[Mark IV Series 80]

If you are not an LEO, and you can carry either open or concealed, how do you carry most often?

At times when you are not hunting, fishing, hiking, or camping, what advantages do you see in open carry vs. concealed carry?

[sanchezero]

I never carry openly.

[El Tejon]

Carry openly seldomly. Very little advantage to it.

[Duncan Idaho]

Most often concealed.

When I am in a civilized place like Idaho, or eastern Washington I carry openly.

The irony is that the only time I need to carry concealed, is when I would be most likely to need it.

Man I love Idaho. Someday...

[gbran]

Unless out in the sticks, I've never understood the urge to open carry. Generally, anywhere you can open carry, you generally don't need to. I have a CCW and generally carry concealed where you can't open carry.

[Duncan Idaho]

Freedom is like that for some reason. Not many people understand it. :(

[Mike Irwin]

S&W Airweight, left front pocket.

[faustulus]

I'd rather no one ever know I was carrying.

[cool45auto]

Same here, no one needs to know but me.

[MMcCall]

"In conflict, direct confrontation will lead to engagement and surprise will lead to victory." - Sun Tzu

[Hkmp5sd]

Open carry is not permitted in Florida.

[jerryd]

cant carry in the open in Ct. Galco concieable or yaqui slide under shirt.

[litework]

I can but don't openly carry in Virginia. I'd rather people didn't know I was carrying. I use an IWB holster most of the time.

[Oracle]

Concealed, most of the time. The only time I carry openly is when I'm out in the sticks (like someone above mentioned), and then I usually carry a single-action .45 Colt. My normal CCW gun is either a Glock 17 or Glock 26, depending on what I'm wearing.

[.45Ruger]

I carry concealed most of the time. SOmetimes though I will open carry just to exercise my right to do so.

[tbeb]

Snubby in right front pants pocket.

[bpisler]

I always open carry cause i don't have a ccw.I don't care to pay for my rights.I 've heard the BG will shot me first during a hold up,maybe he will pass up were ever i'am at because i'am armed,besides how do you get to your concealed pistol when you're in the sights of a BG.I think you make your choice and live with it.If i lived where there's no open carry i would be forced to get a permit so i could be armed.

[Standing Wolf]

I'd rather carry openly, but prefer not to be hassled, so I usually carry concealed.

[Mal H]

As litework said, we can do both in Virginia. My ratio of open to concealed is probably around 1 to 100. The only time I carry open is in the woods and that's because I usually carry a long barreled revolver there. I never carry open in public.

[Peter Gun]

I carry concealed mostly, but open when hiking or on or near my property.
Partly because when hiking I carry the Super redhawk (hard to conceal), partly beause I feel that open carry in wild areas has a valid deterent factor. I carry my Sig openly around my property (we have a resident black bear now) just because its convenient and I dont mind the passers by knowing I carry when walking back and forth to the garage. Might add some deterent against breaking into the garage. I'm not worried about people thinking they might be a ble to steal my guns because the approach to the house is so intimidating, but the garage is right on the road.

[Darrin]

TN allows open or concealed. Most of the time, I'm concealed with my IWB somewhere between 4 and 5 o'clock. My gun is concealed usually by a short sleeve unbuttoned shirt over my tucked in t-shirt.

Sometimes, I don't have my button-up shirt in the car and if I'm feeling lazy, I'll carry "descreetly." By that I mean, the tucked in t-shirt is somewhat pulled over the grip, but not completely untucked. (The straps of the hoster are visible.) If I bend/lean over, the gun is visible. It really depends on where I am and how many people are around. If I'm downtown or some other place in town (Nashville), I'll just untuck my shirt to cover my gun.

[P95Carry]

Out and about .... concealed .. have to - it goes with the territory.

At home .. usually open ..... seems little need to hide it ..... also when hunting I'll often be open carry with large revo as backup .. but then I am on private land so no matter.

Kid's friends used to gawp when they visit ..... at whatever I have on .... tough ...... I am carrying always .... it's what I do. They have gotten used to it.

[Hypnogator]

I always carry concealed except when hunting. Even then, I'm likely to have my P-32 in my pocket in addition to my Redhawk. Old habits die hard.
:D

[Raz]

Well, I live in NoVA ... and I don't normally carry open ... but I had an open carry incident the other day that had me questioning whether I should ever do it.

