How often do you place your hand on your weapon?

[shadowwalker]

I have to say yes but if I get that feeling or I look in a window and see some one more than twice I will first find a place that will give me the upper hand but also a way to get out. I do not want to get trapped or put others in danger and I will blade keeping weapon on protected side, I have been in that pot more than once and at those times cell phones were not most worked out quitely

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Guantes]

No.

[Chad Rogers]

Yes most defenitly there is. The question asked was, Do you ever find yourself clearing your clothes enough to grip your weapon? "CLEARING your clothes enough to grip your weapon"? Not screaming at you. But clearing your clothing? Heck no.

The question was a bit longer than that:

Let's say you're walking somewhere and you feel like someone is following your or staring you down, etc and you just get that gut feeling (or more likely your better female half gets that gut feeling they tend to get). Do you place your hand on your weapon or is that a no-no?

The implication of the reason for the 'clearing of clothes' was pretty specific.

In my mind there is a huge difference between a number of the responses, which revolved around subtle checking of the weapon, and putting your hand on your gun because you think you need to be ready for street combat.

[Tzadik]

Out and about, never. Just within the store. As we just had an armed robbery attempt in June,
my SA in the shop is jacked a bit and when multiple people scream or act scared, it freaks me out.
Shirt has come back and I have gripped, but gun hasn't cleared leather.

[Realfriend]

Hand on the Glock
to check out the knock
from unannounced visitors
I want no inquisitors
to find me bereft
of protection from theft

[45Gunner]

Good judgement is the art of decision making that allows one to stay out and away from bad places where one would have to exercise their superior skill, in this particular case, utilizing their carry gun. Situational awareness is paramount. Once you are comfortable and competent in both the concealment and presentation of your gun, you should not have to be touching it. Perhaps most of us have done this when we first started carrying to make sure the gun didn't shift, that your shirt didn't uncover it, etc. It is part of the confidence building ritual. As the world turns, I put my gun on in the morning and it does not get touched again until I take it off at night. The only possible exception thus far, is having to use a restroom during the day which is not a frequent occurrence for me.

Having concealed carry for over 40 years, I have never drawn my gun, thank goodness, nor have I had to put my hand near it in preparation. That's not to say I haven't practiced and ran scenarios in my mind. If I ever found myself in a situation that I could not extricate myself from and, say my wife was with me while we were walking, I think I would have a gun in my hand with something like a jacket or even a newspaper covering the gun. If the situation has deteriorated badly enough for me to even think about my gun, I don't want to waste precious time taking it out of the holster.

What I just wrote is a slightly contradictory to my long time belief that if my gun comes out of its holster, it is because it going to be used. But, as I get older, I see that judgement and analyzing the situation becomes more important than quickly reaching for my gun which, should be a last resort.

[45Gunner]

Good judgement is the art of decision making that allows one to stay out and away from bad places where one would have to exercise their superior skill, in this particular case, utilizing their carry gun. Situational awareness is paramount. Once you are comfortable and competent in both the concealment and presentation of your gun, you should not have to be touching it. Perhaps most of us have done this when we first started carrying to make sure the gun didn't shift, that your shirt didn't uncover it, etc. It is part of the confidence building ritual. As the world turns, I put my gun on in the morning and it does not get touched again until I take it off at night. The only possible exception thus far, is having to use a restroom during the day which is not a frequent occurrence for me.

Having concealed carry for over 40 years, I have never drawn my gun, thank goodness, nor have I had to put my hand near it in preparation. That's not to say I haven't practiced and ran scenarios in my mind. If I ever found myself in a situation that I could not extricate myself from and, say my wife was with me while we were walking, I think I would have a gun in my hand with something like a jacket or even a newspaper covering the gun. If the situation has deteriorated badly enough for me to even think about my gun, I don't want to waste precious time taking it out of the holster.

What I just wrote is a slightly contradictory to my long time belief that if my gun comes out of its holster, it is because it going to be used. But, as I get older, I see that judgement and analyzing the situation becomes more important than quickly reaching for my gun which, should be a last resort.

