What benefits to open carry?

G

gun papa

New member
I open carried in AZ 13 years ago because I had no CCW. I had NO problems then.

I have a CCW and ask what are the benefits of OC? Why would I open carry besides that I CAN?

I am not trying to start a flame war or rubbing my CCW in anyone's face.

Personally, I believe that WE have the right to carry any way we want. I CCW all of the time. I wear it unless I am in the shower or bed.

Does anyone open carry when they have a CCW? Is open carry mainly in areas where a CCW is near impossible to obtain? papa
 
I Open Carried for years in Georgia back in the 80's.
Eventually, I got a Conceal Carry Permit but still Open Carried when I wanted.
Reason I got my permit to CC was because some of the issues I experienced in Atlanta.

I live in South Carolina now, where it is illegal to open carry unless you are one of the elite citizens.

It was a lot more comfortable to open carry and not have to worry about concealment when working, moving, driving, etc.
 
1) Deterrent factor, statistically proven. (Shouldn't this be a good enough reason)

2) Draw weapon faster than from a concealed position in an emergency, prevents fumbling.

3) Chance to educate others about their 2A when they ask about your firearm.

4) If someone needs help detaining a BG until LE arrives (See #1) or stopping a shooter, they know who to ask.

5) Easier to carry a large frame handgun, thereby improving accuracy of multiple shot placement.

6) In many states you would be exercising a RIGHT instead of a PRIVILEGE.

7) In my state at least, it's the only way to carry into a police station, sheriff's office or courthouse. Don't think that bad scenarios can't happen there, they can and have.

That being said, a CCW does have it perks. Going to a kids birthday party would be one situation where even I would CC and I'm a die hard OC proponent.
 
You should ask this question over on Open Carry Dot Org. You will probably get the answer of why would anyone ever want to CC and some even saying that if you CC you might as well not carry at all. :wacko: I think there are times for both but I still wonder why there is a difference in the laws. Personally I think that the laws that say any idiot can walk down the street with a gun as long as it is in the open but they have to have a special permit to put it in their pocket are just holding on to the old "gentlemen's agreement" idea which has gone the way of the rotary dial telephone.

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My home state of FLA used to be an OC state. Liberals moved in, got in State House and that was that. I reside in SC now and it's the same, NO OC. UNFETTERED states it about right, comfort, ease and my right to (or at least it should be). The CCP should cover both IMHO!
 
The folks who "open carry" have very strong feelings about their position. I would hate to be a uniformed LEO. I think hardened criminals would view the uniform more as "the first target" rather than a deterrent. I have made the decision for myself that an open carry firearm is a "uniform" of sorts, but everyone has to make up their own mind. As for the posters who state that open carry has been proven to be a deterrent, I would really like to see that research. I think if someone could cite the scientific study and how the data was collected, it could be very useful in helping people make a decision about whether to carry open or concealed.
 
Unfettered Might said:
1) Deterrent factor, statistically proven. (Shouldn't this be a good enough reason)

2) Draw weapon faster than from a concealed position in an emergency, prevents fumbling.

3) Chance to educate others about their 2A when they ask about your firearm.

4) If someone needs help detaining a BG until LE arrives (See #1) or stopping a shooter, they know who to ask.

5) Easier to carry a large frame handgun, thereby improving accuracy of multiple shot placement.

6) In many states you would be exercising a RIGHT instead of a PRIVILEGE.

7) In my state at least, it's the only way to carry into a police station, sheriff's office or courthouse. Don't think that bad scenarios can't happen there, they can and have.

That being said, a CCW does have it perks. Going to a kids birthday party would be one situation where even I would CC and I'm a die hard OC proponent.
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As far as 1, I suspect that is unproven and I tend to go with "everyone's safer when criminals don't know who's carrying".

As far as 4, no seeing someone carrying openly doesn't necessarily make them a good guy.

As to the others, I don't see that they override my answer to 1.
 
I OC when out in the desert shooting, but I always have a hideaway gun or an AK pistol ready. I CC when at the normal gun range as it is unsupervised and you never know who you are going to come across.

I work with the public in a LEO capacity, I have worked mental health. When I am off I keep to myself, I carry for my own protection and believe I would be hard pressed to get involved to protect anyone else unless directly under duress. That may sound shitty, but that is how it is.

I don't think I could generally OC. I respect everyone else's right to OC.
 
maybejim said:
As far as 1, I suspect that is unproven and I tend to go with "everyone's safer when criminals don't know who's carrying".

As far as 4, no seeing someone carrying openly doesn't necessarily make them a good guy.

As to the others, I don't see that they override my answer to 1.
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I totally concur with Unfettered Might and Mappow and have had first hand accounts to support reason #1.

Open Carry is absolutely a deterrent!

When the BGs (or maybe they were just A--holes) confronted me and saw my weapon they stopped acting up, harassing people in the store and me.
 
maybejim said:
As far as 1, I suspect that is unproven and I tend to go with "everyone's safer when criminals don't know who's carrying".
Click to expand...

The study was done by the Justice Department, so I think it carries some factual weight.

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The article speaks of the deterrent factor of firearms to criminals. Reluctance to commit a crime with only the possibility of someone having a gun would be exasperated by the knowledge that they DO have a gun. It stands to reason and no amount of fuzzy logic can disprove that.

