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

[Thibaut]

Welcome to the forum. You picked a good place.

Thanks, 460.

 

[Jeff H]

I don't hunt, and I don't generally think showing your hand is a good thing. So for me, concealed, always.

 

[Thibaut]

I don't hunt, and I don't generally think showing your hand is a good thing. So for me, concealed, always.

I'm with you on this but view it as a personal decision if legal. I see a lot of people I would prefer not be behind the wheel of a car much less have a gun, open or concealed.

 

[GEM]

We have done this into the ground and always circle to a close. Did I need this?

So - OC has been a net negative in TX, leading to many OC ban signs AND adding to the concealed carry ban signs.

Next - I'm pretty in tune with the training community and no one there promotes OC. Now you will say, that you know better. I'll just post two summary articles:

https://www.activeresponsetraining.net/friends-dont-let-friends-open-carry
https://www.activeresponsetraining.net/the-perils-of-open-carry

As Darryl Bolke from http://www.hardwiredtacticalshooting.com/ says: I don't want see most people naked and I don't want to see your gun.

Darryl and Greg are highly respected and if you dismiss them - post your resume. Last, I hope NY passes OC, so you can OC on the crowded subway, I used to take to work. Quite different from OC in Mayberry.

Bets on the time to rudeness and a close? Please don't go there, folks. Also, the OP should read all the previous OC posts on THR.

 

[GBExpat]

When out & about amongst the mob (shopping, etc) I will only carry concealed.

When walking woods & fields I usually do not care whether or not my handgun is visible.

 

[George P]

Last, I hope NY passes OC, so you can OC on the crowded subway, I used to take to work. Quite different from OC in Mayberry.

I rode those subways in the 60s and 70s and they were scary then.

 

[GEM]

I rode them to elementary school, starting in the third grade. To work, school and girl friends, constantly in the 60's. Not to divert but OC in only pretty safe places seems to be contradictory to its rationale.

 

[Thibaut]

I rode them to elementary school, starting in the third grade. To work, school and girl friends, constantly in the 60's. Not to divert but OC in only pretty safe places seems to be contradictory to its rationale.

Rode them every day/night for a long time. They were terrific. Got you a long way.....fast! And cheap. I can think of 18 people out of 20 who wouldn't carry a gun if you gave them one, free of charge. It takes all kinds. It is still disconcerting to me to see people open carry. Not sure what that says about me and I do recognize legal right but nontheless, I look twice. I consider it somewhat moot because no way it would or could be resolved.

 

[.308 Norma]

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".

I chose C also.
When we're out and about, I see no reason for anyone else (other than my wife who also carries) to know that I'm wearing a gun.

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.

I'm the same way about that too, except the gun I carry when I'm "out and about" on our own property is actually less "substantial" than my "in town" gun. That's because the biggest "4 legged critters" we're likely to encounter on our own property are coyotes. Oh, a few of our neighbors have big dogs that roam, but they never bother us. And there's even a few mountain lions around, but they are as reclusive as any critters I've ever seen.
When I'm working out on the back part of the place, I carry a little Taurus 32 H&R tucked behind my right hip. Sometimes it's concealed if I'm wearing a long shirt, vest, or coat. Sometimes it's not concealed. I doesn't matter one way or the other to me.
When we're in town, I carry a Smith 38 snubby, or sometimes a sub-compact Springfield 9mm in the same place - tucked behind my right hip. I hope I never have to show my "in town" gun to anyone.

 

[Thibaut]

Finally, I travel in and out of Miami, maybe the most dialectially diverse city in the Americas. Open carry is beyond my comprehension.

 

[GEM]

I have OC'ed in and around Rock Springs, TX. Didn't take the subway there. Wasn't worried that I would be attacked by the big porcupine, I followed on a misty morning across the land at early dawn, on the way to a blind. He or she was a portly critter. In the cities, concealed. If I look at my every day travels:

1. The Supermarket - HEB - bans OC. Thus do I leave the gun in the car and walk around with an empty holster.
2. Sea Island - a frequent restaurant, go there twice a week - bans OC
3. Jim's - common restaurant - bans OC
4. New restaurant we like - Aspen Creek Grill - ate there yesterday - bans OC
5. Sprouts, Whole Foods - ban OC and CC (the latter thanks to OC passing)
6. WalMart - well, well.
7. One of my banks.

