Thread: What are your thoughts on open carry?

Personally, I carry concealed because open carry tends to freak some people out. I don't have a problem with it either way and, frankly, depending on how I have to dress in some case it would sure be easier to open carry.

If more people open carried, there would be a lot less freaking out.

Originally Posted by OldmanDan

If more people open carried, there would be a lot less freaking out.

While that is certainly true I have no real desire to be a test case. I've see far too many cops go batshit crazy over the issue to push my luck.

Originally Posted by Lutherf

While that is certainly true I have no real desire to be a test case. I've see far too many cops go batshit crazy over the issue to push my luck.

Yes, it happens

[Video] Law Student Open Carrying Teaches Uninformed Officer a Few Things About Rights

[Video] Law Student Open Carrying Teaches Uninformed Officer a Few Things About Rights

Originally Posted by OldmanDan

Yes, it happens

[Video] Law Student Open Carrying Teaches Uninformed Officer a Few Things About Rights

[Video] Law Student Open Carrying Teaches Uninformed Officer a Few Things About Rights

That cop was pretty decent compared to some I have seen. I mean there are videos out there of cops drawing down on a guy just because he was carrying, threatening to shoot the guy and also making up charges that eventually get thrown out but still cost time and frustration to get fixed.

Frankly, the cops out here tend to be pretty good but I still don't push it.

Originally Posted by Porras

I had always thought that open carry within the city of Cheyenne (where I live) was illegal, but upon checking to ordinances due to concern of accidental exposure now that I'm carrying, I find that I was mistaken. Who thinks open carry is a good idea, bad idea, reasons? I'd like to open carry for two reasons. One is that I support open carry, the other is that I keep my shirt tucked in and I'm not going to wear a jacket when it's 80 degrees in the middle of summer.

I would think it depends on location. Some places it would be more appropriate than others.

But I wonder, is Cheyenne, Wyoming a dangerous place that you feel the need to carry a weapon?

I live in Houston, which has huge ghettos. And the crime is ever present.

But still, I think it would be unneccessarily provocative to open carry.

I don't really feel a need to carry, but I consider it my civic duty to be prepared to defend myself and others if necessary. As for reasons to open carry, I'd like to encourage others to do the same. Also, as mentioned with summer months, it's sometimes just more convenient if you're going to carry.

Originally Posted by Jihad4Beer

I would think it depends on location. Some places it would be more appropriate than others.

But I wonder, is Cheyenne, Wyoming a dangerous place that you feel the need to carry a weapon?

I live in Houston, which has huge ghettos. And the crime is ever present.

But still, I think it would be unneccessarily provocative to open carry.

Out of curiosity, do you regularly wear a seat belt?

Originally Posted by Lutherf

Out of curiosity, do you regularly wear a seat belt?

Of course I do, why?

Originally Posted by Jihad4Beer

Of course I do, why?

Do you wear it because you plan on getting into an accident or just in case you do?

More to the point, do you think that wearing the seat belt makes you more likely to get into an accident than someone who doesn't wear one?

Even more to the point, do you think wearing your seat belt is in any way likely to provoke someone into hitting you while you're driving?

Originally Posted by Lutherf

Do you wear it because you plan on getting into an accident or just in case you do?

You said yourself, "Personally, I carry concealed because open carry tends to freak some people out."

I say the same thing and you have a problem with it?

Originally Posted by Jihad4Beer

You said yourself, "Personally, I carry concealed because open carry tends to freak some people out."

I say the same thing and you have a problem with it?

Hmm...I get your point but I don't consider it to be "provocative" and perhaps I'm putting too much emphasis on that word. I don't consider open carry to be the least bit provocative in the sense that it's some kind of "in your face" statement. I simply recognize that some people are uncomfortable around guns and choose not to inflame their fears.

What I'm getting at is that I don't consider wearing a sidearm to be any kind of statement and don't want it to be misinterpreted as such.

I have two thoughts on the subject.

First, open carry eliminates the advantage of stealth afforded by concealed carry. In that sense, tactically, open carry is a bad idea.

If I'm a criminal, and I'm about to commit a crime, and I've got the drop on the situation, and I see that pistol on your hip, you're getting shot first.

To my mind open carry is preferable to no carry but if I had the option of open or concealed I'd choose to conceal my weapon if it was at all possible to do so.

Second, unrelated, thought is that if you're carrying in the open I think you owe it to society to use, at the minimum, a Level II holster but I'd prefer to see Level III.