Today I set down my Concealed Carry Weapon in the Store and walked off...

[MTT TL]

...oopps...

Occasionally I will carry in my jacket inner chest pocket. I have a little holster that holds it nice and snug in the pocket. This is easy access and practically undetectable. Today when shopping at the home improvement store I took my jacket off and set it on the cart. As I continued shopping I left the cart to go check various lumber. I was gone about five minutes before I realized something was amiss... I felt something was wrong and then realized.... stupid, stupid, stupid....

It was still there and I was quite happy... about that anyway.

Thoughts?

[TexasJustice7]

...oopps...

Occasionally I will carry in my jacket inner chest pocket. I have a little holster that holds it nice and snug in the pocket. This is easy access and practically undetectable. Today when shopping at the home improvement store I took my jacket off and set it on the cart. As I continued shopping I left the cart to go check various lumber. I was gone about five minutes before I realized something was amiss... I felt something was wrong and then realized.... stupid, stupid, stupid....

It was still there and I was quite happy... about that anyway

I am sure that is what I would do if I carried in a winter jacket. I stick to a paddle holter for my CA 44 Spl and a pocket holster for my S&W 38 Spl. I have plenty of pouches, meidcal pouches and plenty of fanny packs. I am scared to death of losing a gun so thats why I won't carry a fanny pack unless it is tied into my belt, nothing I can accidentally leave behind.

But now I have another problem. I bought a S&W 625-5 4 inch long 45 Colt
and I can't find anything except the holster I got with it that will hold it. I thought my biggest fanny pack would hold it but it won't. I have a pouch built into one of my vehicles that will hold it, but I got to find something that will work for it.

Yep you are lucky. I made a mistake once of leaving mine in a bathroom and a close friend at the business where I was found it, so I lucked out. I learned my lesson from that, so if I have to remove it while in the bathroom I keep it in sight, keep telling myself gun gun gun, and it works for me not to forget and not put it back on my belt in a paddel holster.

[pax]

People don't tend to think of pocket carry as a form of off-body carry, but it really is. Only if you're using your pants pocket does it count as on-body carry.

When you carry a gun in a pocket, you need a good pocket holster. You need to make sure nothing else shares the pocket with your firearm. And when you carry in a jacket pocket, you need the habit of treating your jacket as a permanent part of your body, no matter how physically or socially uncomfortable that might sometimes feel.

More:

http://thefiringline.com/forums/show...7&postcount=13

http://thefiringline.com/forums/show...5&postcount=14

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=204507

Thanks for being brave enough to post the excellent reminder. Glad no harm resulted from your wake up call!

pax

[MTT TL]

I think the biggest thing I took away from this is: no matter who you think you are; you are never immune to boneheaded mistakes. Anyone who think that they are better than that has already made their first mistake.

I also believe that if someone had swiped my jacket I don't think I could have lived with it so easily.

[Sheikyourbootie]

I damn near did that with my medical case. The case is locked (with my car keys and ccw) when I'm in the patient's home, and I unlock it when I leave. When I got to my car, I had no keys and HAD to go back and retrieve the case. I can see just how EASY it would be to do exactly what you described...especially during a hectic day.

[m&p45acp10+1]

I could see that happening here in Central Texas. Mornings can be quite nippy this time of year. Then when you go outside at lunchtime it is 72 and sunny.

I forgot and left my jacket at work today. (No gun in it. Nor do I carry at work.) I can see the reason it could happen to a lot of people. That is part of the reason I do not carry in a jacket pocket. I am too forgetful. Heck I have a hard enough time keeping up with my head, and it is attached to my shoulders.

[pax]

I think the biggest thing I took away from this is: no matter who you think you are; you are never immune to boneheaded mistakes. Anyone who think that they are better than that has already made their first mistake.

Ouch. Yes, that's a good one. Thanks.

pax

[kraigwy]

Amen to pocket carry. I doubt I'd leave man pants anywhere.


Dumb stuff happens to everyone, but not everyone is brave enough to admit it.

Had a cop one time that ran across a disabled motor home. He climbed all over that sucker helping the tourist to get it going. This was about 10 am.

Along about 5 pm that same cop got called to the station, apparently the officer's gun had fallon out and the tourist found it and brought it to the station with their thanks for the help.

Now understand, this guy was a uniform cop, how he managed to go through the day without missing his service revolver is beyond me.

No it wasn't me, first off, I know nothing about motor homes. Peer pressure on a cop can be pure hell in such situations.

[jimbob86]

Dumb stuff happens to everyone, but not everyone is brave enough to admit it.

Yup. Now figure out a way that you won't repeat that.

I used to lose my keys ...... now they are hooked to my belt, janitor style. Jinglin' all the way. Have not misplaced them in over 20 years.

[Win73]

My son once left his .45 in a rental car when he returned it. When he realized what he had done, he rushed back to the rental lot. When he walked into the office, the guy behind the counter said, "I know what you want."

[Shadi Khalil]

My wife and I were recently out to eat and I had a revolver in my coat pocket. I got up to take a call, leaving my jacket on the chair. While I was gone she went to the bathroom and my gun sat unattended for a good 5 mins. Pretty scary.

[wayneinFL]

I don't wear a jacket that often, so I've never been in the habit of carrying in a jacket pocket. I did have an incident where I traveled up north and was wearing a jacket. I was taking a little j frame revolver out to the car with me one morning, so I just slipped it in the jacket pocket. I decided to stop for breakfast in the hotel lobby, and it was warm, so I took the jacket off. I finished my breakfast, and flopped my jacket over my arm, forgetting the revolver was in there.

