Maybe this should be put over on the "disarmement zone" thread, don't know for sure.

I went to a Wild game last night and saw on the back of the tickets that the arena doesn't allow drinks, food or guns brought into the arena.

My brother-in-law and I went through the front door (no signs posted), he, with a .38 snubby in his front pocket, me with a .40 XD Sub IWB. As we entered the doors we could see that security was asking people to open their bags and hold open their jackets. I wanted to stop and transfer my cell phone (which I keep on the left side of my belt) to my gun side. That way, I thought, if they pat the gun, it wouldn't be hard to let them see the phone. Kind of hard to turn around when I'm three people from the "shake down guy" and there's more security and St.Paul's finest standing watching the entire scene (I didn't want to look alarmed and I certainly didn't want to have to walk my gun back to the truck.)

Anyway, nerves were on edge as I walked up to the guard and opened my jacket. He barely brushed my shirt under my armpit and let me pass. Brother-in-law got in with no problem. He's convinced they were looking for beer more than guns.

Wild won 3-2.

Interesting. I will be at Xcel on Jan. 30th for sure, and hopefully again on Apr. 2nd to attend games (yeah, I know some people from Hockeytown, USA who have transplanted to the State of Hockey); I'll definitely have at least a Kel-Tec on me.

Don't blame ya for wanting to carry around there at all. I can see the Xcel from my office and all the ugliness that goes on between my office and the Wilds game.

Glad the good guys won, it made traffic "nicer" on my way out of the office last night.

I haven't been to a Wild Game since I got my permit to carry. I've been debating how to go about it. Last time I was at a game there, they were posted... not properly, but they were posted. That was a couple years ago, though. I'm debating where I'll carry it until I'm inside.

I went a couple weeks ago with a 1911 in a shoulder rig. I removed my coat and draped it over my left arm, and didn't let my elbow away from my body. The wanna-be patted me around the waist (left side) and the small of my back, but didn't manage to make gun contact. I could have gone in strong-side and been fine. But who knows what they're acutally going to touch. Last year at the state HS hockey tourn., I ended up with my wifes sp101 in my boot (*OUCH*) and my kel-tec in my front pocket with my keys clipped over them. Bottom line is that some alternative (probably ANY alternative) carry method should get you through the door. Smartcarry, appendix, pockets, ankle, or maybe even shoulder should work.

Anyway, the posting signs have a nifty little tagline at the bottom "Except authorized persons" ... ... Hmmm- Sheriff Gundmunson says I'm "authorized", so I must be ok- right?

BTW- The boys pretty much got it handed to them by Dallas the night I went.

Even with my bulky XD Sub, I probably could have put it in my front pocket until I got through the gate, then relocate it to strong side in bathroom. I don't think those guys like to pat down the front of men's pants very much.

Situations like this are probably another reason to pick up a small snubby like Joel suggested in my class.

The real trick to all of this is managing to carry enough ammo to deal with all of the potential threats!

(OK, just kidding But that would be some trick...)

I do have a SmartCarry that I don't strap on much. That item would be a really good solution, as I can believe that security is not very thorough with their physical contact.


I just realized that the last Wild v. Wings game I attended (last season/two years ago ), I don't recall anything in the way of extra security. Maybe a bag check, but nothing like pat-downs. I wonder what gives?

I split season tickets, and, IMO, pocket or ankle carry (not a big fan of ankle carry myself) is the way to go for Wild games. I would guess that Thunderwear would also work well, but I am not a fan of that method, especially when sitting down for a long period of time.

I have also noticed that, when I am going in with my wife, I am almost ignored, but, when going in with a group of guys, they actually pat down my waist. A S&W model 40 in the right front pocket has not been noticed this year, and all last year my P3AT was also under the radar.

I was going to post about my friend going to a Wild game.

He called me as he was walking back to his car. He had it on his strong side, OWB. He lifted his jacket and the guy asked if he had a badge for that. My friend doesn't read the forums, or anything else to stay current on situations like this, so he assumed the guy meant permit. The guy said he needed a badge.

So, I'm thinking that would have been a great situation for a CCW Badge. Anyone got one that they can try?

I told my friend he should have just tried another door (as he had not been searched before). I'm thinking, if they are just checking waists on people with jackets, why not throw the gun in a breast pocket of the jacket? That's how I've been carrying since I put on my leather jacket.

BTW- I have a spare mag in my regular pocket.

Newkirk on "Hogan's Heroes" used to pull out a Bowie-sized knife from behind his neck. Kind of makes me wonder about a "behind the back" holster. Not terribly tactical, but that way you could open your jacket and survive a pat -- they never seem to pat your back.

I would say a definite “NO” to the CCW badge. They’re obviously talking about allowing LEO’s into the building while armed. You may get into some trouble for impersonating and officer, I don’t know. My personal opinion is that the CCW badge is a bad idea altogether. (Since, I'm new here it just occured to me that you may have made the CCW badge comment "tongue in cheek". I'll try to figure you guys out as I go. A little by your comment would help "rookies" like me.)

I do like the breast pocket approach. Gun can always be moved to where you want it once you're in the door and hit the "head".

My comment was a bit in jest. If the person just blindly asked for a badge, then would he have just let my friend in and not examine the badge? The security guy didn't seem to specify he had to be a LEO.

If he specified that you had to be a LEO to get in, then it would be impersonating for sure, if you flashed a badge. But, just asking for a badge, why not try showing a CCW Badge?

As far as getting through a pat down, I have thought about adding a pocket near the small of the back in my jacket. If it were more towards the middle of the back, it would keep it out of a pat-zone.

Pakrat,

Why not just move your carry rig to the SOB after you get out of your car. Then after entry, move it to your normal carry spot. As I posted in the Target Center thread, I am going to Sesame Street Live on Saturday. I think I will give this a try, although I am not sure if they will even pat me down for this event.

I can chime in on this one. While going to a Viking game, I walked up to the security guard (I don't call them wanna bees kuz I was one once...). I was carrying my Glock 22 strong side OWB holster, and I'm sure I would have made it in just fine. But, being the ever honest person that I am, I showed him my State Patrol badge (that I have earned and carried over the last 15+ years).

I told him I was carrying a pistol.

He looked at me and asked me if I was carrying.

To which I replied, yessir, I am carrying a pistol.

To which he replied, your carrying a pistol? I chuckled and set yes, once again...

He then called for a supervisor who then walked me over to MPLS finest (I used to be one of those guys too) and the supervisor told MPD that I was carrying. I showed my ID and they walked me into the building so I could watch our purple get mauled by the Steelers.

That was my fun for the day.

Go Steelers!

I was at that game too, it sucked.

Anyway, I share season tickets with a small group of people so I make it to a few games/year. Their patdowns are an absolute joke. There hasn't been ONE time that I walked through there where I couldn't have gotten away with carrying OWB.

I guess you could get unlucky where they actually frisk your waist, I think I might just get a little Keltec to pocket carry to games. Something about walking around unarmed downtown just seems a little careless.

Now if I could only get my wife who works downtown to carry....

*sigh*