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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Where it's legal...you betcha (Minnesota accent in play).

When it's convenient and/or expedient I have no qualms about carrying my six gun out on my hip.

For day to day carry I think most would agree that concealed is preferred for multiple reasons.
 
There's a nostalgic, romantic image to carrying open/cowboy style- but until everyone else is doing it you will look like a threat the rest of the people (who will be calling 911 everytime they see you with a gun).
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Not for me. It's simply a matter of ease and comfort. It's a LOT easier to not have to worry about concealment and use a comfortable OWB/belt slide/yaqui/paddle holster for your weapon. I believe 8 out of 10 people will (wrongly) assume you're some type of LEO and ignore you. One will be a BG who will take one look at your weapon and turn the other way. BGs like EASY targets, not dealing with armed citizens. The 10th one is the guy who, because of an inflated sense of self-importance and the notion that his ideas are the law of the land, will want to make a scene. Best thing to do here is ignore him, and politely and quietly handle any meeting with store managers or LEOs called to investigate you. Stay calm and act responsibly. Remember, the LEOS will usually know the carry laws. Once the "man with a gun" call is determined to be you shopping for a new tie, the matter will quickly die down. In fact, when the dispatcher asks the caller "What's he doing", and he responds, "shopping", the LEOS might not even respond.
 
I agree, I think in most cases people will just dismiss you as some sort of LEO. I suppose it matters how you dress and how you carry. If you look like some sort of thug then I expect you will draw attention. On the other hand if you dress like anyone in the business community I don’t think you will draw undue attention.

I would vote for open carry simply because I could carry my preferred pistol, full length 1911 with out having to dress special for it. I would probably go with an IWB holster, visible but unobtrusive.
 
I saw a guy with a glock and two mags in a shoulder holster the other day, but couldn't find a badge. He wore khakis and a blue polo, and I had a hard time shaking the feeling that he was an LEO, but I couldn't see any proof.

Here in Louisiana, it's freaking hot and humid during the summer. I don't have my CHL yet, but I can't imagine trying to conceal during the summer unless my pistol is in a bag of some sort.

I'm gonna have to get my CHL to carry during the cooler months. I think it's darn near impossible to open carry with winter clothes.
 
I open carry pretty regularly. I find it far more comfortable than concealing and I feel that deterrence is at least as valuable as surprise.

It's not the big deal here that it seems to be in other places. Police don't hassle me, businesses don't ask me to leave, and nobody freaks out or gets offened.

OCatcarshow.jpg


Note, that I don't usually carry a single action revolver.
 
I would like to be able to chose OC or CW. In TX you could lose your CHL if you show your weapon in public by accident. So OC would be great in case you print or your shirt come up a bit too much or if you spook some anti's
 
Accidental printing or accidentally showing the firearm is not going to get you in trouble in TX although I suppose if you make a habit of "accidentally" showing your firearm you're eventually going to get nailed.

§ 46.035. UNLAWFUL CARRYING OF HANDGUN[0] BY LICENSE
HOLDER. (a) A license holder commits an offense if the license
holder carries a handgun on or about the license holder's person
under the authority of Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code,
and intentionally fails to conceal the handgun[0].

My emphasis added.

TX allows open carry off one's own property only in very limited instances.
 
I don't for the same reason I don't carry money where it can be seen, car keys where they can be taken or credit cards dangling around my neck where the numbers can be seen. Sure, all may be legal, but it gives an advantage to the BG. It is the same reason why BG's fear under cover cops over uniformed cops. They are forewarned in the "open" case. I am not opposed to open carry, I just want the element of surprise for myself.
 
Accidental printing or accidentally showing the firearm is not going to get you in trouble in TX although I suppose if you make a habit of "accidentally" showing your firearm you're eventually going to get nailed.
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John,

Thanks for clearing up some of the FUD regarding conceal carry in Texas.

Accidentally printing to the public is NOT a justification for OC IMO. While we do not totally agree on the *best* way to carry (in all circumstances), this is an important distinction to make as we all make our own minds up for what is best for us.

There are plenty of reasons to choose OC. I think that the "I won't have to worry about accidentally printing" excuse has to be near the bottom or off the chart of excuses.
 
I live in the state of Pennsylvania and I would rather conceal carry but I have open carry a few times and I have never recieved any funny looks from the public or been hastled by the police.
 
There have been some good points made, thanks to everyone for their input.

I had a question about OC'ing on your own property. I live in city limits, in a decent sized city in Texas...big enough for it's own mall and three Wal Marts.

I define my property as my front, back, and side yards, driveway, and in my own home. I usually carry IWB when I'm outside working (mowing, weed eating...whatever).

I can OC in my front yard while mowing and doing all that good stuff? No room for cops to say I'm causing a disturbance or waiting for me to ride my mower into the street so they can say I was in a public place?
 
My take.

You can OC in your front yard in TX.

Your neighbors can call the police if it bothers them.

After they call the police, the police will most likely come talk to you to see if you're a nut.

If you don't act stupid the police will then go talk to your neighbors and tell them to leave you alone and to quit calling the police over your carrying a gun in your yard.

If you believe that your neighbors are likely to be really hacked off about the whole deal, you could videotape yourself until the police come the first time in case your neighbors accuse you of displaying "...a firearm or other deadly weapon in a public place in a manner calculated to alarm..." § 42.01 (a) (8)
 
I'm 65 years old, I'm 5' 7" tall and weigh about 190 lbs. Add in the bad back and OC just is NOT an option for me. There are just TOO MANY people who are big enough to take my gun away and use it for whatever they want. On top of that I'm just NOT ABOUT to give up the element of surprise to the BG. That's my 2 cents worth.
 
Actually...

I'd do both. Carry my Dad's WWII GI .45 in a nice leather holster, and keep carrying my little Kel-Tec as a back-up. That way, you're covered, either way. I have to imagine that open carry makes you more of a target in a situation like a bank robbery or when someone comes into a restaurant to rob it, but just walking down the street, I don't see it as drawing any unusual attention or making you more likely to be "chosen."
 
I have to imagine that open carry makes you more of a target in a situation like a bank robbery or when someone comes into a restaurant to rob it,
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I can't agree there. Crooks want it easy and need intimidation for their scheme to work. If they walk into a bank and see a couple of guys standing in line and packing, they're gonna just turn, walk back out, and look for an easier target. Hard to intimidate a guy wearing a 1911.
 
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