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Old October 23, 2013, 10:57 AM   #68
Vireye
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 21, 2012
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 202
I have Open Carried, but there are very specific circumstances under which I'll do so.

I live in PA, which is an Open Carry state. I live in a fairly rural area. And I will *always* carry where it is legal to do so.

99% of the time I'm in public view, I carry concealed. I don't want the added attention, and I don't want to deal with ANY level of uncomfort of the general populace. I.e. the staring and questioning while I'm trying to get my groceries.

If I'm on my property or walking the dog, and I don't feel like concealing due to weather or some other reason, I won't. I've walked my dog along the trail here plenty of times with my sidearm and not gotten a second glance.

***

I used to live in CT. Also an open carry state. Totally different vibe. Because of the incidents there, people are WAY more sensitive to firearms. If I open carry in PA, I get maybe one or two people who look actually *alarmed* as opposed to what almost looks like a "Huh. I wonder why he's doing that?" look on. In CT, I open carried once, with a friend, to prove a point. He has incredibly gung-ho about open carry, pro-2A, to hell with everyone who doesn't like it, etc etc.

I suppose this can't be "proven", but you could *fee* the tension. I counted at least a dozen people in the little convenience store who actively stared at me, some with obvious distaste, and a handful left the store outright as soon as I walked in. The fact that someone didn't call the police was shocking.

(Note: when I OC'ed in CT, I always carried a memorandum from the State Troopers stating that it was legal to do so. Too many people unfamiliar with their own state laws....)
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