Social no no?

[Odinvalknir]

So this question stems from another thread that I saw on here a few days ago. Where a guy in a grocery store was behind another person who apparently was carrying their firearm in their pocket, whether or not it was in a holster was not discussed. The Op said that he could see the butt of the magazine sticking out of the Man's Pocket. He also said that the man had a tendency to reach his hand in his pocket and even wrap around the grip getting a full firing grip on the pistol.


I have a tendency to put my hands on my hips while in standing in line or just standing around. Since I carry strong side at about 4oclock. And a lot of times when my hand is on my hip it comes to rest on or abouts my firearm. Would you call this suspicious or badform? I dont do it intentionally, usually I've "forgotten" my gun was where it is, and just think it would look more odd if I kept unintentionally putting my hand on my hip subconsciously and removing it bc I remember my firearm is there.

My question is if somebody saw me standing in line and my hand was resting on or near my firearm while it's in the holster on my hip, would you be uncomfortable if you happen to notice the outline of a firearm with my hand resting on or about the grip?


To be clear, I dont actually forget I have a gun on my hip. But i do get used to it and subconsciously forget.

[MaduroBU]

IIRC, there were a number of things about that gentleman that worried the poster. The hand placement on the grip was the cherry on top.

[lama]

I agree with Maduro. I got the impression that if many of the individual actions taken by the guy in question would have happened it likely wouldn't have raised alarms. When done all together in short order it flagged.

Do you open carry? I think hand on gun when open carry will raise many peoples eyebrows no matter what positioning or stance.

If you are not open carrying, your hand on the gun will likely make obvious that you are carrying to any that actually look around every now and then. But unless you are gripping the gun or have your palm on the backstrap, I would not see it as a social no no.

I think the big if here is whether your hand is resting on the outside of the gun something like thumb and pointer parallel to your belt or is actually on the grip.

Fingers around the grip of a waist carried gun I can guarantee will set bells off even if done over a shirt.

[Odinvalknir]

I agree with Maduro. I got the impression that if many of the individual actions taken by the guy in question would have happened it likely wouldn't have raised alarms. When done all together in short order it flagged.

Do you open carry? I think hand on gun when open carry will raise many peoples eyebrows no matter what positioning or stance.

If you are not open carrying, your hand on the gun will likely make obvious that you are carrying to any that actually look around every now and then. But unless you are gripping the gun or have your palm on the backstrap, I would not see it as a social no no.

I think the big if here is whether your hand is resting on the outside of the gun something like thumb and pointer parallel to your belt or is actually on the grip.

Fingers around the grip of a waist carried gun I can guarantee will set bells off even if done over a shirt.

Usually it is kind of like you said with my thumb and forefinger resting on the rear slide plate and thumb on the back of the grip. I think if somebody looked close enough they could probably tell that there was a rise in the silhouette of my shirt above my belt. Nobody has ever said anything to me in public nor have I ever had any alarms raised LOL. But I never get a full firing grip of my gun while it's in the holster, I have not had reason to.

[Odinvalknir]

I agree with Maduro. I got the impression that if many of the individual actions taken by the guy in question would have happened it likely wouldn't have raised alarms. When done all together in short order it flagged.

Do you open carry? I think hand on gun when open carry will raise many peoples eyebrows no matter what positioning or stance.

If you are not open carrying, your hand on the gun will likely make obvious that you are carrying to any that actually look around every now and then. But unless you are gripping the gun or have your palm on the backstrap, I would not see it as a social no no.

I think the big if here is whether your hand is resting on the outside of the gun something like thumb and pointer parallel to your belt or is actually on the grip.

Fingers around the grip of a waist carried gun I can guarantee will set bells off even if done over a shirt.

I carry concealed with a iwb holster inside of my pants and under my outermost shirt.
Usually it is kind of like you said with my thumb and forefinger resting on the rear slide plate and thumb on the back of the grip. I think if somebody looked close enough they could probably tell that there was a rise in the silhouette of my shirt above my belt. Nobody has ever said anything to me in public nor have I ever had any alarms raised LOL. But I never get a full firing grip of my gun while it's in the holster, I have not had reason to.

[C-dub]

I don't OC often. When I do I keep my hands away from it.

Ever since OC passed and een before it went into effect I mused over the problems of body language and what people will do with their hands. LEOs often rest a hand on their holstered sidearm when talking with people. I bet if some spare like me were to do that while in the middle of a conversation with a LEO there would be a fair chance I would end up shot. If I didn't I figure there would also be a better than average chance of getting arrested for something. If it is a threat when I do it, why isn't it when a LEO does it?

[Grundy1133]

if you're OCing and rest your arm on top of your gun, i dont think i'd be too concerned but if you were conceal carrying and you got a full firing grip on your pistol every couple of seconds, yea i'd be a bit uneasy.

[Odinvalknir]

if you're OCing and rest your arm on top of your gun, i dont think i'd be too concerned but if you were conceal carrying and you got a full firing grip on your pistol every couple of seconds, yea i'd be a bit uneasy.

Nah, no OC I carry concealed unless I am going to a carry friendly event in which case I'll carry my 1911 in a OWB hip holster. When I put my hands on my hips/waist, my thumb and forefinger end up on the rear of the firearm usually. My thumb ends up on the back of the grip and forefinger resting on the rear slide plate. I never reach for a full grip on the firearm, at least I haven't ever done so since I've not had a reason or need to do so.

[flechero]

My thumb ends up on the back of the grip and forefinger resting on the rear slide plate.

That seems to be a common stance for leo's I've noticed when just standing around chatting... With all that crap on their belts, it's like sitting in a chair with arms... you naturally use it. That or hooking their hands on the neck of their vest.

[PriestTheRunner]

Thumbs in the belt-line instead of hands on hips fixes this issue.

And I don't touch my firearm when OC'ing. I consider it poor manners, like pointing a knife at dinner.

[crazy2medic]

I open carry a 1911, I keep my arm draped across and parallel to the gun, basically just covering it with my arm, I never rest my hand on the gun, Once and only once me and the wife were at Wally World and a guy that made me nervous on sight, was coming towards us on the main aisle in the front of the store, as soon as he passed us he made an abrupt U-turn and was now following behind us, since he already had me concerned, I moved to keep some of the store displays between us and to watch him in my peripheral vision, when he moved to stay behind us I decided moving the heel of my hand to the butt of my pistol was now acceptable, shortly after I did this he peeled off and went towards the front of the store! Was he a real threat, I don't know but under similar circumstances I'd do the same thing.
I believe that if something doesn't feel right then your subconscious is cluing in on something your higher intellect is missing, better safe than sorry!