Someone else seeing my concealed handgun

[ceffjollins]

When I go to the gym, I change in the locker room and lock my gun in my locker. After working out I shower and re conceal my gun while dressing. If someone near by notices my gun being concealed, can they cause me trouble and report me to the building owner or worse call the police. I am just not sure of the laws as far as someone else seeing your gun. On the same subject, once while shopping and reaching up high on a shelf, my concealed gun was slightly exposed due to having a little to short of a shirt on that day, and I overheard a lady near by say to her husband, "look that guy is carrying a gun". That has made me pay more attention to what I wear and how well it covers.

[Keith B]

When I go to the gym, I change in the locker room and lock my gun in my locker. After working out I shower and re conceal my gun while dressing. If someone near by notices my gun being concealed, can they cause me trouble and report me to the building owner or worse call the police. I am just not sure of the laws as far as someone else seeing your gun. On the same subject, once while shopping and reaching up high on a shelf, my concealed gun was slightly exposed due to having a little to short of a shirt on that day, and I overheard a lady near by say to her husband, "look that guy is carrying a gun". That has made me pay more attention to what I wear and how well it covers.

First off, welcome to the forum.

If you intentionally unconceal in front of someone to change clothes, then you are in violation per the statute. My suggestion would be to go into a bathroom stall and disarm and put it in a gym bag before you change to work out. Once you redress, then go back into a stall to rearm.

As for the short shirt, if you know it is too short to properly conceal, then it is a issue you should correct. However, if it covers 99.5% of the time, but only exposes a little while reaching way up or bending way over, then it probably is adequate and not a violation. Just avoid any actions that could display your CCW when others are around so you don't raise suspicions or have to explain your actions to store management or the police.

Disclaimer, IANAL

[surprise_i'm_armed]

1. In the case of the gym, just keep the gun in
your bag until you reach the car, if you feel that the
other people in the locker room will see you re-arm.

2. Dude, you have got to fully embrace the "Concealed"
word in "Concealed Handgun License". If you were made by
some lady in public, get to the store pronto and buy shirts
that are generous enough in both cut and length to avoid
any further incidents such as this.

Many of us who have had our plastic for years have never
"made" another CHL even though we are more alert to such
a possibility.

Most people in public are so concerned with their own life
that they would never notice a CHL's gun. Your cover garment
apparently falls well short of the necessity to conceal your weapon.

SIA

[Oldgringo]

When I go to the gym, I change in the locker room and lock my gun in my locker. After working out I shower and re conceal my gun while dressing. If someone near by notices my gun being concealed, can they cause me trouble and report me to the building owner or worse call the police. I am just not sure of the laws as far as someone else seeing your gun. On the same subject, once while shopping and reaching up high on a shelf, my concealed gun was slightly exposed due to having a little to short of a shirt on that day, and I overheard a lady near by say to her husband, "look that guy is carrying a gun". That has made me pay more attention to what I wear and how well it covers.

Welcome to the forum, there is no shortage of knowledge and opinions here. For instance:

1. Maybe, is the gym private, on campus or posted?
2. The lady and/or her husband were probably carrying; otherwise,most folk don't notice...
3. There is a difference between"showing/printing" and brandishing; however, we must all dress for the occassion.

There will be somebody along shortly with more profound and perhaps more learned responses to your perceived questions.

[ELB]

People can complain about whatever they want, and calling the cops about "man with a gun" is likely to get a response. But as noted above, the legal standard is about intentionally failing to conceal. When I went to the gym, I transferred my normal carry gun to a bag while I was still in the car. Longer shirts would be helpful, apparently.

On the other hand, I have not heard of many, if any incidents, where accidental exposure actually resulted in much of a problem (in Texas). One day as I was walking across a restaurant I noticed a woman watching me very intently out of the corners of her eyes. A quick check showed my vest had pulled up over the butt of my IWB'd pistol. I made a casual adjustment, refilled my drink, and went back to my seat. Nothing was ever said.

Which brings up my point to the rest of you -- I've talked with other CHLers who in various ways found out later that their pistol had been momentarily exposed and noticed without their knowledge at the time. (And I have noticed other armed but concealed people without inquiring as to whether they were CHLrs or cops). So, just because nobody said anything doesn't mean you weren't "made." Just be glad you live in Texas, not Masschusetts.

[PappaGun]

Just be glad you live in Texas, not Masschusetts.

Oh, sir, I am verrrry glad for that!

[quidni]

Welcome to the forum!

Just a caution... be careful leaving your firearm in a locker, even if it's your own lock. Locker break-ins and thefts are unfortunately all too possible at public gyms.

[snorri]

People can complain about whatever they want, and calling the cops about "man with a gun" is likely to get a response.

In most cases, I think it probably won't be a problem considering usual response times but the unexpected flasher should adjust his wardrobe or carry procedures to avoid frightening the sheep.

[Dragonfighter]

Which brings up my point to the rest of you -- I've talked with other CHLers who in various ways found out later that their pistol had been momentarily exposed and noticed without their knowledge at the time. (And I have noticed other armed but concealed people without inquiring as to whether they were CHLrs or cops). So, just because nobody said anything doesn't mean you weren't "made." Just be glad you live in Texas, not Masschusetts.

Not to open the can-of-worms known as the Texas State Fair, years ago when I presented my CHL to the wander, he announces to the other so that my wife could hear it from the gate, "I've got to walk up, this guy's got a gun!" Among other things my wife noted was all of the other people rolling their eyes like "Yeah? Big deal." What a...an idiot .

[Purplehood]

I gotta ask, since you didn't specify...do you have a CHL?

[5thGenTexan]

2nd the fragile nature of health club lockers, before I allowed my membership to lapse I always left any valuables locked in my trunk. Reason being management had signs posted warning of locker breakins and the number of lockers that had their fiberglass doors broke off at the hinges.

[ELB]

Just be glad you live in Texas, not Masschusetts.

Oh, sir, I am verrrry glad for that!

I meant to include the following in my first comment above, but forgot. Key phrase, which was apparently not disputed by the Massachusetts police officer (emphasis and bracketed info added):

"[Officer] Stern partially Mirandized Schubert [an attorney carrying concealed handgun with legal permit], mentioned the possibility of a criminal charge, and told Schubert that he (Stern) was the only person allowed to carry a weapon on his beat..."

http://www.ca1.uscourts.gov/pdf.opinion ... 0P-01A.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

break-break

My P3AT fits perfectly in the pocket of my gym shorts.

[drjoker]

Carry a small 380 in your gym pants and wear your gym pants underneath your dress slacks.

Carry a larger gun in a smartcarry, wear your gym pants over that and your dress slacks over your gym pants.

Put the gun in your slacks pocket (a small 380) and take off your pants with the gun still inside your pants pocket.

Put a small 380 or 22 wmr inside a large cigarette case and carry it with you while you are at the gym. Put the cigarette case underneath the shoulder of your t-shirt.

carry a poncho and re-holster/unholster underneath the poncho.

etc....

[glocklvr]

I personally hate the idea of having my gun out of my immediate control and won't keep it in a gym locker. I have opted to keep my glock 23 in my fanny pack and with me. With a few exceptions it doesn't bother me. I have considered leaving it in the truck but since I tend to work out at between 2am and 4am after work and a big portion of people out at that time are not nice to say the least being unarmed is not an option. As far as letting your gun be seen the law clearly states "Intentionaly fail to conceal" so I would not advise changing clothes in front of people if you know you can't keep the gun covered but I am not a lawyer.

[LongHairedRedneck]

I would just opt for the stall option. Go into stall and transfer pistol to desired concealed location(gym bag or carry position)