Open Carry or concealed.... Tell me...

[Texasgrillchef]

When you carry and are given the choice to carry open or carry concealed do you...

A. Always carry concealed
B. Always open Carry
C. Depends on the situation and location.

This is a POLL not a debate.

Then tell me why you chose the answer you did. If you chose answer C. Tell me where/when you would carry concealed but not open, and vice versa.

My answer....
C.
Depends on the time of year and the clothes I am wearing. If it’s dead of winter and I’m wearing a parka, I won’t go out of my way to make carrying open just to be open. When I Carry it’s on my belt and the coat covers it up. Same if I am wearing a suit with dress jacket, or my leather jacket when I’m riding my Harley etc... also my Winter leather coat for riding actually has a built in concealed holster on each side.

On the other hand, if I am in a T-shirt/dress shirt and jeans/dress pants or shorts, I’m not going to go through the extra effort of concealing unless I am required too. Although some places I go, if I have the capability to conceal I will make a best effort to do so by untucking my shirt, or covering it up with my T-shirt, when I do that, it’s out of respect for who I am with or where I am at.

If I am hiking/camping I’m almost always in shorts or jeans with a T-shirt, so will almost always be open carry because the holster is located on the backpack shoulder strap, as well as the possibility for one being on my belt as well. Which depends on where I am hiking/camping and possible dangerous animals I might encounter. Meaning depends on which gun or guns I wish to carry.

When hiking camping there are few if any people around.

I also believe that open Carry acts as a deterrent. Saving you from even having to draw your weapon. (In some states drawing your weapon can get you arrested) Same way as seeing a marked police car driving around your neighborhood is a deterrent. While true in a mass shooting incident you might be one of the first to be shot at, I also believe that depending on how you open carry, the gun you have, etc... there is more of a chance the mass shooter(s) won’t even notice you even have a gun. (Until you shoot back)

 

[jdc1244]

Here in Florida, of course, open carry is not an option.

But I would always conceal carry even if open carry were allowed by law.

 

[guyfromohio]

I’ve had the right to open carry since I was old enough to possess a gun here in Ohio. I’ve only had the right to carry concealed for 15 years in Ohio. I’ve always concealed. I don’t have much contact with ranchers and such, so the open carriers I see are attention whore mall commandos. Just stop.

For perspective....I have every right to wear a thong speedo on a public beach. Just because I can, doesn’t mean I should.

That being said, I will fight tooth and nail for that right (open carry and thong speedo).

 

[Texasgrillchef]

I’ve had the right to open carry since I was old enough to possess a gun here in Ohio. I’ve only had the right to carry concealed for 15 years in Ohio. I’ve always concealed. I don’t have much contact with ranchers and such, so the open carriers I see are attention whore mall commandos. Just stop.

For perspective....I have every right to wear a thong speedo on a public beach. Just because I can, doesn’t mean I should.

That being said, I will fight tooth and nail for that right (open carry and thong speedo).

I fully agree with you. When and if I open Carry is more about convenance then attracting unwanted attention. I am respectful of others around me, and fully know where and when I should conceal just to be respectful. I don’t open Carry for attention, but I also refuse to dress for the sole purpose of keeping it concealed either unless it’s required by law.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

Oh goody, yet another open carry debate.

I have a really hard time responding to this topic in a way that doesn't sound belligerent because while I absolutely support your right to open carry, in practice I am absolutely convinced that it is a phenomenally bad idea.

Open carry doesn't sway anyone's opinion. In fact I believe that the open carry extremists have done us more harm than good.

I also absolutely do not believe that open carry has any deterrent value whatsoever. I've done armed security work for several years and I personally have had people attempt to disarm me. I've also had people look me right in the eye and tell me that they're going to take my gun and knock me on my ass. If the sight of me standing there in uniform, wearing body armor and a duty belt didn't deter them then you and whatever you're carrying isn't going to deter them either. So, outside of work, I don't open carry ever for any reason.

YMMV

ETA: I know someone is going to respond to this by telling me that they've open carried for years and they've never been attacked. I know this because it happens every single time I mention my experience.

The only thing I can really say to you is

Yet.

 

[RETG]

 

[Spats McGee]

On exceptionally rare occasion, I will open carry. Those occasions = trips to a farm or out in the woods. Other than that, in my daily (and more urban) routine, concealed. Every day of the week and twice on Sundays. Like some others, I support the right to open carry, but I generally think it's a bad idea.

