Open vs. Concealed carry?

How do you carry?

  • Open

    Votes: 4 2.6%

  • Concealed

    Votes: 94 61.4%

  • Depends

    Votes: 38 24.8%

  • Don't Carry

    Votes: 17 11.1%
  • Total voters
    153
G

gollbladder13

Moderator
This is kind of based off of reading an earlier thread, but do you carry open or concealed?

Being from WI, it doesn't matter since we can't CC here anyways, but if it ever passes or if I'm in a state that allows it, I'd like to know what I'm getting into either way.
 
concealed is the better option IMO due to the element of suprise. unless the majority of citizens open carried it would be better to go concealed.
 
When roaming my place or the woods I usually open carry. The rest of the time it's concealed.

Either way is legal.
 
I'm from WI too, but if ever given a choice, I'd probably go with concealed. Some people would just be scared of you if you openly carried. Although I agree with an earlier post, if most people did carry open, so would I. I figure most criminals wouldn't consider someone openly carrying an ideal target and would leave me alone.
 
In NY, especially my county, we have no choice- concealed. We were all told in our county required class,in no uncertain terms, that if some one in the public sees our gun and calls the police then we WILL lose our permit. They claim it has happened before.
 
I have a related question,Just say that our c/c right do get taken away.What then would we do?I have been thinking about it lately and i think if my rights were taken i would say with out a pause that i would open carry.
 
I have a related question,Just say that our c/c right do get taken away.What then would we do?I have been thinking about it lately and i think if my rights were taken i would say with out a pause that i would open carry.
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I know many older people that have been concealing long before conceal carry permits were around and continue to do so even without a permit. Some have gotten a permit just to "be legal" as they put it. If they took away the carry permits, I'd proly do what they've been doing for years and carry concealed anyways.

I'm not against open carry (I respect everyone's right to do so and think we should have the option), it's just not really for me. I have carried open when I was stationed in NC but that was only up in the mountains when 4x4ing.
 
In a civilized situation (urban/suburban environment), open carry scares the Nervous Nellie's...

Poorly executed concealed carry is equally scary (or more so) to them.

A "gat" shoved into a waistband, and not covered by the obligatory wife beater t-shirt is the worst of all of them (other than a guy decked out in full camo with a shoulder slung AR and a duty belt full of other destructive crap)...

All of the above invite the curiosity of your local LEO...

Carrying properly and effictively concealed gives you an outward appearance of being just like everybody else, and hence, not a threat to their personal definition of "normalcy".
 
No open carry here in SC, so I wear concealed. Given the choice, I'd go open - it's just a LOT easier and more comfortable.

NC is supposed to be open carry - BUT...it's against the law to wear a weapon "to the terror of the people". What that means is, if someone is frightened by the sight of your weapon, you can be arrested. Also, I don't think businesses in NC have to display signs against carry, open or otherwise. A good "Catch-22" situation.
 
Open carry is legal here in PA, but I went for the CC license to be on the safe side of the law, which is downright baffling at the thought process. But I digress...

I generally carry concealed, but with an increasingly-loose attitude towards it. I used to worry a lot about people being able to see that I had a gun on me, making sure that it was well concealed and would take some time here and there (in private) to ensure that it was still hidden.

Nowadays, I am much less concerned with it. Rather than be sure its tucked under a shirt, worrying about hiding the clips from my IWB holster, I just cover an IWB or even OWB holster with a long shirt or jacket and get on with my day. If someone happens to see my firearm, I don't really care. Legally, I am not in the wrong, so long as I am not brandishing. If it prints or flashes, I make a casual adjustment (if I even notice) and move on.

I got tired of being so concerned with it that I would wonder if I should even 'carry it to xxxxx' or such, so I decided that I would rather keep it close just in case than worry about what other people thought.

I've only been carrying for about 2 or 3 years, and I don't even carry every day at this point. (I am currently waiting on a new tuckable-iwb holster so I can carry at work, so that should solve that.) When I think back on how I was just a short time ago, I can't help but chuckle. I could come across 50 people a day who are also carrying and not even know it; nor do they know that I am.


That all said, I nearly always open-carry at the outdoor range here, and when hunting, which I don't really do at all.
 
I voted concealed, but would like to note that I spend a lot of time open carrying.....just not out in public. Around the house or on the farm, I see no need to conceal so I just strap on and go about the usual business. I could carry either way legally in public, but choose to carry concealed.
 
I never open carry in public. My girlfriend tried to get me to do it this weekend but I wussed out.
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Man, what a cool girlfriend :P

I find that open carrying can be better under some circumstances. For example, open carrying alone is a bit awkward, especially in the Peoples Republic of Northern Virginia (which I do on many occasions). But in Virginia, every time I go to a restaurant, I have to open carry it. Now I can do this no problem with my IWB holster, since a quick tuck in of your shirt and you're good to go. But with it exposed like that, and with zero retention on the holster, I find it very very uncomfortable when people walk close behind me. Therefore, when I go to restaurants, I usually run an OWB Blackhawk Serpa, and leave my leather jacket over it where it is mostly concealed. The Serpa is probably the greatest holster made, with its active retention, quick draw, and excellent comfort factor.
In the summer, a quick trip to the Route 7 Starbucks and you might see me in cargo shorts, flip flops, beach shirt, and Serpa/USPc combo :cool:

That said, I much prefer concealed, and would love the new bill removing the restriction on CC in ABC certified locations to pass
 
I voted "Depends" Because IMHO you should be able to carry in any manner you see fit as long as you are legally able to do so. I carry both open and concealed, just depends on my mood, attire, and destination.
 
teifmen1948 said:
I never open carry in public. My girlfriend tried to get me to do it this weekend but I wussed out.
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That's actually a pretty cool situation. I conceal, but have been wanting to try to OC. Biggest thing stopping me is that the GF is with me all the time and I don't want her to get involved in a citizen or LE encounter over said OC... One day that she's not around though, if she goes shopping with the girls or something, I think I've finally worked myself up to it.


To the OP question: concealed in town or hiking well traveled trails, open carrying during 4x4 trips or camping...
 
I usually carry concealed but there are times when I don't put my cover on just to run in and out, or when meeting friends on the way to the range, so both.
 
Concealed. Open carry of a loaded weapon in Utah is illegal (you can carry an unloaded firearm openly though, for what good that does you), but even if it wasn't, I would still carry concealed. If I am carrying, it is no bodies business but my own. Some would say open carry may make a potiential attacker thick twice, but I prefer to keep my weapon a secret, and not have to deal people freaking out at the sight of my pistol, or dealing with police after "man with a gun" calls.
 
If you open carry, you'll deter most would be assailants, but give the worst of them the tactical advantage.

If you like to blend in, and not call attention to yourself, then you don't need me to point out which method accomplishes that.

Some must open carry. They have no options. Some are more interested in letting everyone know that they're entitled to excercise their right. They can't wait to be approached by mall security, and then afterwards, write a post on a forum thread somewhere. Some open carry when driving, or in rural areas. That's fine.

This subject has been argued to death. And will be again until the thread is locked. So I'll take the bait:D, say what I have to say, and try to comply with the forum rules.:cool:
 
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