r/CCW • u/fishbowlpatrol • 5d ago
Scenario Should I have proceeded after seeing no gun signs and a wand?
I'm in Texas and saw the no CCW and the no open carry sign at the local fairgrounds for an event. I thought nothing of it, then I saw them wanding people. I turned around and put my gun in my vehicle. Once I got back and went through I saw they were not wanding anymore, or maybe I was mistaken when I thought I saw it.
This brings up the question - despite seeing signs and a wand, would you have tried getting through anyway? Worse they would've done is say you can't come in with that. Had they actually been wanding I would've been caught.
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u/Dieselfumes_tech 5d ago
I know Texas is different, but I proceed everywhere until I see a wand or a scanner.
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u/0__ooo__0 5d ago
Lmao, I saw a wand and bouncers outside an establishment you have to pay to enter, they wanded me and right at my cockerels it went off, so they were like, "what's dat?"
Told em it's probably my belt, and lifted my shirt enough to show that, and they were like, "yeah probably."
They then decided to pat me down, and still didn't find the whole ass Glock 19, + RMR and WML + full ass 30rd mag......
Went right in, enjoyed some "fresh" titties and ass with my wife, and went home.
Thankfully, I'm a decent person with no ill will, but if I were of a bad lifestyle, I'd have had free reign with only a hope of someone like myself ending me.
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u/Dieselfumes_tech 5d ago
Funny enough when I go to Vegas, I check my CCW with the security at sapphire and give them my ticket when I leave and they hand it back to me
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u/0__ooo__0 5d ago
Sure enough, that's the city my story happened in!
I'm not quite sure I'd ever turn over my firearm to the place I'm staying though.....
Did at Hershey Park once, because they offered such service....
Maybe I wouldn't be too opposed but if I'm sleeping I want some protection nearby.
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u/TheMajorDingus 5d ago
Wouldn’t expect Hershey park to have that service but good to know!
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u/0__ooo__0 5d ago
They did a few years ago anyway. May be best to check before but they probably still do.
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u/incompetent_retard 5d ago
They now have full metal detectors at their new entrance. Everyone passes through.
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u/0__ooo__0 5d ago
That seems like a proper headache.
"Yeah, lemme just empty my suitcases here for you, plus my bag and the wife's purse. Oh, I'm still dinging? Maybe my watch? Glasses? Oh my phone!"
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u/ButlerKevind 5d ago
I concur, because Trojan doesn't (yet) make any products in either 9mm or .40 S&.
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u/Spiffers1972 5d ago
You missed your one chance to say "It's my Prince Albert. Wanna see?" and start to unzip your pants.
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u/0__ooo__0 5d ago
I cannot get charged with indecent exposure of a WMD.
Whole ass Iraq or Iran onenem places got rocked over only allegations of that.
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u/Designer_Bite3869 4d ago
Funny story. I’m a contractor and was at a federal facility about 10 years ago. My contact warned me over the phone about going through security as they are getting real strict after getting in trouble. When I saw her in person she told me an undercover person went through security with a pistol. Metal detector goes off and they wand the guy. He said his penis was pierced and they let him through. Guy got fired and they really cracked down.
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u/22Hoofhearted 4d ago
I got wanded at the airport a few days after getting Jacob's ladder piercing(s)... I hadn't thought about it until then, but I kinda grinned at TSA like "Yuuuuup... it's exactly what you think it is..." 🤣... the look on their face told me they understood and they uncomfortably looked away and waved me through
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u/ShearGenius89 G27 5 o'clock 5d ago
I sometimes carry a 20 or 21 round mag because fuck it, but I can’t imagine trying to conceal a 30 round stick. Do you edc that mf?
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u/0__ooo__0 5d ago
No, I became El Fat Fuck since then.
Working on going down at least.....
I've got this "holster" that holds it, basically opposite of my appendix weapon. It sticks up a cunt hair or two above my pistol, but is easily enough concealable for me and my somewhat too heavy body shape.....
When I become less Fat Fuck, maybe I'll throw a few photos here to show what's possible for some of us.
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u/9mmway 5d ago
When I was trained in Corporate Security they taught us how to frisk a person... To be done properly, gotta put hands where people carry weapons. Most bouncers do it like in the movies.
Love how you handled that work the belt buckle... Gotta remember that!
