Busted my Cherry....With OPEN CARRY! - Page 3

6shooter · May 17, 2005, 04:57 PM

I have always carried my gun concealed even before there was such a thing as CCW 'permits'. I didn't really care what the law was about that and don't really care now. I have a CCW now (after much thought, and I don't know if it was right to get one yet), The police don't have the means to protect me or my family all the time that's up to me and my family and that's what I do no matter what the law says.
I do carry a gun out on the hip when I'm in the woods or camping such as that, but it's concealed when in public.

Peaceful Henry · May 20, 2005, 04:20 PM

BatmanX, I can't agree more. In just the last 15 years the country has gone from nearly NO CCW permits to the majority of states having them. My Dad is an NRA life member and he believes all guns should be registered and owners licensed! I see the tide shifting AWAY from the British model, even in Britan!

Metellus · January 1, 2006, 03:40 AM

i usually CCW in VA. then one day i randomly ended up at chipotle with some friends and realized before going in that they serve beer. so i opened up the zipper on the side of my winter coat to let the pistol show (blackhawk cqc holster... nice retension system). Anyway nobody noticed the pistol until I got up to get refill. A friend of mine was a bit concerned at first (she's not a gun person). She asked "When did you get a gun!". I told her I've concealed carry for years. Then she asked "why open carry!". I told her the laws that in VA you have to open carry a handgun in an establishment that serves alcohol... she thought that was was nuts. Then I told her I can conceal my handgun but not a knife....

Desertscout1 · January 1, 2006, 01:38 PM

I haven't read all the posts in this thread but the few that I did prompted me to post this column that I wrote for Virginia News Source last summer....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There are a select few states that allow it's citizens to carry their weapons out in the open but there is a FEWER select few citizens that choose to exercise that right for fear of hurting someone's feelings.

There are quite a few establishments nowadays that choose to post signs that prohibit the carry of firearms, openly or concealed, within thier walls. This is another of the many things that gives me deep and lasting indigestion. If you don't want to be robbed or have a disgruntled employee take out his frustration on your patrons, why do you create such a "hazard-free environment" for those that might perpetrate such a crime? Do you seriously think that a guy intent on robbing your store, or worse, is going to walk up to your door, see your "No Guns" sign and say, "Darn!, I sooooooo wanted to rob this place but the sign says I can't bring my gun in so I guess I'll just have to go somewhere else."? No, by posting that sign, you have pretty much assured the criminal that there is little, if any, chance that he will be confronted. When trained, credible, responsible citizens carry their weapons in your store and give you their business, you should be grateful that, at least for the time that they are present, your business is protected. At least from violent crime. Most of us will not shoot someone for stealing money as it is replaceable and probably insured. However, I have never met a legitimate gun-toter that would not intervene if someone were to threaten innocents or start shooting.

I think that many post those signs because of fear of the image that some of the patrons might get, not for liability reasons.

It is my opinion that if those who do carry regularly WOULD carry openly more often, it would help to desensitize those whom some people are afraid they are going to offend. Well, it offends ME when someone is offended by my carrying (which is RARELY an issue here in NM). I have my rights just like they have theirs. They have the right to get up and go eat somewhere else if they happen to come into a restaurant where I am eating. They have the right to run home screaming if they see me walking down the street and I am armed. I, on the other hand, have the right to do anything that they can do and their being there doesn't affect me one way or the other. The reason that gun rights are in the shape that they are in is because we gunowners continuously pander to "them" and try to compromise to a point that is OK with "them". We walk around and hide what we do or give certain rights away to retain others. That's not freedom to me.

I don't "flaunt" it as some have said. I think that if one is going to carry openly that they should dress neatly and wear your gear professionally and conservatively. I don't think that it's appropriate to wear a 7.5" Super Blackhawk downtown in cheap nylon Wal-Mart holster. Yes, occasionally when I come in from hunting or something and I'm carrying a .44, I may stop to get a Coke or gas or something but I'm not gonna take my gun off just because someone else may not approve of it but what I wear daily is a Glock 23 in a Blade Tech belt holster with my shirt tail tucked in. I dress neatly and there is nothing threatening about my appearance (unless you feel threatened by someone that 6"4", 245 pound and wearing a gun

). Once in a while, I get a question or two but I have yet to experience the fear and panic that some claim is going to happen.

