JM40 I agree with your main points 100%, and very good ones they are too. But since I'm a nitpicker I'm going to pick a nit.
I figure that cops don't bother to CC because everybody knows they're armed anyway, so it doesn't give them any tactical advantage, whereas the quick draw of an OC holster gives a very nice advantage.
Open Carry has a deterrent effect. Concealed does not. Sometimes I OC, sometimes I CC to avoid OC hassles.
Open Carry is often an activist's tool. Sometimes I OC to make the point that I can OC.
Actually, CC has a deterrent effect as well, probably more so than open carry. Consider this scenario.
If everyone who owns a gun only carried openly (no concealed carry of any kind), then criminals would simply go after those who are not carrying. The deterrent of which you speak only applies to the person carrying the weapon. Suppose, however, that with the advent of concealed carry, the bad guys all of a sudden do not know who is carrying. If only one person out of a group of 30 people is carrying, everyone is protected because the criminals do not know who is or is not carrying. A bulge created by a person's cell phone or pager could be mistaken for a gun. In this case the mere possibility that someone is armed serves as a deterrent for everyone, not just those for whom it is obvious (open carriers).
Actually, CC has a deterrent effect as well, probably more so than open carry. Consider this scenario......
Actually, I'd like to think that OWB for concealed carry is a quicker draw than OWB for open carry because there are no retention devices to mess with......
OR what if ya'll got off your high horses about which is better and considered that what if half of us were carrying openly and the other half concealed, then the BGs would have NO clue what so ever!! You can make up scenerios all stinkin' day, and guess what? They are ALL RIGHT. Of course, they're all wrong, too, because everything isn't always going to happen the way you want it to...
Why doesn't someone make a big chart with the Pros and Cons of each, and see which one comes out "ahead". I'd be willing to bet that they both have more pros than cons, and they both come out right about even. Oh, and this chart probably shouldn't include things like "what if pink elephants escape from a flying zoo...", k?
What retention device? A lot of people open carry with an open top holster w/o a thumb strap or the like. In fact I've done so in the past, with out incident. It DID require that I be very aware of my surroundings, but umm I always am, especially when I'm carrying.
I do think that generally, someone carrying openly should have some sort of retention, but who says it slows down the draw? It has been PROVEN that one can draw at the SAME SPEED with and without a retention device. The speed of your draw depends on the equipment you use, and how much you practice. Some retention devices do slow your draw, but not all. Ever used a Serpa CQB holster? How about Safariland's ALS? These holsters offer rentention while allowing a smooth natural draw. With a little practice, there's no difference between the speed of that draw, and the draw with a retentionless holster.
Now I could start making up scenerios about how your shirt could catch on the hammer, your hand could get caught up in your jacket and you could drop the weapon, or a pink elephant could slip his trunk up under your clothing and steal your concealed weapon, but that's not the point. You see, you brought up a good point about concealed carry, but tried to turn it into a negative about open carry...
Stop the madness people. Carrying is carrying, period. Open and concealed are options, not opposites..
I'd like to conceal an AK in my SmartCarry. Trying different options, pics to follow...
I just refuse to let the opinions of the gunophobes (is this even a real word?)...
I'd like to conceal an AK in my SmartCarry. Trying different options, pics to follow...
Please ishi... NO pics dude!
Actually the word is hoplophobesHoplo being from the Greek Hoplon, meaning weapon. It's not in the dictionary (yet), but it has become the standard term to describe those with an irrational fear of weapons, or more specifically, guns.
I OC regularly. No problems, and I am treated like a human around town (more than I can say about some folks on gun forums, when it comes to that).
Maybe I'm just not 'tactical'... but I've yet to see an evidence that there is a disadvantage, such as it being any more likely to be disarmed or targeted for crime. On the other hand, I can carry a full-size pistol which I can shoot well, and has a good capacity of potent rounds.
Remember me when you're sweating under a cover-garment, or trusting that P32 to stop a coked-out maniac.
In the best of cases, a ne'er-do-well will see that I am armed and go elsewhere. And in the worst of situations, I can draw faster, hit harder and more often.
So far, I have only open carried in Colorado, which is the only state on my annual 4,000 mile motorcycle journey that won't recognize any of my CCW permits. I also take Hwy 50 across instead of the I70 because Denver doesn't allow open carry and Hwy 50 is a blast on a motorcycle.
Here's my list of Open Carry pros and cons:
Pros:
Reinforces the right to the general public
May serve as an additional deterrent to crime
Is a great 2nd amendment conversation starter
Would definitely be more convenient in the summer (at least for me)
Provides quicker access to your firearm
May be your only option in some places
Cons:
Gives away any tactical advantage gained by blending into the crowd
May panic some uneducated people and result in police involvement
Provides public access to your firearm (if you do open carry, I'd recommend getting some training in handgun retention techniques)
May be illegal in some places
I don't care either way. I might even start open carrying a little bit more just to get some experience with it.
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