Open Carry Experience

[Yosemite Sam]

wyocarp would you draw both guns at once (one in each hand) or would you draw one then use the other as a backup?

 

[TRGRHPY]

wyocarp would you draw both guns at once (one in each hand) or would you draw one then use the other as a backup?

Yeah, good question, inquiring minds want to know. Two-handed or one back-up? And how many mags do you carry?

 

[Rockwell1]

The guy didn't ask if you were CC'ing a corncob

With all due respect, that's not an appropriate way to address a lady.

I don't need you to defend me and would appreciate your editing that remark out

 

[wyocarp]

I would go to work with one and use the other for a back-up gun for when I needed to retreat . I carry a spare mag or two sometimes, but not always.

 

[Kind of Blued]

Although if two guys working as a team surround you and come in at 3:00 and 9:00, there's much more of a deterrent effect if you can point a gun at each of them.

 

[kirklandkie]

wyo, as an (ex-)member of the University of Wyoming and having spent some time in the laramie area i salute you! I've seen first hand that Wyoming is one of the only places on earth you can wear your leather cowboy boots and hat and nobody will give a second glance.
i just wish i had added duel opened carry to that outfit...did i mention i had a duster?
yea...i'm outta place in Connecticut

-kirk

 

[D-Day]

I voted other; good question. I wasn't there, so I couldn't say.

As for the dual Glocks, what's wrong with a New York reload? Occasionally I carry dual 1911's myself...though never openly*.

* That could be considered a lie. The only time I only open carried two 1911's was at an open carry walk in Willowick, I believe it was, with others. I don't get why people think carrying two of the same thing is such an outlandish concept.

 

[runrabbitrun]

From their actions it sounds like
a couple of meth heads where about to try to rob the joint.

Reminds me of a time when a crack dealer was operating
out of an apartment building I just moved into back in the 80's.
The traffic to the apartment made it obvious and the characters coming and going were pretty scary.
I decided to 'semi open carry' every evening
when I came home from my job.
(To make them 'think' that maybe be an undercover cop just moved into the building)...
I even went as far as having handcuffs slightly
hanging out of the back of my jeans a little bit.
Both were meant to try and 'appear' that
I didn't know anyone could see them.

The dealer and his buds obviously saw them
and with-out a word exchanged, or me reporting to LE, they moved out in less than a week.

 

[earlthegoat2]

I almost guarantee these people were not too high on societys list of givers and probably thought the only dude brazen enough to dual pack openly must be a cop and it was high time to be somewhere else so they wouldnt get their 4th drunk driving.

 

[7mmstalker]

"An armed society is a polite society"
Yes, over-used and cliche, but, seems that the two characters had to choose politeness (leaving), over whatever activity they were contemplating before WyoCarp showed up. Maybe the guy was uneasy with all of that firepower, sorta begs the question, why? Convenience stores are frequent targets of opportunistic criminals. If I were in the store and observed all of this, the clean-cut guy with the two sidearms would be a re-assurance, that the greasy duo might choose a different place to loiter or shoplift or rob or meet their dealer, or whatever it is that people do in a c-store when not shopping.
Finished ranting now.

 

[Rockwell1]

Given, people right here in our forum are freaking out over wyo carrying a brace of Glocks (go wyo go). What reaction do you think Joe sixpack is going to have?

My guess is the saw the hardware, got nerous and left.

 

[Tom S.]

I checked "other".

While I can't speak for the other guy, I can for myself. If I see a guy with one gun on his belt, I have no problem. If I saw a guy with two, I'd think "this guy must think he's some kind of gunslinger from the old west" and I'd get the hell out of there. Sorry, but it's like sticking a sign on your fore head that says "Go ahead, make my day" and to me, that's not what gun ownership is about.

 

[Readyrod]

I think you stopped a robbery. Someone who was going to rob a store wouldn't open carry. I don't know about cops but I imagine that a plainclothes cop wouldn't want to advertise what he is by showing off his guns. Standing around acting suspicious and leaving at the sight of a well armed person sort of says it all. Though you may have just scared the s*** out of them. What did the clerk say?

 

[Straight Shooter]

I chose other. I think you just scared the crap out of him. OC is jarring to many people. OCing 2 pistols just that much more.

If it was me, I don't think I would have left in this scenario as you described it without completing my business but I would not have wasted too much time completing my business. Using the color code as an example, I would have gone from yellow to orange.

 

[Flea]

Personally, I would have probably struck up a conversation with you. Double carry rig in my favorite caliber? Yes, please. Perhaps the guy was rushing out and due to the utter awesomeness of the setup so he could buy one of his own!

In all seriousness, we'll never know what might have happened because it didn't happen. Although, you can't really argue too much with your thoughts concerning a BUG in an identical setup and in a convenient place.

 

[Mainsail]

If I saw a guy with two, I'd think "this guy must think he's some kind of gunslinger from the old west" and I'd get the hell out of there. Sorry, but it's like sticking a sign on your fore head that says "Go ahead, make my day" and to me, that's not what gun ownership is about.

So what is gun ownership all about? It sounds like, from what you’ve written, that you consider yourself to be the standard bearer of firearms ownership and anyone who wavers from your model is somehow defective. Someone who carries in a way that you do not frightens you enough that you would “get the hell out of there”? That’s bizarre logic, if one could call it that.

