Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Open carry

i think a lot of this is dependent on situation. I open carry all the time in the desert or mountains, very common to see people doing that.
around populated areas i think it just makes me a particular target. and that's when it's concealed.
as far as the popo in arizona are concerned, they have to deal with people as being armed, in sight or otherewise, all the time. As you can carry concealed, open carry, or whatever, without any permit being required.
This comes as a rude shock sometimes to tourista's, to being in a restaurant in some small town like sierra vista, and seeing the iron on display.
When the law was changed a few years ago stating you didn't need a permit to carry concealed, predictions by some were a bloodbath was coming. HoHum, nada. Nothing.
I have been packing since around the age of ten, one way or another. Just never an issue even in those days of a youth, we were all packing openly as most kids went hunting often without adults present.

one thing that has changed however, years ago my trucks all had rifle racks in front of the rear window, convenient for hanging ropes, hats etc as well as firearms. Haven't had one in a truck in years, open invitation for someone to break into the vehicle.

I've carried almost daily for 48+ years and I just can not open carry. Even when hunting, unless the gun is in my hand it is put away somewhere depending on what I am wearing.

When staying at Mackay's place that you can't get any more "in the middle of nowhere", I still did not open carry. Around the cabin the same even thought there was only one neighbor within 5 miles and he wore his .41 Magnum open carry. Whenever we went to town or rode the bikes the gun was either under a vest or the riding jacket.

NH has been a OC state for over 25 years...few people Open Carried as few people even carried guns. Now there a lot more people carrying and some of the people "not from here" have called the police upon seeing a gun. There were a couple of incidents where the police response was such that Police Standards and Training had to send out a reminder that OC was legal and unless there was extenuating circumstances to leave them alone or end up in a possible lawsuit. CC takes a license in this state, carrying openly does not.

And as Farnum says...why bring attention to yourself....

Bob

For those who are arguing the point that open carry makes you a likely target: Please provide some source for your info. I'm truly interested.

I carry concealed in town as it draws no attention, but open carry when it seems of no issue. I'm not living in an area where it's taboo. Hardly a glance from anyone if you are wearing a gun and going about your business.

Everyone looks at the wannabees. Those who have issue with guns are mortified. Those who are gun proponents, disgusted these idiots make them look bad. I've seen a lot of young guys wanting to be "operators" in their tacticool gear acting brash hoping for notice. They're the issue in my eyes.

Granny packing a 1911 OWB? Likely she knows how to shoot it. It's the .38 in the bottom of a purse lady that'll be a victim.

Bear spray is better for most as they're not well practiced enough to function when your training is all that allows for proper action. Most don't rise to the occasion; most collapse to their most well versed training.

Do you live on a pirate ship?

Don't I wish.

The gun owning nation is split? Perhaps you can direct me to where you sourced that statement. I doubt, seriously doubt, that half of the people who own a gun or guns think about being arrested, and further, believe that carrying their firearm legally would end in an arrest.

Right there are two satchel a$$es who need to be doused with coleman lantern fuel and set ablaze.

If I ever manage to get back to Texas before I die, I'll open carry. It's the only way to comfortably carry a Glock 20.

What does that statement have to do with anything I said? Folks advancing open carry laws are doing so because open carry is currently illegal in their state. Seems self evident, but according to your statement, you were confused on that point.

Yes, the bolded red part of your post is confusing. What does it mean?

Oh, and please direct me to the source you used to state that the gun owning nation is split down the middle on an issue.

Which issue?

Have someone read it for you and explain it.

Same here for me, just not for quite as long. In town, at the cabin, hiking in the woods, bowhunting, gun hunting or whatever, I always carry concealed.

Typical non-answer when you post something that is worded poorly, and, you just pulled the "gun-owning nation is divided" out of your azz...unless you have a source.

Always just kinda figured a weapon hidden, was worth about twice what one was that folks knew about.

Yeah, the simple truism says the best gun in a gun fight is the one you have with you. I just rebel at the idea of carrying a .380. Carrying my Glock 20 concealed can be done, but it is uncomfortable, and that causes me to leave it at home sometimes.

The fact that many gun owners are having success in getting this sort of legislation passed, and that there are those among us (even here at the Fire) who oppose such legislation, demonstrates we are far from monolithic on this issue. I'm not seeing where your problem is with this assertion.

I don't know of anyone here who has ever opposed OC legislation, other than to oppose the notion that we need legislation to exercise the right to OC.

The arguments around OC are largely theoretical, much like....
Is junk carry a good idea?
Slow and heavy or light and fast?
Does FBI ballistic testing matter?
.30-06 or .270?
Should I deer hunt with a .233?

People disagree and argue about those things but I wouldn't call any of them, or arguments about OC, as "dividing the gun owning nation". Seems pretty melodramatic to me.

We, as a group, are indeed divided over this question. Look at the hostility it evokes here at the Fire. My mere statement that I supported a law in my state legalizing open carry got a hostile response, and this sort of reaction is commonplace on this issue. I've observed this for many years here, and we are a fairly representative microcosm of the gun enthusiast community in the US.

Drama queen much?

The hostility was not a result of your position so much as your inserting drama into an otherwise reasonable discussion.