Hello all, here is today's article posted on TheArmoryLife.com. It is titled “How Cold Weather Makes CCW Harder (Not Easier)” and can be found at https://www.thearmorylife.com/cold-weather-concealed-carry/.
How Cold Weather Makes CCW Harder (Not Easier)
- Thread starter Mike H.
- Start date
Keeping your hands in your pockets can make a draw slower…unless your firearm is in a pocket holster. And your firearm should be covered by a jacket only if on a belt. Burying it under more clothing is a bad idea. Wear a jacket you never have to take off. Personally, I use a shoulder rig.
KillerFord1977
Emissary
The Night Rider
Professional
I could have gone my whole life without that image in my mind
The Night Rider
Professional
The older I get the more I realize that I am not the center of the world's attention. I notice people that are carrying a handgun because I'm looking for it.
My wife has no interest. She doesn't care and she doesn't look. I've had times when we were in Walmart together and she was sitting on one of those Walmart scooters and somebody open carrying walked right past her with the gun at what would have been eye level for her and she didn't notice. I know she didn't notice because I asked her.
The overwhelming majority of people that you encounter on a given day don't even know you're there, much less would they be scoping you out to see if you're carrying a gun unless it's another gun guy.
I dress the same way here that I did when I was working, minus the security guard uniform shirt of course.
I dress in layers and I keep the warming layers under the gun instead of on top of it.
I still recommend the waffle tops, I buy them second hand from the surplus stores because I'm cheap and they offer them for less than $10 a pair and the colors that they offer them in match the way I dress anyway but civilian companies are now marketing them and they come in other colors then baby poop brown.
So, I wear the Slicks on the bottom under my Wrangler cargos. Depending on the weather I wear the Slicks on top with a Waffle Top over that and a t-shirt over the waffle top. then I wear a flannel over the T and a fleece vest as an outer concealment layer.
If it's really cold I wear a fleece jacket.
I hate gloves. When I worked as a security guard I never wore gloves unless I was actually opening a gate or actually doing something that required gloves.
I'm not in the Army anymore, if my hands get cold I put them in my jacket pocket.
I don't go into town unless I absolutely have to but when I do I notice that a lot of people my age dress like I do.
It don't stand out in the crowd.
I go to the range dressed like that and I practice getting the gun out dressed like that.
My wife has no interest. She doesn't care and she doesn't look. I've had times when we were in Walmart together and she was sitting on one of those Walmart scooters and somebody open carrying walked right past her with the gun at what would have been eye level for her and she didn't notice. I know she didn't notice because I asked her.
The overwhelming majority of people that you encounter on a given day don't even know you're there, much less would they be scoping you out to see if you're carrying a gun unless it's another gun guy.
I dress the same way here that I did when I was working, minus the security guard uniform shirt of course.
I dress in layers and I keep the warming layers under the gun instead of on top of it.
I still recommend the waffle tops, I buy them second hand from the surplus stores because I'm cheap and they offer them for less than $10 a pair and the colors that they offer them in match the way I dress anyway but civilian companies are now marketing them and they come in other colors then baby poop brown.
So, I wear the Slicks on the bottom under my Wrangler cargos. Depending on the weather I wear the Slicks on top with a Waffle Top over that and a t-shirt over the waffle top. then I wear a flannel over the T and a fleece vest as an outer concealment layer.
If it's really cold I wear a fleece jacket.
I hate gloves. When I worked as a security guard I never wore gloves unless I was actually opening a gate or actually doing something that required gloves.
I'm not in the Army anymore, if my hands get cold I put them in my jacket pocket.
I don't go into town unless I absolutely have to but when I do I notice that a lot of people my age dress like I do.
It don't stand out in the crowd.
I go to the range dressed like that and I practice getting the gun out dressed like that.
OldGrunt
Professional
The major city near me has a facebook page that posts mugshots. Once a week they come out with their "Edgar of the week" photo. I see people dressed all kinds of different ways around here, no big deal. But if I see you walking around with a haircut like this, I guarantee that individual is armed and probably wanted. No joke. You can call it profiling all you want, but I already have a preconceived notion of what kind of person you are if you look like this.
