What to do with you gun while in a public potty.

[Bruce333]

Depending on the public restroom in question will depend on what I do with the weapon. If there is a hook on the inside of the door, frequently I will hang the weapon by the trigger guard on the hook. There might be some danger in that, but being mindful of the danger will keep anything stupid from happening.

Nio

http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=167134&highlight=restroom
This wasn't you was it?

back to our question...

BVD hammock here...

 

[carebear]

First, take it out of the holster and put it in your front pants pocket (stuff it down in there, even a full-size 1911 will fit with ease). Now it CAN'T fall out and you can then unbuckle and lower trou normally. As long as you are holding onto the waistband of the pants as you lower the pocket will stay upright and the gun can't flip over and out (like a 3 o'clock IWB can in that situation).

If you then want to move it to the hammock position, it is easy to do after you are seated. When you are done, do the same in reverse, lifting it in your pants pocket again makes it impossible for the gun to flip around like in a holster. You can zip/buckle up and adjust your shirt and the holster without trying to control the gun (it's safely buried in the pocket) AND the waist of the trousers at the same time and then you can simply reholster the weapon before opening the door and leaving.

ZERO possibility of forgetting it because it is NEVER out of your positive control.
It CANNOT be stolen from deep in your pocket by the "hand under the wall" method and is easy to move to the hammock if you prefer.
And, it is more or less impossible for it to fall out and skitter away across the floor assuming you don't just unbuckle your pants and let them free fall.

I've been unable to come up with a better or safer way.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I only dump at home. Urination however, I do anywhere.

We noticed. And we've been meaning to talk to you about that.

 

[V4Vendetta]

ha ha.

 

[NineseveN]

Nothing! I leave it in my shoulder rig.

Yet another benefit of waistless carry.

 

[MICHAEL T]

I practice my spins and twirls I want to be as good as Ringo in Tombstone.

 

[jsalcedo]

Practice Tap, Rack drills while going #2

The racking of the slide dissuades stall talkers

 

[Guns_and_Labs]

I shift it around so it lays between my feet. I also choose the handicapped stall at the end, against the wall.

 

[BullfrogKen]

You never see this talked about in any of the books.

Maybe so . . . but John Farnam actually addresses the issue on his website . . . on his what to bring page . . . at the ahem . . . "bottom"

Farnam page

Using the toilet: Last but not least, even though there may not be a rest room at the range, the question is often asked, "How do I use a toilet when I am wearing a gun?" The best technique we have is this:

Once you are inside the rest room, stand facing away from the toilet and remove your gun from the holster. Keep your finger off the trigger and the muzzle pointed in a safe direction. Lay the gun and any spare magazines or speed loaders on the tank or somewhere where they will not be visible from the outside and will not fall into the pot. Once your pants are down, place the gun between your feet, pointed away from you. When you are finished, pick up your gun and accessories and set them on the tank or somewhere where they will not be visible from the outside and will not fall into the pot. Tuck in your shirt and buckle your belt. Then, pick the gun up. Keep your finger off the trigger and the muzzle pointed in a safe direction. Perform a chamber check, then replace the gun in your holster. Replace the spare magazines or speed loaders in the appropriate carriers.

Never in a million years would I think this needed to be expounded upon, but if he felt the need to . . . there must be a reason.

 

[afasano]

Hold it in till you get home. Go the the handicapped booth there's lots of room to hang stuff there.

 

[jcoiii]

I carry in a belly band. I just pull the band up higher so I can sit.

 

[Rock and Glock]

Seriously, my pistol gets laid inside the seat of my pants and my "drawers" go on top of it and my off side mag.

That's a new term for REAL "Thunderwear"!

 

[GoBrush]

This Thread really stinks!

Actually quite practical.

+1 for Hammock Method
+1 for Handicaped stall

Only way to go

Got to be real careful with these techniques while camping and using the out house. Course I have heard shooting buddies say there gun was a piece of Cr*p

Also gives new meaning to terms like Lock and Load, Make Ready, and my favorite after you fire check your Peripheral vision.

 

[MNgoldenbear]

+1 hammock
+1 handicap stall

Do NOT "hang" the gun anywhere. If it's high enough and on/near an accessible divider wall, that opens up the possibility of the gun being snatched. As others have mentioned, leaving it on any other surface also makes it possible to forget the weapon. If you're carrying, keep the weapon under your immediate control at all times. There was a mention that it was okay to put it on the counter if it was a private bathroom (only one occupant inside the actual door to the whole room). Still possible, however unlikely, to forget to pick it up. You never know what will distract you, and all it takes is once. Worked on a secure government facility, and a story was related of a scientist who left a document marked "secret" in the basket of a bicycle (the facility had them scattered around for quick jaunts between buildings) outside one of the cafeterias. He was required to attend some refresher courses on security procedures. It IS possible to forget things that you think wouldn't be possible to forget.

