Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns I must be good at concealing

I was in the gun shop today and was examining a four inch round butt S&W Model 19-4. Very odd combination of features. I suspect that the barrel was installed after market, because I don't believe a four inch barrel ever came with a round butt frame 19. Also, it was an obvious reblue. Anyway, even after coming down in price by $75.00, it was over priced at $425 out the door. Really nice action, and very tight, but still it's been reblued and didn't have on the original 2.5" barrel. But he was trying to make the sale and said, "It would be a good truck gun." I said, "You don't think I could conceal this?" He said, "Well, maybe with a light jacket on." I said, "You don't think I could conceal this dressed like I am now (jeans and an untucked polo shirt)?" He said, "Not likely." At that moment I was already concealing in an IWB a K-Frame round butt frame S&W with a three inch barrel. Would have been no trick at all to conceal one more inch of barrel, especially since the IWB holster I had on was designed for a four inch K-Frame. I guess my gun must be well concealed.

A lady of my acquaintance asked me a while back, "Have you put on a couple pounds recently?" I said, "Yup, just this morning."

She didn't get it, but that wee bulge she was looking at was my 44 Special. It and a spare speedloader weigh a few ounces less than two pounds, and I did put it on that morning.

You're doing well, right up until you start dropping them (I'm hoping my memory is on and that was you, otherwise I'm gonna look stupid).

George

Yep, that was me. My seventy pound and very athletic dog jumped out of the car seat as I was getting out. He jumped right over me, getting the leash hooked on the butt of my revolver. As his front paws hit the ground, the leash pulled and out came my revolver. Somehow, reflexively, I was able to not only grab it in mid air, before it hit the asphalt, but also reholster and conceal it before anyone in the parking lot was any the wiser, all while maintaining control of my dog by his leash. I doubt I could ever repeat that performance. Pure luck.

The real "moves" always happen when nobody is around to watch. In this case, it's probably better that way.

What is this "leash" you speak of ?

Yeah, you wouldn't know anything about that.

Round butt conversions are not uncommon on S&K K frames. Many female cops had it done either by grinding the frame, or putting a 4" barrel on a 2.5" gun.

I think it was the latter. The barrel finish didn't quite match the frame.

The "Round Butt Grind" was pretty popular around here, too. Lots of folks like the feel of the round butt better than the square, especially on 19s and 66s.

I had a CS-1 686 L-frame with a round butt frame, on a 4" gun (most CS-1s were 3", as far as I know). It also had all black sights and the front blade was a slim .10" wide. It was the nicest .357 I've ever owned, or hope to own. I got talked out of it by a guy with a wad of money. Put a pair of Pachmayr Compacs on it, and you could shoot the heaviest loads in comfort.

All things considered, I'd probably whack someone's granny to get that one back.

George;

Mark my words: if the wife and I end up up there, the next dog I have, will be trained by you.

Well you did a lot better than me.
I was at the theater one night with my wife when I went to get some refreshments. I was standing in line, on a marble/stone floor when the unthinkable happened. I moved just right and the Remington model 51 pocket auto that I had stuck in the front of my pants (No holster) came sliding down the inside of my pants and LOUDLY rattled to the marble floor.

Luckily, there were only about 40 other people standing there, all of who got a good look at the gun laying there on the floor.
What can you do? I just reached down, picked it up, put it back in my pants and went back into the theater.
My wife asked; "Where's the popcorn?" I just told her quick, put this in your purse, I'll go get some later.

Nightmare! Something similar happened to me when I was a twenty year old college student. I was working as a night watchman at an engineering building belonging to Grumman Aerospace. I was not an armed guard, so was not allowed to carry a gun by my employer. I did, however, carry a Smith & Wesson Model 60 (I was, after all, all alone till six AM) in one of those old fashioned Bianchi IWB clip holsters (I did have a CCW license, but this was clearly not covered by it). These holsters stunk. It was early in my shift, and the two janitors were still there. I was sitting in a folding steel chair and listening to the radio. Just as they turned the corner to the hall heading towards me (my back was to them), my Model 60 popped out of my crappy IWB holster, out the gap in the back of the chair, and onto the floor. I quickly grabbed it off the floor and stuffed it in my gym bag.

