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View Poll Results: Would or Do you Open Carry in Public?
Yes 174 41.93%
No 114 27.47%
It depends 127 30.60%
Voters: 415. You may not vote on this poll

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Old June 26, 2008, 07:56 AM   #51
Buzzard
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I voted "YES" as I open carry on a daily basis, but I live in AZ where open carry is legal and here in Kingman it is not uncommon to see open carry at wal-mart and other local stores. I do get some interesting looks as I ride my "street legal" quad down the road and tourists see me .
Never had a hassel for open carry here in Kingman not in 3 years.
I am waiting for my CCW to be approved but until then.....Yep, I open carry
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Old June 26, 2008, 08:14 AM   #52
IGO1320
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depends

I do not open carry because it is not legal in Florida. Would I? Depends if there were other people even 8-10% I probably would, I do not want to "stick out". I believe open carry helps to prevent crime, most "common" criminals are cowards and run when confronted. I don't believe the argument that criminals would just "target me and take my gun", if this were the case why not just take any "cop's" gun they happened upon? Why not "roam" the streets in armed gangs and rob everyone they come upon? The answer is they are afraid/know they would be confronted by police or someone armed and they would be harmed. There are instances where this has occured but very rarely....and that is the criminal that will not run.....normally drugged/crazy. I truly believe that an armed society is a polite society. Have a nice day.
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Old June 26, 2008, 08:17 AM   #53
crucible
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I'm a grey man, so no open carry for me (unless in some very rare circumstances).
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Old June 26, 2008, 08:37 AM   #54
ATW525
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In New Hampshire I can carry openly all I want, but I choose to carry concealed. Why? Because when I go out in public it's usually for a specific purpose, with a destination that is likely a privately owned business establishment of some sort. Given that the property rights of business owners to exclude firearms on their premises trump my right to carry them, it's just good sense to avoid that conflict altogether with proper concealed carry. After all, what they don't know probably won't hurt them.
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Old June 26, 2008, 08:58 AM   #55
Don P
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open carry

IMO absolutely not. All you are asking for is all the village idiots out there in tin foil land wanting to try there hand at the bad ass with the gun on his/her side. Just my personal feelings on open carry:barf:. If they are willing to shoot at LE what would they do to John Q public. This aint 1860 and Dodge City or any other famous or not so famous western town. I think you are only asking the tin foils does he have the brass to use it?
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Old June 26, 2008, 09:10 AM   #56
duucfho
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IMO absolutely not. All you are asking for is all the village idiots out there in tin foil land wanting to try there hand at the bad ass with the gun on his/her side. Just my personal feelings on open carry. If they are willing to shoot at LE what would they do to John Q public. This aint 1860 and Dodge City or any other famous or not so famous western town. I think you are only asking the tin foils does he have the brass to use it?
This is assuming that licenses are not needed for Open Carry, which is true for about half the open carry states in my eyeball estimate:
http://opencarry.org/opencarry.html
But the other half require a permit...

I'd personally be a fan of Open Carry with a permit. I don't know if this goes against the spirit of OC, but it would help weed out some of the tin-foil crazies you speak of, no?
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Old June 26, 2008, 11:19 AM   #57
Billy Sparks
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I don't believe the argument that criminals would just "target me and take my gun", if this were the case why not just take any "cop's" gun they happened upon?
In case you were referring to my post. I don't think they want my gun I just don't want them to confuse me for a LEO and shoot me first to remove any known opposition.
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Old June 26, 2008, 11:27 AM   #58
chubbmann
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Here in Louisiana our cars are an extension of our homes so keeping one in the glove box is fine so long as it is not chambered. Our carry laws are non existant. I called the office in Baton Rouge and was told that there was nothing on the books forbiding it so it's left to my judgment. She added though that that implied to do so in a responsible manner as it is up to any citizen to call the police they feel threatened.

Basicly I am a PI and do some face to face visits. I was very happy to learn my rights to carry so long as I am not an idiot about it. God bless the USA!!!
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Old June 26, 2008, 11:46 AM   #59
.300H&H
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Why open carry when you can carry concealed? Concealed carry has all the tactical advantage. The only time I open carry is 1) in the outdoors in a hunting /camping situation and 2)going directly to the range<and then only on occasion out of convenience>


Lot of 'nuts' out there. I don't want to get in a verbal dispute with one - and then have him call the police and make up some wild story about me and my gun. If I'm carrying concealed I can defend myself, and I don't have to worry so much about defending my open carry of a 'gun.' Some folks out there are not just 'anti-gun' but really hysterical about guns.


Think of all the scenarios: 1)What if I'm in a fender bender and I get out of my car...and the 'nut' that has hit my car see's my open carry gun and starts yapping some false story about me being a threat? 2)What if I have to go to some business and the manager calls security? Too much hassle. When its concealed, I have more control and options.
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Old June 26, 2008, 11:52 AM   #60
pax
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Open carry is legal in my state, and I live in a rural area where nobody would blink at it.

