open carry thoughts

[megasupermagnum]

I open carry often enough. I don't do it for any kind of appearance. I do it because I was carrying a gun that would be pointless to try and conceal. Pretty much any time I'm hunting for example. Does it really do any good to put a shirt over a Ruger Redhawk? I'm sure not going to leave it in the truck if I have the choice. No, I wouldn't walk into downtown like that, because I'm usually quite dirty, if not bloody too. I've never once had anyone care, I've never once seen anyone care about another person open carrying. Not even a little side glance. I'm sure some do a double take, but that's it. Open carry is common here. If you look, you can see someone every day in Aberdeen. It was quite common in rural MN. I'm sure Wyoming and North Dakota are plenty common too. It's no big deal. The only people who seem to care that much are the ones who conceal carry, but aren't quite sure of themselves open carrying. Even anti-gunner's really seem more concerned about the openly carried rifle or shotgun, which I will admit is a little odd. I have never witnessed anyone open carrying a rifle or shotgun in a public setting.

[Minerat]

Our open carry protects us if we inadvertently expose a CCW. Open carry is in our state constitution. You don't see many open carry in Denver metro and with our democrat government doing away with our preemption law on the 2nd amendment we have to worry about it in where the rogue entities try to restrict our rights.

[Idaho45guy]

I went to a new church today and sat in the back. I was carrying a P365 concealed. I immediately noticed a man standing in the pews about 20' away while we were singing and he had a Beretta 92 in an OWB leather holster.

My first reaction was, "cool! Another RKBA supporter!". Then I realized that if I was a crazy person and came in off the street to do harm to the congregation, the first thing I would do would be to shoot the open carry guy in the back before I started shooting the rest of the congregation.

It reinforced my decision to not open carry when possible.

[warren5421]

Idaho45guy how long were you there before you seen the gun? Most times the shooter comes in shooting and doesn't take out the armed guy unless they know each other. The draw time from open and cc came save a life. I have opened carried more than CC in my 68 years of carrying. Growing up in Ohio open carry was the only way, a clear rain coat over the gun was CC and a ticket to Jell. I have had very few places object and no one has targeted me but a few Cuban's in the late 60's early 70's, Fidel didn't like you giving guns to his people. The idea of OC is target and CC isn't, is a thing started by gun writers to sale magazines. It is just like what is the best gun or caliber to carry. I can't shoot a Glock will but a Sig or 1911 works for me. Recoil from a 9mm hurts my hands more than the .45 ACP due to Arthritis in my hands so I carry a 1903 Colt .32 ACP now. I know the gun writers say the .32 isn't a good caliber, they sold a lot of magazines doing that. It's recoil allows me to still shot and it isn't a 22.

[firefly1957]

Only time I open carry is hunting A couple times I have gone into a store that way not had any issues . My son always open carries I honestly think he is just making himself a target .
Last summer here in town I saw a guy come out of a save a Lot food store he had three small revolvers they were .22 rimfire and one may have been a .32 caliber . He was pretty over weight 60 years old wearing shorts and a t-shirt one was in a should holster ,second on his hip and third in a ankle holster . I thought it just looked tacky as heck and wondered if he would need so many if he had a .45!

[kerplode]

I find open carry to be pretty cringe.

If you're hiking or hunting, then yeah, whatever. But these doofs that toss their Judge into their $10 Walmart special floppy nylon holster and walk around town like they're trying to impress someone 'cause they're a big man with a gun just give the rest of us a bad name.

And don't even get me started on those idiots that OC SKSs and **** around town. No Cletus, you're not going to get ambushed by ISIS at the coffee shop. Even if you did, you can't hit **** anyway and would probably just kill some poor lady's kid. All you're doing is making everyone in there nervous and more likely to support an AW ban.

[megasupermagnum]

I find open carry to be pretty cringe.

If you're hiking or hunting, then yeah, whatever. But these doofs that toss their Judge into their $10 Walmart special floppy nylon holster and walk around town like they're trying to impress someone 'cause they're a big man with a gun just give the rest of us a bad name.

And don't even get me started on those idiots that OC SKSs and **** around town. No Cletus, you're not going to get ambushed by ISIS at the coffee shop. Even if you did, you can't hit **** anyway and would probably just kill some poor lady's kid. All you're doing is making everyone in there nervous and more likely to support an AW ban.

Ironic, this is one of the most cringe posts I've seen.

[kerplode]

Ironic, this is one of the most cringe posts I've seen.

lol!

Touch a nerve, did I?

[Bazoo]

I always see folks open carrying in cheap holsters and I wonder if their dog ate their Galco and they just ain’t received the replacement yet.

[Tracy]

As we all see here,, there are differing opinions about open or concealed carry.

I live in NC,, and it's been an open carry state for decades. Long before CCW was allowed.

