Open Carry

[HemiEd]

My last two trips to our little town of Branson West resulted in seeing private citizens with a pistol holstered.

I was right behind one in line at the bank and the other one came in to shoot the shit with the barber cutting my hair. The only thing holding the second guys gun in the holster was gravity, no strap.

I am pro gun and all for peoples rights, but why? Why does someone feel they need to be packing heat while running errands?

It makes me pretty uncomfortable to say the least. Is this person stable enough to packing heat? Is he or she sober? Are they worried about a jealous lover or spouse gunning them down? Is there going to be a shootout?

What is your opinion? Are we all going to have to be packing soon? Are we going to regress to 200 years ago, like the wild west?

Who vetted this person to have this weapon in public?

[Womble]

Muricuh!!

[Bwana]

It really boils down to what the laws are in any given state. I'm not sure it is allowed in a bank. I was under the impression that it was pretty much a no no. (A federal entity)

If I carry in a city environment, I conceal, I don't open carry. If I'm in grizzly country, I have my .500 S&W and I have a chest holster for that. That would not be an easy gun to conceal. As far as I'm concerned, open carry pretty much makes you a target in a city environment, in a dicey situation.

[Trivers]

This will head over to DC pretty quickly.

I never understood people who open carry in an urban environment. Or the people who open carrying AR-15s. Just asking for trouble.

If you are concerned about these people, you may be traumatized by the many responsible citizens that conceal carry.

I conceal carry. Always...even when running to get milk. You never know when you may have to protect yourself...and the ones you love. If you have bad intent, and wish to cause deadly harm, I want the advantage of you not knowing who may be carrying.

[blake5676]

I would venture to guess there’s quite a lot more people carrying around me than I would ever actually think. Especially in a mid western state like Missouri. I’m admittedly not a gun guy. Honestly, they make me nervous but mostly just because I’m not familiar with them, didn’t grow up in a family that owned them and I’m aware of their lethality. Combo that with the fact that people are mentally unstable and guns just overall make me slightly uneasy.

That being said, I’m also aware the vast majority of gun owners and certainly the concealed carry type are insanely responsible with firearms and take gun safety extremely seriously.

To the OP’s point, I was in line at a Chipolte a few years back. Restaurant was busy, line was long and there was some douchey redneck kid in front of me with his GF that had his gun on his hip with his tshirt untucked everywhere but the gun side where it was tucked behind so the world could see it. He looked about 16 but I imagine he was maybe a bit older. He was clearly making a point to let everyone SEE his gun and was generally just acting like a teenage turd. It made plenty of people around uncomfortable, clearly.

So if there a way to keep loser kids from making everyone around them uncomfortable, I’m all for that law. Otherwise I’m just going to keep going with the ignorance is bliss mindset that if people around me in public are carrying, they’re the type of people I WANT to be armed.

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by HemiEd

I am pro gun and all for peoples rights, but why? Why does someone feel they need to be packing heat while running errands?

It makes me pretty uncomfortable to say the least.

Not to be insulting but that's a you problem.

Not some, but most people shouldn't be driving. They don't know the rules of the road, they don't pay attention, and most people are driving while on their cell phones. Fatal car crashes happen all the time.

None of those people could save your life in a violent situation. The person with a firearm can. The gun is a tool. If you're scared of it, to a degree, you should be. You shouldn't start shit with other people. You shouldn't cut people off or cuss people out. What people don't understand is the person that really wants to kill you will. Period. There's very little you can do about it. Everything in your environment is a weapon and can be used to kill you.

No one has the right to limit someone else's freedoms. When people choose bad behavior they take themselves out of those freedoms. We don't need less guns - we need more. People need to understand that they aren't safe and there is no safety - it's an illusion that people are addicted to. You are responsible for protecting yourself and the people you care about. No one else.

[493rd]

I used to carry often when I’d be out and about, especially if I knew I’d be eating in a restaurant. But my firearm was always concealed so it’s not the same. I think there’s likely a contingent of open carry clowns who think they’re bad asses showing their guns to people. You’re not wrong to question things.

[kysirsoze]

Originally Posted by Rausch

No one has the right to limit someone else's freedoms.

This is literally what every single law does.

[BleedingRed]

Originally Posted by kysirsoze

This is literally what every single law does.

Limit my free speech right now you dyke bitch I dare you

[Megatron96]

Originally Posted by kysirsoze

This is literally what every single law does.

Which is why he said specifically "No one," as in no person. He didn't mention "the law."


Hopefully you can parse the difference.




Anywho, here in AZ I see people open carry fairly consistently. Maybe at least once or twice a week, more often depending on where exactly I might be in AZ. I only open carry in the woods.


I was of the understanding that carrying inside a bank wasn't legal.

As for why I would when running errands, well, unfortunately, I don't have the BG's schedule; if you do, please send me a copy. Otherwise, I have to go on the knowledge that bad shit can happen at any time/anywhere.

Kind of how I don't know if I'm going to get in a car wreck today or any day, but I put on my seatbelt every time I start in the truck.

Or why I have a first aid kit in the truck no matter what.

Or why I put on a belt when I put on my pants. It's common sense.

[DaFace]

People who open carry are just as guilty of virtue signaling as people who march in Pride parades. That amuses me.

[Wisconsin_Chief]

With the state the world is currently in, I don’t blame anyone who wants to open carry. Sure, you could just conceal, but if it’s out in the open the heathens are a lot less likely to start any shit. I would never personally do it, but I totally understand why someone would. Definitely should at least have a strap though, that seems a little far just letting it dangle.

[kysirsoze]

Originally Posted by Megatron96

Which is why he said specifically "No one," as in no person. He didn't mention "the law."


Hopefully you can parse the difference.




Anywho, here in AZ I see people open carry fairly consistently. Maybe at least once or twice a week, more often depending on where exactly I might be in AZ. I only open carry in the woods.


I was of the understanding that carrying inside a bank wasn't legal.

As for why I would when running errands, well, unfortunately, I don't have the BG's schedule; if you do, please send me a copy. Otherwise, I have to go on the knowledge that bad shit can happen at any time/anywhere.

Kind of how I don't know if I'm going to get in a car wreck today or any day, but I put on my seatbelt every time I start in the truck.

Or why I have a first aid kit in the truck no matter what.

Or why I put on a belt when I put on my pants. It's common sense.

I suppose laws write themselves.

[Rainbarrel]

Not all situations are equal. Football players don't wear cups

[Why Not?]

Yeah, living in Arizona for so many years got me pretty used to seeing open carry. It always actually gave me a sense of security for a few reasons

1. Obviously nothing is certain but the pistol in his side holster guy is probably not the guy you need to be worried about shooting up a place. To be fair, I never saw anyone open carry an assault rifle or whatever.

2. Most mass/public shooters are cowards. Especially the “I want to still be alive at the end of my mayhem” types. They have multiple targets to choose from. Why even bother with a situation where someone on site can shoot back? It’s kinda like a radio interview I heard years ago with a reformed house robber who was giving people tips on how to make their home more safe. He said the number one thing he avoided was houses with a dog. Hell, even a “beware of dog” sign chased him off. His thinking was that there are so many homes without dogs, why risk an attack or the loud noises of a dog. Same basic thought here. If a loony sees another person who is armed and can ruin their 15 minutes, why risk it?

3. If point #2 fails, open carry guy is probably getting shot first which can give others a few extra seconds to get away or mount their own counter attack.