It's definitely more comfy to carry openly than concealed.

And I think there's a political advantage in treating a sidearm as if it is just a normal part of your clothing, not some hyper-scary testosteronized terrifying monstrosity.

Nevertheless. I've never open carried, and don't intend to.

I do draw a great deal of comfort in knowing that I am legally in good shape if my cover garment rides up.

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Old June 26, 2008, 12:34 PM   #61
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After a day of atv'ing in the mountains my wife and I stopped at the Burger King in Salida Colorado just to get a quick bite. I had my 1911 on my side. A customer in line in front of us kept looking back at me and after he got his order he came back and with a very unfriendly tone said "Why you wearin' a gun in here?". I politely replied that it was my right and it wasn't against the law. "Well I don't like it" he said. He then walked away. If I had been a little quicker I would have said "Because there are people in here wearing backpacks (as he was) and I don't know what they might be carrying.
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Old June 26, 2008, 12:59 PM   #62
Wildalaska
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I politely replied that it was my right and it wasn't against the law.
See now I would have replied that I just left the field, was hungry and didnt feel like leaving it it my car. To his reply that he didnt like it I would have given him the famous:

"Well dude, filling my tummy fast takes precedence over your feelings, and if you are so upset, go to Mickey D's"

Don't get me wrong boys and girls...my disdain for those who want to teach the "sheeple" a lesson is equal to my disdain to those who want to shove their anti gun feelings in my face. I think open carry is inappropriate and smacks of ramboism under many circumstances, but you know what, its equally as inappropriate to voice my views to someone who is doing something lawful.

WAs Rule of Life 67.78 (a).....A person who publicly chastises another for acting, albiet lawfully, like an a*****e is equally an a******e.

Thats why I try to avoid leftist political rallies, to keep my inner sphincter under control


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Old June 26, 2008, 01:26 PM   #63
Keltyke
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Given that the property rights of business owners to exclude firearms on their premises trump my right to carry them, it's just good sense to avoid that conflict altogether with proper concealed carry. After all, what they don't know probably won't hurt them.
Until you get caught and give the people who obey the laws and rights of others a bad name.

As you said, their right to refuse your gun supersedes your right to carry it.

Respect other's rights and wishes. If a store manager, owner, or employee objects to your gun, go out, remove it and re-enter the store or QUIETLY leave. Don't make a big fuss about it, you WILL lose and you'll give everyone else who carries a black eye. If a private individual objects, tell him to consult the manager of the place where you are. Deflect his objections to you personally and avoid a conflict at all costs.
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Old June 26, 2008, 02:06 PM   #64
ATW525
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Until you get caught and give the people who obey the laws and rights of others a bad name.

As you said, their right to refuse your gun supersedes your right to carry it.

Respect other's rights and wishes. If a store manager, owner, or employee objects to your gun, go out, remove it and re-enter the store or QUIETLY leave. Don't make a big fuss about it, you WILL lose and you'll give everyone else who carries a black eye. If a private individual objects, tell him to consult the manager of the place where you are. Deflect his objections to you personally and avoid a conflict at all costs.
The point is that the store manager is never put into a position to object in the first place, because it's concealed. However, the store manager is welcome to preemptively post his desire to not have firearms present, and I'll gladly take my business elsewhere because I'd rather not patronize a place that is openly hostile to concealed carry.

I'm not sure where you get off insinuating that I give firearms owners a bad name, but I find it insulting and I do not appreciate it.
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Old June 26, 2008, 06:17 PM   #65
hkg3
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Yes, been there, done that (in Arizona). However, I don’t open carry all the time. I believe there was someone here who open carried in to the bank, said he usually got strange looks.
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Old June 26, 2008, 06:22 PM   #66
94bluerat
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In SC we OC when hbunting. When we go to NC we OC all the time at the mountain house, 4 wheelin, camping etc.
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Old June 26, 2008, 07:24 PM   #67
mjoy64
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Only my family and close trusted friends know I own guns, I figure the more people know, the more likely I am to get burglarized for my guns.
You know... I don't agree with many of the cons presented here against OC, but this is an argument that has merit. It wouldn't prevent me, but it does give me pause.
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Old June 26, 2008, 07:30 PM   #68
mjoy64
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I also like the fact that carrying concealed allows me to decide when/if I want to respond in a situation. Carrying openly doesn't really give you that option.
Can you give an example here (preferably something that really happened)? I just don't see the difference in the decision process. Either you are in mortal danger and require the use of your firearm, or you are not.
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Old June 26, 2008, 09:20 PM   #69
Keltyke
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I'm not sure where you get off insinuating that I give firearms owners a bad name, but I find it insulting and I do not appreciate it.
No insinuation, statement of fact. I "got off" saying what I did from YOUR statement that you would carry concealed into a store where it was expressly forbidden, regardless of the law or store manager's wishes.

