I'm relatively new to concealed carry (been around guns my entire life though) and have been trying to learn as much of the etiquette as possible. One thing I've been curious about is if your in a public place and you see another persons gun showing, like if their shirt has ridden up over it or something, should you somehow let them know? Would you want to be let know? Or do you leave it be for them to notice and take care of?

See something, say nothing. It's the new norm.

I wouldn't say a thing

That's a darn good question. I saw a portly guy in Costco the other day, whose waist measurement was probably the same as his chest, making for a tight tee shirt, wearing an improperly canted and located holster. The result was the butt of his full sized auto printed like a broken tree limb sticking out of his back, and the bottom of the holster hung a good 3" below his shirt. Somehow, "is that a gun or are you happy to see me?" didn't seem the way to go.

Well, you probably have a 1 to 3% chance that the guy will appreciate your informing him of his "error." Not your problem, not your job to "police" strangers' etiquette violations.

A polite whisper 'pardon me but your pistol is showing' is called for. Emily adds that nowadays it's probably better to keep your mouth shut, daintily, with your pinkie out.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

Nope....but you gotta look at the situation. Does his shirt look like it's ridden up accidentally or is that his normal look. For example.....I had this issue on Saturday. A young guy walks into my business. He is carrying outside the waist. I can tell because I can see the bottom half of his holster. His shirt is so tight that it clearly prints the grip of his gun. This wasn't an accident, his shirt was way to tight to cover anything. Obviously he knows it's visable

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MYOB!
Keep walking, not your problem.

You lost me at the word etiquette. There isn't an etiquette for wearing a watch, or sunglasses, so why do we need it for a lawful accessory like a sidearm?

Don't ask, don't tell applies here, too.

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-jwk-
US Army '72-'95

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

Anyway, it'll be just a matter of time before some nervous Nellie says, "My God, he's got a gun!" and calls 911.

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Oh well, what the hell.

In some locales, "concealed carry" means "concealed or else". The standard isn't that the pistol be covered, it's that no reasonable person should be able to tell from sight alone that you have a handgun. If your cover garment flaps open, or your shirt rides up, you're liable for some bad times. That can mean anything from a friendly word from the responding officers, to arrest, to having your pistol permit revoked.

You did him a big favor. COSTCO is anit-gun. They would have closed his account, and told him to leave, had they noticed.

I have seen the same young guy in Kroger twice now with a full size Glock flopping around on his cheap belt as he walks. Open carry is legal here in Michigan but I don't get why he doesn't mind if the bad guys know he's armed.

I think I might just silently shake my head in disbelief at the sight you described in post#4. Good thing he didnt bend over.
I know, Im bad.
Jim

Two options. Either he's a mall ninja/tactard, or he's ignorant of the right way to do things. No matter which way you pick it, he's not a very serious person, and in a perfect world, would reconsider whether he should really be carrying at all.

I wouldn't say a thing. They could be very well aware of it and just not care. I admit that like most, my carry often times is dictated by the weather, and clothing choice. My preference is a G26 inside the waistband but sometimes it has to be a smaller pocket pistol in a pocket holster. Sometimes you grab that pair of jeans that are a little to tight for IWB carry and I don't feel like swapping hardware so the G26 goes on the belt, and I print like crazy that day. Oh well. The only people who ever notice is us, average public simply don't have a clue...including "bad guys". Personally, I couldn't care less who knows I'm carrying a firearm.

I had a club member tell me he had been reaching for things on a high shelf at a store and didn't notice his shirt had pulled up and was caught on the grip of his pistol. Somebody tapped him on the shoulder and told about it. It was a county deputy.

I've seen it a few times and I considered it a great opportunity to
mind my own business.

Depends. If I know the individual, yes, I'll clue him in. Otherwise, MYOB.

In today's ambush the cops climate I'd be tempted to call 911 and report a man-with-a-gun, and let the professionals deal w/it. If the guy's embarrassed maybe he'll reconsider his options next time.