For about 35-40 years,, I've open carried a lot. Especially when I wasn't allowed concealed carry. And,, so do some of the people I associate with.

Only once,, (before CCW,) did anybody call the cops about us. A buddy had his on,,, and the store owner saw it & asked him if he was a cop. When he replied to the negative,, the store owner calls the cops. (He hadn't seen my gun yet.) We kept shopping calmly & did NOT engage in any type of confrontation.
ONE cop arrived,, and entered,, was pointed to us,, and he casually came over. A short and very polite conversation occurred, and the cop then went to the store owner,,, and proceeded to FIRMLY explain that HE was in the wrong, and that HE was wasting precious LEO resources on this type of call. He told the store owner in no uncertain terms that it was not only legal,, but he PREFERRED to see people carrying a gun.

Now,, since CCW has passed,, and more people can legally carry a firearm concealed,, many choose to do so and that's great. But if a person chooses to carry openly,, try & remember a few points.
(1) That person is also a gun owner,, and a supporter of our rights. Should we as gun owners discourage them or smile knowing there's another person who's honest?
(2) While some may think a open gun makes that person a target for a thug,, that's a possibility. BUT,, it's also known that in general, an open carried gun is often brought into use much quicker than from CCW.
(3) By open carrying,, it can often allow others to engage into polite conversation with other gun owners. I was once in a Lowe's and had my 1911 on me, openly. An elder lady politely asked me; "Is that a 1911?" to which I replied; "Yes!" Then SHE started a conversation on how much SHE enjoyed HER 1911 & wanted to know what mine was.Many people all around us were a little surprised.
(4) By having a gun openly carried,, it can also act as a deterrent to a thug who may be thinking about doing wrong while you are around. Seeing that,, the thug may say to himself; "I try & use my knife to rob this place,, that guy might shoot me."
(5) Back to the thugs who may target a person open carrying. Most thugs are not the deranged types who go into a place with the agenda of shooting up everything. Most are not going to start shooting at an armed person if robbery is their intent.
(6) A person's job may require a lot of interaction with people in public. And if you have to do work, a gun in a CCW holster may be hard to keep on you while you work. (Think of a carpenter here.) As a carpenter,, you may have a method of open carry,, such as just tucking the handgun in your belt as you travel about, but when you get to a customers house,, you need to remove it. And when you leave,, you want to continue to carry. Hard to keep putting on & taking off a holster for CCW & do your job.

And since the wally world comment was made,, I'll relate an experience I had in one.
A few years ago,, shortly after a shooting in a wally world that made national news, I was in one,, and had my 1911 tucked into my belt, just near my right hip pocket. I saw a young gentleman enter with a Glock in a completely open holster etc. I just noticed it, & kept on moving. Shortly after,, an elderly lady stopped me, and said; "I don't know if you'd be a person to talk to,, but that man over there has a gun on." I politely stopped, and started a conversation with this nice lady, about how NC is an open carry state, and the many good reasons a person might carry. And about how,, if you see that,, you know that person is an honest person, and was also willing to be one who might save lives if something bad were to start happening. I was wearing my work shirt,, which has my company logo on it,, where I deal in nuisance wildlife. She commented on that & we were also discussing some of that,,, to which I explained how a game warden had gotten me into the business. Just a few moments after I'd said that,, that very same game warden, (now retired,) walked up. I chuckled & commented on how he was the warden. We spoke for a few moments,, and he then asked; "What are you carrying today?" I replied and the lady suddenly proclaimed; "Oh my gosh,, I didn't even know you had a gun on!" To which,, we also continued our polite conversation about open or concealed carry.
That lady thanked me profusely for the education AND how nice & polite I had been.

Often,, by open carrying,, you can do more good than you know.

Do I always open carry?
No.
Do I always CCW?
No.

But do I respect the fact that others have their opinions & choices?
Yes.
And lastly,, I'm extremely GLAD we do have more rights & choices than we used to have! I'll not discourage anybody from exercising their FREEDOM!
We gun owners need to stick together,, & NOT divide ourselves. Or,, we'll all lose.

Great post.

[44MAG#1]

I don't carry open unless at home. I can carry open in the state I live in plus at least two neighboring states.
To each his own. Carry concealed carry open.

[waksupi]

I find open carry to be pretty cringe.

If you're hiking or hunting, then yeah, whatever. But these doofs that toss their Judge into their $10 Walmart special floppy nylon holster and walk around town like they're trying to impress someone 'cause they're a big man with a gun just give the rest of us a bad name.

And don't even get me started on those idiots that OC SKSs and **** around town. No Cletus, you're not going to get ambushed by ISIS at the coffee shop. Even if you did, you can't hit **** anyway and would probably just kill some poor lady's kid. All you're doing is making everyone in there nervous and more likely to support an AW ban.

