I'm always looking and trying to spot people who ccw. I never looked or knew what to look for before I started carrying. I spotted a guy the other day and decided to talk to him. I walked over and ask what he was carrying. He looked at me for a second and then told me. We talked for a long time about carring and carrying methods. This is the first and only person I've done this too because I'm afraid I might offend someone. Would it offend any of you if I spot you ccw and start up a conversation?

As long as it's not a challenge, I would appreciate knowing where I erred and allowed you to know (or even suspect) that I was carrying. I can see where you could easily get into an interesting and perhaps lengthy conversation.

I would definitely welcome someone pointing out a flaw in my carry method, especially if they had some pointers.

I would welcome it, because that means I messed up to start with, that or you have some killer x-ray specs I wanted when I was 5

You won't spot me carrying my 4" Model 27 under my tee-shirt. If by chance you do I'd be happy to talk to you.

I am pretty easy to spot this time a year. Not only do I print with a full size Gov. model or 4" N-frame, some times part of the holster or the whole set up shows. I quit caring about it awhile ago.

My model 10 prints through my shirt sometimes too, but I don't worry about it either. I figure someone's gonna have to be pretty sharp to figure it out.

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Get off my lawn.

I don't suppose I'd be too upset if you came up to me and asked. I'm not terribly concerned about absolute secrecy anyway. I have my gun concealed, that all I need.

I'd probably reply, "That isn't my gun, I'm just happy to see you."

I can usually i.d. a gun toter. Having carried for 30+ years I know the characteristics...and recognize "clues." Kinda like dudes who wear hairpieces...they always stick out like a sore thumb.

Be safe.

Be careful who you walk up on, not everyone carrying is a good guy BUT that being said, I don't think I'd walk up to a stranger and ask what he's packing anyway.

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NRA Endowment Member

My girlfriend can't tell when I'm carrying my 642, so I doubt anyone else would be able to!

When I carry my 681 in shoulder holster... that's a different story. I wear it under an unzipped jacket, so if I bend over to reach for something.... it may be able to be spotted.

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- The Federalist #46 -

It wouldn't bother me. I'm not sure that I would walk up to someone that I "made" and ask them what they were packing though.

only time anyone ever knew I was packing was one day at the office, had a shoulder rig on with the wrong vest on.....she asked if/why i was wearing suspenders and a belt

I've done this before. I saw a guy that I suspected was carrying just by his demeanor. I just got a sense that he was aware of his surroundings and confident.....no swagger or threat in his manner, just awareness. I later realized he was with a guy I know who carries everywhere. I'm very confident they were both carrying at the time. I thought to myself that this was probably the safest pizza carry-out place in the state. Counting myself there were a minimum of 3 legally armed people in there.

my wife can't tell when I have my fullsize SW99 either, I found the magick spot but I have learned to be careful bending over

Being a cop for 20+ years, I've HAD to look for things like that. I too have approached guys and struck up a conversation about concealment methods and gear.

Plus, it gives me an excuse to check out the *cough, cough* female would be toters as well without Mrs GED suspecting too much.

On a similar note...

Have you ever seen someone who WANTS you to know they're carrying?

I once saw a guy doing just that.. probably just turned 21. He was carrying some sort of semi auto in an OWB holster and he kept putting his hands on his sides and inching up his shirt so his gun juuuuuust started being exposed. I watched him for a good 10 minutes and could tell this is what he was doing because he's slowly scrunch up his shirt.. only on the right side with the gun... and glance down to see how much of it was exposed.

I don't know if he wanted people to SEE he had it, or if.. he really wanted a head start getting to it if he needed it.

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- The Federalist #46 -

yeah, thats the kind of person that makes LEO's nervous, yes I am going to show off my gun, hey why are you harassing me? Oh my permit well why didn't you say so, do I look dangerous? Idiots everywhere I tell ya

The ones I love are the guys with the "photographer's" vests on. Who do they think they're fooling, really?

I did have a cool encounter with an older gentleman in the bank one day. He was wearing that tan vest standing in front of me and going SUPER slow. When he walked past me leaving, I glanced down at him and could see inside his vest was a micro-Uzi in a Chuck Norris style shoulder rig! Got to love an old man with an Uzi!!

Depends where I am, who else is around, and how loudly you talk. Few things piss me off any worse than someone who knows I'm an instructor loudly asking if I'm "packing," if I happen to run into them in a public place. I consider that to be as rude as asking, "Haven't you recently put on a lot of weight?" (We instructors live in glass houses, unfortunately.) However, if I'm printing, and another CHL holder quietly, politely calls it to my attention, that person has done me a favor, and I'm happy to visit with him or her.

I call those "shoot me first" vests.

