Concealed carry that isn't really all that concealed

[Crossfire]

I just naturally consider all women dangerous so the presense of a gun really doesn't change things much.

Well, that just sorta sums it all up!

[The Marshal]

You'd be suprised how many people DO NOT notice the J-hooks.

Nitrogen is correct.
MOST people are clueless. Seriously. Guns are the last thing they will think about, and even if they did, they don't know what to look for.

~Bill

[AV8R]

Fanny pack large enough to conceal a car battery,

I haven't seen may people wearing BIG fanny packs lately. Now it's the TMP (Tactical Man Purse)

Hehe....well, I still wear one often. It's a Galco that I bought in Los Angeles a few days after the Watts riots began. I bought it after noticing that detectives, and off-duty LAPD, who are armed, used them a lot, even while jogging at the beach. First time out with it, we stopped at a Mc Donald's on the west side of Watts for lunch, and were greeted at the door by LAPD doing security. We exchanged greetings, the officer almost saluting me in the process. I believe he was happy to have his six covered, no questions. I used the Galco a lot farther south for some years. The waist pack is great when you're in mud, sand, and salt a lot, as it keeps lots of stuff out of the gun. It's also very secure. Today, I still wear the Galco often, as it's quick on and easy off. Cops do notice, but don't give a second glance. No one has ever asked.

[KinnyLee]

1. Fanny pack large enough to conceal a car battery, usually rectangular with a 3" wide strap securing it to the wearer. First of all, the fanny pack fad died out years ago, so just wearing one draws attention to you, but these behemoth fanny packs that will swallow a Desert Eagle are just screaming "I've got a gun". Most commonly seen on men weighing less than 120 lbs, making the fanny pack appear even larger than it really is.

Let me see. Check.

2. The favorite of gunwriters in the all the gun mags - the classic wrinkled "photographer's vest". Yes, you can conceal a pair of S&W M29's under there, but you're not fooling anybody. Unless you have a camera around your neck or you're actually exploraing the Amazon basin this is a good indicator thatyou're armed. Most commonly seen on men weighing in excess of 300 lbs.

Check, but I'm only 240lbs. lol

3. Any "tactical" pants, especially if they're made by 5.11. Double if you're also wearing combat boots and/or Oakley's. Triple if I can see the "Under Armour" logo on your mock turtleneck. Quadruple if you're sporting a high & tight. Basically, if you look like you just strolled off of a Gall's catalog modeling shoot you're not fooling anyone.

Hmmmm. Nope. I do want a pair of those perscription WileyX glasses though.

[KinnyLee]

Comptac has a C-hook that I'm going to try when I'm tucked.

I love my C-hooks.

[TxFire]

I guess all those items SCREAM "Shoot me first" too.

I agree that the CHL was more for the "You can have it, but I don't want to see it" types than providing a tactical advantage. I'm not real concerned if someone suspects I may be carrying because I may fit yours of thier profile of an armed person. I am hoping for open carry in Texas for the rare occasion I would fully open carry, but more for no longer worring about a flash and the ability to dress less around the gun.

[Venus Pax]

I have had someone notice my bulge, but it isn't common.

Most people aren't looking. Thugs are looking at what they can steal or who they can rape and murder. Most aren't intelligent enough to look for who might be armed. (And we can thank God for that.)

[Skipper5]

You'd be suprised how many people DO NOT notice the J-hooks.

Nitrogen is correct.
MOST people are clueless. Seriously. Guns are the last thing they will think about, and even if they did, they don't know what to look for.

~Bill

++++1 agree....
And I used to come from Open Carry AZ....prefer concealed anytime...other than when ranching, hiking, fishing, etc.

[Piney]

Greetings--

I carry in a CTAC with C-Clips. I rarely have the occasion to wear a tucked in shirt, but the times I have, the clips werent all that noticeable IMO. Robin has told me that I need to go change a shirt on occasion because I'm printing but that's not the holster/gun's fault. I can't imagine what causes a shirt to be tight, though I've had to remove several favorite shirts from my wardrobe *sigh*

In my travels around the state (including a variety of WalMarts...), I have yet to see a "noticeable" concealed handgun being carried. I've seen a number of CompTac (or similar) clips on folks' belts. That's noticeable to the educated eye, but I'd say not to the general public at large nor most BGs.

Properly "installed", a good IWB holster with a good shirt isn't going to scream GUN. However, I do agree that wearing tactical clothes off the range and those covered with gun logos *could* draw inappropriate attention.

[40FIVER]

There are hundreds of posts on this forum and other gun forums dissecting Odin's claims. He managed to hit 2 of the ways I carry. This will be the gajillionth time this statement has been said in one form or another: "Only CCW people and LEO will think gun when seing a fanny pack, vest, or tac pants. The sheeple DO NOT care."

Odin - you really do need to do some searches on this and other forums before you make these claims. This is not a flame, just a suggestion.

[Odin]

There are hundreds of posts on this forum and other gun forums dissecting Odin's claims. He managed to hit 2 of the ways I carry. This will be the gajillionth time this statement has been said in one form or another: "Only CCW people and LEO will think gun when seing a fanny pack, vest, or tac pants. The sheeple DO NOT care."

Odin - you really do need to do some searches on this and other forums before you make these claims. This is not a flame, just a suggestion.

It screams "gun" to me, that's the only perspective that I can comment from.

I think you left out someone when you said "Only CCW people and LEO will think gun when seing a fanny pack, vest, or tac pants..." because I think that some criminals might also think gun when they see those things. While I agree that most criminals aren't the brightest folks, I wouldn't underestimate the "education" some of them receive in prison. Some felons are quite in tune with their surroundings and they have a hatred for police. If a felon intent on commiting a crime sees someone he believes to be carrying it may cause him to abandon his plans, or it may cause him to focus on controlling/eliminating what he perceives to be a threat first (the LEO or armed citizen). I choose not to draw the attention of on-duty police or savvy criminals by not wearing things that they would associate with a concealed weapon. To each his own I guess.

[jrosto]

When I am out and about, I am not generally looking to see if someone is carrying by telltale signs. I am looking at attitudes first. Predators act like predators. Weather I am in a mass of thousands at the Main Street Arts Festival in Fort Worth, or with just a couple folks in a stop and rob in South Dallas, I am looking for clues that a person is on the prowl. I assume the BG's are looking for similar traits when choosing victims. If you have a CHL, and you have trained in the use of your firearm, you are going to exude a certain amount of confidence. It does not matter what you are wearing, it is that confidence that the predator will pick up upon.

The "gun clothes" just make it easier for us to pick each other out of a crowd :)

[longtooth]

jrosto, your a very correct. You are welcome in my foxhole anytime. Welcome aboard.

[Venus Pax]

I also agree with jrosto.
I think we can identify eachother b/c we use a lot of the same equipment.
Before obtaining my CHL, I always thought those clips on people's belts were for cell phones or PDAs or some other electronic gadget.

Now I go, AHA! Another sheep dog!

I also agree that training in both situational awareness and gun use gives one the confidence that make us less likely targets.

[40FIVER]

You're correct Odin, vests, fanny packs, etc. do announce "gun" to you and me. My apologies for the tone of my post. I assumed you were inferring that it screamed "gun" to all people, when in fact, that is far, far, far from the truth.

40FIVER