WellArmed
Custom
I don't live my life under FPCON Delta. I dress to be warm and comfortable when it's cold. If my hands are cold, I'll wear thick gloves and probably will have my hands in my pocket. I don't walk around or live my life as if I'm under constant attack and will have to be able to draw and get on target in under a split second.
I just carry a gun just in case I hit the lottery and will need to use it. It's a simple insurance policy. If I happen to have my hands in my pocket or heavy clothes on while carrying, I'd just have to adapt and change my tactics accordingly. I don't over analyze or think it. I don't sit outside shooting the breeze in freezing cold weather anyway, so a few months out of the years, I'm only outside in the cold while walking to and from my home, car, job, store, and back. That all last but a few minutes in a nice area.
I just carry a gun just in case I hit the lottery and will need to use it. It's a simple insurance policy. If I happen to have my hands in my pocket or heavy clothes on while carrying, I'd just have to adapt and change my tactics accordingly. I don't over analyze or think it. I don't sit outside shooting the breeze in freezing cold weather anyway, so a few months out of the years, I'm only outside in the cold while walking to and from my home, car, job, store, and back. That all last but a few minutes in a nice area.
Old_Me
Emissary
not everyone can be so lucky to "live in a nice area"....
and NO, not everyone can just get up and move away to one.
crime is everywhere.
do not think you are fooling anyone that crime does not happen in "nice areas"..
no one is 100% safe, 100% of the time.
WellArmed
Custom
Most people in the firearm community and on these forums who carry and have these discussions don't live in the hood and they have enough common sense to avoid going to places where the threat level is high. A lot of things are possible, like a part off of an airplane falling to earth and killing me or being struck by a meteorite, but I'm not going to live my life as if it's such an imminent threat that I can't leave my home without a helmet and protective armor.
I'm not telling others what they can or can't do or what they can or can't prepare for because it's a free country. I just don't live in so much fear and think my threat level is so high that I can't put my hands in my pockets on a cold day or carry on my waist while wearing a coat and other layers.
Annihilator
Hellion
The Night Rider
Professional
Here's a hypothetical for you. Let's say it's your anniversary and you and your wife went out to eat and because you didn't have the common sense to gas up the car earlier in the day you're gassing up the car the gas station in the middle of the date.
When two thugs come walking through the parking lot to try to rob you.
Because you have your sick gloves on in your hands in your pocket you can't get to your gun in time they shoot both you and your wife.
What do you do?
MrMichaelActual
Custom
That is what I was thinking... sometimes the titles of these things are not on topic, obviously Winter clothing can make concealing anything easier, it is the drawing and deployment of said concealed weapon that could be effected. I could conceal carry my KSG under a hoodie but deploying it would take hella work.
Winchester67
Custom
Sure, I have a mil-surp woodland camo heavy coat in the car in case of car trouble. And gloves and boots. But here in Missouri, going from my car to someone's house or a shop, I generally just wear a flannel shirt and a vest when it is really cold. That way I don't have to worry about a coat. Blame my Nordic roots, years of nearly year round motorcycling or being a few pounds overweight, but I am impervious to cold temperature. Also, always when I was a bachelor I kept my heat at 60 degrees unless I had company. Waste money that could be spent on ammo keeping the house warm? Crazy talk!
Winchester67
Custom
Sure, I have a mil-surp woodland camo heavy coat in the car in case of car trouble. And gloves and boots. But here in Missouri, going from my car to someone's house or a shop, I generally just wear a flannel shirt and a vest when it is really cold. That way I don't have to worry about a coat. Blame my Nordic roots, years of nearly year round motorcycling or being a few pounds overweight, but I am impervious to cold temperature. Also, always when I was a bachelor I kept my heat at 60 degrees unless I had company. Waste money that could be spent on ammo keeping the house warm? Crazy talk!