Open Carried for first time

[PHPistols]

I'm not much in favor of open carry (philosophically speaking) but I tried it last night for the first time.

I went on a walk with my 3 year old son in the early evening. It was fine obviously, but as I walked I had this great urge to practice drawing and dry firing (obviously I didn't but since it was out there I had the desire).

I was carrying the shield in a galco yaqui slide belt holster that I got primarily for when I am dressed up and have a coat on. Very minimal holster which basically covers the trigger guard.

I noticed that with the shield as I walked normally and my arm pretty much covers the pistol (another reason I like the shield).

While open carry was by law allowed in Kansas in 2007, the AG told my city to allow it just late last year after they weren't allowing it by city ordinance. Thank you AG, but it is pretty new here to do.

Here's a pic of the holster

 

[GLV]

I do not care to advertise,

so the last time I carried was in Az, before their permit system--maybe 1990?

To each his/her own, just not the dish of this old fart.

 

[PHPistols]

Well as I said, I'm not for open carry. Just thought I'd try it, it was evening (dark) and I wasn't going to be around other people.

 

[Old cop]

I've opined before on this topic, it's not something I would do but do not "diss" others for doing it. It's pretty unusual to see it done where I live and when I do see someone open carrying a police car is not far behind, even though it's legal.

Anyone care to share why they chose to open carry. I've often wondered, especially since CCW permits are so easy to obtain.

 

[BobC357]

Due to the huge coyote, bobcat and mountain lion population here in the city where they can't be hunted and have lots of food, I will carry the .357 mag open when we walk the dogs at night but, for that, there is a valid reason.

At our mountain cabin, many carry open for the same reason plus wild dog packs.

ccw and open carry are more to protect us from wildlife than people.
Oh, yes, I have a valid small game license to keep it legal.

 

[keith44spl]

I see folks on the north side of the Red River OCing purty often...

Most folks in general are not observant enough to even notice.

I'm in the "Don't really care what other folks do" cheering section.

I do like to see grown men with the wherewithal to defend their families and themselves.

And women too, for that matter!



.

I've opined before on this topic,
Anyone care to share why they chose to open carry. I've often wondered, especially since CCW permits are so easy to obtain.

Wells,

I open carry when it's appropriate, concealed other times....

But mostly jest to suit myself.



.

I'm Ready, When The Saints Come Marchin In

 

[arjay]

I open carry out in the boonies at times,but in the urban areas the local laws all vary so who needs the hassle?

 

[Wingmaster]

I ocasionally see people open carrying. I really dont give them much thought. Usually they look to me like a rancher that came to town and forgot to take his side arm off.
During hunting season you see people open carrying a lot. I don't worry too much about them either.

Wingmaster

 

[ACP230]

The first guy I saw open carrying in MI was in camo, with a cowboy hat, on the side of the highway, on a horse.

I have open carried in the woods, mostly. Sometimes I've had an M28
on my belt and a J-frame in my pocket.

 

[.45goblue]

Just for now

I will open carry if the wife and I are taking the dog for a walk at night, that's about it though. I'm still waiting on my CPL to come through, once I get that, i'll never open carry again. But for now, i'll deal with some hassle to protect my own.

 

[BaaBaa]

Anyone care to share why they chose to open carry.

For wildlife protection. Nearly all ranchers open carry.

I remember reading a story about one ditch rider who started to open carry after his life was threatened by the local coal miners. The miners were putting up wanted posters and worse because the ditch rider was trying to protect a reservoir from mining underneath it. A few weeks of him carrying his revolver everywhere and the mines and the ditch company worked out a mutually beneficial compromise.

I can remember both my mother and grandmother open carrying when in the woods when we used to go hiking. Grandma would also carry a golf club, she used it to fling rattlers into the air and shoot their heads off. Mom never did that but still usually had her gun with her too.

 

[SMSgt]

I am soooo disappointed you weren't shot on sight or had you gun targeted and stolen. This makes me think everything on the internet is not true.

I can't OC here (by state law), have OC'd in other states, and feel everyone should have the right to carry in whatever manner they choose. It makes no difference to me how others carry. I just prefer they do.

 

[Alnamvet68]

The current climate is such that open carry where legal is really not appropriate...just invites a lot of unnecessary and negative attention. On a ranch, farm, or on my small "plantation", where nobody is watching, then open carry is fine.