I wasn't fired, so I guess they didn't see it, or didn't report it if they did.

I don't try to keep it completely concealed anymore, just covered for the most part. My blackhawk sticks out the bottom of most any shirt I have. Most people never know when I have my 1911 on though.

Probably wouldn't want to do it but I'll bet there could be a massive thread compiled on stupid stuff that has happened to guys with guns. . .

It is a very serious consideration. Losing your gun at the wrong time can get you into all sorts of very unpleasant situations.
Just having someone see it because it prints is another very bad thing. Good way to have a bad guy sneak up behind you and take it from you. Or some stupid sort that thinks he needs to make a point.
I've never had it happen to me. But I have seen how people get really upset when you pull one and you aren't in uniform. I have friends that had fellow officers, who didn't know them, put guns in their faces over this.
Dropping a gun, particularly a revolver, is a very good way to make sure it won't work when you really need it. About half of the ones I saw hit the concret didn't come up shootable.
All of this is why, if I carry concealed on my person, it goes in the waistband w/o a holster, usually over my right hip. Very secure, very hard to see, and, best of all, it works with a full sized gun like a 1911 or a 1006. E

Everyone is different and different in their thinking, but I always think that when I see a "print" or barrel end below the shirt tail that there are probably more carriers than I am aware. It makes me feel comfortable. I would think it would make the "bad guy" feel uncomfortable.

When I carry, which is often, I am very aware of my surroundings, including people. I tend to move my carry side away from passing people. I tend to do things like this anyway, trying to be situationally aware. If a "bad guy" sees a print under my shirt, or a barrel end my thought is it might keep him honest at least until the next guy comes along, or even more he may think he can see I'm carrying, but maybe he can't see the next guy's and he should try his "bad guy" stuff another day another place. I almost look at it like a red light flashing in a car at night, or a beware of dog sign on a gate. An alarm might not stop a car thief, but it might make him pick another car. Just like a beware of dog sign might make him pick another house. My "print" may not stop crime, but I figure it'll likely make a "bad guy" think twice about choosing me. And, if he picks me he's not picking an easy target. Most of the bad guys want an easier target than a harder target.

If he realizes that you are alert and watching, he's going to move on as a rule. But if you aren't aware of him or looking like you aren't paying attention, then he might go for it.
The other thing is that being alert is a quite a strain. Just being aware of the gun, is one. Then the problem is remaining alert and aware of the gun.
It's best that he doesn't know. If you are in a bank, for instance, and he knows you are armed, you and any armed guards are going to be his first targets. If he doesn't know, you may be able to use your gun against him. E

I think most people, "bad guys" I mean, aren't killers and the ones that are would be just as happy to kill me unarmed as armed. I honestly think I'm more likely to be assaulted if the "bad guy" thinks I am unarmed than armed. If he is a killer he'll kill me either way, but he might see my pistol and wonder if he's got what it takes to take on the fight. If he misses he may not get a second try. But, I'm not one to say I have the correct and only answer. So, I carry concealed and I carry partially concealed. Either way, I don't let the fact that my shirt doesn't cover the end of the barrel, or my shirt balloons out a bit on my hip, impact whether I carry. Sometimes I'm good at concealing, and sometimes not so much.

I tend to agree with you on the open carry question. Putting myself in the shoes of robber, or whatever, I'm pretty sure I'd pass up the guy who's carrying, and wait till I think I have spotted an unarmed person who's basically all alone. Why make your work any riskier than it has to be?

I will stick with the make em guess carry, I would get real upset if I was "printing" or showing any part of my carry gun. Surprise is you friend if you are doing the surprising!