I'm sure that printing, unless the "print" is specifically very gun like, really says much these days. People carry all sorts of junk on them that leaves bulges in their clothes - phones, portable video games, power books, cameras, a ham sandwich, et al.

I'm under no legal obligation to actually bother to "conceal" a weapon in my particular state, I only do so to be somewhat polite.

I'm not unaware of anyone ever being shot outright for wearing a "shoot me" first vest, though I do generally prefer a sport coat myself. Or did before I had children anyway. They're terrible on dry clean only items.

Most people aren't very attentive in general. I could probably throw on a plate carrier festooned with M4 pouches and walk down to the 7-11 right now without anyone particularly caring or raising an eyebrow.

"Photographer" vests are quite scarce nowadays...real photographers cannot buy 'em as they're all scooped by newbie (usually) FBI and USSS Special Agents. Truth!

As with fanny packs, they simply SCREAM "I am carrying a gun!"

Be safe.

The new "big thing" is various and sundry man bags made by Maxpedition, 5.11 and countless others. These have somewhat replaced the fanny packs of old. They don't necessarily scream gun so much as "that guy carries a lot of junk" since many people use them to carry their notebook computers, netbooks, Kindles, what not owing to the popularity of "24" (and the "Jack sack") plus a desire to appear as masculine as possible while still carrying a purse.

I've tried and have yet to spot anyone. I doubt I would say anything to them though unless they have a bad tuck or such, just as a courtesy.

.As for myself being spotted, apparently I have the "concealed" part down unless I have to get really low. I was surrounded by LEO's for a while last night (casually, nothing going down) and not one even raised an eyebrow.

i was bending over working on my truck and a cop (whom i knew) walked up behind me and said in a real quiet voice : i see your gun big boy

our office recectionist is a cool gal, we talk guns and stuff.....she asked today(it was in the 90's) "you dont carry a gun when you wear shorts?"(which I do for 6 months of the year)

she was quite suprised(and pleased) that indeed I did....a 340PD

I work with a TON of women, when any have problem or worries about meeting someone, I go along for the ride. Last year we set up some folks doing a home scam....I waited for them to get to the porch, hit the speeddial on my phone and GHPD rigs pulled out in a matter of seconds, the gal just stared at me like I pissed in her Cherios

we have, for a Real Estate office, a very open policy, many CWP holders, no problem talking guns around anyone(I have even tought a few to shoot, even a gay guy, he turned out to be a amsome shooter) We have dogs running around, babies all over the place and me Landpimp watching over the flock

all my clients know I pack or am a gun person, all the local PD know, they actaully had me block the road by my house when there was a burglerly down the street. I stoped one of the cops on the way down, knew him, told me to grap a gun and watch the road(after I clearned my yard) So I grabed a HK 93 and a bigger USP

Backed up a Park Ranger just last month, spoted some bad folks in the park(which I drive thru to get to a listing) went and grabed the Ranger, he had me hang out in case things went bad, they didnt

have has some really wierd stuff happen selling Real Estate, keeps it entertaining if nothing else

not at all gun related but we came home one day to find the nieghbors goats out loose......they made it to the city park and were muncin away, 3 GHP were on the road and none had a clue what to do(one was scarred to death, he had his taser out) But I got with Fred and said we can herd them back, just do what I do.......it was a riot, we got them all back in and Fred got a lesson in goat herding I asked how your going to write this up.......they just laughed

well I spotted an off duty SO today in the parking lot of McDonalds, and he was obviously CC,(if that makes sense) but he was carrying IWB but you could tell he didn't give a damn, half the time his lower half of his holster was showing because his shirt had caught on the gun! lol, didn't talk to him though he is a known 'not very nice guy to be around' and I left him be

I wear shorts & tee shirt all year even in the winter and I'm always packing. Most of the time I wear elastic band shorts which works well with my smartcarry and when I'm not I just wear my holster strong side with my t-shirt untucked. It just looks like a cell phone under my shirt but if people know who cares. In my state I can open carry anyway and nobody ever pays attention anyway.

I only strike up conversations with other CCWers in public bathrooms. If I can see their gun on the floor, I give them the "wanna talk guns" signal which is a tap of my foot three times....if the guys doesn't answer, no big deal...I just read the paper.

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Thirty characters. Exactly...

I never get made. Folks are too busy looking at my (man) boobs.

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Memory of Randy Freas-Rimfired

Too much information there Mickey D. ; )

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Buy American!

You'll see my fanny pack. I don't care, it legally meets "concealed". If you know it's a holster you know, if not you'll think I'm out of fashion. They generally "scream" gun to other shooters. You may or may not see the shoulder rig, it depends on the jacket and gun. I open carry once in a while. I don't like IWB and nothing that rides below my belt (thunderwear etc). I don't like a loose belt. If you see me and ask if I have tried a particular holster we'd probably have a good conversation.

