I don't understand open carry

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rich636

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I'm trying to look at it from different angles but I can't figure it out. Is the idea that you can carry a bigger gun that is hard to conceal otherwise? Is it that you can draw faster? I know some people will say "because I have the right to" but I'm genuinely looking for the practical reasons.

I have a CCW here in TX and it seems to be an advantage to have it concealed for a few reasons. A criminal doesn't know I'm armed, weapon can't be stripped if they don't know it's there, and the soccer moms don't call the cops when I go into a Chik-Fil-A.

It seems to me that when one open carries they are publicly projecting the potential to use deadly force. This seems like a good idea post hurricane/disaster when looters might roam, otherwise I don't want to project force 24/7 in daily life. I just want to go on about my business and have no one be the wiser unless it's go time.

Edit: Mods I didn't know quite what category this falls in, please move if appropriate, thanks.
 
Some people do it ostensibly to educate others or make a visible stand on the RKBA. Do not know if you consider that "practical", but those are the reasons in some cases.

P.S.
Since I do not want to go off topic, I will simply say that this post should neither stand as an endorsement or condemnation of OC.
 
It's a fair question. I come from a place where open carry if fairly common. I always open carry a long gun in the wooded areas, and sometimes even around town. I find it very odd that Texas and other allegedly pro-gun states have such a paranoia about the sight of iron in public. Here are some of the things I've noticed about open carry:

--It provides an excellent deterrent
--It allows far faster and more reliable access
--It allows a much larger firearm to be utilized
--If enough people do it, others become more comfortable about the notion

For example, at the gun show last weekend in Los Anchorage I unexpectedly found a nice Swiss 1911. This is a long, long LONG rifle. I was on my bike, and while my backpack has a carbine scabbard, that's designed for a short levergun. Consequently I had to take this enormous rifle, sans sock or anything, through town to do the rest of my Saturday chores. Pick up dry cleaning, hit the grocery store, get some espresso, etc. One woman asked me about it, but otherwise nobody gave me much of a second look. Including the cops I rode right by. In a state without an open carry culture, I have NO doubt I would have been arrested. Possibly by the SWAT team. So there's an example of a nice side effect.

In a historical sense, we've done a 180 turn. In many parts of the country, it used to be that open carry was considered fine and normal, but concealed carry was considered something only a criminal would do. That was one of the arguments used to put all the CCW laws on the books, along with the well known race baiting of course.
 
here in Reno

it can get pretty hot, I'm sure TX can too.
I like O/C because you don't have to wear two shirts, I've been a lot warmer then I should be because I have to conceal as my company prohibits carrying weapons.
Also I don't like the sloppy un-tucked shirt look, I spent a lot of money on good belts and holsters.
And, yes, you can probably access your gun quicker in open carry mode rather then concealed...milliseconds can matter
 
cosmoline said:
It's a fair question. I come from a place where open carry if fairly common. I always open carry a long gun in the wooded areas, and sometimes even around town. I find it very odd that Texas and other allegedly pro-gun states have such a paranoia about the sight of iron in public. Here are some of the things I've noticed about open carry:

--It provides an excellent deterrent
--It allows far faster and more reliable access
--It allows a much larger firearm to be utilized
--If enough people do it, others become more comfortable about the notion

For example, at the gun show last weekend in Los Anchorage I unexpectedly found a nice Swiss 1911. This is a long, long LONG rifle. I was on my bike, and while my backpack has a carbine scabbard, that's designed for a short levergun. Consequently I had to take this enormous rifle, sans sock or anything, through town to do the rest of my Saturday chores. Pick up dry cleaning, hit the grocery store, get some espresso, etc. One woman asked me about it, but otherwise nobody gave me much of a second look. Including the cops I rode right by. In a state without an open carry culture, I have NO doubt I would have been arrested. Possibly by the SWAT team.
Click to expand...
I know that Alaska has a hard time finding qualified applicants for LE jobs, but you really need to find a way to export some of those cops down to the lower 48. ;)
 
Thanks for the input guys. I'm in Houston so it's not exactly Texas in the way that you would imagine it. The only time I've seen civilian open carry is when people are walking from their cars to a gun show. It's very chilled out, and everyone is very nonchalant about it.

That being said there is sometimes a shady group at the gun shows. Usually a group of young guys racking the bolts on the AK's and muzzle sweeping everyone. I'm a young guy who likes AK's too but this is different. Frankly, the idea of that "something to prove" type open carrying scares the crap out of me.

