Is Open Carry Practical

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

I'm with Louisiana Carry. Open Carry is practical when it is, and not when it's not. In the winter, I tend to wear coats and sweatshirts, thus concealing my weapon. In the summer, I will wear polos or buttons downs. Sometime they conceal, sometimes not. I don't mind either way. IMO, looking clean cut and responsible does a lot more to affect your perception than if you have a gun. A guy who looks like a thug or punk with a concealed gun is still going to be suspicious. But a guy with some khakis, a polo shirt and a nice haircut is going to be treated politely even if he OCs. People will probably assume he is an official of some sort. Just look presentable and OC shouldn't be an issue.

 

[JesseL]

For instance, open carry is legal in all of Arizona, but I wouldn't do it in downtown Phoenix.

I would. Why not?

The only places in AZ that I might say I wouldn't OC (other than those that are legally prohibited), are places that I would work hard to avoid visiting in any case.

I'd like to point out to those who live in places where OC is perfectly legal, but the social climate makes them reluctant to do so; there's only one fix for that problem. When people frown on you legally exercising your civil rights, you can either let them have their way and abdicate your rights or you can do your thing and let them get used to it.

I understand if you just want to go about your business and not deal with the hassles of being an activist, but don't complain when your rights slip away.

 

[Bobarino]

My point is that open carry, while legal isn't practical and that it draws far more negative attention than its deterrent value is worth.

the main problem is the mentality that guns are negative, that has evolved in the last 50 or so years. there's nothing wrong with carrying a gun in any manner in which you see fit. there something wrong with the mindset instilled by leftists, media, cowards, and power mongers, IMNSHO.

Bobby

 

[PennsyPlinker]

I have been open carrying more and more here in PA, and despite being in crowded places like restaurants, convenience stores, etc, I have yet to have anyone even notice it! Well, the assistant pastor at our church was ribbing me a little about it when I OC'd into church this morning, but he, as well as the Pastor (who has OC'd with me) are fine with it, as well as the other leaders who were there. But beyond that, people have yet to say anything to me about it. Maybe they are afraid I will shoot them. I certainly don't look like an off duty LEO, unless people think I am undercover, staking out fat, bald, graybearded redneck types.

Wait, I lied. We had an OC dinner at the end of January this year for PAFOA members in NE PA. We had about 18 people at dinner, and I think at least 10 of us were open carrying. The waitress was a little nervous, but since we did not shoot the place up, and we left her a big tip, I think she was okay with it in the end. But patrons did not run screaming from the restaurant, the police did not show up, etc. If they had, they would have met the assistant chief from the neighboring municipality, who was sitting next to me. He posts on this board too, so maybe he will make a contribution as well.

 

[Bezoar]

Well the thingy is, more then just local societary thinking has to be taken into account.
For example one needs to follow all state rules on open carry. Here in michigan if the jacket your wearing, even just TOUCHES the butt, instant felon carying a concealed gun.
And dont forget to follow the local hunting regulations. Not always allowed to have a gun out and about if it doesnt follow the caliber rules for cartridge in handguns. Yeah that does have to be followed. Besides makes good sense, if 25 auto isnt enough for a deer, logic says its not enough for people.

However just act normal, no swearing or leering and youll be alot safer wether or not you gun is OC or CC. Sometimes a marine haircut, GBC, and a field jacket do MORE to make things go badly for you.

 

[WayneConrad]

For instance, open carry is legal in all of Arizona, but I wouldn't do it in downtown Phoenix.

Open carry is both lawful and practical in downtown Phoenix. I speak from actual experience.

 

[frankie_the_yankee]

OC is illegal here in TX. But I have a little spread outside of town and OC regularly when I am on my own property.

I have OC'd when visiting AZ. My experiences have been in the Phoenix area. No problems, but I was not comfortable in some places where there were a lot of people around because I was concerned about a possible snatch attempt. (Some of them did not seem to be very nice people.) But no such attempt occurred.

In my own opinion, I think OC is not a good choice for most people from a pure tactical standpoint. I would rather have the element of surprise on my side. I know some place a great value on the supposed deterrent effect of OC. They may even be right, but I have my own opinion about that.

I think that in many jurisdictions where OC is fully legal it is not accepted by the public at large. And in many such places it is so rare that many LEO's are not aware that it is legal. This leads to unwanted encounters with LEO's for those who OC in such places.

Not every time, or all the time, but some of the time.

I would rather keep a lower profile and avoid such encounters.

So I would say in general I agree with the OP. OC is nice to have (as in it being legal), OK in the back country or in rural areas where people are used to seeing it, but not a good idea in metro areas.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Majic]

I live in Virginia and have no problems nor have had any for many years.

My personal experience is that I've never had a positive response from others when I open carry anywhere but in the backcountry.

But have you had any negative responces? I have had people not give me positive responces nor any negative responces. The just go about their merry way.

My personal experience is that I've NEVER seen anyone react well to it when I did it in town.

Did anyone react negative to it?

 

[george29]

I ruther the bad guy wonder than know, it is to my advantage that they don't know in advance and have prepared a plan in accordance with KNOWING as opposed to assuming I'm not carrying. I've carried concealed for close to 30 years now (even before my Uncle Sam said I could) works for me.

