# CCW Badge



## Craigh (Jul 29, 2016)

I keep seeing these adds for non-resident CCW permits for Virginia. I'm not getting into the fact they don't tell you most states with reciprocity with Virginia is only for the resident permits, not what they are advertising. But, I notice they have a gal holding a card and a badge. Has anyone ever heard of a CCW badge? Why on earth would someone want such a thing if they really were available?


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Although it's a really, really stupid idea, it's pretty easy to mail-order gold-colored, "cop"-looking badges which say "Concealed Carry Permit."
You can get 'em at some gun shows, too.

My take? Use one, and you'll be arrested for impersonating a police officer.

But since, as Barnum pointed out, there's a sucker born every minute, there will always be a market for this kind of stupidity.
There's the cop-wanna-be, and the macho fool, and the showoff, and probably myriad other types, all of whom think that these badges confer some sort of prestige or power upon the idiots who carry them.


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## SouthernBoy (Jun 27, 2007)

Yeah, I've heard of them. They scream, "Look at me, I'm carrying a gun".


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## rustygun (Apr 8, 2013)

I saw something like that at a bass pro shop or cabela's.


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

Steve M1911A1 said:


> Although it's a really, really stupid idea, it's pretty easy to mail-order gold-colored, "cop"-looking badges which say "Concealed Carry Permit."
> You can get 'em at some gun shows, too.
> 
> My take? *Use one, and you'll be arrested for impersonating a police officer.*
> ...


Yeah, I stopped playing cops and robbers a long time ago. Phony badges are for kids only. Why in the world would an adult want one?


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## TAPnRACK (Jan 30, 2013)

I ran into a mental with a security badge and a handgun tucked into his sweat pants... he was walking up & down his block. Turns out the gun was an air soft (toy gun) and he hadn't worked security in several years. He was protecting his neighborhood and didn't understand what the issue was. I took his gun & badge and advised him. 

This thread reminded me of that story. Anyway, agree with everyone here... dumb idea. I carry with my badge but it is ALWAYS hidden and every effort is made NOT to draw attention to myself.


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## SouthernBoy (Jun 27, 2007)

rustygun said:


> I saw something like that at a bass pro shop or cabela's.


I don't recall ever having seen one in person. Think I would have a hard time stopping my laugh fit if I did.


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## Craigh (Jul 29, 2016)

SouthernBoy said:


> I don't recall ever having seen one in person. Think I would have a hard time stopping my laugh fit if I did.


Me, as well. I'd never heard of these badges until I started seeing an advertisement every day, right here on the handgun forum. It claims to get you certified for most states in the US. It has a picture of this fairly youngish gal holding up a Virginia Non-Resident Conceal and Carry card in one hand and a Conceal and Carry badge in the other hand. I clicked on the link to see what it was about. They charge you for a Gun Safety test and blank non-resident CCW paperwork from Virginia. They claim Virginia has reciprocity with 30 odd other states. I dug into it a little deeper and found the reciprocity is only for the resident Virginia CCW, not the non-resident one they are advertising. There's only a very few which allow reciprocity for the non-resident and they're mostly constitutional carry anyway, so this thing is mostly a scam. That badge doesn't seem to be offered, but is obviously a scam as well by suggesting such a badge will come from Virginia.


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

Can you imagine a concealed weapons carrier pulling out that stupid badge and gun while screaming like Gomer Pyle: "Citizens arrest, citizens arrest"?


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## SouthernBoy (Jun 27, 2007)

Crazy but I can somewhat understand the logic about this in some places. For example, if someone lives in an area where printing or the lower part of your holster shows might upset or scare some folks, then the badge _*may*_*** have a purpose. But it sort of reminds me of a fellow who joined three of us for lunch one day around six years ago.

I used to do a lot of open carry lunches and dinners with other OC'ers in my state. At one luncheon in Vienna, VA a young man showed up with one of those military-looking thigh holsters. He was a nice enough fellow but to me, that holster screamed, "Look at me". There I was with one of my gen3 Glock 23's in a Fobus Evolution belt holster, which is kinda non-descript and a bit "professional" looking and here was this young guy with a full sized pistol strapped to his thigh in a large rig.

So while there _*might*_ be a few instances where a concealed carry permit badge could possibly be a positive thing, and I'm stretching it with this, there is no way I would ever don one of those things as I headed out of my house into the public arena.

*** Yep, this is a real stretch to say this.


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## Blackhawkman (Apr 9, 2014)

Wanna-Be-cowboy? Looky here I'm carrying a gun. Don't Nobody do anythin rash, I'm dangerous! now where'd I put that bullet Andy gave me?


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