TexasCHLforum.com

Hello to all of my new CHL friends.

After seeing my CHL status as "manufacturing" for a little over a week now, the stays miraculously change this morning to "mailed". Woo hoo!!!

After browsing a few topics here in the forums, I am relieved to see that I m not the only one a bit apprehensive or nervous about the first trek into the public while carrying. Whew! I'm normal! (At least in that respect)

I have several firearms and have been shooting since I was literally 4 or 5 years old when my dad (who was a gunsmith) first taught me. I recently purchased a Walther P99 compact 9mm. I love that weapon. One of the finest shooters I have ever owned. I have a WRB sales holster for it as we'll. I am a bigger guy and when I practice wearing it here at the house, I wear a dark tshirt and an open darker button-up shirt over that. The Walther is under my left arm but if you stare long enough when I move around you will sometimes see a bit of a bulge.

I know the law state that the weapon should not be seen under "reasonable observation". I dont think try to stare and see if i notice is reasonable observation. I'm I just being too concerned at this point? What are your thoughts on this? Is there a better holster to use?

Welcome to the Forum!

A bulge under your arm or on you waist is NOT a failure to conceal.

A failure to conceal MUST be INTENTIONAL. Even if you reached up grabbing something and your shirt opened up somehow, exposing your holstered firearm and it was seen by some citizen who called the PD, you will not be charged. As the act WAS NOT an INTENTIONAL failure to conceal.

It the world of carrying concealed, it is more about mindset (yours) than the general public. You will find the the public you are worried about seeing your bulge are really too caught up in their lack of observation to see anything.

Stay safe, know your rights and exercise them.

Bartfields - Welcome to the forum! AEA gave you some good advice on concealing.

AEA wrote:Welcome to the Forum!

A bulge under your arm or on you waist is NOT a failure to conceal.

A failure to conceal MUST be INTENTIONAL. Even if you reached up grabbing something and your shirt opened up somehow, exposing your holstered firearm and it was seen by some citizen who called the PD, you will not be charged. As the act WAS NOT an INTENTIONAL failure to conceal.

It the world of carrying concealed, it is more about mindset (yours) than the general public. You will find the the public you are worried about seeing your bulge are really too caught up in their lack of observation to see anything.

Stay safe, know your rights and exercise them.

+1

Thanks for the information. It is greatly appreciated. I always hear guys talking about "printing". So that was really what raised the concern. And you are very correct. The public "sheep" are way to involved in their own little worlds to notice things. I guess I one of the few that is very aware of my surroundings and what others are up to. My wife thinks I should have been a detective.

On another note, I finaly received my CHL on Saturday. WooHoo!!!

Hope everyone has a great week!

Even at that, its incredible what people don't notice if they aren't paying attention. I holstered up right next to a friend of mine in my truck and he didn't notice. Stood talking to friends holding a fully loaded extra mag in my hand, and they don't notice. Took off my CTAC in front of friends and didn't get a second glance.

ftabangler13 wrote:Even at that, its incredible what people don't notice if they aren't paying attention. I holstered up right next to a friend of mine in my truck and he didn't notice. Stood talking to friends holding a fully loaded extra mag in my hand, and they don't notice. Took off my CTAC in front of friends and didn't get a second glance.

I've had the same situation happen with my Dad. Unholstered in the truck to get out and go into a posted area, holstered up when we got back in the truck. He never noticed. People that aren't carrying don't think for a second that anyone else is. While people that are carrying think everyone is looking for a bulge at their waist to "mark" them (at least when you first start to carry.)

people are incredibly egocentric

I have been out with my MIL (mother in-law)while carrying( she hates the idea of citizens carrying loaded firearms in public) I'm assuming its because she has a fear of the unknown(never handled a firearm that I know of)and she is constantly looking around trying to spot them. She thinks I carry on occasions ( 99% is more than occasional carry) I've told her don't ask and you won't find out. And left it at that. I have never been made (that I know of) and I'm not really worried about it. It is 99% mental don't think about it just cover it up and do your thing. If you need to Sony hesitate to read the section about being made and responses. Lots of helpful tips on how not to be made in a public place.

Welcome to the forum!!!!

AEA wrote:Welcome to the Forum!

It the world of carrying concealed, it is more about mindset (yours) than the general public. You will find the the public you are worried about seeing your bulge are really too caught up in their lack of observation to see anything.

So true in so many ways. Here's a non-CHL example. I'm an amateur magician. There's a well-known sleight in the world of magic called a "silk vanish", in which a silk is tucked into a closed fist, then the hands are shown open and the silk is miraculously, unexplainably, GONE.

The sleight uses a device called a thumb tip. It's a sleeve that slides over your thumb. The silk is tucked into it, then the thumb is pressed in and the hands are shown open. No silk. The device is normally flesh colored.

That doesn't really matter, though. People get so caught up in "where did the silk go" that I can perform the trick with an International Blaze Orange thumb tip. And no one notices. Yes, I'm serious.

People see what they want to see. And they don't want to see you as an armed individual.

Are you guys cousins? (packina45 and packa45)

No... Just a coincidence... Just made a screen name based on my preferred duty weapon. Did not even know packina45 was another member

Strap it on. Cover it up. Forget about it.

After Colorado, I decided to carry 100% of the time when legal.

For comfort, I switched to an OWB and I am carrying a Kimber Compact CDP II.

Yes, sometimes you see a bulge but has never been an issue.

Even my wife cant tell I am carrying.

The printing paranoia fades with time. I was scared to death at first!

AB

The Annoyed Man wrote:Strap it on. Cover it up. Forget about it.

After about three times out.. NO big deal. The quote above says it best. Even my wife didn't notice after hugging up on me. lol!!

Thanks for all the replies. You guys are great!!