Even where legal it's just asking for trouble. Open carry clearly upsets many people. Why OC unless you are just asking for trouble to find you?

It's legal in NH, though you don't see a lot of folks carrying in that manner. It's too easy to get a concealed carry permit I suppose (hopefully the need to do even that will be gone this year).

I don't care for open carry as I don't want to draw attention to myself, but I could care less if someone else does so. If schit breaks bad and someone is carrying open, that's where the attention will be.

I'm surprised, though, that open carry isn't legal in Florida.

George

I'd say you saw one of two possible situations....

Off duty LEO

or

Militant whack job.

The guy looked so clean cut and "legitimate." Could mean nothing, of course.

What's "Special Operations?"

No self-respecting dog guy would wear anything other than a "Police K9" shirt, though.

Probably special unit LEO who just got done with training and needed to pick something up at the store. I have done it myself after instructing on the range. I carry with badge next to gun, but if he was doing PT or something and didn't want to risk damaging his badge he may have left it in his ride.

Not legal in Florida, so I wonder what he was thinking.

Young guy in his late twenties, I'd guess. Wearing black SWAT style pants tucked into SWAT style black boots. His rig was a black tactical style belt and holster, containing a service sized Glock. He wore a gray tucked in T-Shirt that said Special Operations on it. He was about 6'2" and athletic. Looked very much the SWAT type, and seemed stable and unconcerned about being seen open carrying. Oddly, though, I was the only person who noticed, and when I passed him within just a few feet, I intentionally let him know I thought it was odd he was carrying like that by looking inquisitively at his Glock. When he noticed that, he seemed to quicken his pace in collecting the produce he was looking for and moved away at a good clip. I saw the produce manager there and asked him if he knew why that guy was openly carrying a sidearm. He said he didn't see him, but he figured he must have a license or he wouldn't be doing it. I informed him that Florida has no legal open carry. At that he seemed a bit troubled, but not enough to call the cops. I finished my shopping and left.

Anybody know what Special Operations refers to? I figure it's some kind of law, but he was not wearing a uniform or a badge, so the law says he's not supposed to carry openly like that. Not that I wouldn't be happy with Florida permitting that, as I favor legal open carry as an option, off duty cop, or anyone else.

....or he is a typical poser "bounty hunter".

I would not be surprised if the T-shirt under his shirt did not say "AGENT".

Maybe I should have drawn on him.

Probably special unit LEO who just got done with training and needed to pick something up at the store. I have done it myself after instructing on the range. I carry with badge next to gun, but if he was doing PT or something and didn't want to risk damaging his badge he may have left it in his ride.

I open carry while on my own property , hunting , fishing , or camping.

What's "Special Operations?"

Maybe I should have drawn on him.

I believe I recall that you're a cop. Out of curiosity, if you were working in a state that didn't have open carry, would you have asked this guy to explain himself?

I think Chaz Bono had one........

Did you casually lift your shirt slightly to give him a glimpse of your nun-chucks, then give him the nod?

It's possible the guy was an official something or other but was dressed or carrying outside of policy and got nervous when called on it.

I am thinking he may be LE, but more likely a whacko.....could you tell if he was wearing a vest??? Most LE I know have their vests on if they are carrying open because it attracts undue attention. Also, most of em don't wear gas station T-shirts stating "special ops"

In TN, its legal to carry either way, and I'm all for people having the right to decide, but I just don't understand why anyone would want to attract the attention it does (in public). It is far better to be armed and concealed because if you get into a bad situation, the element of surprise on the bad guy is the advantage IMO

i've never understood the open carry. maybe it was someone that was proud they had just received their permit, and wanted to try it out.

I think you need to investigate further.


Travis

That's what I think it was.

I saw the produce manager there and asked him if he knew why that guy was openly carrying a sidearm.

Zombie fruit?

Are you serious?

The permit specifically states that open carry is a big no no, and will result in loss of the license and arrest. Recently, an exception was carved into that to allow accidental exposure of the firearm to public view, but that's quite a different thing from this situation.

I would hope so.....it's concealed only here in MS but they are no where near as anal about it as it sounds like Florida is.......what about vehicles in Florida? Is it supposed to be completely hidden in them too?

