personal thoughts on open carry

[claytonfaulkner]

not sure if this is the right place to post this because im not talking abou the LEGAL rights of open carry but just personal opinion. i see no reason for it to be illegal but i am against it. i dont like anyone that i am not close friends with to know that i have a gun. carrying concealed protects your own safety in a few way, you dont have to worry about being harassed for carrying openly and i would hate to be standing in line at a gas station with a pistol on my hip as someone runs in to rob it and sees the gun before i have a chance to draw it. i guess im saying that its ok for you to, but i would never do it.


but i was just wondering how yall feet about open carry.

 

[csmkersh]

And there are those that would never carry, concealed or open. That's their choice.

I carry concealed here in Texas because that's all the law allows except on property I own or control. I open carry when I in states that allow it. I go by what researchers Martin and Wright learned 20 some years ago; that criminals go elsewhere because they are more afraid of armed civilians more than armed police.

So, it boils do to one doing what's legal and what works for them.
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[brighamr]

search "open carry", after reading all of those threads make your own choice of what you want to do.

I open carry in MT because in my personal opinion it's more comfortable than carrying IWB.

 

[Joe Meyer]

i would hate to be standing in line at a gas station with a pistol on my hip as someone runs in to rob it and sees the gun before i have a chance to draw it.

Oh, come on. Those cowboy action shooters can draw, shoot, hit a target in less than .5 seconds. And that's with a big 'ol Colt SSA. You ought to do better.

 

[IronSightRot671]

Personal Preference, I do it at times, But mostly Conceal in a Tumi cross strap bag. aka (Man purse)

 

[WayneConrad]

I prefer open carry, but don't mind concealed for those who chose to do so (and there are times I prefer to do so, too). I think some your concerns are real, and some of them are ghosts, but I respect them all.

 

[JesseL]

I'm comfortable open carrying. I conceal at work, but I carry open around half the time when I'm on my own time.

My personal reasons for open carrying are:

• Comfort. It's just more comfortable to wear an OWB holster, and not have the gun rubbing my skin.
• Education. I think it's important for people to see a peaceable citizen carrying a firearm, and see the lack of ensuing violence.
• Deterence. I think most criminals are inherently cowardly. They're not going to be interested in risking their skin to take on an armed victim. They'll find an easier mark.
• Power. When you're not trying to keep it hidden, you can carry a gun that's much bigger. Bigger guns are easier to shoot, hold more rounds, and hold bigger rounds.
• Freedom. A right unexercised soon atrophies and is lost. I don't want that to happen to open carry.

As for the downsides, they don't worry me too much.

• I never get harassed.
• I've never had the police stop me for open carrying.
• I've never been asked to leave a business or cover my sidearm.
• Concerns about being the first one shot in a robbery or being targeted by a mugger after my gun, seem to be mostly hypothetical with little real-world evidence to support them.

If any but the last of those ever does happen, I'll do my best to take it in stride and use it as an educational opportunity.

It's interesting to note that 90% of the people you see on the street seem totally oblivious to open carry. Absolute condition white. This seems to hold true for carrying almost anything up to an RPG slung across your shoulder.

I saw a gentleman in line for customer service at the local grocery store a few months ago. He was carrying a Beretta 92 in an OD green drop holster on his thigh, and I didn't see anyone else give him a second look.

 

[Caleb Longstreet]

Pure choice here....I'm for it, if you so desire to do so.....me? I like concealed because I just don't want the hassle from friends and foes alike.....it's no one's business either way but to carry openly surely invites criticism, stares, perhaps hostility, perceptions, and even safety in numbers......all of the above.....

I just tend to mind my own business and keep a low, low profile....just the way I see it. If someone wants to carry open I am completely fine with that too....

 

[retgarr]

I'm thinking that if someone sees you open carry they quite often just assume you are a cop or have some other job related reason to have a gun. It's an easy idea for the mind to digest especially if you are not familiar with carry laws.

 

[coloradokevin]

I'm all for concealed carry, for many of the reasons that others have highlighted on. I don't much care if someone wants to open carry, but there are some potential inherent problems with doing so.

On a related note, I wonder what the correlation --if any-- is between people's choice for open/concealed and their geographic region (rural/urban)?

I concealed carry, but I live in suburbia and work in the city. However, when I go to rural mountain areas (nearly every weekend) I often see people on trails and in small towns open carrying.

Is this, perhaps, as much a cultural issue as anything? That is: city folks keep their guns hidden, rural folks don't mind showing them?

I could be wrong, but it would be interesting to see if this rift in opinions is being formed based on the various communities that THR members are from...

 

[markdaniel]

I am not sure about open carry in some places. Makes me worry about soeone trying to pick pocket ( for lack of better term) my gun out of the holster. There was a post about a person that got made by someone trying to lift his concealed weapon.

 

[Winchester 73]

If a lived in a OC state I would certainly do it.
While vacationing in OC states,AZ,NM and VT I've OC'd many times and feel comfortable doing it.
Sadly,Florida is very unlikely to see open carry become law anytime in the near future.
The fear of scaring all those northeastern tourist dollars just makes it a non-starter in the Sunshine State.
Not to mention the very liberal locals in South Florida.

 

[claytonfaulkner]

i noticed that many of yall said you prefer open carry for comfort..

well lets say someone is carrying in a owb holster but the gun is still complety hidden, by a shirt or jacket or soemthing

the reason i ask is i know many people that carry owb during winter when there wearing a jacket but you cant see the gun 99% of the time. would you still consider this open carry?

 

[WayneConrad]

the reason i ask is i know many people that carry owb during winter when there wearing a jacket but you cant see the gun 99% of the time. would you still consider this open carry?

