I know most of the US states have laws allowing residents of good character to apply for a licence to carry a concealed handgun on their person, and that quite a few other states allow residents to openly carry a handgun in a holster that’s clearly visible (ie, not concealed).
This might sound like a daft question, but are holsters with an enclosed flap (like this sort of thing, but without the wooden shoulder stock) considered “Concealed Carry”, since you can’t actually see the handgun? Or are they an “Open Carry” item, as you can see a holster which (presumably) contains the handgun? I’m guessing it probably varies by state, but even so…
I have an Ohio book of laws/guidelines/etc. but I’m not sure where it is at the moment. I don’t know the exact rule from memory, but essentially you’re not supposed to do anything that indicates that you’re carrying a gun, whether it be an obvious bulge with improper clothing, something loose that could open up to reveal the gun, etc. A holster of that type pretty clearly indicates that you’re probably armed, which defeats the spirit and depending on the location possibly the law (might fall under brandishing) of CCW.
But like I said, I don’t have the law in front of me so it may be technically legal - but it’s not something that would be looked at with approval. In Ohio, anyway.
If you can see the holster, or part of it, it’s not concealed. Many states use concealed to mean ‘not visible to an ordinary observer’, meaning that it might be visible to a trained observer, such as a police officer, and still be considered concealed. A bulge at your waistband is not usually considered visible because it could be a phone, PDA, insulin pump, or MP3 player.
I’d say that a holser with a flap covering the pistol butt so it’s not visible would not be considered concealed in any state. While not an expert, or a lawyer, I do keep up with these things because they affect me.
Here’s a website you might find interesting Handgun Law
Ditto - the gun/holster cannot be visible at all. If you are wearing a hip holster and you can see the holster and not the gun it’s still not concealed. I have my carry in CT and I only carry when I am hiking - it’s a remnant from my backpacking days in Arizona where I always carried. I carry it in my backpack with easy access.