Oh and lets not forget to take into consideration of how many of the "wouldn't care" responses were from "tough guys" who would actually buckle under the presence of an armed citizen.

It's as close to a scientific study as can be found.

maybejim said:
As far as 4, no seeing someone carrying openly doesn't necessarily make them a good guy.
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Most likely, yes it does. Criminals hide their weapons because they don't want the attention it brings because they are....well criminals. Again your response is based on fuzzy logic.

maybejim said:
As to the others, I don't see that they override my answer to 1.
Click to expand...

I provided a solid rebuttal to your answer for one, so yes they still stand as valid.
 
Unfettered Might said:
The study was done by the Justice Department, so I think it carries some factual weight.

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The article speaks of the deterrent factor of firearms to criminals. Reluctance to commit a crime with only the possibility of someone having a gun would be exasperated by the knowledge that they DO have a gun. It stands to reason and no amount of fuzzy logic can disprove that.

Oh and lets not forget to take into consideration of how many of the "wouldn't care" responses were from "tough guys" who would actually buckle under the presence of an armed citizen.

It's as close to a scientific study as can be found.



Most likely, yes it does. Criminals hide their weapons because they don't want the attention it brings because they are....well criminals. Again your response is based on fuzzy logic.



I provided a solid rebuttal to your answer for one, so yes they still stand as valid.
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I briefly skimmed over this article and so I could be way off base. I think that the article basically states a proven fact that a criminal is deterred by knowing or suspecting that a citizen is armed. The question is not posed: "would a citizen carrying openly be more of a deterrent than a person who is carrying concealed?" A criminal could suspect that a person is armed if they are carrying a fanny pack, wearing a vest, or holding a briefcase close to their body. If the criminal has done his homework, he might even know whether someone is carrying a firearm whether or not it is concealed. I think that open carry-concealed carry is an area where people are going to have to agree to disagree. At this point, and it may change with really valid scientific data, I cannot see the advantage of playing poker with my cards face-up for the other players to observe. But I have respect for the viewpoint of others who have looked at the same factors and made a different decision.
 
One of the problems we face today is that the left has demonized firearms and those who carry them. I read a post from some guy who said that if you carry a gun you are a criminal. He was serious and he is not the only one to feel this way.

That being said, the more people who OC the less sensitive society is apt to be over the whole issue. I have worked in the private protection profession for a long time and I have been through a lot of training. I have never seen or heard of an OC person drawing from the strong side and committing a crime. Unless you count the old west movies when the BGs rob a bank.

I would prefer to OC for many reasons already stated by other posters, but I teach CC because it is necessary. If CC is so great and the presence of a gun is not a deterrent then cops should just go plain clothed as well as armed security and they should all CC.

Troy Perry
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Glock Fan said:
I've never seen a robbery go down where the BG started off with a OC handgun.



gf
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Since OC is illegal most places, that might have a lot to do with your observation (which of course is nothing but anecdotal). It would be difficult to get good statistics. With Concealed Carry we had no CC and then could observe what happened with "shall issue". Even that is not proof that the decrease in crime and violence particularly confrontational crime was a result of the "shall issue".

Of course if we got OC your observation might change. If lot's of people are carrying, the BG can carry without attacting attention.
 
NcPermit said:
One of the problems we face today is that the left has demonized firearms and those who carry them. I read a post from some guy who said that if you carry a gun you are a criminal. He was serious and he is not the only one to feel this way.

That being said, the more people who OC the less sensitive society is apt to be over the whole issue. I have worked in the private protection profession for a long time and I have been through a lot of training. I have never seen or heard of an OC person drawing from the strong side and committing a crime. Unless you count the old west movies when the BGs rob a bank.

I would prefer to OC for many reasons already stated by other posters, but I teach CC because it is necessary. If CC is so great and the presence of a gun is not a deterrent then cops should just go plain clothed as well as armed security and they should all CC.

Troy Perry
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The advantage is when concealed carry becomes popular (I forget the numbers but I'm thinking at about 5%) confrontational crime drops because criminals don't know who might be armed. So everyone, not just those who are carrying is safer. With open carry, criminals might avoid those they can see carrying but then they likely would turn to those who are not openly carrying. Then too with open carry criminals can carry openly with no one thinking ill about it.

I guess the only solution is legal open and concealed carry and a push to get as many people as possible to just carry.
 
maybejim said:
Since OC is illegal most places, that might have a lot to do with your observation (which of course is nothing but anecdotal). It would be difficult to get good statistics. With Concealed Carry we had no CC and then could observe what happened with "shall issue". Even that is not proof that the decrease in crime and violence particularly confrontational crime was a result of the "shall issue".

Of course if we got OC your observation might change. If lot's of people are carrying, the BG can carry without attacting attention.
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According to Opencarry.org, it appears that over half of the U.S. states allow some form of OC, so I don't understand where you get the idea that "OC is illegal most places". There may not be many studies done, or a lot of available statistics, but your argument is flawed.

What was the purpose of your post other than an attempt at another personal attack on what I have to say or an attempt to get a reaction from me? You've done this to me and to others in the past. This leads me to believe that you're more "anti" than "pro" 2a.

I did see in your following post you state
I guess the only solution is legal open and concealed carry and a push to get as many people as possible to just carry.
Click to expand...
I don't understand why you can't simply agree that we need to educate members of the public, rather than attack someone on an issue for no apparent reason.



gf
 
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