My girlfriend is a thrift store freak, so on Saturday she and hauled me off to Beacon Hill to a nearby thrift store to browse. I had my t-shirt tucked, my XD9 in my waist band, and a short sleeved overshirt on. It was hot, so before I got out of the car to go into the store I took my overshirt off, figuring what the hell, it's VA ... open carry state ... we're only going to be a minute anyway.

As I walked in, a woman zeroed in right on my gun, but didn't say anything. At that point I had an uncomfortable feeling a hassle was going to ensue. Lo and behold, as we're looking at old chairs I hear a voice firmly call out "Sir!". I just ignored it and kept shopping and chatting with my girlfriend. Again, and loudly, "Sir! Is that a handgun you have?", and I looked around to see a security guard with his hand on his holster (as if he was about to pull his gun) staring at me with a stern look on his face. I calmly said "yes, it is... ". He then, without putting his hand away from his gun, asked me if I had a permit. A permit? Well, YES ... so I told the guy "I am now reaching for my wallet" and calmly and SLOWLY took my permit out and handed it to him. Let me note that I did this because the guy was standing there, knees bent and hand on gun, like he would draw in a second if I made what he perceived as an untoward move. He looked the permit, relaxed and said, "Oh, alright..."

At that point I leaned over to his ear and said "you know, that permit is for a CONCEALED handgun ... we live in VIRGINIA ... it's perfectly legal for me to carry openly". He smiled, kind of nodded, and walked away.

We ended up buying a 5$ chair and leaving without further hassle ... but I gotta say, the event was a bit embarassing, and definately made be very uncomfortable. Upon leaving the guard was nice enough, I guess. He bid us goodbye and commented "nice gun you got".


Whatever...


-Raz

[Lennyjoe]

I have open carried in the past. But that was only from the time I got here till I recieved my permit. Now I dont open carry......ever. No ones business but my own. Would rather have the advantage on my side. Bad guy doesnt need to know Im armed. Gives him the advantage.

IWB left side. (lefty here) During the summer months.

OWB left side in the winter. I go to a full size .40 cal instead of the compact 9mm during the summer.

Just like the extra punch in the .40 when the layers of clothes comes out.

[P95Carry]

Probably Raz, a sad reflection on current attitudes. If the guy had stopped to think, he mighta realized that the total openess was in fact way less a threat than concealed ..... which you could well have been, and him none the wiser.

Chances are any perp who was gonna ''try it on'' would for sure not be open carry!

Maybe if there was more open carry this would not occur but seems the trends have led many who can legitimately open carry .... to go for the ''diplomatic'' approach and go CCW .... so fewer people are used to seeing it.

In fact I'd say that concealed is anyways .... 'way to go' ........ gives an ''edge'' IMO ... and keeps the BG's guessing! :p

[Cowboy Preacher]

Raz i was just wondering what kind of thrift shop has a armed guard? Most of these places I have seen are uaslly little hole in the wall junk shops. It must be awful dangerous to sell junk in your part of the state.(ha ha just joking)

[Raz]

Raz i was just wondering what kind of thrift shop has a armed guard?

Come to think of it ... it was a little strange ... an armed guy guarding junk!

Well, the place didn't seem like it was in a particularly bad part of town ...
maybe they had trouble in the past.



-Raz

[denfoote]

Before I got my CCW, the only way I could carry was openly. Not that I have had it for near onto 4 years, I seldom open carry!!

[Erik Jensen]

technically, you can open carry in MI, AFAIK. but, try it in Detroit, and you'll get hit with a brandishing charge. I've only carried open around the house. everywhere else, it's concealed.

[Ky Larry]

I carry a full sized Kimber IWB conceiled. I really don't care if it "prints" thru my clothes. Most BG's are looking for a defenseless victim. Hopefully they will leave me alone. If not,I have a weapon I can shoot well and depend on.

[Darrin]

Did a little experiment after work this evening. I took off my belly band, which was located in between two tucked in shirts, and moved my gun to my IWB. (Both shirts still tucked in.)

First, went to my credit union which always has an armed gaurd. (My CU is only 2 miles from Broadway in downtown Nashville.) No one said a word and AFAIK, no strange looks. The gaurd never said a word.

Next it was dinner at a small Chinese place down the road from downtown. (Now about 3.5 miles out from Broadway.) I'm sitting at a small table with my left side to the wall, gun to the isle. (BTW, the gun is at the 4 o'clock position.) Metro police officer comes in, walks right by me, and proceeds to order some egg rolls. While he waited, he sat at the table across from me. My gun had to be in his view. Not a word or blink of an eye.

