Called out on second day of carry!!

[whohears]

would appreciate thoughts and insights from you guys on this.

luckily, it turned out fine--but I was called out on my second day of concealed carry! here are the particulars...

wife and I were going to a friends wedding and reception at the Dallas Arboretum. I was carrying my SIG 229 in a Galco IWB behind my right hip with a dark blazer covering.

I had planned to keep my weapon locked away in the car, but when we got there the only parking option was valet (lesson #1: need to anticipate these scenarios and have a plan).

So I have my weapon on me. Muggy and hot. Sweating my tail off. But feel like I'm doing a good job concealing.

wife and I befriend another couple while having a smoke. the night wears on and the wife in other couple had a few more rounds of wine and built up some liquid courage. the four of us are having another smoke and she leans in and says " I'm gonna ask a personal question, is that a blackberry under your coat or are you carrying a weapon, or what?"

I was dumbstruck! She quickly follows up by saying she works for Department of Justice and is around a lot of FBI guys who carry concealed so she notices these types of things. She said she was curious if I was police or FBI (I'm neither).

So I got the sense that neither she nor her husband were anti-gun nuts. I fessed up that I had a TX CHL and was indeed carrying.

anyway, the four of us had a good conversation about guns and shooting. The husband has a .357 revolver and wife wants to get her CHL as well.

Luckily, she and her husband were very discreet and very cool about it. We enjoyed the rest of the night and it never came up again.

Nevertheless, I was a bit shaken up about being called out.

I'd appreciate hearing other's thoughts and experiences.

Thanks

Geoff

[nuparadigm]

Sounds to me as if you felt your way around that situation very well. You sensed that you were among "friends" ( and she gave you every indication that you were).

There are some who will say that even if she "outed" you, that you could have gone with the blackberry tale (as she offered it to you). I'm not one of them. You did what you did based upon the information you had available to you and it turned out well for all concerned. Maybe these folks will end up being shooting buddies for you.

[rbraughn]

Another thing to consider... weddings, parties, reunions etc are all very likely places to encounter people hugging, dancing, brushing against each other in crowded rooms etc.

It is a very vulnerable situation to be in and requires you to be very conscious of every move you make so as not be be "outed"

Sounds like she was much more observant than normal sheeple

[TheYoungGuy]

Uh... so do most of you drink while carrying?

[whohears]

Uh... so do most of you drink while carrying?

I wasn't drinking.

But if I wasn't carrying, I probably would have been.

[txinvestigator]

Occasionlly I "make" people who are carrying. I never say aything unless they are exposed.

People who are used to looking a person over for weapons get pretty good at spottimg the bulge. People who are new to carrying also tend to exhibit "tells", like touching the weapon thru the clothes, adjusting the pants all of the time, etc.

I was wearing a shoulder holster about 2 years ago while working a PPO detail. (I was driving). Our event was at a large hotel for a benefit. An off duty Game Warden who was on the floor above me saw me over a railing, came down and asked me if I was police or private. Since I don't wear a shoulder holster often, I was "telling".

[Venus Pax]

The person that spotted your weapon was not a typical person.

The one time I was caught off guard was by a man at church, who also had a CHL.

[Frost]

I am thinking that if i ever get this type of question i will go with the "its a medical device and i dont care to discuss it" route.

[John]

I’ve “made� a few, but never mentioned it to the person(s). The only time, I know of, that I’ve been made was in the check out line at Lowes. I dropped something and leaned down to pick it up. I must have flashed them because the young couple behind me quickly changed lanes to a checkout with with a much longer line. I remember thinking to myself that if I really scared them, it seems like they should have exited the store. I reckon they figured that being behind me, the weapon could have jumped out of the holster and fired in their direction or something. Silly people.

[whohears]

thanks for all the comments and insights, guys.

[Venus Pax]

I’ve “made� a few, but never mentioned it to the person(s). The only time, I know of, that I’ve been made was in the check out line at Lowes. I dropped something and leaned down to pick it up. I must have flashed them because the young couple behind me quickly changed lanes to a checkout with with a much longer line. I remember thinking to myself that if I really scared them, it seems like they should have exited the store. I reckon they figured that being behind me, the weapon could have jumped out of the holster and fired in their direction or something. Silly people.

They probably thought you were about to rob the cashier and didn't want to be in the line of fire. They probably decided it would be more entertaining to watch from a distance.

[John]

I’ve “made� a few, but never mentioned it to the person(s). The only time, I know of, that I’ve been made was in the check out line at Lowes. I dropped something and leaned down to pick it up. I must have flashed them because the young couple behind me quickly changed lanes to a checkout with with a much longer line. I remember thinking to myself that if I really scared them, it seems like they should have exited the store. I reckon they figured that being behind me, the weapon could have jumped out of the holster and fired in their direction or something. Silly people.

They probably thought you were about to rob the cashier and didn't want to be in the line of fire. They probably decided it would be more entertaining to watch from a distance.

Ha Ha... I think I would want to be more than one or two check out lanes away from such an event. Go figure.

[BoneDigger]

I saw a guy go into Academy Sports the other day who had just gotten out of his car and the tail of his shirt was bunched up around his gun, so he was in essence open carrying. I let him know and he was very apologetic and thankful.

I am still getting the hang of this carrying thing myself. I find that I am porobably too obvious since I have a tendency to keep checking to insure that my shirt is down, etc.

Todd

[longtooth]

Todd,
That is a common response to most that are new to carry.
When you get out of vehicle, if you need to fix something, stretch, hitch belt, streighten cover, ... It is a natural time. Especially if you are middle age or older as many of us are.
After that LEAVE IT ALONE.
I tell all new to carry: rule #3 is put it on, cover it up, & leave it alone. No one will know.
You will do fine.

[para driver]

carrying in a hip rig is prone to this.. that's why I switched to a cross draw shoulder rig..