Would YOU Open Carry???

[GWbiker]

OC in Tucson and along the southern portion of Arizona. I wear a black holster, black belt, medium size black gun (compact 9mm or .45) and dark trousers.

No one seems to notice my weapon!

[jackmcmanus21]

I'll open carry anywhere I can. Things are pretty relaxed where I'm from in PA

[rogermac]

I almost always open carry when hunting or going out to shoot. (Public desert land) I have open carried on other rare occasions, and even though it is generally accepted in these parts, I prefer not to as a regular practice. I do carry concealed at all times where legal, usually even a BUG when open carrying.

[MCab]

I can see where open carry can be real useful.

If for some reason, you have to be in a rough area, then it'd be nice to not have a garment in the way of your draw. I could also see it becoming a deterrent.

[ckd]

Old axioms: an armed society is a polite society; suprise and over whelming force win battles.

I like open carry but despite weapons retention training, prefer a retention holster as a measure of insurance. I always conceal carry a snubby. OWB holster carry is more comfortable when I carry a full frame hand gun.

When I lived in an open carry state, people were always more polite and less confrontational when someone was OWB.

I doubt we'll ever see open carry in heavily Democratic states.

[tplumeri]

Ive open carried in cowboy garb in the local parade and when i'm working around the property. i accidentaly open carried one day when i took off a sweatshirt and walked around town with the grip sticking out above my belt (legal here) but, for the most part, its concealed. dont like drawing attention to myself.

[copenhagen]

I remember when I was 10, and I'm only 25 now, so that is 15 years ago, I used to walk with my little brother to our Grandparents house- about 2 miles. We would open carry my little Marlin Semi-Auto .22 without a second thought, and we would shoot squirrels if we saw them. We probably went past about 20 houses on the walk down the road as well. I distinctly remember police passing us once and asking if we needed a ride- nothing was said about the .22 rifle other than to ask us if we got anything that day. I am pretty sure open carry was not legal then in SC, but I know we didn't know and better (it seemed normal and ok), and obviously the LEOs did not care.

[HKFan9]

I live in PA where open carry is legal, I marked "it depends" because If i was going certain places I might not, but if I'm running around my small rural town it wouldn't bother me or most if any people there at all.

[Southern_guy]

I'd say no. Shop owners around here keep shotguns and the like behind the counter, and if I was working the desk at a bank or store and a guy brandishing a gun strolled inside, I would be worried.

[Rufkarma]

I voted no, I would not open carry willingly. I live in Georgia and have a CCW Permit. Georgia recently passed a law permitted CCW permit holders to carry in public parks, on public transportation and in restaurants where alcohol is sold for consumption on the premises.

I think most of it has been said; I carry to protect myself and my family. I'm a retired Navy Corpsman (FMF), I would call police, be a good witness and even intervene if necessary depending on the situation. However, having been a Reserve Deputy Sheriff I would be hesitant to intervene . . . because you just neve know, and I don't want to risk being mistaken for a miscreant rather than a samaritan.

I prefer that no one other than my wife know that I'm carrying.

If my gun is visible in public it's out and ready for a perceived threat.

Rufkarma

[Splat!!]

I have never heard of anyone being involved in a self defense shooting while open carrying a handgun......Although several have been involved while Concealed carrying...................

[.300H&H]

I don't open carry, and I can't honestly advocate it.

However, I would like to be able to go into town once in awhile and have a nice steak dinner at the hotel, go over to the saloon and play cards and maybe have a drink or two with Miss Kitty, Doc., Festus, Sally the new girl, and maybe even Matt, if he's in town. Under those circumstances, I'd like to open carry - probably a Colt .45 ie. maybe one of those nice Beretta/Ubertti models.

[cnutco]

During hunting season I carry a .44 7.5" under my shoulder and that is about the only time.

I CCW because I like the idea of surprise and I do not like people judging me.

[treo]

It's not something I've done in a while. I would in the back country, not so much in town

[seeker_two]

One question I've wondered: What is the "demarcation line" b/t open carry and concealed carry?

If you carry a gun IWB where only the grip is showing, is that still open carry?

If you put on a jacket so the gun is still visible from the front but not the side & back, is it still open carry?

If you're wearing a jacket and the bottom of the holster is visible, is it still open carry?

And how could you be arrested for concealed carry w/o a permit in an open carry state if someone spots the gun? If it's seen, doesn't that make it open carry?

Just curious.....

[the_pragmaticist]

Interesting delineation. In the winter, I have a leather coat on and IWB so you can generally call that fully concealed. In the summer, I have taken to not caring very much...Just a t-shirt which surely prints from time to time, and sometimes just uncovered if I'm wearing a single tucked shirt.

I've never had a real confrontation over it. While I carry to protect myself, I don't mind helping to normalize the image.

[kamerer]

The principle as to whether it's concealed or open is usually pretty straightforward - is it in plain view without an attempt to hide or shelter it? Sates differ, and some that allow open carry don't even specify what it means. This rule doesn't apply everywhere, but it's a good way to think about a situation. Let's just apply that simple concept:

If you carry a gun IWB where only the grip is showing, is that still open carry?

