Do you guys ever "open carry"?

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Whitey

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I've found myself doing it more than ever before. Even though I have a CC Permit, I find that open carry is easier and sometimes more comfortable.
 
I always carried open before Arizona became a CCW state. Now you don't see it that much any more and I miss it.

Nevertheless I still carry open at times.
 
I carry openly now and then. I find a hip holster lets me carry more gun more comfortably. If more people carried openly, I'd carry that way more often.

I believe it would do the nation a world of good to see lots of law-abiding American citizens carrying safely.
 
As long as there is not a sign stating "NO FIREARMS", would you then assume it's okay to carry open in their store? Say Wal-Mart for example?
 
Here in Colorado it's legal to open carry everywhere unless a sign is posted saying otherwise. I went into my bank last week and nobody fainted, screamed, or panicked. Pretty neat to be able to walk around and have the ability to protect myself. :)
 
If I did carry open, I know I would get a major hassle from various people. Why do this if you have a CCW( or CCDWL) where I live. If you don't have a CCW maybe this means something to you but otherwise, I would rather avoid the questions and hassle and not carry open in public.
 
If I did carry open, I know I would get a major hassle from various people. Why do this if you have a CCW( or CCDWL) where I live. If you don't have a CCW maybe this means something to you but otherwise, I would rather avoid the questions and hassle and not carry open in public. Why invite trouble?
 
Where legal, there is the not-insane notion that it's good to help acclimate the blissninnies to the idea that good guys carry guns too.
 
I do in the boonies in states where it's legal like AZ.

Good point about accilmating the "blissninnies" to the concept of normal good-guy civilians carrying guns.

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I do occasionally. But not often. Usually it is just when I am going somewhere where I would normally carry a gun: training, to the range and just happen to stop somewhere on the way. I have openly carried a few times while I was attending Gunsite, such as to dinner on the day we had a night shoot. We carried all day, took a dinner break and returned to the range that evening. Most of the people didn't take off their sidearms so I didn't either. Here where I live, you can get away with it in most places although I have never really done it much. I do know people who do however.
One thing to keep in mind is that there are so many different law enforcement agencies along with security officers around that seeing someone with a gun on their belt isn't all that big of a deal even if you are dressed in street clothes.
I don't do it more just because I don't want to be the object of everyone's attention. I prefer just to be the invisible man. So, even if I can get away with it, I don't really want to do it. I agree with the idea that if more people did it, I would be tempted to join in.
 
After hearing stories of wackos at outdoor range areas (like in the deserts, etc) getting robbed/shot/insert other bad stuff/ maimed, I started carrying my XD on my hip, round in the pipe. I'm not taking chances.


James
 
No. Even if I was not an officer and only ahd a concealed carry permit, it would be concealed. Reason: its a concealed carry permit: that means concealed. Not open carry. You could have the permit yanked here for open carry, and why alert the bad guys that you are carrying?It defeats the whole purpose of being concealed.
 
My pistol serves as a defensive weapon and not an ornament. To display its presence is to sacrifice, at least partially, my advantage. This could make my gun the target of malcontents and could make me a target too.

I don't want to attract attention, I want to blend in. I don't want to be the first gunned down in a convenience store robbery because the BG's came in when I had my back turned and they decided that I was a threat.

No, they won't ever know who I am or even if I am present. They can't identify me. I'm their biggest threat.

But, hey, I've got nothing against you carrying openly. That just gives me more time to get into postion while they're engaging you.
 
Open carry in public is illegal in Texas.
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Actually, the law is a bit more nuanced. Unlawful possession of a weapon is defined at Texas Penal Code § 46.02. "A person commits an offense if he intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly carries on or about his person a handgun, illegal knife, or club."

§ 46.15 then carves out numerous exceptions. Section 46.02 does not apply to a person who is "traveling, or is engaging in lawful hunting, fishing, or other sporting activity on the immediate premises where the activity is conducted, or is en route between the premises and the actor's residence, if the weapon is a type commonly used in the activity."

"Traveling" is not defined in Texas Penal Code, and trying to derive a reliable definition from caselaw is like trying to nail jello to the wall.

In addition, the courts have recognized some common law defenses which arise when the defendant has a legitimate purpose to carry a weapon. http://www.io.com/~velte/moosani.htmthe

If carrying a handgun pursuant to the CHL statute, then yes, you must carry concealed. However, if carrying under § 46.15, then you may carry either open or concealed. The downside to open carry is you can (maybe) beat the rap, you can't beat the ride.
 
I've only open carried in states where I can't legally carry concealed (NV and NM). Nobody's said anything, except one soccer mom-type gave me a dirty look as I was filling up at a gas station outside Las Vegas.
 
Only when we are serving warrants. I always try to conceal my pistol at least a little. Even if it is just a T-Shirt untucked, it is better than nothing. Having gone through gun grab training and seen what happens when guns get taken away, I try to get every advantage I can and one of the biggest is not letting people know that you are carrying.

That is why many LE holsters that are used for overt carry have extra retention devices.
 
I've only open carried in states where I can't legally carry concealed (NV and NM). Nobody's said anything, except one soccer mom-type gave me a dirty look as I was filling up at a gas station outside Las Vegas.
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Clever, was that Las Vegas NV or Las Vegas NM ........?

I know, now I'm being clever :)
 
Incidentally, Minnesota permits don't even distinguish between open and concealed carry.

Concealed carry definitely has strong tactical advantages. The possible advantages to open carry are more political.

Bruce Krafft has made it a bit of a mission to open carry in Minnesota.

He writes, at http://home.comcast.net/~bruce.krafft/ (emphasis mine) ...
...I now have official nanny-state permission to carry a weapon. So I carry. Openly. I have gotten some flack for this, mostly from my fellow RKABA supporters (who all seem anxious that I don't do anything that might "annoy" the antis), but I continue to do so because for too long gun owners have treated their guns as something shameful, something that should be hidden. As a result people have no idea that we are out there.

When I go to the grocery store carrying openly in a shoulder holster people see someone with a gun who is not using it to terrorize or victimize. So the next time some anti is spouting hate against gun owners, at least some people in my neighborhood will say "He didn't look like a camo wearing, bandoleer festooned nut job. He looked like an overweight, middle-aged guy who held the door for me and helped a little old lady get some crackers off of a high shelf."

I also carry openly when I go somewhere to try and get arrested. For more on that, you can read about my day at the mall.
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I do sometimes. I think a lot of people forget that the handgun serves other purposes than just protection against human predators. Woods bumming, plinking, or hunting frequently comes to mind for me. In that situation, comfort is paramount and open carry is the most comfortable.
For my intended purposes, defense against humans is at the bottom of my list as the usage of my handguns. They fulfill that role, but it wasn't the driving force purpose for it's purchase.
 
I wish open carry was legal in Texas. I would definitely go for it.

Comfortable concealed carry can be a pain in the .. well, you know.

ChickenHawk
 
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