After that, I started to head home. Decided to stop for a cold drink at a stop 'n rob about 17 miles from downtown (heading east). I had to walk right in front of 2 LEO from the County Sherrif's Office. Nothing.

I'm sure if I tried doing this with ripped up jeans and a dirty shirt, someone would have said something at some point. As it was, I was wearing my nicer jeans (nothing freyed) and a long sleeve button up work shirt. (Plain blue with logo on the left breast.)

Very weird since I was actually thinking someone somewhere would have complained. :confused:

[Sharpie1]

I carry 100 percent of the time - less than 1 percent is open.

Full-Size 1911 Springfield, and usually a concealed J-frame in front right pocket.

TD

[dairycreek]

I never carry openly. It serves absolutely no useful purpose. Carrying in the open invites others to make wrong decisions about you; what you might be up to; to be in fear of you when there is no need for that; as I said no useful purpose is served by open carry. Good shooting;)

[mini14jac]

I always carry concealed.

I figure the hassle will outweigh the convenience of open carry.
While it is legal, very few do it.

One of the posters was from AZ.
I have heard several people that have been there talk about how common open carry is there.

I wish it was more common here.

[mrstang01]

And I still say, it's our own fault (read fear factor) that PERMITS scenes like Raz's. If we stand up, and carry openly, let the sheeple quake, and the wolves fear us.

No wonder the anti's can take our rights away, it's because we let them.

[Darrin]

I wish it was more common here. It would be if more people did it where the law allows. Keep hiding and they'll take more of our rights away. If you present yourself right, people won't bat an eye at you. Who knows, the people you see at the bank, gas station, where ever that are carrying concealed, may start carrying open if they see someone else do it.

Lead, follow or get out of the way. How bad do you want it to be more common?

[bpisler]

Dairycreek,I hate to disagree with you but open carry does have a good purpose.I can carry without having to pay for a permit,it shows people that not all gun owners are inbred wive beaters and people can be trusted with firearms.Almost all newspapers show gunowners in a negative light, anything we can do to change that is a good thing.

[Sharpie1]

There are actually several "useful purposes" for carrying openly. When I do so - which is quite rare - here are *my* reasons.

1. It is more comfortable.

2. It is more convenient.

I don't carry any self-defense gun in a holster that is secured by a holster suicide strap (OWB). So when carrying open, my biggest concern is to make certain no one can get access to my gun. This is probably the worst factor of open carry, in my opinion.

During wintertime, I use an OWB holster almost exclusively, since it can be easily hidden under a jacket, so this is not an issue then.

TD

[Brian D.]

Most often,we exercise our Fifth Amendment rights on the subject of the Second Amendment. While open carry is theoretically legal, that whole brandishing/inducing panic/disorderly conduct thing would rear its head in any place bigger than a wide spot in the road. I don't even do it in my own 'burg, where I live AND work. Been there, done that, been hassled by no less than our town's Clancy Wiggum* himself. *= name changed for obvious reasons.

[rappa]

Concealed. No open carry in FL.

[Raz]

So when carrying open, my biggest concern is to make certain no one can get access to my gun.

I have to agree with this wholeheartedly. I have been cautious to the point of near paranoia the infrequent times I wear (or have worn) my gun openly.

I can just imagine going to 7-11 late night in a not-so-hospitable part of town ... and some drunk or jacked up hoodlum in line next to me grabbing my piece like he was picking my pocket. There are a lot of people who are just that daring, don't have fear, or just don't care.

Yes ... it's more convenient and comfortable to carry openly ... but the vigilance factor goes up exponentially.


-Raz

[Skunkabilly]

Only time I would open carry is at a costume party (It would be .45 Colt SAA's) or at the range....

[Stevie-Ray]

Always concealed.

[fourdeuce82d]

Open carry when I worked at a gun store- deterrence- four guys behind the counter armed .

when out and about...concealed w/button shirt over T-shirt.

[Deepdiver]

The only time I carry open is when I am climbing around up in the mountains (hiking, hunting, fishing, etc..).

Even tho I live in an area that is more open minded to open carry, I am not interested in advertizing that I am carrying, or making any kind of statement.

I have a CCW permit for a reason, so when I carry in civilization, I carry concealed.

[Partisan Ranger]

We can carry openly in VA, but I've always carried concealed. We have some weird laws here - you can't carry concealed in a restaurant that serves booze but you CAN carry openly.:scrutiny:

[themic]

i carry openly at the gun range only. and even then, only sometimes.