Spot the CCW!

[P95Carry]

I am curious ... maybe just downright nosey! But I am always analyzing those around me ... partly routine - re threats I guess but also ...... re other CCW's.

I ate in a local Chinese yesterday ... and watched various guys .... and decided that probably barely even one could be carrying! Simply because of their dress .. or lack of it!

It goes without saying I guess ...... successful CCW for me means no one notices, but me ... as I carry 24/7 and take considerable pains to make it good ... cannot but help tho trying to ''spot the other guy''! If you carry yourself, you know the problems and so .... what to look out for . Round here is quite CCW intensive .... and yet, damned if I can spot anyone ... as yet! If I was a prospective perp' ..... I'd have to admit to having to assume that anyone I see could be carrying ...... rather supports the lower crime figures eh?!

How good are you guys who carry, at ''spotting the carrier''??

 

[Watchman]

Better than average. Since I instruct CCW, a small part of the class is about carry methods. We demonstrate how to conceal and how not to "conceal".

I guess its just a matter of habit to be constantly on the lookout for bulges in clothing. Im sure that fact that Im also a reserve deputy comes into play as well. Everytime I walk up to someone I am very aware of their hands and any obvious prints in the clothing.

 

[P95Carry]

Everytime I walk up to someone I am very aware of their hands and any obvious prints in the clothing.

Watchman .. I daresay you are more adept at this .... but I'd reckon that any of us who carry are aware ..... because we are also aware of the problems encountered in achieving ''good carry'' ..... will also be somewhat ''alert' to the same things ... call it body language if you will ..... as well as ''printing''.

Maybe the ''best'' are those who manage IWB, small of back. never works for me .. too damn uncomfortable so .... 4 0'clcok is way i go..... unless sho rig ... and that IMO with winter clothing is about the ultimate!

 

[Watchman]

Small of the back is pretty much how I carry. I have no problem with a Government model .45 or a P220 Sig.

I'll usually carry a .40 P239 just because its smaller.

Even my wife cant tell most of the time. The clothes are the key.
In the summer, Ill wear a colored T-shirt under a opened dress shirt. In the winter I have a few vests that I wear.Sometimes I'll slip one in an inner coat pocket.

I like to think that anyone that totes is more "aware" than the average Joe.

If they aint they oughta be...

 

[DontShootMe]

Watchman

Just curious... when you 'slip one in an inner coat pocket' is there one in the chamber???

 

[Watchman]

Always.

 

[AK103K]

I'm always looking for others who carry, kind of a game with me. The ones that seem to spotted the easiest are those wearing shoulder holsters, OWB, and front pocket carry. Between coats swinging open when they bend forward or reach and straps across the back of tight coats, the shoulder holsters are almost blatant. OWB is usually due to reaching up for something, especially with a coat that has an elastic type bottom. Certain holsters tend to buldge a lot more than others. As little as pocket type pistols are, they can really stick out, especially if you wear tighter pants and wear them a lot with it in the same spot. My buddy has a couple of pairs of pants like this, you can see the outline of his TPH in his pants from the wear on the fabric, even when the guns not in there. I carry a Combat Commander and find IWB at around 4 o'clock to be most comfortable, easily concealable, and easy to protect. I'm not overweight, so I have a spot that my pistol rides in that most shirts "hang over". Even without a shirt or coat, the pistol snuggles in the crook and is pretty much hidden from someone facing straight on. I've actually answered the door for pizza in a tee shirt and the delivery boy never knew it was there. Printing is only an issue in certain positions. Body position and your attitude also go a long way at hiding your gun.

 

[MisterX]

i play the game too, spot the ccw. the EASIEST one i spotted was an old man, prolly in his 80's, who got his car stuck in the mud (i had to pull him out w/ my wrecker). I actually didn't notice him first, but it was brought to my attention that the old man had a pistol on his hip. i checked it out, and indeed he did--he was wearing a suit that wasn't buttoned and the pistol could easily be seen from the front. other than that, i haven't seen much around, and i look for it a lot...

 

[Double Naught Spy]

While eating down on the square at lunch one day, I noticed some of the guys from the local IDPA match I had seen that morning come in the door. All in all, I would not have thought much of it, but as they passed, I checked for gun bulges and what not and spotted at least a couple that normally a person would not have noticed as the bulges were only slight. What gave things away, however, were things like the shirts that say GLOCK, IDPA logo polo shirt, etc. While the guns really were not visible, they had plenty of advertising.

 

[gbelleh]

My state doesn't allow CCW yet, but I go to Tennessee about once a month for business. I always try to spot people carrying there. So far, I haven't really seen anything obvious.

I only get to go there from October to May, so most of the time people are wearing more clothing, that probably makes it harder to spot.

 

[dev_null]

Most obvious "make" for me was the guy at IHOP with the black fanny pack in front who was definitely at condition yellow, judging by his watchfulness.

Somebody that's looking could probably tell about me a lot of the time, by the constant tugging down of my shirt tail on the right side when getting up from a seated position (especially the car).

-0-

 

[OF]

who was definitely at condition yellow, judging by his watchfulness.

This is a big tip-off. Most of the sheeple are so oblivious that someone who is paying attention can really stand out.

- Gabe

 

[TIMC]

I carry different guns depending on time of year and where I am going. Mostly IWB small of the back but occaisionally a shoulder holster during winter. I look at people for CCW's all the time since getting my license, I didn't before. I don't think most people would even notice a strange bulge. They just do not look around to really see what is going on. Getting my CCW has made me think more about what is going on around me. I notice much more than I used to about my surroundings.

 

[Erik]

Better than most, mainly because I have educated myself as to what to look for.

