Today I open carried for the first time

Cabelas in Kansas has a sign at the door that is a bit vague but indicates open carry is not permitted in the store, only carry by persons "who intend to keep their weapon concealed." We are having other businesses post their property as open carry prohibited, concealed carry allowed.

Concealed carry is ok w/ them. It is on their website.

From Cabelas website under FAQ's:

Carry Concealed Firearm Policy (Retail Stores)
What is your store policy for concealed-carry firearms?
If you have a concealed carry permit and it is valid within the state where the store is located, Cabela's honors your right to carry as long as it is completely concealed.

States with open carry provisions will be allowed as long as the firearm remains in the holster.
Law enforcement officials, state and federal authorized personnel (e.g. FBI officials, armored truck drivers, ATF officials) are permitted to carry weapons openly in the store.

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Yup, generally nobody even seems to notice the few times I OC.

The few people who have noticed obviously haven't cared enough to call the cops.

As much as people argue over it online, in the real world it just isn't that big of a deal. And if someone does freak out, as long as you keep a cool head you'll be just fine. My buddy had the cops called on him once for OCing, in the end it was the anti-gun woman who almost got cited for making a false police report.

I think there are two sides to the idea.

We as a gun community have the responsibility to change people's perceptions about our rights. We should not be ashamed of our rights. We should hold our rights with the same regard that Rosa Parks held hers. We don't have to explain why we exercise our rights.

However, the other side of the coin, is that we shouldn't be stupid about it either. I can legally open-carry anywhere I can carry concealed. In Utah this includes my kids' school. DOESN'T MAKE IT A GOOD IDEA. I won't win any friends or make a positive difference by wearing a gun to school. I can walk down 400 South in Salt Lake, past all the coffee shops. Not a great idea. There are a lot of people who are completely oblivious to our gun laws. While we have pretty much rolled everything we wanted to through the legislation (constitutional carry is next,) there were a lot of people who just had no reason to care or show up and complain. I don't want to give them a reason if they didn't already have one.

My general guideline is that if I am gearing up to do outdoor activities, hunting or riding the ATV, I put on whatever holster and gun I am taking. If I stop for gas or whatever, I don't bother to change. Of course, I am already on the outskirts of the terra-formed zone already, no one really cares. One time, on the opening morning of the deer hunt in Monticello, in the SE corner of Utah, I went into a convenience store with it on my belt, and one guy said; "I hope he has a permit for that." I am guessing he was from out of town, and I didn't even look at him. that is the only comment I have ever had.

Though OC is legal here in WV, I've never seen anybody doing it. I've been debating whether or not to give it a try. But I live in the Eastern Panhandle - too many MD and VA transplants here who might not "get it."

I OC'd once when Starbucks was being boycotted over their policy.

For me, I don't OC because I don't like to draw attention to myself. I should say, that I don't think I should want to draw attention to myself. I'm by no means a wall flower. For me, I can see how I may want to OC for the attention, so I don't on purpose.

I also have an issue with causing a stir or eliciting a negative response from people. I don't think everyone that is upset by the sight of a gun in public calls the cops. We may be doing damage for our PR that we don't realize.

Now, many will say that we need to OC to retain our right. That's BS. OC has been legal in MN for a very long time. No one really realizes it though. This law is not in danger in the slightest and OC'ing is just going to draw negative attention to it.

Someday I may OC a pretty gun. My SS GP100 with a nice holster might be an option, but I really see no benefit over CC my Glock 26.

I kinda wish SC had open carry but only as a failsafe. I am absolutely paranoid about my jacket or shirt getting caught in the wind or just shifting so that my gun (carried IWB) is visible either briefly or until I adjust.

In open carry states that's generally not a problem as if the weapon becomes visible then you're basically open carrying (even if for a few seconds) until it becomes concealed again. Here if someone catches a brief glimpse of the weapon then you're breaking the law (granted, most cops around here seem fairly gun friendly, but still).

This concern is still why my LCP has always remained my go-to carry gun, usually pocket carried.

As I advocate OC, I carry every day that way. I have had police stop me, but that was because they were unsure of the law! Most citizens who stop me ask if it's leagle. When I tell them it is leagle most give a thumbs-up &say they will do the same. Some ask about registration &I let them know they don't have to here. I have only had one negative response &after talking with them they changed their mind. Some see OC as negative but I see it as an chance to let people see that open carry is leagle &NO ONE IS being hurt by it. JMO.

mgmorden said:

I kinda wish SC had open carry but only as a failsafe. I am absolutely paranoid about my jacket or shirt getting caught in the wind or just shifting so that my gun (carried IWB) is visible either briefly or until I adjust.

In open carry states that's generally not a problem as if the weapon becomes visible then you're basically open carrying (even if for a few seconds) until it becomes concealed again. Here if someone catches a brief glimpse of the weapon then you're breaking the law (granted, most cops around here seem fairly gun friendly, but still).

This concern is still why my LCP has always remained my go-to carry gun, usually pocket carried.

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I am also in SC and was wondering if the scenario that you put forth about someone getting a glimpse of your gun would constitute a violation of SC gun laws. Have any of you other guys in SC had this happen or heard of this situation with others? If so, what was the outcome?

