conduct in carrying?

[shotokan99]

what is best let the people around you know you are armed or totally keep it? they will only know by the time you draw your gun.

[hoytinak]

Nobody knows I carry, even some of my family and best friends. Best to keep it that way.

[IdahoG36]

Ignorance is bliss. My family members and my close friend are the only one's that know I carry. I keep it that way.

[Jay1958]

Agreed, IMO it is a serious mistake to let people know you are carrying, except for a very few trusted family members / friends.

[10-96]

Discretion is the word of the day. The last thing you'd want is to be, say, in a convenience store robbery or a bank robbery and have a "friend" start squealing, "Draw your gun!" Sometimes, the best thing a CHL holder or an off-duty Cop can do is to stay shut up, do nothing, and be a good witness.

There! I actually said it! I shoot snakes too when the urge hits me just right. Now, ya'll can beat me up all ya want.

[38splfan]

Three characteristics I try to keep,

observant, quiet, and UNKNOWN.

[KS.45]

I agree with 10-96. Especially if you are living in a small town and it becomes commonly known you carry, that's not a good thing.

The local thugs will probably know who you are, and if you happen to be where they decide to do a robbery, you may be attacked on sight.

[kgpcr]

Why anounce it??

[The Tourist]

There's a big difference between announcing anything and looking like food.

I always tell my wife to walk confidently, head up.

People who walk with certainty don't appeal much street folk, or even aggressive panhandlers. We just don't seem to have the time to deal with them.

[2cooltoolz]

Only my wife knows, and I didn't tell her. Now I notice her "feeling for it". but she never says a word. We've been carjacked at gunpoint (years ago) and I think she's on board, but doesn't care to discuss it.

[Dewhitewolf]

The point of carrying concealed is lost if anyone knows about it. It's best to keep it a secret from everyone, even friends. After all, the only person who is going to draw it is YOU! Like 10-96 said, if your friends know, they might put you in a bad position by announcing that you're carrying at the wrong time; their "rules of engagement" will be different from yours.

The other thing is, if you get into an argument with someone, they might report to the police that they felt threatened because you had a gun, when they may not have known otherwise.

[allenomics]

No one needs to know as long as you are safe and cautious.

[Tanzer]

Discretion is the word of the day. The last thing you'd want is to be, say, in a convenience store robbery or a bank robbery and have a "friend" start squealing, "Draw your gun!"

+1, and squeal they will. About um-teen years ago, at a town get-together (band playing & all that) my big mouthed ex-sister-in-law called me out over a relatively minor situation; Oh yeah? He's got a gun!" (pointing at me).
We all make mistakes, but hopefully not the same mistake twice. Only a few close friends and family now know I hold a CWP, and certainly no one who'd ask about it.
You're better off keeping it to yourself, but I can't see not letting the wife know.

People who walk with certainty don't appeal much street folk, or even aggressive panhandlers

Good point. It's icing on the cake.

[Perldog007]

The only time I thought it was a good idea to let somebody know about a concealed weapon was working armed security with an authorized BUG (gotta love Virginia). Trusted partners (key word being trusted) knew what and where in case I got hurt so they could retrieve it before EMS got there. Some EMS types will freak out and stop working on you if they find a gun until a nice Cop comes and takes it.

I experienced this in a motorcycle accident. Thankfully the cops were quick, but the ambulance crew did not know if I had internal injuries, was going into shock, nothing. They just would not touch me until my legal concealed weapon was secured.

Other than that, keep it under your hat.

[tacticalmedic]

Perldog007, That is because we are taught to make sure the scene is safe for us. I have come across many guns on patients and they do not freak me out. Most of the time someone with a CCL will tell you they have a weapon. It's only the BG's I worry about.

I just had a guy Christmas eve in an auto accident that had a S&W 9mm under his front seat. I found it when I was trying to move his seat back because he was pinned in the wreakage. He was unconscious so the PD got to hold the weapon until he can claim it. The minivan was totaled but the S&W 669 was not harmed!!

[lockedcj7]

I've never told anyone that I was carrying unless it was a legal requirement (SC mandatory to tell LEO when asked for I.D.) and I intend to keep it that way. My wife sometimes knows when I'm carrying, mostly not. The guys I hunt and fish with have a "don't ask, don't tell" policy. If they happen to see it, fine but otherwise, we don't talk about it. It's a safe bet that one of us is always carrying.

[Stevie-Ray]

My family and friends all know that I carry. But even they don't know when I carry.

[ssilicon]

speak softly!

[Mannlicher]

most of my friends and family carry as well. No big secret there, but with strangers, why mentiion it?

[Harrigan]

I had instructed my wife on just what to do in case of trouble-drop down low beneath my line of fire and call 911 so she knew I carried, when a BG was breaking into my home she followed zero of the previous instructions(fortunatley no shots were fired) but after that I saw no upside in informing anyone as to my carry habits.Plus to this day my pretty blonde wife says things like "Honey show him your gun".

[IdahoG36]

About um-teen years ago, at a town get-together (band playing & all that) my big mouthed ex-sister-in-law called me out over a relatively minor situation; Oh yeah? He's got a gun!" (pointing at me).

Oh that would SUCK!! What an awkward situation to be thrown into.

[Perldog007]

Perldog007, That is because we are taught to make sure the scene is safe for us.

A bit off topic here, but a safe scene is good.

If you are an EMT who might have to treat somebody who is legally carrying this pointy headed poster thinks it might be a good idea to able to safety that weapon without having to wait on anyone. Just a thought, but I do not begrudge untrained folks waiting for a trained one to make the scene safe.

Back on topic, that is one of the few reasons I can think of to tell somebody I am carrying concealed. I can't remember if it was Lott or Kleck, but one of those studies gave some good thoughts on why concealed weapons were of higher deterrent value. If the bad guys don't know who "has it" it adds higher cost to their cost/benefit scenario when committing crimes against persons. Just another good reason to keep in on the low.

[Kentucky Deer Hunter]

As far as EMT's go, this is a big gray area. Depending on which agency you work for and what their protocols are concerning guns will be the big desicion factor.

If you respond to a criminal scene, the first thing you do is have the police make sure that the scene is safe. Personal safety is taught to be more important than anything. But if I pull upon a wreck, or a collapsed person in a shopping mall, and I happen to find a gun on the person, then I would secure the gun first and then continue with medical treatment. I would be sure to document the gun at the scene and notify a LEO so that he may be responsible for the gun and getting it back to the correct owner, etc...

In Kentucky, EMT's/Paramedics are not allowed to carry a firearm and I was always taught to never show up at a gun fight without a gun.

[vox rationis]

I totally agree about the stealth carry...like many of you guys keep saying: it is a "Concealed" carry license, and people not knowing about it gives one a tactical edge I believe.

[Night Trooper]

Run silent, run deep! But might want to have a when/then plan for your trusted loved ones (i.e. what side you are carrying on should be clear and as mentioned above the "duck/move away from me" and call 911 act).