In some countries and jurisdictions, civilians are legally required to obtain a concealed carry permit in order to possess and carry a firearm. While most law enforcement officers carry their handguns in a visible holster, some officers such as plainclothes detectives or undercover agents carry weapons in concealed holsters. In the United States, the opposite of concealed carry is called open carry. Some IWB holsters give the wearer the option of tucking a shirt over the firearm and holster.Ĭoncealed carry, or carrying a concealed weapon ( CCW), is the practice of carrying a weapon (usually a sidearm such as a handgun), either in proximity to or on one's person or in public places in a manner that hides or conceals the weapon's presence from surrounding observers. An inside the waistband (IWB) concealment holster, which clips or mounts to a belt and allows the user to securely holster the weapon inside the pants.
