Intentionally Revealing your CC?

[mugs79]

I've seen a few threads related to this, and it got me wondering. Has there ever been a time, or can you foresee a time, when the best course of action would be to intentionally reveal that you are carrying? Say, if you see someone nearby who seems exceptionally shady, and when they're looking at you you take a big, relaxing stretch that *accidentally* pulls your shirt up an inch or two too far?

 

[cleardiddion]

Any time a firearm comes into play things can turn in every which direction, a lot of time for the worse. If at all possible, I would recommend use or even revealing your piece as a thing of last resort. With most shady character usually they're nothing too much to be worried about and most situations with them can be avoided by just remaining a little bit more viligant than usual. Just my two cents.

 

[Treo]

I live in an open carry state & they authorities here would call that brandishing a weapon ( they'd catch hell proving the case but that's a different story ) I can't think of a single instance where just showing the gun hasn't caused more problem than it solves

 

[wayneard3413]

In alot of jurisdictions you will find yourself in alot of trouble for something like that... Not only that but your taking the chance of not only escalating a situation that really wasnt that serious to begin with but also you know let this "shady character" not only know that your carrying but also showed him exactly where it is... My question to you is this, if he is close enough to be making you nervous, and you "stretch a little too far" revealing your pistol and he decides to rush you, just how quickly can you defend against a grab for your pistol? More likely then not i think you would find that your body language and demeanor will be more then enough to let him know that your not going to be an easy victim

 

[Deacon Blues]

More likely then not i think you would find that your body language and demeanor will be more then enough to let him know that your not going to be an easy victim

Exactly. Criminals know how to spot an easy mark. Situational awareness is, in itself, a major deterrent.

 

[Geno]

Concealed means concealed. If revealed, there will be problems.

Doc2005

 

[Linda]

Why would I want to remove my element of surprise???

:banghead:

 

[Standing Wolf]

I live in an open carry state. Here in Colorado, the term "brandishing" means drawing a gun and handling it in a careless or threatening manner.

One of the reasons I carry openly a third or half the time is to ward off potential problems rather than have to contend with them. I wouldn't hesitate half an instant to warn off a prospective criminal: much easier to do that than deal with an escalating situation.

 

[sacp81170a]

Think about it this way: if you live in a state where a concealed weapon must be concealed, you've just placed your fate in the hands of a person that you admit that you don't know and don't trust without good reason. If that person then calls LE and makes up a story about how you pulled a gun on them, describes the gun and where you are carrying it, you got some 'splainin' to do. Not a good situation.

 

[MostlyGenius]

Based upon the original question: absolutely not.

I don't think there is a reasonable situation where I would want to implicitly threaten somebody with a gun that I couldn't leave, or wouldn't confront them with a lower level of force.

The only situation where I would deescalate-by-firearm is a situation that would normally be a shooting situation, but I sense that I have a little bit of time or enough distance.

If I had a threat that was menacing or displaying a contact distance weapon a good distance away. I would consider giving some verbal commands with a drawn gun (assuming that I could not leave.)

If I believe exceptionally shady person is a threat, then that threat has to be dealt with appropriately: leaving, verbal commands, and the rest of the use of force spectrum.

 

[ZeSpectre]

If you show a weapon you have most likely just made a commitment to a course of action. Why play your hand too early?

Right or wrong that's my opinion on the matter.

 

[evan price]

First of all, use of a gun should be a last resort.
Second, how do you determine who is "shady"?
Third of all, if someone is "shady" but not really interested in you, you just showed you have a gun. Now you are a challenge. Now he and six of his buddies are going to drop a cinder block on your head first and take your gun and wallet.
The only time a gun should be revealed (Unless one just enjoys showing off that they have a gun) is in preparation to using it.
Drawing a weapon should be the last resort before firing it.
So far I have had to present the weapon several times. Never needed to go any further, but in those cases where the gun was drawn, if I had not had a gun, the situation would have become very bad for me.

Oh, and the cinder block thing: Have an old guy I know who is a tow truck driver and buys and hauls away junk cars, often in pretty bad neighborhoods. Usually has thousands of dollars in his pockets. Is well known to keep a loaded revolver in his coveralls pocket and another one under the seat of his truck. He is the type that is always brandishing his gun or implying he will use it. Not a real nice guy IMHO. He is well known in the neighborhoods.
One day three teenagers were where he was stopped checking an address before turning into an alley. They crushed his skull with a brick through the open window of his truck and robbed him of his cash and both guns and he was hospitalized for months.
Two of them were caught thanks to witnesses and from what I hear from a PD who was involved one of the reasons for doing it was because this white guy had been in their neighborhood for years acting all high and mighty because he had a gun and well, they showed him.

