Motivation behind open carry?

dojpros said:

There are a whole spectrum of holsters for CCW carry that are made of Kydex and other snythetics that require no thumb straps to retain the pistol to include those kindly linked by the poster above. Moreover, I would note that using a cross draw shoulder holster rig for ccw is
not current best practices absent extraordinary circumstances given their relative slowness in presentation relative to other positions, relative ease of fouling the prsentation relative to other positions and difficulty of defending the holster against a determined/trained agressor.

YMMV greatly.

Click to expand...

^^^Dojpros seems like he may have been around the block a couple of times.

I imagine ,if everyone who wanted to, was allowed to open carry,a legal weapon, crime rates would go down. Just my opinion.

I am glad that I CAN open carry. However, I seldom do, unless I am out in the boonies. We got big gators, and some pretty mean feral hogs, and other stuff. It would never be my habit to open carry in an urban environment. It makes many people feel uncomfortable. It makes others think you must be a cop. It displays something that criminals crave, and presents it to them in a tempting manner. True, it might send some criminals looking for an unarmed victim when they see you are carrying, but then you are just perpetuating the problem. I am a much bigger proponent of customarily going about with a concealed handgun than a visible one, because then the crooks don't know who they can get away with picking on.

Also, in most urban areas, you can expect local LEOs to check you out in great detail, when they see that you are packing. Sometimes I dont have time to play 200 questions. Out in the sticks, generally the only attention I have ever got from LE was positive. As long as I had a nice gun and nice rig, anyway.

Deltaboy said:

For me sometimes I want to carry a full sized side arm and not worry if it stays concealed. SO that worry will be over in Texas Jan 6th 2016.

Click to expand...

So Texas is legalizing open carry? By just anybody, or only by CCL holders? Or just decriminalizing accidental printing or other inadvertant display?

I always thought it was funny how nasty Texas can be to folks carrying a gun, when they were fairly early adopters of the "shall issue" doctrine on CCL.

Slash McCoy said:

I am glad that I CAN open carry. However, I seldom do, unless I am out in the boonies. We got big gators, and some pretty mean feral hogs, and other stuff. It would never be my habit to open carry in an urban environment. It makes many people feel uncomfortable. It makes others think you must be a cop. It displays something that criminals crave, and presents it to them in a tempting manner. True, it might send some criminals looking for an unarmed victim when they see you are carrying, but then you are just perpetuating the problem. I am a much bigger proponent of customarily going about with a concealed handgun than a visible one, because then the crooks don't know who they can get away with picking on.

Also, in most urban areas, you can expect local LEOs to check you out in great detail, when they see that you are packing. Sometimes I dont have time to play 200 questions. Out in the sticks, generally the only attention I have ever got from LE was positive. As long as I had a nice gun and nice rig, anyway.

Click to expand...

It's pretty common here. I agree wholeheartedly in that I never open carry for the same reasons as you. I work in the jewelry business and it makes guests and some staff uncomfortable due to our inventory.

January 1st in Texas we can open carry. Will I? In certain circumstances. Yes. Just because you can doesn't mean you always should. But it also doesn't mean you never should. I don't mind if others open carry as long as they use a proper duty holster and carry a backup. If all you have is a uncle mikes padded holster you need to upgrade both your rig and your mindset.

I used to open carry when I lived in TX when I went to a barbecue. My 1911 was for fancy barbecues.

But seriously, I would rather conceal than open carry. Personal choice. Not trying to talk people out of anything.

dojpros said:

There are a whole spectrum of holsters for CCW carry that are made of Kydex and other snythetics that require no thumb straps to retain the pistol to include those kindly linked by the poster above. Moreover, I would note that using a cross draw shoulder holster rig for ccw is
not current best practices absent extraordinary circumstances given their relative slowness in presentation relative to other positions, relative ease of fouling the prsentation relative to other positions and difficulty of defending the holster against a determined/trained agressor.

YMMV greatly.

Click to expand...

Cross draw works well -- if you're ambidextrous, or if you spend a great deal of your time sitting, either at a desk or behind the wheel of a car. However, I agree with you about it's weaknesses.

Slightly off topic but as I recently inherited a firearm I've been browsing the internet's different gun forums. Without going into details, they can get to be a bit much.

The level of discourse here at badgerandblade (especially considering what a hot topic Open Carry is), is really to be commended.

chongo gordo said:

The level of discourse here at badgerandblade (especially considering what a hot topic Open Carry is), is really to be commended.

Click to expand...

It's something we pride ourselves about around here. And the stews will let us know the moment we step out of line, particularly here and on the Brown Leaf.

Much like the OP, I don't understand open carry in the urban/suburban environment. I know it's not for me and leave it at that. I've done the OC thing while working around the farm, but was never moved to do so anywhere else.

