Open Carry?

JimMarch said:
Here in Tucson I do "98% concealed". I carry a big gun, OWB, crossdraw, very "high and tight" and covered by a light jacket. It might poke out once in a while but very few notice. The legality of open carry means this isn't a problem...and both comfort and fast access are exceptional.
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I just got my permit, and that's what I'm leaning towards (but probably not cross-draw.)

I have worn an empty holster on my belt to work as a test, covered poorly by a polo shirt and often poking out at the bottom, just to see if anybody notices. (employer is *very* anti, and has the proper NO GUNS signs at all the entrances, so I can't carry there for real but MN says they can't ban legal guns stored in cars in the parking lot.) Nobody has even given a second look. If they see it, they probably think it's a pager or cell phone.
 
I don't OC because it makes you look like a dork, but it's nice that we can here incase I bend down or something and my gun gets exposed.
 
Aside from the awkwardness, soccermoms, and 911 calls, here is my #1 concern with OC:
Scenario -
You're in a store. 3 or 4 thugs walk in, all armed. They are robbing the cashier and stealing merchandise. They make everyone lay down. If they're not going to harm anyone, then I'm almost certainly not going to engage. But if I'm OCing, what happens when the "crowd control" thug sees my gun? If I'm ccing, I can take action or not take action as I please, but OC, I either have to take action or risk being discovered and executed, assuming I'm complying and not trying to get into a gunfight that could possibly be avoided. So I see OC as something that can kind of force your hand. Sure it will deter some observant criminals, but if you're in a store and they burst in the door without having seen you enter/armed, then all of a sudden I'd much rather be ccing.
 
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MrDontPlay said:
I don't OC because it makes you look like a dork, but it's nice that we can here incase I bend down or something and my gun gets exposed.
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Now THAT Sir, might be one of the best reasons not to OC I have heard to date. Although it IS nice that you can.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Tablet using Tapatalk Pro.
 
I very seldom open carry, although legal.

What I like about being able to open carry is that it negates "flashing" and other unintentional displys of a firearm.

Biker
 
OC is legal in MI. I wouldn't do it.

I carry to protect my wife and myself. It's something personal.

We are currently having in an issue in MI, where a few (blank) :barf: open carry to get in the face of people who are terrified of people with guns, and it has created a legal confrontation.
 
We are currently having in an issue in MI, where a few (blank) open carry to get in the face of people who are terrified of people with guns, and it has created a legal confrontation.
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At the risk of taking this into territory best covered in a different subforum...

There's a subset of the community that sees the political side of open carry as the primary reason for doing it. I'm not sure I agree, but I'm willing to listen. They've got their arguments, and they've got a few folks who articulate them very well.

The real problem arises when a small (but intentionally very visible) faction of that subset does dunderheaded things like carrying shotguns into the local library because they felt they weren't getting enough attention.

What happens? Those of us who exercise some discretion and common sense find "no guns" signs at places we frequent. In some states, those signs are legally binding. Even if they're not, we all suffer a net effect because Jimbo thought it would be amusing to freak out the squares.

I'm always leering of treating a weapon as anything but a weapon. Perhaps it can double as a political statement, but when the person carrying it is carrying it solely as a means of making a statement, I worry.
 
Open carry is a funny thing, when I carry very few people even notice. People are so used to seeing phones, pda's etc.. on your belt line that they just ignore it. It usually only gets noticed if I have to stand in line for a while with someone behind me.

I had a woman in her late 20's or maybe early 30's who was behind me at the grocery store for about 5 minutes before she notice it and the pistol was right in front of her the whole time. She got a bit of a surprised look on her face and that was it, she never said a word or called the cops on me.

Most people who do notice my pistol don't seem to care or view it negatively. I try to carry myself in a courteous professional manner and I think the way I carry myself and my attitude have more to do with their reactions than anything else.

I've sat in a Starbucks for 2+ hours with 20+ other open carriers and I tried to watch every customers reaction. I'd say 75% or more of the incoming customers didn't notice any of the 20 guns being carried openly and not one of them ran out the door screaming in terror. Nobody walked in the door, saw all the guns and left and nobody complained to Starbucks about it.

There are more tactical advantages to open carry than their are disadvantages. Drawing an openly carried weapon is much easier than a concealed one. If someone sizes you up for a crime and does notice the gun, chances are they're going to pick a new target rather than deal with an armed target. Open carry makes it much easier to carry a full size gun, which for me means more rounds, better sights and a better grip, those are all god things when you need to defend yourself with your pistol.
 
I don't like OCing out of uniform, although I do sometimes when going to schools. Other than that, it's CC for me most of the time.
 
It really gets down to personal preference. There are many pros/cons of OC versus CC but the cool thing is we have a choice. I love seeing people exercise their 2A rights.

