Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Just curious - What % of the public is armed in your community?

A lot more than I am aware of, for sure.

I work in a gunshop where probably ten of us are carrying, both openly and concealed, so it feels pretty normal to see at this point.

But a lot of people are doing the constitutional carry thing and it's good to hear.

Same here. Open carry when not in the woods invites a lot of unneeded attention but printing while concealed carrying is way over exaggerated IMO. The average 20 year old bro or tweaker looking to hold up a store or random crazy looking to shoot one up doesn’t know what to look for and isn’t focused on it unless way over the top obvious.

In NW MT, I'd bet 80 percent of homes are "armed" as in defended. As for armed on walkabout? Hard to say as most are pretty discreet, nobody really advertises it. Much better to keep the very few bad guys (and "gals") guessing.

I almost never carry because it's just not necessary so often, and I'm a klutz anyway. But there are "kits" under certain seats just in case the situation looks interesting, or is becoming so.

Nearly all good rural folks are gun owners. Some are pretty proficient with them, some are not.

Around 12 percent of the entire population of SC has a concealed weapon permit. When you eliminate everyone under 21, that’s a high proportion of adults. Eliminate those not qualified for one reason or another and you figure wherever you might be, there are likely some armed adults around. I almost always carry concealed when I’m out and around. I look at others; sometimes it’s obvious, sometimes it’s likely. I’ve only seen one person open carry since it was legal here, a guy with a tricked out 1911 in Costco the day it went into effect.

I don't know. No smart man will ever let you know he's armed intentionally unless he's threatened.

Yep. Your average tweeker or methheads don’t look for “printing”. They’re too jacked up, more worried about where they’re gonna get their next hit of dope from.
And the average oblivious citizen don’t know how to look for “printing”.
Go in any 7-11 or local convenience store late night and look around. Most folks are busy talking or texting on their cell phones. Or scratching Lotto tickets. Or counting their change to make sure they’ve got enough money to buy a Tall Boy or a 6 pack. Most go through the day to day in total oblivion and don’t pay attention to schitt.
They’ve either never heard of or haven’t the first clue about situational awareness.

I figure only three types of folks look for printing.
1. LEO 2. Gun folks that carry daily. 3. Serious criminals or Serial Predators that are looking for an easy “victim”.
And I’d bet that at least half of LEO’s don’t look for printing.

I’ve been stopped by either 3 or 4 LEO’s that had no clue I was carrying, until I handed them my LTC or CHL, as they used to be called here. As it is required by law here if they ask for your ID, and you have a gun on you. Most of them said “You got a gun on ya ? 😳. No schitt Sherlock. 😬

Damn 100%around this area

I have seen one side arm in open carry in the last few years.... and have seen 3-4 people printing concealed... other than that... open carried is just not a thing around here...

With that said... I know every house in the area is properly defended with a firearm of some sort.... and most cars have a gun in them....

Talking to cop one day and we got to talking about concealed vs open carry WE agreed the open carrier was a target right off the bat. I asked how many people did he think was carrying now that we went constitutional? he said, and I quote,"This is Arizona. Everybody!" He said that with a very sober look on his face. I'm inclined to believe him.

Saw a guy at Walmart, clean cut decent looking fellow with his wife. He had the nicest looking custom 1911A1 I've ever seen, open carried of course. I stopped tp talk with him a bit and during the conversation said that if a bad guy came into the store and saw you with your gun out in the open, you's be the first one taken out. Bad karma. He saw no gun on me till I lifted up my shirt tail and showed him a Colt Combat Commander. The the B.U.G. came out, an S&W M60. I never thought I'd see him ot his wife again but I did a few months later. He still carries that beautiful 1911A1 but you don't see it. He said he talked to a few people and they agreed with what I'd told him so he made the switch.

PJ

My thoughts as well. And a desirable on the hip makes it more worrisome. The only time somebody needs to know I’m armed is if they need me to shootem.

sleeping partners.

There's less than 10K people in our whole county.

While most households have firearms in them, I'd seriously doubt more than 10 of the population carries on any sort of a regular basis. And this in a county where the Sheriff didn't much see a need for " need to carry" when that was law in this state. You were a "good person" and asked for a permit, he'd likely issue it. Response time might be 45 mins to an hour in some areas.

Don't know if that's change with the SCOTUS ruling. I just figure if I'm around 20 people there's probably 2 of us carrying.

Criminals notwithstanding. I figure them as armed all the time.

And, I'm assuming "armed" by the OP is referring to firearms. There's a lot more arms in the "arsenal" than just the ones that go BANG.

Constitutional carry here in rural Vermont. Most people here have guns at home. Many have a truck gun and a small percentage conceal carry. You don't often see open carry unless there is a gun rights protest. I CC and am always concerned about keeping that well hidden. The last thing I want is for others to know I am carrying.

That is a very interesting statement Mr. Powell... please explain.

Thanks

The last thing I want is for others to know I am carrying.


Exactly........👍

Here in Virginia, (especially downtown Richmond) the idiots actually passed a bill where it is now ILLEGAL to carry within the city limits! ...and they wonder why Richmond, VA is turning into an east coast version of Chicago?!? This came about shortly after Jan 2020 when we all paid a nice visit to the state capitol grounds, and EVERYBODY was openly carrying AR-15's, 9mm's, and I had my 1911 .45 ACP with me as well. It seriously made a point and made Gov Northam schit a brick! LOL...

Henrico, Chesterfield, etc... (i.e. the metro counties surrounding Richmond) have concealed carry but not open carry. I have never seen anyone open carry before. You go way out to the small town around the Blue Ridge Mtns, and stop into a local mom 'n pop store somewhere, and you'll see someone openly carrying a Glock or a .38 special revolver.

Edit: For me personally? How the "F" can you conceal a full frame, heavy steel, 1911 .45 ACP? I have a beautifully comfortable shoulder holster for concealed carry, but (obviously) have to wear a jacket. If I try an IWB holster, it pulls my pants down!

Wife teaches the “senior ladies” Sunday School class at our church. After Sutherland Springs, they started discussing concealed carry in church. More than half her class admitted to CCDW. Extrapolate that out.

Funny what some consider Constitutional Carry.

I wonder if the Over Mountain Men hiked over to North Carolina with just their handguns? And, I wonder if they only let those 21 and older participate?

What Tennessee has is permitless carry, some places, and, it is still a crime to do so . The so called constitutional carry is an exception to the crime in 39-17-1307 (a)(1) just as the enhanced permit is a defense against prosecution, and the concealed carry only permit is an exemption, but the crime of intent to go armed is still on the books, as the Solicitor General of DC rightly pointed out in arguments before SCOTUS this last Fall in the New York State Rifle and Pistol Club v. Bruen case.

You can call Biden a president, but it does not make him one.