If you carry concealed, how?

[foggybok]

[QUOTE=Foxtrot’s;6297598]
Canadians - are your eyes bugging out at these posts???! :0[/QUOTE]

I’d guess a lot of Canadians near where I live (just south of the border) would want to carry when riding…it IS a safety issue here. Not too long ago my neighbor was stalked all the way off the mountain behind us by a large male cougar. She does not go up there without her gun anymore, and I don’t blame her. I don’t go up there without her!

I don’t own a gun, or have any desire to own one (I’d probably do myself more harm than good with one), but I certainly appreciate the need for one in this area!

And for the OP, she was carrying a 357, but that was too much to carry, so she bought a new little, but powerful gun and has a nice little holster for it, but unfortunately, I can’t remember the make or details…I’l ask her… it seemed real handy!

[Painted_Horse]

Utah is an Open carry state,So unless you are trying to conceal or hide your weapon, No special permit is needed.

Having had to put a couple of horses down over the years for various injuries, I carry a pistol for that purpose. I’m not worried about bad guys or boogymen. So having fast access to the gun is not a concern. If a horse is in distress, Putting it down is not something that is done quickly or with out extend efforts to save the animal. So digging a gun out of pack is not a big deal.

That said, We more often than not, Dress up to show off cowboy attire and look the part. Especially when riding in areas with lots of Tourist. They seem to get a real kick out seeing what they think are real cowboys. I’ve often told folks I have more pictures of me on coffee tables in Germany than my wife has of me around the house.

Cross body holster
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p259/Painted-Horse/2009/RedRock/Redrock7.jpg

In bear country, I carry a 41 mag, mostly for the loud noise it makes. I carry it a hip holster. Has worked well there for years. Although that doesn’t work well with my choice of Chaps and Chinks. So if I’m wearing some kind of leather leg protection, I usually put the pistol in a saddle bag.

I’m an avid hunter and most of the fall, I have some sort of a rifle in a scabbard on my saddle. I like a Winchester 8410 shotgun in 410 gauge during grouse season and of course a high power rifle during the deer and elk seasons. It is much more important to me to be able to quickly access these firearms if game appears than I’ve ever worried about for a pistol.

[Guilherme]

[QUOTE=lifesabreeze;6297635]
Why do you assume all Canadians feel the same as you? If you have an issue with cc why not address it on an off topic day?

This thread was started to gain information for those of us who can or may want to, carry concealed while riding.[/QUOTE]

I suspect there might be quite a difference if you’re talking to somebody from Toronto and somebody from Winnepeg.

G.

[cloudyandcallie]

Check the Gall’s catalogue on line. A lot of LEOs buy their equipment there. There are holsters, etc., at good prices.

And lots of bullet proof vests!

Personally, the shoulder holsters I’ve owned were uncomfortable. I have the tuck in pants holsters, and the ankle holsters for my 45 and 38 and the tiny 12 shot 22 derringer-type. I’d not ride with a gun tucked into my pants though. Ankle holsters work best for riding.

ETA Foxtrot’s, you know how violent we americans are! Makes you think twice about invading us, eh?

[Robin]

You might also want to post this question on the fox
hunting section. There are lady masters and lady
huntsmen (huntswomen?) and many of them do
ride armed. They may have found solutions that
have not come up here.

[cowboymom]

Our bear gun travels in a scabbard, it can be grabbed in a pinch but it’s not really meant to be grabbed while we’re riding. It is mostly for camp or times that we’re stopped and might have a run-in with a bear or moose. Our bear gun is a short barreled shot gun-I’m short at 5 feet tall and have carried it with a shoulder sling in a pinch. Not the most comfortable and I wouldn’t have wanted to fall off with it but it was how I had to carry it that day.

Handguns are in hip holsters or shoulder.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y251/steele4/TWH%20Colt/Checkers.jpg

A 14 year old boy with a .22 is great for getting horses used to guns-ours don’t bat an eye anymore and the kid is an excellent shot!

