How do i carry while swimming? I had a scare!

[GSPBirdDog]

Me and my fiance, 3yr old son, and my 2 German Shorthair Pointers went down to the beach at our local reservoir right before dark to take a dip in the lake at the beach and to let the dogs cool off. As we swam a little longer and it got darker and darker, the beach became quiet and before i knew it, it was only my family and dogs down there....Until i noticed about 300yds down the beach a bunch of guys packing up and leaving. I was in the water still with my 2 dogs when i noticed 4 mexicans walking to an old van parked right by my truck and another walking toward my son and fiance which were about 80yds away from me in the water. I called my dogs and quickly ran up to my son and the lone mexican walked away to the rest of his clan. My fiance said he was trying to talk to her but he was speaking in "espanol" and she couldn't understand him. It was getiing almost pitch black dark out when i noticed someone in the back of my truck. So i told my fiance to take my son and the dogs (for protection) up to the beach house about 100yds away and to wait for me to come pick them up. I went up to my truck and the one f#$%tard was hopping out the back of my truck while the others were taking my spare mickey thompson 33X12.5 baja claw off road tire and cramming it in their mini van. I was clearly pissed by then and asked them WTF they were doing and they pulled the whole "no comprende englesee" bull**** on me. I yelled for my oldest and most aggresive dog and went to walk toward the driver's side door and they cut me off to where i couldn't get in either side of my truck. My gun was under the seat and the only option i had was to grab my cell phone and pocket knife and walk away. I am 6'1" and 235lbs but that is nothing against 5 thugs! I got on the phone and called central dispatch and by my luck a DNR officer that i know very well responded to the scene...but by the time he got there the thugs were long gone! They did by chance throw my spare tire out in the parking lot! They were never found but the state park has many exits and places to hide.
I do believe having my dogs there did make a little bit of a difference but here is my question for you guys!!!
How can i carry concealled in a situation like down at the beach and keep my firearm within reach of me but out of reach of the children?

 

[Colt556]

That is scary man! Glad you got out of it ok. THUNDERWEAR!!

 

[NordicHeathenVinlander]

Your lucky. Could've ended much worse.

Take the firearm with you, and take turns swimming

 

[IndySSD]

How can i carry concealled in a situation like down at the beach and keep my firearm within reach of me but out of reach of the children?

Things like coolers with false bottoms, pistols in your beach bag with trigger locks (for the child safety concern) that you carry the key to on your person at all times, etc...

 

[JohnP82]

Things like coolers with false bottoms, pistols in your beach bag with trigger locks (for the child safety concern) that you carry the key to on your person at all times, etc...

Great idea! and glad to hear everything turned out ok.

 

[finity]

How can i carry concealled in a situation like down at the beach and keep my firearm within reach of me but out of reach of the children?

Don't swim?

If you have to live your life in so much fear that you feel you have to be armed 100% of the time then you really aren't living.

Really, there are times when you just can't carry. 99% of the time you'll be just fine. The other 1% of the time all you can do is hope for the best. Sadly, you just had your 1% moment but, happily, it turned out fine anyway.

 

[Hornett]

German Shorthair Pointers?
Really!!?
German Shorthair Pointers?
HAAAHAhahahahahaha!

They might lick those Mexicans to death.
Or drool on their shoes.

You definitely need a gun with those bad boys.

 

[Glock19Dude]

When I first read the title I thought it was a joke. After reading it though I understood exactly what you were getting at. The only thing I could think of would be a trigger lock and get a swimsuit that has a zipper pocket to put the key in????

Glad that your family is ok, maybe karma will kick in and the mexicans will get mauled by a mountain lion.

 

[flightsimmer]

I have a stainless Seecamp .32 that I carry in my trunks while swimming. You need to be sure it is securly fastened with a strong cord so as not to loose it though.

 

[Redskinsfan]

When I first read the title I thought it was a joke. After reading it though I understood exactly what you were getting at. .

Me too. I opened the thread hoping for a good joke. I am sorry to hear of your altercation, but I too am glad that it turned out ok.

Terry

 

[jedi]

Don't swim?

If you have to live your life in so much fear that you feel you have to be armed 100% of the time then you really aren't living.

Really, there are times when you just can't carry. 99% of the time you'll be just fine. The other 1% of the time all you can do is hope for the best. Sadly, you just had your 1% moment but, happily, it turned out fine anyway.

This ^

Say you did have your gun on you (false bottom of cooler, water-proof bag, etc...) what would you have then done? Based on your post at no time were you in immediate danger for your life to justify deadly force. They were in fact just stealing your stuff and while that does make us all "hot and mad" remember it's just stuff. It's insured and even if it is not you can always buy it again. Stuff is just not worth it (getting into a gun fight/killing someone over your stuff).

 

[Prometheus]

Don't swim?

If you have to live your life in so much fear that you feel you have to be armed 100% of the time then you really aren't living.

The reality of life can be hard for some people to live with. Some blindly stumble along and are shocked when bad things happen to them, some run for the indoors when the street lights come on, others hide at home. Some choose to LIVE and be able to defend themseleves.