Occassionally, someone tells me how much that they value the 2nd amendment. Well, so do I...as it was written. Not as they would have me to accept it. Having said all that, I do believe that there are a very few places where it may not be appropriate to wear openly like church or some business meetings or picking the kids up at the Boys and Girls Club. In those few places, I do carry but it is concealed. If it's an impromptu occasion, I simply untuck my shirt and let it cover the gun. If it's planned, like church, I wear a Glock 27 in a Blade Tech IWB and a jacket or vest.

I don't "flaunt" it, make a big deal out of it or handle it in any manner when in public and I have NEVER had any problem.

I WILL NOT CRAWL AROUND AND EXERCISE MY GOD-GIVEN RIGHTS ONLY WHEN IT IS ACCEPTABLE WITH SOMEONE ELSE OR WHERE THEY CANNOT SEE!

There are those who will not stand up for a passing flag unless a few people around them do. Well I am the one around them that is first to stand. I could care less what everyone around me does. I have a man to face every day in the mirror and someone else to face when I leave this world. I plan to be able to walk uprightly before Him and say that I have done the best I could to uphold and exercise the rights and freedoms that I was blessed with at my birth.

"All those in favor of losing their rights, please do nothing!"

Jager1 · January 8, 2006, 12:45 AM

I just love it when people claim that a civilian carrying openly has placed a bullseye on their back for criminals.

Can't remember the last time I read a news report in which this occurred (a civilian carrying openly being gunned down for their firearm or being targeted for violence).

And with the vast majority of people purporting this, neither can they.

January 1, 2006, 03:40 AM	#53
Metellus Senior Member Join Date: December 16, 2004 Posts: 156	chipotle i usually CCW in VA. then one day i randomly ended up at chipotle with some friends and realized before going in that they serve beer. so i opened up the zipper on the side of my winter coat to let the pistol show (blackhawk cqc holster... nice retension system). Anyway nobody noticed the pistol until I got up to get refill. A friend of mine was a bit concerned at first (she's not a gun person). She asked "When did you get a gun!". I told her I've concealed carry for years. Then she asked "why open carry!". I told her the laws that in VA you have to open carry a handgun in an establishment that serves alcohol... she thought that was was nuts. Then I told her I can conceal my handgun but not a knife....

