printing in public in Mass. problems

This is one kind of weird advantage of living in MA. For the average MA inmate, the idea of someone carrying doesn’t even enter their heads. During the colder months I always carry a P229 OWB under a vest or sweater. I’ve lost count of the number of times the gun has either printed or been exposed and absolutely no one has noticed. As a new LTC owner carrying for the first time, you're more likely to be noticed for constantly checking you gun to see if it is still concealed or is even still there. Just ignore it, everyone else does.

This.

We all carry, so we're aware that people carry.

Most people here haven't the faintest clue that anyone around them can or should have a firearm, so they would never bother looking for it.
 
showed up at the dentist office for a cleaning last summer, followed by a stop at a parts store planned for that morning. Had a loose fitting t-shirt on. no obvious printing for Joe Public to notice. once inside, a dentist passes me in the hallway...glances at me and he immediately says "you wearing a gun?"
"yep, I am."
"can you please put it in your car?"
"no problem." Better than arguing the point in the middle of an office.
come to find out from the hygienist he was ex-Army. I guess he naturally checked me as an acquired habit of sorts.
 
A decade or so ago, I got a new IWB holster for a 38acp pistol. It was supposed to have two belt clips but their new model came out with only one clip. It rotated off that clip, slide down my pants leg, and fell out clattering on the tile floor at work while I was talking to two coworkers. We all looked down at it, I smoothly bent over, picked it up and put it in my pocket. I just started up the conversation again and it was a sort of "these are not the droids you’re looking for" thing. Funny what people are willing to not see…
 
I pocket carry a lot and people don't look. I do remember one time I was trying an Urban Carry II holster at work. Work is one of those places where I really don't want the hassle of anybody noticing, and as I was walking towards my office, there was this coworker who had his eyes glued to my belt. I don't think he knew what it was, but at that moment I realized this "deep concealment" was total sh*t if it attracts "WTF is that?" kind of attention.

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The reason that crap gets people's attention is because it looks like those things people used back in the day to carry a pager or cellphone. Today, they look totally stupid. Your co-worler was probably thinking that.
 
5_11-tactical-lv6-waist-pack-3l-black_950058_001_6_600x600@2x.jpg

Just gotta carry in a fanny pack. Definitely discreet, nothing to see here folks! Just 5.11 TACCCTIKAL.
 
The reason that crap gets people's attention is because it looks like those things people used back in the day to carry a pager or cellphone. Today, they look totally stupid. Your co-worler was probably thinking that.
I lived through that era, too. But it only looks like that at first glance. That's the problem. It's the wrong shape: too long, too thin, too flat. If you work in an office full of engineers, it's a puzzle, and a puzzle has to be solved. I thought that holster was going to be an option that would let me keep my shirt tucked in. But no, apparently not, so I either pocket carry or use a kydex IWB holster with an untucked shirt.
 
get a sling which is basically a fanny pack but slung across the shoulder. I like Hazard 4 stuff. check out their Grayman Plan-B Slings. They don't look "tactical" which is a big plus.
Alternatively, you can take advantage of people being dumb: dress in something that makes people think you are "police-adjacent". What I mean by that is that you wear a couple of pieces of clothing and footwear that a typical police office would wear. For example, Get 5.11 black boots and their dark blue patrolman pants. Just those two things will get people wondering if you're an undercover cop. Of course, you can't pull it off if you have unkempt look.
 
showed up at the dentist office for a cleaning last summer, followed by a stop at a parts store planned for that morning. Had a loose fitting t-shirt on. no obvious printing for Joe Public to notice. once inside, a dentist passes me in the hallway...glances at me and he immediately says "you wearing a gun?"
"yep, I am."
"can you please put it in your car?"
"no problem." Better than arguing the point in the middle of an office.
come to find out from the hygienist he was ex-Army. I guess he naturally checked me as an acquired habit of sorts.
I'd get another dentist
 
That’s called a purse by most people.
Y'all just jealous 'cause I look GOOD with it!
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I'd get another dentist
Mine would get excited and want to know what it was, and would demand to see it immediately. Then he’d want to show me the one he was carrying, and a 10 minute discussion would ensue while the patients waited for him and the staffed rolled their eyes at me as if to say “not again”.

The receptionist once told me there was a note in my file that said he always wanted to be notified the day before I was coming in. I asked him about it and he said it was in case he had anything new/cool he wanted to show me.
 
Mine would get excited and want to know what it was, and would demand to see it immediately. Then he’d want to show me the one he was carrying, and a 10 minute discussion would ensue while the patients waited for him and the staffed rolled their eyes at me as if to say “not again”.
I wouldn't ever say that out loud [rofl]
 
In the winter I wear a cashmere top coat so I seldom worry about printing, but there were two occasions where I took my coat off without thinking and was open-carrying-- the first at an extremely busy barber shop-- it was morning and the place was filled with women, two of whom came up to me and asked how they get their LTC-- one of whom asked if I was LEO (I keep my hair short).

The second I was doing the self checkout at Shaws, which is usually much faster than going through a cashier. The sun was beating in through the big windows and it was getting hot so I threw my coat over the carriage and finished scanning. The clerk observing the area came over and asked me what kind of pistol I was carrying and that was that.

