Open Carry

[CGhelofxr]

Again in Florida the law to allow open carry is going through the process. Considering the left and right views on guns I'm wondering for those who can open carry;

1) Do you find some or more establishments unwelcoming, this excludes the tree hugging like of Starbucks and such

2) How does the non carrying public view you walking around the streets, do you find people staring or suddenly changing direction

3) Do the less than honest looking individuals take more notice of you

 

[OKFC05]

This horse has been beaten to a bloody pulp over and over. So, I'll just make a comment about our recent experience here in Oklahoma.
We now have licensed open carry in Oklahoma after raging arguments on the subject.
A very, very few open carry in town, and some people notice, but hardly anyone remarks on it. There have been a couple of idiots who insisted (even after being asked to leave) on open carrying into prohibited places (like a polling place) to "make a statement" and they are now convicted felons with no carry license and no guns.
Even the merchants who were upset at the prospect of open carry now admit is was practically a non-event.
I don't open carry in town, so all it did for me was de-criminalize accidental exposure of a concealed pistol.

 

[gen3guy]

This topic has been covered in several notable threads recently. I think at least one of them had to be shut down my the moderator. Personally, even though I can, I don't think open carry is wise in an urban environment. It tends to put people off. You will be and feel all alone. It's just a fact. There are exceptions. I used to see a guy at the bank every Friday evening depositing large sums of cash at the merchant teller. He open carried, and who could blame him? I will open carry in rural areas (hiking, etc.). If anyone notices, they don't seem to care.

I suggest you search for other threads on this. I promise you, there is no shortage of information or opinions.

 

[Mainsail]

Wow, hot topic to say the least. You're going to get a lot of opinions, mostly by people who have never done it or have never done it as a private citizen. I will answer your questions as someone who has:

- Actively carried openly for over ten years
- Open carried (daily) during the early days when the cops would handcuff you as a show of force
- Open carried in high crime and active gang areas (Tacoma named most crime infested city in the Pacific Northwest)
- Open carried in crowded areas of various cities (like Pike Place Market in Seattle)
- Open carried in VERY liberal places like Seattle or Bellevue

1) Do you find some or more establishments unwelcoming, this excludes the tree hugging like of Starbucks and such

I have only been asked to leave one or two times in ten years. Starbucks isn't one of the places that has ever asked me to leave. In the OC community I have only heard of someone being asked to leave a few times, and most of those are followed up by the 'owner' of the establishment apologizing for the misguided employee who asked.

2) How does the non carrying public view you walking around the streets, do you find people staring or suddenly changing direction

The public mostly doesn't notice it. Of the ones that do, few care, fewer will say anything, of the ones that do say something it is overwhelmingly positive. I have had TWO people (in over ten years) object- one was upset because the cops wouldn't come, and the other merely wanted to debate gun ownership (she believed only police should have access to guns. She walked up and began the conv with me, so zero nervousness.)

3) Do the less than honest looking individuals take more notice of you

I have had one incident where I am convinced someone who was planning a crime (although minor) against me turn away when they noticed I was carrying. There isn't any way to determine who has taken 'notice' unless it was as obvious as it was during the one time mentioned here, so this question is somewhat hard to answer. I can say that during my first four or five years of OC when I carried every day, in liberal and high crime areas (I lived in the Stadium District of Tacoma), that I was never targeted by less-than-honest people because I had a gun. There were a few less-than-honest police officers who did so, but after they had to answer to their superiors, it stopped pretty quickly.

So those are my experiences- you may weigh them against the anti-OC crowd's speculation and conjecture as you wish.

 

[arjay]

Its legal in various areas here,but I rarely do it unless I'm in moose country (those suckers can be testy)

 

[hardluk1]

Legal in NC . Never seen it done in 19 years I liked here unless hunting . I started to CC in florida in 1988 an continue on that way .

 

[keith44spl]

I'm for both.....CC & OC

The Lady sed, "There's jest something about a tall handsome man that's well heeled."

Of course I ain't one of em..........lol


.

 

[shell627]

POPCORN we need lots of popcorn!!!

 

[whataboutbob]

This makes sense to me. From NRA: HB-163 is a bill to allow persons with a Concealed Weapons & Firearms License to carry firearms concealed or openly.BACKGROUND:

This bill will prevent CW license holders from being charged with the crime of violating the "Open Carry" law because a concealed firearm, being legally carried, accidentally or inadvertently became visible to another person.

