This message might belong elsewhere. If so, will someone please move it. Today I was driving with my wife to a State Fish Farm to pick up a bunch of fish to stock our 1-acre pond. As I drove along, bored to death with the Freeway, I thought "Hay, I wonder how easy it would be to draw my P-3AT from my front right pocket"? Well, I learned quickly I most likely would be dead and buried (maybe a slight exaggeration) if my life depended upon me to quickly removing the gun from my front pocket! :'( First I had to un-hook the seat belt, then raise my rear-end upward so my leg would be extended in a more stright of a line...so the gun would clear the large roll of muscular fat around my belly! : Getting the gun out of the pocket of my tignt jeans (see large roll of muscular fat above) was also not easy...although when standing I have no problem! Believe me...this is not easy while driving 75 MPH down the Freeway! I won't repeat what my lovely wife was yelling at me! Try it for yourself...(with the auto stopped)...and see how well you do! ;D I may have to start using my clip-on hip holster...or lose some weight...but, I do like the pocket holster much better. : And, I also like eating! Old Bill
Yes, drawing from a front pocket while driving is near impossible. Many here who pocket carry temporarily tuck the gun in the waistband and/or use the belt clip in a cross draw fashion while driving. When you exit the car you just slip it back in your pocket holster as you get out. Bobo
In the van or my truck I never had problems drawing from a pocket as they sit quite upright. In a smaller car that I sit "down" into I usually would pull it out as I was getting in and wedge it between the console and my seat and grab it as I was getting out and put it back in my pocket. In the auto is about the only time that I think boot/ankle carry is fast. -Scott
I was having difficulty drawing my P3AT until I switched from a crayon to a number 3 draftsman's pencil! ;D
I move my P3AT to the door map pocket kinda wedged upright by the folding umberela that is also in the map pocket. I'll also losen the gun in its holster. The gun is readily available for a left hand draw. There are however downsides to this metdod of car carry... You must practice yet another draw. You'll want to be very carefull that no one is looking when you move your gun to or from the map pocket. Perhaps most important you need to remember to take your gun with you when leaving the car! I never totally forgot my gun in my car but found myself going back to the car after starting to walk away. Take care...
I too, Old Bill, like to pocket carry. But as you found out, in a car driving down the highway or even stopped, it is a difficult thing--drawing from the pocket. I usually take mine out, either put it in the console or lay it beside me. Then when I get out of the car, I put it back into my pocket. Another option is to use a clip on OWB bolster while driving then switch it to a pocket holster. What ever you find that works best for you is good with me. Bo Bryant
? Why ? -Scott Because if you live in a state with a bunch of Donkeys (liberals) around you, they tend to be a bit squamish, even downright afraid of the notion of private citizens carrying firearms. So to see a private citizen carrying a firearm would scare the bejeezus out of them. Not to mention probably prompt them to call the authorities and get you busted for brandishing a firearm in public. At least here in Connecticut, Brandishing a firearm in public can get you in a heap of trouble.
Ah ha. I was thinking about this question as I was working out in the barn this morning and figured you had to be in one of those states where "Brandishing" is illegal. HOW STUPID. What exactly is the harm if someone sees a gun? Threatening is another story, but just seeing it. -Scott (who is glad I live in a state where Open Carry is completely legal)
It has to do with scaring the horses, sheep.... err well donkeys in this case. Then again, if I saw someone, not anywhere near a range mind you, take a gun from ther vehicle and in plain view put it into a holster or pocket, you had better believe I would be keeping a close eye on that individual until they went out of view or my fears were quelled. Had this been near a range or somewhere else when you may encounter an unholstered firearm... my reaction would be different. When you live in a state where people having firearms is NOT commonplace, your reactions are tailored as such. Also seeing a gun can be bad for you as well. Just think for a minute, someone sees you have a gun case in your trunk, or backseat for that matter and you go to do some shopping in another store before you are to go to the range (another reason why I leave firearms in the trunk out of view, and dont have bumper decals of any sort on my vehicle, especially nra, gun doodads.... NOTHING!). While you are gone, what is to stop someone from breaking your glass and taking the case from your backseat or trunk.... too much liability.
Two reasons to be discreet in moving your weapon from your vehicle to your person in Florida: 1) Open carry is illegal and "displaying" my "concealed weapon could cost me my CCW and my liberty; 2) I don't want ANYONE (friend or foe) to EVER have the slightest idea that I'm carrying.
