Open Carry Gun Grab

[Derek Zeanah]

I'm open carrying now. I open carry just about every day.

But that's at home, on a few acres big enough for a pistol range. If I run out to the store (which I might do every two weeks) I may cover it up, depending on where I'm going. I think it's a small town thing, honestly, for those of us who really don't like or trust people. But I don't go anywhere particularly busy, and I choose the parking spot and the gas pump that's away from everyone else, and I'm a big guy who instead of having "resting bitch face" has "resting angry mean man face" so I'm not a particularly inviting target anyway. Or at least, to date I haven't been.

However for most of my days I choose Open Carry. Most of my holsters are a quarter or half century old and so have some form of retention but many newer ones are simply boned open top. They are generally high quality and designed specifically for an intended frame type.

I'm really just replying because I'm really impressed you carry a Webley occasionally. That just makes me happy.

 

[jar]

I'm open carrying now. I open carry just about every day.

But that's at home, on a few acres big enough for a pistol range. If I run out to the store (which I might do every two weeks) I may cover it up, depending on where I'm going. I think it's a small town thing, honestly, for those of us who really don't like or trust people. But I don't go anywhere particularly busy, and I choose the parking spot and the gas pump that's away from everyone else, and I'm a big guy who instead of having "resting bitch face" has "resting angry mean man face" so I'm not a particularly inviting target anyway. Or at least, to date I haven't been.


I'm really just replying because I'm really impressed you carry a Webley occasionally. That just makes me happy.

And sometimes a Savage 1907 and sometimes a Bernardelli model 60 and sometimes a Sauer 38h and ...

 

[orionengnr]

Full OC...nope, not my thing.
I will do a shoulder holster in the winter with a cover garment which may be somewhat open for easy access....
But since "winter" here is 3-4 months at best, the rest of the year is pocket carry.
Smart Carry once in a while, but not as frequently as I did 10 years ago.

 

[The Night Rider]

I went hiking in Garden of the Gods the other day. I ran into a lady that was Open Carrying some kind of cop revolver and I asked her if anybody ever gave her a ration for open carrying in the park.

She said I'd been the first person that ever even commented. She also said that she was normally with her kids or her dogs and thought that might be part of the reason that people didn't ask. She also said that she didn't think most people noticed.

I've said this before, a bunch of times but in my life open carry has caused far more problems than it solved.

I beat my (employer's) gun up getting in the car I beat my (employer's) gun up getting out of the car. I had a brick radio with no microphone cord but I did frequently get my (employer's) gun caught on the seatbelt. I even slipped and fell on the ice on top of it a couple of times, although that would have happened if I'd been concealed caring too.

The nice thing about working security at night is I drove around town all night checking empty office Buildings. If I had to use the bathroom I was the only person in the building anyway. I made a point of pooping in the mayor's private bathroom once or twice.

Bottom line, open carrying always draws unnecessary and unwanted attention for me. Somebody's always got a comment. Someone's always got something smart ass to say and if you do it long enough somebody will try to take your gun off you.

I don't care what you do but it's just not worth the hassle to me

 

[Rodfac]

We live on a small KY farm, 7 miles from town...I open carry daily but cover up when going out in the car. I'm an OWB guy exclusively and find it no big chore to conceal...it's just the matter of a shirt tail or jacket etc. I have no stickers on my vehicles, do not advertise my interest in guns, and much prefer to keep my armed status secret. YMMV, Rod (77 yrs old and have carried since the 70's...following two combat tours in SE Asia.)

 

[sgt127]

Bottom line, open carrying always draws unnecessary and unwanted attention for me.

I carried a cocked and locked 1911 for most of my career. Every once in a while, I’d get someone helpful…

“Hey Sergeant? Ya know that things cocked?”

(Look down with shocked expression)

“Holy crap! It is? Damn!! Will you help me get it down? Last time I tried, that sunovabitch went off on me!”

“Uh…no, no! I just wanted to let you know! Have a good day!”

God…That job used to be so much fun.

 

[rdnktrkr]

We have OC here in GA, when it was voted on I was 100% against allowing a non-background checked person to carry, THEN while practicing one afternoon some friends came over, a SRO (and a great one), a deputy that later ran for sheriff, a guard at the jail, and a retired federal corrections officer. while talking with them they commented that they train bi-weekly or monthly to find 1/10th a second in draw time, if I continue to conceal, I could gain seconds since an open carry person would be the first target. I voted for open carry, and it passed, I don't OC and still wonder when I see someone that is I wonder if they could pass a background check and if they have any training with a sidearm. The only time I OC is hunting or around my properties.

 

[Coyote3855]

If I’m sitting in a restaurant, I notice Studley Hungwell sauntering in with his Glock 19 in an Uncle Mikes nylon holster. Generally cocking his hip out to make sure everybody gets a look at the gat he’s carrying.

If a take over robbery goes down, I have a plan.

I’m going to squeal like a little girl and shout: “Oh my God!! Do something, you have a GUN!!” While pointing at him.

I figure that will buy me plenty of time to get a good sight picture and, solve the problem.

So Studley gets killed to buy you time to be the hero? I'm not on board with your plan.

 

[usaral63]

Surely you didn't flush that mayors commode NIght Rider !!

