the gray guy

Here in Northern Ohio, I haven't seen open carry for years. It has been legal for a long time but, I've seen it maybe, three times. I live in the Suburbs of Cleveland so maybe in the Rural areas it my be practiced, I don't know. I only carry concealed. Nobody needs to know that this old guy has Two guns, reloads, and Pepper Spray. He is also trying to pay attention to his surroundings watching people especially walking in parking lots and secluded areas. No problems so far. I just look like every other old man in the crowd.

me too....i try to blend in. i'm visually impaired so it doesn't always work out.
 

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Kitchen Police.

KPs wash dishes, they're not servers.

So let's assume this guy is active duty. Let's further assume that he's on Post (or Base if he's Air Force or a Marine).

So now we question is he actually open carrying for self-defense or is he keeping that weapon secured and on his person as very likely directed to by his command the easiest way he knows how in a PT uniform?

I get so tired of seeing this picture and the people talking about what an idiot this guy is. As if they really think he's open carrying like that for self-defense
 
Why be a gray man? What good is it to carry a gun if you can't show it to everyone as an example of how tough you are as you parade through Walmart?

Plus, wearing camo, tacticool gear, a Punisher tee shirt (torn, of course) backwards cap, and talking loudly of how you parachuted into Fallujah on a secret gubmint mission completes the effect.

Men will run in fear while women swoon and fall at your feet in lust at your presence while you describe your primitive luxury trailer by the landfill where you commune with nature on the lookout for the Pakistani assassins sworn to avenge the deaths of the 76 men you killed by sniper fire at 4,000 yards.

You sir, are the man.
 
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Gray guy? My hair is more of a distinguished silver. Almost a shame to put a hat over it, thus depriving others the pleasure of viewing such a magnificent display.

It also draws all attention away from the gun.
 
Saw this silver hair in Panera's at lunchtime today. I think his shirt is too tight. :D

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I'm a Live-and-Let-Live kind of guy. (Or should that be "Carry-and-Let-Carry"?) It doesn't bother me to see someone open carry, but it does surprise me that I've seen so little of it here in Texas now that we have Permitless Carry. As for me, I prefer to carry concealed. No one pays any attention to me, and that's just the way I like it. I revel in my obscurity.
 
If you don't want to open carry ... that's fine .
But don't stand in the way or preach against why I shouldn't have the right to open carry if I want to .

Seems like open carry scares a lot of people and if it's something they don't want to do ... then nobody should do it .
I everyone should have the Right to open carry ... if they so choose.

I don't rock climb because I think it's dangerous ... but I don't campaign against rock climbing or try and talk people out of doing it ...

Lets leave the right to open carry alone ... it's a personal decision .

Gary


I'm glad you're here. I'd like to remind you of the time that you statef in another open carry discussion here that nobody ever really tries to take a gun off an open carrier and I told you it happened to me at least twice while I was at work. You never commented in that discussion again.

I find it interesting that so many believe thugs are so brave they would seek out an armed man to attack . Have you ever been assulted and robbed?
They aren't brave and don't want to come up against an armed victim...
the thug might get hurt ...old , unarmed and alone make muck better prey.

Open Carry all you want ... you will not be singled out for attack ...thugs like easy prey not prey that's openly armed and will give them a fight.

To the OP ...Congratulations on your Open Carry , Keep on Keeping On !
Louisiana has always been an open carry state , no permit required !
I have never , in the last 50 years , been assaulted while open carrying , the only time I was shot and robbed was when I was unarmed and alone in my office . The bad guy made sure I was alone and unarmed before producing his hidden pistol and firing 4 shots at arms length . The outcome would have been much different if I had been open carrying that morning ... So you open carry whenever you want or feel the need .
Gary

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.
 
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Smoke while you have had some bad encounters that should in no way affect the decision to Open Carry.

You worked as a Security Officer in a rough area by choice. Truth is Security Officer is a position that gets little respect especially by streetwise criminals.The incidents you describe all occurred while you were in uniform. Changing where you work or your occupation would have most likely reduced, if not almost eliminated, the likelihood of being disarmed while open carrying.

In fact since you state you are a retired security officer how many violent encounters or attempts to disarm you have occurred?
 
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Criminals try to take guns off of uniformed cops who are openly carrying.

Why would anyone think criminals wouldn't try to take a gun off an civilian open carrier?

You want to open carry? That's fine with me. But don't pretend that criminals wanting your gun won't try to get yours.

