Conceal Carry non-disasterous mishaps.

T

The Great Mahoo

New member
So I was out finishing my X-mas shopping today, when I stopped at the local Arbys for a quick bite to eat before moving to the next shopping complex. As I went to pay for my grub, I forgot that only my coat was coving my CCW, pulling my coat back to retrieve my wallet from my back pocket, flashing my slide-holstered revolver handing on my belt to, well pretty much everyone in the restaurant. I thought one would have to be pretty out there to not notice, but amazingly, no one seemed to. If the clerk did, she didn't notice, since she didn't even startle.

Lucky for me, there were a bunch of kids standing around who probably would have had quite a bit to say/ask about that....

It was far from a big deal, even if someone had noticed, as PA is gun friendly and allows OC and printing. Still, I thought I had broken most of my bad habits after a few years of carrying, though changing from having a shirt/sweater over my gun for just the coat (which I knew I wouldn't be taking off) had be reeling on my heels in this case.

Anyone one else had any simple mishaps for which they were kicking themselves?
 
I wore Cargo pants for the first time in 39 years last week so i could try different clothing while ccw'ing.As i reached into my right thigh pocket where ive carried my wallet before in shorts i almost pulled my bug .380 out in a gas station trying to pay for gas.

I think most times people don't notice and if they do id hurriedly show my permit to put them at ease and apologize profusely.
I think people can tell the difference in a mistake over deliberate actions.

Ive become so comfortable anymore carrying now since ive had my permit a few months now that im pretty sure as i reach to my rear pocket for my wallet it may open my jacket open somewhat where a person would make out my pancake holster,but most likely not ever seeing my gun itself.

People read your actions and mannerisms more than they do physical things imo.
 
I think you're right. However, after having and utilizing my CC permit for over 4 years, I was still taken aback by such a silly mistake. Oh well, just thought I'd share.
 
I think most of us will in time pull a stunt like that, but one thing I have come to believe is that those around us are not really looking at us as closely as we think they are. Once in awhile I will see somebody with their untucked shirt hung up on the grip of their pistol and I'll calmly and privately let them know about it.

The fact that I am legally carrying makes it totally unecessary to show ID or apologize if I happen to let it show, and it has never been a big deal to those around me, so far.....
 
I wore Cargo pants for the first time in 39 years last week so i could try different clothing while ccw'ing.As i reached into my right thigh pocket where ive carried my wallet before in shorts i almost pulled my bug .380 out in a gas station trying to pay for gas.
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I have an (ahem) "older" friend that did the same thing in a resturant except he got his hard chromed Keltec all the way out of his pocket before he realized his error. lol :)
 
Once a few years ago I was carrying a .32 auto double derringer in my pocket. For some reason (I don't remember why) I took it out of my pocket. That wouldn't have been bad had I not left it in plain sight on the driver's seat of my vehicle. I went into a store to do some shopping. Fortunately when I came back to the vehicle, the gun was still there. I did lock the vehicle before going into the store.

My son once left his Beretta .45 in a rental car when he returned it. When he realized he had done it, he hurried back to the rental company. When he walked in the door, the clerk said "I know what you want" and handed it to him.
 
A few years ago when my dad was still with us (God rest him), he was carrying in a Publix and dropped his PPK at the register when it got caught on his shirt. He told me it was pretty nerve racking.
 
I was carrying a Ruger P97 in a Don Hume clip on IWB holster. I was setting at a Table, about the center of a large, well crowded Cafeteria. As I got up from the Table, after finishing my meal, the Holster clip had worked loose from the belt, and the holster went bouncing across the floor with the gun in it. Everyone noticed. I scooped it up and headed for the Bathroom. When I came out everyone was looking at me, but no one said anything. Even the cashier didn't mention it when I paid for the meal. I have never, and will never, wear any clip on holster again. That could have well been my life's most EMBARRASSING MOMENT.
 
This is a funny story and it may be a bit lengthy but I will try to keep it short and still give it the flavor it deserves.

My wife and I were out on a Saturday night, doing the town. We had just left a club where we were dancing and we decided to stop somewhere to grab a nightcap and perhaps listen to a little nice music. There was a new place open she had heard about so we decided to try it.

We walked it and it was a very nice place. A guy playing piano, some people dancing, others dining at a late hour, and the rest were at the bar. We went to the bar and it didn't take a minute to realize this was a "wise guy" place. OOPS. Oh well, we were already here.

One must realize that I CCW ALL the time. When I go out, I do not leave my gun in the car if the establishment serves alcohol because I don't drink. Doesn't make it right but I would rather have my gun and not need it then to need it and not have it. Enough said about that. Continuing on, I had to go to the bathroom and when I was returning, I could see two guys talking with my wife. I knew the minute I left her, someone would try hitting on her as she is a very attractive lady. As I approached, I heard my wife say louder than normal, "Here's my husband now."