 

[PCRCCW]

These guys need to take lessons from BOO! As a long time CCW permit holder and a maker of CCW Rigs....My daughter AKA BOO is about as estute in spotting CCW's as anyone Ive ever met...Just ask the Cop who she told "Youre printing, I can see your snubby"
It was his BUG in a tuckable @ 4.00 Ock.....
I guarantee he wont doubt her....LOL
Shoot well

 

[Celtech]

I would almost venture to say that Sheeple for the most part have no idea what printing is. I think it would have to be pretty darn obvious for someone to really tell you are carrying..someone that doesnt know anything about CCW.

Anecdote.

I was in the doctors office the other day and the Nurse came in and started talking to me. I was kinda nervous when I got in the room because I remembered I had my weapon IWB. Everything was going really well until she had me lift up my shirt to take my vitals...

She asked me why my heart rate elevated so fast..I responded that I am uncomfortable bare breasted in front of women...She turned all red and laughed..and then promptly noticed my G19 tucked ever so neatly in my waistband...

She said what's that?
I responded..well its a finely crafted Austrian Firearm..and here is my Concealed Carry License....BTW..im a good guy...

She left the room and I kinda sighed..she popped right back in and said..btw..you arent having any thoughts of suicide are you? I just kinda giggled...and reassured her again that I was a good guy....

Scariest and most embarassing moment so far while ccw'ing.

 

[Marcus]

I`ve seen a few guys who tipped their hand. One was in the grocery store,he was stooping down to look on the lowest shelf and his short windbreaker rode up revealing and Officers Model in a belt slide,ooops! The other I`m somewhat ashamed to say is a buddy of mine. His theory is that as long as you can`t actually see the gun that it`s concealed. He`s a big (horizontally ) guy who carries an H&K in a Galco pancake holster. He has a hard time finding T-shirts big enough for him,let alone him and his CCW so he sometimes has a prominient gun shaped bulge under his shirt. I`ve seen people look at it strangely but even then nobody I know of has ever said anything to him. I try to keep mine "invisible" but I`ll admit I`ve had a moment or two myself. Getting out of cars in parking lots is a problem for me, I`m a tall/big guy and I have to twist around a lot to get out of the car if there are other cars parked too close. Once my shirt rode up enough that I think a little old lady may have gotten a peek of my CZ. I smiled politely,and she shrugged and smiled back. I always get a kick out of the "tugging the shirt gives you away" thing because I have to do that after getting out of the car even when I`m not carrying or I`d be walking around with my shirt all bunched up. When I am carrying I`m sure my CCW would stick out from time to time,which is even more of a giveaway. Marcus

 

[Stevie-Ray]

I have always sat in restaurants "tactically" in "strategic" locations. If my wife is insistent on screwing me up, (she is handicapped and must get into booths from a certain side) I am usually quite nervous, and I'm sure it shows. Our CPL law is fairly new, so I'm sure I'm being made. I've always seen the same thing in other men, but of course now there's a far greater chance they're carrying. As for printing, I've yet to see that, and probably wouldn't know, considering the amount of cell phones and pagers that bulk up under clothes.

 

[blades67]

It depends upon how careful the other guy is at concealing a gun.

 

[Onslaught]

Most people never notice, unless they "CCW" too...

Except for my 7 year old super-alert ADHD nephew... He realized in .25 seconds that I had a Kel-Tec P32 in my pocket after only one quick hip-hug... That was no big deal, except that we were in line to be seated at a very crowded restaurant, and he (very loudly) said "ooh, that's a gun in your pocket! Lemme see!" and reached for my pocket. So when everyone turns around to see what gun "the kid" is yelling about, there he is, reaching into my pocket as I'm grabbing his wrist to stop him.

A P32!!!

I never realized so many people carried, until I started. It only makes me nervous when the person carrying is OBVIOUSLY under 21! It's a lot of fun playing "spot the CCW", especially in other states. There are different ways and styles of carrying, depending on what state a person is from.

IMHO, the award for "Most obviously CCW'ing State" is Washington State (Seattle/Puyallup area). Granted, I've not been to all 50, but of the 10 or so I've been to for work, Seattle folks were quite regularly obvious. (Like wearing jeans and a tucked in shirt, with a black XXL "Eagle" brand fannypack on, with the "pull tab string" hanging out of the zipper).

 

[CZ 75 BD]

My fanny pack....

is not of the nature described above. But I'm sure it screams "GUN" to some people. Others probably think it's just a "purse"

 

[LiquidTension]

Apparently I'm not very good at spotting it, since I've never seen anyone printing that wasn't a friend who didn't care if he prints around me. If you were ever spotted, you'd likely not know anyway. If you were a sheep, would you walk up to the "wolf" and tell him you could see his teeth?

 

[Redlg155]

Fanny packs here in FL scream nothing in particular. It's not uncommon to see several folks wearing them throughout the day. Surely they aren't all armed..or are they?

Those photographer vests do scream "gun" here because no one in their right mind wears one in 100+ degree heat.

Good Shooting
Red

 

[Navy joe]

I can't bring myself to fanny pack because two types of men wear them. Gun toters is one, the second are the ones that shave twice a week, dirty T-shirt and sweatpants with no underwear. At least I hope that is two unique groups and not subsets of the same.

Hang around a busy urban gunstore awhile and you will realize you can't spot them all, so watch everyone. I don't care about weapons, but I do take a good interest in anyone that takes an unhealthy interest in me. And yes, I do have eyes in the back of my head.

 

[BerettaNut92]

Chinese and hardly wearing anything? What do the Chinese over there wear? Most of the Asians out here wear baggy stuff, yo.

Most Chinese restaurants I see folks in Condtn White with extra bleach. A half-way watchful Chinese guy stands out like they were at a bluegrass concert.

OTOH, Assume everyone is armed. In God we trust, for everyone else, keep an eye on them.