Really, there are times when you just can't carry. 99% of the time you'll be just fine. The other 1% of the time all you can do is hope for the best. Sadly, you just had your 1% moment but, happily, it turned out fine anyway.

That wasn't a 1% moment like you describe. He chose to be unarmed, he could have carried.

I have a keltec p32 just for such occasions. I carry s&b military contract sealed FMJs in it. Taken it swimming in my zippered swim trunk pocket many a times. After each swim I swap out my ammo and shoot them at the range. Never had a FTF even after being in the water all day. Dry it off (air compressor or blow dryer to blow it out, you could also use gun scrubber but usually when I swim I'm on vacation and the hotel blow dryer works like a charm) and clean/oil it at the end of the day and it'll be no worse for wear.

When I first started swimming with it I'd put it in a ziplock bag, but the bag always leaked/ripped. I gave up on the bag.

If a person wants be able to defend themselves with a firearm 24/7 they buy the proper equipment. This means more than one holster and more than one gun.

The OP's experience is PROOF POSITIVE that unless you carry 24/7/365 you won't have it when you need it. I'm glad he didn't need it and it'll probably be the last time he doesn't have a gun on him. There is a learning lesson here you are missing.

 

[youngda9]

Better SA next time...get home before it gets dark. Don't leave valuables out in the open if you don't want them stolen.

Glad everything worked out well for you.

 

[360]

German Shorthair Pointers?
Really!!?
German Shorthair Pointers?
HAAAHAhahahahahaha!

They might lick those Mexicans to death.
Or drool on their shoes.

You definitely need a gun with those bad boys.

They'd get heartburn.

 

[mrjarrell]

If this reservoir is a Corps of Engineers property you're forbidden to carry on it, by law. Best to find a private property or a pool.

 

[rmabrey]

Glad to hear everyone is safe

 

[sclark]

That is scary situation that happened on the beach, glad everything turned out okay. I carry in my purse so I'm always scared someone is going to try to steal my purse off my shoulder and I wouldn't be able to get to my firearm. I often find myself judging people who look sketchy and I will hold my purse in a way that if it were snatched I would be pulling my gun out while they took it. It is sad when your not living your life because of fear...I refuse to be the victim though.

 

[finity]

The reality of life can be hard for some people to live with. Some blindly stumble along and are shocked when bad things happen to them, some run for the indoors when the street lights come on, others hide at home. Some choose to LIVE and be able to defend themseleves.

I don't hide in my house when it gets dark. I also don't believe I'm just stumbling along in life either, but if you're spending your LIFE looking over your shoulder because the boogie-man MIGHT be there you're going to miss out on a lot of that LIFE you think your living.

That wasn't a 1% moment like you describe. He chose to be unarmed, he could have carried.

But he wasn't &, huh, it turned out OK anyway. Go figure. Sometimes bad things happen & there's absolutely nothing we can do to stop it. I think that's the reality that SOME people have a hard time dealing with.

The OP's experience is PROOF POSITIVE that unless you carry 24/7/365 you won't have it when you need it. I'm glad he didn't need it and it'll probably be the last time he doesn't have a gun on him.

I think that attitudes like these are why we get branded as paranoid gun nuts.

There is a learning lesson here you are missing.

No, I'm not missing any lesson at all. I know that we must be as prepared as possible to deal with a situation that might arise. Let me emphasize the word POSSIBLE. Sometimes things are going to happen & you won't be prepared. That's life.

Even if someone does carry 24/7/365 it is not positive that a situation WON'T happen that will still cause them harm.

Besides, the REALITY of life is that we CAN'T carry 24/7/365 (unless of course you avoid places that you would like to go but don't out of fear because you can't carry there). I don't know about you but I don't sleep with my gun on me. I don't ALWAYS have my cell phone, or wear my seat belt, or have a spare tire, either. As hard as you try to be prepared sometimes the uncertainty of life just gets in the way.

I assume you drive, don't you? That is the most dangerous thing most people will ever do. You have no control over what someone else might do that could cost you your life but you take that risk anyway because of the benefit you get from the freedom transportation affords you.

It's all a matter of degree. We choose to carry. Some more than others. Others don't carry at all. Even if you can & do carry 24/7/365 are you really doing EVERYTHING POSSIBLE to make sure nothing bad happens? Do you wear body armor 24/7/365?

There is no way to be 100% safe - even if you carry 24/7/365.

 

[Jack Ryan]

I have a stainless Seecamp .32 that I carry in my trunks while swimming. You need to be sure it is securly fastened with a strong cord so as not to loose it though.

I just bury my Glock in the sand under the deep water markers. Any trouble and a little dip with put some tupperware upside their heads. A couple extra mags and one in the pipe of course. I couldn't swim with a brick in my shorts.

 

[AndersonIN]

I know people make fun of it all the time on here (don't really care but thought I'd just try and save you the time of poking fun about it!) but that's why when swimming I always have a weapon in a fanny pack that stays with my wife or I at all times!