In my state you get a Permit to Carry Weapons which is necessary for OC and CC of guns, knives, and even pepper spray. OC of knives and any carrying of pepper spray doesn't seem to be an enforcement priority. In some counties and rural communities OC of guns isn't much of an enforcement priority either.

tromboneliness said:

And Jeff Cooper had it from Robert A. Heinlein! (Beyond This Horizon)

Here in Maine OC is legal (CC is shall-issue) and I only see hunters doing it. On the other hand, gun ownership is so widespread that outside of Portland I don't think anyone would bat an eyelash. I only OC on walks in the woods because bears.

Like some other posters, I think that CC is a tactical advantage too significant to give up.

I do wish that some advocates might realize that in-your-face is not a form of persuasion, especially when you have the media against you at the same time. But that's easy for me to say, living in a free state.

Click to expand...

I agree completely.

Better to have it and not need it than to not have it and need it.

I have carried some type of handgun over the last 25 years and have carried in several states and I honestly cannot understand why one would want to openely carry a firearm, I am in no way affilated with any law enforcment agency or military unit I am just your normal everyday guy that spent a few years in the military and received basic hangun instruction and shot in competiion briefly while serving and I still enjoy shooting pistol and long distance high power and also handload my own ammo but do not compete.

I honestly feel by carrying openly it makes those that don't carry feel very awkward and and very uncomfortable to say the least especially with all the violence you read in the news lately especially all the shootings, I for one even though I conceal carry all the time would felel very uncomfortable and put out if several guys/gals walked into a place i was shopping on eating at had guns hanging out like we were in the Old West, it's really not necessary and it's not going to give you an edge on the bad guy(s) if anything you would be the one singled out if SHTF.

opus said:

Better to have it and not need it than to not have it and need it.

Click to expand...

My mistake, I misread as "conceal carry".

I don't do it, and I feel uncomfortable around people who are doing it. That said, I wish it were the norm to do it. I wish everyone did it. For me it's comfort. It's so much more comfortable to open carry. But, like I said, I don't do it because it's not the norm. I wish it were the norm.

OkieStubble said:

I think in states where people can carry open or concealed, it's nice to have different options for different scenarios. If someone is at the mall, or fair, or public place where people are walking all around them? Concealed carry is a great option. but if a person is backpacking, or camping, or somewhere there is only spartial public interaction? Open carry makes a lot of sense.

Click to expand...

Just my opinion of course.

panther308 said:

I honestly feel by carrying openly it makes those that don't carry feel very awkward and and very uncomfortable to say the least especially with all the violence you read in the news lately especially all the shootings, I for one even though I conceal carry all the time would feel very uncomfortable and put out if several guys/gals walked into a place i was shopping on eating at had guns hanging out like we were in the Old West, it's really not necessary and it's not going to give you an edge on the bad guy(s) if anything you would be the one singled out if SHTF.

Click to expand...

I completely agree. In addition to being singled out as a target, you may be singled out for taking your gun away when you least expect it. For example, I saw a lady open carrying and she was paying her bill in a restaurant at a cash register. It would have been very easy to remove her pistol from her holster while she handing cash to the teller.
For these reasons, I think concealed carry is a much better approach.

Have you ever tried to take a gun away from someone with a level three retention holster who has a moderate amount of weapon retention training? In the time it will take you to get the gun away from them they can make you look like a pin cushion. Most criminals look for the easy target and a sure bet. They don't like guns. Turn on their heel and walk quickly away at the sight of them. Not to mention most criminals work in groups and they understand cops and citizens travel in groups. Taking a gun from anyone means they turn their backs on people and might get shot. That's really bad for their career.

Do YOU travel in a pack of armed individuals when going about your private business? Neither do I. That's why I choose to remain as much as possible merely a face in the crowd. I'm not proud. I'll take every advantage that I can get.

Kit Walker said:

Do YOU travel in a pack of armed individuals when going about your private business? Neither do I. That's why I choose to remain as much as possible merely a face in the crowd. I'm not proud. I'll take every advantage that I can get.

Click to expand...

Do you travel alone? Does everyone around you know that or could that lady behind you be a sister or wife. The guy behind everyone getting a beer your dad, son or buddy? Are you going to sucker punch me if the guy behind me would or could kill you?

It's a complex world full of wolves, sheep and sheepdogs. The sheep are pretty easy to spot. The wolves and sheep dogs a bit harder and they often travel in groups and work together. But. The wolves are looking for sheep without dogs. If they see dogs they assume there are more and move off to easier pickings. Active shooters are the best example. What do they do when they meet anyone with a gun? Most of the time they shoot themselves.

To put it another way. Say you are a thug or a strong arm robber. You walk into 10 stores you could rob in a day to scope them out. 5 give you a good opportunity no glass, inattentive patrons the other 5 have patrons openly caring guns and others that could have guns.