I’ve noticed that the media has the extreme versions of both sides to any debate. I have never had someone approach me having a meltdown over carrying a weapon and I dont get high fives either. Most of the country lives in the middle. If you dont like it don’t participate. If you want to exercise your rights do it respectfully and responsibly.
My inlaws are not gun people and they didnt like me carrying till the first time they felt uncomfortable and asked if I had my gun. When they felt that relief I told them that is why.
I assume everyone armed until I prove they are not. I’m not an LEO anymore, so that’s out the window and I assume everyone is armed. That said, I think open carry invites the first head shot if someone comes in and tries to commit robbery/terrorism/insert your favorite crime here. I open carried when I was an LEO because I didn’t have a choice, but now that I have a choice I think it very unwise. I realize everyone has differing opinions and it’s your life and not mine, but you won’t find me doing it ever.
Yep, I prefer the school of thought that there is a time and place for both. We tend to forget that most of us that practice at a range are indeed open carrying, especially for shooting events like USPSA. Hunters almost always open carry. 99 percent of law enforcement open carries. There are good times to do it and bad times to do it. The problem is that its difficult to write one article that covers every scenario.
I carry both ways depending on the circumstances as there are definitely advantages and disadvantages to both.
I see myself as an ambassador for Firearms and Carry Rights as well as an instructor and I see OC as a good conversation starter and simply as a way to get people used to the idea of law abiding folks lawfully carrying going about their everyday lives.
OC is provably a deterrent to crime, Jail/Prison interviews show about 70% of criminals have been deterred by simply knowing someone was carrying.
CC is very private by design and often by law.
OC, better access to your firearm in an emergency.
CC stealthier, may give you more of an advantage when it comes to picking your moment.
OC can make you a target at least in theory but not enough evidence to suggest it actually does.
OC can also cause confrontations with anti gunners where CC does not unless you screw up and have an accidental reveal.
Know your laws and observe them, consider where you are traveling and the circumstances. Apply ample common sense.
The only really bad incident I’ve had was at the NRA convention in Dallas. Had to pass through a group of rather unhinged protesters.
One of them made a grab for my gun.
Really stupid move on his part, but I had a class with me and it provided a wonderful training opportunity on how to subdue a would be snatcher, and how to interact with Police.
I agree that most of the country lives in the middle, now if the ends would just agree with the portion about if you don’t like it, don’t participate.
Glad your Inlaws now understand, I’m also glad that it sounds like no one was injured and nothing serious happened to get them to understand.
I am absolutely in favor of open carry. Based upon my training and experience, it seems the majority of those “afraid” of seeing a sidearm likely have something to hide. This majority does not include those who have endured a traumatic experience involving a firearm. These folks need our support, love, and care.
We cant’ however let those very few people dictate how the rest of us live our lives.
If we were going to go that far we’d have to mask everyone’s gender since there are many women who have been victimized by men/boys, males victimized by abusive mothers and female teachers/supervisors etc.
Traumatized people have to at some point learn to function in society again without changing the world to suit them.
I never O/C even though its legal in Missouri. Here’s why. I frequently observe individuals who are practicing O\C in my community. By far, their firearm is in a cheap nylon holster (the type Walmart sells) which offer no protection against someone grabbing their gun. I’ve also observed that they tend to dress like they just left the homeless shelter. I’d think they were poor but for the fortune of tattooes they are sporting. I know I sound hateful but the folks I described don’t do a damn thing to promote a positive image of gun owners. In fact, they scare the poo out of some folks.
Most of our law enforcement open carry down in my neck of the woods. In addition, everyone at the range open carries as do all the hunters engaged in hunting activities. I do on occasion see someone sloppily open carrying, its usually guards that are in the grocery store or walmart. I had one guard that had the cant on their firearm so bad that they were muzzle sweeping me while I was in line behind them.
I tried conceal carrying while riding on horse back and found that there was no way I would be able to get to my firearm quick enough. I tried conceal carrying while hunting and found out that the game runs off before I can get my pistol out.
@Michael7 another Missourian here… where do you usually hang out? We recently went to our local county fair, small SW Missouri county. My hubby was the only one we saw open carying… hes late 60s, basically looks like someone’s grandoa, his special forces tattoo doesn’t show below his short sleeves, and I don’t even want to talk about how much his custom holster cost
We spotted two other carriers, one who’s firearm showed when his tshirt tail lifted because he was tossing his granddaughter in the air and one who printed a bit under his polo shirt. Not a tattoo in sight
I think theres a spectrum and it may just depend on where you are.
As in most all things, to each his/her own…
That being said, I CC everywhere except the range and in the woods. I think about my weapon the way I think about my sexuality—it’s nobody else’s business, until it suddenly is.
OC at the range is just practical unless I am specifically practicing CC skills. See, going to the range is like going to a nude beach: you’re going there on purpose, you know what people do there, you know everyone is packing and, in general, what they’re packing. Its the one safe place you can leave it completely uncovered for all the world to see without shocking or upsetting anyone.
I conceal for most of the same reasons others have stated.
I do wish everyone could or would open carry. The populace would eventually get used to it, and bad guys might actually see how much they are outnumbered and see it as a deterrent.
There was a time when nearly everyone who carried did so openly, in part due to the style of guns they used. I wonder when and why it all changed.
I conceal myself because I don’t want anyone to know what they are looking forward to if I had to act in self defense. It’s for me to know and them to find out. I’m definitely not against open carry though. When I go to places and I see people carrying openly, I’m comfortable.
There are so many ways to look at this issue! WOW! The thing about Alabama is that you can open carry without a permit… but if you conceal carry, you have to obtain your CCW permit. So, for that reason, there may be some folks who choose to open carry in my state b/c it’s “easier.” Of course, it’s also easier to get to a gun in that open-carry fashion, as well. When I do competitive shooting and use my competition rig, I can access my firearm and get on target very quickly. (IDPA does require cover, of course, but I can assure you that while my vest may cover my gear, it doesn’t really “conceal” my Deadeye Carry belt, Master-Tac holster and mag pouches, or my M&P 9mm very effectively!) When I have on my everyday carry, it takes a bit more thought, effort, and practice to be able to be as efficient and fast to get to my gun and get on target. Even so, with all that said, concealed carry is still my method of choice. I guess I’d just rather go unnoticed… or underestimated.
