MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE
What do you think of when you hear the term “concealed carry?” Your first thought might be the legal definition of carrying a concealed gun or knife, and the accompanying guidelines in your home state and city. Perhaps you think of skills you’ve practiced in self-defense classes, or you think of the equipment you’ve accumulated for the purpose of concealment — there are a nearly infinite number of handguns and holsters you can keep hidden on your person. No matter which subtopic crossed your mind first, there are many variables to carefully consider and research. This is compounded by the amount of information available through internet forums, gun-store counter jockeys, and local “gun guys,” which is both immense and rife with inaccuracies.
In order to clear the air and find firm ground to start from, we sought out some of the best instructors we could find to teach us how to properly and responsibly carry concealed. We quickly learned that what we wanted to learn about was better defined as covert carry. What’s the difference? Merriam-Webster defines the two terms as such:
Concealed: kept out of sight or hidden from view
Covert: not openly shown, engaged in, or avowed It may seem like semantics on the surface, but just because something is out of direct view doesn’t mean it’s truly hidden. If you live in an area where concealed carry is prominent, you may have seen someone else’s gun “printing,” or creating a noticeable silhouette through their T-shirt or jacket. Is the gun out of sight? Yes. Is it actually not showing? Different story.
The theory of covert carry comes primarily from the military and law enforcement community where appearing truly unarmed could be advantageous or required based on circumstances. For example, police off icers in high-risk undercover roles or military personnel working in plainclothes special operations or intelligence-gathering operations. For private citizens, there are numerous reasons to want your pistol completely undetectable until needed. Having your weapon hidden provides certain tactical advantages. Having your gun exposed or readily visible may actually make you a target in some cases. For example, let’s say you’re standing in line at a convenience store, idly waiting to purchase a soda and some scratch-off lottery tickets, when someone enters the store to rob the register. If you’re open-carrying or your gun isn’t truly invisible, the robber may decide you need to be dealt with first. If you’re being targeted for a mugging, an exposed weapon may increase the level of violence used in an initial surprise attack, eliminating the option of simply handing over your wallet or watch, which, frankly, are probably not worth killing or dying for. Or you may be targeted specifically so that the bad guy can get themselves a nice new gun.
There are also potential legal pitfalls to incorrect concealment. In some jurisdictions, concealed carry of a weapon is legal, but open carry is not. Some of these laws are so stringent that