The revolver slipped out as I was walking out the door, bounced off my foot as I stepped forward, and skittered 15 or 20 feet across the parking lot. I looked around 360 degrees as discreetly as possible, and no one seemed to notice. I picked it up and continued out to my car.

I don't do that anymore.

I know people who will keep a pistol in the nightstand at a hotel. I don't do that either. I learned from someone else's mistake on that one instead of my own.

[Mobuck]

All these anecdotes are the reasons I only carry in a secure belt holster. I may forget where I left my cell phone a 1/2 dozen times a day but not my shooter.

[TexasJustice7]

WayneInFla: The revolver slipped out as I was walking out the door, bounced off my foot as I stepped forward, and skittered 15 or 20 feet across the parking lot. I looked around 360 degrees as discreetly as possible, and no one seemed to notice. I picked it up and continued out to my car.

Your incident reminds me of one other incident that happened to me. I normally do not carry in a fanny pack, when I do, rule #1 is it should always be attached to my belt. Rule #2 is that every zipper on it should always be zipped up, but that day I unzipped it just a bit in the parking lot and did not zip it back up. After going to the bathroom I failed to secure the fanny pack on my belt, and hand carried it from the bathroom and a 38 slid out on the floor. Fortunately it was in a store I frequent a lot, not at some crowded shopping mall. So after that I added those two rules if I happen to use a fanny pack. Some fanny packs that have zippers on the bottom best be zipped up tight before you move anywhere.

[stu925]

I've considered slipping my Model 36 in the inside pocket of my Carhartt Jacket on occassion, but with my luck I'd do exactly what you did. Glad it turned out ok for you, I'm going to guess lesson learned.

But now I have another problem. I bought a S&W 625-5 4 inch long 45 Colt
and I can't find anything except the holster I got with it that will hold it. I thought my biggest fanny pack would hold it but it won't. I have a pouch built into one of my vehicles that will hold it, but I got to find something that will work for it.

I'm would think almost any holster for the model 629 will work for the 625. I have a 25-5 that is basically a model 29 bored out to .45 Colt. I would love to have a 25-5 in a 4" barrel though, mine is 8 3/8".

Stu

[kinggabby]

Went to a gun show in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I was trying out holsters and gentleman next to was doing the same. Next thing I know my wife turns to me and tells that guy left his gun. Sure enough sitting on a pile of holster was a pistol. turned it over to the vender hoping he would return to ask about it. I hope he got it back.

[TeamSinglestack]

Thoughts?

Life is hard.

It's harder when you're stupid.

Don't be stupid.

[Nnobby45]

I regularly carry a spare 642 in my vest pocket, made for that purpose. It's made by Bratwear and has swade ubove the pockets, including the collar. It's a little dressier than the typical ccw vest, and I wear it a lot.

It enables me to secure my primary weapon in my vehicle and I'm still armed. Like when I have doctor, or other appointments, where I have to take it off, it's always right there with me in the same room.

Various nurses, Xray or Ultrasound technicians are always trying to be helpful. Like the time: " Let me take that for you, I'll just hang it over....wow, that's heavy, what's in here, a gun, now just lay down over here on your side and we'll be done in a jiffy, Mr. Wells.

It is kind of heavy with a 642, couple of speed loaders, a cell phone, pepper spray and numerous other items (it has lots of pockets).

Now I try to make sure that I'm the only one to handle it and hang it up myself, then put it on immediately when I'm done.

[Don P]

Today I set down my Concealed Carry Weapon in the Store and walked off...

I would say that this is the biggest concern one would have with off body carry.

[Nnobby45]

I would say that this is the biggest concern one would have with off body carry.

Perhaps, but I suspect more guns carried on the person have been left in bathroom stalls than lost as a result of off body carry.

[Pianoguy]

I haven't been doing this very long but the #1 thing I was taught in my CC class was weapon security. I would think you wouldn't have to be a LEO to have this drilled into your head. The weapon never leaves your person no matter how inconvenient that may be. I can carry at work as long as the gun is never left unattended (like in a coat pocket hanging up at my desk). There are so many ways to CC that I would think this would not be a hard rule to abide by. I can see sometimes CC in a coat pocket but only when you can think ahead and as soon as the coat comes off the weapon goes on your person somewhere. Like Clint Smith says (and is quoted ad infinitum) - it's not supposed to be comfortable, but comforting. We may have a constitutional right to carry a weapon but that doesn't mean we can be stupid about it. If we want to be the good guys out there we have to take the time and effort to be responsible - ours, our loved ones and innocent peoples lives can end up at risk as a result of our carrying a firearm out into the public. Okay, end of the lecture.

[Deaf Smith]

Keep it up MTT and one day you may:

a) need that gun and it's on the cart, many yards away.
b) cart spills and a gun goes flopping away on the ground...
c) you start to put that coat and the gun goes flopping away on the ground...
d) some kid gets that gun and maybe 1) blows his/her head off 2) blows some other kids head off 3) runs off and sells it 4) any combination of 1,2, and 3.
e) you are in a hurry and leave the cart with the jacket and any number of bad things happen.

Oh, and if you are in Texas walking off from that cart would be considered abandoning the gun or leaving it where kids can get to it, which are both against the law.

Keep the dang on you, were it belongs.

Deaf