Try these 5 battle-tested ways to spot the concealed handguns around you.
People often ask me if there’s a good way to assess whether or not someone is packing heat. While there are several good indicators that can expose most concealed handguns, nothing is fool proof. Here’s how I suggest you start your assessment of those around you that may have a concealed weapon on their hip.
1. Printing: Many people strap on handguns and concealment rigs that are simply to big for their frame, and as a result, the handgun will often “print” its shape onto the clothing of those concealing a handgun. Printing is the #1 giveaway for the identification of a concealed handgun.
2. Asymmetry: Often, when people are wearing a concealed handgun, the careful observer will notice that the gunner’s belt has a slight shift down towards the concealed weapon, that the waistline bulges slightly on the gun side, or that clothing seems to shift and dip slightly.
3. Body Language: A concealed handgun will often create a break or shift in the walking gate of the person wearing the weapon – as if one leg is slightly shorter than the other. You may also notice the concealed gunner with a slight hip shift after standing still for several minutes. And, you may also notice the wearer trying to subtly adjust his/her handgun as gravity does its work over time. Finally, human nature drives each of us that carry concealed to do occasional “checks” by touching the weapon as a means of reassurance. These are all indications that the observed individual is packing heat.
4. Over-dressing: Frequently, concealed gunners find it difficult to conceal their handgun without over-dressing and/or dressing in competition with the elements. Check to ensure that the people around you are dressed appropriately for the weather.
5. Negligence: People who carry concealed handguns also often forget to limit natural movements that often reveal some portion of the previously concealed handgun. Movements that stretch or elongate or reveal under clothing are often easily spotted.
In the final analysis, it’s actually very difficult to conceal a handgun from trained eyes, and as result, handgun manufactures continue to make smaller framed handguns that, in my view, will not be optimized assets given the unpredictable and varied nature of self defense and violence.
Bill Wingate
Please add me to your email list