Obviously I live in a state where open carry is legal so the circustances are different here. But I suggest that whenever possible carrying openly, or at least not going out of your way to conceal the fact that you are carrying will go a long way towards reducing the fear factor of people seeing your weapon. The more they see it the more they will become used to it. IF you (generic "you," not anyone in particular) have the right to so carry I say - DO IT - PROTECT THAT RIGHT! You will actually be surprised at how very few people that see your gun will notice it and how fewer than that will even care. And if you are questioned by the police: "Yes sir I do have a weapon and am carrying it within the bounds of the law. Here is my permit (if appropriate). And I am sorry, but I have nothing else to say except that I am following the law." Other than showing your permit the same answer works pretty well for anyone else who might say something to you too. As to seeing your weapons in your vehicle - we were talking about a handgun that you were taking out of your pocket when you got into a vehicle and putting it back in your pocket when you left. Anyone who "sees" you do it would "see" you taking it with you, therefore no reason to break into your car. In fact, probably a pretty good fear factor NOT to! Note that I am not telling anyone in particular what to do, or to do something that is outside the bounds of their comfort zone. And I especially would not advise anyone to in anyway show your weapon where it might be illegal to do so. Rather I am suggesting that all of us could benefit from more people carrying more openly wherever legally permissible. -Scott
A cousin of mine once owned a Pawn Shop in a seedy part of an Army town. One day when I was visiting him (I loved to look at all the guns and stuff that had been pawned) a very large...300-pound or more...woman walked into the shop. Upon reaching the counter, she reached into her bra...and pulled out from between her two huge breasts...a small chromed auto-handgun! I knew that without a doubt I was about to be shot...and I was wishing that I had gone to Church sometime in the past few years! However, all the woman did was hand the gun to my cousin Dale! He drop the magazine and racked a round out of the chamber, while chatting with the woman! She got some money and left....while my heart beat settled down to normal. : : Dale told me she ran a local Cat House and was a good customer of his. Sometimes it's hard not to become concerned when a gun is shown when you are not expecting to see one!! ;D ;D Old Bill
Believe me, I would love to carry openly, I actually enjoed it whe I was an armored car tech. Getting payed to play with money and your firearm at work was fun..... that was about all it was good for lol. Anyhow "Yes sir I do have a weapon and am carrying it within the bounds of the law.".... I would reccomend against that. Especially when you are getting stopped for god knows what. If you are required to inform the officer ( i dont believe this is the case in ct) hand them your pistol permit under your drivers liscense and let them take it from there. Just makes you seem belligerent IMO. The more passive and sheep like you seem to most leo's, the more likely they are to be civil and calm. YMMV Back to vehicle carry. I have learned (forget from where) to use your off hand to slide down the safety belt, disengage the restraint and move it across your body. Then gain access to your firearm as appropriate. I can gain access to my firearms with the belt on in some holsters. again it comes down to familiarity with equipment, and practice practice practice.
? Why ? -Scott[/quote] Scott, Like JRadice45 I'm from CT and just might get haseld or worse for "brandishing" even though open carry in CT is legal - just not recommended because of the "brandishing" language in CT Statute Sec. 53-206c [http://law.justia.com/connecticut/codes/title53/sec53-206c.html]. Some anti seeing your gun could lie and cause you a lot of grief. Open carry for civilians in our State is not recommended even though I can remember it being done some 40+ years ago. You'll see it often by folks working in CT gun shops and occasionally by persons in other types of private business establishments. JRadice45, No, not required to inform in CT.
Bill, Didnt think so. Or the last time I got pulled over (last week) the trooper would have asked about it I think. As for open carry, I believe in businesses you are clear, esp. if you own it. but for total open carry like VA im not sure...
Just a couple o' points. I keep my p3 in my back pocket. Seems to work fine. I can still get it if i'm sitting (6 ft, 180 lbs) in my car. But, when I go out to my car, I bring my 9mm and put it in the console. I wouldn't reach for my BUG, i'd get the 9. In Georgia they have some good laws. Open is fine, shall issue state, can carry on mass transit and in parks and restaurants (if you don't drink). The hunting regs this year state that during bow and primitive weapon hunts you can't carry a center fire weapon unless you have a ccp. . One of the odd laws in GA. is that I can carry in my glove box and console, but not in the door pocket.
fwiw, in NY it does show when they run your license, and I have never been asked if carrying or not. second, i may or may not have an accessible BUG when seated. third, this is the most important, most people are totally oblivious. the sheeple are so involved in their own worlds, unless you go waving it around, in a good holster, these things look like wallets, etc, and most people will never pay you a second look. after dropping scott at the airport in knob creek and carroll and ms. mae getting on their way, wifey, the boys and I went to the mall. (carroll, be glad ms mae was not there, the biggest purse store I had ever seen was there).... i open carried simply because I was not wearing my jacket, and did not feel like going to the hassle of covering it up, as well as wifey open carrying.... and the only one who said anything was a local cop in the mall who had just gotten off duty and was doing some shopping. he simply asked what each of us was carrying, and who did my slide work, then wanted to see them to compare to what he was carrying. everyone else was totally oblivious. and most sheeple will never pay it a second notice.