One time I had just come back out of the mountains, and had my Sharps carbine strapped to the outside of my bedroll. Went into a local eatery, and sat down. No complaints, just a few who wanted to know about what caliber the rifle was.

[Travisbishop]

I've open carried for years. Texas recently went Constitutional Carry, but have no rules concerning black powder revolvers. I carry a Pietta 1858 color case hardened 5 1/2 inch with 2 spare cylinders. I always get a load of c**** from the Glock crowd, but it's been my experience that it's reliable and goes BANG when you pull the trigger. Accompanied by a huge muzzle flash and lots of other unpleasant going on's. I've never shot it at anybody, though I imagine it would be quite the disheartening experience to be on the receiving end of it.

[sharps4590]

You've got a brain, surely. USE IT for cryin' out loud!!!! It always depends on where you are or are going. I lived in Arizona and Wyoming and they've had open carry forever. When Missouri passed open carry it was so what, more or less. I see one once and a while but it hasn't turned into the old west that all the cowards predicted.

I carry both ways, depending on where I am and what I'm doing, always have and I see no reason to change.

[MrWolf]

Meh! WV has been “Shall Issue”, then “Open Carry” and now is “Constitutional Carry” for years.
You see people with all manner of handguns and knives going anywhere it’s legal and nobody bats an eye. In fact if you called the police about someone carrying they’ll think YOU are the odd one.

Yup. I have mostly seen open carry by store employees/owners and an occasional customer. Plenty of times I have OC when going to my mailbox (3/4 mile down to main road) and realized I should pick up something in town. No problems. I personally prefer concealed as if I am out it is real easy to cross into Virginia. I have my concealed here so no problem but open might get me into trouble there with the question of resident vs non-resident.

[HumptyDumpty]

Seen open carriers in my local walmarts and grocery stores in eastern nc. Still not sold on the idea. Just means that the bad guys will jump you first to get you out of the way. But if you’re carrying concealed its a gamble on their parts and if you are situationally aware they probably won’t even bother you. They want an easy target, some sheeple with their nose stuck in their phone. I’ve never seen any long guns being carried around.

I have yet to see any actual data demonstrating that this is anything more than conjecture. One could just as easily assert that open-carry deters criminals. Either could be true, it is really situationally dependent. I openly carry because I have found it largely impractical to comfortably conceal my favorite pistol, and I view it as a form of passive Second Amendment activism. It's started many positive conversations. I also concealed carry, when I am of a mind to do so.
Edited to add: I am not a fan of people who intentionally try to push the boundaries by suiting up with in full battle-rattle, with a rifle, and strolling about as conspicuously as possible. I've never seen it in person, just a few videos over the years. I do not see that as effective activism. For general day-today life, unless you are in a truly rural area, I don't blame anybody for being suspicious of a man carrying a long-gun in public.

[Frosty Boolit]

I'd rather carry concealed and I don't really see the usefulness of open carry in crowded urban areas but the right to do so shall not be infringed. Simply because if it does become useful to carry openly in the above mentioned environments, we must be able to do so without violating any laws.

[rondog]

Open carry has been legal here in Colorado for years, except for Denver, Boulder, and I "think" I've heard of another town, can't think of the name. I've seen a few guys oc'ing, but very rarely - less than half a dozen times. But I don't get out and about much.

I have a carry permit, and definitely prefer concealed. But I rarely bother to carry a pistol, I'm a fat old man with lower back problems, and usually wear sweatpants or track pants, something comfy. If I wear jeans, then I can strap on a holster and a 1911, but the weight of the gun pulls on my lower back and hurts like hell. Dang herniated discs and four spine surgeries.....

[414gates]

Once you are within 5 yards, you can be disabled before you draw, and that's while you're paying attention.

Most people that carry are not paying attention.

In a high risk public space, stay aware of who is coming up towards you, especially from behind, at all times.

[Idaho45guy]

Once you are within 5 yards, you can be disabled before you draw, and that's while you're paying attention.

Most people that carry are not paying attention.

In a high risk public space, stay aware of who is coming up towards you, especially from behind, at all times.

This is reality.

And speculation.

Yes. You can be readily disarmed within seconds by a stronger and quicker adversary. 5 yards is 15 feet. I can draw my carry pistol and fire in .5 seconds. Paying attention and ready to rock. I would take that bet that I could draw and shoot you before you could reach me 15 feet away.

But reality is a fickle beast.

Only a fool bets on absolutes and percentages. Each situation and scenario has a thousand different potential outcomes.

For me; I concealed carry in a Denny's in the one of the worst neighborhoods in Seattle this morning and felt completely safe and well-armed.

Later that day I open-carried in an agricultural area in central Washington and also felt completely safe and well-armed.

Be smart. Use common sense. Stop arguing.