Open Carry Opinions

[Big Gay Al]

Because two guys where OC'ing things didn't get ugly. This is one very good reason to open carry.

Open carry deters armed robbery in Kennesaw

And this is just one case we know of. You have to wonder, how many times have OCer's detered a crime from happening, and no one ever found out.

[rdc2co]

I don't know if anyone still reads this thread, BUT...I think open carry is a bad idea. Picture this: You go to a gas station late at night. You are inside when two guys come in to rob the place. One of them sees your gun. What do you think he's going to do? Who is he going to shoot first (especially if he thinks you're a cop)?
Here's another issue;
If you go to Wal-Mart, Target, or ANY store, do you think that might attract unwanted attention? Will they call 911 and how are you going to get out of this one? More to the point, how many anti-gun people are going to call 911? In some cities, whether OC is legal or not, Law Enforcement will hassle you endlessly... I can't speak for anywhere else, but in Colorado, OC is perfectly legal, however, not in Denver, especially if you own magazines over 10 round capacity. Your Glock 17 with 17+1 capacity is considered an 'assault weapon' in Denver.... Denver seems to trump state law due to a 'home rule' program. Make sure you think this over very carefully...

[Big Gay Al]

I don't know if anyone still reads this thread, BUT...I think open carry is a bad idea. Picture this: You go to a gas station late at night. You are inside when two guys come in to rob the place. One of them sees your gun. What do you think he's going to do? Who is he going to shoot first (especially if he thinks you're a cop)?

Been there, done that, much different ending. Scummy looking possible bad guys came into 7/11 shortly after I did. They did quick look around, saw me, saw my gun, saw me seeing them, they left. Night clerk called cops anyway, just in case.

Here's another issue;
If you go to Wal-Mart, Target, or ANY store, do you think that might attract unwanted attention? Will they call 911 and how are you going to get out of this one? More to the point, how many anti-gun people are going to call 911? In some cities, whether OC is legal or not, Law Enforcement will hassle you endlessly... I can't speak for anywhere else, but in Colorado, OC is perfectly legal, however, not in Denver, especially if you own magazines over 10 round capacity. Your Glock 17 with 17+1 capacity is considered an 'assault weapon' in Denver.... Denver seems to trump state law due to a 'home rule' program. Make sure you think this over very carefully...

Fortunately, I don't live in Colorado. I live in Michigan. Also, fortunately, I don't own and/or carry a Glock 17. I do own a Taurus PT92 which has a 17+1 capacity, but here in Michigan, home rule doesn't trump state preemption. While I've heard of others being hassled from time to time. I've never had the experience. And yes, local, state and county LEOs have seen my openly carried firearm. Most don't even question me.

I think OC is a faneffingtastic idea. I think EVERYONE should do it, if they want to. And I disagree with anyone who goes around trying to tell me what I do is wrong. Have a nice day.

[tcox4freedom]

^^^ Plus 1 ^^^

Been there & done that too!

[NavyLCDR]

I don't know if anyone still reads this thread, BUT...I think open carry is a bad idea. Picture this: You go to a gas station late at night. You are inside when two guys come in to rob the place. One of them sees your gun. What do you think he's going to do? Who is he going to shoot first (especially if he thinks you're a cop)?

The unarmed store clerk:
Gun Owner Saves Lives In The Richmond VA Golden Market Shooting

Here's another issue;
If you go to Wal-Mart, Target, or ANY store, do you think that might attract unwanted attention? Will they call 911 and how are you going to get out of this one? More to the point, how many anti-gun people are going to call 911? In some cities, whether OC is legal or not, Law Enforcement will hassle you endlessly... I can't speak for anywhere else, but in Colorado, OC is perfectly legal, however, not in Denver, especially if you own magazines over 10 round capacity. Your Glock 17 with 17+1 capacity is considered an 'assault weapon' in Denver.... Denver seems to trump state law due to a 'home rule' program. Make sure you think this over very carefully...

