If you could (and would) open carry, would you...

[Outlaws]

We can open carry here, and as far as I am concerned, its just stupid. Why make a big scene walking into a place just to show off your gun that 99.99999999% of the people who see it will not care about the fancy holster or the custom name maker. In fact I wouldn't even care about it, and I am a gun nut. My first though would be why does is this guy gotta fronting to everyone in the store. My next though would be if he is just a mall ninja, or a wanna be cowboy ...ugh, does it make a difference. My third thought would be, if someone robs this place, at least this guy draws the attention, I will be the last thing on the robbers mind, and I will probably get just enough time to make my shots count while he is getting shot at.

Really, I love guns, but people that open carry at this point in time don't get much respect from me. Right or no right, its just stupid and arrogant. That said, it should by no means be illegal because it serves a purpose at the point in time that the purpose shows itself....like say, immediately during/after a crime has been committed, society has broken down, you go to a gathering of other gun nuts in a "public" place (I don't mean lunch at McDonalds).

 

[Jorg Nysgerrig]

Wow, there's a decided lack of either failing to understand the topic of the thread or just a blatant disregard of the topic to ensure one's feelings regarding OC vs. CC. Try to read the entire original post and not just the topic.

This is not an OC vs. CC thread.

This is not a "if OC were legal where you live, would you still CC?" thread.

If I may rephrase the question to reduce ambiguity, "If you were to open carry, which presumes that it is both legal and you are willing to do it in lieu of concealed carry, would you be more inclined to carry a nicer looking, more expensive, flashier, or in some other way more impressive gun? Would you spring for a nicer looking holster or belt?"

He is not asking if you would open carry. He is asking that if you did open carry, would you wear a fancy gun.

 

[Ed Ames]

Of course I would.

It's like watches, knives, cell phones, clothes, belts, and other personal accessories. Any $10 watch can tell you the time, but I wear what I consider a nice watch because I like to. Any $10 knife can clean your fingernails, but I carry what I consider to be a nice knife because I like to.

For concealed carry I'll take a kel-tec, glock, or some other plastic fantastic... doesn't matter what it looks like because nobody's ever going to see it. For public carry (which can include range use, open carry, hunting, and so on) at least part of the goal is to have some functional jewelry.

Of course... different people have different ideas about "fancy"... for one person it's hand tooled leather and a custom-engraved and gold-leafed pistol, for another it might be a scope-equipped glock in a tacticool leg holster. That should be obvious... some people wear gold and diamonds as jewelry, others like shells and feathers, others black leather with studs.

 

[Outlaws]

Wow, there's a decided lack of either failing to understand the topic of the thread or just a blatant disregard of the topic to ensure one's feelings regarding OC vs. CC.

This is not an OC vs. CC thread.

This is not a "if OC were legal where you live, would you still CC?" thread.

If I may rephrase the question to reduce ambiguity, "If you were to open carry, which presumes that it is both legal and you are willing to do it in lieu of concealed carry, would you be more inclined to carry a nicer looking, more expensive, flashier, or in some other way more impressive gun? Would you spring for a nicer looking holster or belt?"

I edited my post, but it still stands. You question is a mixed bag because it inadvertently asks about open vs cc, but it also inadvertently asks if someone is a show off.
With open carry, it is people who need attention...or as the question is posed, people who need more attention.

As for going out of your way to carry the most fancy guns/holster combo...
I am a capitalist, so don't take this as some kind of class war statement, but when people come across as flaunting their wealth, it tends to come at the expense of respect from those with less.

Then we are back to, is this being carried for protection, or because someone is trying to get attention?

 

[weisse52]

Yes, and then again NO.

I may open carry with a "barbeque gun". Engraved, deep blue custom stock with a nice shark skin holster and belt for private gathering of like minded individuals. But in my everyday life no. For all the reasons everyone can mention, guess, or surmise.

 

[outofbattery]

I own much more attractive,expensive,impressive and powerful handguns than a Glock 19 but that's what I CCW every day...because it works and I shoot it well.

Sorry,but I don't own guns to impress anyone and don't go out of my way to dress to particularly send any message either.Guess I'm just a Carhartts,fleece jacket and Glock kind of guy

 

[redneckrepairs]

I dont OC I do however have a nice K&D holster with beaver trim for my HK p7. While i dont OC i do take my jacket off at friends houses ect.. and enjoy showing off the little p7 a bit since it is rare where i live .

 

[TallPine]

My OCW rig is the same as my CCW rig: 4" blue DA .357 in a leather Bianchi hip holster. My coat/vest is either on or off, or my shirt is either tucked/untucked/not wearing one.

The holster is getting pretty scuffed from everyday use, but that just adds character, right?

 

[eliphalet]

It's legal here, rare to see, only time ya see one they usually look like the fools they probably are, I'd feel like a idiot walking around with a uneeded gun on my hip. I do know a lot of the guys you see are carring out of sight where a gun otta be in public places IMO.

 

[Bruce333]

would you spend more money on a fancy carry gun? Would you step up your belt/holster combination? Would you carry a Les Baer/Ed Brown etc... instead of a basic Springer or Kimber or even Glock?

Nope. None of the above.

People stare at me enough now at 6'2" & 230#...I don't feel the need to draw more attention to myself.

