open carry in a suit

When I do carry open (which is not that often) it's usually assumed that I'm someone 'in authority'. I'd much rather CCW and not have to worry about the looks.

Open carry with a suit ... wouldn't that actually be concealed carry?

If you have an OWB holster and wear a jacket over it I'd think that would count as concealed.

Appearance is everything. Since I was a kid I've always been able to get decent jobs for my age, due in large part to showing up to interviews on time, well dressed, and well groomed. And like it or not, anyone in the military can tell you that a pressed uniform and shined boots can go a long way in impressing upper brass.

In reality the sport coat and a hawiian shirt are the same thing as far as concealment. The difference is if you expose while wearing the shirt, someone's going to report you to the guy wearing the sport coat.

When I carry openly, I like to make sure I look sharp, feel sharp, and am sharp. I hardly ever wear suits any more, but do dress up a bit—unless I'm working on the yard, to be sure.

When I open carried in Arizona I wore a polo shirt and slack or jeans. 1911 in a Milt Sparks OWB holster.

The majority noticed, but the reaction for the most part was pretty mild. I did have a few comments though, one made a comment that I must be out looking for zombies (seriously at a Wendy's) other a kid was surprised to see me open carry and asked if I was a cop. Nope. Security? Nope. I told him I was just a regular citizen.

Other was when I open carried into a Dairy Queen (holy crap theres a lot of DQ's in Phoenix, I overheard someone mentioned owning a shotgun. Just loud enough for me to "hear them"

As for me being of someone of authority. Highly unlikely, since I still look relatively young. Oh well...

But regardless. My experience carrying openly was overall positive. No hassle from anyone and it didn't really scare the sheeple.

But hell, its ARIZONA!

I have openly carried in Minnesota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. No problems except that an employee of a tourist trap in SD got a little excited and tried grilling me about being a LEO. I told her I was not a LEO, and didn't engage in further discussion with her. She finally gave up.

On this particular trip, I was stopping in at tourists traps, and noticed license plates on tourists cars from places like Illinois, Maryland, and New Jersey. I initially expected these people to get all panicky. However, there was zero reaction from them. It was if they simply didn't notice or care.

In my opinion the belief that the sheep will panic at the sight of someone carrying openly in a deliberate fashion, is simply a "myth" created by gunowners themselves.

I'm a jeans and pullover shirt kinda guy and when I open carry I still dress the same. A lot of it depends on where you are. Around me people pay it no mind unless it's to ask what you are carrying just to admire your handgun or ask a question about it.

A little off topic, but I have always thought it was funny how everyone agrees we should honor and uphold our rights because as the saying goes, if you don't use them you could lose them. Then you have some who then turn around and tell those of us with the open carry rights why we shouldn't be carrying openly. We are just exercising our right so we don't take the chance of losing it.

I've always thought that a shoulder rig under my suit would be slick. You can hide some significant hardware under there I reckon.

On this particular trip, I was stopping in at tourists traps, and noticed license plates on tourists cars from places like Illinois, Maryland, and New Jersey. I initially expected these people to get all panicky. However, there was zero reaction from them. It was if they simply didn't notice or care.

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I sometimes think I could be walking down the street, naked, holding a Barrett M82A1, and the only notice anyone would take of me would be to wonder if I was one of those 'gay' people.

The only reaction I've heard negative about open carrying was one Canadian that was near hysterical. We met up in Vegas, for a conference. The Canadian guy and gals DROVE from Canada to Vegas. Apparently they saw someone open carrying at a gas station, and the ladies kinda freaked out. The Canadian guy thought it was kinda nifty, considering it'd warrant a SWAT team in Canada.

Canadian - "He had a GUN"
Me - "Uh, what was he doing?"
Canadian - "Filling his car."
Me - "So... he wasn't waving his gun around, doing anything crazy?"
Canadian - "HE HAD A GUN! ON HIS BELT!"
Me - "Uh, ok.. Go get me another beer, dang Canadians!"

If it annoys Canadians, it has to be a good idea.

jobu07

I carry a Glock 19 in a Galco Jackass rig, with two 19 round mags on the off side. Much bigger and it would print on the barrel end.

I think the key would be to have the suit tailored with the holster/gun on. I know a U.S. Marshall who has four suits made every two years, and has them tailored with equipment in place for a better fit. Of course, the tailor is giving him the suits for the costs of the materials, as my buddy saved this guy and his family from some bad guys onec upon a time.

I think people just assume that since they're in suits, they must be LEO. Buddy of mine kept getting badgered by some guy at the airport asking if he was FBI or something like that because of the way he dresses and looks.

I want to know where they were carrying that you could see their pistols witha suit jacket on? when I wear a suit or sports coat, I would nearly need to wear my sidearm on my zipper before it would be noticable. Unless the had their hands in their pockets or something.

Also I have noticed a difference when I'm wearing work clothes (dress shirt and slacks) and regular "slumming" wear. Often people are more obviously giving me a wide berth when I have jeans and a tee.

mr-dove

If they did not have a jacket on, they were not attired in a suit.

Open carry while dressing nicely negates many of the problems that open carry while dressing down causes. People automatically assume you are some type of LEO.

Just as you thought "these guys might be LEP" other people think the same. Even more so for people who do not own/carry firearms. Take it as a lesson in the way society works.

What I would like to know is who is finding all this trouble while open carrying and where? We don't alter our dress style and I see no reason why we should. Either you are accepted by your surrounding masses or not, but if you aren't breaking any laws why should you care what someone else thinks? Exactly what can be done to you?
I'm comfortable in jeans and pull over shirts. I'm not about to dress in slacks and button down shirts to open carry just to appease someone that I may or may not run into. Sorry, that just aint gonna happen and they will just have to live with it if they see me out and about minding my business.

You'd be surprised how far you can get, how many favors you can get, etc. by simply dressing nicely and being very well spoken. For example, I made an "appointment" to get some license stuff done at the BMV. Now that was amazing! I only had to be in there for about 10 minutes to get my business done. The same goes with carrying, people are less likely to freak in my experience when I'm dressed nicely.