How many fellow CCWs do you estimate are around you

[elkhunter2018]

Interesting question

1. In rural areas it seems to be much higher both OC and CC. It’s not uncommon to witness, firearms are viewed more as tools than anything. The majority of people own firearms even if they do not carry so the fear and stigma is not as prevalent as in metropolitan areas. The response time for Law Enforcement can be as much as 45 min or more depending on where you are at. So it’s not unheard of to walk into someone’ Home and see weapons in plain sight.

2. The only place I can think of off hand with a no weapons sign is BWW and that’s a 30 to 50 mile drive depending on the direction you head. It’s not really a consideration for me I might abide or not, more than likely I will take my money somewhere else.

1. Ok, that's true, I didn't factor location in my question at all. I am in the Indianapolis area, which is likely very different than the rest of the state.
2. That's funny that you mention BWW, because that's the main restaurant that I've seen it posted at as well. There are a lot of them in the Indy area.

 

[elkhunter2018]

It absolutely depends on the venue. My opinion: When I'm at Kroger and there are 100 adults inside, I'm guessing there are 3 other people carrying. If I'm in a bar (which I never go to) with 50 other adults, there are 9 others carrying. I make a point to carry wherever there is cash: restaurants, gas station, liquor store.

It's harder to guess if there is a sign at the door. Some disregard the sign, most obey I would think. I'm getting to the point with society that I'm second guessing the sign.

3 out of 100 at Kroger would be nice; definitely better than being the only one. I am the same on gas stations and restaurants but I never rationalized it to be because they're cash establishments. That is a good way to categorize why they're a higher risk location.

 

[elkhunter2018]

Indiana is the 5th state with the highest number of gun permit/licence delivered per state in the US.

Almost 800,000 licences in 2017.

That's 18% of Hoosiers who have a licence to carry a handgun.
It's the second state (after Alabama at 22%) with the highest percentage of the population with a CCW.

Of course not all people with a licence carry, but you also have the folks who carry illegally without a licence, so it's a pretty high percentage I think.
Not to mention all the off-duty LEOs who can carry without a licence.

https://www.gunstocarry.com/concealed-carry-statistics/#info

Wow, thanks for the data. I was discounting a lot of licensed carriers, but I didn't think to consider unlicensed carriers and off-duty LEOs. Even considering those numbers, I would be shocked if even 10% of people were carrying, but my gut feeling for how many others there are just improved a little.

 

[elkhunter2018]

On IU campus, probably less than 2% of people. If they're an IU employee or student, they can get fired/expelled if caught, though I've never heard of that happening. Surprisingly I haven't been able to spot a single person clearly printing this whole school year. Outside of campus but still in town, I'd guess that number hovers around 5-10%, but wouldn't be surprised if it was smaller considering Bloomington's political atmosphere. But when I sit down in a 300-student lecture hall I honestly don't think there's a single other person carrying in there

Interesting perspective of IU campus; I went to Purdue, and I assumed 0% because of the consequences but I'll bet you're right about there being a couple percent there. The threat of expulsion while I was on campus was one of the reasons that I didn't carry regularly until more recently.

 

[bwframe]

I'm with those that assume everyone is carrying. Good guys, bad guys, those that know what they are doing and those that don't.

 

[elkhunter2018]

I assume everyone is carrying.

Haha, that's a good point, and probably a little more accurate than my assumption that everyone else is oblivious.

 

[JCSR]

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet".
I wish i had said that.

 

[elkhunter2018]

Not really a technique when clothing give it away ...
Pro 2A shirts, 5.11 pants, NRA hats, gatsby flags and many others ...
Some are more obvious than others.

Demeanour, hairstyle, tattoos, and other factors can also be a good indicator that the person is armed.

This also didn't occur to me. My Vortex hat probably isn't really making me incognito, is it? I was wondering what you guys meant about knowing without printing, but that makes sense.

 

[Route 45]

Will you share your technigue?

Even more clues: https://mygunculture.com/8-ways-to-spot-someone-carrying-a-concealed-gun/

 

[elkhunter2018]

I believe it's generally low percentage but it can sure depend where you are, for me church is probably the highest known percentage at 5-8%.
I used to care about printing and total concealment when I first started carrying but now only really worry about it at church, just to lesson the chance of offending someone there, we have some of that type of people, which is fine. The rest of the population can be offended, I don't care, they need to get used to it and see it some, not that I am big on OC though.
Any serious person that I know completely ignores signage, some don't give the business their money but most just go on carrying and buy what they want.

