Taking off jacket and exposing CCW...

[turboman]

When I go somewhere carrying, what to do when I have to take off my coat. IWB is impractical for me. Can we wear sidearm openly inside a business, say, a medical clinic, assuming there's no sign banning handguns totally on their door.

The only option seems to be removing the pistol and put it in the cars glove box (must be locked?) and just wear the empty holster? WI is obviously a concealed carry only.

Any other suggestion greatly appreciated.

 

[titaniumman]

really?..Just open carry?..really? That would be a great way to get arrested and lose your right to carry!

 

[50SR9]

Only if open carry is allowed in your state. Only answer I see is to, (1) use IWB style holster, (2) Wear a lighter jacket that you don't have to take off or (3) wear a shirt that will cover the weapon. Last thing is to leave it in the car when you attend such "no weapon" policy places.

 

[fourmula766]

Wi has open carry but unless its been recently changed its not allowed in hospitals

 

[dragon6]

Concealed carry means concealed. How I carry and how I dress are part of my daily life. Plan ahead, dress so that if a jacket needs to be removed your weapon is still concealed. Equally important is carrying so that if needed, your weapon can be presented quickly. For me, IWB works, even in shorts and a shirt.

Romans 8:37

 

[mrjam2jab]

WI allows for open carry. They didn't take it away when they created the concealed carry permit.

really?..Just open carry?..really? That would be a great way to get arrested and lose your right to carry!

Many states outside of NY allow open carry.

Wi has open carry but unless its been recently changed its not allowed in hospitals

I don't see hospitals being restricted locations in WI.

 

[anvil6]

Depends on what the law is in the jurisdiction and on how upset the folks in the businesses might get - not just their staff, but also their customers. There ARE other options. Tuckable IWB is not THAT uncomfortable. There are a couple of "holster-undershirts" on the market that do a good job of concealing under a normal dress shirt, or even a shoulder holster under a normal shirt. Belly band holsters. Various jackets and vests designed with concealed carry features built in. Off-body carry - just make sure it can't be left behind! "Fanny Pack" that functions as a PDA holder or small-tools pouch. Ankle holster. Pocket holster. If legal to do so, I would make every effort to keep the carry piece on my person.

Leaving it in the car is the choice of last resort. I would avoid placing anything I want to keep inside a vehicle glove compartment. Portable handgun vaults can either be mounted to some vehicles or secured by cable to most all vehicles. If placed inside the vehicle trunk, that adds an additional layer of security against theft. Unfortunately, storage in the vehicle opens a window of vulnerability - from the time you leave the vehicle until you retrieve the carry piece and rearm. Be very aware of your surroundings.

 

[KCD1974]

I read through this extensively today, NO WHERE did I see hospitals or clinics listed and you CAN open carry in WI...so you should have no issues at all....

Link Removed

 

[Joe Legere]

I've had my firearm exposed before by accident. Sometimes at if we're out shopping and I have to grab something off the top shelf. I wouldn't worry about it. Just cover back up quickly and noone should be the wiser. Not a huge deal.

 

[CharonPDX]

As others have said: It depends on where you are.

I have a "concealed carry jacket", and an IWB holster. I keep it in easy reach in the jacket's built-in holster most of the time - but when I take off the jacket, it moves to my IWB holster. (I usually switch in the elevator or bathroom, if I'm worried that exposing it might draw unwanted attention.)

Open carry is legal here - but VERY uncommon. And while private businesses often do not have "no guns" signs around here, it is likely more due to lack of thinking to post one than actual gun-friendliness, so I try not to push it. (I know one business that DID add a sign after a friend open carried there.)

 

[Flanmedic51]

When I go somewhere carrying, what to do when I have to take off my coat. IWB is impractical for me. Can we wear sidearm openly inside a business, say, a medical clinic, assuming there's no sign banning handguns totally on their door.

The only option seems to be removing the pistol and put it in the cars glove box (must be locked?) and just wear the empty holster? WI is obviously a concealed carry only.

Any other suggestion greatly appreciated.

There are great conceal carry shirts out there to cover your weapon so you don't have to conceal exclusively with a jacket. What do you do in the summer??

 

[titaniumman]

. "WI is obviously a concealed carry only". My reply was based on this remark!

.

 

[Military Man]

I have one that is small enough to fit in my jeans pocket

 

[NavyLCDR]

I love it. First open carry is illegal in Wisconsin, then hospitals are off limits....

We have enough restrictions of our gun rights that are actually real statutes. Do we really need to create/perpetuate restrictions that are not in statutes within our own community?

Is it really that hard to look up what the real statutes state? Especially given the excellent summaries, with sources at Handgunlaw.us and OpenCarry.org - A Right Unexercised is a Right Lost! ...

 

[r1dge69]

I live in Wi, we have open carry. What my instructor said is if carry concealed it has to stay concealed, no printing, no accidental brandishing,etc. If you open carry it has to stay in the open. If you get cold and put on a jacket and partially cover your firearm (ex: you can still see the muzzle from the bottom of the jacket) this is still considered open carry. But if you put on a jacket that completely covers your firearm, you are now carrying concealed it it has to stay concealed. Hope this helps.

P.S. I just got my CCW permit in the mail today! WooHoo!!!

 

[Rich_S]

I like pocket carry. No worries about dressing around the gun, which holster to use, printing, my shirt lifting up, or etc. I just put it in my pocket and go....

 

[mrjam2jab]

I live in Wi, we have open carry. What my instructor said is if carry concealed it has to stay concealed, no printing, no accidental brandishing,etc. If you open carry it has to stay in the open. If you get cold and put on a jacket and partially cover your firearm (ex: you can still see the muzzle from the bottom of the jacket) this is still considered open carry. But if you put on a jacket that completely covers your firearm, you are now carrying concealed it it has to stay concealed. Hope this helps.

P.S. I just got my CCW permit in the mail today! WooHoo!!!

That's my main problem with mandatory training classes. The instructors make things up/give their opinions on subjects and the students generally take it for truth.

If your state allows open and concealed carry then there is no reason why you have to stay one way or the other. If you start out concealed and then it becomes exposed by shirt riding up/taking off jacket etc...no big deal. It's all allowed.

 

[Firefighterchen]

Since you want suggestions...

Open carry is legal, so take your jacket off and be comfortable. If the staff asks you to leave then find a better doctor that doesn't have issues with firearms.

 

[NavyLCDR]

That's my main problem with mandatory training classes. The instructors make things up/give their opinions on subjects and the students generally take it for truth.

If your state allows open and concealed carry then there is no reason why you have to stay one way or the other. If you start out concealed and then it becomes exposed by shirt riding up/taking off jacket etc...no big deal. It's all allowed.

Exactly. Washington is the same way. No license required for open carry, CPL required to conceal. With a CPL there are no restrictions how you carry your gun in a holster, open, concealed, half-way in between, printing, duct taped to your forehead, switching between open and concealed every other minute - all legal. The CCW instructor was spouting bull hockey.

Here's the challenge, r1dge69, show us the statute that backs up what the CCW instructor said. Or, better yet, have him/her show us the statute. There isn't one.

 

[r1dge69]

Pardon me. I was repeating what I was told by the instructor. I had no reason to doubt him. I will look into this and see what I can find out. I thought it was odd about accidently brandishing being against the law when Wi is open carry also. I asked him about it and the above is the answer I got. I new to all this and am trying to learn.