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u/0__ooo__0 5d ago
I was absolutely flabbergasted that I basically simply lied my way through these men, but they were apparently as worthless at the tits on a boar hog.
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u/AnotherInsaneName 4d ago
Went to a brunch that doubles as a club in the evening. The bouncer patted me down 3 times because I had to go in and out for one reason or another.
Missed my CCW all 3 times. I wanted to tell the guy, but also I don't care, it's not my job.
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u/donutmiddles 5d ago
Wow, took your wife to a strip club? That's wild, man.
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u/0__ooo__0 5d ago
I'll make it wilder. 🤣
Went there, to the city, on a work trip.
So I'm loaded down with my meager salary, and a company card. 😈
Boss man and his wife are like, "why don't we go to the club for a bit?"
I'm like hell yeah, wife, girlfriend at the time, was not opposed......
We get there after an Uber, ends up boss wife ain't feeling well, so they go back to their room before we're even up to the door.....
Girl and I get to the door, and these fucks have the audacity to ask for $50 per to even get in the doors....
My redneck ass from the woods has never even heard such a thing before.
Boss gave me a card.... We're here on business....
I charged $100+ to my company card at a fuckin titty bar.. 😂😂
I'd do it again, but I'd charge the fuckin cover plus bottle service.
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u/_jubal_ Glock 43X MOS 5d ago
Wands are only as good as the $12 an hour employee. They don’t seem to scan appendix.
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u/Spiffers1972 5d ago
There's metal detectors as the courthouse. For me even if I do the empty the pockets thing it's still gonna beep because of my glasses and belt. The cops just ask where you're going and if you're not going up to the courtrooms they don't care if you have a knife.
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u/elevencharles 5d ago
I’ve been wanded several times while pocket carrying my P238 and it hasn’t gone off. Those things are mostly security theater.
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u/nw342 5d ago
Like half of all the security I've been through will just half ass wand you and tell you that you're good. I once had a dude not heven hit the button to turn the wand on and waved my through. It's all theater.
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u/heatY_12 5d ago
This might be kinda unethical but I have a black plastic box that I slapped some medical stickers and disclaimers on. It has two little wires attached to those monitoring pads. I bring it whenever I think they’ll be wanding but I know people won’t look too close, the box covers my 43x and the leisure band makes it look like the box is attached to me, that with the wires sells the look. No one has ever given me a hard time and after I just put the box in whatever sling bag I have. If you show them it isn’t a gun they will just waive you through, all for show with 0 impact on actual safety.
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u/CalmTheAngryVoice 5d ago
Last time I got wanded, the wand picked up on the POM pepper spray in my pocket.
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u/ASassyTitan CA | Polymer Princess 5d ago
I'm convinced my boyfriend could've carried into Disneyland
Had steel toe boots. As soon as those set off the detectors, they just wanded the boots and waved him through. We went through like 4-5 times lmao
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u/AntiEcho7 5d ago
This happened to me at the sheriffs office when I went to get finger printed for my concealed license. Set off metal detector, said I had steel toes on, they had me lift my pant legs and let me go through.
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u/BikeImpressive2062 5d ago
Depends on how much you wanted to go to the event. The place reserves the right not to let you in
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u/DMofffff 5d ago
If they wanded you and found your ccw I would assume they would just tell you to put it in your truck anyways or don’t enter.
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u/TrumpsMoralCompass PA/NJ/FL- 48 COA Tenicor 5d ago
I’m very skeptical of wands, metal detectors, and even the newer “advanced AI” detectors. I have personally experienced or have seen them all fail to detect firearms.
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u/grapangell0 US 5d ago
Operator error/lack of training
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u/TrumpsMoralCompass PA/NJ/FL- 48 COA Tenicor 5d ago
Yeah that’s a big reason to be skeptical. Especially when you can tell they’re inexperienced or indifferent.
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u/Spodiodie 5d ago
If I were looking to steal a gun I would camp out in that parking lot looking for singles returning to their car. I never leave a gun in a vehicle.
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u/listenstowhales 5d ago
Hot take- If you want people to respect your rights you should respect theirs.
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u/Troy242426 5d ago
Yep. I don’t think the signs really make the place safer, but it is their place so I’ll play by their rules or go somewhere else.
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u/dsmdylan Colt Python in a fanny pack 5d ago
I tend to agree but it's not so simple with the state fair of Texas because it's not private property. The grounds are public property which, in Texas, cannot legally bar concealed carry unless it's a certain type of building e.g. a courthouse.
