So... why conceal magazines/ammo?

[DRod]

What violation would that be, and what reason would he have to "find your weapon"?

Do you people really go about your lives hiding from the police?

Not me. My local LEOs are pretty cool. I got two warnings on two days in a row on two different highways, both from TXDPS.
Oh, in two different cars.
My truck was in the shop so i was borrowing parents cars.

One was speeding, the speedo is toast, got a warning.
The next day in my dads car, "failure to dim lights." I didn't know they were on bright, ha, its a 70s LTD.

Both DPS officers were more interested in how good a shape my Mosin Nagant rifle in the back seat was for how old it was.
Neither one disarmed me. I thought that was SOP but I asked my brother (a DPS Captain here in Harris County) and he asked what I would have done for them to disarm me, lol. He asked, "are you a criminal?" I said, "no".
He says, "Then why would he disarm you?" lol. Logical as always.
I was going to and from my buddies house doing some shooting.
Oh and I got my truck back the other day. Never missed it so much in my life!

I have, though, met some pretty elitist police officers here in sherman and denison. I don't know what it is, I always give them the same respect I give the DPS officers I meet, but they always seem to cop an attitude or something with me.

 

[txinvestigator]

The next day in my dads car, "failure to dim lights." I didn't know they were on bright, ha, its a 70s LTD.

Is the dimmer on the floor board? I wonder why the automakers moved them from there?

 

[APatriot]

Once again, concealment is a tactical advantage and one which provides for protection w/o having to alarm, publicize, advertise you are armed.

Let us allow common sense to prevail!! Do you honestly think permitting ammo to be visible you are maintaining a tactical advantage via concealment?

Folks, I do not wish to antagonize, but seriously, this is an absolutely ridiculous topic.

 

[Moss_Berg5150]

Absolutley agree with Texas42! Whats the point of a concealed handgun when you are advertising to the world you have ammo pouches?

 

[DRod]

Is the dimmer on the floor board? I wonder why the automakers moved them from there?

Nope its on the column its an 80 LTD. I though it was older but I just asked my dad about it a little while ago. But its got turdcake headlights. I need to throw some new ones on there for him, that was he doesn't get stopped for the same thing I did when driving it, lol.
To be perfectly honest, i think the dims are brighter than the brights on that car.

 

[Bigfoot]

What violation would that be, and what reason would he have to "find your weapon"?

Do you people really go about your lives hiding from the police?

OK, maybe I could have worded that better.

Not all LEOs are hard-a$$e$. But cops get bored. Some cops are looking for something to do. Show them a magazine and some cops will go out of their way to spot your concealed weapon. If you're technique is good, they won't find anything. But a cop-with-an-attitude will see an exposed magazine as a challenge to his investigative abilities. Accept it...there are a LOT of Barney Fife's out there looking for a chance to flex the badge. Why wave a "red flag" in front of the bull?

BTW, I liked the idea of using a knife sheath...even if it gets exposed, it doesn't scream "MAGAZINE!" if someone sees it.

 

[DRod]

BTW, I liked the idea of using a knife sheath...even if it gets exposed, it doesn't scream "MAGAZINE!" if someone sees it.

Cant even tell theres a magazine in it either. Its PERFECT.

 

[Fisherman777]

Cant even tell theres a magazine in it either. Its PERFECT.

That's what I do but I need a new one. A company I worked for a long time ago gave us all cheap multi-tools with sheaths. I use the sheath for a mag. The belt loop is flimsy on it and I don't think it'll last too long. What do you use? I'd like to get one or two.

 

[Harley Rider 55]

I've carried magazines in the open because IWB magazine holders are uncomfortable.

 

[Harley Rider 55]

Not me. My local LEOs are pretty cool. I got two warnings on two days in a row on two different highways, both from TXDPS.
Oh, in two different cars.
My truck was in the shop so i was borrowing parents cars.

One was speeding, the speedo is toast, got a warning.
The next day in my dads car, "failure to dim lights." I didn't know they were on bright, ha, its a 70s LTD.

Both DPS officers were more interested in how good a shape my Mosin Nagant rifle in the back seat was for how old it was.
Neither one disarmed me. I thought that was SOP but I asked my brother (a DPS Captain here in Harris County) and he asked what I would have done for them to disarm me, lol. He asked, "are you a criminal?" I said, "no".
He says, "Then why would he disarm you?" lol. Logical as always.
I was going to and from my buddies house doing some shooting.
Oh and I got my truck back the other day. Never missed it so much in my life!

I have, though, met some pretty elitist police officers here in sherman and denison. I don't know what it is, I always give them the same respect I give the DPS officers I meet, but they always seem to cop an attitude or something with me.

