It's OK to print

Y

youngun

New member
There's a tendency toward fear of being "exposed" when carrying concealed. Just want to remind everyone, especially the noobs, that it's not the end of the world if someone sees your piece. As far as the law is concerned (assuming you're legal to carry) you aren't brandishing or anything else remotely illegal if someone happens to call you out on being armed. Just let them know that yes, it is a gun, and you have a permit, tip of the hat and mind your own fnbzns. ;)
The "big deal" is if a potential perp happens to spy you, he may put you into his game plan, in a place you don't want to be, but more likely he just decides this isn't the place for perp'in and moves on.
In short, Mr Gettin' Used To It and Mr Best Cover for a Wedding, just remember, it's all good, and you're just towing the line, keeping the community strong. No need to feel like the underdog outcast lurking in the shadows.
Armed and Peaceful.
 
Well said. When I read the "what's the best for CC" threads I often wonder from whom are we trying to conceal? When my CCW comes through I'm going to carry my Beretta 92FS, because it's the gun I want. You are absolutely right, if it prints a little (and with my Safariland holster carried at six o'clock it barely does, even under a t-shirt), if I'm legal then so what?
As for the scheming per scenario, really, how likely is that? More likely if the perp realizes you're carrying he'll move along to a less dangerous victim anyway.
 
I think it depends on your state and local...

yes, in my state... SC... it is 'okay' to print...but I've heard in some other places it isn't. Obviously in VA it would be okay since one can carry open with out a permit and must carry open even with one in certain places.
 
you aren't brandishing or anything else remotely illegal if someone happens to call you out on being armed.
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What part of "concealed" don't you understand? Why are you telling folks that it is okay to print so much that the gun can be identified as a gun?

youngun, your advice is NOT universally correct. In fact, what you suggest is WRONG for Texas as it is illegal to print in such a manner that the gun can be discerned as a gun through normal observation.

Your feel good legal advice may get some of the noobs you are trying to help into real trouble. It is not all good.
 
I have to go with Double Naught Spy on this, for it is NOT okay to print, and for many reasons!

#1: If a bad guy sees the imprint of your weapon, he may think that you're an undercover or off-duty LEO. If that bad guy has done "hard time" in prison, he may have gone through a prison "educational" program on gun take-away's. I'm sure that many CCW folks have gone through weapons retention classes, but others haven't!

#2: What with the costs of weapons and ammo nowadays, some punks might want your weapon for Christmas! It isn't that easy to defend yourself with your GUN when there are UNarmed multiple punks bashing your skull in!

#3: CCW is still a relatively "new" thing throughout the country, so if you don't LOOK like a LEO, someone could possibly think that you're a bad guy when they see your weapon printing. Not the most fun thing to have a swarm of uniformed LEO's with their weapons drawn at YOU!

I could go on and on, but I think that you can see that "printing" ISN'T "okay", for it could result in a "mistake"!
 
DNS is correct. Concealed means concealed. First hand experience: Local mechanic, bit of a character, carrying a Colt 1911, was busted when a LEO came to the shop to investigate a break-in. During the questioning, the officer saw the outline of his rig print through his tucked in shop shirt. I'm sure it did not help that he was busting the officers onions at the time, but he ended up loosing his Permit for 8 months and spent about $ 1500 jumping through the hoops to get it back. Be carefull of the info you get on the internet. To quote one of the TFL members " It's worth exactly what you paid for it."
 
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I could go on and on, but I think that you can see that "printing" ISN'T "okay", for it could result in a "mistake"!
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+1 on this & others who responded in this manner...
I go through great lengths not to show...:)
 
I think a distinction needs to be made. It is NOT okay to print beacause of a negligence to properly conceal. For instance, wearing only a thin, short T-shirt that leaves an obvious outline and leaves the bottom of the holster showing. This shows no reasonable attempt to conceal. However, If you bend over in a parking lot to put your grandson in a stroller, and your well concealing shirt shirt pops up a bit, you haven't done anything wrong. Just tug it back down. It falls under "reasonable concealment". You don't need to bury it to be legal. And yes, be ready to show that permit.
 
Printing.

Laying state laws aside for a moment, here are my thoughts on printing. (NOT a full blown show mind you, just printing through clothing.)

  • Printing is not generally as obvious as we fear.
  • It takes a tight cover garment or a really awkward movement (most of the time) to show the complete outline of the gun.
  • If it's only a momentary print, folks generally don't notice.
  • Proper wardrobe can prevent/eliminate printing almost completely.
  • A proper holster and belt can limit printing or break up the outline of your firearm.

I had a couple of printing issues before and they weren't enough to cause any panic. Got an interesting look from a cutie-pie waitress though.;) (carried at three o'clock, not twelve, in case you had your minds in the gutter:eek:)

At the grand opening of the new Cabela's store here yesterday, I was trying on a new coat and had just switched from IWB to OWB carry the day prior. Slipped my mind a bit as I removed my coat to try on the new one. Luckily had a buddy with me who pointed it out quickly and I could throw my coat back on before attracting any attention. Lesson learned- be more attentive, no matter how comfortable things are.

