H&K USPc in an Alessi CQC/S and my wife doesn't even know I'm carrying unless she sees me put it on. I love that holster.

 

[mdao]

I know I'm guilty of the following tells: overly heavy belts, pocket clipped knives, belt loops that go nowhere, and the occasional unsightly crotch bulge when I'm forced to use my SmartCarry.

I usually hang with a pretty anti crowd and haven't been made yet.

 

[The Drew]

I have multiple carry guns for different dress. When I really don't care about being "made" I wear either my 1911 or my CZ p01 in a leather OWB holster with Tshirt tucked in, and open canvas short sleeved shirt over top. Sometimes I do the same with an untucked large T over a tank that is tucked.

For carry during work hours, I shove my 642 into my strong front pocket and am good to go... I also use this method for situations where the dress will not allow a OWB holster.

THe 642 also works good just cramming it in my SoB to get by the amateur pat down artists that many places call "security" I don't carry anywhere it's illegal (very few in PA) so I'm not breaking any laws.

 

[MrPeter]

I usually hang with a pretty anti crowd and haven't been made yet.

It's not the anti crowd you have to worry about, its the other CCWers! Don't forget that the reason they're anti in the first place is because of ignorance (not meant in an insulting way).

I've had my CCW on the way for a couple of weeks now, but I haven't gotten it yet, so I can't really brag about never having been made. I have noticed someone carry into my house though. A very shady friend of a friend of a friend who is rumored to have some connections with people that I don't care to associate with (a rather shady fellow). I'm 90% certain that he was carrying, and I'm not sure he had a permit for it, but that's alright. I had mine on my hip, and my roommates know where they can go to arm themselves if need be. He only stayed for about 30 seconds.

In any case, thats the only time I've been able to ID someone who is carrying, although I do actively look for signs ever since I applied for my permit. Reason bieng the sheriff told me that they issue 67 permits per week on average, which was kind of a shocker to me. Since then, I've been looking for them everywhere.

 

[hrgrisso]

Vesting it

I do use the photographers vest to hide my arms. And I acknowledge the "DUH" factor. I thought about it before I started using it and came up with (what I thought was) an ingenious plan. The phrase hidden in plain sight came to mind.

I stuck a few empty Film Canisters in the see through pockets up front. And a small carryable camera in one of the cargo pockets. Then for the coup de grace, I put a peace sign pin on the other side.

Never been asked since. End of story.

 

[MinnMooney]

I only know two w/CC permits. I carry 99.8% of the time and if they made a water-proof holster, I'd wear it in the shower, also. lol I forget that I'm even carrying most of the time. The other guy wears only when he doesn't have to dress up and, unfortunately, that's a lot.
I've never (for sure) 'made' anyone who is carrying. I see a lot of untucked shirts and here in Minnesota there are 4 months of jacket wearing. It could always be a phone or whatever on their belt.

 

[The Deer Hunter]

In MA, I assume its usually around 0% . But you should always assume everyone is packing.

 

[mdao]

It's not the anti crowd you have to worry about, its the other CCWers! Don't forget that the reason they're anti in the first place is because of ignorance (not meant in an insulting way).

Yeah, but the other CCWers don't care if I'm armed. On the other hand, being made by certain family members (none of my immediate family even knows I own a gun, even though I carry pretty much all the time) and certain friends would be... uncomfortable.

 

[Big Calhoun]

Hehe, I like to play this game while I'm out. The only thing is, it's hard to tell if you're really right or not. Not like you want to go up to someone and say, "Hey, is that a gun in your pocket?!? No sir, I'm not trying to be fresh with you at all..."

At least in my nieghborhood, fanny packs seem to be the giveaway and associated sag seem to be the giveaway. When out and about, I usually pay attention to clothing...overly loose or large clothing. Noticed a guy the other day in the laundromat with a pocket pistol. I felt very tempted to let him know the sag in the front of his sweatshirt was visible and the shape was discernable...well, at least to me. But yes, fun times, fun times.

 

[Hardtarget]

I have a few friends that I KNOW when I see them...they're carrying. I don't know if I've ever been made...just say I've never been "outed". However, my wife has spotted two or three guns on various shopping trips. I don't really try to spot the guns. Maybe I should.

I'm waiting for the day some little kid says" mommy! I see his gun!"

Mark.