 

[Tallball]

I feel that open carry can make other people uncomfortable and can make you a target.

That's why I don't do it.

 

[jonnyc]

OC deprives you of the element of surprise or discretion.
You lose the decision on when/how or even if to act, and give that power to the criminal.

 

[FL-NC]

In NC where it is an option, CC, except when I worked in a gun shop. In FL, open carry is illegal, but I wish it weren't. Why? Because I don't want to be deemed "in violation" when riding my motorcycle when/if my pistol is accidentally exposed due to wind action.

 

[Ironicaintit]

I chose C.
If I'm out in the general public, I carry concealed always. Always. I very much agree with Trunk Monkey, Tallball and jonnyc.
I dont want to be a primary target, and I see no need to "show my hand".

But out and about on my own property, where 4 legged critters are more likely, I carry open, and with a piece more substantial. Even then, it may still get obstructed by my shirt, or jacket, but it's OWB and I make no conscious effort to hide it.

 

[IdaD]

Unless I'm out in the woods or desert I conceal carry. Even in Idaho open carry around town, yes even smaller rural towns, is really rare. I think it does more harm than good in terms of how people perceive gun carriers and there's not any advantage to letting people know you've got a gun on you - it just makes you a target. When you get out in the woods in a camping situation I think just about everybody is armed and open carry is very common, but that's a lot different to me than running around town openly carrying a gun.

 

[jar]

I've open carried as well as concealed carry where legal for many decades. I'm old and in an area where open carry is legal and in general unnoticed unless you are using some holster with death heads on it or red white and blue wavy stripes or behaving like so two year old.

I'm not in the military or law enforcement and haven't been to a mall or movie theater in decades. I never open or concealed carry in places where it is illegal or where the proprietor has requested either no open or no concealed carry. I can only relate my personal experience but so far in over a half century no one has ever called the cops when they saw me open carry, no one has ever screamed in panic when they saw me open carry, no one has threatened or tried to take my gun and in fact the vast majority have simply been unaware that I was openly carrying a handgun.

 

[ATLDave]

I assume we're excluding hunting/wilderness/true rural conditions, shooting competitions, my own property, etc.

If we're limiting this to instances in which I am likely to encounter other humans that I don't know and that don't expect substantially everyone to have a gun, it's A for me.

I think people ought to have the legal right to open carry. I similarly think people ought to have the legal right to walk around shouting that the earth is flat, vaccines cause autism, and that water flouridation is a mind-control scheme.

 

[Charlie98]

In NC where it is an option, CC, except when I worked in a gun shop. In FL, open carry is illegal, but I wish it weren't. Why? Because I don't want to be deemed "in violation" when riding my motorcycle when/if my pistol is accidentally exposed due to wind action.

That's one of the reasons I'm glad TX went Open Carry... it takes the burden of accidentally flashing your piece away. I'm a concealed guy, but I'm tall... so when I bend over to reach something, and my shirt hikes up, or as you mentioned... my motorcycle jacket at a stop or something... it isn't criminal. Granted, some people see a motorcyclist and automatically assume we are armed criminal dirtbags...

 

[Zaydok Allen]

C. It depends.

When I'm in a populated environment, where people are guaranteed to be around, I always conceal carry.
When I'm out in the woods, in a place I am more likely to encounter a dangerous animal than any people, and this is fairly often for me, I open carry a larger, higher capacity and/or more powerful chambering.
If I'm on a designated recreation trail in the woods, where I'm more likely to encounter people, especially tourists who may or may not be very gun friendly, I tend to carry concealed.

For the folks who think open carry in a populated environment is a bad idea, I agree. I think it just brings unwanted attention of different types.

However, there is a big difference between open carry in a populated environment, versus in open nature where meeting a person will be the exception. When out in the natural, mostly people free world, your senses are much less dulled by all the auditory and visual distractions that come with the human artificial environment. You hear more, notice movement easier, and if you are confronted with a situation in that setting where you really need a gun, something has gone very wrong regarding a human who is now away from the eyes of witnesses, or an animal that may be dangerous for a variety of reasons. In that kind of a bad situation, I really believe a larger and easier to shoot, higher capacity, and more powerful chambering can make a real difference.

