You may have heard the comment that “people don’t pay any attention to you, don’t worry so much about staying concealed”. While it’s certainly true that a significant percentage of people have no awareness and probably wouldn’t notice you carrying an RPG across your shoulder, those are not the people we need to worry about. It’s the ones that are paying attention that should concern us.
Those that are watching can run the spectrum from law enforcement to potential attackers to do-gooders that might call the police due to a “man with a gun”. By not properly concealing, we run the risk of being identified which could lead to legal trouble if its law enforcement that took notice and we are not concealed pursuant to the law. It could also put us in a situation where we are the focus of an attack in order to obtain our weapon or prevent us from having that key element of surprise should we be attacked. So let’s talk about the common reasons we might be “outted”.
One of the easier ways to spot someone carrying is by their own carelessness. This could be bending over to pick up an item on the lower shelf and having your concealment garment ride up on you or maybe it’s that unbuttoned camp shirt that blows around in the wind exposing your carry gun with each gust. Sitting down in a theater or sliding out of a booth at a restaurant has also exposed carriers. One of the more subtle means of detection is the individual that is constantly checking themselves by patting or touching the area where their gun is located or is constantly adjusting their carry-rig. I’ve also seen guys (and been guilty of this myself) resting their arm on their gun instead of their hip. These types of repeated movements are not natural and an observant eye will catch you every time. Carrying a gun at all times requires you to be vigilant about the way you handle everyday tasks to avoid exposing your firearm. The good news is this is something that we can directly control, and thus prevent.
Having a proper carry rig will prevent a lot of potential exposure. Too many people stand erect in front of a mirror and carefully check themselves to be sure they are not printing and then leave the house never considering that they will be walking, bending over, stretching, etc. Your carry rig has to keep the gun concealed throughout your spectrum of activity. The more active you are, the more demands will be placed on your holster and covering garment.
Thinking about holsters and how they attach to your body can be the difference between being spotted or not. Thick plastic clips attached to a heavy leather belt along with your Dockers and tucked-in Polo is a sure give-away that you are carrying. Make sure your belt, holster clips, and other needed accessories match the rest of your dress. While you might not be technically guilty of displaying or flashing a firearm, you also don’t want to arouse suspicion that could make you the focus of unwanted attention.
Most states laws read something like “concealed from detection and view” when defining a legally carried concealed firearm. This means that someone has to look at you and be able to say “He has a gun right there.” It’s hard enough to prevent a little bulge or to keep the bottom of your magazine from not printing a small line through your T-shirt. Don’t help out those that might be looking by being careless in the way you go about your day.
Tom Smith is the owner of Stillwater Armory in Stillwater, OK. He teaches self-defense and firearms classes as well as providing valuable insight into gear selection in his retail store. Each state has different concealed carry laws. Be sure to know and understand your state’s laws and never violate those laws.