Florida Open Carry

[elkhunter77]

Colorado is open carry and we see little problems with it. Usually the open carry person has a cheap pistol in an Uncle Mikes nylon holster. Personally, I only open carry when up in the mountains and woods, not in town around other people.

 

[Racer X]

Almost, but you must be forgetting the great 9mm v 45ACP debates.

10mm vs .357 Magnum

best bear gun

 

[Paul in Nevada]

People stating their personal preference or "back in my day" anecdotes pollute these threads with irrelevant replies. The issue at hand is legality, not your preference.

 

[mikerjf]

Went to look at some gators from a hiway bridge when a friend was in town… lying down there was a gigantic dead hog. My instant thought was, that 357 I've been carrying is not enough gun!

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

OK, I really didn't want to start a political discussion but the Florida Open Carry proposal has me in a quandary. Let me first baseline my position: I am a staunch defender of the 2nd Amendment; I have been a CCW permit holder since 1995; I realized that I needed handgun training and have taken personal defense courses; I have a wide collection of firearms, both vintage and modern; I belong to a local Rifle and Pistol Club and occasionally compete; I routinely shoot at my son's state-of-the-art gun store & range; I am an NRA RSO.

So what is my quandary? I'm not sure that Florida citizens should be allowed to Open Carry a firearm without a background check or any required training. I have seen way too many new gun owners and CCW permit holders that have never taken any firearms training courses, rarely if ever go to the range to shoot, and barely know how to operate or clean their firearms. That's scary enough, but now we're talking about letting anyone strap on a handgun or carry a rifle/shotgun in public. For what purpose? Do they just want to be cool and show off just because they can, or do they think that openly displaying their weapon will deter criminals? Openly carrying a firearm may make that person the criminal's first target! And do they understand firearm retention?

My wife, who is a CCW permit holder, an occasional shooter, and who accepts my penchant for firearms, is totally opposed to and afraid of open carry. She knows that there are a bunch of borderline "nuts" out there, and who knows what may result from passing this Florida legislation. I realize that there are many other states that allow open carry and their statistics show that most of the fears of violence are totally unfounded. Back in the day I openly carried a handgun when fishing or hunting, and I had a shotgun in the back window of my vehicle- but it was legal back then and times were different. But this is modern Florida...we have daily shootings/murders, growing gang violence, several recent mass murders, road rage shooting incidents, and a constant influx of illegal aliens (some of whom are violent). Am I being over cautious? I guess that I just have to continue to research both sides of the argument and to give this more thought. Opinions?

SC has had open carry for a couple of years. Hardly caused a ripple. I've done it a couple of times. And saw it done a couple of times. No problems caused.

 

[Heinz]

SC open carry, if I understand correctly, require a Concealed weapons permit, with the background check and minimal training. I thought the training was a worthwhile course. I understand there is a "constitutional carry law" that has passed the house.
I like SC the way it is. But if you are pro constitutional carry in SC it would be a good time to contact your State senator.

 

[tlawler]

10mm vs .357 Magnum

best bear gun

Don't forget the "10mm is the equal of .41 Mag" discussion.

 

[ladder13]

The only people who can do anything about this, one way or the other, are FL residents.

Lobby your representatives.

 

[Rustyt1953]

Almost, but you must be forgetting the great 9mm v 45ACP debates.

How can we forget?

 

[SMSgt]

Based on the OP's "quandary," then he should be opposed to no-permit-required concealed carry also, which is what the current bill is about. Nothing in it is about allowing open carry. I think much ado about nothing is made of open carry. Even in the states that allow it, little of it is seen. It all goes back to the blood-in-the-streets hysteria. I'll take the permit less concealed carry as one of the death-by-a-thousand-cuts in the pro-gun fight.

 

[pharmer]

I'm in my 5th decade here:
1). Society has changed, not for the better
2). Entitlement rules behavior.
3). We get huge returns from folks happy to empty their wallets for experience. Foreigners with small children won't come back if they get frightened.
4. As others have said "Cover that smoke wagon!"
5). Legislation already covers "accidental exposure" of arms.
Joe

 

[Narragansett]

Almost, but you must be forgetting the great 9mm v 45ACP debates.

Exactly what I was going to post. You beat me to it

 

[Nomadmax]

Open carry = shoot me first or take my gun while I'm unaware and kill someone, maybe even me.

I support the right for open carry so I don't have to be first.

 

[Muss Muggins]

There is no evidence that I am aware of that open carry people have been shot first during a robbery or other incident. Occasionally, sloppy open carry, and sloppy concealed carry, have had to deal with their pistols getting grabbed.