I'll be the quiet guy no one notices with my hand on my concealed gun waiting for you to get shot for your open carry.

Just curious though. What chance does a middle-aged overweight, out-of-shape open carrier have against young thugs who see your gun and want it?
 
Smoke while you have had some bad encounters that should in no way affect the decision to Open Carry.

You worked as a Security Officer in a rough area by choice. Truth is Security Officer is a position that gets little respect especially by streetwise criminals.The incidents you describe all occurred while you were in uniform. Changing where you work or your occupation would have most likely reduced, if not almost eliminated, the likelihood of being disarmed while open carrying.

In fact since you state you are a retired security officer how many violent encounters or attempts to disarm you have occurred.


First of all let me say that I absolutely believe that the decision on whether or not to open carry should be entirely up to the individual, except on somebody else's private property and then it should be entirely up to the private property owner.

As for me, I have no intention of ever doing it again.The bad encounters I have had absolutely affected my decision not to open carry. That's what they call learning by experience.

To specifically answer your question I have not had a single bad encounter since I retired. I'm also not running around Colorado Springs in the wee hours of the morning trifling with petty criminals since I retired.

Yes, every single bad experience I've had in relation to open carry occurred on the clock in uniform but I'm not sure that's relevant. Do you really think the same crackhead that will go after a cop or will go after me, won't go after you?

I also want to take a moment to address the "rough area" comment. I did three separate roving patrol assignments in Colorado Springs. Between the three of them I covered a good portion of El Paso County. What I noticed is that crackheads move around.

I saw a crackhead one night down on South Nevada by Circle and the next night I saw the same guy, wearing the same shirt and riding the same bike writing down Centennial between Garden of the Gods and Fillmore. That's a nice neighborhood on the other end of town. That happened to me more than once.

Right before I quit I stopped at Walmart just down the street from my house on the way home one morning and while I was checking out a hooker that I had kicked out of a strip mall for turning tricks in the parking lot 3 hours before walked into the store. Again, crackheads move. They don't just stay in the "rough" part of town.

Go on YouTube and search "Open carrier has gun stolen" and see how many hits you get.

I am absolutely convinced that the only people who are "deterred" by open carry or the people who weren't committed in the first place.

Even when I'm out in the mountains I never openly display my firearm. There are a lot of very weird people out there and they're not all on the trails. In my opinion all open carry does is give them time to figure out how they're going to overcome the fact that you're armed without you even knowing they're planning an ambush.
 
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I most carry concealed except when out in the sticks or hunting. During hunting season, I will go in a store or gas station open carrying, occasionally a restaurant, but some gas stations and restaurants around her make a effort to cater to hunters. A lot of that depends on what, when and where and how I am dressed.

As I have said I live in a whole different world than most. But, have spend quite a bit of time in other parts and some of them not so shiny.

One thing I do know is predators look for victims. I am 6'3 and when I wasn't fat, I still weight over 250#. Not normally viewed as a victim. But, some guys are not deterred by that and some won't be just because you have a gun. The more cunning realize you can't/won't just up beat their brain out or shoot them. Some even love to challenge. They are probably the worst and most dangerous. Way easier to challenge a civilian (even security guard) than actual cops. I used to bounce and there was some people who would challenge you just because. Look tough for a girl a buddy, ego problems etc etc.

I am old, slow and kinda fat now. Why even give those guys anything to challenge??
 
Just curious though. What chance does a middle-aged overweight, out-of-shape open carrier have against young thugs who see your gun and want it?

Just curious though. What chance does a middle-aged overweight, out-of-shape concealed carrier who has rarely, if at all, practiced moving the clothing to uncover his gun, drawing it and live firing at a target have against young thugs who want to attack or rob him?
 
Just curious though. What chance does a middle-aged overweight, out-of-shape concealed carrier who has rarely, if at all, practiced moving the clothing to uncover his gun, drawing it and live firing at a target have against young thugs who want to attack or rob him?

Depends. I'm not a middle-aged, overweight, and out-of-shape concealed carrier, and I regularly practice moving the clothing to uncover my concealed gun, drawing it, and live firing at a target.

Since my gun is concealed, I can have my hand on the gun without telegraphing it and drawing far quicker than an open carrier. Carrying a M49 Bodyguard as backup in an outer jacket pocket, I can have my hand on the gun and shoot through my jacket pocket while the open carrier is falling to the ground mortally wounded.

Luckily, his blunder will buy me time and I can hear his dying words,"I always open carry."
 
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