 

[Styx]

We have OC here in GA, when it was voted on I was 100% against allowing a non-background checked person to carry, THEN while practicing one afternoon some friends came over, a SRO (and a great one), a deputy that later ran for sheriff, a guard at the jail, and a retired federal corrections officer. while talking with them they commented that they train bi-weekly or monthly to find 1/10th a second in draw time, if I continue to conceal, I could gain seconds since an open carry person would be the first target. I voted for open carry, and it passed, I don't OC and still wonder when I see someone that is I wonder if they could pass a background check and if they have any training with a sidearm. The only time I OC is hunting or around my properties.

I've seen a guy that looked to be in his 20s OC a Glock in his sweatpants pocket, no holster, with the grip poking out two weeks ago while waiting in line at a busy store. I tried to sneak a picture, but he moved from in front of me.

IMHO, 98% of those who OC in stores and public settings do so for attention and they want others to see that they're armed.

 

[The Night Rider]

Surely you didn't flush that mayors commode NIght Rider !!

Sure I did. It was Steve Bachman, the Mayor who permitted City Employees with a valid permit to carry concealed on the clock. I voted for him twice.

Besides being a security guard is like being a janitor. Sooner or later something disappears off a desk or something is found out of place (or unflushed) and the last janitor or security guard in the room is automatically fired.

Good service worker's have one trait in common, they're very good at passing unnoticed.

 

[The Night Rider]

An open carry person would be the first target.

You'd be surprised. I was at work one night when five cop cars pulled into the lot and the cops surrounded me. They were looking for a suspected MWAG. Someone had seen a man in the woods across the street possibly armed with a rifle (turned out to be a shotgun).

They asked me if I'd seen anything and cautioned me to be careful while finishing my rounds, then the senior cop (who was less than two feet from me for several minutes) asked me if I was Armed. I watched the cop on my right look at my hip.

Remember these were cops looking for an armed man and that was the first time they'd bothered to look.

I voted for open carry, and it passed,

Good on ya.

I don't OC and still wonder when I see someone that is I wonder if they could pass a background check and if they have any training with a sidearm.

The vast majority of people with a Concealed Handgun Permit (not to mention that the majority of states no longer require any permit) took an 8 hour "Donuts and Coffee" class and didn't have a shooting qualification requirement to get a Permit. What's the difference?

 

[sgt127]

Someone had seen a man in the woods across the street possibly armed with a rifle (turned out to be a shotgun).

Barely…but in their defense they were looking for a rifle…I suppose.

Before any kind of carry was legal in Texas, except LE. I carried a 1911 in a Milt Sparks Roadrunner. And I have old Cammy vests I tore the sleeves off to cover it.

Went to one of my favorite restaurants. Walked all the way through. Past everyone eating. Mary, my waitress took our order and casually said “You know your vest is all bunched up over your gun…”

Sigh.

 

[fastbolt]

We taught all kinds of weapon retention skills in the old days. When holsters just had a thumb snap.

As holsters evolved, the training changed. Rather than fighting for the gun, trust the holster to do its job and “Become a blender” on the guy trying to take it. Literally. Try to kill him with your bare hands. Radio. Knife. Ballpoint pen. Your BUG.

For the last 15-20 years of my career. I carried this. In uniform. In the front of my waistband. Accessible to either hand. Totally concealed.

View attachment 1165548

That’s what I was going to go for.

I never open carry now that I’m retired. But, if I did, I’d only carry in a duty level holster. And, abide by the same philosophy.

I’m an appendix carry guy. But, lately, I’ve been trying out pocket carry with a P365. I don’t like that I can’t get to it with either hand or, while seated. But, sometimes I want to tuck in my shirt. Look a little more dignified. I’ve taken to carrying that Dozier again.

Nice example of an older Dozier blade.

 

[jstert]

What is a strategy to combat this? Carry concealed? Hyper-vigilance? Avoid crappy places to shop? Tough when there are multiple assailants.

i choose all of the above.

o.c. is lawful in my suburban locales, but socially difficult. my goal is to protect myself, not become a target for angry karens or aspiring heart surgeons, so c.c. is fine by me. i do kinda envy a cousin who o.c. a glock 17, but he is a solo caretaker of an isolated farm for a wealthy, mostly absentee, owner who insists that my cousin be armed. he cannot dress around a necessary tool and nobody cares when he shops at the local farmers supply store.

 

[Derek Zeanah]

What is a strategy to combat this? Carry concealed? Hyper-vigilance? Avoid crappy places to shop? Tough when there are multiple assailants.

So I'm in Georgia, have a CCW (who wants to go through a background check every time you fill out a 4473?), and generally open carry.

By "generally" I mean every day, but most days I never leave my property. Maybe twice every three weeks.

So when I go out I either untuck, throw on a jacket (not in August!), or am just more hypervigilant than normal about other people in relation to my holster.

That works for me, but I'm in a small town. If I lived in Atlanta my answer would be different.

 

[Barmcd]

I have an >80 year old friend that open carries and I cringe every time we're together. He's hard of hearing and has some memory problems, not dementia, but definitely has to think to recall things . Once a week a group of us has breakfast together and he is definitely not wary of people standing next to him.