[LMH]

[QUOTE=JumpQH;6297694]
I use a Tommy’s Gun Pack and wear it behind me. Works great. I tried wearing it in front of me at first, but it kept hitting the saddle horn. Now, it doesn’t hit anything, and I can very easily slide it around to the front to access the gun if needed.[/QUOTE]

Does it bounce when you trot?

Does it feel HUGE on your back?

[LMH]

Here is the link recommended on some ‘active lifestyle’ carry threads. It can attach to a belt on waist pack (that carries phone, keys etc)

http://www.thewilderness.com/storepinnacle/index.php?p=catalog&parent=171&pg=1

I fear this may appear HUGE and feel in the way?

It does seem to be more of a quick draw carry arrangement

[SpecialEffects]

[QUOTE=Foxtrot’s;6297598]
Canadians - are your eyes bugging out at these posts???! :0[/QUOTE]
Not at all. Actually I’m finding it very interesting and informative.
And I want a Flashbang. lol

[SwampYankee]

[QUOTE=lilitiger2;6297236]
Boy is that ever true. Our horses are WAY more intuned with whats in the woods. We have gone trail riding around our house in the evenings, and they have been jittery, generally antsy and upset all the way, and then we find out that there have been cats (as in Mt lions) seen around our neighborhood. They sure know![/QUOTE]

I was on a late evening trail ride and inadvertently crossed paths with what was very likely a drug courier on the way to a drop. Ratty-gray-ponytail dude out in full-camo hunting jacket–on an 85 degree night in July? My horse saw him before I did and jammed on the brakes when the guy was still 50 yards off. Now this is a very friendly 5 year old who loves people and normally wants to meet everybody–not this time!! He went forward when I asked, but tiptoeing on “high alert.” He wanted to get us out of there!

The guy saw us and quickly put up his hood–not a good sign, and doubled back toward the road. I stayed on the trail for the pond deeper in the woodlot, when all of a sudden I realized he’d changed direction again and was now on a parallel trail in his original direction that would soon converge! As the trails came to the fork he tried to act “normal” and say something walking toward me, and I just said “Oh yes, lovely evening, isn’t it, but he really wants to GO!” and let my horse hit the burner.

Called it in as soon as I got home, and the cops gave me hell for not calling it in then and there. I said I thought that might not have been a really great time to be talking on a cell phone . . . bought the boot knife on e-bay that night. Nice thing about it is, still armed even if dismounted.

Any of you pistol-packin’ mamas out there got any tales? :eek:

[cowboymom]

From when I was young, probably 12… I rode my horse all over the mountains around our NW MT home. Once I took an old road through the trees and suddenly came out on a lot of rigged up greenhouses-and a scroungy guy fitting the above description came out with a shot gun and told me to get out, forget where I was and never come back. I fled. :eek:

We’ve met some goofballs on the trails but that’s my husband in the picture, he usually is loud and forward and his horses are usually spazzy, we usually have at least a couple dogs with us and guns/bear spray apparent. The grizzlies don’t even mess with us. :lol:

[TheOtherHorse]

Interesting thread. I carry in my pommel bag. Not ideal, I know, but I can’t stand most holsters I’ve looked into. We go on long trail rides, sometimes a good bit of trotting. I need something comfortable and not bouncy. The Flashbang looks promising, I might try that one out.

[Chall]

Question from in un-knowledgable person, do guns like this go off accidentally when you fall on them?
I’m guessing they are completely ready to use, thus loaded.
I remember a basketball player in a bar, with a gun shoved down his sweatpants who shot himself in the butt, it made the news here, but lead me to think it was quite possible to accidentally discharge a gun.

[LMH]

Well since it was mentioned…

best bear spray?

[LMH]

[QUOTE=SpecialEffects;6298300]

And I want a Flashbang. lol[/QUOTE]

I fear my LCR would not be very concealed on me in a Flashbang:lol:

[Guilherme]

[QUOTE=Chall;6298587]
Question from in un-knowledgable person, do guns like this go off accidentally when you fall on them?
I’m guessing they are completely ready to use, thus loaded.
I remember a basketball player in a bar, with a gun shoved down his sweatpants who shot himself in the butt, it made the news here, but lead me to think it was quite possible to accidentally discharge a gun.[/QUOTE]

This depends on the weapon.