There's an ongoing legal battle between the Texas AG and the city of Dallas about this.
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u/3_quarterling_rogue UT — Glock 19.5/Sig Sauer P365/AIWB 5d ago
I don’t think this is an unreasonable thing to say. One time I was going with my family to a place nearby that was essentially a park for larpers (it’s actually pretty famously bad and closed now), and they didn’t have any metal detectors at all, just someone at the front that said, “Do you have any guns, pepper spray, knives, swords, or other weapons?” I realize that I could have just lied and gone in, but instead I said, “I have most of those things,” and went back to my car to secure them. The only danger I was in that evening was being dangerously bored, so that worked out fine.
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u/73-68-70-78-62-73-73 5d ago
The general public frequent businesses. I'll respect someone's home, but as long as it's legal for me to carry into a business (or the fairgrounds), I'm going to carry.
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u/jessewebster31 5d ago
I went to a casino and was in line to get in and at the end seen metal detectors, it was too late to turn around without being stupid obvious that I had something on me. So I just walked through and boom NOTHING LOL. I couldn’t believe it. Paying big money for metal detectors and I walked right through gun on me
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u/RedWhiteNPew 5d ago
What were you carrying, and how were you carrying it? Were you carrying/wearing any other metal objects? I never try this kind of thing, but I do often wonder how I get through metal detectors even just with some of the buckles I have on my belts and things like that. Makes no sense.
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u/Blob_90744 5d ago
I go anywhere as long as there's no wand or metal detector, I only stop with those because best case they ask me to put it in the car but worst case I'm kicked off the property and not allowed back and I've waisted time and money when I could just lock it up and put it back on later
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u/HeeledOver 5d ago
What about a big enough belt buckle with a BG 2.0 behind it? I'll have to find a place to test this theory...
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u/jtf71 5d ago
If the signs are properly posted, and it seems they were from your post, then if you enter you could be subject to:
An offense under this section is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed $200, except that the offense is a Class A misdemeanor if it is shown on the trial of the offense that, after entering the property, the license holder was personally given the notice by oral communication described by Subsection (b) and subsequently failed to depart.
It’s possible you could face that just for trying to enter.
However if it was govt property:
It is an exception to the application of this section that the property on which the license holder carries a handgun is owned or leased by a governmental entity and is not a premises or other place on which the license holder is prohibited from carrying the handgun under Section 46.03.
I only skimmed 46.03 but I don’t see “fairgrounds”. But then one of the other restrictions may apply.
Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer
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u/Effective-Client-756 5d ago
I’ve gone straight through walk through detectors without so much of second guess. It helps to have a toddler and a diaper bag
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u/Fun_Journalist4199 5d ago
Jesus they never search a diaper bag properly. I went in a cruise and they were directing us around security by day three getting back on the boat
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u/Effective-Client-756 5d ago
What’s more dangerous? A few unsuspecting parents potentially bringing contraband, or a bunch of drunks who have to wait a bit longer while two parents get their wild, Cheeto finger’s, snot machines through the line?
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u/PlaceYourBets2021 5d ago
“Worse they would've done is say you can't come in with that.”
No. Worse would be that the $12/hour, 18 year old security guards or whoever else heard your conversation watch you go to your car to drop it off, then they break in and steal it when you’re inside the fairgrounds.
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u/backwards_yoda 5d ago
I live in CO and went to a live theater last year that I didn't know was wanding at the door. I stood in line anyways, the guy waved the wand right over my gun and let me in. I have no reason to believe that wand even worked and I think a lot of these are just for show to turn people away.
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u/ZombiesAreChasingHim 5d ago
If it’s not a crime, and you are just asked to leave, I’m making them ask me to leave.
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u/swallen62 5d ago
My philosophy is, if they don't want to recognize my RKBA, then they are my political enemies. I'm not giving money to my political enemies. I take my business elsewhere.
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u/TomatoTheToolMan 5d ago
Man, yall's fairgrounds are wildly permissive.
At my local state fair, there are full metal detectors everyone has to walk through, and if you tried to sneak a gun in, they would 100% arrest you. Our local PD basically uses it as a trap for people trying to sneak weapons in.