Using the color code as an example, I would have gone from yellow to orange.

Wouldn’t that mean that you are continually in orange? After all, if the mere recognition of firearms that you can see raises your level, what about the dozens you cannot see? A concealed firearm has a significantly higher probability of being carried illegally than one (or two) carried openly. Thus, you would either have to admit you are constantly in ‘orange’ or you employ the logic of “what I cannot see cannot hurt me”. As above, that’s bizarre logic, if one could call it that.

 

[wyocarp]

What did the clerk say?

The clerk didn't say anything. She did laugh when I said I was out of money and handed her a $100 for a couple drinks. But, I have stopped in there numerous times and the gals might kind of remember me and that I think I have always open carried two guns when I've stopped there. I stop there because there is a hugh variance in fuel prices from one side of the town to the other and the price there is always competitive.

My wife has commented on watching people watch me while carrying. I figure it this way, people don't even pay attention with only one gun. And at least one of the reasons for open carrying, is to present a better picture of gun owners to people than what they get in the news. A picture that doesn't include shooting people, violence, crime, and thugs.

 

[MountainBear]

WyoCarp. you have every right under the constitution to do just as you did. Far be it from me to argue with your exercising your rights to carry. I'm glad you're in an area where open carry is accepted. More power to you, wish I could open carry like that.

But something about a gun on either side of the hips just strikes me as out of place. If a cowboy rode into town with a six-gun on his hip, no one thought twice, as a lot of people carried a gun for many different reasons. But if someone showed up with a dual gun rig, it made townspeople a little more suspect to their intentions.

You are within your right to carry your guns, but you will garner more attention than if you had a single glock 20 on your hip and a glock 29 less obtusely on your person. I do think that by shear luck you may have stopped some foul play, but I think it almost as likely someone will call the cops about someone with "a cache of weapons" on his belt.

No judgment or offense intended, Just my two cents.

 

[Straight Shooter]

Wouldn’t that mean that you are continually in orange? After all, if the mere recognition of firearms that you can see raises your level, what about the dozens you cannot see? A concealed firearm has a significantly higher probability of being carried illegally than one (or two) carried openly. Thus, you would either have to admit you are constantly in ‘orange’ or you employ the logic of “what I cannot see cannot hurt me”. As above, that’s bizarre logic, if one could call it that.

No, not at all. Its not the mere recognition of a firearm the would raise my level. It would be something out of the ordinary. Something that would focus my attention.

White
Unaware - lala land

Yellow
Alert and aware of my surroundings - This is where knowing that there are people around me that CC would go. You can't focus on something you don't know exists. That's one of the points of CC - to not draw attention to yourself.

Orange
Alert with a focal point. Someone or a group of people just got my attention. For example: A guy wearing a heavy coat on a hot day, 2 or more people walking into a store and splitting up, a group of guys outside of a convenience store being loud/boisterous, a guy OCing 2 Glocks (IMO this is out of the ordinary)

Red
Ready to fight

I'm not saying that wyocarp or any of the others in my examples are doing anything wrong its just out of the ordinary and would focus my attention.

Also wyocarp wrote:

It was just wierd. They did nothing there. They walked inside and walked to the two corners, and when confronted, they left.

When confronted?

 

[KBintheSLC]

I had my usual attire on, which includes two 10mm Glocks on my waist.

Wow... I thought I was "bad" with just my one G20.

I can't say I see the point. If I carry 2 guns, its usually a primary, and a pocket pistol as a backup. 2 big Glocks OWB as a civilian in a small town just seems like you are trying a little too hard.

It is your right to do what you do, but my back hurts just thinking about it.


.....

 

[HK G3]

I, for one, never go outside unless I have at least 5 different handguns on my person.

2 .45s Crossdraw Miami style, 2 S&W .500s on the hips, and 1 SOB .357 Magnum

 

[Kurt S.]

Wyocarp-

Did you happen to notice what state the license plate was from? I'm thinking that if the individuals were from someplace (CA, IL, NYC) where armed regular citizens were uncommon, let alone open carry, you were the focus of some severe hoplophobia. Or even better, think of Canada, maybe? Or tourists from the UK?

Heck, if we ever get OC here in Texas it's going to take me some getting used to seeing even one gun OC'd, and I'm on my 3rd renewal for CHL plus I usually have a couple of long guns in the vehicle.

Maybe you should have had another choice, "Their brains seized up from inability to process and spinal cords took over"

 

[CoRoMo]

Post #21 makes so much sense that I'm going to seriously consider trying to carry another 9mm rather than a .22mag as my backup.

 

[Mp7]

i strongly advise to do a rerun of this occurrence with
a H&K UMP.45 in a shoulder rig.

The effect should be the same.

(scared the **** out of him)

 

[Rockwell1]

But something about a gun on either side of the hips just strikes me as out of place. If a cowboy rode into town with a six-gun on his hip, no one thought twice, as a lot of people carried a gun for many different reasons. But if someone showed up with a dual gun rig, it made townspeople a little more suspect to their intentions.

In the days of cap and ball revolvers Thomas Coleman "Cole" Younger was known consistently to carry as many as nine pistols. James Butler Hickcock normally carried two. The “fancy two gun rig” as the mark of a “badman” is a Hollywood invention.