[protek]

Today was the first time I actually put my hand on my weapon with the intent of drawing for SD reasons. I just finished work for the day and was carrying gear to my van. My kids were walking ahead of me and got to the van first. I was about 20 feet away when some guy in gang-related apparel stepped into the street from in front of my van. He stopped and turned, looked me over, then crossed over to the other side of the street. After a few moments, he started walking back toward me. At this point, my van was between me and the guy. I unlocked the van to let the kids in, set down my gear, and put my hand over my glock. Postal truck pulled up just in front of me to a row of locked mailboxes. The guy walked up to the mailtruck. The mailman was clearly uncomfortable. The guy was asking him repeatedly about some delivery he was supposed to get. Even after the mailman explained that he didn't have the package that the guy wanted, the guy hung around, seemed agitated. At that point, I was in the van, keys in ignition, but i stayed for the sake of the mailman. I was just about to go for my cell phone when the guy finally slowly started walking off.

[kinoons]

One evening at about 10pm I was loading my hockey equipment into the back of my car in my driveway. My community is relatively small developement and I recognize everyone by sight. Someone I didn't recognize came walking up the street...

I'll preference this with across the main street and around the city block are two ghetto apartment complexes. Maybe a 1/2 to 3/4 mile walk.

In any case this individual did not belong. He stopped about 15 feet from me at the end of my driveway. I am standing next to the open driver door of my car, my sidearm is in a holster between my seat and center counsel. My garage door is open behind me. He says that he was attacked just outside my community and wanted to know if he could use my phone to call for a ride. My spidey sense called BS. I said that I didn't have a phone he could use. Be persisted that he needed to call for a ride and took a step or two toward me. I then said that the only person my phone was going to call was the cops. I also sat down in the driver seat of my car.

The individual in question took another step toward me (now about 8ft away) and muttered some profanities. At that moment my hand found my handgun and I said in the most stern voice I could muster with out yelling "You need to leave, now!" I was half a heart beat from drawing. If this guy hesitated of made one move towards me he would be looking down my walther.

Fortunately the person in question caught the hint and walked off. I secured everything up, started driving to my game, and called the cops. Nothing else noted.

[Bark'n]

Trying to think back, I'd say the only time I've really put my hand on my gun is when I've pocket carried inside a coat/jacket pocket. And maybe once or twice when pocket carrying in my front pants pocket.

With my gun carried on my belt (IWB/OWB), I can't recall ever having to do that. I practice my draw a lot. When my situational awareness goes up, I start concentrating on having to make a draw and start to "get my mind right", but I don't want to tip my hand. I start concentrating on locating the threat, scanning for secondary threats and focusing in on how I'm carrying my gun, how my cover garment will come into play if I do draw and start formulating an action plan. It's commonly referred to as going from condition yellow, to condition orange. That is what I do when I'm in condition orange.

If I were to feel the need to clear my cover garment preemptively, I suppose I would. I may even put my hand on my gun, if I feel the need. But I've never really felt the need. I've gone from yellow to orange many times, but never so far as to feel I needed to grab my gun.

[Dadsnugun]

Years ago, when I would concealed carry regularly...no permit, but none needed in the situation, I would often check to make sure I was still concealed (clothes have never fit me well) yet had quick access by feeling around a little bit - note this was never done in the company of others or brazenly. When I carried openly, again, years ago. (I rarely have a handgun on my person in public anymore.) I distinctly remember occasionally allowing my arm to pass close enough to my hip that I'd brush the grips discretely with my forearm and could feel that everything was still where it belonged. Those techniques just provided a little extra piece-of-mind when I felt I was in a "sketchy" area.

[oakchas]

I cleared my clothing once.
Exposing my weapon for the purpose of discouraging criminal activity against me.
That was sufficient.

I have not done it since, nor felt the need.

[rammerjammer]

I pocket carry 99% of the time so I have easy access to my gun all the time without other people being any the wiser.

In terms of an incident where I thought I may have to draw and put my hands on the pistol, not yet.