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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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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While I agree with this for the most part, playing devil's advocate says that you'll be the first killed in a truly organized bank robbery, as you will appear to be the one likely to cause the most trouble.
 
i would only OC out in the wilderness. i'd worry too much if i OC in town. (worry about people worrying about me. :rolleyes:)

and even then, if was carrying a subcompact or compact pistol i would probably conceal. (in the wilderness)
 
I voted: it depends.....

Here in Georgia your CCW permits the open or concealed carry, but you must have the permit for either. Most of the time I carry concealed, but during the summer there are times when I carry open because of the hot weather and minimum clothing! I don't like IWB holsters, so at times OC is about the only option I have, other than a fanny pak, which I wouldn't be caught dead wearing in my neck of the woods! LOL
 
I voted 'it depends'. Here in Washington it is legal, and I do on occasion, but not in a traditional belt holster. I'll just wear my IWB holster with my shirt off or something along those lines, so it's still not that noticeable. I will OC every once in a while in a belt holster, but that's when I'm going to the range, or to a place I know is comfortable with guns.

I think this element of surprise that everyone speaks of is a good thing to have, but what would happen, in the off chance...You start fumbling for your CC pistol, but get hung up on your shirt or something along those lines? Then you lose all element of surprise and you become an instant threat to any would be attacker. I'm not saying that this would be a common happening, and with enough precautions taken, probably would never happen to a responsible CCer, but I sure wouldn't want to be the statistic in that situation.

So maybe I'll start trying to get more comfortable with OC since it is perfectly legal in my state. I also agree with an earlier made point that maybe once people start seeing guns in a more common/neutral environment, the fear of them will start going down. Only time will tell though. Either way, I think it should be the option of the individual whether or not they want to CC or OC.
 
Outside little LA (phx) I do. In Phx (valley) it is ccw, way too many libs and hassle in this hell hole of a valley. Prescott and other small cities in AZ much more warmer to oc.
 
OC in Tucson and along the southern portion of Arizona. I wear a black holster, black belt, medium size black gun (compact 9mm or .45) and dark trousers.

No one seems to notice my weapon! :D
 
I almost always open carry when hunting or going out to shoot. (Public desert land) I have open carried on other rare occasions, and even though it is generally accepted in these parts, I prefer not to as a regular practice. I do carry concealed at all times where legal, usually even a BUG when open carrying.
 
I can see where open carry can be real useful.

If for some reason, you have to be in a rough area, then it'd be nice to not have a garment in the way of your draw. I could also see it becoming a deterrent.
 
Old axioms: an armed society is a polite society; suprise and over whelming force win battles.

I like open carry but despite weapons retention training, prefer a retention holster as a measure of insurance. I always conceal carry a snubby. OWB holster carry is more comfortable when I carry a full frame hand gun.

When I lived in an open carry state, people were always more polite and less confrontational when someone was OWB.

I doubt we'll ever see open carry in heavily Democratic states.
 
Ive open carried in cowboy garb in the local parade and when i'm working around the property. i accidentaly open carried one day when i took off a sweatshirt and walked around town with the grip sticking out above my belt (legal here) but, for the most part, its concealed. dont like drawing attention to myself.;)
 
I remember when I was 10, and I'm only 25 now, so that is 15 years ago, I used to walk with my little brother to our Grandparents house- about 2 miles. We would open carry my little Marlin Semi-Auto .22 without a second thought, and we would shoot squirrels if we saw them. We probably went past about 20 houses on the walk down the road as well. I distinctly remember police passing us once and asking if we needed a ride- nothing was said about the .22 rifle other than to ask us if we got anything that day. I am pretty sure open carry was not legal then in SC, but I know we didn't know and better (it seemed normal and ok), and obviously the LEOs did not care.
 
I live in PA where open carry is legal, I marked "it depends" because If i was going certain places I might not, but if I'm running around my small rural town it wouldn't bother me or most if any people there at all.
 
I'd say no. Shop owners around here keep shotguns and the like behind the counter, and if I was working the desk at a bank or store and a guy brandishing a gun strolled inside, I would be worried.
 
Not Willingly

I voted no, I would not open carry willingly. I live in Georgia and have a CCW Permit. Georgia recently passed a law permitted CCW permit holders to carry in public parks, on public transportation and in restaurants where alcohol is sold for consumption on the premises.

I think most of it has been said; I carry to protect myself and my family. I'm a retired Navy Corpsman (FMF), I would call police, be a good witness and even intervene if necessary depending on the situation. However, having been a Reserve Deputy Sheriff I would be hesitant to intervene . . . because you just neve know, and I don't want to risk being mistaken for a miscreant rather than a samaritan.

I prefer that no one other than my wife know that I'm carrying.

If my gun is visible in public it's out and ready for a perceived threat.

Rufkarma:cool:
 
I have never heard of anyone being involved in a self defense shooting while open carrying a handgun......Although several have been involved while Concealed carrying...................:eek:
 
I don't open carry, and I can't honestly advocate it.

However, I would like to be able to go into town once in awhile and have a nice steak dinner at the hotel, go over to the saloon and play cards and maybe have a drink or two with Miss Kitty, Doc., Festus, Sally the new girl, and maybe even Matt, if he's in town. Under those circumstances, I'd like to open carry - probably a Colt .45 ie. maybe one of those nice Beretta/Ubertti models.:D
 
I say no...

During hunting season I carry a .44 7.5" under my shoulder and that is about the only time.

I CCW because I like the idea of surprise and I do not like people judging me.
 
One question I've wondered: What is the "demarcation line" b/t open carry and concealed carry?

If you carry a gun IWB where only the grip is showing, is that still open carry?

If you put on a jacket so the gun is still visible from the front but not the side & back, is it still open carry?

If you're wearing a jacket and the bottom of the holster is visible, is it still open carry?

And how could you be arrested for concealed carry w/o a permit in an open carry state if someone spots the gun? If it's seen, doesn't that make it open carry?

Just curious.....
 
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