Is this "concealed" carry?

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Thanks for the example on CA law... I am well aware, but it becomes increasingly clear that the true answer to the OP is that one cannot answer his question without a clear grasp of state law. Since there is not necessarily any federal law that covers the transportation of a handgun in most public places. My actual example was of what folks in California do as locked unloaded carry.

I guess my original point was we can not definatively define what is a legal form of carry wit out referencing a specific state code.
 
I bought some bags and have been playing with this and it is very fast. Of course the bag is open held roughly in the appendix position with the other hand no more than a foot away. If someone approaches you can easily have your hand in the bag and a grip already established and generally pointed at the bad guy before he knows what is going on. (Remember, you are walking to your car in a dark parking lot or some such scenario) If you have to you can even shoot through the bag. No, this certainly will not replace your holster but it will give you a dramatic advantage if you are jumped in a dark parking garage.
 
i believe the "intent" would catch up to you. while certainly concealed, this is in no way standard concelaed carry and suggests taking a more offensive than defensive position with the law.
 
Intent to do what? Obey the law and keep it concealed while I transport it to my car?
If I walked out with it in my hand it would NOT be concealed.
 
Intent to do harm with a drawn and ready weapon in the absence of a lethal threat. Perhaps not illegal in itself, but it'll put you under the microscope when police and prosecutors investigate any shooting you're involved in. It won't weigh in your favor when they decide whether it was a justifiable shooting or to charge you with a crime.
 
I see two other issues:

1. Somebody walking around with their hand in a paper bag looks suspicious. The kind of suspicious that could justify a Terry stop and subject you to a long waste of your time by your local law enforcement. Plus, then you'll be That Guy to your local police.

2. What if your paper bag tears, and you drop your gun?
 
I want to see someone charged with "Intent to defend themselves". Some of the amateur "lawyering" in here is pretty entertaining I have to say.

Carrying a concealed handgun, where carrying a concealed handgun is legal, in a manner that allows you to have a grip on the gun before you need to draw it are fairly common.

There are off body concealment devices sold already that accomplish the same thing. Concealed carry purses often allow for, and are specifically advertised as, being built to allow for having your hand on the gun in case you need it quickly but still keeping it concealed. You can do the same with things like the Safepacker. The Maxpedition FatBoy allows for this too, as do a lot of the fanny pack style carry methods. I have a CamelBak "Goblin" hydration fanny pack with a concealed compartment for a handgun. You can put your hand on the gun without drawing if you feel you might need the gun in a hurry. I've done it while hiking and approached by a pack of dogs. I didn't want to alarm the other folks with me by drawing my gun, but I wanted to be able to react very quickly if I had to.

glacier-concealed-carry-purse-gun-holster.jpg


Paper bag seems like it wouldn't be the best idea for this, though it would certainly work.

outdoorsman1 said:
Carrying any loaded hangun not in a (good) holster is a N.D. waiting to happen...
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THIS is the answer that should be of concern, not the legal issues.
 
Carrying a concealed handgun, where carrying a concealed handgun is legal, in a manner that allows you to have a grip on the gun before you need to draw it are fairly common.
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The question was
Is this "concealed" carry?
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And went on to describe a paper bag.

Since it conceals the fact you have a gun it would be yes under most reasonable laws.

If you have a permit it would not matter.

If you do not have a permit and one is required for concealed carry, you are asking for trouble.
 
I want to see someone charged with "Intent to defend themselves". Some of the amateur "lawyering" in here is pretty entertaining I have to say.
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As I said, it's not illegal. But it's a Bad Idea(tm) for multiple reasons, including safe carry of the weapon and the risk of looking like a total nutjob in any encounter with law enforcement.

Pocket holsters, purse holsters, fanny packs and other methods of carry allow you to keep the weapon concealed and safely holstered while placing your hand on the weapon, and don't make you look like a character from Death Wish.
 
Carrying a pistol in a paper bag would be perfectly legal here in Montana and would not be concealed as far as needing a CCW. Concealed here is defined as covered wholly or partially by clothing.
 
IWB = Inside Waist Band
OWB = Outside Waist Band
IPBWHOG = Inside Paper Bag With Hand On Gun

There, it's official it has it's own acronym.

Dan
 
If you buy a good holster, carry on your strong side, practice your draw & dry fire 25 X per day, go to the range every week and get advanced training every year you will be ready for whatever.
 
The question was
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Is there any law that says that a concealed weapon has to be in a holster?
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I presume that the OP has a permit, or maybe lives where a permit is not needed. A paper bag isn't the best idea for people that aren't movie characters, but is it legal?
 
Suppose you had to shoot a bad guy in a dark parking lot using this method, as long as there were no witnesses no one would know that you did not draw from your holster. Are the police going to finger print every piece of litter in the area? And even if they do and yours show up on a discarded paper sack what does that prove? I doubt you will be charged with littering under the circumstances.
 
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Clarify the question

The original post is missing the necessary detail to determine how to answer it. There are two possible questions here:

1. "I have a CCP - if I have my defensive gun in a paper bag I am holding, instead of a holster, am I in compliance with the laws related to my CCP?"

2. "I do not have a CCP - if I have a loaded gun in a paper bag instead of a holster, am I legal to carry it around like that?"

The answer to #1 is probably (highly likely) yes, you are within the law, but you should check the laws of the state you are in. Keep in mind that permitted holders, especially women, regularly carry concealed in handbags, purses, gym bags, briefcases, and fanny packs. The aspect of being paper rather than leather, canvas, or plastic is inconsequential.

The answer to # 2 is, in almost every state, NO FREAKIN' WAY! You would be carrying a loaded and at accessible firearm illegally in every jurisdiction in the nation except those with Constitutional Carry (e.g. Vermont).
 
I carried in a paper bag for a few years. At the time there were no ccw permits and it was illegal. I always took whatever steps I had to take to make me feel safe/comfortable. And I can say I never needed it but the feeling of being safe/protected was worth the risk for me. The charge would have been a misdemeanor in Kentucky so my risk was not as much as it would be for some in other states.
 
In my state it is perfectly legal to carry open or concealed on your own property, your work place (provided your boss allows it) as well as in your vehicle. When I worked in a bar a few years back I used this paper bag method to avoid alarming the customers when I came to work. I walked right in the front door with a bag in my hand and went behind the bar where I kept the pistol stashed. No one ever noticed. After closing part of my job was to walk the female employees to their cars. I used the bag carry method then also. Most of the girls did not even know that I had a full size 1911 in the bag. I was on my bosses property working as a security guard and did not need a permit as long as I stayed in the parking lot.
 
Though definitely in violation of law (I was not licensed to carry at the time), there were many times when I delivered pizzas full-time that I would slip my revolver from my truck into the pizza bag with the food, under the boxes, and keep my hand near it as I approached. As a license-holder now, this would be legal in Florida, though perhaps not the best tactic (a sudden snatch of the pizza bag would effectively disarm me if I had only that gun.)
 
If you have the license it sure would be concealed, but coming from a military perspective, if I see someone walking down the street with their hand in a paper bag .... That is bad JuJu.

Someone *holding a paperbag* is an entirely different story. Looks like a sammich or some liquid courage to me.
Hand in the bag? Bad JuJu.
 
The last time I renewed my ccw in Ga. (2 years ago) the OP's scenerio would have been illegal. At that time Ga. law required that handguns be carried in a holster.
 
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