According to our attorneys, allowing license holders to carry openly is the only way to truly keep them from being arrested and/or prosecuted for violating the open carry ban if firearms are accidentally and unintentionally exposed.

IT IS UNFORTUNATELY TRUE that anytime you are carrying a concealed firearm you are in danger of being charged with a crime and treated like a criminal if your firearm accidentally becomes exposed to the sight of another person and law enforcement is called.

 

[Mark40]

I actually hope it passes, simply to show the anti gun loud mouths who think Florida will suddenly become Dodge City, that they are wrong. I have visited an OC state, and even open carried some while I was there. Almost nobody there open carried, even though no permit was required. I will continue to CC even if it passes, and I suspect the vast majority will as well.

 

[Comrad]

I know some plain cloths guys who obviously open carry and never give it a thought. When I see one I usually assume, LEO and discretely check out what he's carrying and that's about it. No big deal and this is NJ.

 

[Engine 21]

I have no arguement with OC. I don't normally OC but when I do it has all been positive. I am not out to make a statement nor confront anyone. If someone wants to take issue with it I just say "it's the law" that allows me to carry a firearm.

 

[KSDeputy]

KS now has open and concealed carry without a permit ( constitutional carry ). A permit is available for those who travel to states with reciprocal agreements with KS. Personally I do not like open carry except by peace officers displaying badges, but it is the law and I will abide by it.

 

[snuffy51]

Open carry

I live in southwest Tn. (NOT Memphis). I have kin and friends scattered all across the midsouth and southeast. Mostly Mississippi and Tennessee. With my TN. CC permit I can carry either way anywhere I might go. I don't ever fly, and too lazy to go anywhere more than a day's drive. I carry open on my hip 90% of the time and just pull out my shirt tail when I think there might be sensitive people around, which is rare, because I don't frequent those type places much. I was raised on revolvers and that big handle in a mid-rise thumb break holster is not as intimidating as a 27 round cap. squared off chunk of plastic semi-auto. I keep myself up to date on gun laws in mine and other states with Wikipedia, "gun laws by state". They keep their info updated very well. Just be your lovable self and don't act like Rambo and no one pays any attention. Pretty relaxed all around down here. Only real problems we do have is gangs, drugs and the regular low-life scum that is all around, but that is the reason we need to be armed and not have to live in fear. Man!, almost got really starting to rant again. I don't mean to knock anyone's preference in firearms, I just like mine I'm used to. Peace everyone. I just wish I could type faster.

 

[Mainsail]

If someone wants to take issue with it I just say "it's the law" ...

Well, here you would have to say, "It's the lack of a law". This is the heartburn I have with the way Texas did it and FL is proposing to do it. Don't write yet another law legalizing open carry, but get rid of the laws that prohibit it.

WA Constitution Article I Section 24: The right of the individual citizen to bear arms in defense of himself, or the state, shall not be impaired...
If they outlaw open carry, they'd have to allow concealed without a permit or its associated fees.

 

[RJJ 1971]

No problem with open or concealed carry.

Just puts me on high alert when I see how some people carry, openly.

* The "fatiques or bdu's in walmart and I'm not in the service
or in law enforcement" guy.

* The "loose fitting holster" guy - gun moving all around.

* The "hand on my grip" all the time guy

* The "I wish a mother bleeper would say something to me
wrong" guy

 

[jculloden]

OC or CC Florida is a breath of fresh air compared to NY Downstate, and NYC is the worse. I wouldn't cross the city line without two firearms ........

 

[SilentKnight]

If you carry openly then don't dress like Rambo in public places. If you are attired with a little class, you do not appear threatening. If you are trying to make a statement for OC, it is not helpful to look like an evil moron looking for trouble; however, it does make a statement about you. I am all for CC and OC but a little discretion in public goes a long way in making the 2nd Amendment crowd look more responsible. Help us by using good judgment in your daily carry... and be safe.

 

[TAROMAN]

If you carry openly then don't dress like Rambo in public places. If you are attired with a little class, you do not appear threatening. If you are trying to make a statement for OC, it is not helpful to look like an evil moron looking for trouble; however, it does make a statement about you. I am all for CC and OC but a little discretion in public goes a long way in making the 2nd Amendment crowd look more responsible. Help us by using good judgment in your daily carry... and be safe.

Like this infamous duo:

 

[Old cop]

I'm not a big fan of open carry (OC) but to each their own. I prefer to quietly go my own way so conceal my weapon all the time. The few times I've seen someone OC it draws little attention sometimes, other times police are notified and respond. I don't need the hassle, even with retired LEO credentials.