Open Carry Is Now Viable in 30 States. Should We Push the Envelope & Carry? Or Just Have it Rare?

[MarshallDodge]

Legal: You should be able to carry your firearm however you see fit as long as it is secure.

Personal: I rarely open carry. Nobody really notices around here, even if I am in the city. When I open carry, I dress a little nicer and make sure I am trimmed and shaved, to set a good example. I use a holster that has good retention with a strap or button release, and will not allow my gun to be easily taken.

 

[old lady new shooter]

I agree with @MarshallDodge, legal is fine. Personally I don't. I am literally a little old lady and my gun is my equalizer, I would not want some @#$% to see it and decide to try to take it, and also if I were G-d forbid to find myself in a Situation, carrying concealed would IMO be preferable from a tactical standpoint, let BG be surprised.

I can add that I live in a small city in Arizona and the very few times I have seen anyone open carrying nobody seemed to be paying them any attention.

 

[theotherwaldo]

As far as I am concerned, if I am in a public place I don't want anyone to know whether or not I am armed,

You do you.

 

[JohnKSa]

The fact that something is legal doesn't obligate people to do it on a regular basis. It's legal to own a silencer, but I've never gotten around to buying one. I know people who don't own firearms even though the constitution guarantees them that right.

The fact that something is legal doesn't mean that it's automatically a good idea to do it every available chance. In fact, a particular activity that's legal may not ever be a good idea for some people based on their varying circumstances. It's legal to drink per the constitutional abolishment of the prohibition amendment, but I know people for whom alcohol consumption is a bad idea. I know some people who should never get behind the wheel of an automobile because they can't maintain focus or because they have disabilities that make it impossible for them to drive safely.

And contrary to the common assertion, rights don't go away simply because they are not exercised. They remain in place for when/if they are needed. Many people don't exercise their right to choose and practice a religion, but that doesn't mean the constitution is in danger of being changed to eliminate those rights.

The more the public sees OC ,as normal, the better our gun rights will be ,IMO.

Watched a video where a guy was shot because he lost his mind about his neighbors playing loud music. They apparently did it a lot and he didn't get used to it, instead he just got madder and madder until he was literally unable to behave rationally. If someone finds something irritating, there's a real possibility that seeing it a lot will just make it more and more irritating, not less. If you think about the last time you watched the news or drove in heavy traffic, you can probably think of at least one thing that works like that for you.

In other words, I'm not so sure that's a good assumption. Some people will normalize the behavior in their mind if they see it enough. For others, they might not care either way, regardless of how often they see it. Some might have a good or bad experience and that might be the deciding factor in how they view it, more than how often they see it. For at least some, it's likely to just irritate them worse the more often they see it.

 

[AlexanderA]

And contrary to the common assertion, rights don't go away simply because they are not exercised. They remain in place for when/if they are needed.

That's correct, on its face. But let's look at this in more detail, in regard to gun rights. While it's true that gun rights don't go away if they're not exercised, they may go away if they are exercised. That's the Catch-22.

If gun rights are not exercised (for example, when not many people are carrying), they're not controversial. And not being controversial, they don't provoke much opposition. This was the case in the U.S., historically, up until at least the 1960's. That's why the 2nd Amendment remained untouched -- nobody paid attention to it. It was mostly considered a dead letter, and not worth repealing.

When gun rights begin to be exercised on a mass scale, abuses are bound to occur. (Assassinations, mass shootings, out-of-control street crime.) Opposition is engendered. That's where we find ourselves today.

One has to wonder where gun legislation would be today if Lee Harvey Oswald had not been able to buy a mail-order Carcano, no questions asked, for a few dollars. Sometimes we, as "gun people," are our own worst enemies.

 

[Thomasss]

We need to push back. Notice that the gun haters never stop. And I still run into people that are scared to even see a gun being carried on the street. If the public became more comfortable with having guns around them, I believe there wouldn't be the hysteria the media makes it out to be when a shooting occurs. Wisconsin has constitutional open carry.

 

[JohnKSa]

While it's true that gun rights don't go away if they're not exercised, they may go away if they are exercised. That's the Catch-22.

It is a possibility. We have seen pushback to OC demonstrations in the form of additional laws passed in some areas.

When gun rights begin to be exercised on a mass scale, abuses are bound to occur. (Assassinations, mass shootings, out-of-control street crime.)

