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"Made" a guy today...

4K views 45 replies 36 participants last post by  FknRa 
#1 ·
I was in Wally-World picking up some ammo. The counter was pretty crowded with several people getting fishing licences and such. There was a guy in front of me looking at a rifle and a scope. He had a stainless 1911 peeking out pretty good from under the bottom of his shirt. We finished our business at about the same time, so as we were walking away from the counter I tapped him on the shoulder, smiled, and quietly told him that he was printing pretty good. He smiled back and said "Yeah, that happens sometimes." He was nice, but I got the impression that he really didn't care if he was concealed or not. AZ IS an open-carry state BTW.
What's the "normal" protocol here? Am I supposed to let someone know if their gun is showing, (If they appear to be carrying concealed) or am I supposed to just be quiet? I'd WANT someone to tell me if I was no longer concealed.
What say the old-timers?
 
#2 ·
You were courteous, quiet, and tried to do the guy a favor. Thats all you could do. Beyond that, it is that guy's decision with what he wants to do.
 
#4 ·
Yeah i would like to know also, as MI is not an open-carry state but truth be told even if it were i would still conceal it :theyareontome: as the element of surprise is what will help u survive. It sounds to me as if u did what u could some people just dont care, maybe he feels like billy bad butt with his gun showing. who knows...
 
#9 ·
Michigan is an open carry state.



Sorry to disagree with you but, Michigan is an open carry state. Check out opencarry.org. You also should have received this information when you took your concealed pistol license class.

Eric
 
#8 ·
I try to keep my gun concealed.

I can think of two times it became unconcealed; once due to wind when I had an armfull of packages, another time my shirt tail rode up and wedged itself behind the stock of my handgun. I probably walked around exposed and unaware for 20 or 30 minutes. If anyone noticed, nothing was said.

I didn't fret about it too much. Like the guy said; it does happen sometimes.

P.S. In my State, concealment is not recquired, which no doubt influences my attitude.
 
#10 ·
I know here in KY open carry is open carry. That does not mean that it can be peeking out or partially covered. If it is concealed it needs to be concealed.

We will all have moments where we find ourselves exposed. I would appreciate someone letting me know.
 
#13 ·
I must agree with the crowed here. If any of you here spot me printing please let me know. I will be forever grateful.
Mike
 
#14 ·
Sounds like you did just fine . Kinda akin to telling a fella his fly is down there is no strict protocol , discretion is the word of the day . In an open carry state it is not that big a deal , tho IMHO not really the sign of a well thought out defense plan . Also he may have been an off duty officer since the commission card and living as officers normaly do ( associating and socializing primarily in a fully armed society ... to wit Le flocks to other Le for a lot of reasons ) they seem to be the first of us to say " yea its a pistol " and walk off lol .
 
#15 ·
I don't think he was a cop. He was a BIG guy. I'm 5'11" and 200#, and this guy was about the same height and EASILY had 75# on me.
Like I said, nice guy. I told him that I was a relative "newbie" to CC, so I noticed it right away. We had a chuckle and went on our way.
The previous analogy to telling a guy his fly's down...that's very close to how I felt.:ziplip:
Thanks for letting me know I was OK in telling him about it.:wave:
 
#17 ·
Bill a jailer that i went thro the academy with ( he was a lt with his dept and attended due to changes in state law ) was 5-11 and 325 or so .. not all fat by any means but none the less a large ol boy .
 
#35 ·
AZ is open carry but the law is idiotic on what it deems "open carry". In AZ, the law says if a portion of or the whole holster is visible. It says nothing of the actual weapon itself (there is a bill in the legislature right now trying to correct that, though). So if you're wearing an IWB holster, as most of us know, the holster doesn't show at all most times, just the weapon. Even though it would be pretty clear that you're carrying a weapon, it exposes you to LE hassling you about it and checking your permit because the holster itself has to be visible. I know, it's stupid, but that's the way the law is right now.

Cheers.
 
#19 ·
I too would appreciate a polite, “you are showing" KS is an open carry state also but it depends on the municipality.
 