Now, here's where it gets interesting (and funny, at least to me.) The Sopranos were the hit TV program at this time. All the guys in this place look like they just walked off of a Soprano's set. My wife introduces the two wise guys to me. I stick out my hand and in my best NY/Jersey accent impersonation go, "Ey, how's youse doin'? My wife's eyes opened up about as wide as I have ever seen them. The bigger of the two guys says, "Ey, how's youse doin'?" right back. He was real and I was trying hard not to laugh. The little guy says, "So, what do you do?" I'm 6'2" tall and weight in at 230 lbs. with a full mustache. Dressed in a suit, I fit right in with the crowd. I said, "Ey, I do a little bit of dis and a little bit of dat." So the little guy says to me again, "C'mon what do youse do?" I said, "Ey, really, I can't tells ya, but I do have a special on knee caps this month."

With that, the two wise guys look at each other and smile. The little guy says, "Ey, I really like you." He reaches out to touch my side and puts his hand right on my gun, feeling it thru my suit jacket. His eyes light up and he says, "Ey, I think I may have a job for you." I said, 'Ya know, I'm kinda busy wit my own stuff right now. But maybe I'll come back in a few weeks to see if you still need some contracting."

The big guy says to the little guy, "lets leave the two lovebirds alone" and with that we shake hands and they move on. My wife gets really mad at me and says, "Let's get out of here. Your going to get us killed."

We left a short time later and for days afterwards, we laughed and laughed about the whole scene that was right out of a Soprano's series. That was about 10 years ago, maybe a little less, but it still brings a chuckle to me when I think about it.
 
Did something similar

Went from back pocket carry to front pocket carry. And put my wallet holster on the counter at the JIFFY.The clerk asked CREDIT or DEBIT :eek:.He is PERSONAL FRIEND and CHUCKLED :D
 
ive had my belt break while going about 45mph on my motorcycle. i saw my xd40sc bouncing and skittering down the side of the road as i hammered the brakes. it never did leave the holster.

another one, first time with a mesh jacket on a motorcycle. i pull up to my destination and step off the bike. a young "16ish" kid walks up and says "yo gat be showin"(or similar). the jacket had ridden up over the grip of the gun.
 
I dont see what the deal is.. PA is OC legal, and for the most part friendly to it. ...well, aside from the urban areas.

There was no faux pas that occurred.

Unlicensed OC is legal in PA, with exception of Philly, vehicle transport, and declared emergencies requiring a license to carry openly or concealed.
 
A relatively long time ago a group of us went together to a concert of a fairly prestigious philharmonic orchestra based in a nearby city. It was a dress affair for us since we were major contributors in support of the orchestra and were expected to attend a formal dinner party before the concert, with the guest artist (Placido Domingo) as a special guest and maybe 60 or so others. Our group consisted of 3 couples, one of which had the desire to head into one of the less prosperous parts of town to a jazz club ("slumming", I think it's called, ungenerously) afterward, to "bring a balance" in the night's musical fare. That didn't seem like much of a good idea to me- we were dressed formally and would draw a lot of attention among the crowd in the club and in that part of the city. It seemed at the time as a proper situation for me to CC my Walther, which I carried in a shoulder rig under my tuxedo jacket ( it was a bit of a scene when I was at the rental place being fitted for a tux, because the jacket had to fit over the rig and be totally inconspicuous). These days I would never even contemplate participating in such a situation, but in those days things weren't like they are now. I had no place to stash the gun and carry it only for the trip to the nightclub so I had it on all evening.

Things went fine until we left the concert. I had to open my jacket to retrieve the parking stub for the valet to get my car, and someone who didn't know me saw the Walther. They mentioned it to a rent-a-cop who was nearby; he came to me and with all the decorum and manners of a baboon had me put my hands on a car while he frisked me. When he found my gun I told him in as authoritative a voice as I could that I had a CCW permit. The angry stir that went through the people nearby clearly unsettled him so he simply asked for my ID and CC permit which I showed him; he handed them back and made a hasty retreat. Since he was armed and obviously not the sharpest tool in the box, I submitted to the frisk but the embarrassment and consternation it caused spoiled my evening, got me in trouble with the others in our party for "trying to be John Wayne", p'd off my then-wife to the maximum, and gave me a Rambo sort of reputation with those who recognized me that were waiting for their cars too and saw the whole episode. I "pitched a b**ch" as loud as I could muster with the concert venue management the next day, but the damage was done and little could be done to take anything back- they more or less agreed with what the cop did anyway. To them, carrying a gun was mostly the province of people with evil intent, since I think they believed there were more of that sort than licensed CC permit holders who go to concerts- NY isn't handgun friendly in the smallest way. I'm not sure how they'd react these days.
 