Usually I see the "I'm cool because I carry" flash or the "I think can hide a 1911 under a white tee shirt". I had a friend whose attitude was since Virginia allows open carry who cares if my jacket doesn't cover it. Not quite in agreement with that.

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A bad day at the range is better than a good day at work.

I prefer CC because if a guy sees you open carrying during a robbery you became the next target

As far as I know, I've never been made. I have noticed at times others with a tell tale bulge under their Hawaiian shirt, or wearing a fanny pack that they're constantly fondling, photographer's vest in 100 degree heat in the middle of suburbia, etc. I don't think I'd ever walk up to anyone and ask what they're packing. What happens next if they aren't a CCW permit holder and not packing for "legal" reasons...

they deny the hell out of it and leave ASAP, they are packing for protection too, and there are way too many witnesses in a public place, they want to get out of there before the cops get called

It's probably best to just ask people if they are gellin'

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Thirty characters. Exactly...

Hmmm, maybe that can be the new code phrase.

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Fast is fine;accurate is final

because this reminded me of a time back in the mid 80s when I was in London, England. I parked my car and noticed a uniformed Bobby standing on a corner. As you may know, the Brits didn't carry, at least then, but being a cop, I "made" his revolver in the front pants pocket. Being curious, I approached him, ID'd myself, and asked him why he was carrying since I was under the impression that they didn't. I thought he was going to choke! He said, "How do you know I'm carrying a gun?" I told him because I saw the "print" when I was parking my car...about 100 feet away! When he settled down, he admitted that there was a foreign embassy nearby and that "some" Bobbies carried in "special circumstances." He was clearly embarassed. We chatted a bit more and I left wondering who was being fooled. I would hate to have been that man, on that duty, with only a S&W J frame in my front pocket.

I've 'made' people before . . . didn't say anything. I guess it would depend on the situation/circumstances, but in general it could easily get weird or dangerous.

Something to think about with more and more people carrying: is that guy with a gun just a CCW or is he really a bad guy? of course, their actions dictate your reaction.

There are times when I just can't carry on my person but I still need to carry. In those cases I use one of the Day Planner look-alikes from Dillon. Looks almost identical to my real Day Planner I use every day, or even resembles a Bible case. Kind of camouflaged in plain sight, but it does the job in the right setting.

Interestingly, I had to go see a upscale attorney recently regarding a case I had been involved in. I showed up in my suit with my Day Planner in hand. When I got to the very attractive young receptionist and identified myself and that I was with the sheriff's office, she asked, "you don't have a gun in that thing, do you?" I think she was just trying to be cutsie.

"Why, yes, in fact I do." I replied.

I think it caught her off guard, she escorted me into the conference room and never said another word to me.

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- Change it back -

Since starting this thread I've seen two guys wearing tactical vest but I didn't ask what they were carrying since there were to many people around. Vest stand out big time. They had my attention from the time I saw them and I know they weren't fishing. They should have just worn an orange hunting vest with a ccw logo on back. Maybe I should make some and see how they sell.

Yes.....If you strongly suspect, be more vigilent, and keep it to yourself.
In other words, don't be naive to think that many that conceal are legal..If they are carrying illegally; they might have something else on their mind....
You could get hurt asking the wrong guy...It's good to know someone is purposely going into Condition Orange....

I've had this happen top me, but luckily in a gun store so it was no big deal. As the talking head of the US says, that was a "teachable moment" between him and me about why we should be more discreet in our CC. He fully understood what I was talking about.
What really rips me up are the "mall ninja's" that dress in full camo, including jumper boots on a 90 degree day. Wanna be's can be stupid and dangerous at the same time.

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NRA Certified Instructor

I own several handguns and carry all in different situations, from my .45 to my .22, nobody has called me on it yet but I guess I would laugh and start up a conversation because I have a sense of humor about things like that. I've been able to pick a couple out, including an off-duty cop getting a haircut who got sloppy and didn't pull his shirt all of the way down, but there are alot of crafty people out there.

I'd be glad to talk to you, but I'd prefer you didn't point it out in a crowd.

here in ga. we can CC or OC legally with a GFL (georgia firearms license). i OC 99.9% of the time. it's only in the colder months that my pistol is covered by a jacket till i get indoors. every now and then i'll have a CCer strike up a conversation with me cause i'm OCing. but the question was "do i try to make the CCers?", i do not. except for certain neighborhoods, if they're CCing they are one of the good guys so i don't worry about 'em................

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s&w 500 magnum, "sweeeet"!!!