Using the Bathroom While Carrying Concealed

While it’s vitally important to know how to use your concealed-carry handgun for self-defense, a more mundane task is often overlooked, despite the fact many more of us will need to use this skill than will ever find ourselves in a gunfight. Using a stall in a public restroom is never pleasant, but when you have a pistol on a belt holster, it becomes even more nerve-racking. Here are some tips on how to pop a squat in a public bathroom without exposing your firearm, putting yourself and others at risk, or violating the law from SIG Sauer Academy Director Adam Painchaud.

• We hear many stories of people leaving guns in the stall or on the sink, even law enforcement personnel. Therefore, we advise folks to avoid removing their gun or their holster when using a public restroom.

• Keep it in the holster. Too much can go wrong if you take it out. There is no safe direction in a restroom, so when your gun comes out, you’re violating at least two firearm safety rules.

• While your gun is secure in the holster, you may need to keep it concealed in public places for legal or security reasons. Tuck your underwear over the exposed part of the firearm when lowering your pants, then lower your pants and underwear together. This will keep your handgun concealed with minimal effort.

• Another option is to keep your pants up around your knees, so the gun and holster aren’t visible under the stall door or walls. Just remember to hang onto your pants when standing up to flush.

• Ankle, pocket and shoulder holsters eliminate these concerns, particularly for women, who must use a stall all the time. Consider changing your method of carry if you think you’ll be using a public restroom.