While it is true that criminal activity can result in the restriction of the rights of law-abiding citizens by the passage of new legislation, nobody here is suggesting that people should engage in criminal activity. The question here is about whether or not the LAWFUL exercise of OC is likely to be a viable a strategy for acclimatizing the public to firearms.

I think it's likely to be very polarizing. That is, I think you'll have people who love it and people who hate it and in between, a minority who just don't care one way or the other. I don't know if it even matters whether or not the people who hate it outnumber the people who love it--what matters is who screams the loudest and who the politicians listen to.

If the public became more comfortable with having guns around them, I believe there wouldn't be the hysteria the media makes it out to be when a shooting occurs.

Probably true. The "If" is the problem and it's not at all clear that more people carrying openly is the way to make people more comfortable with having guns around them.

 

[21H40]

We need to push back. Notice that the gun haters never stop. And I still run into people that are scared to even see a gun being carried on the street. If the public became more comfortable with having guns around them, I believe there wouldn't be the hysteria the media makes it out to be when a shooting occurs. Wisconsin has constitutional open carry.

I wouldn't use the word "scared" but I'm apprehensive whenever I see some random civilian with a firearm in public, especially when it is a longarm. I feel much the same way whenever I encounter other drivers on the road. Most people have sufficient ability and competence to drive safely, but there are many who don't. Being aware of the dangers created by other people is part of my normal situational awareness.

The message I receive when someone OC's an AR or AK is "I'm looking for trouble." That may not be what Mr. OC intends to communicate.

I try to avoid trouble - especially trouble that involves firearms.

 

[old lady new shooter]

The message I receive when someone OC's an AR or AK is "I'm looking for trouble." That may not be what Mr. OC intends to communicate.

Remember that guy who decided to go to Walmart wearing an AR and more? Shortly after some mass shooting? Scared all the customers present, after that Walmart asked (but to their credit did not require) that customers not open carry in their stores.

 

[jar]

All targets are equal but some targets are more equal than others.

I'm old and certainly not in Olympic fettle so in almost any general population I'm an easy target.

But if I am visibly armed with a retention holster and actively scanning the surroundings and not concentrating on my cell phone or ear buds or iPad I'm a less easy target than the average old person I see on the street and in fact perhaps a less easy target than many far more physically fit.

If on the other hand I am carrying but well concealed then I become an easy low risk target once again. If I am actively scanning the surroundings and seem cognizant of what's happening around me I again become slightly less easy target.

For me, as an easy old target, any steps I can take that signal me as a less easy target than all the others around me seems advantageous. I don't have to be no risk but simply a greater risk to those who might target me than everyone else around me.

As I said above "There is no one right answer and it will depend on location and regional perceptions; a classic risk analysis example.

Personally I tend to lean towards a discrete carry scenario, no "Don't Tread on Me!" graphics or flags or deaths heads or other attention garnering devices and with simple retention type holsters designed specifically for the gun and model carried. But how that plays out in each location, each population, each period of time will constant change and evolve."

In the instances over the decades when I have open carried I have not yet engendered panic, caused someone to call the cops, and the very very few interactions have been either other gun owners or the very occasional "That a good looking holster!" comment. I will admit that the cases where I have open carried have been in relatively small town or rural situations and what I have observed has been that the vast majority of those around be are oblivious of their surrounding.

Few weeks (maybe longer) ago I was making my monthly half tank of gas purchase and there were two late twenties to mid-thirties guys standing near the entrance but looking at the folk at the pumps. When I got out of the car they looked at each other and started walking towards me. But as I closed the car door it exposed the grip my revolver in it's IWB holster and the two men simply pointed over towards the next parking lot and returned to the front of the store.

No words were exchanged, no gestures, but they were aware that I was aware of them and perhaps not worth additional effort or risk.

Or maybe they were waiting for someone else who would be driving a car like mine.

Either way, the result was I bought my half tank of gas and was back on my way and it was a non-event.

I like non-events.

 

[627PCFan]

From what I see here in northern Virginia, I absolutely disagree with this. All that the open carriers here do is rile up the soccer moms. Even though it's legal, open carrying will never be normal in northern Virginia.

Open carrying would just be pouring gasoline on a fire.

Greetings from an ex-Sterling resident and 50/50 OC'er. In 13 years of living there, carrying for 12, I had 1 interaction of a "verbally negative conversation". I chose not to OC inside buildings, and generally OC when I'm out and about. My experience must be different as its non-interactional over my time in Virginia.