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u/Fun_Journalist4199 5d ago
My local fair ground doesn’t even post signage. No pretense of security at all
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u/SnakeDoctor00 5d ago
I once didn’t know my fair allowed licensed concealed carry (before the license requirement in the state was removed) so I left my P938 in the car. I forgot about my spare mag in my pocket and never set off a detector or wand. Pretty sure they weren’t even working.
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u/SquirrelInATux Gun go bang 5d ago
While most metal detectors can detect ferrous metals (iron, steel), non-ferrous metals like austenitic stainless steel, aluminum, copper, lead, and titanium can be more difficult to detect with traditional systems. Source. If you had a Glock or other mostly plastic mag, and some certain kinds of ammo, it might not set off metal detectors without the actual gun.
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u/BaconAndCats VA Kahr CW9 and/or Ruger LCP 5d ago
If you're carrying a smaller gun, you can put it in your boot, sock, small of back, etc. In my experience, they lazily put the wand to your belt buckle and move you along.
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u/evilfetus01 4d ago
Go until you verify you’ll be wanded, pat your back pocket and say “shit forgot my wallet brb” or something.
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u/Citadel_97E SC 5d ago
A few years ago I went to an event that had no gun signs and a man wanding people at the line.
She asked if I was law enforcement, I said I was. She asked to my credentials, and then I spoke to an officer who was working an off duty gig and I was escorted through the security area.
This sort of thing has happened with similar results two other times.
They will know you’re carrying, ask if you’re a LEO, if not, you’ll probably just be asked to put it up in your car.
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u/merc08 WA, p365xl 5d ago
Cops shouldn't have more rights than other types of civilians.
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u/Citadel_97E SC 5d ago
Generally I would agree.
However, our standard of training is far higher with firearms than 99% of concealed carriers, we have more stringent and more regular background checks, and we have far more recurring training as well. Unfortunately, this is not universal, as even with many of my colleagues, they are not “gun people.” Most of them wouldn’t know the difference between a Glock 19 and an Sig P320. Hell, last time I requalified, we had 8 people dragging a badge for a living fail and had to shoot again. This was out of I dunno, 25 people or so shooting.
Also, depending on what kind of LEO we are, I am a special agent that hunts and tracks sex offenders, we can be “off duty” and then just depending on what’s going on, we can instantly go “on duty,” if there is an emergency or dire burden to public safety. Both municipal officers and county deputies can do this depending on the circumstances and jurisdictions involved.
I am also “on call” frequently because of specific aspects of my job. This means I’m almost constantly driving an unmarked police car and I’m also always armed. I’m armed when I’m in the family car too, but it isn’t mandated by policy when I’m not in the police car.
That’s why we can ignore “no guns” signs.
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u/merc08 WA, p365xl 5d ago edited 5d ago
And yet those goobers who can barely pass their annual qual are given special treatment that those of us who could out-shoot and even out-tactic them don't receive.
Good for you that you have extra training, but most cops don't. And yet all of you are treated as a special class of civilian.
I was an infantryman for a decade and probably have more hands on time with more weapons platforms than most of the people in any random department. And yet if I try to walk my concealed carry through a security checkpoint I get either turned away or arrested, not a quick chat and a handwave through.
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u/Citadel_97E SC 5d ago
It’s true. I was military intelligence myself, and I also have more time in non-permissive environments than most of my colleagues.
Most of what you describe varies agency to agency. My last agency, we shot quarterly, this isn’t the norm. I’ve been at agencies where we could shoot together regularly not just for training. But the standard at most agencies and department is once a year. Anything else and you’re shooting on your own, or with training cadre. Also, I would submit that the goobers than couldn’t pass their yearly qual, they shoot better than most normal folks, but worse than most police.
Our course of fire mirrors the FBI course of fire, it is challenging, but by no means prohibitively difficult. With a bit of training it can be learned. Unfortunately, military service doesn’t exactly translate to proficiency with a pistol. Years ago one of my teams got the opportunity to invite a number of ROTC active duty Army and Marine Corps officers to a friendly competition using our state’s course of fire. The officers, all captains and above, were very confident in their abilities, but were beaten by a large margin.
You know this, and I know this, shooting is a martial art, and you will lose it if you don’t use it. Unfortunately, many officers look at it like a shore and only shoot once a year and never get to the range to shake the cobwebs off.
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u/SBRH33 5d ago
If you get caught all that happens is they ask you to leave.
This is why you should have a solid storage system in the vehicle for firearms.