Consealed carry

[clinebarger]

Originally Posted by Bud
I only carry concealed. We have legal open carry.but I have yet to see anyone do it.


I've seen quite a few open carry, Definitely a "Look at me" show off thing! Doesn't bother me though.

 

[4WD]

I have only seen one in a store getting some meat from the cooler - had an eye on him.
When he turned and smiled I realized it was an off duty deputy that I knew from school events.

 

[AlaskaMike]

I'm with Nick1994--it's nobody else's business if I'm carrying.

Also, if I engage someone in conversation who's openly carrying ("hey, how do you like that holster?", etc), all too often I discover that they're carrying openly purely to make a political statement. I understand their desire to make that political statement, however I firmly believe political statements are best made at the voting booth. A firearm is about the last thing that should be used as a political statement (literally).

A friend of mine characterized his view on open carry in a great way, which I will never forget:

"I look at my handgun similar to my manhood. Absolutely *nobody* is interested in seeing it on display out in the open, no matter how proud I am of it. It should only come out when the situation desperately requires it."

 

[fisher83]

I concealed carry as well. No reason to freak out the general public by displaying my weapon. Open carrying a pistol in a quality retention holster is fine by me but the people open carrying rifles just to make a statement are doing a disservice as far as the public perception of gun owners.

 

[sloinker]

Originally Posted by JohnnyJohnson
Originally Posted by Eddie
I fail to see the reason for keeping a weapon concealed if it's legal. Rational? Ed.


I don't want the bad guy having a clue that I'm carrying until its to late for him with no chance of recovery.


Your bravery gives me chills you big internet toughie! LOL

 

[KneeGrinder]

If you open carry, you make yourself the first target, or a target for multiple assailants to take your firearm because you chose to show it for some reason. I see a lot of open carry here in far N. Idaho, not so much as you get closer to "Civilization". I live so far out in the sticks, I don't walk my dogs without a weapon, many of my neighbors the same. Its a N Idaho/Montana thing I think, the law enforcement expects every person they encounter to be armed.

We have Constitutional Carry here since about 2016, which means if you can legally own a pistol you can conceal it if you are a state resident, Montana same.

I know every County Sheriff where I live, one Sargent in particular will openly tease and down right make fun of a person open carrying when the proper opportunity arises. The "Police/Sheriff dept" DO NOT like open carry, especially when you live in a "Constitutional Carry" or even a "Shall Issue" State. There are many Shall issue States.

 

[KneeGrinder]

Originally Posted by fisher83
I concealed carry as well. No reason to freak out the general public by displaying my weapon. Open carrying a pistol in a quality retention holster is fine by me but the people open carrying rifles just to make a statement are doing a disservice as far as the public perception of gun owners.


I have yet to see someone open carrying a rifle except me on my own property!

Funny thing, you may have "Big R" Man stores out there. They sell firearms, if you open carry a loaded pistol on your hip that's fine, no limitations, go where ever you want in the store.

Now if you want your new rifle and scope "Bore" sighted, holy sheep ****, you are stopped right at the front of the store, a person from the gun dept is called to escort you and your "Rifle" back to the gun dept. I have never brought ammo for a new rifle that I'm having Bore sighted...lol, never brought a loaded rifle to be Bore sighted! What kind of dangerous weapon do I have, a big club? Mean while a few guys with loaded pistols on their hips walk right past!

 

[ctechbob]

I don't have a choice, not that I would, but my policy states that off duty carry for me will be concealed and I still have to carry appropriate ID (IE Badge next to gun).

Open carry people don't bother me, I just think 'hey, another look at me d bag, hope the bad guy shoots him first so I can line up for a better shot'

Plus, the last thing I want to do on a day off is answer cop questions, and that's what you get wearing a badge and gun around.

Now, I don't go to great lengths, my G23 probably prints through my t-shirt a bit, but have you seen the public out there walking around? They're not paying attention to anything but their phones and their instagram accounts. You can sneak up on most of them with a double decker bus missing the muffler and they wouldn't know it, they're not going to see a gun printing through my tshirt, and if they do they'll think its a phone since I rarely have mine in my hand out in public.

 

[4WD]

"Open carry people don't bother me, I just think 'hey, another look at me d bag, hope the bad guy shoots him first so I can line up for a better shot' grin2
---------------------------

Interesting comment - and you are a LEO ?

 

[ctechbob]

Originally Posted by 4WD
"Open carry people don't bother me, I just think 'hey, another look at me d bag, hope the bad guy shoots him first so I can line up for a better shot' grin2
---------------------------

Interesting comment - and you are a LEO ?


Yes, and? Just because I'm am doesn't mean I have to stand first in line to get shot at on my day off if there's some terrible use of force situation. I will take the element of surprise every time if it comes to staying alive first and doing what I can to prevent anyone else from getting hurt.