A short while ago, . . . at about 1:30 AM, . . . I'm on my way home from a business engagement, . . . just about out of gas, . . . pull into a "cheapy" station that I have been in before. Don'l like it as it is not the best part of town, . . . seen some "questionable" folks hang out there.

I always use the credit card when I'm out this late, . . . out of the Jeep, get the gas, back in, locked up and homeward bound.

This night I forgot that this vehicle has the gas tank on the driver's side, . . . pulled up on the wrong side. Authorized the pump, . . . UGH!, . . . tank on the other side and the hose won't reach.

Back in the jeep, . . . pull away from the pump, . . . turn around, . . . pull back in, . . . and I probably didn't have on my smiley Santa face while I was doing it.

All the while there is this young fellow watching me, . . . and he is visibly intently watching me. His vehicle was ratty old station wagon, . . . he was one full bay over from me.

I kept an eye on him of course, . . . nothing happened, . . . got my receipt, . . . in the Jeep, . . . ready to go, . . . felt something strange at my weapon as I sat down.

Come to find out, . . . my vest had somehow gotten between my weapon and my back, . . . that C&L 1911 was hanging out for the whole world to see.

I just went home, . . . and hope the young guy didn't have nightmares about the situation. :eek:

May God bless,
Dwight
 
I have an IWB holster that I use and an underarm holster which gets used in the winter. I was in a Publix in the express line and had to unzip and reach into my leather jacket to pull out my cell phone to answer it (it was in a shirt pocket) and the teenaged girl cashier saw my 4516. She asked me if I was a cop and I knew why she asked immediately. I leaned toward her and said "No, but I have a permit to carry it." I winked at her and she smiled and that was it.

I think a lot depends on where you are. Georgia is a gun culture state, as are most of the Southeastern states. The midwest can be the same way (except for Illinois and Wisconsin). But California and all the states in the Northeast above Virginia seem to have a conditioned phobia of firearms. You are likely to get negatively judged immediately up there upon discovery unless you are a LEO.
 
I tried a smartcarry holster for a while and while doing so went to a birthday party for a friend of mine's sister, who is.....lets say a bit risque. When I entered the party and she met me at the door with a full embrace hug, at which time she whispered in my ear (bad cliche) "Is that a gun in your pants or are you just glad to see me". I took her aside and pulled out my Ruger SP-101 and showed her which it was....:p.
 
The worse part about trying to Conceal guns is Hugs. I have been made numerous times by Women that put their arms around me. I had some to be startled, and some to hug me a second time to be sure of what they thought they felt, but never had a complaint.
 
The the OP about having the gun uncovered: So what's the big deal :rolleyes:

No, seriously, we are fortunate here in Ohio that it is an "open carry" state so we don't have to worry about accidentally having the gun uncovered. Some guys do it routinely, even going into Walmart with an open carried gun.

I don't normally go into a store that way, but I wouldn't worry about it being seen. The vast majority of people never even notice.

I have occasionally gotten out of the car to get gas, etc. in the summer and not worried the least about covering up the gun.

Where legal (and I know it's not in a lot of restrictive states), I think it's good to let the public see that a law abiding citizen can be armed without "blood in the streets". Too often, the only guns people see are the sensationalized "News at 11". It's good PR if the general public gets accustomed to seeing well behaved, law abiding citizens with firearms. We can't do that if we always keep everything hidden.

Back to the topic of the thread, my only real "oops" was when I was carrying inside a less than ideal IWB holster with a metal belt clip. I bent down at Lowes to look at something and the gun and holster slipped out and fell to the floor. :eek: Nobody was nearby.

I'm having a real problem finding a good IWB holster for a Taurus 605 (5 shot .357)with a 3" barrel. It's my most easily concealed gun and I like it for summer carry, but most of the time I carry a 1911. Good holsters are easier to come by for a 1911!

Well I guess I did have one other "oops". When I first got my CCW license, we went to a local restaurant that we'd been to many times. No bar in the restauant, nor any beer or liquor signs. After we started eating, I saw the waiter bring a mixed drink to another diner!:eek:, apparently from the bar on a lower level. That's a bad no-no in Ohio.

Ken
 
Ken - Oh said:
The the OP about having the gun uncovered: So what's the big deal
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There isn't a big deal. I thought I mentioned that.

My concern as that I haven't broken some habits, which could be troublesome elsewhere. Here in PA its fine, since we're quite gun friendly by comparison to most places, but it seemed silly that I made such a mistake easily avoided, or more to the point, my reaction at the time, that sense of nervousness that shoots up your spine and perhaps a touch of embarrassment. I've probably done it countless times before, but this one startled me and therefor was memorable. Perhaps it was because of the kids there, I don't know.
 
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