Would YOU Open Carry???

Would or Do you Open Carry in Public?

  • Yes

    Votes: 173 41.8%

  • No

    Votes: 114 27.5%

  • It depends

    Votes: 127 30.7%
  • Total voters
    414
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mvpel said:
...So for those of you who can't seem to refrain from gravely insulting fellow gun owners who choose a different mode of carry than the one which you prefer,...
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I have no interest in insulting people who carry their weapons openly. But I am getting awfully tired of listening (or, actually, reading) folks congratulate themselves for somehow demonstrating special virtue by going around in public displaying their roscoes.

If someone carries openly because it's convenient or otherwise suits his needs, fine. But if you're trying to sell me the notion that carrying openly makes you some kind of anointed knight in the RKBA crusade -- phui -- I'm not buying.
 
Playboypenguin said:
Are you saying noone has ever been targeted for their firearm? Either through theft or mugging? I can tell you from personal experience it happens in the gang world quite often. If someone displays their firearm on the street they risk making themselves a target.
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I was actually saying that I've never heard of a civilian who happened to be open carrying at the scene of a robbery being attacked after their holstered pistol was noticed by the robber.

In response to your comments about gang members targeting people who display their firearms, I gotta say that that sounds a little removed from my situation. I don't associate with any gang members, I don't 'display' or flash my pistol (it's there in plain sight, but I don't deliberately draw attention to it), and I can't remember ever even hearing about anyone being mugged in my locale. Maybe it's got something to do with how many law-abiding folks are armed here?

Prescott isn't exactly a metropolitan area yet, but it's not exactly rural anymore either. I realize that circumstances are different in other places and discretion may dictate other methods of carry for some folks.

I think that maybe popular open carry can be the ounce of prevention that's needed to keep my hometown from becoming the sort of place where you wouldn't want to risk open carry.
 
I voted it depends. I am a WI resident who has a MN non resident permit to carry. I cannot legally carry concealed in WI, I cannot legally carry a loaded and uncased firearm in my vehicle in WI so when I choose to carry here I need to do it openly and walk and or go through the unload/reload everytime I get in the car or on the bike. When in the Twin Cities area I can carry open or concealed and usually conceal (sometimes just barely with a t-shirt) because I am usually in Minneapolis hitting a coffee shop to visit with friends who share my other passion of sport bikes or on a book buying run at Uncle Hugos or Once Upon a Crime. On the whole I prefer concealing because it requires fewer interactions with morons with or without badges, that said I see no reason that those who like or at least better tolerate morons shouldn't be able to open carry. There are a few guys on TwinCitiesCarry.com that open carry fairly regular. They say the vast majority of folk don't notice.
One other thing someone said MN has issued 10,000 permits it's actually around 52,000 so far.
 
But if you're trying to sell me the notion that carrying openly makes you some kind of anointed knight in the RKBA crusade -- phui -- I'm not buying.
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Well, I guess that demonstrates that you're not from Ohio, then.
 
4" -6" Revolvers not suitable for open carry?

Yellowfin mentioned that he didn't think these revolvers were suitable for anything other than open carry. Actually a 2, 3, or even a 4 inch revolver is quite suitable for concealed carry. Especially the round butt models, which conceal quite nicely, perhaps even better than a double-stack Glock.

Before US law enforcement agencies discarded wheel guns in favor of semi-autos, most plain clothes officers carried one of the above concealed - strong side, cross-draw, upside-down shoulder holster, you name it. We all did it as there really weren't any alternatives - no Glocks, etc., and no one with any sense was going to schlep a concealed 1911 around for a full shift.
 
I am finding this thread...Amazing. :eek: Here I am on a forum with people I know, absolutely know, that understand that we all have the right to "keep and bear arms" and some of those people believe that the way we carry dictates what kind of people we are! Maybe its just me, maybe I just don't get it but why should the method of carry be indicative of someone personality? :confused: I would bet that most "chest thumpers" show their "thumpin" in lots of ways other than open carrying... especially in places where they can't carry. Aggressive, pushy braggarts are that way with or without carrying guns-right?
I would truly hate to think that people whose posts here that have given me, provided me, with lots of good reading, thoughtful insights and answers to questions I hadn't even thought to ask would judge me so harshly if they saw me open carrying! :(
And sometimes I do-because at that point in time it is the most logical practical thing for me to do. The majority of the time I CCW. But sometimes I OC and also CCW my bug-at the same time! So what does that make me? Here in Tucson if I see someone OC'ing I try to check them out to see WHAT they have-same way I check out a sweet muscle car that I see on the road.:) I do not say to myself "that guy must have a chip on his shoulder". But all said and done I still respect ya'lls opinions and will carry as I need to at the time-but wouldn't it be nice if everyone had the CHOICE- like I do?
 
