open carry

When I lived in NC (OC state), I occasionally saw people who chose to open carry. Nobody paid much attention to them, even in places like Wal-Mart. The people didn't have any type of attitude other than "normal person" and didn't attract attention.

OC isn't an option in SC, at least not yet. Not sure if I'd open carry, but I'd like to have the option.

If that TX petition is open to out-of-staters, I'd sign.
 
I respectfully disagree with ChicagoTex. MI is open carry. We don't have the John Wayne syndrome. Our no carry places didn't increase. I guess TX being gun friendly is a joke.

How is concealed carry a surprise defense? All the armies in the world don't train their soldiers to patrol with concealed arms. Surprise is an OFFensive tactic, not a defensive one.
 
I guess TX being gun friendly is a joke.
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It's my experience that most people who don't live in Texas have extremely outdated ideas about what it's like down here (or those ideas are based solely on the extremely rural areas). Particularly where gun-friendliness and "redneck" lifestyle is concerned I find most parts of Oklahoma to be much more analagous to peoples' ideas of Texas than the Dallas/Fort Worth, Austin, Houston, San Antonio, or Corpus Christi areas (there are probably more notables, I'm forgetting).

I don't honestly think Texas "feels" much more gun-friendly than most of the outer suburbs of Chicago, though the laws themselves are much friendlier (for now).

I certainly don't feel "welcome" to carry my gun anywhere around here, but since it's concealed, it's a non-issue.
 
I can't believe you guys wouldn't support open carry.

Let's hide our 2nd Amendment rights away. Let's not show people how many we number and how positive we are in the community. Let's give in to the idiots that think guns are evil or are taboo. Let's reinforce the notion that guns are evil, and should be out of sight.

If you don't support the carrying of firearms, open or concealed, you're anti-gun and anti-2nd Amendment in my book. I've never understood the notion that guns are evil, dirty, taboo, or that their presence invites crime (the most absurd notion thus far).

Let's have freedom of speech, as long as no one can hear it. It makes perfect sense.

:barf:
 
Honestly I don't know how many people would take advantage of open carry at all. There seems to be a lot of fear, but how many of you who live in an open carry state regularly see random people walking around with a gun on their side?

I'm betting very few.
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You've never been to Arizona.

The problem with mandatory conceal carry is that in places like Washington State, you can lose your CCW if your jacket blows open and someone see's your handgun... and calls the police.

What is it about handguns that is evil, wrong or otherwise something that should be hidden away by law?

Most states that allow open carry (like my own) don't have many folk carrying that way... humm, why is that? Let's not mandate that someone must conceal their Constitutional rights, we should let them decide for themselves what is best for them. Most will opt to conceal, but for those who don't... what's your beef? Are you threatened by the presence of a handgun? Is the concept of "out of sight out of mind" comforting to you?

It's silly to me.
 
I am sorry. I just cannot support open carry...

...at least not as a practice.

I feel it is contrary to everything I have ever been taught about proper defense and retention. I also think that a lot of people do it for the wrong reasons.

Supporting it in principle...that is a different story. I can support it in that context but would never do it myself. :)
 
What's wrong with carrying openly, and if it's a hazard to the party in question, then explain why police carry openly and nationally their crime statistics aren't any worse then Joe Sixpacks.

If open carry inspires crime or somehow exposes the carrier to undue crime... please explain Arizona's carry laws and their violent crime statistics.
 
What's wrong with carrying openly, and if it's a hazard to the party in question, then explain why police carry openly and nationally their crime statistics aren't any worse then Joe Sixpacks.
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Police are an organized and open deterrent to crime. They are one of many and never stand alone. You mess with one and you know there are dozens ready to back them up with full authority of law.

As an individual you do not enjoy these same protections and you simply become a more complex target...but you also present a possibly bigger reward to an attacker. Once they know your defenses it is easy to circumvent them.
 
Here in Georgia, with a Georgia Firearms License, you can carry open or concealed. I mainly carry concealed, but do carry open on occasion. It's good to have the RIGHT to do either. I don't think we need to give up ANY of our 2nd Amendment rights.

I have witnessed no "John Wayne" types here. In fact, most people are even more polite than the average citizen. The LE doesn't bother me (in fact they aren't supposed to stop you to ask to see your license just because you're carrying any more than they're supposed to stop you while you're driving your car just to ask to see your license; there needs to be another reason.)

I've never had anyone even say a thing about me carrying open. Of course, I always dress so I look "presentable" so as to not give a bad appearance to the non-gun crowd. We don't need to give them any more "ammunition."

Again, it's good to have the option to do either. And remember, once we lose our rights it's hard to get them back. I think we, as responsible gun owners, should support both open and concealed carry then choose our own preferred carry method. Remember, we're on the same team and in this fight together.

If anyone is interested, check out www.GeorgiaCarry.org. These folks are doing amazing things for gun owners here.

I'm not a Texas resident, but if I can legally sign this petition please let me know.
 
