Page Two

The point was that as an open carrier, I am forever alone.

I open carry every single day in downtown SEATTLE.

Glock 17.  I even get thanked by people and create great encounters and conversations about our (and THEIR) rights!

So stop being assholes to OC'ers.  They're doing the work you wont.

Just saying that CC, if you can legally, doesn't upset the sheep as much.

Act 746.

Now, if we could just convince ASP and the AG.

I live in Charlottesville now. 90% of the time, I carry my Glock 31 in a Serpa. The rest of the time it's an FEG HiPower.

Funny thing about the attention thing - I got a good deal of it the first week or two, and then no one seems to care. It has to be attitude. I think people see you looking unaccustomed to the gun on your hip and red flags go off. If you're comfortable, they're comfortable.

Aw c'mon bro i've only had the cops called on me once, 4 cars showed up and i walked out eating a candy bar and said hello, and carried on my way.

Security got called on me in the grocery store but...they...couldn't find me?

I was seriously the only non-white guy in there who wasn't a clerk, and the only one very obviously OC'ing.

E: gigglesnort.... "carried" on my way...

Is it legal for out-of-staters to OC in AL?  I have a CWP but travel to AL frequently so I was curious.

Only time I OC is when I'm riding my bicycle... My shirt always ends up riding over my pistol.

I don't mind OC one bit, but I've never been the type to draw attention to myself on purpose (which OC does)

It's not uncommon here. Both open and concealed carry have their places. Both have upsides and downsides.

I just  wish people would stop making such a big deal over it.

Walmart in Sapulpa?

No, OKC

I OC because I can, and because I like to think that I'm a representative sample of the responsible gun owners in this state and country.

Yes, people see my holstered pistol and double mag carrier. Most people are oblivious and don't notice it.

It's not just about immediate defense tactics, it's about preserving our Constitution and American way of life.

Saw it lots and lots in AZ.  

Have seen it a few times here in OK.  Usually not very conspicuous, though.

I have never had a problem with it, though I think it is- individually speaking- a tactical error compared to CC.  Still, to each their own.  

I hope it serves as an effective deterrent everywhere it's used.

Oh yeah, guuuurl.

^Boom.  That BS is why I won't OC. I don't suffer fools easily and that would make my blood boil. I'd rather avoid the entire mess. I learned MYOB early as a child.

Heres the deal.  Once again.......



There is no tactical advantage over either carry option.  Concealing your weapon gives you element of surprise.    Open carry is a real deterrent.   Criminals pick soft targets. it's a fact get over it.   Both of these advantages mean little in comparison to situational awareness and training with your weapon.   So it's a wash.  There are some places you shouldn't open carry such as in the middle of a dangerous hood at night where you are outnumbered by other people with guns who mean to do you harm.   They might target you for your gun.  Then again they might target you because you don't have a gun they can see.     WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING IN THE HOOD AT NIGHT ANYWAYS! FAIL!



The reason OC gives you an edge has nothing to do with defense.  It has everything to do with public perception.  Yes there are a couple idiots who act like an ass while open carrying .   Some of you think they are harming gun owners image.   The fact is those of you who conceal your weapon all the time are doing more harm .    You could be the guy who holds doors open for people , says please, thank you, excuse me and addresses people as sir and mam.  The guy who says bless you when someone sneezes.      You could be that normal guy who has a visible firearm that makes people realize that the democrats and media are full of shit with their narrative that only cops and bad guys have guns.   You could make them feel safer around a gun.   Instead you hide it and let the left control the image of gun ownership far more than a couple idiots with tapout shirts and a leg holster.



AZ did not become the land of gun freedom and growing gun culture by hiding our shit and ridiculing other gun owners.   We did it by carrying in the open. Talking about our guns in the open and ridiculing people who have a problem with guns.     You want constitutional carry and pretty much no gun laws other than only killing someone when necessary?   Quit being a pussy and carry your weapon out in the open and be the "good guy" with a gun.   Destroy the narrative of the left and win over the public perception.    Obviously hiding your shit isn't working out well and AZ strategy is working.   Shove your chess and checkers up your ass and use your right otherwise it will be taken away.

I live in Georgia where we have a weapon's license and I choose to carry concealed comfortably in an OWB  holster with my Glock 23.  I have an extra mag in my pocket and feel confident with that amount of ammo alone at any stand off.

lol

I personally won't do it.  I don't like to advertise.  I fully support those who do OC though.  Each to their own.

 

Your newsletter:  I want on it!



Highlighted some for the "don't scare the sheep" types.

Good stuff!