 

[wis bang]

I do have to admit that I have observed people change their projected 'tude' after witnessing that I was armed.
Often coming home from camp I will stop for gas having removed my cover garment so there I am pumping away, strong side towards the pump when a young urban man pulls up on the other side and all of a sudden I'm hearing 'Good afternoon, Sir. How are you, Sir?" and after an afirmative answer I observe his 'urban' auto probably wouldn't pass inspection judgeing by the lack of driver's rear view mirror, etc.

 

[The Night Rider]

The message I receive when someone OC's an AR or AK is "I'm looking for trouble." That may not be what Mr. OC intends to communicate.

I would bet my cat that's EXACTLY what they intend to communicate.

I try to avoid trouble

Everything after "Trouble" is extraneous

 

[The Night Rider]

But if I am visibly armed with a retention holster and actively scanning the surroundings and not concentrating on my cell phone or ear buds or iPad I'm a less easy target than the average old person I see on the street and in fact perhaps a less easy target than many far more physically fit.

Do you think a crackhead that's willing to attack on openly armed cop is going to think twice about jumping you?

The reality is that the odds of somebody selecting you as their next mugging victim are actually pretty low but they're not zero.

Open display of a firearm might make you a harder target but it also makes you a much more profitable target.

 

[jstert]

i prefer not to, and don’t, o.c., but if push really comes to shove, no political soccer mom is determining my peaceful exercise of an inalienable right.

 

[jar]

Do you think a crackhead that's willing to attack on openly armed cop is going to think twice about jumping you?

The reality is that the odds of somebody selecting you as their next mugging victim are actually pretty low but they're not zero.

Open display of a firearm might make you a harder target but it also makes you a much more profitable target.

True, but again, I'm old, don't go around crowds and about the only time I am outside away from home and out of my car is at the gas station and on the way into the range. The odds of me meeting that crackhead are pretty low.

 

[Madcap_Magician]

Once every couple years I'll see someone open carrying. I don't see many walking stereotypes doing it, but the reasonably normal types I see doing it lack retention holsters and apparently also situational awareness, so that's not a huge improvement.

On the other hand, open carry being frowned up doesn't mean the walking stereotypes aren't carrying, it just means they're not doing it openly.

I think open carry should definitely be legal, but the circumstances in which it's a good idea to do are few. It's good to have it legal to protect concealed carriers from being charged for inadvertent exposure of their firearm. Good for hunters and other sportsmen in places with dangerous predatory animals. Good for reenactors.

It might be good for political protestors. But it might not be.

Doubt it's good for going to the 7-11.

 

[AlexanderA]

Greetings from an ex-Sterling resident and 50/50 OC'er. In 13 years of living there, carrying for 12, I had 1 interaction of a "verbally negative conversation". I chose not to OC inside buildings, and generally OC when I'm out and about. My experience must be different as its non-interactional over my time in Virginia.

The soccer moms won't confront you. But they are going to vote antigun at the next election. Living in Vienna (Fairfax County), I've seen a sea change in attitudes about guns in the last 30-odd years. It hasn't been favorable. The best defense now, for my personal gun rights, is to keep a low profile.

 

[GEM]

One assumes that with a retention holster, the opponent will go for your gun first off. This may be the case with officers who become entangled when trying to arrest or detain. Someone might start off by attacking YOU. A rapid knife attack (of course, you have spider sense and no one could do that) will distract you from getting out your gun. Or a bop on the noggin. Have you practiced accessing the gun when entangled? That's what good FOF training might show you. I've seen folks struggle with retention holsters under match stress.

Are you never going to get in a close contact situation at a store, etc.?

A little bit of planning from determined grabbers negates your 'spider sense'. As far as deterrence, the police literature is full of worries about nuts deliberately attacking police stations full of armed folks.

 

[The Night Rider]

The soccer moms won't confront you. But they are going to vote antigun at the next election.

This is the way

 

[silicosys4]

We didn't get expanded OC rights by shoving OC in peoples faces.

 

[.308 Norma]

I am literally a little old lady and my gun is my equalizer

The Little Old Lady (From Pasadena) - YouTube

My wife's retirement gift to herself. She's "The Little Ol' Lady from Pasadena" (Chula Vista actually), and our grandsons love her wheel cover.
BTW, that Jeep cost about 10 times as much as my retirement gift to myself (my custom built .308 Norma Magnum rifle), and it costs a lot more to feed too.