Deep cover & where others look

[Hoi Polloi]

There are at least two threads currently running about "making" strangers, and I know it is a frequent topic. One of the threads had a comment saying, "I have yet to have anyone obviously look at my waist..." and it made me think of an article I read recently about where people look, which can be seen here. It says that women look almost exclusively above the shoulders while men also look at one other place.

While it explains why most people would never notice a concealed handgun, it also made me wonder if the deep cover of SmartCarry is actually more likely to be noticed by a man than other carry locations.

It seems like most here look for IWB or OWB carry as most comments revolve around waist bulges, pants being weighed down on one side, arm not being raised on one side, shirt tail length and cover garments. Would you say that's primarily where you assume others carry when people watching? Yeah, yeah, I know that anyone can carry anywhere... I mean generally speaking.

I'm wondering how the findings of that study might carry over to concealed carry.

[JNMAR]

Since I question the validity of that so called "STUDy" to begin with, I don't think it carries over to anything. First off I'm thinking they got their genders crossed and if they didn't then I question the demographics of the participants.

[seamusTX]

Hoi Polloi, you are overthinking. Load up. Cover up. Shut up. End of story. It is not that difficult.

Men are going to scan women head to foot. It's a given. But they are not going to call the cops because they see a bulge.

- Jim

[Oldgringo]

Hoi Polloi, you are overthinking. Load up. Cover up. Shut up. End of story. It is not that difficult.

Men are going to scan women head to foot. It's a given. But they are not going to call the cops because they see a bulge.

- Jim

[The Annoyed Man]

I would start by saying that I rarely ever scan to see if I can pick an armed person out of a crowd. Sometimes, when I see someone wearing something that - in the CHL world - is cliched, like a photographer's vest or a fanny pack or a hawaiian shirt, I'll speculate a bit; but I don't spend much time thinking about it.

As to my own appearance to others, I rarely ever think about it. I've said over and over again, "strap it on, cover it up, forget about it." About the only thing you'll ever see me do is hitch my pants up when I get out of the car or something because my fat butt makes my belt slip down and I've got Dunlop's disease. Otherwise, I don't worry about printing. I don't worry about other observers. Frankly, I don't care what they think. I'm legal, and my gun is covered. That's all I need to care about. What anybody else thinks they see is irrelevant, because they don't really know.

Beyond that, I really don't think most people are that observant. Most people walk around in Condition White. They just aren't thinking "gun" about anything at all. They're not noticing if there's a bulge under my shirt. Even if they did, it could just as easily be a cellphone or an eyeglasses case or an insulin pump, as it could be a pistol.

I think these things should apply whether you are a man or a woman.

[seamusTX]

No one knows. Almost no one cares. My wife has to frisk me if she wants to be sure (which is fine—she has a license).

After a while, I intentionally struck up conversations with uniformed LEOs to see what might happen. They probably just thought I was just a male Chatty Kathy.

- Jm

[RHenriksen]

I carried a thin SA (Walther PPS) for six months in a tuckable holster under tucked polos, then switched to a full sized M&P for the next 7 months. Finally got made while doing a little demonstration in street clothes during a karate class. I was active, moving around, arms up & down, etc, in the middle of a circle of 30 people. The one guy who said something after class has been a Guardian Angel in Houston for years - guess he's got a trained eye to look for suspicious bulges.

[Texas Dan Mosby]

I would start by saying that I rarely ever scan to see if I can pick an armed person out of a crowd.

Me neither...

I could honestly care less.

I am more focused on behavior than accessories. There is more relevant information to be picked up by observing body language and the eyes than any potential accessory one may be wearing.

[Grog]

I always look at women to see if they are carrying.










At least that's what I tell my little lady

[Excaliber]

There are at least two threads currently running about "making" strangers, and I know it is a frequent topic. One of the threads had a comment saying, "I have yet to have anyone obviously look at my waist..." and it made me think of an article I read recently about where people look, which can be seen here. It says that women look almost exclusively above the shoulders while men also look at one other place.

While it explains why most people would never notice a concealed handgun, it also made me wonder if the deep cover of SmartCarry is actually more likely to be noticed by a man than other carry locations.

It seems like most here look for IWB or OWB carry as most comments revolve around waist bulges, pants being weighed down on one side, arm not being raised on one side, shirt tail length and cover garments. Would you say that's primarily where you assume others carry when people watching? Yeah, yeah, I know that anyone can carry anywhere... I mean generally speaking.

I'm wondering how the findings of that study might carry over to concealed carry.

Under a spandex leotard - yes.

Otherwise - no.

[bdickens]

... My wife has to frisk me if she wants to be sure (which is fine—she has a license)....- Jm

A licence to frisk you...?

[seamusTX]

A marriage license. It does not contain any exceptions or exclusions.

- Jim

[jroberts1968]

Hoi Polloi, you are overthinking. Load up. Cover up. Shut up. End of story. It is not that difficult.

Men are going to scan women head to foot. It's a given. But they are not going to call the cops because they see a bulge.

- Jim

+100 on that one.

[Hoi Polloi]

I'm not worrying, just wondering.

There is tactical worth in knowing human behavior and adjusting to it. Like most people will turn right over turning left if fleeing, most women will focus on the face and head while men will apparently look down, too, at least in 2D advertisements. I think it is an interesting point is all.

[The Annoyed Man]

I'm not worrying, just wondering.

There is tactical worth in knowing human behavior and adjusting to it. Like most people will turn right over turning left if fleeing, most women will focus on the face and head while men will apparently look down, too, at least in 2D advertisements. I think it is an interesting point is all.

Yes, it is from a speculative point. But even if most men and women behave exactly according to the study's results, I'm betting they are far more interested in the tactile rather than the tactical details. The study appears to say that men are more interested in other men's guns, so to speak, than they are in other men's guns.

I can't speak for any of the other guys here, but I am prepared to testify under oath and connected to a lie detector with my other hand on the Holy Bible that I'm not looking at other men to see if they're wearing a smart carry.