I could go on. I conceal and I can do it even though it's been 100 degrees for weeks now. Oh, geez - now I am debating it. Must go to mirror and slap myself.

 

[John Joseph]

..



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)

OR incite suspicion/fear/perhaps even an attack.
Someone on Meth would go berserk if they suspected you to be a LEO or rival gang banger.
Rational people would think you're crazy if you thought you needed a weapon to shop for groceries at the market.
Any perp bent on committing an assault could target you before you'd even be aware of them.

OC in an incorporated area is an entirely different situation than in the deep woods.

One exception I remember was at a liquor store in a very bad section that had been robbed violently and often.
The owner kept a gnarly looking sawed off shotgun on prominent display.
Everyone who shopped there after the shotgun appeared was either very courteous or they turned and quickly made an exit.

 

[Kendahl]

Always concealed. Other than a faster draw, open carry has no advantages and many disadvantages. Also carry pepper spray for situations that justify self defense but not with deadly force.

 

[Varminterror]

Horses for courses.

There are places in which it makes sense to conceal, and others in which it makes sense to carry openly. How an individual considers the sense of each is up to them.

 

[Texasgrillchef]

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.

This wasn’t meant to be a debate.... I was simply asking which way you carry, and the reasons you do.

If you noted, I only open carry out of convenance only. I will intentionally conceal depending on where I am at because it’s required by law, or out of respect.

I hike in very little clothing, and if in bear country, with very big weapons that are almost impossible to conceal.
If it’s legal, and it’s a major hinderance to conceal, I won’t conceal. Simple as that. It’s not that I wish to intentionally carry openly. It is just mush easier to do so. So I am concealed if the clothes I am wearing at the time make it easy to do so, otherwise it’s going to either be open Carry, or partial open carry.

 

[bassjam]

A. Always concealed. As others have said, I don't think it's wise to show your cards.

Also, and I'm not picking on the open carriers on here, but every one I (me, personally) has seen out in public are the "look at me" types that also are wearing some sort of vulgar t-shirt pronouncing their right to carry a gun. They seem to only be carrying to rile up the gun control freaks, and I don't really want to be lumped in with that crowd.

 

[Texasgrillchef]

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...

I don’t ever truly intentionally open carry, but I also don’t want to worry about what I am wearing or doing that makes it concealed one minute and open carry. literally the next minute. I also do want to have to worry about what I am wearing either.

Winter makes it so much easier to conceal, Texas summers make it extremely difficult to carry without it becoming exposed all the time. I was glad when Texas made Open Carry legal as well.

I can totally respect those who always wish to carry concealed at all times.
But you must admit, you wish to carry always carry concealed it will limit what you wear and how you wear it. Or how you move, bend over, etc... because at some point you will expose your gun when your not intending too.

But again this thread wasn’t meant to be a debate, but more of a POLL, and why you chose one way or the other.

 

[Texasgrillchef]

Horses for courses.

There are places in which it makes sense to conceal, and others in which it makes sense to carry openly. How an individual considers the sense of each is up to them.

That’s the point I was trying to make with my reasoning on my poll question.

It is interesting to note, that 31 states have permitless open carry to the 17 that only have permitless conceal carry. Which means 14 states allow permitless open carry but not permitless conceal carry.

So from that standpoint, some open Carry because it’s the only way they can carry without a permit.

 

[GEM]

Texas summers make it extremely difficult to carry without it becoming exposed all the time

That is not true. It is said but not true. Since OC passed, I have seen three open carriers total in every day travel. Your statement implies that almost no one carries then as three is a minuscule number. I have just live through weeks of 100 deg days and managed to conceal a Glock and extra mag.

Also TX passed a law before OC taken out the risk of accidental exposure, for those who think that is still a big point.

