Have you open carried?

[spenserarn]

Open carrying is quite interesting, there is a sense of precaution you have to have at all times and be aware of your surroundings. I found when I open carried I wasn't comfortable with it. I only did it a couple of times and will never do it again...

 

[rogrrr]

I IWB OC both in Ohio and Indiana. What bothers me is that to OC in Indiana, you need a CCWP. Now, is that stupid or what ?!? They never made a smart legislator.
I've gotten some strange looks in both states but have also struck up some good conversations in both. More people are getting used to seeing arms and armed people so I just don't worry about it, which is why I OC.
What is my advantage is that I practice several times a week so I'm extremely comfortable with my gun and the use of it. Not only do I practice on paper, I shoot bowling pins so I get a double dose of effective practice.

 

[Treo]

Open carry is from the pits of Hell

 

[Firefighterchen]

There...fixed it for ya.

GUN FORUMS may be the dry grass where the fire spreads uncontrollably...but the origin of the misinformation can almost always be tracked back to those main sources.

Open carrying is quite interesting, there is a sense of precaution you have to have at all times and be aware of your surroundings. I found when I open carried I wasn't comfortable with it. I only did it a couple of times and will never do it again...

At least you tried right? That's more than a lot of people will give OC. But, do you not have that same sense of precaution and awareness of your surroundings when you are concealing? If you don't...I advise you to rethink your awareness as a whole.

 

[GLADad]

Yes I do, and will probably continue to OC most of the time even after I get my CCP. I believe it is the constitutional way to carry since it is the "right" rather than paying a tax to have a privilege to CC. I will probably only CC at school, church, other people's home (unless I know they are anti-gun) and places that don't allow OC such as the mall or something. So far no one has a problem with it except my mom who just doesn't like guns so I respect her and don't take firearms to my parents home.

Also I don't see the point in arguing about OC Vs. CC as some people have on this thread. Seriously, if you are against one mode or the other don't do it! But don't tell me my mode of carry will get me shot. People are shot everyday and I just dont think the outcome of any of those events had anything to do with OC or CC but rather armed or unarmed.

 

[FOSJosh]

I'm from Ky where it is legal to open carry w/o a permit. I have done very little oc'ing untill the past few days. The past couple days, and especially today, I wanted to do almost a sociological test you would say. I went all over this town in many stores and restaurants to see how the customers and employees would respond. No where did I receive any trouble from anyone and never even got any weird looks. All the employees where friendly with me and could see my Glock 22 plain as day. I am going to do this from time to time to continue seeing the reactions and wait for any conversations/harrassment that might come along with this.

 

[Nightmare45]

Open carry all the time in AZ where legal when there, if Texas had open carry would carry here.

 

[Michael Hutson]

Hi, new forum member here. I started out open-carrying but moved to concealed for a couple of reasons. I have a full sized Beretta 92- not the most easily concealable of handguns. I generally had good experiences with open carry- a few people inquired about it positively. Just a few drawbacks however. First, my wife called me a "nut" for open-carrying, and gave me grief about it. Secondly, here in Minnesota a lot of private businesses post that they don't allow handguns (legally they're required to have a specific signage for it to be valid but few do.) And finally I was open-carrying at my local library, located in a county government building, when three security guards and two sheriff's deputies gave me the whole "hands where I can see them" deal. Turns out that because a county courthouse shares the same physical building it's a "courthouse complex". So I moved to concealed carry with a pancake holster and an overlarge shirt, and now my motto is "carry concealed and STFU".

 

[dracer]

I can not open carry in cal. I still would carry concealed even if I could open carry

 

[Firefighterchen]

I can not open carry in cal. I still would carry concealed even if I could open carry

Sigh... Link Removed ... there is a member here who is from Cali ( if his location is true) that open carries...some how...

 

[rogrrr]

Open carrying is quite interesting, there is a sense of precaution you have to have at all times and be aware of your surroundings. I found when I open carried I wasn't comfortable with it. I only did it a couple of times and will never do it again...

