For those who can carry open or concealed....

[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]

Open carry?

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]

Concealed.

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.

 

[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.