Open Carry?

[Stophel]

Because the Right to Bear Arms means the Right to BEAR ARMS. We should not be required to hide them away (and only after gaining permission from the government and paying a fee...).

 

[indiandave]

I like to conceal carry. I don't like drawing attention to myself. But in the warm weather I open carry when walking my dogs in the woods.

I'll give you a story of when open carry worked. I have a friend who is a retired police officer. He always conceal carries. His wife being a slave to fashion likes to open carry. They were in a store when a person bumped into my friend looking for a fight. The guy was escorted out of the store. On his way out he said I'll be waiting for you outside.
Sure enough he was waiting for them outside. When he approched them he saw my friends wifes Glock sitting on her hip. His eyes got really big. He muttered something under his breath and left.
They both agreed if he didn't see her gun trouble would have happened.

 

[hatt]

No. As I said in my post, it was told to me by a LEO in Tennessee.

LOL. It sounded like a story. If it were an actual event I'm sure someone, somewhere, would have posted numerous times by now to show that OC makes you a target. Still nothing to show that side, even though it's so prevalent according to the closet carry crowd.

 

[elm_creek_smith]

I open carry at work, in uniform, with my badge and gun. When it's hot in Oklahoma, it's HOT! Sometimes a cover garment is asking for heat stroke. Luckily, I won't have to worry about it from now on.

Most people don't even notice someone wearing a gun in a holster unless it's a BIG gun in a BIG buscadero holster. Wear a holster that conforms to your body, and it seems to disappear. If you were worried about what people think about you, you'd be disappointed to know how little they think of anyone other than themselves.

ECS

 

[Old cop]

I tried to put myself in the place of the retired cop who had someone waiting to assault him once he left the store. Had that been me I would have called the cops and not gone outside to confront the moron. I'm too old and handicapped to fight anyone and would not use my CCW to even the odds unless there was another way to deal with things.

In this instance his wife's OC worked in his favor which is a good thing. I don't OC and never will.

 

[357-RevolverGuy]

I live in the city and conceal carry. But when I am out by myself hiking in the country or fishing in the woods, I open carry. I find that if I ever happen to face a threat, holsters made for open carry (outside the waist, belt) make it easier to quickly access my gun.

 

[Kanewpadle]

More evidence that open carry is nothing more than an attention getting act.

Man carries gun openly into mall, gets verbal lashing | Local & Regional | Seattle News, Weather, Sports, Breaking News | KOMO News

Is this really the attention you want? Your name and face in the news?

And here's more.
Armed demonstrators rally against gun control efforts | Local & Regional | Seattle News, Weather, Sports, Breaking News | KOMO News

We have an open carry rally at the state capital. WOW! How many folks showed up? Less than 2000. So if open carry is so right. If it REALLY represents what gun ownership is all about, WHERE THE HELL IS EVERYONE ELSE!!

There are approximately 300,000 people in this state with concealed carry permits. Let's see, 300,000 minus 2000 is how much?

 

[blujax01]

One thing I am certain of is that those who open carry don't appreciate being called "Open-Carry Clowns" and those that choose to conceal do not appreciate being called "Closet Carriers".
And neither appreciates the "Eye-Roll" smilie.

A little civility goes a long way.

 

[hatt]

One thing I am certain of is that those who open carry don't appreciate being called "Open-Carry Clowns" and those that choose to conceal do not appreciate being called "Closet Carriers".
And neither appreciates the "Eye-Roll" smilie.

A little civility goes a long way.

A little honesty goes a long way too. If someone doesn't like OC, fine. Who cares. Opinion away using available facts. But stop making up stuff and using fearmongering tactics to support your position. Everyone complains about the Left doing the exact same thing but it's totally fine if used to support your position on some issue.

 

[XD40inTX]

Element of surprise?

I have never seen any info that even suggest proof that a person Ocing becomes the first target in a robbery. I have heard stories that suggest that the presence of a person OCing may have been a deterrent preventing a crime.

It takes more then a holstered gun to be charged with brandishing. Pa. Has no printing laws. So by your theory you could still be charged with brandishing if concealed.

Regarding the element of surprise--I'm not worried about the guy who comes into the convenience store to rob it. If he came in and saw someone open carrying he might decide to walk around the block while the armed guy finished his business and left.

I'm worried about the maniac who goes into a store or mall with the intention of killing as many people as possible then eating the last bullet. That person isn't going to be deterred by the sight of someone open carrying, but the open carrier is almost certainly going to be his first victim--and he'll never have a chance to draw his weapon because the last sound he'll hear is the shot that kills him.

The question of brandishing is another matter. Normanvin is correct--just wearing a gun in the open isn't of and by itself "brandishing." In Texas, brandishing is described as "displaying a weapon in a manner intended to threaten or intimidate."

