Ramifications of Printing

[Snap E Tom]

I'm sure this has been discussed plenty of times, but searching for "printing" returns 136 pages of results, and a lot of them irrelevant.

So what are the legal ramifications of printing? Can it be used as a basis for a failure to conceal arrest? The penal code says, "(3) 'Concealed handgun' means a handgun, the presence of which is not openly discernible to the ordinary observation of a reasonable person." That seems kind of vague to me because under a shirt and especially IWB, it can be anything. Have there been any cases regarding printing in Texas? The reason I ask this is that, as summer approaches, I'd like to carry IWB with just a t-shirt over it.

There's also been a lot of discussion about being "made," but I didn't see anything specifically that specifically answers my question. Thanks!

[speedsix]

...I carry a Ruger P90 and either a GP100 3" or a P97 as backup daily dressed in jeans and a pocket Tshirt...IWB and have never been spotted...it can be done and not a chore...a shirt could ride up just like a coat could be blown/brushed back...but that's not an intentional display and it hasn't happened in all the years I've carried (45)...I've not seen a conviction in Tx for failure to display and "printing" doesn't exist in Tx law...your quote covers it well...and is not hard to accomplish with a bit of practice...you'll do fine...a professional officer will deduce that you're carrying by your actions...not spotting it...in most cases...

[WildBill]

I'm sure this has been discussed plenty of times, but searching for "printing" returns 136 pages of results, and a lot of them irrelevant.

So what are the legal ramifications of printing? Can it be used as a basis for a failure to conceal arrest? The penal code says, "(3) 'Concealed handgun' means a handgun, the presence of which is not openly discernible to the ordinary observation of a reasonable person." That seems kind of vague to me because under a shirt and especially IWB, it can be anything. Have there been any cases regarding printing in Texas? The reason I ask this is that, as summer approaches, I'd like to carry IWB with just a t-shirt over it.

There's also been a lot of discussion about being "made," but I didn't see anything specifically that specifically answers my question. Thanks!

You are correct. There have been numerous posts about printing. This is probably the fourth or fifth favorite topic on the forum. I think the consensus is that you are okay as long as your handgun is completely covered. "Printing" is not against the law. Intentionally exposing your handgun is. What people think that they might see or might imagine is underneath a shirt is not against the law. IANAL.

[RPB]

Pocket T-shirts

Loose, LONG (Tall, anti-plumbers butt) T-shirts are great for helping to prevent accidental exposure, Duluth Trading Co and JC Penneys Big Tall Dept searches on this forum or find them online.

(IMHO, purchasing/wearing LONGER T-shirts may be evidence I did not "intentionally" fail to conceal, but took extra-measures to attempt to prevent not being concealed... in case arrested for an "intentional" failure to conceal which is actually "accidental")

{extra measures = measures a couple/several inches longer ... I love double entendre )

[speedsix]

...me-to, too... I normally wore an xl...now I wear 3XL...my belly doesn't qualify me as fashionable, anyways...and it works real well...the baggier shirt is easy to hook up with a thumb as you draw...can get by with a 2x but it's iffy when I reach above my head working...

[The Annoyed Man]

There are no ramifications. "Printing" is not illegal. "Intentional Failure to Conceal" is illegal. Unless the printing reveals the very distinct outlines of a specific type of gun - meaning that the observer can tell if it's a Glock or a 1911 - the observer has no way of knowing if that bump comes from an insulin pump, a PDA, a cellphone, or whatever. And even if they can identify the type of gun, they really don't know for a fact until they can see the exposed weapon.

"Intentional Failure to Conceal" means that even if your coat blows open and momentarily reveals your pistol to an observer, you have broken no laws. But that is where the boundaries grow fuzzy... ...not because you have done anything unlawful, but because a Chicken Little minded observer might panic and phone 911 with a "man with a gun" report. At that point, depending on the jurisdiction, your location within that jurisdiction, and the individual responding officers, it may go hard, or it may go easy on you.

One of our members here who was legally carrying his weapon in a government owned facility accidentally revealed his pistol to another person when his shirt rode up. Unknown to him, she called the cops, and he was manhandled and arrested in the parking lot. It took a lot of time and money to prove his innocence. But, this particular case involved actual exposure of the gun.

