I did it. Open carried for the first time.

[biku324]

Walked out of my house one night on my way to work. In uniform and open carrying on a duty belt. Two guys tried to rob me. I will grant that my uniform and gun were black and it was dark. They may not have known I was armed until I drew.

Had some little street rat threaten to knock me down and take my gun. No question he knew I was armed.

Had another crackhead try to take my gun in a Kum&Go one night at work. Again, in uniform and clearly armed. Again, no question he knew I was armed.

Had a lunatic threaten to kill me with an axe at work one morning. At work, in uniform, clearly armed. The gun didn't phase him in the slightest. The OC did.

Not a gun grab per se but a crackhead walked into a 7-11 where I was waiting for a gas receipt one morning. With zero provocation on my part walked up to me and screamed in my face "I'm security around here (insert foul language relating to your female parent of choice) and what was I going to do about it. Again clearly not intimidated by the gun but as soon as I unsnapped my OC he found business elsewhere.

If you want to open carry you had better have a plan for WHEN someone tries to take it off you.

Your Milage May (and very likely does) vary.

Yes, yes, and yes. ^^^^

If you're carrying a gun for fun or because you can, my suggestion is you get one in chocolate in case you have to eat it, perhaps in suppository in case it ends up somewhere surprising.

Tweakers, gangbangers, and folks in the drug street retail business want guns. If you have one and are looking the other direction or unlikely to use yours, they may well 'try' you to get yours. Most of these folks aren't afraid of the law, and certainly not afraid you'll really shoot them. Neither are folks who are drunk, high, enraged, or bat-**** crazy.

A gun is neither a magic wand nor bulletproof bubble.

 

[keith44spl]

No snark intended but how does one exercise their right to open carry with "love"?

They carry a S&W....That true love !!!

Speaking of love....I really like these threads..

I get a look at who all's in the shallow end of the think tank

///

 

[Ogandydancer]

I have open carried but, it has been a long time and as a rule I just don't do it as I don't like to advertise the fact that i'm armed.

 

[steelslaver]

I occasionally see open carry around here. Nobody seems to pay much attention. Pretty gun friendly. I occasionally open carry during hunting season, but thats about it. I do admit that sometimes in the summer I probably print some.

Main thing about open carry is it makes some people uncomfortable. I see no reason to make decent people uncomfortable. To me thats bad manners. Ya, I got a right to open carry, I got the right to pass gas in a restaurant to. Don't mean I do.

Interestingly in Montana it is illegal to concealed carry where they serve alcohol, in a bank or to be under the influence while carrying concealed. But, the way the law is written this does NOT apply to open carry.

 

[biku324]

How about a couple of unarmed thugs in a restaurant who see you carrying and start screwing with you, asking you if you're a cop, if you're scared of something, vulgarly questioning your manhood, making ethnic slurs, and daring you to pull out your gun and start shooting, all of this while a gang banging buddy streams the incident in a live, countercultural adaptation of 'counting coup'?

 

[RobertJ.]

How about a couple of unarmed thugs in a restaurant who see you carrying and start screwing with you, asking you if you're a cop, if you're scared of something, vulgarly questioning your manhood, making ethnic slurs, and daring you to pull out your gun and start shooting, all of this while a gang banging buddy streams the incident in a live, countercultural adaptation of 'counting coup'?

Nowadays, this scenario is not far-fetched at all!

 

[biku324]

Yes. I used this actual example purposely.

 

[Smoke]

If a thug (or thugs) decides he wants your gun, and points his gun at your face, what is your plan?

Anyone else who OC's (excluding LEO, of course) who reads this, please feel free to respond. I've always been curious about this.

My first thought is if a thug has his gun in your face there were multiple failures BUT the guy that tried to take my gun was sitting on a trash can outside the Kum&Go and made his decision completely on impulse. I walked past him, he came off the trash can and started trying to close distance on me.
I quartered on him and he backed down.

If someone had their gun in my face I think I'd have to fight because I'm pretty sure they'd shoot me anyway. So, I'm better off trying.

 

[steelslaver]

Just remembered the time I picked up a S&W from my FFL guys place, A 4"K frame. On the way home I stopped for gas and a soda at the corner gas station. Not wanting to leave it sit in my truck, which I never lock or remove the keys from, I just stuck it in my front pants pocket. The butt was fairly visible. When paying for the soda. The lady at the counter, who knew me as a regular, asked, "Happy to see me or is that a pistol in your pocket?" "Both" I replied, then explained I had just picked it up. She didn't care one bit. Just conversation.

 

[ISCS Yoda]

Absent good judgement, open carry is pointless, rude, and utterly counter productive. Only fools abuse their rights.

I actually agree with that. But there were violent "protesters" in the streets last week and I was just ensuring that I had easy access to my handgun. Otherwise, I dislike open carry a great deal. I could have thrown a vest over the gun but it was hot and I was disinclined to do that especially because of the street riots.

