'Printing' etiquette
 

At an auction run by friends of ours, they were selling a few firearms. Nothing special but I wanted to go look. This guy walks in an is looking at the guns for sale, and as a newer CCW, I notice he is printing so bad it's unreal. I swear, I must have been the only idiot to notice! I started watching other people and the butt of his BIG auto was practically bouncing off them, yet they failed to get a clue.

So now what? I was thinking of quietly telling this guy he is printing HUGE, but is that cool? I'd hate to call someone out and create a high anxiety situation. What is the protocol for a CCW that spots another CCW with an INCREDIBLY obvious print?

I don't think there is any protocol. I do know how I'd react if someone came up to me and said that they could see my handgun that is being covered by my unbuttoned coat. I'd say thanks and tuck my coat behind the butt of the weapon, fully exposing the firearm.

It really boils down to what state you live in (I'm not aware of any laws against printing, but I'm no expert on every gun law in the country). If printing is against the state or local laws you could politely say someting like, "Nice handgun, what model is it?" Just remember not everyone who conceals is a good guy (or even legally carrying).

Well, with your being a "fellow" CCW you should clearly and very friendly inform him that he is breaking the law, with his gun printing. He is RISKING losing his license if "anyone" complains. That's the LAW on Consealed Carry. It MUST BE CONCEALED from public perception, end of story...

It's NOT 'Printing' etiquette... IT'S THE LAW.

Ahhh...Printing.
 

Printing... A CCW terminology I take. Getting schooled before I actually take the class.

Unless he was somebody I know, I wouldn't say anything. There's no way to know if he's legally carrying.

I was in a similar situation a few months ago at a knife show, a guy who was carrying a Colt Detective Special crouched to get something he'd droped on the floor and his jacket got stuck behind the grip of his revolver.

Concealed carry licenses are VERY hard to get in my country. He was talking to another knife dealer in the table next to me, and it turned out he was a retired police captain (they get ccw licenses) so I politely told him that his snubbie was showing. But I don't think I would have approached him without that information.

IE: You see the profile of a gun on the fabric of clothes.

That may be the case in TX, but it's not the case in Indiana. We have a license to carry a handgun. It does not specify concealed, or open, and the law makes no mention of anyone else's perception. By omission, open carry here is also allowed, so I may carry under a T-shirt, printing obviously, or I may just remove the T-shirt altogether. Carrying open, I would run the risk of someone not familiar with the law calling in a "person with a gun" report, so I carry concealed, but open carry is a legal alternative.

With all do respect, I do not live in Texas, (I love Texas though), and here in PA, he could open carry where ever he wants with a few exceptions. That is our law. Not better, not worse, just the case. Printing does not make him a law breaker. Actually, after I pointed it out to my better half, she agreed he is probably an LEO.

This is a situation where I chose to shut the pie hole and try and learn the right way. It has worked for me for years.

Texas is a little weird about concealed handguns,and has a zero tollerance for gun printing.

Prolly the right choice to keep yer thoughts to yourself at the time. I would look at the guy as a "threat", not as a fellow CCW. Have spotted a few in my time also, but I am always of the opinion that even though the dude is clean cut and looks like a friendly, he could still be a jackass. Better to think that way and be proven wrong than the reverse. Not paranoia, just good threat analysis especially if the family is in the AO.