The Open Carry Argument

[protias]

Stopped by the store and as i walked by a guy he tells me "You need to cover that thing up." to which I said "That's your opinion and you are welcome to it."

So he keeps up with "I've got mine right here, but It is covered so no one c knows I have it." (He just saus this in the parking lot with others around, idiot) I just try to disengage, but I cannot get a cart unlocked. A young guy walks in past me and I shrug and give him a look of "Help"

The next thing I know is the security Guard is coming out to see what is going on.

Why do some people need to go all Libprogocrat and tell others what to do?

Because the ONLY way to carry is concealed, duh! There is no open carry!

Concealed means concealed, except when you announce to the whole world that you're concealing.

Along with your CC badge?...

 

[GetA2J]

My OWB holster is more comfortable than my supertucks. Ergo, OC is superior because it's better for my posture.






Well, if I wear a sport coat then it's CC, but otherwise it's OC because I'm not a troglodyte so I tuck my shirts in.

I don't know why you gotta go hatin on troglodytes for anyway!

 

[Nepherael]

This has probably been covered somewhere else in the 300 pages of this topic but to expand on the paragraph about a weapon being stolen: I did recently see a video (covered on some news source and used in a YouTube video to illustrate why not to open carry) of a gentleman in line ordering fast food. A criminal walked right up behind him, took his gun from his holster and walked away and out of the store. The gentleman chased him down and promptly had a gun in his face. He had to walk away and the criminal went about his business. No other crime, no other intention but a crime of opportunity to take his gun.

Now, having said that, I still believe in open carry. I don't know if I'm comfortable enough to do it myself yet but I think it is very powerful and important. It has never been scary for me to see someone open carrying their pistol and I honestly still don't get why people are afraid of it. I spent the majority of my life nowhere near guns and always instinctively felt slightly safer when a gentleman with a pistol on his hip walked in to a store or somewhere else around me.

The possibility of a weapon being stolen purely for its own purpose and not as part of another crime is still remote but is obviously more possible than some believe.

Problem is probably easily solved by having a button strap over the pistol while holstered. Although even I don't know if that's the type of holster I would enjoy carrying.

 

[Dead Duck]

That's the thing about criminals. They tend to do bad things.... like stealing your gun, wallet, purse, girlfriend/goat...

This is where Situational Awareness and a retention holster comes into play.

AND your BACK-UP GUN..... not just extra magazines.

 

[Skywired]

The Second Amendment is a RIGHT.
Weapon carry, open or concealed.... is a RESPONSIBILITY.
If you can't protect your weapon, you shouldn't carry!

 

[protias]

This has probably been covered somewhere else in the 300 pages of this topic but to expand on the paragraph about a weapon being stolen: I did recently see a video (covered on some news source and used in a YouTube video to illustrate why not to open carry) of a gentleman in line ordering fast food. A criminal walked right up behind him, took his gun from his holster and walked away and out of the store. The gentleman chased him down and promptly had a gun in his face. He had to walk away and the criminal went about his business. No other crime, no other intention but a crime of opportunity to take his gun.

Now, having said that, I still believe in open carry. I don't know if I'm comfortable enough to do it myself yet but I think it is very powerful and important. It has never been scary for me to see someone open carrying their pistol and I honestly still don't get why people are afraid of it. I spent the majority of my life nowhere near guns and always instinctively felt slightly safer when a gentleman with a pistol on his hip walked in to a store or somewhere else around me.

The possibility of a weapon being stolen purely for its own purpose and not as part of another crime is still remote but is obviously more possible than some believe.

Problem is probably easily solved by having a button strap over the pistol while holstered. Although even I don't know if that's the type of holster I would enjoy carrying.

You talking about the one in McDonald's where the CCer's gun became exposed?

[video=youtube;fjoF8b5XVow]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjoF8b5XVow[/video]

 

[2A_Tom]

But the operative thing is, If you CC you don't need situational awareness or retention training, so it is better.






















































People not realizing who I am is fun. Kinda like the interwebz anonymity thing.

 

[KLB]

But the operative thing is, If you CC you don't need situational awareness or retention training, so it is better.






















































People not realizing who I am is fun. Kinda like the interwebz anonymity thing.

Funny. I tend to look at Avatars first. I hate when people change them

 

[Nepherael]

You talking about the one in McDonald's where the CCer's gun became exposed?

Yes that one.

Just to add about situational awareness. I almost brought that up in my own but the truth is that happened in the blink of an eye, the criminal had a phone to their ear, and there was nothing to even hint at anything going down until it happened. I don't fault the carrier one bit because I know I could have been taken that easily as well.

I will have to consider a retention holster or some sort of holster that requires me to release the weapon in some way in order to draw. I'm not a fan of the snap strap but I've seen holsters that have button releases or other mechanical releases that seem interesting.

 

[rhino]

Yes that one.

