[Travis McGee]

[real saxophonist]

Slightly off topic, but slightly amusing: I was at the DFW Airport with a tenor saxophone in a form fitting flight case. Couple of guys asked, 'Is that a gun?' No, something much more dangerous. A saxophone.

Same horn, same case, in DC near the White House. Park Police officer on a bike made me open the case to show I actually did have a saxophone.

[DocRock]

I've carried "heavy" in central Florida since 1994. It's not hard with a fanny pack to wear comfy shorts, tight, tucked in shirts and sit comfortably in restaurants and church and still having instant access to a full sized pistol with extra mags, even while obeying seat belt laws in traffic.

[yarddog]

When I lived in Georgia and was both younger and slimmer, I carried most of the time. I used a Nintendo Game Boy carrier for a little while then I realized that no one would expect me to be carrying a game boy.

I ended up using a Domke photographers vest during warmer months. It has maybe a dozen pockets. A couple of problems with it was that the pockets are sealed by velcro which makes it a bit slow to get to.

Also with any of the outer pockets it was necessary to use some cloth wrapped around the gun to prevent it printing. That also slowed things down a bit.

Still the Domke vest was comfortable and cool with a lot of mesh. It also spread weight evenly.

[archy]

State and local laws concerning the open and/or concealed carrying of firearms vary, but even where open carry is legal, many people prefer to carry concealed for their own reasons, and I will not attempt to change their minds.

In Wyoming, we can use either method, and no permit or other governmental permission is required. I personally like the old military issue GI M3 shoulder holster for the M1911A1 .45 autopistol, [which I've used for more than 50 years now!] but I'm under no illusions about it being a concealment rig, though it is nice to be able to toss a light jacket over the carried handgun in the event of a little drizzle or early spit of snow. But that does not preclude the carry of a second, better-concealed handgun. Usually a handgun.

[Carthego delenda est]

“....government law enforcement agency employees might decide to take a powder, set up a security perimeter, and then burn three irreplaceable hours while debating how best to attempt a rescue operation.”

“Fort Hood, San Bernardino, Orlando and Nice have taught us that when we are faced with an armed homicidal terrorist, we will have nobody but ourselves to depend on for our self defense during the first minutes...”

When the diplomatic compound in Benghazi that Ambassador Chris Stevens and others came under attack, just one mile away were two vehicles full of dedicated, fully armed operators, anxious to head to the fight, but had to just sit there waiting, while ‘important’ officials discussed the situation. The operators waited 20-30 minutes before deciding they couldn’t wait any longer, took matters into their own hands, and without ‘permission’, sped off to the fight at the compound.

Had the operators left when they wanted to, there’s an excellent chance that Chris Stevens and Sean Smith would still be alive, the initial plans of the attackers having been thwarted, a second attack on the CIA annex may not have even happened. It’s just one more high profile example of critical time being wasted while deranged gunmen have their way unimpeded.

[archy]

These were always one of the handier carry bags for the old Ingram guns, available in both full and semi versions. You put your stuff into the retaining straps inside it, and in the event of trouble, hung the case by its strap around your neck and pulled the zipper. The magazines stayed in place still in their keepers, and the gun folded down to where you pulled it out and charged it or took it off *Safe.* If you had one and time permitted, you could screw on the suppressor, especially if it was nighttime, or leave it in the bag as a bottom weight to prevent the dangling bag from bouncing or flopping around. I added a short section of parachute cord as a tiedown for the same reason.

The back of the case included a section into which a 14-layer Kevlar pad could be fitted; nowadays a ceramic hard plate might be an even better idea, offering up to level IV protection from up to armor piercing rounds. And it looks enough like a soft camper cooler or six-pack carrier to be mistaken for one, especially with the addition of some soft drink or beer company promo labels stuck on and an old-time can/bottle opener hanging from the strap.

[archy]

This lesson also carries over to the recent Bastille Day truck massacre in Nice, France. It took good men with guns to finally stop the bloodthirsty Tunisian’s motorized rampage. But the truck and its driver did not cause all of the carnage in one go—according to various news reports there were fits and starts when the truck slowed and even stopped, and when this happened, brave but unarmed men tried to climb onto the cab to end the carnage with their bare hands. Unfortunately, the only good guys with guns in their possession belonged to government law enforcement agencies or GLEAs, and they were not in position to shoot the driver until 84 innocents were killed and many more were severely injured.

Hmmmm. A means for concealed carry for a weapon able to stop a large truck, or even more bullet-resistant vehicle, such as a bank armored car or bulldozer. And, of course, a way to carry it in public without spooking the horses....

[Chode]

UP!!! read it this morning