My wife and I were at Lowes yesterday and a heavy couple walked by. I noticed the big gun on her side (it was extremely noticeable) after she was about 15 yards past us so I raised my voice and said "Open Carry." She immediately turned around and I gave her thumbs up. She had a big smile. My wife asked why I did that and I said "I love seeing people exercise their rights so I wanted to acknowledge her for doing that."

It's still not my thing but I like seeing people exercise the right is they choose.
 
Too many cowboy movies if you ask me. My great grandfather was a real texas cowboy, as my grandmother called him. He was born in texas in 1863 and he said the cowboys never carried pistols, rifles yes but not pistols. I figure if you really feel the need to be armed at the walmart you should have to lug around a rifle, LOL! No seriously if people want to carry and aint no crook or crazy it is fine by me, just not the state of Maryland LOL.
 
ang4me that is a really good point! I aint about to take on 5 armed 'thugs' if I don't absolutely have too either!
 
Tom Servo said:
At the risk of taking this into territory best covered in a different subforum...

There's a subset of the community that sees the political side of open carry as the primary reason for doing it. I'm not sure I agree, but I'm willing to listen. They've got their arguments, and they've got a few folks who articulate them very well.

The real problem arises when a small (but intentionally very visible) faction of that subset does dunderheaded things like carrying shotguns into the local library because they felt they weren't getting enough attention.

What happens? Those of us who exercise some discretion and common sense find "no guns" signs at places we frequent. In some states, those signs are legally binding. Even if they're not, we all suffer a net effect because Jimbo thought it would be amusing to freak out the squares.

I'm always leering of treating a weapon as anything but a weapon. Perhaps it can double as a political statement, but when the person carrying it is carrying it solely as a means of making a statement, I worry.
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Tom I agree.

Open carry:

It would depend on the situation or the day’s routine. Open carry may not be ideal for every scenario and the same goes for concealed carry.

Scenario where I would not OC:

If I were going to attend an event where I knew there would be large crowds of people I would not open carry. The majority of people I know are not gun enthusiasts. I have also found that people are afraid of things they do not know and guns and knives are at the top of the list. That alone is enough reason for me.

Scenario where I would OC:

If I were mowing my lawn or doing some working on my property I would open carry. Especially, if I was lifting, bending, or dressed lightly where conceal ability would be limited or would restrict my movement somehow.

I can't carry in my home state...:barf: I am licensed to carry in other states and I do when legal to do so.
 
I would like to add this to the discussion. Weather or not your agree with or like open carry, we as supporters of the 2A and rights to carry and defend our selvs should support open carry. It should be up to the person and his or her circumstances that dictate weather or not they oc or cc.

I may not like your choice of guns, but i support your right to own them. Same thing should apply here. We need to becarefull not to isolate the OC crowd from the rest. We need to stand with them, welcom them into the 2A fold. That dosent mean you have to oc, or even like it, but as i said support the individuals right to choose how they want to carry.

That said, i did oc here in indiana once a long while ago. Went into a Sunoco station on coldwater road fort wayne oc, after having filed the tank. only 2 people noticed, the cashier, who said he liked it becuase at least he knew were it was, and a older person coming in to the store. He said, i needed to "carry it in a texas rig", which i assume ment to conceal it. So i told him Indiana has a LTCH and does not specify how one should carry. HE said he didnt know that and went on. That being said, while it wasnt a bad experiance, it wasnt something i wanted to repeat all the time, so i dont oc anymore except on my property and my FILS.
 
You can't have it both ways.
You can't be an invisible "gray man" who blends in with the sheep (to the point that you'd get to use your 'element of surprise'), but at the same time, look like you have your stuff together enough that you aren't targeted as a threat.

Oh, but yes you can have it both ways. I have personally stared down both black and white thugs (plural) who decided that it wasn't worth it. At the same time, in a take-over robbery with a gun stuck in my face you bet I could blend in with the cowering sheep until I saw the opportunity to unleash Gaston Glock's wonderful invention.

Case in point of a man who had it both ways: http://www.local10.com/news/13585335/detail.html
 
I'd like to experience carrying openly, but not where I live. It would just be so out of place and I don't like to draw attention to myself.
 
mordis said:
I would like to add this to the discussion. Weather or not your agree with or like open carry, we as supporters of the 2A and rights to carry and defend our selvs should support open carry. It should be up to the person and his or her circumstances that dictate weather or not they oc or cc.

I may not like your choice of guns, but i support your right to own them. Same thing should apply here. We need to becarefull not to isolate the OC crowd from the rest. We need to stand with them, welcom them into the 2A fold. That dosent mean you have to oc, or even like it, but as i said support the individuals right to choose how they want to carry.
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This. Very well put. One should support the other's choice in carrying, because at least they are. Be it open or concealed, we all have our reasons, and they both have their pros/cons. Neither is perfect, opinions are just that, so as long as we are all on the same side, neither one is wrong.

I guess my opinion would be that regardless of which way you carry, if it's legal in your state to carry, do it!!
 
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