I encourage every Florida citizen to contact their legislator and express their opinion about this legislation . . .

 

[Jon651]

OK, I really didn't want to start a political discussion but the Florida Open Carry proposal has me in a quandary. Let me first baseline my position: I am a staunch defender of the 2nd Amendment; I have been a CCW permit holder since 1995; I realized that I needed handgun training and have taken personal defense courses; I have a wide collection of firearms, both vintage and modern; I belong to a local Rifle and Pistol Club and occasionally compete; I routinely shoot at my son's state-of-the-art gun store & range; I am an NRA RSO.

So what is my quandary? I'm not sure that Florida citizens should be allowed to Open Carry a firearm without a background check or any required training. I have seen way too many new gun owners and CCW permit holders that have never taken any firearms training courses, rarely if ever go to the range to shoot, and barely know how to operate or clean their firearms. That's scary enough, but now we're talking about letting anyone strap on a handgun or carry a rifle/shotgun in public. For what purpose? Do they just want to be cool and show off just because they can, or do they think that openly displaying their weapon will deter criminals? Openly carrying a firearm may make that person the criminal's first target! And do they understand firearm retention?

My wife, who is a CCW permit holder, an occasional shooter, and who accepts my penchant for firearms, is totally opposed to and afraid of open carry. She knows that there are a bunch of borderline "nuts" out there, and who knows what may result from passing this Florida legislation. I realize that there are many other states that allow open carry and their statistics show that most of the fears of violence are totally unfounded. Back in the day I openly carried a handgun when fishing or hunting, and I had a shotgun in the back window of my vehicle- but it was legal back then and times were different. But this is modern Florida...we have daily shootings/murders, growing gang violence, several recent mass murders, road rage shooting incidents, and a constant influx of illegal aliens (some of whom are violent). Am I being over cautious? I guess that I just have to continue to research both sides of the argument and to give this more thought. Opinions?

As a fellow Floridiot I have a healthy respect for "The Law Of Unintended Consequences". As such, regardless of how much "more safe" people will feel by being allowed to open-carry handguns (if and when it comes to pass), I fear that there will most likely be a spike in 1) Reckless display; 2) Unintentional discharges; 3) gun loss due to carelessness; 4) gun loss due to criminal activity; and 5) an unintended increase in the number of innocent by-standers killed or injured during crimes.

The the best of my knowledge and Google skills, there is no "open carry" allowed in Florida. If it is ever enacted, I guess we will just have to let enough time pass to see if my fears comes to pass or if and entire state full of Floridians will actually surprise me.

 

[murphydog]

I live in a state where open carry has been the rule for a few years.

I see it as a complete non-issue. The occasional person you see doing it seems to be more a curiosity than a threat; most people ignore or are unaware of them.

I would guess the percentage of crazies here is the same as in Florida or elsewhere, so I don't see the small number of people who would do it (when they can't now) as not worrisome.

 

[ladder13]

Almost, but you must be forgetting the great 9mm v 45ACP debates.

I've never seen two at a time like currently with OC, which I've seen multiple times.

 

[Luke Duke]

Colorado is open carry and we see little problems with it. Usually the open carry person has a cheap pistol in an Uncle Mikes nylon holster. Personally, I only open carry when up in the mountains and woods, not in town around other people.

I too live in CO. Seldom if ever see anyone OC. I too will OC if I'm out in the woods or hiking. But on the most part the is a Liberal Blue state, unfortunately. If your on the other side of the mountains not so much. But I still don't see many people on the Western Slope OC. Lived in AZ. for 6 years and it was pretty common to see people OC. If that's how you want to carry far be it from me to say its wrong. However I myself wouldn't in this day and age. I don't like the idea of drawing anymore attention to myself as possible. Would I like to carry my 6" GP100 SS Half Lug barrel, you now it! I'm 100% confident with this gun and I don't miss with it ( not bragging ). Would rather carry it with 2 speed loaders than anything. Just not realistic.

 

[tlawler]

I would guess the percentage of crazies here is the same as in Florida or elsewhere, so I don't see the small number of people who would do it (when they can't now) as not worrisome.

Not too sure about that. It seems the increasing percentage of crazies in Florida is inversely proportional to the decreasing percentage in other states.

 

[SMSgt]

Not too sure about that. It seems the increasing percentage of crazies in Florida is inversely proportional to the decreasing percentage in other states.

We have our own surplus of homegrown crazies not. The importation can cease.