Open carry has different implications depending on your physical environment and the distraction level that comes with that environment.

 

[Thibaut]

Oh goody, yet another open carry debate.

I have a really hard time responding to this topic in a way that doesn't sound belligerent because while I absolutely support your right to open carry, in practice I am absolutely convinced that it is a phenomenally bad idea.

Open carry doesn't sway anyone's opinion. In fact I believe that the open carry extremists have done us more harm than good.

I also absolutely do not believe that open carry has any deterrent value whatsoever. I've done armed security work for several years and I personally have had people attempt to disarm me. I've also had people look me right in the eye and tell me that they're going to take my gun and knock me on my ass. If the sight of me standing there in uniform, wearing body armor and a duty belt didn't deter them then you and whatever you're carrying isn't going to deter them either. So, outside of work, I don't open carry ever for any reason.

YMMV

ETA: I know someone is going to respond to this by telling me that they've open carried for years and they've never been attacked. I know this because it happens every single time I mention my experience.

The only thing I can really say to you is

Yet.

 

[Thibaut]

I'm new to carry (and to THR). I am in the process of picking a ccw - Ruger LCPII or S&W Bodyguard; probably. I plan to pocket-carry with a big gun in my auto. It is all about personal safety with me. I don't necessarily get nervous when I see open carry - police do it - but I have to say that I think it would be a terrible idea for the general population to have that option. That said, I think it is okay if you live in cowboy country. I'm laughing (fearfully) at the image of open carry in Manhattan.

 

[edwardware]

If you are confident that Open Carry won't: a) make you a target, or b) scare someone resulting in damage to your civil rights, then Open Carry.

In most of the Texas or Arizona of my imagination, I'd probably Open Carry. Everywhere I've ever lived, the most notable result of doing so would be the trail of pissed/scared voters in your wake; seems counterproductive.

 

[cheygriz]

If you need to ask the question, you probably won't understand the answer.

 

[ATLDave]

I plan to pocket-carry with a big gun in my auto.

Be aware that, at least according to the cops in my city/neighborhood, most car thieves these days break into cars hoping to find guns in gloveboxes/consoles/under seats. It is probably not advisable to leave a gun in the car unattended for any great length of time.

 

[jar]

I plan to pocket-carry with a big gun in my auto. It is all about personal safety with me.

First, Welcome home. Pull up a stump and set a spell. Check your local laws and regulations before trying to have "a big gun in my auto". First, it is often illegal for it to be in any place that is readily accessible. Second, guns left in cars often get stolen, not just in break ins but also when Valet Parked or even at home.

An option if legal might be a holster that straps on your seat belt and will fit your pocket pistol. Remember that in a car you are in a confined space and a small handgun will be easier to handle and secure than a larger one.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I'm new to carry (and to THR).

Welcome to the forum. You picked a good place.

 

[Thibaut]

That's one of the reasons I'm glad TX went Open Carry... it takes the burden of accidentally flashing your piece away. I'm a concealed guy, but I'm tall... so when I bend over to reach something, and my shirt hikes up, or as you mentioned... my motorcycle jacket at a stop or something... it isn't criminal. Granted, some people see a motorcyclist and automatically assume we are armed criminal dirtbags...

First, Welcome home. Pull up a stump and set a spell. Check your local laws and regulations before trying to have "a big gun in my auto". First, it is often illegal for it to be in any place that is readily accessible. Second, guns left in cars often get stolen, not just in break ins but also when Valet Parked or even at home.

An option if legal might be a holster that straps on your seat belt and will fit your pocket pistol. Remember that in a car you are in a confined space and a small handgun will be easier to handle and secure than a larger one.

Thanks, jar. All good and valid points. I should have been more clear. I will carry a bigger gun in my car when I travel, which I do; more than I like. It will be in a case; unloaded, but there if I need it and the consequences of that will just have to be faced; God forbid, on all counts. It says a lot that I feel the need for protection but I do so there you have it. Thank you for the welcome. I am still somewhat intimidated by gun stores (not so much the guns) and look forward to this venture as a learning tool in this journey on which I find myself. Regards.

 

[George P]

Here in Florida, of course, open carry is not an option.

But I would always conceal carry even if open carry were allowed by law.

It is an option if you are hunting