The critical question isn't whether I would consider this open carry. It is whether the written and case law in my locality would consider it open carry.

In my state, the answer would be, no. Which is why I also hold an Arizona CCW.

Open carry is not the only tool in my tool box.

 

[MarshallDodge]

I have no issue with someone that open carries. Personally I like to have my gun hidden for the element of surprise.

 

[conw]

JesseL said it all very well for me, though I carry a subcompact in a holster. I like the light weight

To markdaniel, who wrote

I am not sure about open carry in some places. Makes me worry about soeone trying to pick pocket ( for lack of better term) my gun out of the holster. There was a post about a person that got made by someone trying to lift his concealed weapon

--I use this as a litmus test. If I have to "worry" about someone stealing the gun, because I'm in a crowded and suspicious area...

I. Avoid. That. Area.



Simple as that. Do you REALLY want to go somewhere where you're elbow-to-elbow with suspicious characters who you feel might grab your gun?!

Also, to the guy who said you might be a first target, I disagree. First simply because I don't think most armed robbers function on that high a level or are that observant, and second because it is highly likely that an OCer will be as aware or more aware, and note suspicious behavior (someone running into a gas station, etc) and respond appropriately. I CONSTANTLY check 6 when I OC into a gas station ,etc.

To the above poster, who said something about comfort, I would add that the comfort is also psychological. To me, CC is *psychologically* uncomfortable...other than tactical reasons, I don't agree with the subjugation of gun owners in the form of CC *requirements*. It's a load off your chest to OC. It's also exercising a right and keeping it strong, as JesseL said. I know that when I OC and am polite, I open minds.

 

[NG VI]

I will OC a few times when it gets warmer out and I feel like it. I have for the first time used an OWB holster out and about recently, and I love it. IWB is fantastic for CC, but later this year I plan on trying out a belt holster and t-shirt, and see how it goes.

I have only seen one person OCing, it was an older whitehaired gentleman at a wedding in a public park. he had two pistols in shoulder holsters, no covering garment cause it was may, and he was far enough away I couldn't tell what he had. Looked like maybe 1911s though.

 

[TAB]

I think open carry is about some trying to show off how "macho" they are.

I'm not saying every one does it for that reason, but there are more then enough threads on THR to show that for the most part, that statement is correct.

 

[claytonfaulkner]

I have only seen one person OCing, it was an older whitehaired gentleman at a wedding in a public park. he had two pistols in shoulder holsters, no covering garment cause it was may, and he was far enough away I couldn't tell what he had. Looked like maybe 1911s though

probably father of the bride, gotta love shotgun weddings

 

[teknoid]

Opinions are great. Mine shouldn't matter any more to you, than others do to me. In some places, it's still a free country. How someone else carries is their personal decision. I'm not about to deride them for their personal preference. I am glad I live somewhere that it isn't a big fat hairy deal, though.

I usually "cover up casually", but only because I do a lot of work in banks. It's a small town, and it's in my best interest (job security) that the sheeple who work in those places don't see me out and about.

That's most of them, but not all. One branch manager wants to talk guns every time I'm there. He keeps a few in his office, and carries.

 

[NG VI]

LOLing, it was interesting. I definitely looked a couple times, I had just bought my first gun not long before and I like checking out any gun I can.

 

[Dahwg]

I always open carry because my CCW class is next Saturday so I don't have a choice but I feel perfectly comfortable doing so. I will likely continue to OC about 50-75% of the time even after the I get my permit. To me, the CCW just makes it more convenient when it's not really a good idea or legal to OC. IE in church or in city parks.

So far as a deterence... I was OC in a C-Store this past Monday and some squirrly looking guys came in- they were in jeans and a t-shirt and one of them was clearly printing some kind of wheelgun in his waistband (though he tried to cover up). Being in condition yellow, I started to ramp to orange because of their behavior. I walked up to pay for my stuff when one of the guys looked up and noticed my CZ strapped to my hip. I looked him in the eye and nodded a polite hello. I can not tell you how amusing it was to see the color drain out of his face. He walked over to his buddy- motioned toward me and they both high-tailed it out of the Circle K.

The cashier was happy in oblivionsville the entire time. Life is perpetual bliss in condition white isn't it?

So far as gun grabs, many people that I know who open carry take the additional precaution of getting a good holstser- usually something from Blackhawk with the Serpa or from Safariland with the SLS and/or ALS.

 

[JesseL]

I think open carry is about some trying to show off how "macho" they are.

I'm not saying every one does it for that reason, but there are more then enough threads on THR to show that for the most part, that statement is correct.

I'd like to see what posts you think indicate this.

It'd be nice to see people give the motivations of others the benefit of the doubt, rather than presume to know their motivations.

People have been open carrying in my home town for 145 years, ever since it was founded. In all that time open carry has been normal for citizens that choose to go heeled. There's nothing 'macho' about it. If anyone notices it at all, they generally just see a guy who doesn't want to bother with hiding his pistol.

If I was trying to show off, I'd have to do something besides open carry; because nobody gives a damn about my sidearm.

 

[WayneConrad]

I think open carry is about some trying to show off how "macho" they are.

Ok, that's nice.

 

[poker88]

Do you REALLY want to go somewhere where you're elbow-to-elbow with suspicious characters who you feel might grab your gun?!

I want to go to shopping malls, movie theaters and restaurants. Any of those places could have sections that qualify as crowded and I don't know who's going to be there so there could easily be someone "suspicious" thatI might worry about grabbing my gun. I would think that a good holster with security features would be sufficient to prevent this though.