Notice--"displaying," not "holding." In our current litigious society, if you get into a disagreement with someone while you're open carrying, they might claim they were threatened or intimidated by the fact that you were displaying a weapon.

There is currently a bill before the TX legislature to allow TX CHL holders to open carry. I hope the bill passes, but if it does I will not open carry.

 

[mkk41]

One thing I am certain of is that those who open carry don't appreciate being called "Open-Carry Clowns" and those that choose to conceal do not appreciate being called "Closet Carriers".
And neither appreciates the "Eye-Roll" smilie.

A little civility goes a long way.

You mean political correctness.

 

[blujax01]

You mean political correctness.

No Sir, I mean civility.

Folks who stoop to name-calling have just checked their intelligence at the door. Anything they have to say after that is just babble...

 

[keith44spl]

open carry.

.

says LOOK AT ME!! DON'T LIKE IT? TOUGH!!

Open carry is selfish and childish!!

.

What the hell ya talking about Willis???

Don't guess an attitude like that would fit in anywhere but the left coast.

Jest jerkin yur chain a lit'l....I run with a purty rough crowd....

So, ya got get tough, or die....

I don't smile much, not since my horse kicked me in the mouth....* And I had to kill 'im!

.

* It's a joke folks

 

[vista461]

I have never seen any info that even suggest proof that a person Ocing becomes the first target in a robbery.

This guy was.

Man Legally Carrying Gun Robbed at Gunpoint - TODAY'S TMJ4

MILWAUKEE - A Milwaukee man found out the hard way that carrying a gun for protection doesn't always keep you safe. In fact, it may have made him a target.

The 34-year-old man legally owned a handgun and carried it out in the open in his holster for protection.

Neighbors say they knew he was always armed.

"It was kind of scary to just see him walking around all the time with that gun kind of just out in the open," said Shambria Mayham Autman. She lives near Teutonia and Good Hope and said they called him "The guy with the gun."

But it wasn't scary for at least one person who robbed "The guy with the gun" at gunpoint.

To me a lot of OC'ers (not all) are "look at me" attention seekers. The activists that are always trying to provoke a confrontation, while filming themselves and posting it on you tube. For some reason they think it will help, when acting like that just turns people off.

 

[Old cop]

XD40inTX was right re: brandishing and the law, it is the same in my state and I suspect almost everywhere. That said I've seen brandishing charges filed when they should not have been and sometimes it comes down to who the cop believes.

As retired LEO I may have an advantage here but I'd rather not be put into a situation where I need to find out.

 

[gfy1960]

I would agree that OC has it's place (hiking, rural areas, etc..). However I think OC'ing in a city or crowded area is not a good idea. The main advantage of living in an OC allowing state (Ohio) to me is, if I accidently catch my coat or shirt behind my firearm I'm still legally carrying. I once worked with an Officer that wouldn't carry concealed in our home town, because he was afraid if anything happened people would give him away as being armed.

 

[MaximumLawman]

Originally Posted by normanvin View Post
I have never seen any info that even suggest proof that a person Ocing becomes the first target in a robbery.

That's only because so few people carry open. If there were more people walking around with a $1,000.00 gun on their hip, a lot more of them would be getting robbed of their guns.

 

[Fire75]

I just got my ccw so i havent carried either way yet. If you go to Philadelphia, you have to OPEN carry. As long as you have a ccw. Does that make sense?

 

[strbrinky]

I posted this in another thread on open carry on this forum.
Here is it again.

In Florida we do not have open carry, and if we did I still wouldn't.
As others said, it draws attention to you and make you a target, and possibly a threat to bad guys.
A LEO in Tennessee was telling me a story last month about a guy who was carrying openly.
He went into a convenience store to purchase a few items.
While he was in the back, two thugs came in and proceded to hold up the clerk at gun point.
While this was going down, the guy in the back, oblivious to what was going on, headed up front to pay for his purchase.
When he emerged from the aisle, one of the bad guys saw him with a gun, and shot him. They then fled without harming the clerk.
The poor guy died in the store.

Concealed carry gives me a tactical advantage, I don't appear to be a threat to anybody, and I don't draw attention.
JMHO.

Stu

If you OC anywhere, you're just plain asking for it if you don't maintain your situational awareness. NEVER give up your SA.

 

[strbrinky]

More evidence that open carry is nothing more than an attention getting act.

Man carries gun openly into mall, gets verbal lashing | Local & Regional | Seattle News, Weather, Sports, Breaking News | KOMO News

Is this really the attention you want? Your name and face in the news?

And here's more.
Armed demonstrators rally against gun control efforts | Local & Regional | Seattle News, Weather, Sports, Breaking News | KOMO News

We have an open carry rally at the state capital. WOW! How many folks showed up? Less than 2000. So if open carry is so right. If it REALLY represents what gun ownership is all about, WHERE THE HELL IS EVERYONE ELSE!!