Reason I ask is that me and my family are headed down there for vacation Friday and I will be armed as always

I'm betting the guy didn't move along at a quicker pace because TRH gave him the hairy eyeball, I'm thinking it was because he could tell TRH is a nut job and wasn't about to listen to some cop wannabe stories.

It also could have been the nunchucks shoved down TRH's pants. Thinking the guy don't like talking to other men with wood.

Yep. Needs to be concealed now. Even in a car.

That is the most logical answer yet!

TRH I find your post as you being the troll. I think what steelhead wrote was a toned down nice way to say get a life.

I can only go by what you stated in your orginal post. Going by that my first impression is the guy is some sorta LEO.

If you were truly so concerned why didn't you call 911 on the spot? I have to again believe by your orginal post that you were more intrigued by his open carry then anything else.

5 pages of a bunch of nonsense because you are fishing for some conspereicy theory.

Wow! That's quite a stretch there, junior. You off your meds today?

By you going over to him and looking at him and his weapon you are looking for a problem in my opinion. Not very smart.

Make a citizens arrest on him? I don't really care if someone is open carrying or not! Leagal or illegal, I care about their actions, if a guy is acting irrational, nervous, irate, arguing, or making gestures that would cause fear or panic than sure I would care. The guy was shopping in a store doing his own thing. If he was causing a disturbance or another issue than it would be different. If it was that big of deal you should have called the police. I learn not to screw with people unless they screw with me. By you going over to him and looking at him and his weapon you are looking for a problem in my opinion. Not very smart.

little beady eyes in the dark, negroes in pickups, vac sealed shower gun, fluoride, ron paul fanaticism and now suspicious persons practicing open carry in grocery stores.....this schitt just keeps getting funnier all the time!

yep

Yep

Had to test out my shower zombie preparedness kit somehow....

How do you like the LCR?

Our city has a group that is Special Ops, nothing particular spooky about them. They just mostly do vice work and under-cover ops. Mostly civilian casual dress and unmarked units.

No big deal.


If the guy looked the part, I would have taken it for what it was. If he was a whack job, even all the more reason to mind my own beeswax.

I like my LCR quite a bit. Some folks complain about the trigger, but if you give it enough slack to reset it's really pretty good for double action only revolver. I carry it a lot in a nemesis pocket holster loaded with the Winchester Supreme 130 grain bonded hollow points.

T. M. U just supplied him with some new jerkatorium material.

Ugh
I probably deserved that though for picking on your purity red boots though.

Wow Bobby I never realized you were a troll...
{Insert sarcastic eyeroll}

You never know where them dang zombies might be hiding!

Have you ever seen the definition of an internet troll? Look it up. It's just a picture of Bobby.

maybe that post will earn me my turdlike medal .

Have you ever seen the definition of an internet troll? Look it up. It's just a picture of Bobby.

Zombies are everywhere. The walk among us.



My boy nailed this Zombie just the other day.

yes sir that's me an internet troll. i look forward everyday to just troll on the internet to poke and prod people.

at least i ain't bat schit crazy/paranoid and live in fear all my life.

TRH might be onto something.

Our city has a group that is Special Ops, nothing particular spooky about them. They just mostly do vice work and under-cover ops. Mostly civilian casual dress and unmarked units.

No big deal.


If the guy looked the part, I would have taken it for what it was. If he was a whack job, even all the more reason to mind my own beeswax.

You guys need some ZomBoom

Seriously, you folks need to look up the accepted definition of an internet troll.

as long as the badge is displayed along side the issued firearm
commissioned law enforcement in the county can open carry off duty in plain clothes also

I'm not trying to be a smart aleck but i'm just curious why it bothered you so much. I mean if he wasn't doing anything out of the ordinary why go up to them.

Here in Liberal southern Wi. I've seen it more than once and I've done it myself without a problem. Before we got a cc law there was guys opening carrying state wide and there wasn't to many problems. Don't understand why anybody that has a gun himself would be bothered by a gun.

I'm not trying to be a smart aleck but i'm just curious why it bothered you so much. I mean if he wasn't doing anything out of the ordinary why go up to them.

