Visible Carry

R

roy reali

New member
There have numerous threads about carrying a handgun in the open in public. Many of us do live in areas where such a practice is legal. I live in such an area.

Even though I could do it, I rarely do. Once in awhile I'll step out of the house with a pistol on my belt in plain sight. I do this when I am going out to do some sort activity that requires shooting. I have gone into our local bakery open-carrying a gun, no one has so much uttered a word about it.

I have lived here for almost three years. I don't recall seeing anyone walking around with a visible handgun. I know of several folks around here that carry concealed, but not in the open. I was so worried that I was wrong about the law that about a year ago I stopped by our local sheriff's office. I asked them about the status of open-carry here, they assured me that it was indeed 100% kosher.

I want to hear from other TFL members that live in open-carry places. I want to know, is it a common sight to see people walking with a gun attached to their belt. I don't want to start a debate about weather it is the smart thing to do, just if it is a common thing to do.
 
i see it quite frequently here in az. I had never heard of open carry till I moved here. I firmly believe that Arizona is the most open carry friendly state there is.
 
re:creature

I have seen only a handful of actual open-carry in the decade I have lived here in VA.
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I wonder if there is some sort of deep, sub-conscience fear at work here. Like I said, I have open-carried a few times. I must admit though, I felt like I was doing something wrong. Maybe it could be that I spent four decades in the People's Republic Of California. Many of our residents here are California transplants.
 
I think it is less popular here in VA because of the large density of residents who are from city and urban areas where handguns are severely restricted. There is a gun culture here, but it seems to be far more inhibited when it comes to open-carry than what one might observe in AZ or TX.
 
re:creature

Good points. But I live in a very rural area of Nevada. There are very few gun restrictions here. Everyone talks about guns and hunting. The population density around here is just slightly more then on the Moon. I just wonder why it doesn't look more like Bonanza down on "Main Street."
 
Like the first poster, I open carry when I am doing something that requires shooting. (Some types of farm work, etc) I had to run into town and get some stuff from a local "Stop and Rob", and had my holster and gun in plain sight.
The clerk was a little nervous and asked about it as I was getting ready to leave the store. I thanked her for not pressing the panic button :D but told her I would not advise against the wait and see policy if someone came in with a gun in their hand. We joke about it now, but seeing the panic in her eyes and face made me much more careful about where I open carry. I'll just unbelt and leave it in the truck from now on.
 
Open carry is legal here in Colorado but I have only seen it twice in all the years I have lived here. Our local police put an article in the local paper about it and although they stated it was legal they said they will stop you and basically harass you till you don't.
 
While OC is legal here in Indiana, many police departments discourage the practice. There was a post about the Indianapolis PD outright harrassing someone about it not all that long ago, but I doubt most cops would go much farther than asking to see your LTCH (liscense to carry a handgun). I've lived here for about seven years now and I can count the number of people I've seen carrying openly on one hand.
 
Having open carried quite a few times, I think it's safe to say most people just don't want the interactions with people on a daily basis, whether good or bad.

KY is a 'Gold Star' state, supposedly. However I've heard quite a few LEO harassment stories around the Louisville area, and I just don't have the time or inclination to explain things to five edgy cops trying to 'educate' me to the legality of open carry. Even the CC class instructor made it very clear you cannot open 'carry' in a vehicle, which is pure BS.
 
its legal here in OH but i've never seen anyone doing it. i've read some post on other sites from people in northern OH carrying all the time, even into banks. i live in cincinnati and i really dont want any trouble from cpd or hamiton county sheriffs.

the only time i open carry is if my shirt is off when i'm in my own yard. my immediate neighbors are cool with it and the small neighborhood i live in has its own police force and all of them know i carry .
 
Even the CC class instructor made it very clear you cannot open 'carry' in a vehicle, which is pure BS.
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i was told in ky that as long as you had your ccw that you gun could be anywhere. when i go to work mine is laying onto of the 2 cup holders in plain sight below my gear shift.

do you happen to know if this is legal? ky has very vague laws and its very hard to find detailed info on their gun laws. here in oh you can get a 20 page book from the attorney gen. website
 
I carry openly at night when I walk the dog. We've had drive bys with folks walking their dogs have been shot, and we have also had dogs stolen from people off the street. Dog fighting is quite popular among the . . . Democratic majority of our population, and they will steal dogs off the street to use as a warm up before a fight. Get that blood lust going. Pit bulls are one of the most popular breeds around here. So when I'm walking my 95 lb Shepherd at night I only have one hand free. I can't be fumbling with shirt tails, etc. I want my gun where I can get to it fast.

Stopped in a donut shop on the way to get a hair cut. Had my Glock on my hip. The store owner waited on me, and thanked me for being armed. That doesn't happen often, and it's nice when it does.
 
It's an interesting mix in my part of AZ. We're only a few miles from Tombstone so you see ppl walking around in full Wyatt Earp regalia packing an honest-to-goodness Peacemaker. Then too, it's not uncommon to see someone in dockers & a button up making groceries at Safeway w/ a Glock on his hip.

I love AZ. :)
 
i wish open carry was legal in Texas, i would do it all the time. most people around my part of the big T would probably just think you were a deputy, no problem as long as you dont portray yourself that way. i dont think people would care... just a couple extra glances maybe. I say if your lucky enough to live where you can open carry then go for it because in this new world who knows how long even owning a might last.
 
Liberty1 is right about open carry in CO and similar to Liberty1, I've only seen it once in the last 10 years- that on a dude riding a chopper going about 75MPH out on the freeway clad only in boots, jeans, gloves, sunglasses, multiple tats on back, chest and arms (visible b/c no shirt) and an enormous revolver on his hip. Couldn't help thinking the revolver was mostly a fashion statement, but you never know.
 
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