The only place where OC is common where I circulate (VA) is in gun stores, and then only with the employees. Seems they pretty much all OC pretty much all the time, which makes sense given the nature of their employer's business and their role in it.

I've done it a few times with barely a second glance from anyone. I even OC'd a 5-1/2" Redhawk on my hip once (remember Starbucks appreciation day?). The only person who indicated in any way that she noticed was the cashier, who smiled and said she'd seen a lot of people carrying guns that day and that she thought it was awesome.

I partly wonder if the reason you don't see it a lot is because you're not looking for it. I'm not looking at the hips of most guys I walk by, for example. I've seen it once or twice where I live, but not very often.

Personally, I'm in the boat behind the OP, in that I've wrestled with the idea, but haven't OC'd yet, although for different reasons. I've come to the realization that OWB is significantly more comfortable than IWB, and when I stop wearing a jacket, I'll be OCing.

For about the last 4 years, the only time I CC is when I'm wearing a coat. I look at it as a educational experience for the general public. They see an average guy OCing, and doing the same average stuff they do. I think it's a positive thing for the gun community for them to see it. I've never had a negative experience with it, and several very positive ones.

I open carry all the time. I have open carried in places like downtown Seattle, SEA-TAC International Airport, and on school property when picking up or dropping off my daughter. On most days I have no encounters at all relating to my gun. When I do have encounters, 95% are positive. Of the 5% that are negative, all but one of those have been from concealed carry only snobs who just can't resist the urge to tell me they carry their gun concealed and I should too.

I open carry because if the criminal sees my gun and decides that it is just easier to wait 5 minutes for me to leave, or go down the street one block and choose one of the remaining 99.5% of the population without the visible means to kill them to attack, then I have spared myself and my family the trauma of a criminal attack, self defense shooting and possible court case. Of course, I will never know if my goal has been accomplished because I doubt any criminal will come up to me and tell me they are passing on me as a victim.

Of course, I will never know if my goal has been accomplished because I doubt any criminal will come up to me and tell me they are passing on me as a victim.

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Really? Why is that?

/sarcasm

I had permission from my Dad, carried open S&W Model 18 4" bbl on
the family farm 320 acres in central wash. state. in my teens in the
'60s - cottontail rabbits and rattlesnakes mostly

Always took it off & put it in the glovebox when
driving to town

R-

I don't care for open carry as I don't want to call attention to myself nor do I want to arouse more ill feelings from those who don't want any type of carry.

NC is an open carry state but in its largest city, Charlotte, it wouldn't be a good practice in the downtown area because of other security concerns. I have seen it in the suburbs in a casual restaurant and people showed little concern. Any holstered gun in view on a casually dressed citizen isn't a precursor to a robbery, whereas a poorly dressed person with a gun in his belt might draw some serious attention.

Judging from the attendance at my CC class and the continued high attendance at subsequent classes I'd say there are a lot of folks in Charlotte carrying concealed, many of them females living in transitional areas between high crime and normal neighborhoods. Open carry in some areas of the city might be an invitation for others to try and take it away.

I occasionally open carry. I try to dress a little nicer than wearing a t shirt when I do, because frankly, I don't look like your average law abiding guy. I've never had any negative comments, but I do get stared down a little. That's mostly why I don't very often. I can't stand people stating at me, and having to bite my tongue, and not tell them to "take a picture".

I really only see the "open carry groups" OC around here, and I've never seen it inside Detroit limits.

BYJO4 said:

nor do I want to arouse more ill feelings from those who don't want any type of carry.

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Can I ask how can we expect anybody to change their opinion about people carrying guns if the people carrying the guns feel the need to hide them? How can we expect them to have ANY chance of changing their opinion if the only image they see of guns is what the anti-gun groups and media show them? They never get to see the image of the average, law abiding Joe Citizen carrying a gun in normal everyday life for self protection.

The anti-gun groups are not afraid to stand up and scream from the soapbox about the evils of guns to anyone within earshot...and our response is to hide our guns and quietly comply?

I know we have gotten into this before. I don't disagree with you, but I don't think this is always the best approach for RCABA PR.

We always go back to Rosa Parks. Her stand didn't change the public perception, it helped bring about change in the laws. Mainly by showing how foolish they were.

The laws are on our sides, for the most part. The battle now is for the public perception. Every person is different. Some may be influenced by seeing a person OC'ing who is courteous and respectful. But I see the most change when the raw numbers are revealed. This is the same thing that happened when the public perception of race started to change. People started to see their fellow man as a fellow man. Duh!! When people see that crime rates drop when citizens are allowed to carry guns... Duh!!

Coolluke, only antis and pros are paying attention. The fencers aren't paying attention to stats, and if the only guns they see are on cops, in movies, or in the news report following a shooting...

That's hardly true at all. The fencers, as you refer to them, are the only ones that you have any real chance of turning. And they are the ones that can be convinced with logic. They hear the drones go on and on all the time about how blood will run in the street if everyone carries, but when given the facts they have to look at this through the light of reality and truth.

Education, true education, will persuade the public opinion. Being a good example of what a responsible gun owner looks like is very good too. So, keep it up!