 

[Geacko]

I'm in Nevada, open carry is legal. Can't say it's all that common in the metro areas though.

 

[czbegenner]

Hello louisiana carry, i am also from louisiana,and yes louisiana is open carry,but where i live north louisiana
I would not dare carry open if i was not in uniform.The way people are calling these days for anything if i am in plan / and carry open somebody might get the wrong ideal.

 

[czbegenner]

Dealling with snatch attemps,I feel that there needs to be a better holster for open carry than what ive seen on the market.Mabey ive overlooked it but i havent seen one.But mabey Blackhawlk makes one that dosen't look like a duty holster??

 

[czbegenner]

Ok Sorry for the earlyer statement,found on safariland makes one 0701 concealment hoster.I might
try that one or see if i can find a uncle mikes with some retention

 

[jrfoxx]

In terms of shear practicality it would seem to me that open carry is more practical than concealed.

If you need it, you need it fast. And having to dodge around a cover garment slows draw times. Cops wear a gun openly on their belt because if they need it they need it now and don't have time to fuss with drawing from concealment.

Agreed 100%.I have open carried a bit here (Eugene, OR, 2nd largest city in the state, and ULTRA-liberal to boot) and no one has said a word, or even looked at me funny.I always carry OWB over my right hip.If I happen to be wearing flannel shirt or a jacket that is partially or totally concealing it, then I'm carrying concealed, If the weather, my comfort, or my clothes that day happens to not involve wearing something that happens to cover it, then I OC.That simple.I carry how its most comfortable, and with the fastest access for me, and dress In whatever I feel looks good (or good enough ) and is comfortable for me. I'm not AT ALL worried about someone snatching my gun, as someone who wants a gun bad enough to risk getting shot has LOTS, and LOTS of other places and methods to EASILY get one, with out needing to struggle with an armed person in the middle of a public place, to do it.

 

[Louisiana Carry]

czbegenner- I open carry almost every day in Shreveport. As I said, though, I don't encourage anyone else to. I am sort of a 2A evangelist.

 

[chris in va]

There have been other threads on open carry if you want more reading.

Personally I've been verbally confronted by a woman when I was trying to pay for gas after taking a tactical shooting class. Also had "Dayum that there's a BIG ol' gun" comments and some nervous glances when eating out.

Thing is, most people in this town hunt. Men, women, children...everyone. So it came as a shock to me when I get these comments open carrying. You'd think they would be used to the idea, but hunters are generally different from those that choose to protect themselves with a handgun.

"Whatcha need thayat fower, nuttin ever happins in THIS tayawn. Ya gonna shoot sumbody with it or sumpin?" Etc.

Ironically most of the guys have a folding knife with the clip hanging out the pocket. Along with their Nascar tees and various camo stuff even though it's July.

Believe me, I would OC every day if I wouldn't draw comments. It's so much more comfortable and practical.

 

[Pat-inCO]

I agree with the first post, completely.

Again this is my personal experience, but everybody I KNOW (and that's a very limited group) that practices OC has a chip on his or her shoulder and every single one of them is just daring the world to do something about it.

I've highlighted this one statement because it completely mirrors what I have seen in the OC group. So VERY many of them are running with the attitude of "IT'S MY RIGHT!" and spoiling for a fight.

Unfortunately there are a lot of escapees from California that should go back. In addition there are others that duplicate the California attitude that they have a "right" to not be offended (sorry goof balls, it's not in my copy of the Constitution). If we can lessen the hassle simply be carrying concealed (at least during the colder periods), why not? Perhaps I am just too old but I can not see the purpose in starting a fight with some moron that looks at the world from his navel, when I can easily avoid it.

 

[Richbaker]

I open carry on a regular basis....no problemo! It's all a matter of properly educated populace. In Arizona, people are fairly reasonable and don't freak at the sight of a gun on a persons hip...

 

[Mortech]

OK I know this might tweak a few memebers but this is how I look at open carry , some people focus on how it gives us a bad image because it makes them uncomfortable . Well as a minority I make peole uncomfortable by just being in certain neighborhoods . I can remember when I first moved here people would lock their cars as I walked by . Did I just move away ? NO ! I continued to to do my daily things as I had the RIGHT to do (eventually that all stop when they realized I wasn't some hood from Tacoma looking for fresh victims to rob and rape) . I look at open carry in the same light , if they are uncomfortable because I'm excercising my right then its THEIR problem not mine .

 

[loop]

Guess I wouldn't fit in very well some places.

I open carry and CCW whenever I'm not working. At work I just CCW, but that's because of what I do for a living.

My open carry holsters are custom made and hand tooled. I rarely hear anything about carrying a gun except queries about why a cowboy would carry an auto pistol. People expect a guy in a cowboy hat, boots and jeans to have a hogleg.

I got a comment today "nice holster. Where'd you get it? How much did it cost?"

The county I live in is in NW Arizona and the size of Maryland. We have three cities, one is dominated by California escapees. Even there the most frequent question comes from little kids who ask their mom's if "that's a real cowboy."