 

[elm_creek_smith]

The current climate is such that open carry where legal is really not appropriate...just invites a lot of unnecessary and negative attention. On a ranch, farm, or on my small "plantation", where nobody is watching, then open carry is fine.

From what other legal activities should we refrain because they are "…really not appropriate?"

ECS


Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk 2

 

[MaximumLawman]

Some peole have no discretion whatsoever. I dealt with some 20-somethings who like to open carry AR-15's and AK-47's at 3:00am through the subdivision while wearing all black. Brilliant idea of what not to do "just because we can". I find it hard to believe that any rational person would say "So what rights should we give up NEXT if it's OK for the police to stop us just for carrying rifles though the subdivision at 3:00am while wearing all black?" Yes there are some out there who will.

People like I described are the types responsible for getting otherwise reasonable laws tightened up to the detriment of those who carry openly yet relatively unobtrusively.

 

[snubbyfan]

Only time I open carried was while traveling through Virginia. I was wearing a tanktop, a short sleeved buttom down shirt as a cover garment and my snubby in an owb on my right hip. It was warm out so I took off my cover garment and when I stopped to gas up my truck I forgot to put it back on. While my truck was filling up, I went in to use the restroom. After I got back to my truck I realized I was walking around with my snubby hanging out. The world didn't end, I wasn't hit over the head and had my gun stolen and nobody called the cops. I figured with my long hair, brown skin, tattoos, silver tomahawk earring on my left ear and arrowhead and bead necklace, nobody noticed my snubby.

 

[Janitor]

I've only open carried once, and it was such a non-event it was almost laughable.

I was at the local greasy spoon for breakfast one winter morning. On days like that, my coat is my cover garment. I was sitting at the table, when I realized I had to go to the restroom.

Darn. Do I put the coat back on to go to the head, or do I leave it off. Well ... legal is as legal does and all that rot, so I slid out of the booth and took the long walk down to the head. Even had to pass by the table that two of our local finest were drinking coffee at.

Then it happened.

Nothing. Nothing at all. Nobody even gave a 2nd look. And trust me - I was so hyper I was watching everyone as I walked through the room. Saw more than one person look straight at it - how could they not? It was marching by their table very near right in your face height.

And now that's all behind me and I can say that while nothing at all happened, I'm still not high on the concept of open carry. I think it should be legal, but more to keep a fashion faupax from becoming a misdemeanor than anything else. To each his own I guess.

 

[FTG-05]

I OC'd my S&W 329PD yesterday while surveying the cemetery where my wife's great-great-great-grandfather was buried. (Sides Family Cemetery, Walker County, AL; James M. Rutledge, 28th Alabama Infantry Regiment, Easy Company, CSA).

Our host asked if I was a cop; nope, just a retired Boring engineer prepared and willing to protect the most important thing in the world [while I patted my beautiful wife's patooie); the old lady laughed - I could tell I was her kind of people!

 

[Poodle Soup]

Do it with class if your going to. And that sir is a nice looking set up!

 

[brokenprism]

Here in rainy OR a flannel shirt is everyday wear. Sometimes, on trips to the grocery store for a few things, my 10 yr old daughter, who never wears her own coat, will suddenly need my shirt when she gets out of the car. So I give it to her. It all ads up -- little girl in oversized flannel shirt, Dad carrying a gallon of milk and a box of graham crackers, gun neatly holstered. No one says anything. We're fixtures at Fred Meyer and I know many people see it (many more aren't paying attention, and God bless them for it), but no one change aisles, makes a call, nothing. We're a small mountain town. Everybody smiles.

So I don't OC intentionally, but sometimes it's unavoidable. Not concerned about scaring anyone as much as I would be concerned about being gun-jacked. How ironic would that be...

 

[laskt9]

I outside carry in the country. Not a single person gives a second look. Most times they don't even look if I forget to throw my shirt over it at the store.



Sent from my HTC PH39100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[brokenprism]

On a related not, I was shooting in the national forest once while my daughter and her friends were swimming. People who were swimming downstream called the law when I took out the HK .40 and tried a few groups in a perfectly safe direction yada yada. The green truck arrived and I assumed he was there for me, so I holstered the USP and walked over to him with my arms crossed. We chatted, talked ammo a little, and I kept my arms crossed the whole time and he was just fine with it. Years ago in the Pike NF in Colorado, a ranger showed up to make sure my brother and I weren't shooting across any roads. Same deal: I holstered the 4" 629 and crossed my arms and stood next to his truck with him in it, chatting. He was taking a pretty big risk now that I think about it, because it would have been awkward to get his gun into play from a seated position. (Or maybe it was in his hand like that scene in End Of Watch, pointed at me through the door. : )

Any time I've been stopped and handed over my permit with my license, it's been a non-event. I usually have a car full of kids, and I've always had one of those faces that don't scare anybody, but cops usually have a pretty good sense of who they're dealing with. I always at like my gun on me is as normal a sight as his gun on him.