I've had two people summon police, within about an hour of one another. It was the 2nd or 3rd day I was in the state, and I was with my daughter in a public park (Greenleaf Park). In one instance I overhead the woman who called getting rebuffed by the dispatcher. In the other there was already an officer there, and he refused to even speak to me when another woman went up to him and got all shrill about my having a gun in a park. The words, "Well, m'am, that's his right." were spoken, and that was that.

I OC for three reasons.

First, I want to present a deterrent to crime, particularly when I have my family with me. If the guy that wants to hold up the gas station decides to wait in the car until I leave, I win. If I get to the point where I've drawn a weapon (and the "element of surprise" comes into play) I've already lost.

Second, I want to accustom the public to non-LEOs carrying arms. I'm the guy that says "please" and "thank you", and holds the door open for people. I'm also the guy carrying a holstered pistol. Repeat that scene often enough, and pretty soon when the people around me think "gun owner", they think "polite country boy", not "racist redneck".

Third, I want to build solidarity within the firearms community. People will sometimes stop me to talk guns. I like that - it lets them know that they aren't alone, and might spur them to go to the range or carry themselves. I get more people that stop me to ask me about the law, though. You'd be amazed how many people own a handgun, but it's never occurred to them that they could carry it. In two months, I know two people that now regularly carry that didn't before we met.

I don't think I'll ever run into a serious issue with the police here. The VCDL has done a damned good job taking care of that problem, to the point that it isn't an issue. If it ever comes up, I know my rights and will be as polite as I possibly can while asserting them. If by some astronomical chance I end up face down on the hood of a cop car, I'm fairly confident that the tax payers of the assailant's employer will be buying me a couple of NFA toys and I'll get an apology. If not - well, to quote a former resident of my new home - "is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery?"

I OC in the mountains and to/from. Nobody has ever bothered me except one woman who praised me for it. Ran into cops at stores and such and they've never even said a word about it.

Never seen anyone else OC in civilization, seen a few in the mountains.

Hey don't be go dissin' Tom Cruise.

That man's got more moves in his BM than all of GD put together.

He jump up-and-down on your couch, and launch a missile strike on your peeps from his underground bunker.

That's if Xenu don't punk you out first.

I've OC'd a few times here in Springfield, but only to prove a point to my wife.  That point being that if you don't dress like a piece of shit, people don't go looking at your hip anywhere you go.  Even if they do, as long as your shirt is tucked in and your jeans aren't baggy and/or full of holes, they will assume the gun on your hip is there as part of your job and not say anything.  If I wasn't so sure that I would eventually run into an over-zealous cop that wasn't aware that OC was, in fact, legal here, I'd OC every day.  Less sweat on my gun that way.  

When I lived in AZ, I never really gave OC much thought.  Everyone knew it was okay, and no one really cared or made a fuss about it.  After moving to West by God, I've seen OC a few times (interestingly usually at the WalMart).  At first, I was a little suprized, but didn't care.  Now that I've had some time to think about it, I feel like if it wouldn't draw attention, I would really like to just walk up and thank the people who are OCing responsibly in that environment.  There is no fuss from other shoppers.  In fact, I would be willing to wager that the majority of people don't notice even OC weapons.  Cognitive dissonance is incredibly powerful.  

Personally, I am required by department policy to carry concealed off duty, so that's what I do.  However, I am grateful to those who are OC in the public places that I visit.

So, since I can't walk up and make a scene at WM, this is me saying thank you to those of you who are representing gun owners in a responsible fashion and defending our Constitutional rights.

I don't oc but you do see it from time to time here in MI, not quite normal but most areas are to the point that it won't incite a panic, even in the suburbs.  Personally I cc but I am more than happy to be around others that are oc.  Best of both worlds in that case, I think.

Only thing I don't like seeing is someone oc with a bad holster.  Saw a guy this weekend using a scabbard with no retention at all, gun would be pulled from him with any level of surprise with no trouble at all.  I can assure you that if I ever did oc in public I would have strong holster solution going.

Was also following a guy oc at a festival this weekend that was getting a lot of dirty looks from people that did not look like him.

A large extended family of black folks was at my local Denny's at about 10pm Monday night.

One of the younger adult males was OCing a black handgun.

I suspect it was fake, just like the shitty plastic badge he was carrying.

My question is this: As a young black man in america, why take the risk of OCing a fake handgun in a known cop hangout?

For the record, I was CCing an S&W 4006 TSW.

I open carry, but I've only seen a couple of others do it outside of the open carry meetings. Tactics aside, I think we do need to advertise, hiding hasn't exactly worked for us in the past.

I agree with this overall and think it's well said with one exception.