You have a valid point about being aware of your surroundings.
Since I started carrying (both OC _AND_ CC), I tend to be more aware of those around me and am more "on edge", so to speak. I'm paying attention not only to the people but, as a pilot looks for some place to land his plane in the event of an emergency, do I have a "lane" or background for a safe shot if needed. If not, maybe I'd have to kneel down so an errant or "through" shot would angle up above the people in attendance.

I've found that carrying has improved my attention to surroundings. I no longer lapse into "condition WHITE" as I used to, especially when OC. It's an attention/feeling I'm becoming quite comfortable with.

I also enjoy talking with those who approach me and ask about my armament, which happens more than one would imagine. I will spend as much time as they like and I feel that they have a better understanding of how THEY can be safer either by being around someone who IS carrying, or getting them interested in joining us and becoming a carrier, too.

So it depends on the venue I'm attending whether I OC or CC. I love 'em both.

 

[gunnerbob]

I did in NM all the time, can't here in SC

I got a few weird looks in NM, no one ever confronted me about it. Same in AZ when I traveled through to NV...

I heard SC had a bill proposed to allow permitless carry, I hope that includes OC.

EDIT: http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess119_2011-2012/bills/1408.htm

 

[DGordon]

I open carried for the first time in Va. last week, was very much aware of my surroundings at first then became more comfortable with OC as day went by. Walking into stores full of people was quite a experience, most people reacted like as if I was supposed to be carrying a gun and were polite but keep there distance. Dont think I would OC every day, I'm happy with my concealed carry I like the feeling that if any thing like that jerk in Colo. happens I can protect my wife and others..

 

[gunsandgardens]

I like it when my daughter says, "He's got no reason to hide his gun....he's not a criminal."

Awesome. Love it!

 

[gunsandgardens]

In AZ, the dispatcher would probably have asked him what the guy with the gun was doing, and when he said "Just eating lunch," she would have invited him to chill, and advised him to only use 911 for actual emergencies. I love it here!

Me too my friend, me too.

 

[rogrrr]

Defender
That's a simple one - Get ANOTHER one
Oops. I meant another GUN. Getting another wife would be cost-prohibitive. And finding another wife who is gun-friendly is PRICELESS !
But you know that, already.

I live in Ohio but travel Indiana weekly. Many times I OC and knowing their stupid laws, I'm always anticipating a LEO approach me to ask if I have a license to carry THAT gun. To which I'll say something along the lines of, "Why, yes, I do. It's called the SECOND AMENDMENT OF THE CONSTITUTION. Then I'll await his response. He'll probably grouse me on the laws of Indiana, to which I'll say, "Those stupid legislators require a CONCEALED permit to carry OPENLY ? HOW STUPID is that ? Oh, yeah. I just remembered, I DO have a permit for my gun. Would you like to see it ?"

I mostly CC, especially since my wife always has my favorite OC gun with her. She took it over a couple of months ago. It is time to go shopping for another gun! For now, it is mostly CC, unless I am OCing at home and go out for a quick errand.
I have NEVER. had a bad moment because of OCing. I have OCed at church, in the bank, at Walmart, in stores all around, etc.

 

[rogrrr]

Incorrect comment as it was duplicate

 

[lostone1413]

whether I open or conceal carry here in Arizona depends on how I dress If real hot I might wear just one tee shirt then I open because I don't want the holster to rest on the skin If not that hot I have a tee shirt tucked in then the holster and another tee shirt to cover every thing up

 

[Golden Eagle]

I want to here from the guys who have tried it. Did you like it?

Yes. I like my gun... why hide it!

Will you change modes of carry?

It changed my mode of carry 3 years ago.

Did you try, but never again?

I was just once confronted by a woman with "Why do you have that?!" I asked "have what?" explained with a smile that open carry was perfectly legal and the experience encouraged me to open carry even more.

 

[ctpistolteacher]

Yes I've done it. No, I did not feel comfortable with my equipment, or with letting the world know I was armed.
This was a case where the choice was OC or don't carry at all (New Hampshire).
Since I did not have a NH carry permit I had to OC to stay on the right side of the law.
I'll also add it was in the dead of winter, to making certain to NOT conceal my gun was a pain.

I won't be repeating.