Just to add about situational awareness. I almost brought that up in my own but the truth is that happened in the blink of an eye, the criminal had a phone to their ear, and there was nothing to even hint at anything going down until it happened. I don't fault the carrier one bit because I know I could have been taken that easily as well.

I will have to consider a retention holster or some sort of holster that requires me to release the weapon in some way in order to draw. I'm not a fan of the snap strap but I've seen holsters that have button releases or other mechanical releases that seem interesting.

That was not open carry. It was poorly executed concealed carry.

 

[Nepherael]

But the operative thing is, If you CC you don't need situational awareness or retention training, so it is better.

I don't know. I still think the possibility is remote enough that the power of open carry outweighs the fear of weapon theft.

I plan to CC for the most part or, as I've been putting it for now, quasi-CC at the least which will be holsters that are outside waistband but still cover by my shirt or jacket for the most part. I have a feeling though that once I am more comfortable carrying I will gradually just start open carrying regularly.

 

[rhino]

But the operative thing is, If you CC you don't need situational awareness or retention training, so it is better.

That's a joke, right?

 

[Nepherael]

That was not open carry. It was poorly executed concealed carry.

Can you elaborate a bit on this for me? To preface my next statement, I am very new to carrying at all and it is very important to me to learn about this part of gun ownership but that looked like an outside the waistband Kydex holster on his belt. That seems pretty open to me. Unless I'm missing what his holster really was or a nuance about OC vs CC.

 

[rhino]

Can you elaborate a bit on this for me? To preface my next statement, I am very new to carrying at all and it is very important to me to learn about this part of gun ownership but that looked like an outside the waistband Kydex holster on his belt. That seems pretty open to me. Unless I'm missing what his holster really was or a nuance about OC vs CC.

He had his shirt covering most of the gun, which is a poorly executed attempt at concealed carry, but the intent to conceal was there. It was poorly executed because he probably believed that it was concealed, when it clearly was not since anyone with the same view as the camera could see the tell-tale printing of a pistol. I hypothesize that he was careless because he believed that no one knew he was armed.

Open carry would be if he had his shirt tucked behind the gun and holster, i.e. no intent to conceal at all. Most sensible people who carry openly do not carry with their guns behind them and leave their backs completely exposed in the manner of the fellow in the video.

 

[protias]

Can you elaborate a bit on this for me? To preface my next statement, I am very new to carrying at all and it is very important to me to learn about this part of gun ownership but that looked like an outside the waistband Kydex holster on his belt. That seems pretty open to me. Unless I'm missing what his holster really was or a nuance about OC vs CC.

Carrying in the back pocket has never been OC. There are holsters dedicated to back pocket conceal carry:

https://stonerholsters.com/back-pocket-holster-for-semi-autos

Pocket carry has never been considered as OC, though you can "sloppily" OC, meaning the holster is hanging out of the pocket.

 

[2A_Tom]

That's a joke, right?

Read my sig line.

 

[wtburnette]

Can you elaborate a bit on this for me? To preface my next statement, I am very new to carrying at all and it is very important to me to learn about this part of gun ownership but that looked like an outside the waistband Kydex holster on his belt. That seems pretty open to me. Unless I'm missing what his holster really was or a nuance about OC vs CC.

Honestly it's too hard to tell from the video. He could have been carrying OC, or CC with it OWB with a shirt over it and the shirt rode up and it was exposed and the guy didn't know it. The angle captured made it too hard to tell IMO. I carry OWB with a shirt over the weapon most of the time, but I position my gun at around 2:30 so that it's where I can see and control it better. Even if I OC, it's still easier for me to control than if it were positioned at 4:00 or further back like a lot of people carry. I wouldn't carry with the gun in that position without a good retention holster, which would have prevented the incident on the video.

 

[Anima mundi]

if someone is so breathlessly tripping over themselves to write off open carry as something that will get you Killed In The Streets that they have to bring up the back-pocket carry mongoloid then they probably haven't thought about it enough

 

[Ndavid45]

I OC about 60% of the time. This is purely based on comfort because the firearm i am most comfortable and proficient with is a full size 1911. It is only concealed when cold enough to wear a coat or it is raining. One up side I see in OC is the ability to draw and fire one handed because if my kids are with me and I need the firearm I have a free hand to push the kids behind me or out of the situation. In my opinion more people need to carry and how they choose to should be based on their own situation and comfort.

 

[Briandcp]

I OC about 60% of the time. This is purely based on comfort because the firearm i am most comfortable and proficient with is a full size 1911. It is only concealed when cold enough to wear a coat or it is raining. One up side I see in OC is the ability to draw and fire one handed because if my kids are with me and I need the firearm I have a free hand to push the kids behind me or out of the situation. In my opinion more people need to carry and how they choose to should be based on their own situation and comfort.

I totally agree. Great points. Comfort and easy access to the firearm are key. Also better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it!


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