What are your thoughts on open carry and why?

Are you For Open Carry or Against and Why?

  • For Open Carry

    Votes: 37 45.1%

  • Against Open Carry

    Votes: 38 46.3%

  • Undecided

    Votes: 7 8.5%
  • Total voters
    82
  • Poll closed .
Open carry is fine, but it comes with its own set of responsibilities. For instance, a person carrying openly walking down the sidewalk, a person comes from behind with the intent of stealing the firearm because it is worth $600.00 or maybe more.

Same person carrying concealed with the same firearm but the person that is out looking to steal a firearm doesn't know the other person has a firearm, or where it is at.
 
Should be legal. Having options are great.

I personally wouldn't open carry where there are a lot of people around. Out in more remote areas, I have no concerns.
 
There may be exceptions (there always are, even if some are unlikely in the real world), but I oppose open carry except in hunting areas where it often is mandatory for a handgun.

There is a very real danger of being shot by the police or even by another armed citizen under the conditions we have seen recently. We have quite enough crime and criminal violence, thank you, without citizens screaming at the police to "shoot him he has a gun" and frightened police officers firing in all directions at anything that moves. (Yes, I know all police officers are well trained, are always calm and cool, never miss, and would never fire unless absolutely necessary to preserved innocent life. Sure. And I believe in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny!)

Jim
 
It should be legal, but I generally prefer not to OC.
There are some logical times and places for OC.

I'm against the protest style of OC, where it is done for shock value. I think we do better when those who OC look more like upstanding businessmen and women. Right or wrong, people don't think the person dressed in a suit and tie is going to be a threat to them, generally speaking. In my opinion, normalization is better than shock value.

This guy gets close observation:
http://www.motherjones.com/files/opencarrycoloradosprings630.jpg

These guys, probably not:
http://truthaboutguns-zippykid.netd...n-Carry-Starbucks-courtesy-csmonitor.com_.jpg
 
There is a difference between open carry of a pistol and open carry of an AR. To me one may be tactically suspect in some locations and the other is a political statement. I don't like the ramifications of making armed political statements where being armed is integral to making the statement or the statement itself.

I get open carry sometimes as a matter of convenience. If I am working around the house I am normally armed and openly so. If I run into the "town" 6 miles away (ok its a village with a population under 500) to the hardware store I have no problems carrying my gun openly or just throwing a "half-way" cover over it. There are some technicalities in Michigan open carry laws and concealed carry laws that at one point seemed to indicate you were doing one or the other but I believe those have been cleared up.
 
I am fine with OC of pistols and long guns in the appropriate environment: hunting, rural, or emergency situation.

I am also fine with the rules in Texas about it being legal for CHLers.

I think its stupid to do though, outside of the above appropriate environment. Whether or not its "tactically" a good idea, it makes you look like a boor and if a situation develops its an intimidation factor that will be used against you.

Additionally with today's current events of mall shootings, etc. wandering around with a long gun in hand has the potential to invite disaster. (OC of holstered pistol less so).

I had a situation last week while walking my dogs with a guy who had his dogs loose that escalated to me drawing my can of mace (which I have for other animals, not people). Had he puffed up with an OC it might have been a VERY different situation. The best scenario would be-when the police came (we have often have PoPo in the park and they just drove over when they saw it)- I would have been all over it about the "intimidation factor." At worst it would have escalated and he would have been dead.
 
Here in Ohio open carry is absolutely legal and permitted. That said I oppose it. I oppose it because it serves no real purpose other than to freak out a bunch of people who haven't a clue it is legal. For example if I strap on a holstered six gun or AR 15 across my back and walk down the street within moments the local police will receive a half dozen calls for man with a gun. The majority from seniors who have n clue what is going on. Even if the police attempt to explain to the 911 caller the police still need to follow up. The police have better things to do with their time as do I. The majority who have carried around here have done so as more of a "because I can" rather than offer up a good reason. I also prefer concealed carry simply because I prefer those around me not know I am armed.

This subject comes up quite often in forums.

Ron
 
I voted open carry for this reason, and this reason only.
There have been reports that here in FLA. brief accidental exposure has been prosecuted by zealous anti-gun-anti-2nd amendment DA's as brandishing. Yes we have newer legislation passed and is law that is supposed to stop this but some DA's don't care.
 