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

In my opinion, the most useful benefit of an open carry law is that it covers a person legally carrying a concealed pistol when the shirt blows open in a parking lot or rides up when reaching for that item on the top shelf. That said, if you know that your cover garments or life style don't work well with your concealed carry piece or gear, then something really needs to change. The most effective method of handgun retention for a concealed carry practitioner is "concealment." In my state, Constitutional and open carry are legal, but I've only seen two OC at a public event since the law went into effect. Both had obviously been in competing in the "cheapest holster you can find" contest, and could have simultaneously been disarmed in an even half-hearted gun grab attempt. Now I'm not into macro evolution, but anyone carrying in a "gun free" zone and not making a conscientious effort to keep the gun concealed so no one can see it is voluntarily placing themselves at a lower link in the food chain.

If I don't know em personally....

It's kinda on the same order of runnin up to a stranger and tell them their fly is open.

I jest mind my own business


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"IN GOD WE TRUST"

Rusty beat me to it but I'm gonna post the video anyway.

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Keep on Chooglin'

OC is legal here; wouldn't say anything.

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K & N S&W revolvers

OC is legal here in PA, wouldn't say anything.

If it's good looking woman I will not only point it out but help her tuck it back in. Unless I'm with the wife.

You could just yell "OMG, HE'S GOT A GUN!!!!"....and make a friend for life.

I'm not sure what you're saying here. In Michigan, if you're carry concealed, and it prints, or shows, that is not illegal.

Yeah I can see it now.
"Excuse me, your snubby's showing."

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Keep on Chooglin'

It would depend upon circumstances. I don't expect people without law enforcement experience to discern good from bad. Seeing (witnessing) a person carrying a gun does involve responsibility. If the dude were a tatted up con, I'd call cops. If a dude were a normal appearing, law abiding citizen, I'd tell him that his gun is exposed. Especially in the badly tarnished Golden State, were a person to see another's gun, you can bet he's going to call cops. Responding cops will have no idea who the man with a gun is, so they will approach with utmost caution. Because of recent cop murders, they might even prone him out and take his gun. Cops have to control to assure that they go home after their shifts. After cops gain control and the man with a gun is no longer a potential threat, then they will figure out what they have. If the dude checks out, cops will return his gun, explain to him why they did what they did and, hopefully, shake hands.

There are some thumb rules that might apply: ask yourselves, "Were he me, would I want to be alerted that my gun is exposed? Check the dude out. If he appears as an ordinary law abiding citizen, if he's doing nothing abnormal, it's your call. If he appears to be a bad guy, remember his description, call 911, and provide exact details, especially last known location, his description, and activity (appeared to be casing for a robbery). Never, ever approach a bad guy with a gun. Let professionals resolve it. That way, you'll go home on your feet instead of home to the Lord.

I agree to a point, if it's in Denver where open carry is illegal and they WILL hammer you for it I would politely mention it once. If the person got the slightest bit ignorant I'd say "Sorry to have bothered you and walk away".

Are you actually concerned or just trying to "teach the guy a lesson"

Just remember Karma is heartless

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Retired Career Security Guard

Keep mouth shut - Mind your own business. Stop staring and pointing.

You can't tell if a guy is a "con" just by looking at him and even law abiding people can be "tatted up".

Just for my own information, so I know when to call the cops, how do I distinguish a tatted up con from a tatted up non con . . . ?

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

Please describe to me exactly what a "normal appearing law abiding citizen" looks like.
Because of my Native heritage, I have dark skin and long black hair. I also have tattoos and a coupla holes with earrings in my left ear. I also lift weights.
So tell me, would you consider me a "normal appearing law abiding citizen" or do I qualify for constant harassment?

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Keep on Chooglin'

Unless I was planning on asking them if they wanted to do a little horse trading, mine for his, I would probably keep my mouth shut.

Kentucky has open carry as well as concealed. I see guns exposed everyday. Don't let the main stream media trick you into the notion that open carry is bad.