#20 ·
We finished our business at about the same time, so as we were walking away from the counter I tapped him on the shoulder

...What's the "normal" protocol here?
I support the notion of informing a guy who seems like he might just be unaware of his printing/flashing. But I would not make physical contact with him, i.e. the tap. Why not say, "Excuse me, got a moment?"

Some might not take kindly to being touched. Why chance it? What if he's a real edgy CCWer and thinks you've "made" him and plan to cause him trouble of some kind?
 
#21 ·
+0.99 - I HATE being touched by anyone except my wife and kids, even then sometimes I get very claustrophobic! However, this is no reason for me to cause problems - I just hate being touched. Now, I agree a polite "your printing" statement is okay, just so long as the "offender" doesn't think your an anti.

The idea of it being like telling someone your fly is down, is very accurate.
 
#23 ·
i believe concealed means just that. even if open carry is legal, if concealed is what you are doing, keep it that way. open carry is legal in my state also, but i never do, it just seems odd to have my weapon exposed to all eyes. to each is own, but if i'm concealing my sidearm, it stays hidden.
 
#36 ·
i believe concealed means just that. even if open carry is legal, if concealed is what you are doing, keep it that way.

I feel the same way. I am surprised by the number of people who dismiss having the butt of the gun flash in a state where concealed carry is legal but so is open carry.

I don't think that open carry being legal should excuse sloppy concealment. If you set that kind of precedent for yourself, what happens if you go to a reciprocity state that doesn't allow open carry and might punish you for allowing a concealed gun to show?

We talk about how you'll fight the way you train. Well, you'll conceal the way you train, too. Do it right, or not at all; that's my philosophy.
 
#29 ·
If I got the impression that the person was approachable and/or receptive I MIGHT say something. For the most part I leave people to themselves and like to be left the same way. I definitely WOULD NOT touch someone I KNEW was carrying. I since I don't know whether most are or are not carrying...I touch NO ONE and would prefer they not touch me.
 
#31 ·
I wouldn't have said a word..Guy I know down here doesnt even care if he prints or not and he doesnt want anyone telling him about it either..Thats his problem, not mine. To each his own..If you really felt like you needed to say something, might ask him what kind of 1911 he's carrying or made a comment on his holster..That lets him know YOU know..and whatever you do, dont touch. Thats an invasion of my space.
 
#37 ·
I wouldn't have said a word..Guy I know down here doesnt even care if he prints or not and he doesnt want anyone telling him about it either..Thats his problem, not mine.
In one sense, that's true. But people doing dumb things can cause all of those who carry a defensive handgun to look bad to the rest of the public.

I cringe every time I read about a CCWer who gets in trouble with his gun. We like to trumpet how law-abiding we are, and how we are not the cause of trouble but one solution to it. Bad apples ruin public perception of us.

Down here, the name James Settembre appeared frequently at the bottom of letters to the editor of The Palm Beach Post championing -- with eloquence and articulation -- right-to-carry.

Then one day came the sad news that Mr. Settembre himself, apparently despondent about a financial situation in his life, shot his dog, wife, and self to death in their home.

For years, since 1997 when I moved here, I used to smile when I saw his name in the letters section because I knew that thousands would be reading his articulate defense of gun ownership. And then he went and became a murderer/suicide. :frown: :9:

So please, let's not think that if a guy wants to be a dumbass about his gun that it can't affect us all, as gun owners.
 
#32 ·
Here in Pa Open Carry is legal (exception is Philly, OC only legal with LTC permit) so partially exposing or printing is not illegal.

Pa issues a License To Carry, does not say concealed anywhere. I have friends who OC constantly around Pittsburgh and they rarely get hassled. I'm not too worried if I print or partially expose my weapon and I rarely OC. If I saw someone printing I'd leave them alone as I have in the past, most sheep never see it. I was standing in line behind a guy OCing at a convenience store. After he left I asked the guy behind me if he saw the guy carrying a gun. He didn't see a thing. Most people are in a daze.
 
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