Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Your thoughts on "open carry"

Well hell, I could do that when I was a New York State resident. It was specifically authorized in my "sportsman's license." You can open carry while afield with that license, e.g., camping, fishing, hiking, hunting, etc.

Yeah, I wouldn't consider open carry in the field as the same.


Travis

Me either, but I assume you understand I was replying to this: "... so mostly the only time i do oc is when out hunting or running the desert."

Yes. I was concurring.

Time for BGG and I to go open carry and try to murder things.


God bless,

Travis

The handgun carry law in Tennessee does not address the issue of open or concealed carry, leaving that up to the individual. I think concealed carry is the the best choice under most circumstances.

Exactly why many states have ammended their laws to allow open carry after Katrina, to rein in idiot cops.

What i was trying to get accross is in arizona there has never been an issue with open carry, you can openly carry just about any place you want, the exceptions are where firearms are prohibited such as schools, federal buildings and so on. I just prefer to carry CCW. Over the last few years when i went to various anti sb1070 rallies(border issues) at the state capital there were people all over the place packing weapons openly at the state capital grounds. Really never was an issue. There was a publicized incident a few years ago where some guy was packing a A.R. when one of the politicos was giving a speach. We do have people associated with a local gun forum that like to have dinners on a regular basis at some restaurant where they all O.C. They are trying to make a point for what purpose i don't know. Come to think of it, another situation where i typically open carry is when riding my m/c. Very common to see m/c riders with pistols on the hip. A few years ago i did draw a lot of attention although that wasn't my purpose. I was transporting a winchester 94 30.30 up north on my m/c, so i just strapped it accross the handlebars. It did draw attention from those with california license plates. I might also add I just read an article in gun digest where a law has been passed against public display of any long firearm with various exceptions to the rule.

there is no "authorization" on a hunting license, as there is no prohibition.

also understand that it is just a personal preference i tend to carry ccw, there is no rule, never has been preventing me from openly carrying. You don't even need a ccw license in arizona to carry concealed, you certainly aren't prohibited from openly carrying.
My preference for ccw is not drawing attention to the fact that i am armed. While it is not illegal to do so, you are sitting in a restaurant and some guy walks in with a miami vice shoulder holster rig on in plain view, that person is trying very hard to be a target. Which is fine with me, as long as i am not the target.

"Blatantly" open carry makes people around you nervous, especially store owners and gas station attendants. I quote that to mean a pistol on a belt holster with no attempt to cover it. Belt or IWB carry with a jacket or something to cover it where it is not in deep cover but not really hidden somehow doesn't seem so threatening to people, and most folks seeing it think you're a plain clothes cop or something.

If I was a store clerk and allowed to open carry I'd have the biggest damn pistol I could get in a holster in very plain view. Most crooks don't want to even risk getting shot. Unless someone is absolutely intent on murder and mayhem they will pick an easier target than someone who they know can shoot back.

One quick story - my father (a doctor) treated a man late at night at his office. As he went outside the man's friends were in a car and the smell of alcohol was strong. One asked him if he had change for a twenty, which my father knew was a setup. He drew back his coat very conspicuously to reveal the butt of a 1911 in an IWB holster and said casually, "well, let's see, I don't think so..." at which point the guy asking the question back peddled as fast as possible and said, "that's okay! No problem, we can get change at a 7-11". I have another story about a young woman in Miami who let 6 guys surrounding her car trying to get in it know she was armed with similar results - nothing happened.

Point being that most folks don't want to mess with someone who is armed, so letting someone know you're armed can defuse a situation before it happens.

I don't think open carry is an invitation to shoot you first unless spomeone is planning on shooting you no matter what. But it is broadly impolite under most circumstances when other people don't know you. I've grown up with guns but will give a wide berth to Joe Blow walking down a city street openly packing - which I have seen here a few times. Some will say "f'em, I like to make people uncomfortable". That's up to each person.

I don't think open carry is an invitation to shoot you first unless spomeone is planning on shooting you no matter what. But it is broadly impolite under most circumstances when other people don't know you. I've grown up with guns but will give a wide berth to Joe Blow walking down a city street openly packing - which I have seen here a few times. Some will say "f'em, I like to make people uncomfortable". That's up to each person.
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you said it better than i did, it is basically impolite. There is that. When i see people opening carrying in a red lobster restaurant, i always have to think why are they doing that.

They only changed in Kansas about four or five years ago when we finally got our ccw law. They banned open carry so you could get got for brandishing. I agree that it should never be illegal. As far as doing it, it's just another item in your toolbox.

Most of the time it's not going to be appropriate in civilized areas. I used to open carry all the time walking around outdoors though. Where you normally don't have somebody getting close to you unless something's up, it can be a good thing and also a deterrent.

Open carry saved my life or at least I think it did.

Police open carry and I don't see people shooting them first and asking questions later. Our branch Federal Reserve bank open carries and nobody is shooting them. The guards open carry outside the bank as well. Our game wardens open carry and nobody is shooting them first and asking questions later. Many private guard companies around here open carry and nobody is shooting them.

I could go on but the point being I think being shot first for open carry is a myth just like using hand loads for self defense is a myth. Maybe Montana is different because there are so many guns in this state. I don't carry because there is no need to and health issues plus Helena's screwy gun laws. I don't have a problem with open carry and I wish more of us felt comfortable doing so.

This is my feeling, too. Crooks generally don't want any trouble. They seek out those they believe incapable of defending themselves, and avoid those they suspect might be of a mindset to resist and possibly harm them. Your examples are perfect illustrations of this. That is not to say there aren't the occasional nut jobs out there who will intentionally seek to victimize someone who's openly armed. There are exceptions to every rule.

The law in Okla. at least until the late sixties said "It shall be unlawful to carry on or about your person, saddle, or saddle bags, concealed or otherwise any concealable firearm.". The only legal carry was for law enforcement. Our county sheriff was a good man who 'deputized' us as special deputies.

This

Plus I live in a part of the world were some people would wet their pants if they saw a real gun. Carrying concealed prevents a lot of clean ups on isle three.

Derby, elaborate if you would on Helena's carry laws.

but is chocolate a "real" gun?

I should add, and left it out, It was california that had passed a law on open display of long guns, with exceptions to the rule.

You can open carry as long as the weapon is unloaded. You can only load if there is a clear and present danger. Which opens up another can of worms.

To defend your self requires a CCW. First offense without a CCW is a misdemeanor. To be honest, I don't know of anybody who has been charged for defending themselves without a CCW.

And of course, one can apply for a CCW through the sheriff's office. Supposedly, although I can't verify that, even with a CCW you can't carry a loaded firearm in Helena.

No carry even with a CCW in schools and all government buildings. In schools and government buildings is where one really needs to carry in my opinion.

There are always groups challenging this craziness but I haven't heard of any successful challenges and I must admit I don't keep up.

With my health issues I don't carry at least in the city and the city is reasonably safe so I don't feel the need to.

The new law is a step in the right direction, but it won't change much for me. I'll still carry concealed except when out in the country - myth or not, I'm not interested in a villain picking me to shoot first. IMHO the beauty of CCW is that a perp never knows who might put an end to his career.