TRH, I'm trying not to get jump all over yer azz over this deal, but your persistence in trying to justify your concern/alarm/actions/whatever just begs a good beating.

The ONLY thing you have said that I could agree with in any form is that you were not in Condition White in the grocery store. EVERYTHING you did after you noticed the guy with the gun was at least wrong, if not dumbphuck stupid.

But rather than just being mean, I'll offer you an alternative scenario based on your provisional setting.

Self: Wandering in produce section in Condition Yellow, notices gun on hip of tactically duded-out dude, in clear violation of FL law.

Self's brain: recognizes potential threat, kicks up to Condition Orange. Makes instantaneous decision that this is either a) a bona fide threat or b) not a threat (mall ninja, doofus cop in mufti who forgot he was wearing his gun). Decision: threat or no threat? Your brain knows, based on pattern recognition.

At this point your brain tells you which fork in the road to take. He's either a threat, or not a threat. THERE IS NO THIRD OPTION YOU CAN SAFELY EXPLORE.

If you decide THREAT, Self's brain, eyes, and ears are gonna be gathering and processing information while Self's feet move your sorry ass to a position of cover where you can observe the THREAT and if the situation escalates to Condition Red you can draw your sidearm and open fire.

However, if Self's brain decides NON-THREAT, you move on along about your business, maintaining the usual threat awareness of Condition Yellow.

That's it. Nothing more needs to be done. There are no other tactically viable options.

What YOU did was FAIL TO MAKE THE FIRST CRITICAL DECISION IN A POTENTIAL LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION. You compounded that failure by actually APPROACHING THE POTENTIAL THREAT!!! I cannot tell you how incredibly dumbphuckitudinal that was! If you were in my recruit class and had done that in a scenario you'd STILL be doing pushups today!!

You NEVER move closer to a potential threat unless you have the ability and opportunity to bring OVERWHELMING FORCE to bear before the threat can move against you.

I just did, dude. I'm amazed you're not dead already sometimes, Hawk, I really am.

I am only the voice of reason once a year.

The other 364 days I'm a habitual smart azz and instigator. I'm a lot worse in person.


Travis

It's ok he has me on ignore and I DO think he is paranoid Travis...

Maybe. But we need the paranoid to make up for all the "it's nothing" types.

Ok, I'm getting uncomfortable. I'd like to go back to being an azzhole now. Thanks.


Travis

You are now cleared for azzholatude for the remainder of the year, Travis.

Maybe. But we need the paranoid to make up for all the "it's nothing" types.

Ok, I'm getting uncomfortable. I'd like to go back to being an azzhole now. Thanks.


Travis

It's legal in NH, though you don't see a lot of folks carrying in that manner. It's too easy to get a concealed carry permit I suppose (hopefully the need to do even that will be gone this year).

I don't care for open carry as I don't want to draw attention to myself, but I could care less if someone else does so. If schit breaks bad and someone is carrying open, that's where the attention will be.

I'm surprised, though, that open carry isn't legal in Florida.

George

Maybe. But we need the paranoid to make up for all the "it's nothing" types.

Ok, I'm getting uncomfortable. I'd like to go back to being an azzhole now. Thanks.


Travis

Well, I wish you would because your post about Hawkeye was one that I agreed with and it almost makes me feel bad about saying mean things to you.

I can assure you, I don't give a [bleep] what people think of me.

Except women. I love women.

Travis

I probably should have clarified in the manner that you did. When I'm working on "The Mountain" (family blueberry fields and the surrounding acreage that is wood lot/hunting/stress relief) I don't bother with concealing anything.

George

Be honest.....you only care what they think at closing time. Not so much after they cook breakfast and/or leave a sammich!



George

Remember, it's only paranoia if nothing happens.

If there are any women lurking out there, I want you to know George's quote is a gross generalization and in no way reflects my views. And I love you.


Travis

If there are any women lurking out there, I want you to know George's quote is a gross generalization and in no way reflects my views. And I love you.


Travis

And please use the alley. Not that I'm hiding anything. I just don't want people to think you're that kind of girl. Because you deserve better. And I love you.


Travis

I looked for a badge. He wasn't wearing one.