January 1, 2006, 01:38 PM	#54
Desertscout1 Senior Member Join Date: December 7, 2004 Location: NM Posts: 421	I haven't read all the posts in this thread but the few that I did prompted me to post this column that I wrote for Virginia News Source last summer.... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ There are a select few states that allow it's citizens to carry their weapons out in the open but there is a FEWER select few citizens that choose to exercise that right for fear of hurting someone's feelings. There are quite a few establishments nowadays that choose to post signs that prohibit the carry of firearms, openly or concealed, within thier walls. This is another of the many things that gives me deep and lasting indigestion. If you don't want to be robbed or have a disgruntled employee take out his frustration on your patrons, why do you create such a "hazard-free environment" for those that might perpetrate such a crime? Do you seriously think that a guy intent on robbing your store, or worse, is going to walk up to your door, see your "No Guns" sign and say, "Darn!, I sooooooo wanted to rob this place but the sign says I can't bring my gun in so I guess I'll just have to go somewhere else."? No, by posting that sign, you have pretty much assured the criminal that there is little, if any, chance that he will be confronted. When trained, credible, responsible citizens carry their weapons in your store and give you their business, you should be grateful that, at least for the time that they are present, your business is protected. At least from violent crime. Most of us will not shoot someone for stealing money as it is replaceable and probably insured. However, I have never met a legitimate gun-toter that would not intervene if someone were to threaten innocents or start shooting. I think that many post those signs because of fear of the image that some of the patrons might get, not for liability reasons. It is my opinion that if those who do carry regularly WOULD carry openly more often, it would help to desensitize those whom some people are afraid they are going to offend. Well, it offends ME when someone is offended by my carrying (which is RARELY an issue here in NM). I have my rights just like they have theirs. They have the right to get up and go eat somewhere else if they happen to come into a restaurant where I am eating. They have the right to run home screaming if they see me walking down the street and I am armed. I, on the other hand, have the right to do anything that they can do and their being there doesn't affect me one way or the other. The reason that gun rights are in the shape that they are in is because we gunowners continuously pander to "them" and try to compromise to a point that is OK with "them". We walk around and hide what we do or give certain rights away to retain others. That's not freedom to me. I don't "flaunt" it as some have said. I think that if one is going to carry openly that they should dress neatly and wear your gear professionally and conservatively. I don't think that it's appropriate to wear a 7.5" Super Blackhawk downtown in cheap nylon Wal-Mart holster. Yes, occasionally when I come in from hunting or something and I'm carrying a .44, I may stop to get a Coke or gas or something but I'm not gonna take my gun off just because someone else may not approve of it but what I wear daily is a Glock 23 in a Blade Tech belt holster with my shirt tail tucked in. I dress neatly and there is nothing threatening about my appearance (unless you feel threatened by someone that 6"4", 245 pound and wearing a gun ). Once in a while, I get a question or two but I have yet to experience the fear and panic that some claim is going to happen. Occassionally, someone tells me how much that they value the 2nd amendment. Well, so do I...as it was written. Not as they would have me to accept it. Having said all that, I do believe that there are a very few places where it may not be appropriate to wear openly like church or some business meetings or picking the kids up at the Boys and Girls Club. In those few places, I do carry but it is concealed. If it's an impromptu occasion, I simply untuck my shirt and let it cover the gun. If it's planned, like church, I wear a Glock 27 in a Blade Tech IWB and a jacket or vest. I don't "flaunt" it, make a big deal out of it or handle it in any manner when in public and I have NEVER had any problem. I WILL NOT CRAWL AROUND AND EXERCISE MY GOD-GIVEN RIGHTS ONLY WHEN IT IS ACCEPTABLE WITH SOMEONE ELSE OR WHERE THEY CANNOT SEE! There are those who will not stand up for a passing flag unless a few people around them do. Well I am the one around them that is first to stand. I could care less what everyone around me does. I have a man to face every day in the mirror and someone else to face when I leave this world. I plan to be able to walk uprightly before Him and say that I have done the best I could to uphold and exercise the rights and freedoms that I was blessed with at my birth. "All those in favor of losing their rights, please do nothing!" __________________ Desertscout Southwest Shooting Authority Colts and Kimbers are what you show your friends. Glocks are what you show your enemies.

May 17, 2005, 04:57 PM	#51
6shooter Member Join Date: May 14, 2005 Posts: 49	I have always carried my gun concealed even before there was such a thing as CCW 'permits'. I didn't really care what the law was about that and don't really care now. I have a CCW now (after much thought, and I don't know if it was right to get one yet), The police don't have the means to protect me or my family all the time that's up to me and my family and that's what I do no matter what the law says. I do carry a gun out on the hip when I'm in the woods or camping such as that, but it's concealed when in public.

May 20, 2005, 04:20 PM	#52
Peaceful Henry Junior Member Join Date: April 19, 2005 Location: KCMO Posts: 14	BatmanX, I can't agree more. In just the last 15 years the country has gone from nearly NO CCW permits to the majority of states having them. My Dad is an NRA life member and he believes all guns should be registered and owners licensed! I see the tide shifting AWAY from the British model, even in Britan!

January 8, 2006, 12:45 AM	#55
Jager1 Senior Member Join Date: December 11, 2000 Location: Phoenix, Arizona Posts: 422	I just love it when people claim that a civilian carrying openly has placed a bullseye on their back for criminals. Can't remember the last time I read a news report in which this occurred (a civilian carrying openly being gunned down for their firearm or being targeted for violence). And with the vast majority of people purporting this, neither can they.