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Concealed vs. Open

C. Sumpin

C. Sumpin

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Surely there are pro's and con's with each option.
My brother in law says never carry open cuz the bad guy will notice and you will be the first victim.
And no doubt a visible weapon on a honorable citizen has averted criminal activity.
Sometimes I have the urge to open carry but have not yet.

I'd like to hear some discussion and experiences on the matter. Thank You.
 
C. Sumpin said:
Surely there are pro's and con's with each option.
My brother in law says never carry open cuz the bad guy will notice and you will be the first victim.
And no doubt a visible weapon on a honorable citizen has averted criminal activity.
Sometimes I have the urge to open carry but have not yet.

I'd like to hear some discussion and experiences on the matter. Thank You.
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I open carry at the hunting sites and camping for ease against wildlife threats.

In town, I conceal carry. I have stood in so many lines of people waiting to check out at stores seeing others open carry and thinking to myself, this person is oblivious and would be the first person I knock off if I needed to.
 
I have open carried more than a handful of times in public, and I have seen only maybe 2-3 others open carrying. I can remember it being the first thing that stood out to me on that person, to which I thought well that's not the kind of attention I want. Perceivable to me, there is little benefit other than physical comfort. I find myself getting looks, and generally just feeling uncomfortable. I much prefer concealed in just about every aspect when it comes to normal everyday interaction in "civilized" society.

If I hunted, I'd probably open carry for the reason listed above as well as comfort. Just my two cents.
 
I do not think open carry in urban settings is a good idea except in places where it is a cultural norm, and I will share my rationale.
1. When you carry a firearm in the open, every interaction you have with others becomes an interaction with an armed person, from the standpoint of the other guy. A minor disagreement, like over a parking place, becomes an interaction with an armed person. So if you are carrying yours, and we argue, well, I'll just go to my truck and get mine. And here we go. In certain parts of the country we expect to see open carry and it does not cause alarm. In most urban areas it draws attention and concern.

2. If there is violence and a weapon comes out, I want to be the Gray Man. I will not pull my handgun unless I am going to shoot it. A person committing lethal violence in my presence will see my gun as a terrible surprise in the instant before I pull the trigger. I don't agree that you will necessarily be the first person shot if you are carrying in the open, but you certainly lose the element of surprise.

3. Uneducated persons seeing you carrying a firearm in public where it is not a cultural norm may very well call 911. Never mind that the police understand you have the right to carry in the open where it is lawful, they will still respond. Who has time for that nonsense?

4. Weapon security is a big concern for me. Many, many officers have been killed with their own handgun in the past when overpowered by a suspect. That is not as prevalent as it was before we had Level III holsters, but even now attempts are made and responding to a gun snatch is standard LE training. I can tell you, surviving an attempted gun snatch is an experience in panic that you do not want to have. Now, let's have bubba packing his 357 in a $10 nylon clip on holster at the gas pumps and some thug decides he needs a gun. I can tell you how that's going to turn out. If you are going to open carry, at least have the sense to have a retention holster, but there is no standards for that where open carry is lawful.

In Florida there is no open carry except hunting and fishing, on your own property or business, or when it becomes instantly necessary for self defense. I have no problem with states where it is legal, and have no issue with persons who open carry lawfully. But just because you can, does not mean you should. I attended an academy for an agency that was all plain clothes and concealed carry 47 years ago. In the firearms block one of the older instructors commented, "Your pistol is like your penis. Take good care of it, be careful where you put it, and keep it covered in public and it won't get you in trouble".
 
C. Sumpin said:
Surely there are pro's and con's with each option.
My brother in law says never carry open cuz the bad guy will notice and you will be the first victim.
And no doubt a visible weapon on a honorable citizen has averted criminal activity.
Sometimes I have the urge to open carry but have not yet.

I'd like to hear some discussion and experiences on the matter. Thank You.
Click to expand...
in my state, concealed is the way we are permitted thru the local police.

in my state, thru the Attorney General's Office, one can get a carry permit, that allows for an open carry, but this is primarily for security work, such as an armed guard.

so, there are differences in MY state. i cannot carry open as an "ordinary" citizen.

and yes too, if one caries open, you WILL be the first target, to get you out of the way, as i too read this either here on this site, thru the S/A magazine, or the USCCA online magazine.

yes too, if the scumbags "had an idea" to rob you or a store, and see you walk in, they may turn and re-think that decision for that day

flip a coin, on open carry
 
My take on open carry. You are open carrying and walking down the street. Approaching you is a yuppie type with his little girl, about 5 or 6. The issue of guns, of any type or kind, open or concealed is not on his radar. It's just not something he thinks about. It is not part of his experience or thoughts. He does not vote on 2A issues but does on other issues. As they pass you his little girl looks up at him and asks "Daddy, is that man going to shoot me?" Well now friend, the whole issue is on his radar and in his thoughts. And now he is clearly anti gun because you have frightened his little girl. And now he will vote anti gun whenever he gets the chance. And he'll tell all his friends and neighbors about how his little baby was scared by the bad man with a gun.
Is this what you want? Do you want to take the chance of producing an anti gun person out of a "don't care about guns" person. How has that served what you want? Can you open carry? Sure, but why would you want to?
 