No panic, no police called. I agree that most people are not paying attention and as long as you look and act like a reliable person you'll be OK if someone spots it.
 
Before you carried did you ever notice someone “printing”? Most people are oblivious.
I couldn't agree more with what you are saying. I have been carrying for more than 40 years. I carried everything from a full-sized Beretta 92 to an S&W L-framed revolver and have never once worried about printing. We are just becoming far too paranoid. My buddy has a cellphone the size of a Glock 19 but no one really pays any attention to him or the bulge the cellphone makes. People are in their own little world and no one gives a crap about anyone else. But if anyone does notice a bulge, tell them to get a hobby because they have way too much time on their hands.
 
In the winter I wear a cashmere top coat so I seldom worry about printing, but there were two occasions where I took my coat off without thinking and was open-carrying-- the first at an extremely busy barber shop-- it was morning and the place was filled with women, two of whom came up to me and asked how they get their LTC-- one of whom asked if I was LEO (I keep my hair short).

The second I was doing the self checkout at Shaws, which is usually much faster than going through a cashier. The sun was beating in through the big windows and it was getting hot so I threw my coat over the carriage and finished scanning. The clerk observing the area came over and asked me what kind of pistol I was carrying and that was that.

No panic, no police called. I agree that most people are not paying attention and as long as you look and act like a reliable person you'll be OK if someone spots it.
Hey man is that cashmere or reindeer? [smile]
 
Just curious -- if I am printing too much in public and I have
my LTC on me am I in any kind of trouble in Mass. with the law??
There is no problem with printing legally. In fact open carry is legal in mass if you have a license, only problem is because of people you would most likely get a swat response.
 
For most progressives in MA it's so unreal that someone other than a cop would carry a gun that they actually don't care and assume you are the police/feds whatever (if you don't look like a gang member that is).
They're not real progressives unless they sidle up to you and rat out a neighbor.

After reading some of the posts from all the NES members that started posting during COVID, I think I would be worried about this group, too many fags in this forum.
What's the party-approved ratio?

I do know someone who was completely shaken down in Lowell, went into a store, jacket rode up a little, was out pumping gas and local police basically decended on him - went to the extent of removing his magazine & chambered round, gave him shit, then basically told him to smarten up and left. Guy was lead to assume the law is basically concealed.
He shoulda gone back inside after they left, to buy popcorn and mutter to the clerk,
"cops couldn't believe some pussy dimed me out for carrying,
and so we compared guns". Just fling the crap like a hippo's tail.

a few years back, I was patronizing a sandwich shop and two dudes came in to order. Both looked like bangers, both had easily seen pistols sticking out of IWBs. Some observant worker called the Po-Po and hilarity ensued. Both were undercover BPD detectives. This was in Natick.
Well screw that guy. Rat.
Have you no appreciation for ensuage?

showed up at the dentist office for a cleaning last summer, ..., a dentist passes me in the hallway...glances at me and he immediately says "you wearing a gun?" ... come to find out from the hygienist he was ex-Army. I guess he naturally checked me as an acquired habit of sorts.
Please tell me his name ended in -ski...

Just gotta carry in a fanny pack. Definitely discreet, nothing to see here folks! Just 5.11 TACCCTIKAL.
It's a Bat Belt, dammit!

get a sling which is basically a fanny pack but slung across the shoulder. I like Hazard 4 stuff. check out their Grayman Plan-B Slings. They don't look "tactical" which is a big plus.
Bah, claim you have a ham radio license.

Alternatively, you can take advantage of people being dumb: dress in something that makes people think you are "police-adjacent". What I mean by that is that you wear a couple of pieces of clothing and footwear that a typical police office would wear. For example, Get 5.11 black boots and their dark blue patrolman pants. Just those two things will get people wondering if you're an undercover cop. Of course, you can't pull it off if you have unkempt look.
Just use NATO phonetics when you spell things,
and people think you're On The Job no matter how unkempt you are.
(Even though real LEOs use LAPD phonetics, because Screw FEMA).

I conclude from this thread that in Massachusetts I am allowed to expose myself after all.
3sreok.jpg


That’s called a purse by most people.
Hater.
 
Just curious -- if I am printing too much in public and I have
my LTC on me am I in any kind of trouble in Mass. with the law??

Never had a problem with printing since carrying Appx and I am a pretty slender tall guy who wears clothes that aren't oversized and actually fit me.

I had wayyyy too anxiety and worrying about printing when carrying 4/5 position. Will never carry that way again.
 
There is no problem with printing legally. In fact open carry is legal in mass if you have a license, only problem is because of people you would most likely get a swat response.
Not to go off subject, as it is related, but in my time working in dispatch on occasion I've tried to dispel the assumed notion of "a man with a gun" call to other dispatchers. I've told them to ask " what is he doing?', "is it in a holster?", "why do you believe he is a threat?", etc. That makes a heck of a lot of difference in the response and to figure out if an actual crime has been committed or someone just going about their normal 2A life. For what it's worth I've also brought that up at annual inservice so other cops can get clued in on that as well.
 
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