I feel like sometimes I can tell a fellow concealed carrier, even if they're not all tactecooled up, but the idea of having confident training like Denny mentioned above really intrigues me.

That's very cool to share a known percentage, thank you. I'm also very careful to not offend anyone at church, and again I've been pretty oblivious about who else is carrying.
I agree with most ignoring signage; the small subset of my friends who carry ignore the signs, and none of us go so far as to make a big deal about not giving a business money. The closest my friends come to that is one who won't buy Underarmour hunting gear because of what they've done politically, but then he's jealous of some of the cool hunting gear that my dad and I have from them.
It would definitely be cool to have some training in evaluating the people around you.

 

[rooster]

The answer to the initial question really depends on how many people play by “big boy rules” as I have heard someone on here call them. That is that no one can see you print ever.

I frequent many establishments in Indianapolis where printing will result in being asked to leave. I blend in with the rest of the millennial hipsters and no one is the wiser.

 

[Sylvain]

This also didn't occur to me. My Vortex hat probably isn't really making me incognito, is it? I was wondering what you guys meant about knowing without printing, but that makes sense.

Following someone to their car can be a good indicator as well.Not just the clothing can give it away.

Then you have a bunch of non-visual cues as well, talking to the guy, the smell of Hoppe's #9 etc ...

Tacticle cues such as bump checks are used pretty often by different services if they suspest someone is armed.

Cops are good at finding if you're armed or not, some criminals too.

Printing is just a small part of what can give it away.

 

[Denny347]

Will you share your technigue?

My co-worker and friend teaches "Characteristics of Armed Persons" to our recruits as well as for valorforblue.org. Lots of clues that we don't even realize we are leaving.

 

[chezuki]

The answer to the initial question really depends on how many people play by “big boy rules” as I have heard someone on here call them. That is that no one can see you print ever.

I frequent many establishments in Indianapolis where printing will result in being asked to leave. I blend in with the rest of the millennial hipsters and no one is the wiser.

That’s not what “big boy rules” means.

 

[JCSR]

My co-worker and friend teaches "Characteristics of Armed Persons" to our recruits as well as for valorforblue.org. Lots of clues that we don't even realize we are leaving.

Very interesting information here. Are you able to make a armed person out in a matter of seconds in some cases? Also is the "tactical" dress the surest give away?

 

[WanderingSol07]

I looked up the numbers for the end of 2018, is now close to 900,000+ people with LTCH and about 6.6 million residents. So just over 1 in 7 have a license. Discounting those under 21 probably puts it around 1 in 5 I would guess. Another wild guess would say those having a LTCH but not carrying equal LEO's and illegals.

I figure 1 in 5 on average. Looking at my circle of friends and acquaintances bears this ratio out. Last time out with a known group of 30, I know 6 I was 95% sure they were carrying. I rarely spot a concealed carrier, but the chart earlier was quite helpful, will have to memorize that one. Thanks!

 

[bwframe]

I feel that it's better to watch peoples hands vs watching their butts and their junk. It also gives a different impression of you to those you are watching.

Just me I guess?

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Licenses issues are not guns carried.

You need to understand that most people do not see a pistol as a seatbelt (must always be worn to be effective) but rather as a magic talisman. Something to ward off evil in the "bad parts of town".

If I were going to a "bad part of town" where I anticipated needed a firearm, then I'm taking an M14 or AR, not a pissant pistol. Better solution, do not go to bad parts of town.

The vast majority of your neighbors do not have the discipline and don't want to expend the effort to carry a pistol even if have license. It is human nature.

I saw this every single day that I sold guns.

Low percentage. You don't have to print for me to know you're carrying.

No offense. But, but by my heel, I care not. Don't care if the cops "make" me.

I know what I look like and the middle age white guy with the 670 hair cut and the build that looks like he can handle himself in a fight is likely carrying a gun.

However, I care not if the cop know I am carrying. It is Lafayette, they know I am but I am no threat.

 

[JollyMon]

I normally look for indicators if someone is carrying..... but most of the time the overweight guy wearing 5.11 pants, a stupid Velcro hat, and a threeper shirt at Kroger is the one carrying

 

[Denny347]

No offense. But, but by my heel, I care not. Don't care if the cops "make" me.

I know what I look like and the middle age white guy with the 670 hair cut and the build that looks like he can handle himself in a fight is likely carrying a gun.

However, I care not if the cop know I am carrying. It is Lafayette, they know I am but I am no threat.

I never said you should care. It's just part of knowing your surroundings.