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I've read about on here so many times...and even responded with what I THOUGHT I would say or do. Tonight...it happened.

I was leaving church when one of our ministers decided to give me a brotherly hug. Not a problem...only he managed to sneak under my strong side with one arm. When he did...he bumped my holstered G22 that was hidden under my shirt tail. He then reached down and GRABBED the grip...shaking it. I immediately removed his hand.

"What is THAT??"

I quickly replied with, "It's a phone."

"Man, that's a BIG phone. I thought you were packing a revolver or something!!"

My response to that was, "No...I don't do revolvers."

We both laughed it off and I nervously went on my way. Now...I don't have a clue how this guy feels about concealed carry, but I don't want him or anyone else there knowing that I carry. He DOES wear a fanny pack ALL the time...but I would be really shocked if there were anything in it other than wallet/keys/etc. He just doesn't seem the type.

I'm not sure if he bought my "it's a phone" or not, but either he did buy it or he knew EXACTLY what it was and didn't want to press it.

I'm thinking I may need to quit carrying at church until I can find a pocket pistol that I like. I don't like not carrying...but I don't like the idea of being "made" either.

On the other hand...being "made" is better than being dead.

Braden:

It's entirely your call, but I wouldn't change anything. It sounds like you tried to control the hug (now that really sounds funny) so that your pistol would not be felt, but it didn't work. Well, that's just the way it goes. He certainly had no business grabbing anything on your belt, gun or otherwise.

As long as there is no 30.06 sign, I wouldn't worry about it. If they put one up, you're welcome at our church!

Regards,
Chas.

Charles L. Cotton wrote:Braden:

It's entirely your call, but I wouldn't change anything. It sounds like you tried to control the hug (now that really sounds funny) so that your pistol would not be felt, but it didn't work. Well, that's just the way it goes. He certainly had no business grabbing anything on your belt, gun or otherwise.

As long as there is no 30.06 sign, I wouldn't worry about it. If they put one up, you're welcome at our church!

Regards,
Chas.

Amen!

I was over in New Orleans a couple of years ago, and wandering down Bourbon Street doing the touristy thing when a young lady stepped out of one of the strip joints and accosted me.

As she dragged me aside and described the delights I would find, and the prices thereof, she proceeded to start being very free with her hands.

In the middle of her impromptu feel-up she found my .45.

One of those times when I wish I had had a camera going.

Jim:
Now that was truly a photo opportunity lost! I would loved to have seen her face.

Chas.

I only carry my full size handguns to church when I can really conceal with heavier coats. My normal carry at church is a Kel-Tec P3AT in a DeSantis Pocket Nemesis. It is extremely easy to draw from Docker style pants. I don't wear jeans to church, but it works well in loose fitting jeans too. I am aware of the fact that a lot of the churchgoing folks love to hug and show the love, but I try to ward off the real agressive full body overdone hugs some people think they have to dish out. I really don't like the Oprah-Dr. Phil feel-good stuff. I like hugging the wife, and shaking hands with everyone else. Call me anti social I guess. But keep your hands off me.

Charles L. Cotton wrote:Braden:

It's entirely your call, but I wouldn't change anything. It sounds like you tried to control the hug (now that really sounds funny) so that your pistol would not be felt, but it didn't work. Well, that's just the way it goes. He certainly had no business grabbing anything on your belt, gun or otherwise.

As long as there is no 30.06 sign, I wouldn't worry about it. If they put one up, you're welcome at our church!

Regards,
Chas.

I don't see our elders posting a 30.06 sign. IF they didn't want me carrying in church they would come directly to me and tell me that. Until that happens I will continue to carry...but I'll be much more careful about it...and as soon as I can I'll invest in a smaller gun that I can carry in a pocket holster.

I used to carry a Seecamp .32 in my pocket everywhere. But I finally decided that in most of the cases where I might need a concealed handgun, the Seecamp just didn't have the accuracy and stopping power that would be required.

If you had to use a gun in church (as opposed to traveling to and from it) it would probably be in a scenario similar to the one in Fort Worth. You'd be shooting across a room, at a gunman who needed to be stopped immediately, with a lot of innocent people around.

Try a Smart Carry or Thunderwear holster. No one at church should be feeling you there!

Scott

I'm giving some thought to the Smartcarry idea, but I don't know how well it would hide a full size Glock.

Truthfully, I've been thinking of getting a Glock 27 as a BUG/church gun. I think it might be small enough to use as a pocket gun, yet it's still accurate and packs a punch. It will also accept the 15 round mags from my G22 if necessary.

I use a Smartcarry with my Kahr PM9 when at church.

I would rather carry my Glocks but the Kahr is SO MUCH easier to conceal and is a BUNCH more comfortable in the Smartcarry. The G-30 is just to big for me to carry in the Smartcarry and the G-26 is doable but not as Comfortable.

sensei

Scott Murray wrote:Try a Smart Carry or Thunderwear holster. No one at church should be feeling you there!

I really respect a man that takes a truly practical approach to a problem!

Chas.

jimlongley wrote: In the middle of her impromptu feel-up she found my .45.

One of those times when I wish I had had a camera going.

I would have just simply replied...

"No, I'm just happy to see you..."

Later,
Steve

Steve, she just got the strangest expression on her face and jumped back as if she had been burned. Nothing more was said, but the look and jump cannot be adequately described in words.

jimlongley wrote:Steve, she just got the strangest expression on her face and jumped back as if she had been burned. Nothing more was said, but the look and jump cannot be adequately described in words.

She probably thought you were a LEO and was going to hassle her.

Carry in church is something I have done since I recieved my CHL a couple of years ago. I started by carrying my Kel-Tec P-11 in an Uncle Mikes #4 pocket holster in the right front pocker of whatever I was wearing. Then when my BUG changed to a Taurus PT-145 I started carrying it without the holster. I slide a flap of leather in the shape of a wallet, with rounded corners, between the gun and the outside of the pant pocket. The outside is very rough leather that really grabs the pocket and the gunside is silky smooth so the gun slides in and out like it is coated with teflon. Works great. This keeps the grip about 3/4" deeper that the pocket edge. In my church we stand & kneel a lot and I have had my sons sit behind me a really look to see if the gun can be seen at any time. It was not and I have not been made yet. I carry the spare mag in my other pocket.

The only other way I carry in church is whenI wear my dress cowboy boots, and use an Uncle Mikes IWB that I clip on the inside of the boot cuff and either carry the Kel-Tec or my Ruger SP-101.