So I’ve had my carry license about a week now, the process to get it was pretty long due to finger print appt had to be made 3+ weeks out due to covid, and not long after getting my license, I signed up for USCCA. I am fortunate enough to work at a place where they don’t mind, and to an extent, encourage carrying at work. However, at my work, I am constantly interacting with the public, and I was curious if anyone had any advice on some extra steps I should take that may not be apparent.
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Whenever you work with the public, you need to make sure your firearm is secure (on your body or locked up) and that it’s not showing when you don’t want it to show.
If you’re wearing form fitting shirts, you may end up printing (the outline of the gun shows through the shirt). I usually end up wearing a size larger shirt to avoid that.
If you’re concerned about someone getting your firearm, using a retention holster isn’t a bad idea.
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I have a custom made IWB holster made by a co-worker that does have a very good grip on my firearm, and I was actually accidentally given 1 size too big of shirts whenever I started, but now they make it very easy to keep my firearm concealed!!
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TIME, carry every where you can as often as you can. Even at home just wear it all day and before you know it you’ll be so used to it you won’t give it a second thought.
The easiest way to tell someone is carrying is they seem uncomfortable, which if we are being honest we ALL were.
A good quality holster and belt will make this process much easier and will save lots of money in experimenting with set ups.
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Carrying at work can be tricky, and not for reasons you might think. I also am fortunate to carry at work, and while the basics are the same, the stakes can be higher. For me, I wear dress shirts and dress pants. So, first thing I did was get a good belt. After all, its going to be on you for a whole work day, and nothing draws attention like you being uncomfortable and always trying to adjust. I went with Hank’s steel core belts. I have brown and black 1.25" dress belts along with a couple more for casual wear. Second, I carry in an alien gear holster, with one big reason being that it is tuckable, meaning I can tuck my shirt in between my pants and the holster. Sure, there are two small clips visible, but unless you are looking for it, you wont notice. If you are required to tuck in your shirt, make sure you are doing it. Last thing you need is to be untucked and have to get continually asked to tuck in your shirt, or if you do, you have an area of your shirt that is not not tucked the same and draws attention to itself. This goes double if the areas that you are are tucking around is a big obvious belt clip that might draw questions. Also, even if carrying is “endorsed” by your employer, dont advertise even to your coworkers. Keep it secret. You tell your best work friend, and you have no idea who he tells and you lose complete control of the knowledge and you never know how someone will react, like if you tell one person, and then he tells someone else who is completely against guns, it just can create a situation that can impact your daily work experience. One of the big things to watch out for is complacency. When you leave the house and go to the store for instance, you know you are carrying and its easy to keep track of how you are moving, how your clothes are laying, etc. When you are spending 8+ hours at work, a person can get complacent and allow shirts to ride up, bend over to pick something up that might show, etc. and that is when problems can occur. Finally, keep in mind the bathroom situation. If you are required to remove your firearm or holster to use the bathroom, you better have a good foolproof system to ensure that you do NOT forget your gun in the bathroom. Dont laugh, google it and you will be surprised how many people have left firearms in bathrooms.
You have an additional responsibility by being fortunate enough to have an employer who allows you to carry. That means that by the trust he has put in you by allowing you to carry, he expects you to keep it secret, to dress exactly as everyone else and not to draw attention to it. Your workplace is one firearm left in a bathroom, one bend over and expose, one obvious tuck away from having that privilege taken from you. So meet that employer’s trust with diligence and hard work.
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That is some very solid advice! Much appreciated!!
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And that is exactly what I have been trying to do. For instance, if I plan on going into a store, I do a drive-by of the front door to ensure they don’t have anything posted about not carrying on site, and if not, I will take it with me.
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Everyone here has some great suggestions and to build on the advice I’d say it depends on the dress code or what you wear to work. For me, I wear a lot of slacks and dress shirts with a sport coat (business casual’ish). I find that if i tuck my shirt in tight, it prints…but when I pull a little slack out, it hides it better. Same with Polo shirts.
I don’t know if you can wear loose fitting clothes but as some have suggested, that does help also.
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Luckily, my employers allow me to untuck my outer shirt so that I can easily conceal carry as well as I have slightly larger shirts that also assist in discretely concealing a firearm.
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First, be glad that you work at a company that allows that. Second, best advice already given. Retention holster and size to big pants and shirt (pants if for inside waist band carry.
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Great that you are able to carry at work. Few minor items that may assist. If I am not wearing a sports jacket or vest, they are expensive but I have purchased a variety of “Untucket” shirts for business that look nice and don’t have long tails that do not look professional when un-tucked. I have also take a few of my favorite polos and had them hemmed so they have a neat appearance in the workplace while un-tucked. I carry appendix so this works well for me. If you carry appendix I also suggest that you start your buckle loop one slot over than normal, if moves the buckle to the side when cinched reducing your print. As stated never flash, show&tell or otherwise leave the weapon unattended in the office. Regardless of your employers policy to carry an anonymous complaint can lead to a workplace violence situation very quickly since not everyone thinks like we do.
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Great advice. I have taken the class but don’t have the actual permit. I carry in my home and on my property (I’m working from home due to the Clovid). I’ve gotten so used to it that I’ve gone outside and done things without thinking about it. In the last 2 months, I’ve got in my car to go somewhere about four times and remembered I’m carrying when I put on my seat belt. I have to go back inside and stow it in my house. Clothing Tip: For real-man sized men, get some Duluth Trading Company T-Shirts that have the extra 3" of length, they are FANTASTIC!
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I really wish I could carry at work. Working for the govt, depending on which agency will not let you at all. It crosses your mind sometimes but the legality of someone finding out you’re carrying isn’t worth it to me.
Well so depending on what state you are in, your car is an extension of your home, so you can carry in your car! At least in my home state of TX we can.
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I carry at work and only I know about it, well until now. There is a phobia many people have about firearms. As soon as they see one or someone with one, some people freak out. These are the same people that freak out in a stressful situation. Education is what is needed and also handling and firing a firearm to get over the phobia. Maybe in extreme cases, counseling?
It’s an old thread but here in AZ I carry everywhere including work, good thing I have always been remote and rarely go to the office. The way I see it, my life is more important than policy. I figure if I need to defend my life at work ever and I get fired that would be a firing I would gladly take if that means I am alive.
The only places I can’t carry are at bars, federal buildings and schools all of which I don’t go to, here in AZ you can bring it into a school up to the parking lot at which time you have to separate the gun from ammo and lock your gun. After speaking to USCCA and a conversation with my local police Sargeant the no gun signs I ignore since they are only applicable if the owner of the establishment knows you are armed or you are open carrying and the worst that could happen is that they ask you to leave, at which point you comply unless you want a trespass charge.
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And that is another reason I want to move to Arizona.
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I carry at work and I’m not the only one. In fact there are people that open carry in our office. We do have a company policy that addresses carry but it ends at “Can legally possess a firearm…”
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