What If Florida Got Open Carry?

[Mainsail]

I really see zero need for open carry in everyday life.

I'm not going to flame you, but do you see how your statement mirrors the anti-gunners?

I really see zero need for firearms carry in everyday life.

I really see zero need for magazines with more than ten rounds in everyday life.

I really see zero need for Teflon bullets in everyday life.

I really see zero need for firearms ownership.

Just because one person doesn't see a 'need' for something doesn't mean it's wrong.

For more on Open Carry and why I prefer it, read this.

 

[MedWheeler]

"Welldoya" writes:

Sorry young man but I don't think 21 year olds are mature enough to carry.
I was 21 once and I'm glad I wasn't allowed back then. When you are 35 , you will start to understand.
I have a 21 year old son who has been shooting since he was 4. I still wouldn't trust him to carry and I would put his safety and knowledge of guns against you or anybody else his age. Kids do some strange things and sometimes don't think right.
I guess you heard about the shooting incident at FSU. That's an example of what scares me.

I enlisted in the US Army at 18, and entered law enforcement at 21. My father, and his, were both in at 18, also. I'm glad neither Uncle Sam nor my LE superiors thought as you do. Maybe my family is one in which immaturity does not run.

 

[BIGBANG]

i am 21 and i have my ccw, and live in fla. i carry everyday and i find it comforting knowing that if something did happen i had a means to protect myself or my fiance. that said i would not trust many of my friends to carry that are older than i am, they just aren't ready for the responsibility, they only reason i even have mine is because it was my 21st bday present from my dad, he paid for the class and license so i wasnt gonna argue with him of course, since having obtained it though i have gone to multiple handgun training classes so i dont think every 21 yr old should carry cause they can but i def think the majority of the ones that do are responsible enough to know what there doing. shoot the classes that i have taken where mostly with 21-25 yr olds who where responsible and followed gun safety rules to a "T" idk just my 2 cents

 

[NMGonzo]

Stainless guns will become hedge funds.

 

[pikid89]

@welldoya

The incident at Florida State was an outlier, not to be representative of the 21 year old demographic. The shooter involved there was intoxicated, and had a loaded hunting rifle out at a fraternity party, to show the girl that was killed. He pointed the gun straight at her. "the gun just went off" That of course is total BS... he broke numerous safety rules, and now must live with the consequences of his actions for the rest of his life.
As a response to your belief that firearms have no business in the college setting, please read this story about a group of college students that got held up during a home invasion, a group of students that probably would not be here today if your opinion was the law

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/19365762/detail.html

 

[Vern Humphrey]

The last thing I want to see is a bunch of 21 year olds running around with Glocks in their tactical thigh holsters or "Wild Bill" with his .44 Blackhawks in his double fast draw rig.

There are plenty of states where open carry is legal, and you don't see " a bunch of 21 year olds running around with Glocks in their tactical thigh holsters or "Wild Bill" with his .44 Blackhawks in his double fast draw rig."

But what if you did? If banning things because they're "the last thing I want to see" is legitimate, why not ban fat chicks with tattoos?

 

[Mainsail]

Uh Vern, you don't want to inject any reality into the argument. It tends to destroy the open carry fantasies they work so hard on....

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Uh Vern, you don't want to inject any reality into the argument. It tends to destroy the open carry fantasies they work so hard on....

My apologies! Didn't mean to disturb anyone's psycholigical balance.

 

[welldoya]

Isn't it fun to attack the person instead of presenting a valid argument yourself ?

 

[Mainsail]

No attacks brother.

Vern pointed out that in states where open carry is lawful, experience has shown that your fears are unfounded. If you cannot accept actual experience as a valid argument then there’s no argument you would consider valid.

 

[pikid89]

SB234 was filed today and apparently a companion bill is being filed soon with the State House of Reps

 

[robhof]

I grew up in Fl and spent some 40 yrs there and I open carried a ROA(Ruger Old Army) in south Fl when fishing in remote areas, and it kept trouble at bay. Night fishing on bridges often resulted in bands of roudy youths looking for trouble, on more than one occasion they saw my cowboy rig and left rather quickly, much to the delight of fellow fishermen. The only hassle I got was from the Marine patrol, so I started carrying the FL law on b/p guns to refresh them.

 

[pikid89]

as far as the law right now, one can open carry a regular handgun, while going to, engaged in, or coming from, a lawful hunting, fishing, or camping activity, hence the open carry rallies in Ft. Lauderdale on the fishing pier

 

[rick melear]

Here's the biggest benefit of "open carry"... if you accidentally break concealment, you are not breaking the law. You would then be simply..."open carrying".

I would not open carry. However, I am in favor of "open carry" laws.

For this reason I agree with the open carry bill.
__________________

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Here's the biggest benefit of "open carry"... if you accidentally break concealment, you are not breaking the law. You would then be simply..."open carrying".

I would not open carry. However, I am in favor of "open carry" laws.

For this reason I agree with the open carry bill.

As I've said before, we need open carry in case your shirt tail rides up and exposes your gun. We need concealed carry in case your shirt tail accidentally covers your gun,

 

[zoom6zoom]

You Florida guys ought to be in favor of it just so you don't have to wear a cover garment in the summertime.