I think the point of the OP, although poorly worded, was more along the lines of my list than an actually bit of legal counsel. Not so much "printing is okay" as "don't freak if it happens".
 
Not chiming in on either side here but I thought I would point out how clueless 99% of the general public is on any given day.

Unless you are blatantly printing or in a place or situation where the average civilian might have reason to look specifically for the presence of a concealed firearm, the chances are that no one will notice.

I am not saying to become complacent, but it is not the end of the world if your toddler grabs on to your shirt tail and makes your handgun print for a moment. You don't have to use thunderwear or one of the other unbelievably uncomfortable carry methods in a paranoid belief that Mrs. Cravitz at the grocery store is going to faint on isle 2.

My wife is my second set of eyes and if I have any questions at all, I will walk, bend, sit and squat so she can critique my outfit. When out and about, she has warned me on a couple of occasions that my current stance or seating position is causing me to print.

Despite this, in more than 20 years of carrying concealed, I have never had a stranger (civilian or LEO) "make" me as carrying (or if they have, they haven't let me know about it!).
 
In my state, open carry is okay. Now that it is cool weather, I'll often take my jacket off to ride to work or other places. My pistol is still fairly hard to see, but if someone sees me wearing it in my car, so be it. If I'm at a store or restaurant, I definitely do not want to print. Same at work where I am subject to discipline if I show my weapon inside the building but not if I keep it concealed.

My point is that being sloppy about printing may be okay in some places and situations but not others. As others have pointed out, it may even be a violation of law in some states. As a rule, however, concealed carry means just that.
 
I was made at my archery club a few weeks ago, as one of the members asked "is there something "mean" under you shirt"? I retorted, yea, something's there...................he let it go, as did I. If I had not asked earlier in the day if anyone every had a stranger walk onto the range when alone, as had happened to me? They all know I'm an avid shooter, so I think he was looking.

I was in K-Mart the other day and after bending over my shirt got stuck over my gun, exposing it. Out of practice I reached to pull my shirt down and discovered it showing, some guy 20 feet away may have seen it, but did not really know what it was, cell phone, etc. etc........

The other day I went into a convenience store and parked next to a cop car. When I came back the cop was doing getting something out of his car on the passenger side, next to my drivers side, so I had to stand there while he finished his task. I really felt weird standing there, hoping like hell I wasn't printing though I was covering up as much as possible with my arm.

Yep, I agree, Concealed MEANS Concealed..........................ck
 
I wouldn't say its OK to print but it happens from time to time. Especially in the summer months with thin clothing.

95% of people are going to be completely oblivious if there is a partial outline of the grip through your shirt or the bottom of your holster. LEO's and fellow CCW'ers might pick up on it but you don't have to worry about them anyways.

I think its important to be conscious of your clothing choices with each type of carry method. I'll use a IWB holster for some situations and a paddle in others. There isn't a one size fits all so its good to have some options available.
 
In CT it is def not cool to print. There was just a man in manchester arrested for causing a distrubance when a waitress at a fast food joint saw his firearm. He was arrested AFTER producing his ccw which he lost for being arrested in the first place. His case is in appeals court to get his license back but the firearm review is so backed up he has until early 2009.
 
"printing"

If printing is a concern, go to a tailor with your UNLOADED cc piece and get his or her expert advice. I'm sure there are tailors that can hook anyone up with the type of clothes, (jacket, special pockets,etc.) to keep a concealed firearm CONCEALED. Most people are so blind to what is going on, you don't have to worry about a "little" printing. Once you put on a gun, the gun decides how you dress.
 
I've found, for the most part, that printing is generally thought of as a cell phone. I have, in fact, had a shirt ride up so far as to be resting on my Ultra CDP in IWB. Some guy said, "Watch it, you're about to lose your phone." The holster was alright, the shirt just caught in between the butt of the gun and my gut. I thanked him and made "adjustments."
 
Can't speak for the rest of the country, but in TX if you KNOW you're printing (your gun is not concealed from normal observation) then you're breaking the law.

It is ok to "unconceal" accidentally, but if you are intentionally using a method that reveals your gun to casual observation then you're over the line.

Whether it's legal or not I consider it a bad idea. If I ever got into a jam, I'd like the decision of when to act to be exclusively mine. If my carry gun is easily detectable then I've lost that advantage.
 
I'm a thin guy, so save for a P-3AT I always print if I carry anywhere other than 1:00-2:00 or 6:00, and carrying 6:00 is uncomfortable to me.

Lucky for me that w/my style of dress and where I wear my cell, 1:00-2:00 becomes beautifully concealed...If my shirt is over my phone, it never touches the gun. If my shirt is behind the phone, it bunches up and won't show a print. Better yet...the case for my phone does a beautiful job covering up the IWB's clip =)

Regardless of where you live, printing isn't good...but, I agree that w/some discresion, it's usually very faint or so fast that the general clueless public that doesn't expect/look for a gun is never going to notice, or will pass it off as a cell phone (have you SEEN some of the monster "phones" people carry?!).
 
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