Edit: and here in Houston we have a lot of "something to prove" 's
 
I OC as well as CC . I live in a small town and seeing someone armed is not a big deal . When going to the "city" I generally conceal so as to not get the natives restless . I OC because it's more comfortable to me . But I DO CC when I'm going to be around a lot of people .
 
gunsmith said:
if you accidently(SIC) are showing your gun, you wont get arrested for O/C
Click to expand...

This is the number one reason in my mind. Freedom to have an alternative, whether you use it or not.
 
I like concealed carry because I don't want to debate gun control or the popular misconceptions about Sigmund Freud with every left wing pantywad in sight.
 
open carry

:eek::eek: i open carry once in a whie just to feel a little different. for the most part dont notice much effect on the surrounding folks. i carry in wal mart, circuit city etc pretty frequently. one of the big reasons is because it is much more comfortable to not have to wear 2 shirts like i do when carry ccw. as far as the " because i can" there are times when some people ask questions and make certain comments and that is the most appropriate answer for them. the point being any other reason for them just doesnt mean anything. they "feel" you shouldnt even own the gun much less carry and "because i can" puts them in the right place. :D:D
 
As was stated, not too long ago OC was the norm and CC was the odd way to carry. Hence all the nickle plated, stag gripped BBQ guns. OC is not as common as it once was here but you still see folks do it from time to time especailly during hunting season. I would much prefer it if the sheep wouldn't be bothered by it if for no other reason than comfort and flexibility in holster/weapon choices.
 
I've OC'd a lot here in Morgantown, never had a problem. Even went to a friend's party OC'ing, and a local magistrate was there. He asked me what I was carrying and then we discussed carry laws. The only responses I usually get are from people I know, but they always ask "Why carry a gun?", so it's not so much the method. But the openness of it gives me opportunities to share with people I know the benefits of carrying.

The only response I've had from a stranger was a guy who came up to me in Wal-Mart and asked me if I was a police officer. When I said no, he said the reason he asked was because he saw my pistol, thought I was a cop, and thought I could give him directions somewhere. I'm too fat to be a cop though.

Oh, and OC is sooooo much more comfortable. And I don't have to gut my clothing style to conform to carrying. Plus, if you have the right holster and the right gun, it's look darn classy. Also, you don't have to go through training classes and pay a bunch of money to exercise your right to open carry here in WV as you do for Concealed Carry. Plus you don't have to wait until 21, you only have to be 18.
 
In Ohio, OC has been allowed for a long time. You don't see it much in the northern sections, but there's not any laws to stop you from doing it(any more). I don't have my conceal permit yet, so when I'm out in the yard, I'll OC every now and then. The basic purpose of OC is to allow those who do not have a CCW permit to arm themselves. Before the allowance of concealed carry in many states, OC was the only way to go armed. I can't figure out why a Pro-gun state like Texas would prohibit OC when a carry permit is so easily obtained.

In any case, for me, it's a matter of being legally armed without the CC permit. I'd be happy to tell anyone that comments on it that the law protects that right and makes the streets safer, etc... So it's not just about showing off the right. Exercising a right keeps it strong, but doesn't necessarily mean flaunting it.
BTW, when you OC, you use a retention holster (i.e. with thumb break) instead of a break-less conceal holster. This prevents easy removal by others, while with practice, you can draw almost as fast as a conceal holster, if not faster, due to lack of cover garment.
 
Pretty much what Cosmoline said. It may be a deterrent, the draw can be much faster (no cover garment to move and a better positioned non-IWB holster can be used, and belt holsters are easier to carry around than IWB IMO), and you can choose to carry any pistol you want, since size isn't really an issue.
 
Rich, if you spend too much time trying to understand why people do the things they do you'll never have time for anything else. :) "Because I can." is a perfectly good explanation IMO. (even though we can't... yet ;) )
 
My experience is that open carry holsters tend to be more comfortable. Concealed carry holsters tent to strap the gun down to eliminate printing. An you don't have to plan you wardrobe around concealment.

Open carry al;so lets you check out what the other guy is packing. How many of you automatically look to see what iron a uniformed cop is packing? How many of you form an opi nion on the guy's (or gal's) shooting prowess or gun knowledge based on what they are packing?

Plus, open carry is a great way to meet other gun fanciers.

More open carry
 
For me, it's not so much that I try to OC; it's that I can be less concerned about whether I'm concealing properly. If I'm wearing clothes that conceal well, so be it. If I'm wearing clothes that let it show, that's fine too. I don't let the fact I'm carrying govern what I can and can't wear. OC gives me the freedom to pick one or the other.
 
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