There are approximately 300,000 people in this state with concealed carry permits. Let's see, 300,000 minus 2000 is how much?

About 2000 actually showed up? I consider that in that area of the country, that's a HUGE improvement over not even having an OC event at all... left coast, indeed

 

[keith44spl]

Dang Boys,

I do both....Open Carry and Concealed Carry, sumtimes in the same day or at the same time.....

Can't tell if I feel any different either way.

Some folks are jest way to self unconscious......

I see folks carrying concealed all the time....They's easy to spot,

They's always feelin for their pistol...makin sure it's still there, pullin their pants up and
re-adjusting their holster. Lookin all around to see who's watchin 'em.

A lot of folks are new to carrying a personal defense sidearm and
aren't as comfortable as some other folks are.

If you do or if you don't........Jest remember when seconds count...We're only minutes away!

Good Luck to all and to all a good day.


.

 

[elm_creek_smith]

And here's more.
Armed demonstrators rally against gun control efforts | Local & Regional | Seattle News, Weather, Sports, Breaking News | KOMO News

We have an open carry rally at the state capital. WOW! How many folks showed up? Less than 2000. So if open carry is so right. If it REALLY represents what gun ownership is all about, WHERE THE HELL IS EVERYONE ELSE!!

Well, it was during the day on Friday. Everyone else was probably at work. We've had rallies and open carry meetings here in Oklahoma that I haven't been able to attend due to work schedules. Just because there weren't a couple of hundred thousand people at the meeting doesn't mean they didn't have an impact.

ECS

 

[Confederate Tyrant]

I do both, depending on where I'm going, time of year, how I'm dressed, etc.

As someone said, situational awareness matters most.

A "tactical advantage" is useless when you're jumped by a gang armed with baseball bats. Nor do I necessarily believe that same gang would avoid you solely because they see you armed. However, if they see you're armed, you see them plotting, and they see you see them, then perhaps they may take a hint and rethink their plot.

It is your right to carry, exercise it however you see fit. No police officer has a right to harass the honest citizens, and no honest citizens are "asking for" harassment by cops or other citizens.

 

[Shootist1954]

Open carry or Concealed carry

Question: Open carry or Concealed carry?
Answer: Anywhere in the general public, Be Invidible

 

[SMSgt]

.
I don't smile much, not since my horse kicked me in the mouth....* And I had to kill 'im!

.

* It's a joke folks

Which part, the smile, getting kicked, or killing the horse?

When it comes to OC, the standard "Anti" reply is: I heard it from my brother's father-in-law who heard it from a neighbor, who read in the paper an article about something being posted on the internet that (fill in the reason not to OC here), and if it was on the internet it has to be true.

If you don't like OC or it isn't legal, then don't. If it's legal and you prefer to OC, then do. Quit arguing about how to carry and just carry.

 

[CoMF]

The only time I open carry is when I'm riding my bicycle or going for a walk where I live, which is a rural area. When I'm "downtown," I always keep my sidearm concealed. To be honest, the only time I have a problem with open carry is when 1) a retention holster isn't being used, and/or 2) the person is doing it for the wrong reasons.

Given today's current political and social climate, I try not to make it a point to rock the apple cart, so to speak.

 

[Shootist1954]

I had my model 60 in an ITWB holster, sitting in a restaurant. The Pachmayr grips were visible, but not highly. I was sitting there eating, going over some paperwork and heard some guy at the next table comment to his wife, "He might shoot himself in the groin." I didn't even look, but thought to myself, "If it goes off, it's pointed at your foot."

 

[Rmag]

I just got my ccw so i havent carried either way yet. If you go to Philadelphia, you have to OPEN carry. As long as you have a ccw. Does that make sense?

You're confused. In PA you can open carry anywhere in the state except for certain restricted places including cities of the first class which means Philadelphia. To carry a firearm in Philly you need a License to Carry Firearms. The LTCF is also your CCW but PA calls it a LTCF. If you have a LTCF, you can either open carry or concealed carry in Philadelphia. If you do not have a LTCF, you can do neither.

18 Pa.C.S. § 6108: Carrying firearms on public streets or public property in Philadelphia
No person shall carry a firearm, rifle or shotgun at any time upon the public streets or upon any public property in a city of the first class unless:
(1) such person is licensed to carry a firearm; or
(2) such person is exempt from licensing under section 6106 of this title (relating to firearms not to be carried without a license).

 

[Ogandydancer]

Even Tho it is legal in N.C. I do not do it for the simple reason someone would do like another poster stated about the man in the mall that accidentally let his show and hollered man with a gun.

 

[Hock]

I believe open carry of a pistol in PA requires the pistol to be unloaded unless you have a LTCF.

I would never open carry in Philly, not because I fear the people, its the police there that may have a problem and start acting all brody.

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