Merely "printing" is not really an issue. As has been said many times before by myself and others, "strap it on, cover it up, and forget about it."

[RoyGBiv]

I think the OP's question has been answered.. so.. the only thing I'll add is...

When purchasing t-shirts for summer concealment...

1. Thicker material will provide better concealment. (golf shirts generally conceal more easily that t-shirts)
2. Wearing 2 thin t-shirts will conceal better than one thin one, similar to a thicker material.
3. For comfort, wearing 2 t-shirts is still manageable in summer... You can tuck in the inner t-shirt to keep the holster/weapon off your skin and "blouse" the inner t-shirt a bit, further breaking up any outline of a weapon under the outer t-shirt.

I find that the only time I'm still concerned about t-shirts = printing is when walking to pick up a kid at school... But even then only when the wind is blowing..

[b322da]

Loose, LONG (Tall, anti-plumbers butt) T-shirts are great for helping to prevent accidental exposure, Duluth Trading Co and JC Penneys Big Tall Dept searches on this forum or find them online.

Long-tail T-shirts from Duluth are almost the only T-shirts I own now. I do have a couple with collars if mama insists I dress up.

Elmo

[surprise_i'm_armed]

It's perfectly acceptable to print if your cursive handwriting is really that bad. :-)

SIA

[WildBill]

It's perfectly acceptable to print if your cursive handwriting is really that bad. :-) SIA

I only write in CURSEive, if I am really angry.

[MasterOfNone]

I think there is a reason that the definition of "concealed handgun" uses the word "discernible" instead of "visible." A thing can be discerned without actually seeing it. If enough of the outline is printed to be clearly recognized as a gun (think tight sweatpants pocket), then a reasonable person will discern it to be a gun.
Of course, the discernment must be reasonable. Seeing a rectangular bulge is not enough to discern a gun. So IWB under a t-shirt should be no problem because all they would make out is a rectangle.

[Beiruty]

The idea is, if someone can tell you are carrying a handgun, because the handgun gun outline is really visible behind that thin white T-shirt, then you can be in trouble.
On the other hand if the grip formed a bulge and the observer could not tell, is it a cell phone, is it a smart phone or some other device, the observer is in doubt and nothing may happen in the first place. LEO can see and tell if you are doing enough job of concealing or your doing a really bad job just because you can.

[WildBill]

I think there is a reason that the definition of "concealed handgun" uses the word "discernible" instead of "visible." A thing can be discerned without actually seeing it. If enough of the outline is printed to be clearly recognized as a gun (think tight sweatpants pocket), then a reasonable person will discern it to be a gun.
Of course, the discernment must be reasonable. Seeing a rectangular bulge is not enough to discern a gun. So IWB under a t-shirt should be no problem because all they would make out is a rectangle.

I would consider this defintion to the most appropriate for the interpretation of this part of the statute:

capable of being perceived clearly

So I agree, if the t-shirt or sweatpants pocket were so tight so that the outline of the gun is clearly recognizable as a handgun then you could be charged. As usual, IANAL.

[b322da]

I think there is a reason that the definition of "concealed handgun" uses the word "discernible" instead of "visible." A thing can be discerned without actually seeing it. If enough of the outline is printed to be clearly recognized as a gun (think tight sweatpants pocket), then a reasonable person will discern it to be a gun.
Of course, the discernment must be reasonable. Seeing a rectangular bulge is not enough to discern a gun. So IWB under a t-shirt should be no problem because all they would make out is a rectangle.

Elmo

[Cobra Medic]

There are no ramifications. "Printing" is not illegal.

I agree with the second statement but not the first. "Printing" is not illegal and walking around downtown Austin with an EBR is not illegal. However, there can be ramifications for both. Some transplanted Yankee could get the vapors and call 911 to report a MWAG (man with a gun) if they notice the gun in both cases. If and when police show up, they could detain or arrest the MWAG in both cases. The charges should be dropped in both cases, because it wasn't illegal, but there are ramififcations other than prison time.