 

[Alnamvet68]

From what other legal activities should we refrain because they are "…really not appropriate?"

ECS


Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk 2

We're talking about open carry of a handgun/weapon; I really don't know what's in your mind, or what you're thinking. I'll just stick to the thread topic and say again, that with all the attention being given to firearm ownership, and all the wusses who are looking to go all out trauma/drama at the sight of a handgun in public, I submit that no good will come from open carry at the present time.

 

[Smitty357]

I live here in Louisiana, pretty much the murder capitol of the United States. Our murder rate is 10x's the national average.

Anyways, yes we have legal open carry (no permit needed). However, every time u see someone open carry, you almost always see them 5mins later detained by police. Of course someone calls the police, because they seen a gun. Once the police get there they have to detain and question the person with the gun, because the call went through 911. In the end, each time u open carry you spent 30mins of ur life day at some time or another explaining to police how u have done nothing wrong to anyone.

IMO, although im not bashing open carry. Here where I live, CC is the best way to go. Out of sight and out of mind. If a person doesnt see a weapon, they dont call the police. My 2 cents

 

[HayesGreener]

Here are a few thoughts from an old law dog. Yes, if it's legal in your jurisdiction, it's your right to carry a firearm in the open. But just because it's your right and it's legal doesn't mean it's smart. After all, the reason we go armed is for defense of ourselves and loved ones. Being prepared for defense involves a lot more than carrying a weapon. Like having the sense to not go recklessly into harm's way, avoiding trouble when you can, being aware of your surroundings, not drawing attention to yourself, etc.
Uniformed law enforcement have a different perspective because its their duty- they are expected to look for trouble and to go into harm's way. I had this conversation on several occasions with my investigators who wanted to run around in civilian clothes with their badge clipped to their belt and gun in the open. So my question was, why do you think you are wearing civilian clothes and why am I paying you a civilian clothing allowance? It's so you can go about your duties discreetly and not draw attention to yourselves. If you are working a crime scene no problem, but If you want to pack in the open every day let's just put everyone back in uniform. Everyone suddenly found a way to conceal their weapons. Circumstances dictate. I carry a pistol everywhere I go out here on the ranch, often in the open, and certainly carry one in the open when hunting. Even if it were legal in my state, which it is not, I would never think of carrying in the open in most urban areas, because I wouldn't want the attention. On the other hand in places where packing iron in the open is the cultural norm I might, but I would still be aware that I had lost whatever advantage I might have had from keeping it concealed. Just the view from my saddle

 

[scattershot]

In town, I have seen guys open carrying, and I usually think they must be a little squirrily. Nothing against it, it's legal, and guns sure don't bother me, I've been shooting for 60 years. It just looks a little strange, is all. I saw a guy in Arizona once with a full gunfighter rig and a nickeled pistol. Open carry is one thing, but be discrete!

 

[keith44spl]

.


Hell fire Boys....The man was jest wearing a pistol on his hip for Goodness Sake!

It wasn't like he was running all over town with his britches half way to his knees and
his drawers a shinin' or sumthing. Gees

I grew up around men carrying sidearms and have worn one my ownself for the better part of a half century.

I guess some folks jest ain't that advanced in life yet....



.

If Someone Yell'd "DUCK!" Would Ya?

 

[raisedin99]

I went in to use the restroom. After I got back to my truck I realized I was walking around with my snubby hanging out.

We don't go for those hijinks around here, that would have caused you to have been arrested for indecent exposure.

terry

 

[radar1972]

Here in Georgia, the Weapons Carry License allows both concealed and open carry. I live in a suburban environment and choose to conceal carry because I don't want to get people alarmed and calling the cops on me... yes, I know it's legal, but the potential hassles wouldn't be worth it. I don't mind if it prints or peeks; I just choose not to open carry.

The only open carry I've seen around here is a couple of guys coming into the local gun range to shoot. However, I suspect in the more rural areas there may be more open carry.

 

[Pef]

I've no problem with someone legally exercising their rights.