fed_wif_a_sig

Well it's been a while since I've been able to visit these pages, with high work load and so many things going on at home (like becoming a new grandpa for the first time), but an incident happened yesterday that cements the warnings many say about using a fanny pack as a way to carry a weapon.

A couple weeks ago, I was injured (again) at work, and as such my right (primary/dominant) hand is now casted from the armpit to palm. Pretty much rendering my right hand useless for weapon handling.

Still needing to carry (duh) and not having ordered a left hand holster for my new duty weapon (yet - and that was a stupid mistake), I threw my gear into my "gym" carry bag, a well designed fanny pack that doesn't even look like the typical gun bag and setting it up for left hand draw. Having practiced with my "weak" hand extensively and even qualifying with it as the primary in the past, I was confident in my ability just didn't have a good means to carry it.

My truck needed its oil changed, and so off to the local quick oil change shop because changing my own with one hand didn't sound like, either a smart or fun thing to do.

Much to my surprise, this shop is one that is a re-hab facility for recently released con's to put them back into society. No sooner did I get out of my truck, when three of them asked, "What type of gun you carrying?". Now I don't wear cop shirts, no cop markings on my truck and the only thing that stood out from their dress (including the same jeans, boots and tattoo showing past t-shirt dress) was the fanny pack.

I asked them each why they thought I was carrying a gun, and each said ..... man carrying a fanny pack in Texas? It has to be a gun. I went into my alter ego that I use frequently during work hours and we fast talked while they worked about the "training" they received in prison, and due to the high volume of concealed carry permits in Texas, a subject they discussed frequently was how to spot weapons on people to avoid them as the risk is to high. (NOTE: The all three said the second most identifiable sign is a photographer vest...something even professional photographers in Texas don't wear).

So the next time you sling that fanny pack around your waist and head out believing no one realizes your packing, know this. Three groups of people will know. Cops, Folks who carry concealed a lot and the hard core convicts.

Ya they might decide to pass on, but then again, they might decide thats an easy way to pick up a weapon. So ask yourself;
1. Do you have another way to carry?
2. Are you training with what you carry? (I'm not talking just punching holes in paper, but doing something like IDPA).
3. Do you have enough gun (and extra magazines) to stop what you are faced with.

Just FYI, remember the mall shooting in Salt Lake City, UT last year? The hero off-duty responding officer has a 1911 with ONLY 6 rounds loaded and NO STINKING spare magazine. Talk about a bad time to realize his easy way didn't work. He was empty and at slide lock when the first on duty guys arrived.

Back to my cage.

__________________
Steve
"Respect all ... Fear none!!!

ron8903

Good sound advice as usual, congratulations on the Grandad deal my
first was 3 years ago and now I have two w/ one on the way

__________________
"A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on."
- Sir Winston Churchill

QuickDrawMcGraw

Welcome back! I kinda remember your posts from back when I first joined DC. Thanks for the great advice, funny thing was I was just discusing with a buddy yesterday how fanny pack can scream gun to some people and here you are supporting my story! Hope you get back strong hand back soon! :)

PS. Congrats on being a grandpa!

goldshellback

Very good "heads-up" info to post.....GRANDPA!
Congrats!

__________________
"Just getting a concealed carry permit means you haven't commited a crime yet........CCP holders commit crimes." Daniel Vice, senior attorney for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, as quoted on Fox & Friends, July 7th, 2008

Bender

Some good information... Thanks.

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Ahhh, what an awful dream. Ones and zeros everywhere... and I thought I saw a two.

carleb

Yep, I'm sure fanny packs do send the "gun" message to many. About a year ago, my gf and I visited St. Louis and decided to take the rail to the Arch. I couldn't decide if I should pack or not, but eventually decided to not, as I wasn't sure what SL allowed on the public rail and it was a totally new experience for me. The fact of the Arch being a National Park completely escaped me.

As we walked up to the Arch plaza area, a Park Security lady walked up and asked to see inside my fanny pack. We were still probably 100' away from the Arch entrance. All I had was my camera and other odds and ends, so no problem. However, if I had taken my 1911, I'm sure there would have been a problem. I am satisfied she had scoped me out from a distance of maybe 150', as it was obvious she had gone out of her way to make contact with me.

I'm sure I looked like a dead-ringer for a weapon, since with my Wranglers, boots AND fanny pack I didn't exactly look in my element.

Funny thing was, in my hip pocket, I had a rather serious looking, spring assist, folder knife. Of course, I had to put it, watch, keys, etc. in the x-ray tub and walk through the metal detector. The guys checking out that stuff picked up the knife, looked it over, looked at each other, and handed it back to me like, "Oh well". I guess to them, I looked like the country bumpkin that would just as soon go without pants as go without my knife.

ccman

Congrads get better and thanks.

deadeye72

That is one reason I quit wearing the one I have. My wife uses it now when she goes walking around the neighborhood.

__________________
HK P2000 .40
BENELLI NOVA

Yoda

Hmm, now maybe I can wear my "throwdown" diversionary fanny pack to disguise the real hiding place and display something that they recognize so they will search out easier pickings.

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Do or do not, there is no try..

buckeyeLCPL

Hey Fed, good to see ya back round here. Well, at least you don't look old enough where it is acceptable to carry a fanny pack without it screaming gun.

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Fortes Fortuna Juvat

We're mules lad. Mules that kill.

TJR