Or are you talking about the d bag statement? Around these parts the people who are open carrying are generally the 'look at me' types, and yes I think that type of statement is better exercised in the voting booth.

Got to youtube and search 'Jim Cooley' , he's from around my parts and he's a nutcase. He's the one that carried an AR-15 into Hartsfield Atlanta airport. Legal sure, and totally in his rights, but he makes all other gun owners look bad.

 

[hatt]

Originally Posted by Astro14
Your weapon is both valuable and controversial, so by carrying it openly, you make yourself a target, for criminals, for jack wagon show offs, for anti-gun activists, for the ignorant public, and for the police that they will call when they see your (gasp!) gun.

Avoid all that by keeping it concealed.

Open carriers targeted by criminals is so rare as to be meaningless. The other issues would be solved by lots of people open carrying.

 

[hatt]

I see pretty much everyone in this thread has been brainwashed. We know for sure that criminals target easy targets. But no, all of the sudden if they see someone carrying a gun they toss all that out the window and attack. Of course you guys don't have the evidence to back up this nonsense.

 

[Lubener]

Originally Posted by earlyre
Originally Posted by Eddie
I fail to see the reason for keeping a weapon concealed if it's legal. Rational? Ed.


b/c when people see someone openly carrying a gun(who's not in uniform), panic can ensue?


Exactly ! An officer can make you put it away if it creates a disturbance.

 

[Lubener]

Originally Posted by hatt
I see pretty much everyone in this thread has been brainwashed. We know for sure that criminals target easy targets. But no, all of the sudden if they see someone carrying a gun they toss all that out the window and attack. Of course you guys don't have the evidence to back up this nonsense.

I doubt you have any credible evidence to back up your claim either. The guy with the gun visible will likely be the first target if that criminal is determined..

 

[hatt]

Originally Posted by Lubener
Originally Posted by hatt
I see pretty much everyone in this thread has been brainwashed. We know for sure that criminals target easy targets. But no, all of the sudden if they see someone carrying a gun they toss all that out the window and attack. Of course you guys don't have the evidence to back up this nonsense.

I doubt you have any credible evidence to back up your claim either. The guy with the gun visible will likely be the first target if that criminal is determined..

If a criminal sees someone armed they'll probably move along to something else. Yeah sure, if the criminal sees a an open carrier after they're already started the attack they might try to target that person. But your gun should have already been out engaging the threat.

Bottom line if OC was as dangerous as you guys present you'd see a lot of news stories about it vs the 4-5 we have over the last 20 years. Your position is nothing but FUD(Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt).

 

[Danh]

Here's one reason not to open carry: it tends to absolutely freak-out many solid, law-abiding citizens who would prefer to make their trip to the grocery without firearms being flaunted by non-uniformed folk.

 

[Danh]

Originally Posted by Danh
Here's one reason not to open carry: it tends to absolutely freak-out many solid, law-abiding citizens who would prefer to make their trip to the grocery without firearms being flaunted by non-uniformed folk. Unless, of course, that's your intent.

 

[Mr Nice]

Originally Posted by Danh
Originally Posted by Danh
Here's one reason not to open carry: it tends to absolutely freak-out many solid, law-abiding citizens who would prefer to make their trip to the grocery without firearms being flaunted by non-uniformed folk. Unless, of course, that's your intent.


+ 100000000000 %

Silly that some have gun in holster out in public. This is not the Wild West Saloon...

 

[bubbatime]

Originally Posted by Eddie
I got it. Thanks for the input. I'll keep my BERSA 380 Firestorm hidden. Ed


Well I sure hope so, since you live in Florida and the law REQUIRES it to be hidden. Open carry is illegal.

I've spent almost my entire adult life training in law enforcement tactics, survival tactics, hostage negotiation, psychology of criminal actors, ballistics of projectiles, etc. Add in my decades of experience dealing with criminals and prisoners in all facets of the criminal justice system, and I have come to some conclusions.

1- Carry a gun always, every day.
2- Conceal carry that gun
3- Open carry gives away your tactical advantage, makes you a target, and makes survival much harder, during an already stressful and dangerous event.
4- Sure you can find a thousand open carry activist (its muh rights!!) that want to prance around carrying Smith & Wesson .22LR rifles that look like AR15's while legally "fishing" in Florida. But the fact remains, any decent criminal would wipe the floor with an open carry clown. Brick to the back of the head, take gun. So simple, even your common criminal could do it. Its called an ambush, and criminals are good at it, have practiced it, and its almost impossible to defeat. If you are conceal carrying, you can fain compliance, use confusing disruptive tactics, and counter ambush, with a weapon that they had no idea you had.

 

[Andrew1972]

It looks absolutely stupid walking around in public with a weapon strapped to your side and can cause discomfort to other. Gives terrible. perception of gun owners.

Also a massive responsibility.