I would carry openly

I would carry either a strong side high ride or cross draw. It would be a quality leather holster and properly fit the belt. It would coordinate with the rest of my clothing like this was something I planned, not an afterthought. One wants to appear (at least) competent, professional and knowledgable.

Open carry has certain postive factors:

1. One needn't worry about 'showing'. No concern over a jacket riding up or bending over wrong.

2. It sends a message to the 'criminal element'. Oddly, when the cravenly predatory see a weapon in public, they do not immediately start thinking how to steal that weapon or how to overpower the carrier. They tend to think, "I'm not starting anything here".

3. Exposure to weapons makes the sheep contingent less nervous over time. Okay, the first week there will be many of the 'good folks who won't carry every under any conditions' who stare, point and perhaps even approach and offer critical statements. However, people adapt rather quickly to new conditions. After the first week or two, most people will tend to ignore openly displayed weapons.

I agree there is no one size fits all solution. However, this is how I see it. I don't think this makes me a hero, just a guy who makes a stand.
 
Let's not confuse our concepts of "being a zealot" and discussing a topic on a message board. Most of these comments from most of these people, myself included, would never be made without someone bringing the topic up first (which, per the OP, someone did).
 
And a separate reply...I am assuming most (not all, but most) of us don't live in gangland central. The Bloods are not after my shiny pistol and I can wear whatever color shirt I wish. The most dangerous neighborhoods I spend time in aren't really all that dangerous. I find it VERY hard to believe that someone looking to commit a crime in my area would get a warm fuzzy about intentionally committing it on or around someone they know to be armed with a pistol. I will absolutely concede that there exist places in this world where, if you must be there, you shouldn't be showing a piece - this isn't one of them. I just don't see a need to hide it from the law abiding people around me.
 
Could be that SOME of those who are strong advocates of DISPLAYING their weapon for all to see register lower on the maturity meter than those who already know they have the right, but choose to remain low profile and not give away a tactical advantage, nor feel the need to make sure everyone knows about their 2d amendment rights.

I'm not saying that there aren't situations where open carry is appropriate, or necessary. I'm only saying that SOME advocates are suspect.

This subject has been beat to death, always sparks a fight amongst ourselves, and anyone who starts such a thread has observed the controversy it creates many times, and has, quite possibly, started the thread for that purpose rather than to engage in normal debate.
 
The scenario posted earlier of a situation where a person open carrying in a robbery situation being the first target could also be argued that if everyone was open carrying the robber would have alot of targets and probably not commit robbery in first place.Personally I would feel much safer standing at that cash register(in earlier scenario) with ten people open carrying than knowing that I`m the only one concealed carrying. I applaud JesseL for his(her) earlier post that (as I took it) was referring to judging people that o.c and automaticaly putting them in a chest-beating,look at me,I`m a bad ass category with never even meeting them. IMO,those who catagorize people who open carry have not been fortunate enough to live in some parts of the US where o.c. should not only be legal but mandatory or they are narrow minded. The public may not be used to seeing open carry but at one time we were`nt used to seeing mixed couples walking down the street either. Hope some pro-gun people reconsider thier thoughts on judging other gun owners who exercise thier gun rights in a different way than you do.;)
 
This subject has been beat to death, always sparks a fight amongst ourselves, and anyone who starts such a thread has observed the controversy it creates many times, and has, quite possibly, started the thread for that purpose rather than to engage in normal debate.
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Thats a big 10-4. The subject needs a one year hiatus :)

WildjustanexcersizeinpontificationAlaska TM
 
2 months ago this was a pretty novel concept to me. I started the thread just to see how many of us would, wouldn't, or might OC. I knew it would go bad eventually (they all do I think) but thought this sucker went to sleep.

Unfortunately it looks like it woke up rolling down the same hill it was on.

I would like to thank everyone for their input and feedback. Unless there's anything new to add to this one can we call it time out, overtime, or voluntarily locked???
 
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