AFAIK, you qualify for constant harassment. But don't take my word for it, all I know is what I read in the newspapers.

Next month I will have been employed at the same place for 50 years. I have been asked many times over the years by new employees how I made it so long. I explained to them my personal Rule 1 and Rule 2, when if used will guarantee you a long peaceful employment. Rule 1, no matter who asks you a question, the answer is always "I don't know". After a few months of this everyone will think you are dimwitted and will leave you alone. If this doesn't work 100%, resort to Rule 2, that answer is "None of my business". IF you can adhere to this and God knows it's hard sometime, life can be simple, but you have to allow it to be.

I had cops who worked for me who had enough ink on their bodies to cover every inch of a Queen size bedsheet.


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Yep, in today's PC society, MYOB.

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Support your Police, & NRA

What, exactly, did this juvenile display accomplish? Please be specific

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Retired Career Security Guard

I was in PetSmart last week, buying food for my dogs. True story here.

There was a really big guy in front of me in the checkout line who was carrying what looked to me like a Glock 21.

I immediately went on high alert, trying to control my bladder!

I mean...seriously now...why would anyone want to carry a gun inside a pet supplies store, of all places?

Okay. On a more serious note. I have a hard time imagining a situation wherein I would approach a total stranger and advise them that their handgun was exposed for all to see.

And while I'm on the subject:

I have a hard time with this, too. I know others have commented on this. For me, this crosses the line into paranoid profiling with a vengeance. I'm not clairvoyant. There's no way I can look at someone and tell what kind of person they are. I might could form an opinion, but that's all it'd be, an opinion. "Tatted up con"? Seriously? What if the "dude" is a tatted up ordinary day-to-day gun enthusiast? Call the cops? Perhaps, but only if I had some insane desire to make a fool out of myself in view of everyone, including the cops, within a hundred-foot radius.

Again, we get into the how-can-you-tell area. There isn't anything wrong with being observant, but when people start talking about "normal appearing", that's when we run into speculation rather than facts. Ted Bundy appeared completely normal looking. So did Jeff Dahmer. Ed Gein looked like a normal midwestern farmer. Enough about that.

There really aren't. Someone would have to be acting really furtive and suspicious for me to even think about calling the cops on a complete stranger.

The concept of firearms etiquette is unknown to you?

So, I'm reading through this thread and two things stand out.

Number one the OP has made it pretty clear he's not talking about deliberate open carry. The scenario he's describing appears to be an unintentional display.

As I mentioned earlier, I would only get involved under a very specific set of circumstances and my involvement would be limited to "This is really none of my business but Open Display of a handgun is illegal in Denver and they will prosecute." If the person said anything but "thank you" I'd say "sorry man I should have kept my mouth shut. " and walk away. I wouldn't involve myself further, I wouldn't call the cops, I wouldn't tell the manager, I'd just go on about my business.

I also want to be very clear that I wouldn't go one step out of my way to tell the guy.

Which brings me to number 2.

Why are there so many self appointed hall monitors in the permit holder community?

I'm not very sociable to begin with and with all the insanity in the world right now I'm even less sociable when some random stranger gets in my face and starts talking about my gun (More so when the random stranger tells me I'm a moron).

Let me be clear; I'm 50 years old if I haven't met you by now I probably don't want to. I don't want you to approach me and I don't want you to start some random conversation with me. Especially not about my gun.

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Retired Career Security Guard

Google images, "Prison tattoos."

Yep, cops can tell a con's criminal affiliations and his criminal history by reading his tattoos.

This is a good start: http://www.correctionsone.com/prison...heir-meanings/

This might be a good book for you if you're looking for info on gangs and their identifying tattoos:

See my post to Kid44.

In the days of original concealed carry in Texas I'd have said something to protect a fellow gun carrier. After they changed the rules that accidental showing was not a big deal I'd have been less inclined. Under open carry that exists now I wouldn't say a thing.