 

[herohog]

My dad taught me "if you are gonna touch it, ya better intend to use it." The 1st anyone sees of mine in the end of the barrel if I have any thing to say about it. I've even had an idiot brandish an auto at me while I was driving down the interstate. I hit the brakes, dropped way back and called the State Police and talked them through the whole series of events and noted that I was armed but that this bone-head didn't know that. When they caught up with us, they pulled us over well apart from each other and questioned us. I was able to describe his gun to a T, he didn't know that I even HAD one and I doubt he had ever seen one like it anyway (Astra 400 9mm Largo). It didn't take the cops long to sort it out and know who was the "good guy" and who was an idiot. Legally, I could have shot the dumb S.O.B.

 

[SEMO Shooter]

"Showing" your gun as a threat in Missouri is brandishing and can get you arrested. If convicted you would never own a carry permit again, probably would not be able to own handguns, and possibly not long guns either.

I think "showing" your gun is a bad idea in addition to the legal aspect. The other person may already have a weapon and use it on you before you have time to get yours out. If you pull your weapon it needs to be more than just someone looking like a bad guy. It needs to be a situation where you are justified in using it.

 

[boalex207]

More likely then not i think you would find that your body language and demeanor will be more then enough to let him know that your not going to be an easy victim

+ 1

Concealed means concealed. If revealed, there will be problems

+ 1

 

[esq_stu]

I would, and have once, put my weak side foot forward and strong side back with my hand on my weapon but still out of sight. The stance should say it all, and you'll be ready.

 

[Constantine-p89]

esq stu +1

 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

If the suspect is gonna cause trouble, wouldn't you want to get the jump on him by having him not know you're armed?

 

[Roadwild17]

taurusowner If the suspect is gonna cause trouble, wouldn't you want to get the jump on him by having him not know you're armed?

If you cant get away, verbal commands don't work and your at end of the shoot no shoot decision making process and you decide to shoot, then go ahead and draw, you might just avoid everything that goes along with a legal SD shooting.

 

[brighamr]

One of the reasons I carry openly a third or half the time is to ward off potential problems rather than have to contend with them. I wouldn't hesitate half an instant to warn off a prospective criminal: much easier to do that than deal with an escalating situation.

+1

I guess in a city full of antis who would call the cops for seeing a gun, then keeping your gun "hidden at all cost" makes sense. Personally, I prefer Open Carry as it excersizes an american right AND the general populace get to see that a business man carrying a firearm is OK. If more people openly carried guns would be common knowledge again and crimes most likely wouldn't be commited in public places. <-- This is all my personal opinion.

 

[Broadhead]

In Colorado, revealing "by word or action" that one is armed is felony menacing. That's probaby why Colorado does not have a statutory requirement to inform a contacting LEO that you are armed. Otherwise, you would simultaneously comply with one law and violate another.

 

[308win]

In Ohio whether the exposure was intentional or unintentional you could be arrested for inducing panic if the LEO was so inclined. Often the 'shady characters' operate in teams and you have just tipped off threats you may not have identified.

 

[Treo]

In colorado open carry is (in theory ) legal. There actually used to be a group called The Citizens CB Patrol that dressed up in black BDUs and drove around sout Co Springs in their old beater cars & CBs "patroling" the neighborhood ( mostly they "patrolled" the inside of the local IHOP ) they were all openly armed. but in practice I find that open carry ( in a city) causes more problems than it solves . You can't go to Walmart You can't go to the mall you can't go to the autoparts store or the grocery store W/out being asked to leave ( You can however go to IHOP) & sooner or later someone calls the cop ( CSPD does NOT like armed citizens) all told (& very much IMO) concealed is much less of a hassel. once when I was younger a car full of punks pulled up next to me W/ bats, bottles & big mouths I "showed " a gun to back them off 5 of them stood down immediately but the 6th just had to prove he was bad luckly the driver was one of the five & the bailed what happens when you "show" your piece to #6n

 

[Ditto_95]

When someone sees that I am carrying, it will be because I feel threatened and have to actually use it.
I don't see any reason anyone should ever know that I have a weapon.

 

[M2 Carbine]

Has there ever been a time, or can you foresee a time, when the best course of action would be to intentionally reveal that you are carrying?

Yes.
It's even covered by Texas law.
If a threat, even up to and including threatening the BG with you gun and deadly force, will keep you from shooting him it's legal to do so.

If the situation is such that I may be able to back the BG down I might do it, if I was feeling unusually benevolent that day.

Sec. 9.04. THREATS AS JUSTIFIABLE FORCE. The threat of force is justified when the use of force is justified by this chapter. For purposes of this section, a threat to cause death or serious bodily injury by the production of a weapon or otherwise, as long as the actor's purpose is limited to creating an apprehension that he will use deadly force if necessary, does not constitute the use of deadly force.