I'll quote you again, in case you forgot what you wrote.

Quote:
Given that the property rights of business owners to exclude firearms on their premises trump my right to carry them, it's just good sense to avoid that conflict altogether with proper concealed carry. After all, what they don't know probably won't hurt them.
As for your appreciation of my remarks, that is completely irrelevant to me.
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Old June 26, 2008, 09:49 PM   #70
ATW525
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No insinuation, statement of fact. I "got off" saying what I did from YOUR statement that you would carry concealed into a store where it was expressly forbidden, regardless of the law or store manager's wishes.

I'll quote you again, in case you forgot what you wrote.



As for your appreciation of my remarks, that is completely irrelevant to me.
Not what I said at all. Please go back and look for where I advocated breaking the or carrying against the express wishes of the property owner... I did not. I stated that concealed carry avoids the conflict with property rights. It's simple, firearms aren't usually a big issue on the mind of most business owners, and I prefer to keep it that way by keeping them out of sight so they don't decide they need a policy against them.

As for your attitude and insults, they are unwelcome and all you've accomplished is earning yourself a place on my ignore list from this point forward. It's unfortunate that people can't conduct themselves in a civilized and respectful manner in an online community.
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Old June 26, 2008, 10:59 PM   #71
GPossenti
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It's rather expensive here in Louisiana to take the class and get a 4 year license (around $250, $500 for both my wife and I). I'm having to open carry until I can save the money for the license.
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Old June 26, 2008, 11:09 PM   #72
JohnKSa
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Originally Posted by mjoy64
Can you give an example here (preferably something that really happened)? I just don't see the difference in the decision process. Either you are in mortal danger and require the use of your firearm, or you are not.
You're kidding right? You really can't conceive of a realistic situation where it might be to your advantage to have a firearm that a criminal doesn't know about?

One excellent example was posted awhile back.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthrea...e+glass&page=2

An man went into a gun store/gun range and took all the employees hostage using a gun he rented at the range. None were carrying openly, but one employee was carrying concealed and the criminal didn't discover it. The criminal was taking them out back and made it clear that he was going to shoot them. The armed employee bided his time and when he got an opportunity he was able to pull his firearm and disable the criminal with no injury to any of the employees. Had he been carrying openly he would have been forced to respond immediately or he would have been disarmed.

"After several minutes on the range, however, Stevens returned to the club's gun store and shot at the ceiling. He then herded three store employees out the door into an alley, saying he intended to kill them, Morec said.

Unknown to Stevens, one store employee was carrying a .45 caliber handgun concealed beneath his shirt. When Stevens looked away, the employee fired, hitting Stevens several times in the chest and bringing him to the ground."

In another example (go here and search on Peebles), a doctor and his wife were kidnapped and forced to drive a criminal to Mexico. Unbeknownst to the criminal, they had a concealed pistol. The doctor was able to retrieve the pistol and take the criminal by surprise ending the scenario, but not until they had crossed at least one state line. Again, had they been openly armed instead of armed with a concealed gun they would have had to respond immediately or they would have simply been disarmed.

Here are some more. Go here and read about Jacob Evans who waited for the right moment to pull his hidden handgun. Search that site for "John Brimmer" to read of another concealed carrier who waited for the right moment to respond but who would certainly have been forced to respond immediately or be disarmed otherwise had he carried openly.

I find it pretty surprising (just about incredible, in fact) that it's necessary to defend the idea that having an "ace in the hole" could be an advantage.
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Old June 27, 2008, 07:31 AM   #73
mjoy64
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I also like the fact that carrying concealed allows me to decide when/if I want to respond in a situation. Carrying openly doesn't really give you that option.
Quote:
I find it pretty surprising (just about incredible, in fact) that it's necessary to defend the idea that having an "ace in the hole" could be an advantage.
Clearly there are some cases where concealed carry would be an advantage. If you had phrased your opinion around the *potential* tatical advantage of conceal carry, I wouldn't have asked the question.

I see what you meant now. Your statement is oriented around conceal carry allowing greater latitude in "when/if" you respond. I get the "when" now (after reading your examples), but focused on the "if". To me the "if" part seems cut and dried unaffected by concealed vs. open carry.
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Old June 27, 2008, 10:22 AM   #74
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Depends. I have open carried in many placed when going to and from hunting or fishing.

For daily carry, I prefer concealed. You don't spook the sheep, you have the element of surprise if there is a 'problem', and it just seems more polite (although there is no real logic to that last).
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Old June 27, 2008, 10:47 AM   #75
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Just once in a while I will open carry one of my custom handguns, usually a ivory handled colt Single Action handgun.
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