I suggest, for those among you who doubt the value, as well as the good idea of open carrying, you visit Open Carry dot org and visit their forums as well. They are replete with individual stories and examples of open carry. By and large, most go without incident, some end in less than desirable circumstances, and some are down right funny.

For me, the best effect of open carry is I am WAY more aware of my surroundings than with carrying concealed. That, and I get to educate folks from time to time on what is legal activity in this state.
 
Sturmgewehre, so what you are saying at the end of page 1 is that we should all OC to make a statement to the public and force the idea of our firearms on them? In addition, if we support CC and not OC we are hypocrites?

We need to revisit the reason we carry in the first place...and it isn't to make a statement to everyone, it is for personal protection and on occasion, for the safety of others around us. I am not negating your opinion, it is most certainly yours, but I would have to agree with maintaining the element of surprise and that some of us don't want every person to know we are armed.

Wether we are armed or not, a certain awareness is necessary. It shouldn't take a firearm to give you a heightened sense of cognitive awareness.
 
I guess TX being gun friendly is a joke.
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The people of Texas are very gun friendly, as I have met and know more gun owners than non gun owners. I find it that most Texans are not so open with regards to their gun ownership. I think they are very aware of the political climate (and anti-gun journalism :barf:) and know to keep quiet. However strike up a friendly conversation and let it turn to firearms.... It is probably this way with a lot of Americans.

I, personally, support OC but would not flaunt it myself. I don't need to strap a gun on my hip just to go to the movies, but I might if I were to head out to the Texas hill country for the weekend.
 
Police are an organized and open deterrent to crime. They are one of many and never stand alone. You mess with one and you know there are dozens ready to back them up with full authority of law.
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I don't buy that. If a lone officer faces a lone criminal, I don't believe there is any difference. I know in Chicago police are shot at all the time... people don't seem to be too worried about messing with the brotherhood.

If some thug kills me, the police will come for him too... just as they would if they killed an officer.

Ironically, you claim openly armed police are a deterrent to crime yet you believe openly armed citizens are an invitation to crime. I don't understand the logic.
 
So quick to give away our constitutional rights because we are worried about what someone might think?

Carry your pistol, however you gotta do it.
 
Police are an organized and open deterrent to crime. They are one of many and never stand alone. You mess with one and you know there are dozens ready to back them up with full authority of law.
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If you're hoping to maintain an "element of surprise" it could be argued that you're welcoming conflict and the opportunity to use your weapon. If you elect to carry openly, that's a big red sign to a potential mugger that you're not going to be a victim.

Every single study I've read, and in my criminology classes we learned that criminals almost always take the path of least resistance. If you hide your weapon, you may look like a potential target to a criminal on the hunt. You've just invited a crime in this instance. Now, had the criminal noticed you carrying a handgun on your hip, they would likely avoid you and opt for the easier pray. Criminals aren't always stupid, they aren't out to get killed or take undue risk when other options are available to them.

I would like for anyone here who opposes open carry to cite crime statistics of open carry states vs. concealed carry states to prove or disprove the notion open carry invites crime or that people who carry openly are more often victims of crime than those who don't.
 
You should do everything that you can to get Open Carry, while I Conceal Carry most of the time, I do Open Carry Some. There are advantages to both. The Thug that is going to bully or scare someone, will never do it with Open Carry, but at the same time the element of surprise is there with Conceal Carry. Go for both.
 
I would like for anyone here who opposes open carry to cite crime statistics of open carry states vs. concealed carry states to prove or disprove the notion open carry invites crime or that people who carry openly are more often victims of crime than those who don't.
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The percentage of people open carrying is essentially negligible, the idea that it would affect crime statistics is laughable. Until a significant percentage of the population of a particular state (by that I mean maybe 1% or so) is actually OC'ing, there won't be a way to say anything based on statistics.
If you're hoping to maintain an "element of surprise" it could be argued that you're welcoming conflict and the opportunity to use your weapon.
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Off-duty cops carry concealed, are you saying that a rational person would think that off-duty cops are welcoming conflict more than on-duty cops? The assertion is not supportable.

Furthermore being able to choose the time and place (or even IF) you respond is a significant advantage in some situations. If you are openly armed, you don't get to make those choices, they're made for you. I listed some real world situations here.
You've just invited a crime in this instance.
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First of all, the idea that a CC invites crime by concealing is ridiculous. Statistics show that CC actually discourages violent crime across the board because criminals consider that anyone in the area (including the victim) may be armed and they have no way to tell who is and who isn't.

On the other hand, if they can pinpoint who's armed and who's not, their job is much easier. In fact, here's an instance where a person invited crime by OC'ing. The proof is that nothing besides his gun was taken.

"Two suspects approached the victim from behind, and placed a metal object up to the victim’s head. The suspects took the victim’s hand gun which he was openly carrying. The suspect’s then fled the area. The victim was not injured."​

I believe OC should be legal, but I don't think it's the best carry option for several reasons.

Moving to Tactics & Training--looks like that's now the main topic of this thread.
 
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