Even when I get stopped by police I get very little trouble despite having a .45 under the seat, another .45 acp on my hip and a ".32 gun in my pocket for fun."

I really don't understand the reluctance to open carry. If challenged I would simply say "It's my right."

I've traveled much between Canada and Mexico between the Rockies and the Sierra Nevadas and never actually been challenged regarding open carry.

OTOH, people don't tend to challenge 6-2, 200-pound cowboys who are packing a .45 on one hip and two spare mags on the other...

And, I'm not a cowboy. I'm a wrangler. I train the ponies the cowboys use to chase cows...

 

[BlackBearME]

So VERY many of them are running with the attitude of "IT'S MY RIGHT!" and spoiling for a fight.

Unfortunately there are a lot of escapees from California that should go back. In addition there are others that duplicate the California attitude that they have a "right" to not be offended (sorry goof balls, it's not in my copy of the Constitution). If we can lessen the hassle simply be carrying concealed (at least during the colder periods), why not?

Quite simply, because we shouldn't have to. It is our right. And yes, that is part of the reason I OC. But I would hardly say I'm looking for a fight. Here is the problem right here:

I think that in many jurisdictions where OC is fully legal it is not accepted by the public at large. And in many such places it is so rare that many LEO's are not aware that it is legal. This leads to unwanted encounters with LEO's for those who OC in such places.

Does anyone else have a problem with this? Yes? Me too. So what do you think the solution is? I can tell you what I'm pretty sure the solution isn't. The solution is not to talk about it on gun boards and say "Yes, I have this right, but it's too much of a hassle." The solution is exactly what I said above: desensitization. frankie the yankee hit on exactly the problem, and OC is the only real solution.

Am I carrying to be an activist? Sure, sometimes. Sometimes I'm on my way home from the range, and it's easier to keep a gun on my hip than pack it away. I don't have a real problem here, and I'd like to keep it that way. I feel sorry for the people who do experience hassles while OCing. I honestly believe the only way to beat this problem is to take an active (but non-confrontational) approach: just exercise your rights.

every single one of them is just daring the world to do something about it.

What kind of image of gun ownership does that project to the antis?

I have to say, to me that projects the image that we have rights, and we're willing to fight for them (you know, passively, not by pistol-whipping). I know this is kind of a stretch, but the same thing applies here, I think: Rosa Parks. What was she doing? She was standing up for her rights. How did she do it? She acted in defiance of popular opinion, in essence "daring the world to do something about it." This is how rights are won, and retained: by exercising them, not by hiding them to be convenient.

 

[WayneConrad]

OK I know this might tweak a few memebers but this is how I look at open carry , some people focus on how it gives us a bad image because it makes them uncomfortable . Well as a minority I make peole uncomfortable by just being in certain neighborhoods . I can remember when I first moved here people would lock their cars as I walked by . Did I just move away ? NO ! I continued to to do my daily things as I had the RIGHT to do (eventually that all stop when they realized I wasn't some hood from Tacoma looking for fresh victims to rob and rape) . I look at open carry in the same light , if they are uncomfortable because I'm excercising my right then its THEIR problem not mine .

Well put. And it's no stretch for you to make this analogy.

The right to self defense is no difference than your skin. You are born with both, and you have a right to them both. Nobody has a right to make you cover up either, or make you go somewhere else because either of them "make" someone uncomfortable.

 

[Evocatii]

I tend to subscribe to the same school of thought of OC. I live in the four corners area of Colorado and OC when possible. I have a friend that moved here from San Diego just a few years back and was stunned when I was OCing during a lunch meeting. He leaned over and spoke with a subtle tone... "Thats brandishing." I laughed with the sudden realization that we were brought up on two completely different planets. Its no wonder that you can argue with a east coast lib till you are blue in the face, and they will just look at you like you are stupid. They won't get it unless they've been in your shoes.

I had an experience with a group of friends where we were hiking in proven bear territory and crossed paths with a group of tourists. When they spotted the open carry of firearms, the whispers began to circulate. First to be heard was "is that a gun?" We quietly passed with a friendly wave as their host proceeded to explain that it is a legal practice to openly carry. Its all in the upbringing. The east is vastly different from the west (with some minor exceptions) and it would be nice if the federal government would stick to the constitution letting the states regulate their own people. I don't need a New York Senator telling me I can't carry in Colorado. Thats like me telling them how to heat their homes while I sit in front of my wood burning stove snickering over the thought of me telling them what to do with themselves.

 

[mekender]

it would be nice if the federal government would stick to the constitution letting the states regulate their own people. I don't need a New York Senator telling me I can't carry in Colorado. Thats like me telling them how to heat their homes while I sit in front of my wood burning stove snickering over the thought of me telling them what to do with themselves.

it would be nicer if 5+ judges in DC would tell the states that they cant prohibit OC at all...

 

[Majic]

If we can lessen the hassle simply be carrying concealed (at least during the colder periods), why not?

If you are willing to concede to this then just where are you willing to stop? You keep backing up for someone then eventually you will back into a wall or off a cliff.
Look at it this way, I haven't caused a hassle, they have. Who is the one making all the noise?