Have you open carried?

[DCkilla]

I want to here from the guys who have tried it. Did you like it? Will you change modes of carry? Did you try, but never again? If you never gave it a reasonable try, don't post. If you only did in your house, don't post. Hunting doesn't count either. I'm talking about "out and about" without mentioning Walmart. Ok, I was just kidding about Walmart. You guys get the idea.

[stevenmetzger]

I do open carry 1/2 of the time. I like the full frame handguns, what I found out is my guns like the taurus 24/7 oss, taurus 1911, and stoeger cougar, it is more comfortable to open carry with these guns. My other guns like the taurus pt145 and pk380 concealed carry feels better. Those guns are smaller and easier to tuck in.
When I do open carry I find a lot of people like to stare at my gun which is a little uncomfortable at first. But I got use to it.

[Blacksheardad]

I carried open for about a month and found more stares. The general public, as a whole, seems to get rather nervous around firearms. No matter where I went there was at least a couple of people who seemed to shy away. I had a couple of businesses ask if I was a LEO and when I answered truthfully I was told that "company policy" dictated only LEO could carry inside the store. I have gone in the same stores carrying concealed and have no problems. Bottom line, i would rather no one know I'm carrying.

[ellwood45c]

I have open carried in the last month just to see what would happen. Of course i get alot of stares and actually had a couple come to me and ask if i was a cop. I found that it was mostly the woman who would stare or move away from me. I had a LEO approach me and asked if i had a liencens. After i answered yes to his question, he then asked me about my 1911. He was wanting one, but wanted to try it first. I really had no issues, but i do preffer the element of supprise on my side.

[Axeanda45]

I open carry almost all the time in the summer, in winter, I dont purposely try to keep my jacket from covering it up. 99% of people never notice it. Had a couple cops mess with me at first, had to educate them on what the law was, and now they leave me alone.

[Bikenut]

I open carry in Michigan every day and everywhere I go that it is legal to possess a firearm. And that includes speaking at municipal council meetings during efforts to get them to change illegal firearm ordinances.

Two things I'd like to address....

If a business has a "no guns" policy I do not patronize them by sneaking in a concealed gun because... not only do I not want to give money to someone who will use that money to disrespect the right to bear arms...

I also understand that it would be hypocritical of me to expect the right to bear arms be respected while I am disrespecting the right of the private property owner to make the rules, including banning guns, on his property.

The other thing is I understand that the "element of surprise" is an offensive tactic that the bad guy uses to "surprise" his victims and that it is the concealed carrier who is the one "surprised" that suddenly he has to defend his life. Because of that I prefer open carry so that the bad guy knows I have a gun and likely will decide to attack someone else who appears to be an easier, unarmed, victim... like a CC'er appears to be.

Now please do not get the idea that I'm bashing CC since in addition to OC'ing a sidearm I CC a BUG. What I'm addressing are the ideas that "concealed means concealed so it is OK to disrespect the property rights of others" and "a hidden gun is the defensive element of surprise tactic".

[Flashlight22]

It's tough to open carry in massachusetts but ive done it several times here and no one has said anything to me yet just dirty looks. Whenever im in New Hampshire, all I do is open carry. I'm not 1 of those freaks that worry about element of surprise it's there on my hip if I ever need to use it.

[Treo]

I don't normally dress for open carry. When I do open carry it's generally because I was wearing a jacket and it got too hot. For the most part people don't notice.

[NavyLCDR]

I open carry all the time, sometimes in such places as downtown Seattle and SEATAC International Airport. 95% of people don't notice or don't indicate they notice. 4% are visibly or verbally supportive. 1% are visibly or verbally "bothered" by it. Of the 1% negative encounters, 90% of those have been with "pro-gun", "pro-2A" concealed carry only snobs who can't figure out how to mind their own business. I even had one guy look down his nose at me disdainfully while in line at Jack in the Box. He said with a snotty tone, "I carry mine concealed." I replied, "You aren't doing it very well." He said, "What do you mean?" I replied, "I know you have a gun." Not another word was said. I like it when my daughter says, "He's got no reason to hide his gun....he's not a criminal."

[Firefighterchen]

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

Yes.

Will you change modes of carry?

I cc a bug as well, but open carry is my primary method of carry from now on.

Did you try, but never again?

never say never.

»