 

[JesseL]

My answer would have to be yes (because I do). It's not all that fancy really, and I didn't get it to show off; but if I'm gonna open carry I don't want to be seen wearing a cheap one-size-fits-all nylon holster.

Somebody chased me down in Wal*Mart just yesterday to compliment my rig, but I don't usually draw that much attention.

 

[WayneConrad]

Good question. I'll try to remember to take a picture later. My open-carry holster is non-retention , cheap, and not half as beat up as it usually is (just replaced it). Ever wear a side-arm doing home repairs? The gun ain't a show piece, either. They're just tools.

 

[Werewolf]

YES!​

 

[sixgunner455]

I can carry openly, have done it, and will probably do it again in the future, but I haven't got a special pretty gun for that purpose, no. And likely will never have such a thing.

 

[VARifleman]

Outlaw, you have almost 2400 posts. You should know by now what's on topic for a thread and what is not. Lets see what the OP said...

If you lived in a place and could (and would) open carry, would you spend more money on a fancy carry gun? Would you step up your belt/holster combination? Would you carry a Les Baer/Ed Brown etc... instead of a basic Springer or Kimber or even Glock?

Feel free to post your Open Carry Pics

This is not asking if you would open carry, it is going on that premesis that you would open carry if it was legal, meaning that if you would not open carry, the question does not apply to you at all. If you want to talk about the merits of CC vs OC then feel free to start a new thread, but don't spam this thread with that off topic, over used arguement.


As for the question at hand, my first pistol was a Baer TRS, and I OC or CC it depending where I am and what I feel like wearing. It has simple pachmyer grips and I OC it with a Uncle Mikes holster with the retention screw down tight. I also OC my Glock 34, well, that was before it started acting funny...anyway. I like nice pistols, but grips and holsters have to be functional, although looks and functionality are not exclusive traits.

 

[Don Lu]

"If" I were going to open carry I would imagine I'd buy a very nice gun or atleast get some unique grips. Im not flashy per se, but I like whatever Im showing to the public to be nice. not over the top, not a cromed out 1911 w/pearl grips, but probably would not tote my GLOCK. maybe Id carry a 3" polished stainless Lady Smith 65 with rosewood grips...

 

[RKBABob]

If you want to talk about the merits of CC vs OC then feel free to start a new thread

An excellent idea... I'm starting a poll in another thread.

 

[Don Lu]

VARifileman.. I see where you are coming from seems like people are not reading or not undrstanding what the OP is asking...thats notthing new though. probably not even worth mentioning....

 

[herohog]

I can and do... sometimes. Normally it's at a counter-protest to the gun grabbers or some such. When I do open carry, it's usually my AutoMag III in 9mm WinMag (stainless-steel long-slide, it stands out like a sore thumb which is kinda what I am going for!) in a Fobus paddle holster if I'm not having to use my wheelchair and in a horizontal shoulder rig if I am in the chair. In Virginia, we aren't allowed to carry concealed restaurants that serve alcohol, so I have to change from concealed to open carry or leave my gun in my car (not happening). In those cases, I just take off my cover garment and let it all hang out.

 

[whatbrick]

I wouldn't buy something fancy, but I would buy a rig that had better retention than the IWB holsters that I have now. I carry a Glock 29, which is short, fat and ugly, so buying a fancy looking rig for it doesn't make any sense. It's when it's shot that its true beauty is discovered.

 

[brighamr]

people that open carry at this point in time don't get much respect from me. Right or no right, its just stupid and arrogant.

That's very high road of you. Thanks.

I mean where I live it's pretty common to run into rattlesnakes, bobcats, occasionally a wolf or black bear. In addition it's about 5 degrees out right now. I'd much rather take off my jacket, sweater, and gloves fumbling to get to a CCW than just grab the pistol on my waist and shoot.

I guess I'm just "stupid and arrogant"

 

[EZ CZ75]

One or two of these would be my choice if $$ was there for it!

 

[macadore]

Would I let my gun become a phallic symbol? Probably not. If I wanted to impress someone, I would wear a firearm with most of the finish worn off. That would indicate I had used it enough to be proficient. However, I would rather surprise someone with my firearm than impress them.

 

[Dave Dembinski]

Nope. I dress casual, I'd carry casual. Would look pretty dumb with a fancy rig and engraved gun next to a pair of faded blue jeans.

 

[Dimensio]

I can and have open carried in Kentucky (where open carry is de facto legal, and only concealed carry requires a permit).

I have open carried under two circumstances:
1) In very hot weather where my carry options are a) wear a tucked-in undershirt over my main shirt (and thus overheat), b) keep my main shirt untucked (and thus have the grip of the gun rub uncomfortably against my bare side) or c) tuck in my main shirt and OC.

2) When I'm making a grocery run on a bicycle. No matter what I wear, the waist strap of my backpack tugs any untucked clothing (T-shirt, sweatshirt) upwards and over my waistline. The gun gets exposed whether I want it displayed or not, so I just pull any untucked shirts behind the grip and stop worrying about it.

I don't have anything fancier than a Galco belt hoster, and before that I was using the plastic XD Gear holster included with my firearm. For me, OC isn't about looking good, it's about being practical given the circumstances.