Anything made since about the 70s are very unlikely to accidentally discharge (AD) in a fall. If you back in history the first Colt 1873 SAA (Single Action Army) had a firing pin on the hammer. The hammer rested on a chamber. And it could, and did, AD in “drop.” Practice was to load only five rounds and let the hammer ride on an empty chamber. This tradition is followed in CMS, where only five rounds are loaded.

Most soldiers (and lawmen and outlaws and etc.), if they knew they were headed into a fight, did load the sixth round.

Today, most revolvers have a system that prevents AD. Ruger (and some others) use a “transfer bar” system. There are other systems.

Semi-auto pistols from an earlier age might also AD, but again the modern versions won’t without a catastrophic internal failure. The M1911 Colt has four safety systems, IIRC. The “combat Tupperware” popular with law enforcement also has a bunch of built in safeties (although there have been a few design glitches over the years).

The chances of AD in a fall are de minimis with a modern weapon. That’s not zero, but it’s not enough to worry about, either.

Note that all of the above presumes a weapon correctly handled and loaded. Most ADs result from somebody pulling the trigger.

G.

[WildBlue]

Chall, short answer is that guns–particularly automatics–are designed for it to be impossible for the firing pin to strike the bullet because the gun was dropped. You have to pull the trigger, and holsters are designed to keep that from happening. Mine even has a manual safety I can lock that keeps the slide from operating (and the gun from shooting) until it’s released. Thus, the accidentals are people carrying without a holster and getting the trigger snagged or people practicing poor handling by putting their finger on the trigger before the gun is pointed in a safe direction.

I had someone recommend the neoprene belly wraps for active sports like riding. It sounds hot, but could work–especially if you carry to the side.

[katyb]

My carry weapon has a grip safety, so you have to be holding the gun correctly for it to fire. That was a big deal for me, because I’m a total klutz.

[lilitiger2]

[QUOTE=LMH;6298588]
Well since it was mentioned…

best bear spray?[/QUOTE]

we use Counterassault, so far, never had to use in “combat”:lol: which is just how I like it.

My husband, NRA instructor, noted that ALL mechanical things can and do fail, even pistol safety systems,although he is a huge 1911 fan. NOTHING is a guarantee. But, another reason to buy brand names, i.e, well made guns. Thats one area it is important to buy something where you know the reputation. And know your firearm. I recommend anyone relatively new to firearms take a basic pistol course (or whatever you are shooting). Its a great (and fun) way to learn about shooting.

I have had an AD-scariest thing! I was loading my ruger 30-06, rifle I am extremely familiar with, have hunted with it for years, and it discharged. Luckily it was pointed in a safe direction but I was pretty shaken. I still swear I was no where near that trigger but things happen.

I am not a fan of fanny packs for pistols (mine wouldn’t fit anyway)!

[cowboymom]

We have Counter Assault for bear spray, it’s the most commonly sold one here and it’s easy to test fire. It’s not necessarily easy to transport unless you buy that particular holster and even then… I find them a bit of a necessary pita. I wish it was easier to hold and aim under stress/speed, I have heard of people trying to get the spray out in time or misfiring in the heat of the moment which is the last thing you want to do. I have my kids practice but I do worry that in a pinch it would be difficult for them. They aren’t that easy to handle with one hand or with small hands which I don’t like. Last year the top broke off of mine, didn’t spray but the top broke off so I had to toss it. I might look into other options for my next can of spray…

http://counterassault.com/html/bearproducts.html

we’ve had UDAP too… same idea. https://store.udap.com/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=BS

I have heard of AD’s with the bear spray-in one case a girl dropped her bear spray and the horse walking up the trail behind her stepped on it and it went off. Big mess!

We carry our gun dry-no slug in the chamber. In a lot of cases just the sound of that chamber loading is a deterrent and it’s easy enough to do quickly under pressure.