 

[MedWheeler]

Welldoya, you started the attack yourself. First, you issued the blanket statement that 21-year olds are not mature enough to carry, and only offered your own immaturity at that age to back yourself up. Then, without even knowing personally the individual you were addressing (nor the vast majority of other living 21-year olds on the planet), you went on to say your own son knows more than him, or anyone else in that demographic.
I think any of us can see how that attitude, when presented openly, can be seen as an attack.

 

[Deus Machina]

You Florida guys ought to be in favor of it just so you don't have to wear a cover garment in the summertime.

I conceal very well in jeans and a T-shirt. Never shorts--there's too much Irish in me for bare legs in Florida. But if you're one of the Jersey types that comes down and insists on an undershirt, it may help.

I'm backing it because we shouldn't be afraid of letting our rights show.

 

[NMGonzo]

Here's the biggest benefit of "open carry"... if you accidentally break concealment, you are not breaking the law. You would then be simply..."open carrying".

You hit the nail in the head.

Specially in Florida with all that heat and what not, if you print and if the gun peak a booed for some reason a person should not go to jail or get in trouble.

 

[hardluk1]

I was born in florida and spent the next 40 years around Naples FL. I was wearing a revolver in woods at 14 and drive a jeep or buggy. It just seems normal then. I am old enough to remember open carry by the shark fishermen on the piers and jetties in florida and shooting the sharks so they could be beached . Also remember some old fart rich folks there were scared to see a good ole' boy with a revolver on the hip and called the cops and ended with a couple cases with old rich farts sueing the poop out of a couple guys over the fear from open carry in civil court. Open carry ended in our area atleast when some back country redneck fool, walkn' around the mall with a ruger BP revolver in a western rig. I can say back country redneck as i guess i could be one back then atleast. No more open carry guns after that. No more shark fish'n from the piers or beachs too. This was well before we had CC.

Going to school some of us kept our shotguns or rifle in gun racks in the school parking areas and in the swamp buggy parade on the buggies gun racks and drinking beer in town. It was legal back then to drink and drive at 18 ,, just not be drunk. This was back around early 1970's.

I started to carry concealed when made legal in florida and have ever since. It should be be ok for open carry but in most any big city in the rougher part of town or in the bistro side walk cafe ares i bet there could be problems again today . For me, the problem is useing common sense and how you carry. In rural america i don't see a problem with it , just in major metro areas or the rougher parts of any town i think there always will be the big chance of problems. Just doesn't seem a smart thing to do . With the mix of people from large no gun citys comeing south and europeans on vactations will stand a great chance of haveing a cops always being on some kind of gun call. I also think today many of the young may not be as sharp a bunch over all as when i grew up so if you carry at all you should still have to be licence'd ,pass a firearms course and go through the same training to carry open or concealed.

 

[golden]

No open carry

Folks,

I am leery of open carry. Along with all the arguments about scaring people, I would like to see discussion of the risks. If you open carry, everyone including the dirt-bags on the street know it.

How many people are going to invest in a security holster. Be realistic! About a quarter of the cops killed, are murdered with their own gun. Are you always so alert about who is behind or beside you?
How many handgun retention courses have you or anyone you know, taken? Have you ever watched someone who is practiced try to taken your gun? You cannot believe how easy it is.

Have you considered that a number of stores, malls and such might post "NO GUNS IN HERE" signs. We could be barred from places we use everyday.

Put me in the against department.

Florida has a pretty good concealed carry law, I think we should stick with it.

Jim

 

[hardluk1]

I still think to that in the wrong area some punk can see a real nice pistol for all to see and slip up close enough to put a bullet in you just to get the puty pistol you are so boldly showing off. You can't watch ever where al the time.

 

[NavyLCDR]

hardluk1, golden,

Why do you think Florida would be different than the 42 states that allow open carry now? The things you describe aren't happening in those states, why would they all of a sudden start happening in Florida?

 

[parsimonious_instead]

Although I'm in favor of both concealed and open carry, how about a compromise position that also might be easier to pass through legislature than full open carry?
Instead of a criminal charge for breaking concealment, make it a reasonable civil penalty.
After a year or two, use that as a "stepping stone" toward fully permitting open carry.

 

[leerdmn]

Why should we give in?

As others have said, I won't open carry, unless I am in a situation that warrants it. Most times, my pistol will be nicely tucked away. But when I ride off on my motorcycle, and my gun is a little uncomfortable, I should be able to reach back, adjust it, and ride on. Not get arrested, or ticketed, or any other form of penalty, just because I had to lift my shirt to adjust it.

The majority of us don't live in Mozambique, where we have to worry about hordes of thugs mugging us and taking our weapon. Seeing the weapon, and the choice in holster makes an impression in the bad guys mind. And yes, FBI studies show that criminals notice the holster as much as the gun.

Also, FBI reports show that criminals choose not to open carry 97% of the times when they want to commit a crime. So, the "thugs" carrying in their thigh holsters, are probably just in your fears.

I'm not saying that open carry is right for everyone. I just want my right to do so restored.