What Would You Do?

[Topbuilder]

This may not apply to the scenario since I knew the person who was "exposed" but several years ago we were in a Asian restaurant in Atlanta. It was just the two of us we were seated at a table next to the buffet line. It was winter, I knew "Joe" carried. He was a friend of a friend. Not sure I would call him a friend of mine. While we were eating it started getting warm in there. Joe was wearing a sweatshirt zip up hoodie. He unzipped and lowered the sweatshirt to get some relief while still covering his CCW. A while later the hoodie dropped off his piece fully exposing it. Now, this was not a real easy gun to conceal for most people. It was a full size Kimber 1911 dressed in stainless and fine wood grips. He carried OWB, high with a FBI cant at about 4 o'clock. The only way it could have drawn more attention as if it had a spinning red light... A few people passed by and could not help but notice it. now, this was long before I got my license so I was not real clear on all the fine print of concealed carry but it did seem like there was a reason they called it "concealed" . A little later I mentioned he was showing and he covered it up. He was fairly indifferent about it. There were people watching him as we left. I think he was fortunate to have the look (and attitude?) of an undercover LEO. I think people just assumed he was legal to open carry.

[WildBill]

This may not apply to the scenario since I knew the person who was "exposed" but several years ago we were in a Asian restaurant in Atlanta. It was just the two of us we were seated at a table next to the buffet line. It was winter, I knew "Joe" carried. He was a friend of a friend.

I agree, it would definitely be different if you knew the person. I probably wouldn't tell a stranger if they had spinach in their teeth.

[Jumping Frog]

This may not apply to the scenario since I knew the person who was "exposed" but several years ago we were in a Asian restaurant in Atlanta. . . . . . . now, this was long before I got my license so I was not real clear on all the fine print of concealed carry but it did seem like there was a reason they called it "concealed" . A little later I mentioned he was showing and he covered it up. He was fairly indifferent about it. There were people watching him as we left. I think he was fortunate to have the look (and attitude?) of an undercover LEO. I think people just assumed he was legal to open carry.

Well, he was legal to open carry. That was Atlanta, not Texas.

[SQLGeek]

This may not apply to the scenario since I knew the person who was "exposed" but several years ago we were in a Asian restaurant in Atlanta. It was just the two of us we were seated at a table next to the buffet line. It was winter, I knew "Joe" carried. He was a friend of a friend. Not sure I would call him a friend of mine. While we were eating it started getting warm in there. Joe was wearing a sweatshirt zip up hoodie. He unzipped and lowered the sweatshirt to get some relief while still covering his CCW. A while later the hoodie dropped off his piece fully exposing it. Now, this was not a real easy gun to conceal for most people. It was a full size Kimber 1911 dressed in stainless and fine wood grips. He carried OWB, high with a FBI cant at about 4 o'clock. The only way it could have drawn more attention as if it had a spinning red light... A few people passed by and could not help but notice it. now, this was long before I got my license so I was not real clear on all the fine print of concealed carry but it did seem like there was a reason they called it "concealed" . A little later I mentioned he was showing and he covered it up. He was fairly indifferent about it. There were people watching him as we left. I think he was fortunate to have the look (and attitude?) of an undercover LEO. I think people just assumed he was legal to open carry.

With somebody you know, I have no qualms about discretely letting them know that their 2nd Amendment is showing.

[JALLEN]

Several mentioned if they couldn't get the person's attention etc they would notify the store clerk.management.

What good would come of that? Isn't there a risk that the clerk/management you notify will panic, call the cops, clear the store, put the premises on lock down, etc.? Here I would be fearful of a gross overreaction by the store clerk/management, and would never bring it to their attention.

I've not confronted this up until now, as there are so few CHL holders in San Diego we could probably all meet for breakfast at Denny's, so the chances of actually seeing another one is not that much greater than Bigfoot and Sasquatch showing up at my house for dinner on the same night wearing identical pink tu-tu's.