 

[JohnKSa]

my pistol gets laid inside the seat of my pants and my "drawers" go on top of it

Pretty much my method.

The gun is not visible nor accessible from outside the stall, there's zero danger of it falling or being lost or forgotten, and it's still easily accessible if you should need it in a hurry.

The problem with setting it down anywhere is that you may forget it, it may fall or slip off, or there simply may not be a place to set it.

 

[Standing Wolf]

"Potty"? Am I in the right place?

 

[RVSinOK]

I go with the "hammock method" as well. You can't forget it, and nobody outside the stall can see it!

 

[U.S.SFC_RET]

I certainly agree with the underwear as the hammock method although this only works if you wear briefs. I also use a gun with a hammer block safety because I can only concentrate on only one discharge at a time.

 

[Templar223]

If I'm carrying with a real holster while traveling, I'll have in IWB holster and I'll usually just let the gun fold the pants over (so the gun is laying where my crotch formerly was) and drop my boxers on top to do my business.

In IL, I'll place my fanny pack on the hook on the door then place my jacket over that.

Trust me, I hate big potty in public restrooms and make darn sure I've got the thing back on me before I go outside the stall.

I will not place my gun in the piss splattered / fecal splattered floor!

John

 

[MillCreek]

I will usually use the handicapped stall if one is available. Since almost all of my carry holsters are IWB or OWB, I drop my trousers and briefs to my knees and hold the holster with one hand while tending to matters of state. Interesting comments in this thread about the numbers of people who remove the handgun from the holster and stow it somewhere. I have not done this for fear of forgetting it or increasing the risk of an accidental discharge.

 

[Firethorn]

I too use the hammock method.

The biggest problem I have is that there are no flat surfaces in most public stalls today. It's a tankless toilet, the paper dispensor is rounded, etc.

I draw, keeping finger off trigger, pointed in safe direction. Drop pants, sit, place gun in pants.

Like what people have said- Impossible to forget in this position, still within reach, and invisible on the outside even with the walls a foot off the floor.

 

[wuchak]

When I went through training for my NY permit the officer told the class the story of the gentleman who had just received his pistol permit after making it through NY's torturous permit process.

(Begin digression)
NY is a may issue state and getting a permit varies by county. Some will not issue them at all, some have a minimum wait of one year from your application, and the best move you through in two or three months. To get a permit:
-Your local Sherriff's office will fingerprint you and run an FBI background check
-you have to attend a safety trainng class given by the Sherriff's department that is usually held only once per month
-you have to get three letters of recommendation from non-family members in your county that you have known at least one year
-you have to meet one on one with the issuing judge
(end digression)

This gentleman was going handgun hunting for deer. On the way he stopped at a local convenience store for coffee and used the restroom. He laid his gun on the back of the toilet and left it there where another customer found it and told the staff at the store. They called the police and since in NY you have to have the serial number of every handgun you own on your permit and it is logged at the police department it was easy to figure out who's gun it was. Needless to say his permit was revoked and he will never be able to get another on in NY. When carrying I never, never, never set my gun down anywhere.

 

[BothellBob]

What do you do with your Gun when you use a public restroom and sit on
the potty? Are you concerned about dropping it, showing it to the person
next door, having the person next door grabbing it and run. Do you
carefully choose a stall where no one can sit next to your gun side
maybe because of a wall? There are a lot of tuff stuff to think about
this winter.

As I mentioned in my first post, Iver Johnson that's a two inch stubby, so I'm not worried about dropping it; I'm just thankful if I can find it. If you're showing it to the guy next to you or are worried about his grabbing it, you are frequenting the wrong kind of bar (or not, what ever makes you shoot straight (or not)).
-BothellBob

 

[Tom Servo]

Heck, I thought those little metal hooks inside the stall doors were so I could hang my gun on 'em. They seem to work pretty well, except for the occasional "oops." Still, I stand by my record of zero fatalities.

 

[Strings]

And yet again, another place where the kilt reigns supreme!

Seriously though... that IS one of the nice things about a kilt: hike up garment, do business, lower garment (this is VERY important), carry on...

If I'm IWB wearing pants, the gun and mags go on the TP dispenser. Used to leave 'em in the holster and carrier, but had my mags rotate and fall out one day (thankfully, nobody else was in the john)...