Our experience here in Missouri has been different than that. Fools, and especially the wilfully foolish are always a problem to educate, but irs been productive in normalizing carry here.
I think it has to be undertaken with thoughtful consideration, just like everything having to do with firearms.
Fortunately bad guys tend to be cowards so such things are extremely rare.
OC is a strong deterrent to criminals. In separate studies by Kleck and Lott over 70% of incarcerated criminals had been deterred from their intended targets by the mere knowledge that they target was likely armed.
It’s also a good conversation starter to educate people.
It’s a pretty open topic where I work 
but outside of work doors, it’s a pretty quiet subject for me. My family knows, my boyfriend knows, and my friends know.
Why would I tell “so many people”? If I ever get in an accident where I have to go to the hospital and a friend is nearby, they can take control of my firearm if need be.
I’ll argue for the loud pipes - they can help save a biker’s life. People may not see a bike, but they’re more likely to hear it if the pipes are loud. But pirate costumes? 
Haven’t seen those on a bike.
You can’t fix stupid and the likelihood of dissuading a hysterical anti gun nut is less than hitting an ant in the eye at 300 yards. Problem is, they will still vote for anti 2A bills and political hacks. Anything you can do to keep them from voting is a plus in my book. As pro gun laws continue to be made the bad guys will be more fearful that ANYONE might be prepared to shoot back. They just won’t know who will be armed.
Lotts statistics just go to prove that 30% of incarcerated individuals aren’t dissuaded by OC. They aren’t too bright but they are too dangerous. I’d rather they be met by more trained folks with a CCW mentally prepared to stop bad guys or better, make them think EVERYONE is armed and will shoot back.
PLEASE USE GOOD EMAIL ETIQUETTE…
If you forward this, copy what you want to send and paste it into a new email. Don’t just hit “forward”.
When you send emails to multiple email addresses put them into Bcc. Lots of addresses in the “To” section is a hacker’s treasure trove for identity theft and sending spam.
Yes I agree
I’m not out to convert the anti gunners, I’m there to show those who are neutral that they are surrounded by decent, law abiding armed fellow Americans just going about their daily lives.
It’s not an either or propitiation, there’s a wide gulf in the middle between the pro 2nd Amendment activists/believers and the rabid ineducable leftwing gun haters working to strip us of our rights to Keep and Bear.
I’ll take the deterrence effect and the ability to be a good ambassador for “The Cause” of gun and carry rights over the negatives associated with open carry.
To the bolded, you are either misrepresenting, or misinterpreting the stat’s.
Just because 30% of them didn’t say they had been dissuaded and moved onto a softer target with the mere knowledge there target was likely armed doesn’t mean they were not intimidated, and thus more dangerous.
What it means is simply that they in all likelihood had never been in that situation.
The only people we seen that still go ahead with hitting such targets typically are gangs/drug traffickers and dealers.
The fact we see so few instances of those lawfully carrying open or concealed shows that as a rule criminals will avoid us if they know we’re carrying in the overwhelming majority of cases.
Had a lady in Walmart asked me to get something off the top shelf a while back… so me being me said yes ma’am … when I reached up guess what showed ?? Instead of getting rattled she said can I ask you something so I looked at her and said sorry darling I’m taken she smiled and said that’s to bad but can I ask why you carry a gun?? I responded to protect sweet hearts like you … she reached up gave me a hug and said thank you… that one moment made me feel really good…Tim
Yes sir, anyone can get the drop on you. Its best that you are the gray man. Blending in, not looking tacticool. Or talking about what you have or what you’ll do. It can and will be used against you in one fashion or another.
Only people who know are my family and a friend of mine who also carries. He’s right handed, I’m left handed, so we walk in a way that we wouldn’t cross over each other if it hit the fan.
Thats cool. I try to stay on the hubby’s left, hes always going to be faster on the draw than me. Should a thing go down, it’s good to give the man room to work.
I take a different approach. Even my very best friends never know if and when I am armed. They have zero need to know. My answer to the question of are you has always been, with me you just never know with me. There is no need to brag about it and no need to discuss it. My friends likely assume I am armed but they truly have no idea.
I like it that way.
Randy Bynum, Reno, NV.
Especially if he lives in a state that has the red flag law.
I’m in my early 70’s and am not nearly as strong or fast as I was in my youth. Today, my only advantage is the element of surprise. I wholeheartedly agree with the thoughts in this thread, need to know and darn few people need to know I am carrying.
Friend,
In regards to your friend…the sad thing about it is a lot of his “friends” will fall off the map after informs everyone that, In my own experience and I’m an open carrier which can make it awkward, but in Louisiana upon entry to a private residence, by law you have to ask the owner/leaser if you may enter with a firearm.(Permit or not) Moreover went to mother’s day at the side of my family in which is the same side this is the same grandfather who taught me about guns, well…
Lets, just say that whole side of the family does not like me and I asked to come in. One woman assuming that she was my cousin’s mother-in-law asked me not once, but twice to put my gun up in which she is not the owner and I have already got permission so I kindly said, “no” This is for mine, your, and everybody’s protection here. She then exclaimed the gun would just "go off" while at the back yard grill in my holster, killing one of the kids. So, after finding out everyone was mad after the event. I got very rude calls telling me horrible things about my grandfather that if true… could have lived without and not to mention banning me from every future event. (What do they usually do… discredit by character shaming)
So, you will not have to worry before long all those so-called people want to be around are even refuse to hang out and maybe on the arrogance presumption beyond anything else. Lastly, if open or concealed please, act like it isn’t there unit you need it.
@Zee , @John150 You bring a very good point to the conversation. Here is a bit more along that line…
Off Main Topic: Good information, training to prevent friendly fire incidents between operators who work together. UF PRO CQB | Weapon flow in compressed environments.
You’ll be looking at tactical team training, in this case, how to work with a partner and by extension a larger force trained to the same level of competency.
BTW, I don’t think @Zee ever sleeps! She is always learning, reading, studying, training, and educating!