1. I am not responsible for people making false 911 calls, that is 100% their responsibility.
2. I am not going to adjust my perfectly legal behavior because a police officer might hassle me for it. More than likely such harassment would be criminal behavior. I will take appropriate action to protect myself from criminal behavior; whether it be from the armed robbery or rapist whom I will use my gun against, or whether it be the criminal wearing the badge and uniform whom I will use my 4th Amendment rights against.

[Firefighterchen]

How did he stumble upon this thread? Search tool? Did he completely miss the other three massive open carry threads that have gone over this exact argument...multiple times, in the past 3 months...I don't mind defending against this tired argument...but to put it in a thread that is 2 years old...how is that managed?

[Big Gay Al]

How did he stumble upon this thread? Search tool? Did he completely miss the other three massive open carry threads that have gone over this exact argument...multiple times, in the past 3 months...I don't mind defending against this tired argument...but to put it in a thread that is 2 years old...how is that managed?

He's your typical anti-OC troll, that's how.

[Bikenut]

I don't know if anyone still reads this thread, BUT...I think open carry is a bad idea. -snip-

You, just like everyone else upon this earth, is entitled to think whatever you wish about anything and everything. I respect that.

However, may I suggest doing a bit of reading/research into open carry before completely making up your mind as to whether it really is a bad idea simply because forming opinions (the "I think" part) is much wiser if one looks at the facts involved first.

Reading the open carry threads here on USACarry, and doing a 'net search on "open carry" should give you more information from both sides of the argument to consider. Information that will cover everything from "You will be shot first" to "It scares people and offends them" to "The police will arrest me" to "Open carry brings the right to bear arms into the forefront of the public's awareness".

Please look into open carry a bit more. Then, if you still have the opinion that open carry is a bad idea at least it will be an informed opinion.

And let me say this one other thing. Regardless of if you think open carry is a good thing or a bad thing .... or if you just don't want to do it for whatever reason(s)... if we all don't support the right to bear arms, regardless of the manner of bearing arms and regardless of what we think of the manner of bearing arms, then we will surely lose the right to bear arms in every manner.

I would add this one interesting bit of information and a little food for thought:

A concealed carry "permit" is NOT the right to bear arms but is the very worst sort of infringement mentioned in the 2nd Amendment because it is nothing more than the government requiring we ask permission to bear an arm in a concealed manner. If we have the right then why do we have to ask for permission?

[rdc2co]

To all I offended, I apologize sincerely, however I have done research, and also know someone who got hassled. He was, in fact, hassled, however, I have been the one to get that "man with a gun" call before.
The first time, it was some kids with airsoft guns running around an apartment complex. One of the kids came around the corner and pointed his airsoft gun at me- Thankfully, I realized it was an airsoft gun and he was okay. We did not shoot anyone, thank God.
The second time, it was at a street fair, and the guy was OC on public property. We decided that he was not a problem, but he was, in fact, on city-owned property. He locked his gun in his car and there was no problem. However, there were hundreds of people at the fair and my job was to make sure that we didn't have any BGs in the park. It's pretty simple, really.
Now- that being said, if you are not a cop (and we CAN usually tell the difference), we worry about whether the person in question is a good guy or a bad guy- until there is a communication, we don't really know who he/she is. Keep in mind that we want to go home at the end of the shift, too.
Now then, I am NOT anti-gun, not anti-OC, nor am I a 'troll', as you put it. I'm a regular guy who DOES read dozens of these threads (which is how I found this one). I'm also an instructor. I wish EVERYONE could OC and that we could all trust each other, however reality is a different situation. I wish I could win the Powerball without buying too many tickets, but that simply won't happen.
OC is probably fine in a smaller town or something like that, but in a large city, we have a totally different situation. We have had issues in the past with people who were not nearly as upstanding as you all are.
Once again, if I offended you, I am sorry. The thread was 'open carry opinions'- I was merely stating my opinion...

[rdc2co]

BTW:
I like the article- I had forgotten about this one- yes, I had to study it, as I do many of these cases. And, yes, I do like the part where the good guy ("GO") wins, the BG croaks. And the store owner survives and returns to work. That's how it should always end up.
Good call, LTCMDR.