You've concsiously decided to use a holster that conceals the majority of the gun AND the holster from view. Hope you have a CC license, and you could get a stern talking or worse for not carrying it concealed. "Concealed means concealed" as some like to quote.

If you put on a jacket so the gun is still visible from the front but not the side & back, is it still open carry?

Not in plain view; you've concealed it. Have a license.

If you're wearing a jacket and the bottom of the holster is visible, is it still open carry?

You've concealed the majority of the gun - the bottom of the holster could be a cell phone or other holstered item. Have a license.

And how could you be arrested for concealed carry w/o a permit in an open carry state if someone spots the gun? If it's seen, doesn't that make it open carry?

Not if you've attempted to conceal it and failed to do so, as you've described. Without a license, that would be illegal concealed carry (in those 48 states that require a license for CC; not all do.) The judge and prosecutor isn't going to care if the gun was spotted - they are going to care if you had it in a belt on your waist in open view vs. some concealed or semi-concealed method of carrying it.

"Plain view" and "concealed" are not terribly confusing terms; just think in those terms. Remember, semi-concealed is not "in plain view." Nor is it really concealed. Choose one mode and use it.

[JesseL]

Originally Posted by Southern_guy

I'd say no. Shop owners around here keep shotguns and the like behind the counter, and if I was working the desk at a bank or store and a guy brandishing a gun strolled inside, I would be worried.

A visible, holstered sidearm doesn't generally meet the legal or common use definitions for 'brandishing'. Is a cell phone carried on your belt being brandished too?

[Brian Pfleuger]

and if I was working the desk at a bank ... and a guy brandishing a gun strolled inside, I would be worried.

and that would be illegal anyway, at least in NY. NO firearms allowed in a bank, concealed or otherwise.

[daveydoo]

Unless you are LEO

[Borch]

I work in corrections for the local sheriff's office and I have my CCW. My CCW class was taught by a department firearms instructor and one of the things that he talked about was open carry and I happen to agree with him on this. The general public has been forbidden or restricted in their carrying of firearms for over 100 years and as such the general public is not accustomed to seeing openly displayed firearms that are not on the duty belt of a uniformed LEO.

Many in the general public do not shoot or hunt and many are also scared of guns even in the hands of LEO's. We, as CCW holders and active carriers of weapons are in the vast minority in this country, and the numbers back this up, at least here in MN they do. Since MN became a CCW state 5 years ago somewhere around 10,000 permits have been issued, out of a population of over 2 million statewide. I live in a county of 150,000 people and only 1100 permits have been issued here. Open carry would, IMO, only invite trouble. I don't mean from people who want to make me a target, but from the non gun carrying, non shooting, non hunting, possibly fearful people in the community.

It happened to a buddy of mine last year, his sweatshirt came up over his gun when he bent down to pick up a 12 pack of soda at the gas station and by the time he had paid for the soda and exited the store there were 3 cops waiting, one with her weapon drawn. He was put through the full felony arrest procedure (get down on your kness, now lay down, put your hands behind your head etc.). He was searched, disarmed, handcuffed and put in the back seat of the squad car. His weapon was then unloaded and secured in the trunk of the squad car. He was then brought back out and questioned at length. By the time the whole incident was finished it had been almost 2 hours and he had nearly lost his job as his boss had driven by and seen what was going on.

Based on this I will never open carry and I am very sure my weapon is fully concealed, at all times when in public. I don't know about you guys but I don't want to be detained and questioned everytime someone gets nervous and calls the cops because they've seen my weapon that I legally carry.

[RockyMtnTactical]

I open carry, but usually only in the wilderness.

That said, I have no problems with open carry and wish I saw it happen even more. I've seen it more often lately it seems.

[the_pragmaticist]

Regarding Borch's story:

Here in Ohio, the firearms community can and WILL run an entire police department through the wringer for harassing open carrying citizens who are doing nothing illegal at the time. I agree that a lot of education needs to take place, but it won't happen without a few incidents. At this point, it's still a bad idea to wander around on a busy sidewalk with a weapon sticking out of your waistband but the chances of getting police attention while pumping gas or shopping at the grocery store are minimal. Akron City Police actually circulated a memo reminding officers that open carry is legal.

[Wildalaska]

I saw a guy open carrying the other day in the supermarket, wearing a shirt that screamed in big letters....The Second Amendment blah blah blah.. most of the folks in the lines were guys and I caught several eye rolls and snickers....the guy behind me must have seen the butt of my SIG poking my sweatshirt out because he said "look at that jerkoff, whats he trying to prove"...I asked him what he was carrying and he said with a grin "442" and patted his front pocket.

Other folks have seen this guy around town and he is becoming a joke among gun owners I have talked to, which is virtually everybody

WildneedsgoodcoffeeAlaska ™

[The Great Mahoo]

I only consider open carry while away from town. I'm not a hunter, but when going fishing, hiking, camping, etc, I would open carry. Most of the time, it's just easier to keep it concealed and avoid any trouble.

Where I live, PA, open carry is legal, but seems more hassle than its worth. I think even my friends might think strange of it if they saw a gun on me. And then theres everyone I know through work. And working in marketing and PR, thats a lot of people to try to explain a gun to, even if I am off the clock...