[SQLGeek]

What good would come of that? Isn't there a risk that the clerk/management you notify will panic, call the cops, clear the store, put the premises on lock down, etc.? Here I would be fearful of a gross overreaction by the store clerk/management, and would never bring it to their attention.

Absolutely. It seems that one of the contributing factors to the LVMPD shooting of Erik Scott was a gross overreaction by Costco employees.

[Oldgringo]

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But I don't think the state should add it to the curriculum.
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Speaking of the state adding to the curriculum, A Texas CHL costs much more than does a CC permit/licenses in many reciprocating states. Are we smarter than the CCW licensees in other states because we've paid more for our Texas CHL?

[WildBill]

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But I don't think the state should add it to the curriculum.
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Speaking of the state adding to the curriculum, A Texas CHL costs much more than does a CC permit/licenses in many reciprocating states. Are we smarter than the CCW licensees in other states because we've paid more for our Texas CHL?

I would like to think so.

[Sangiovese]

I dealt with this situation a while back. In my local stop and rob there was a guy whose pistol was poking its tail out and looking around (his shirt had worked itself inbetween the grip and his torso so the weapon and holster were fully exposed). I walked by the guy as he was reaching into the cooler grabbing a coke and said, "Hey, your shirt's hung up on something" and grabbed a soda from the next door in the cooler. He pulled his shirt down, said "thanks" and we both went about our business.

He probably went home and told his wife, "Man, people are so clueless... my gun was totally exposed and this old guy only saw that my shirt was bunched up."

[JALLEN]

He probably went home and told his wife, "Man, people are so clueless... my gun was totally exposed and this old guy only saw that my shirt was bunched up."

As a prominent resident of Dallas discovered, there is very little harm in being misunderestimated.

[lancermit]

Having had my CHL for a number of years, I often find myself looking at others, TRYing to spot the CW carrier in the crowd. I have to say that, until just recently, I had never spotted one.

A couple of weeks ago, I was having lunch at a Golden Chick with one of my licensed friends. We were sitting by a window when I noticed a man and a woman (~40-50 years old) coming across the parking lot toward the store. He was wearing nylon workout-type pants and sneakers. As they got closer, I just blurted out "Wow!" to my friend, and he said "What?!"

"That guy coming in is carrying an un-holstered pocket pistol that's clear as day!", I said. I'm pretty sure it was a Ruger LCP -- it was showing that plainly!

I toy'd with discretely telling him something like "Your 2nd Amendment is showing", but ultimately decided not to say anything. Whether he was licensed or not, that was definitely NOT the way to carry -- UN-holstered AND basically UN-concealed.

[Scott in Houston]

My CHL instructor said we had to have a holster.
And yes, I think the age needs to be at least 25.

So a 22 year old father shouldn't be able to protect his family outside the house?
I guess he should not vote or serve in the military either... But he can.
What age is too old? 80?

Not to pick on you specifically, but this mind set bothers me. It's not about age. It's about maturity and there are some 30+ year olds who shouldn't carry, while many 18 year olds would be great to have armed in public.

When we head down that road of further restrictions, we run the risk of opening the flood gates to restricting what is a God-given right; the right to defend ourselves.

[WildBill]

My CHL instructor said we had to have a holster.
And yes, I think the age needs to be at least 25.

So a 22 year old father shouldn't be able to protect his family outside the house?
I guess he should not vote or serve in the military either... But he can.
What age is too old? 80?

Not to pick on you specifically, but this mind set bothers me. It's not about age. It's about maturity and there are some 30+ year olds who shouldn't carry, while many 18 year olds would be great to have armed in public.

When we head down that road of further restrictions, we run the risk of opening the flood gates to restricting what is a God-given right; the right to defend ourselves.

I like your avatar too!

[WildBill]

My CHL instructor said we had to have a holster.

I wonder what else he told you that is not true.

[smoothoperator]

My CHL instructor said we had to have a holster.

I wonder what else he told you that is not true.

Instructors teaching stuff like this in a Texas class gives ammunition to the people selling the 1 hour VA class.