HayesGreener said:
I do not think open carry in urban settings is a good idea except in places where it is a cultural norm, and I will share my rationale.
1. When you carry a firearm in the open, every interaction you have with others becomes an interaction with an armed person, from the standpoint of the other guy. A minor disagreement, like over a parking place, becomes an interaction with an armed person. So if you are carrying yours, and we argue, well, I'll just go to my truck and get mine. And here we go. In certain parts of the country we expect to see open carry and it does not cause alarm. In most urban areas it draws attention and concern.

2. If there is violence and a weapon comes out, I want to be the Gray Man. I will not pull my handgun unless I am going to shoot it. A person committing lethal violence in my presence will see my gun as a terrible surprise in the instant before I pull the trigger. I don't agree that you will necessarily be the first person shot if you are carrying in the open, but you certainly lose the element of surprise.

3. Uneducated persons seeing you carrying a firearm in public where it is not a cultural norm may very well call 911. Never mind that the police understand you have the right to carry in the open where it is lawful, they will still respond. Who has time for that nonsense?

4. Weapon security is a big concern for me. Many, many officers have been killed with their own handgun in the past when overpowered by a suspect. That is not as prevalent as it was before we had Level III holsters, but even now attempts are made and responding to a gun snatch is standard LE training. I can tell you, surviving an attempted gun snatch is an experience in panic that you do not want to have. Now, let's have bubba packing his 357 in a $10 nylon clip on holster at the gas pumps and some thug decides he needs a gun. I can tell you how that's going to turn out. If you are going to open carry, at least have the sense to have a retention holster, but there is no standards for that where open carry is lawful.

In Florida there is no open carry except hunting and fishing, on your own property or business, or when it becomes instantly necessary for self defense. I have no problem with states where it is legal, and have no issue with persons who open carry lawfully. But just because you can, does not mean you should. I attended an academy for an agency that was all plain clothes and concealed carry 47 years ago. In the firearms block one of the older instructors commented, "Your pistol is like your penis. Take good care of it, be careful where you put it, and keep it covered in public and it won't get you in trouble".
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I don't open carry and no longer wander about outdoors, so no need for open carry.

I wholeheartedly agree with bullet number two. That quote at the end is hilarious!
 
There's really no good way to conceal a big hogleg, so when I used to groundhog hunt (or jackrabbit hunt) I open carried a Ruger SBH on my strong side and a 4" .357 on the other. It was ok in Utah or along the tracks in Ohio (only one revolver in Ohio.) The gun(s) are put away at the car, though, unloaded and transported according to whatever laws apply in whichever state I was in. Hunting in Utah we once came to a little store near the highway so we just walked on in looking like Frito Banditos and nobody even gave us a second thought (in the 1970s.)
That's the only situation where I carried my gun like Marshal Dillon.
I don't think any punks would try to grab a gun off me back then. ;) I kept an eye on them.

Cops here will harass you for "creating a panic" these days. Mustn't frighten the Karens, you know.
 
To me, It's a matter of information. More information is always better, for good guys and bad. Open carrying provides information and I try to provide as little info to others, good and bad, as I can.

Just like the stickers on cars that show the members of a family, or NRA affiliation, too much information for bad guys, in my opinion. A well informed criminal is a dangerous criminal.
 
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Thumper7 said:
Used to tell my classes the only reason someone would open carry is because of a short coming, same thing my wife used to say about men who drove corvette’s. Knowledge is power. Don’t empower the bad guy.
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that thing about men who drive corvette's is only a "half truth"..

young men drive them due to thier "short-comings" and just wanna impress others, as they struggle to pay for them, and the insurance.

we older guys drive them cuz we can afford them, and are having our mid-life crisis..
 
I know of an instance where a guy was open carrying his pearl gripped 1911. A guy walked up to him and started complimenting the pistol. The guy with the 1911 began telling the other guy all about it. Next thing he knew, the other guy drew out his pistol and robbed the guy of his prized 1911.
 