Constitutional Carry

That is preferred, but it should be up to the citizen how they provide for their self protection.
 
second amendment

Second amendment doesn't say I have to conceal. There are arguments for both open and concealed. Sometimes I do and sometimes I do not.

There are not many people that would try to steal a $2000 German Shepard guard dog, so I doubt my $600 gun is any different. Police and security guards open carry all the time. How many times are their guns stolen off their person? Not many I bet.
 
I prefer not to have a belt holstered weapon on clear display.

It gives away the fact that I'm armed, makes me an obvious potential "first target" in the event of a nasty situation and might become a magnet for someone looking to grab/take possession of a weapon.

I didn't mind it when I was wandering the backwoods (where lawful), but not for daily use in an urban environment.

An openly carried, exposed handgun is more easily targeted and more easily grasped. People who have never had reason to think or worry about real-world weapon retention issues, of an exposed/holstered handgun, issues are lucky.

I rather liked it when I was present somewhere, working as a plainclothes cop, and someone would look me up and down and then ask if I was still carrying a gun (because I wasn't in uniform and my duty weapon was concealed from their casual sight).

I like having even a minor advantage that could be employed in a tactical manner if things became fuzzy.
 
I voted against.

I'm a gun owner's rights guy. I'm also a 22 year LEO.

Open carry in the woods, or around the farm is great. Open carry into your local McDonald's is not so great.

-It creates tension and angst among those that don't want to be around guns.

-It creates tension and angst with folks who are indifferent about guns, but think you have something going on that requires a gun and therefore; feels as though it may effect their safety.

-It creates tension and angst with pro gun folks who have their guns on too, but wonder why you feel the need to show everyone you have a gun.

It's like me taking my 90lb Doberman into McD's with me. There may a person or 2 who wouldn't mind petting her, but those are the "real dog freaks". Most folks there are going to be apprehensive and try to hurry and leave, even though I wouldn't let her hurt any of them..................

When I see someone open carrying, I really want to ask why they feel the need to do that just to see the mentality behind it, but alas, it's their right and I don't want to get mixed up that conversation. Because you can doesn't mean you SHOULD.
 
Handguns should be a solution, not a problem. People who display them to provoke reactions in others are causing problems, not solving them. People who open carry without giving thought to retention, in their equipment and training, create a potential for problems. People who carry openly hunting or working outside are keeping their guns available as a solution and not causing problems.

It was interesting to me that a handful of people at the Dallas protest that ended so tragically rushed to police to unburden themselves of their openly carried rifles. Kind of telling in a lot of ways: their intent seems to have been to put on a show, not use them to enhance their own safety or any of the people around them; and they obviously worried about being a target of either the police or the sniper and wanted no part of either.
 
I voted open carry for this reason, and this reason only.
There have been reports that here in FLA. brief accidental exposure has been prosecuted by zealous anti-gun-anti-2nd amendment DA's as brandishing. Yes we have newer legislation passed and is law that is supposed to stop this but some DA's don't care.
Click to expand...

Where in FL are the DA's going to violate state preemption laws and risk the wrath of Tallahassee - especially in an election year? Accidental exposure as in the wind blowing your shirt or jacket open is not a crime in Florida.
 
Nuisance calls

Does anyone have any stats about how many people are arrested for brandishing by accidentally having their concealment ride up
Click to expand...
If you are not breaking any law, how or why would you track this action? By my measure, I feel that it's the LEO's that support open carry in order to minimize nuisance calls. Regardless of how well you try to conceal, there will always be times when it will accidently be reviewed. For the most part, no one is trying to read you to see if you are carrying. If all went to open carry, then you will folks getting attention. We have a fella in town that open carries a SA .357, in a western holster and by now, every one knows it. He has a favorite local store and our LEOs get calls from folks who don't know this guy. They ask the caller to describe the person and afterwards inform the caller that they are aware of him and he is legal. That's the end of that. ..... :eek:

Be Safe !!!
 
Open carry has always been legal here in the mountains of Virginia. When someone chooses to open carry, nobody pays any attention. I choose not to do it but I want to have that option.
 
NC is an open carry state and I'm good with that. I don't open carry myself because I have a CC permit. Tactically I think your at a disadvantage but that's just me. I do not however support the guy or gal that has an AR slung over his shoulder while standing in line at the grocery store. There are better ways to make a statement.
 
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