 

[Texasgrillchef]

That is not true. It is said but not true. Since OC passed, I have seen three open carriers total in every day travel. Your statement implies that almost no one carries then as three is a minuscule number. I have just live through weeks of 100 deg days and managed to conceal a Glock and extra mag.

Also TX passed a law before OC taken out the risk of accidental exposure, for those who think that is still a big point.

My bad I wasn’t implying that no one carries concealed by that, all I was trying to say is it makes it more difficult.
I wear tight T-shirt’s and shorts, my wife wears spandex shorts and halter tops. While it’s easier for me to conceal, it’s much harder for her to conceal. Would you not agree?

 

[DeepSouth]

C. Depends on the situation and location..

I’d say I OC about 10-15 days a year.
Mainly if I’m going (Or have been) hunting and if I have a pistol with me (normally a N frame) then if I have to stop by the store for something then I’ll be OC’ing in public.

I also used to OC when I rode my motorcycle to, but I sold it


I’ve never really understood all the hubbub about OC bs CC. Assuming it’s legal then do what you want and ignore the drama.
Then myob, in order to not be the drama.

 

[GEM]

You need to dress around the gun. Theoretically, in TX you could just wear a thong that covered your butt and genitals. You could say that would be hard to conceal with that. However, if you wore a flesh colored thong and strapped on a gun - and decided to walk down a city street, you might have an interesting time.

I can wear an Underarmor hot weather t shirts and cargo shorts plus a cover of a Magellean hot weather floppy fishing shirt and be well concealed.

The argument that you want to wear revealing garments and that negates the disadvantages of OC in more populated environments doesn't really convince me. So it's not hard to conceal with reasonable hot weather clothing.

Folks can do what they want. I support it being legal. As said repeatedly in this endless thread war, I don't see any advantage outside of areas that are safe already from the risks of OC and I regret the negative consequences that the OC laws have generated here and perhaps in other places. Get the ability and then lose it to bans doesn't seem useful to me. Of course, the bans came about because of the folks prancing around to make displays of themselves and then the moral panic from the rampages. OC folks in TX deliberately were outrageous, to the determent of pragmatic gun carry here.

 

[ATLDave]

My bad I wasn’t implying that no one carries concealed by that, all I was trying to say is it makes it more difficult.
I wear tight T-shirt’s and shorts, my wife wears spandex shorts and halter tops. While it’s easier for me to conceal, it’s much harder for her to conceal. Would you not agree?

Sometimes I feel like wearing gym shorts and a t-shirt... but I have to go to court or to meet a client. What I want/need to do is inconsistent with the clothing preferences I would rely on if I weren't going to do that thing. So I don't wear exactly what I want... I wear what is appropriate for the task at hand.

 

[Thibaut]

C. Depends on the situation and location..

I’d say I OC about 10-15 days a year.
Mainly if I’m going (Or have been) hunting and if I have a pistol with me (normally a N frame) then if I have to stop by the store for something then I’ll be OC’ing in public.

I also used to OC when I rode my motorcycle to, but I sold it


I’ve never really understood all the hubbub about OC bs CC. Assuming it’s legal then do what you want and ignore the drama.
Then myob, in order to not be the drama.

I would think it would be a whole lot easier to open carry and probably a whole lot more comfortable. I see a lot of references to weather and cc. That, and I also think that a lot of people would just like the feel that open carry no doubt gives them. I guess that I grew up with open carry because those gun racks in the back window of those pick ups were seldom empty. Maybe nowadays. I don't open carry but I might sit by you if you did.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

If you noted, I only open carry out of convenance only. I will intentionally conceal depending on where I am at because it’s required by law, or out of respect.

Based on what I've read in this thread you open carry because you're not willing to put the effort into proper concealmeant.

Carrying a gun requires that changes to be made in your life if you want to do it successfully. From what I've observed, the more people learn about the process the more serious they become about things like proper equipment, TRAINING and concealing their handgun.

I conceal my handgun because I know beyond any shadow of doubt that they're are people out there who will try to take it off of you. Because of my direct experience I place a higher priority on concealmeant than comfort. Which is not to say that there aren't options available that offer both.