I open carried sparingly in the past, mostly because I was on my way, or coming back from the range.

Nowadays, I don't risk it, as I've already had the cops called on me twice for not wearing a mask. Both times they've never showed. But I just keep thinking if I OC, and go maskless, someone's gonna SWAT me, and feel self righteous doing it.
 
Shootist43 said:
My take on open carry. You are open carrying and walking down the street. Approaching you is a yuppie type with his little girl, about 5 or 6. The issue of guns, of any type or kind, open or concealed is not on his radar. It's just not something he thinks about. It is not part of his experience or thoughts. He does not vote on 2A issues but does on other issues. As they pass you his little girl looks up at him and asks "Daddy, is that man going to shoot me?" Well now friend, the whole issue is on his radar and in his thoughts. And now he is clearly anti gun because you have frightened his little girl. And now he will vote anti gun whenever he gets the chance. And he'll tell all his friends and neighbors about how his little baby was scared by the bad man with a gun.
Is this what you want? Do you want to take the chance of producing an anti gun person out of a "don't care about guns" person. How has that served what you want? Can you open carry? Sure, but why would you want to?
Click to expand...
While I agree concealed is better for me, one of the reasons I believe it would be good for open carry, en masse, is for city slickers (oops, is that not proper now?) and ambivalent folks to become acclimated (and comfortable) to seeing it, as they do in western states. Any little girl or boy should not be alarmed at the sight of a firearm. And, they should be educated about such things, that it is the person's intent rather than the item itself that must be discerned. A child that would believe a person wearing a firearm may "shoot me" might also believe a law enforcement person would shoot them as well. (And too bad so many LE types are against OC). Sorta like believing in God but not saying anything about it so as not to give offense; one can believe in the second amendment but should not show it or speak of it cuz the ignorant might be spooked? I'd say the better path is to not be fearful to show (and inform) as to what is a right. Teach em young. To not touch that thing without permission! And how to function well with it given permission or necessity. Just like the 1st A, we have lost and are continuing to lose that right because we are being conditioned to self censor ourselves by those who do not appreciate/agree with our views and the wussified society that falsely believes that they are more "proper" or "holy" to speak only in majority acceptable (dictated?) verbs. And if they don't then Government will do it for them, or the "mods" on any forum you are on will accomplish it for you (all). Many children in the "hood" are not frightened by firearms, it is something they see and grow up with as a matter of course. Yuppies, children, men, women, those for and against need to realize the best citizens America has are the ones who exercise their (here is is again) GOD GIVEN & CONSTITUTION PROTECTED RIGHTS. Hey Uncle, our Constitution does not need a disclaimer or warning to be read!!

Free speech in Speech class.
Firearms instruction, if not compulsory then at a minimum an elective in high school, perhaps before.
I'm proud to be an American.
 
C. Sumpin said:
1) While I agree concealed is better for me, one of the reasons I believe it would be good for open carry, en masse, is for city slickers (oops, is that not proper now?) and ambivalent folks to become acclimated (and comfortable) to seeing it, as they do in western states.
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C. Sumpin said:
2 &3) Any little girl or boy should not be alarmed at the sight of a firearm. And, they should be educated about such things, that it is the person's intent rather than the item itself that must be discerned. A child that would believe a person wearing a firearm may "shoot me" might also believe a law enforcement person would shoot them as well.
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1) you cannot compare one part of the country to another. what works in the "western states" is maybe perhaps from the days of the "old west".

2) yeah, but a cop is in uniform, a citizen is not. and how many cops just go and "shoot someone randomly", over say a thug"?


3) the parent(s) would be responsible for the child to be educated, but how many non-gun owning parents even consider this teaching?
 
I have run into several people open carrying in big box stores . When I asked them why their response was "because I can". One guy advised he did have a concealed license. When I suggested he would be a bad guys first target, he advised, "My wife has a concealed permit and would shoot him". I truly believe the majority of people who open carry here in Michigan are only doing it to draw attention to themselves or to instigate a confrontation. Getting a Concealed Carry License is relatively easy as long as you have not been convicted of a misdemeanor or worse. Open carrying while hunting is a different matter. Just my 2 cents. ;)
 
Peak concealed carry
 

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My CC license is the US constitution.

As for open carry, while I do not do it in public I certainly have no issue with other people doing it if they want to. As Susquash said, I think most of them are carrying openly to draw attention to themselves for some reason or they are naive enough to think it will deter someone from effing with them. My personal opinion is I don't want anyone to know I am armed. If they know, I'm doing it wrong.
 
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