Should all states go open carry?

Is open carry in a good idea?

  • Yes

    Votes: 82 79.6%

  • No

    Votes: 21 20.4%
  • Total voters
    103
D

Doug.38PR

Moderator
I'm not advocating a federal law (we have too many of those) but is open carry in general a good idea? I think so.
I think the gun owner should have the option of conceal or open. Concealing the gun is wise in some situations, open carry is good for others.

But the most important point of open carry (especially if you didn't have to take a course and get a license and all that mess and more people were carrying guns) is that it would, I firmly think, eliminate this fear of guns that our society has today. It would eliminate all the wimpy people from seeing a buldge under your coat or a gun when your jacket blows open and saying :eek: "Oh my gosh, he has a gun." and the police are called and they have to question you wasting both yours and their valuable time because some sissy "saw a gun." People drive cars and work with power tools and axes and knives and other potentially dangerous things ever day and don't give it a second thought. Nobody bats an eye. (I understand more accidents happen from household appliances than from guns). If open carry were common enough, people would come to accept it as normal as car keys or a cell phone. A bonus to this would be reduced crime as no criminal is likely to mess with someone who can shoot back. (but of course we all know that).
Wish Texas would do open carry.
 
You're asking if open carry should be legal everywhere, not whether it's better than concealed carry in all/most circumstances?

Then... yes.
 
How would you propose to prevent those that SHOULD NOT be carrying weapons from doing so (mental patients, Felons, etc). If you are advocating the elimination of the requirement to conceal a weapon that is being carried by a licensed person, then I would support such a move. If you mean that everyone should be allowed to carry without a license as long as it is open, I would question the wisdom.
 
Although I'm fine with it being legal, I'm not a fan of open carry in urban areas. There is way too much potential for people using it for the intimidation factor. I'm much more of a fan of concealed carry.

The problem with outlawing open carry is that there are some situations where it just makes sense. i.e. if you're out hiking in the mountains for the day, you're going to want a larger weapon that is immediately available and carrying a gun openly is not out of place. While hiking in the mountains I generally carry my .357 snubby in a fanny pack, but if I didn't own the snubby I'd want to carry my 4" S&W, and that doesn't fit so well in my fanny pack.
 
How would you propose to prevent those that SHOULD NOT be carrying weapons from doing so (mental patients, Felons, etc). If you are advocating the elimination of the requirement to conceal a weapon that is being carried by a licensed person, then I would support such a move. If you mean that everyone should be allowed to carry without a license as long as it is open, I would question the wisdom
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Well, both...kinda. The former (C and/or HL holders) is the main question here, the latter (everyone carry), in my view would be more ideal.
Licenses do not stop people who shouldn't be doing so from doing it anyway. If a person is driving drunk, you hold him accountable for that you don't arrest him for simply drinking because he might get into a car. By the same token, if a person shows himself to be a danger to others and himself then he should be arrested and controlled. In fact this should be the case whether he is carrying a weapon or not. But just the fact that has a medical history or a felon (ex con) in and of itself shouldn't be grounds for keeping a gun from them. We all have a right to self defense. Bottom line, hold people accountable for what they are doing.


I'm not a fan of open carry in urban areas. There is way too much potential for people using it for the intimidation factor
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That can work both ways ya know ;) But overall I think we are on the same page. CC is good for some situations, OC is good for others. I think it should be the carrier's perrogative. Less complicated that way.
 
How would you propose to prevent those that SHOULD NOT be carrying weapons from doing so (mental patients, Felons, etc).
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Why is it so important to prevent that I must give up my rights? They're not prevented from carrying concealed now, and the chance of them being caught is negligible.
 
WI has the open carry law. I've been told you would be harrased more than its worth.(even though its legal)
Are you saying more open carry would eliminate this?

btw...One more hurdle and concealed carry becomes legal here!!! Be ready for great news on 1-31-06
 
if more people did carry in the open it wouldn't be long before the ones who didn't would get used to seeing guns in holsters on hips.... when my father in law was a cop here in town it didn't take long for me get used to seeing his colt on his hip.... i'd carry my 6" s&w model 27 in my nylon holster if it were legal to carry..


AN ARMED SOCIETY IS A POLITE SOCIETY... (don't know who first said it)
 
How would you propose to prevent those that SHOULD NOT be carrying weapons from doing so (mental patients, Felons, etc).
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Aren't there already laws in the US to prevent these people from being near guns?

And these laws work, RIGHT?
 
While it should probably be legal, I don't think open carry is particularly safe in crowds, and isn't particularly good manners in most company.
 
Yes it should be legal. It kind of goes along with that keeping and bearing arms law I read about. Not legal here (without a license), and if you have a license then there really isn't much point. Why not just eliminate permits all together. Criminals don't get them.
 
and isn't particularly good manners in most company.
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Come again? Open carry is rude, how?
How is it anyone's business what I have on my hip? I do have a natural right to defend myself, do I not? If I choose to do so with an openly carried pistol, who does that harm?
 
Everyone should be able to carry however they want to, without permits. However, it is sometimes wise to conceal. When Wild West Tech on the History Channel talked about the Earps, it stated they carried their weapons concealed on their way to the OK Corral so they would not alarm the local citizens. In fact, WWT has stated that most folks carried their weapons concealed in the old west when they went into towns.
 
I voted yes, there are times when I would prefer to open carry. I'm for getting rid of permits and carrying in a way of your choosing. Most people have enough common sense to judge when it appropriate to open carry and when they should conceal. The current laws aren't preventing those who have their rights revoked from carrying concealed, so why should I have my rights infringed, because it makes somebody feel good that carry it outlawed? The only person you prevent from carrying when you outlaw weapons are the law abiding people.
 
i vote yes, i think that open or concealed should not be granted to us by gov't what part of shall not be infringed don't they get.
 
Open carry is rude, how?
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I think most folks here like guns. But suppose instead we were talking about some other weapon ... let's say for instance that I live in Mayberry and I go to the local store carrying a baseball bat with nails sticking out of it ... is that polite?
 
i vote yes, i think that open or concealed should not be granted to us by gov't what part of shall not be infringed don't they get.
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+1 on that but i think the only restriction should be if your in public it should be concealed
 
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