I don't believe that CC is doing harm to the image of gun owners at all. They may be missing an opportunity to create the positive image described, but are not actually calling negative attention to gun owners either. Otherwise great points IMO.

I OC when in the woods hiking and camping and fishing and such. Like others, I just don't want people looking at me suspiciously or fearfully. But if you're the type of person comfortable with that it's your choice.

I don't see people doing it often. Do those that OC regularly prefer a retention holster of some sort? I would if wearing it openly in public. Just curious.

Cheers!

-JC

It happens a lot around here.

 

For the past 2 months I've been open carrying nearly all the time.  The biggest reason is my sweat is just hell on guns and I don't want to have to clean the damn things ever other day.

I see a couple people OC'ing around me.

Funny though, it is always the same people and I am always one of them.

PSA: If you do not exercise your rights, you may lose them

OC'ers are gun guys too, and most of us are damn responsible to boot.

Don't give them hell for it... encourage it!!

I admit, I've changed my mind about this.  I do think it's good for people to see normal, responsible people open carrying.   Get used to it.  I do believe it is a deterrent.  Bad guy walks into a business and  sees a couple of people carrying, maybe he's changes direction.

Where is the option to OC and CC at the same time?

I carry on my belt outside the waist band.
My shirt covers everything but maybe an inch.

Sometimes my shirt ends up exposing my WMD.

I really do not give 2 shits who sees it, but I try to keep it covered up.

I scared the local DHS lady that took the neighbors kids away.
I was helping the neighbor (who has cancer)with her yard and to scare off the family that steals her shit.
I had it on my hip, my shirt exposed it and she asked if I was a cop.
I said nope just the neighbor trying to help out.
Neighbor told me that the DHS tried to used a gun wielding neighbor as a reason to take her kids.


I did hide my dags and newborn for a few weeks after that.

I carry in a Serpa CQC, which is at least light retention. Honestly I'm comfortable as long as there is at least a strap around the hammer.

I also carry an assisted-opening folder and sometimes my P32 weak-side. I've never felt like someone was going to try to take my gun, though I'm aware of the risk. As far as I can tell, the criminal class seems to associate an open sidearm with "COP!", and tend to give me (and by extension, my family) a wide berth. That's the biggest reason I OC, actually.

I don't think SERPAs do anything to retain the weapon from someone who wants to snatch it.  They are so common that a lot of people recognize that the button will need to be pushed to get the gun out.  

I don't really disagree, honestly.

I'm not too terribly worried about a BG going for my gun - I'm more concerned about a smart-ass kid or an anti-gunner who wants to "make a point" than anything else. If someone wanted my gun, they're more likely to shoot me from a distance than try to walk up behind me and grab.

Here, in the north country and on hiking trails, absolutely common.

In the city? Only people who OC are the "Free Staters" who wear it with a Ron Paul shirt and walk back and forth past a cop till they get hassled, then film it to their blog.

I CC myself, but see OC in Central Maine on a semi regular basis. Typically at Walmart or Hannafords. Most people don't seem to notice. Most people who do notice don't seem to care.
The only person I have ever seen make a stink about it was driving a car with NJ plates. I would suspect people would be more likely to have a problem with it in the Southern part of the state, those people are much more likely to suck.
I suppose I would try OC at some point if I had an OWB rig. Never cared enough to buy the equipment.

We are still waiting for open carry down here in TX mainly so we can wear holsters that match our boots.



Actually, it would be nice to have the OC option in TX. I CC every day and would stay with CC 90% of the time.

OC would be nice for outdoor activities however.

http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_1_5/1510985_The_grocery_store__the_gun__and_my_free_speech_rights__some_derp_from_DU_.html

I prefer to cover my paranoia, not wear it on the outside for the honest world to feel.

when i hear people pushing the OC agenda to the point of saying ur a pussy for not OCing, this is what comes to mind ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^


1) its not my job to make the sheeple un-afraid of guns, doubt u would convince them anyways

2) someone stated they liked ppl coming up to them to talk about their gun, im of the MYOP camp, so , no, i wouldnt want ppl bothering me. more then likely itll be some nutjob talking out his ass much like at gunshops

It's legal here but I've never seen it.  Ever.  Even in LGS.

I would never do it, but not because I think all OCs are attention-seeking butthole surfers or Rambo wannabees, though  I'm sure there are some of those out there.  Rather, because I believe that at this time in our country, with gun control being such a hot button topic, maybe THE hot button topic, OC'ing is more likely to get negative attention from some spineless left winger who may decide to either draw negative public attention to you verbally or call the cops and lie about your activities just to bust your chops.  And has been said on this forum many times, ain't nobody got time for that.