I've never had a cop disarm me. That's just basic gun safety...it's more safe in the holster.

 

[DRod]

I've never had a cop disarm me. That's just basic gun safety...it's more safe in the holster.

I had just always heard that the officer will more than likely disarm someone during a stop. Guess they were just paranoid or something, I don't know.

The magazine carrier I use is in this video I made a few days ago.

 

[Harley Rider 55]

Is the dimmer on the floor board? I wonder why the automakers moved them from there?

The Americans With Disabilities Act?

 

[Harley Rider 55]

I had just always heard that the officer will more than likely disarm someone during a stop. Guess they were just paranoid or something, I don't know.

The magazine carrier I use is in this video I made a few days ago.

It's too much of a pain to take more than 1 firearm from you. Where will they put them? Not on top of someone's nice paint job. If I'm on a motorcycle, they better not put my weapon(s) on the ground.

Why it's unsafe:
1. Safer in the holster. Basic gun safety.
2. The officer cannot be familiar with all weapons
3. During the transfer(s), the officer assumes all responsibility of an ND
4. How many folks are swept by the loaded weapon during transfer mandated by the officer?
5. After returning the weapon(s), loading and holstering the weapon might result in an ND that would not have happened if the weapon stayed in the holster. Again, that was the OFFICER'S decision to disarm.

 

[DRod]

It's too much of a pain to take more than 1 firearm from you. Where will they put them? Not on top of someone's nice paint job. If I'm on a motorcycle, they better not put my weapon(s) on the ground.

Why it's unsafe:
1. Safer in the holster. Basic gun safety.
2. The officer cannot be familiar with all weapons
3. During the transfer(s), the officer assumes all responsibility of an ND
4. How many folks are swept by the loaded weapon during transfer mandated by the officer?
5. After returning the weapon(s), loading and holstering the weapon might result in an ND that would not have happened if the weapon stayed in the holster. Again, that was the OFFICER'S decision to disarm.

I hear you, and everything you just said makes sense.
I was just saying, I've always been told that they would disarm me. But those people that told me that are people that feel iffy about the police to begin with, so I never took it too seriously. I was just prepared in my mind to be disarmed when I got stopped and when it didn't happen, I just wondered for a second. No big deal.

 

[wrtanker]

I had to think about this quite a bit before responding. It looks like there are two different things here (the original post). One is: is it legal to carry your ammo exposed, and two is: should you? As to the first it does appear legal.

The second question seems to be the point of dicussion. If a person sees a guy walking around with a couple of magazines in a pouch on his belt he'll probably think one of several things:

1. "What a moron, trying to look tough by wearing ammo without having a gun."
2. "What a moron, with his ammo exposed everyone knows he has a gun."
3. "What a moron, he forgot to take his ammo pouch off when he left the range."

(Okay, moron is a bit strong and I don't really believe that the guy is necessarily a moron.) However, there is an argument for having your ammo exposed. I'm not saying it is a good one. If a bad guy is contimplating a bad deed and sees tht you MIGHT be armed there's a chance he'll move on (would you rob the 7-11 with the cop car in front?). That said, I'll keep it all under cover myself.

 

[Texas42]

This kind of gets to the open carry vs Concealed carry, but, IMHO, open magazine carry has all the disadvantages of open carry, with only one of the advantages.

This is my own, secret mall ninja list. . . . .so if my list doesn't match up perfectly with your list, don't crucify me.

Advantage that you have
1. Bad guys know you have probably have a gun, and would likely not commit bad act with guy with a gun right there.

Advantage that REAL open carry has, that you don't cause you still have to conceal your gun. We could also call these the disadvantages of CC in general cause you can't do these either.
1. Get to carry a larger, in theory better, handgun. I know some people can carry some large weapon concealed, but this is Texas, and it does limit the weapons choice.
2. Able to draw from an OC holster faster than most of the CC holsters. I can draw from my IWB holster fairly fast, but it is a procedure. I have to sweep my garmet out of the way, pull up on the weapon and draw. It gets more complicated if I have my shirt tucked in. It just seems like a draw from an OC holster would be faster cause nothing is in the way except a retention mech.

Disadvantages of open carry
1. Bad guy knows you have a gun and could shoot you in the back.
2. Have to deal with the "My britches, HE HAS A GUN!" knee-jerk reaction of many people.

 

[akarfal]

We were talking about this at the gun show today.... as far as I know, no law that states that ammo must be concealed. So why bother hiding your extra magazines and ammo when you conceal carry your weapon?

Discuss

GI JOHN nailed it: Concealment