 

[RobertJ.]

My first thought is if a thug has his gun in your face there were multiple failures BUT the guy that tried to take my gun was sitting on a trash can outside the Kum&Go and made his decision completely on impulse. I walked past him, he came off the trash can and started trying to close distance on me.
I quartered on him and he backed down.

If someone had their gun in my face I think I'd have to fight because I'm pretty sure they'd shoot me anyway. So, I'm better off trying.

Fair enough, I certainly understand open carry because of a job requirement, when it's part of your uniform. But do you OC when dressed in regular clothing?

 

[Smoke]

But do you OC when dressed in regular clothing?

Absolutely not.

I haven't open carried outside of work in almost 10 years. If somebody else wants to open carry that's fine. I don't have a problem with it but in my experience it causes more problems than it solves

 

[gwpercle]

Except that it has happened before, so it's definitely a possibility. Off the top of my head, I recall a story, I believe in VA, where an open carrier got jumped from behind and had his gun stolen.

Don't give me a third hand "story"...give me a real life example of where you have been open carrying and assaulted .
I gave you my real life experiences of what has happened to me when open carrying and when not open carrying ... lets hear of the time you were open carrying and singled out for assault.
Since 2004 I open carry in my office and not one attempted robbery has taken place ... I wonder why !
Gary

 

[max503]

Last year they had 24 hour fireworks stands. Some are in remote places. I went into one at 1 a.m. on my way home from work and saw a guy open carrying. It seemed perfectly sensible at that time and place.
I fish in those areas - alone. I've thought about open carrying when I'm sitting on the bank but haven't. I CC instead.

 

[ContinentalOp]

Don't give me a third hand "story"...give me a real life example of where you have been open carrying and assaulted .
I gave you my real life experiences of what has happened to me when open carrying and when not open carrying ... lets hear of the time you were open carrying and singled out for assault.
Since 2004 I open carry in my office and not one attempted robbery has taken place ... I wonder why !
Gary

That makes absolutely no sense. Here's what your "logic" is saying: I've never known anyone who's been killed in a car accident. I've never been killed in a car accident. Therefore, nobody's ever been killed in a car accident.

Just because I don't have firsthand experience doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Of course, this is aside from the fact you completely ignored a member who did post his firsthand experience.

Oh, I found the story I mentioned as reported in the news: Man wearing handgun open carry robbed in Newport News, police say - Daily Press

 

[ladder13]

People have some imagination with boogeymen appearing out of nowhere being drawn to their gun like some sort of magnet.

 

[Smoke]

Don't give me a third hand "story"...give me a real life example of where you have been open carrying and assaulted .

I DID give you my first hand story. In fact I responded directly to you with several first hand stories.

Do you think the guys that went after me while I was wearing body armor and a duty belt and had spray and a gun and reloads and radio and looked like the Terminator wouldn't have gone after you?

You just haven't run into the right crackhead yet.

 

[keith44spl]

People have some imagination with boogeymen appearing out of nowhere being drawn to their gun like some sort of magnet.

Mike,
I've open carried on the job forever and a day....

Never once did a boogeyman jump me or any one else for that matter.


Dave

 

[rosewood]

I think there are times when open carry is a good idea and times when concealed is a better solution. There is no one size fits all solution like so many try to make it.

Sometimes open carry may make you a target, sometimes, it may deter the criminal and make them find an easier target. You really never know until it happens or doesn't happen. All criminals are not the same nor do they act the same in a given situation.

I think if you are knowingly going to where you know folks might be fearful, you should conceal. Even though it is our right to open carry, it is also two gay guys right to kiss in front of me. Do I want them to do that in front of me? No, it offends me, but it is their right. I would prefer they respect me and not offend me on purpose. Same goes for open carry.

That being said, if you are running a pawn shop, convenience store, liquor store or the like. Open carry is a big deterrent for a robbery I think. Good time to open carry, but still up to the store owner if they think it is a good idea or not.

Myself prefer to conceal, I like the option of not having to deploy my weapon until I choose. If you are caught in a bank robbery and do not want to get involved, you can keep concealed, if you are open carry, odds are, you are going to be involved, like it or not.

I have open carried on occasion, i.e., just came out of woods from hunting and have my pistol on my hip exposed. Especially in the rural areas, most folks are used to it, so it doesn't matter. However, when I stop by Walmart, I untuck my shirt or throw a vest/jacket over it. May not be so concerned about "printing" or it peeking out in some places, but not standing proud either. Most non-gun folks will never notice you printing unless it is plainly obvious.

Elderly or person in wheelchair, open carry might be a good idea. It says, I am not helpless, don't mess with me.

Rosewood

 

[steelslaver]

Some places open carry is no big deal, some it is impolite, some it is illegal, some it is not wise. Around here the booger man isn't going to grab your gun, no one is going to freak out. Down town LA might well be different. I am not going to find out for myself.