Debating on open carry

[Silver Hand]

1970s fishing on the Elk River Or. I was on the other side of the river from a man with an exposed fire arm, he threatened to shoot me [we were catching the fish he wasn't]. I was with two elderly friends nearing there 70s and they were shaken.
I told the man you better be fast and accurate, some people shoot back. He never said another word.

Never producing my weapon at the time a Mod66 S&W that I fired almost every day for twenty five or more rounds.

The old guys asked if I really had the gun, having fished and spent time with them for about three years. I rolled my jacket back and said every day.
Silver Hand

 

[Howard1955]

A quick google search turned up these images:





I kinda like that. Might give it a try myself.

 

[Blowgunner]

A quick google search turned up these images:

View attachment 349547

View attachment 349548

I kinda like that. Might give it a try myself.

That's a great rig. I'm not opposed to a good vest either.
That may do the trick right there. Plus keeps that 46oz of my belt haha.

 

[Howard1955]

Since you like single action revolvers, this kind of thing might interest you:



Cochise Leather Company

 

[galvweld]

So much great advice and wisdom. I too have made 66 trips around the sun. Lived in Wyoming and saw handguns on cowboys side in bars. Real cowboys.Really polite place. Interior Alaska in the mid 70's I realized a gun hidden under layers of clothing was just added weight. Only quick access in bear country made sense. Some villages didn't welcome whites due to past offenses or villager alcohol consumption. Back in those days employees for some companies were not prevented from carrying. Six years in Atlanta taught me to conceal and be aware guns were part of the culture. Living around U of O now I conceal. My rambling has a point! It took me time to discover ideal gun and conceal holster. Some days I carry five shot hammerless S&W light weight.38. When clothing allows my favorite today is S&W MP compact 9mm with Crimson trace. Have carried Colt Officers in .45 on my hip and .44 magnum Smith in shoulder holster. I finally discovered my most favorites in holster design, comfort, ease of access, and customer service. Who makes a better or more serviceable holster? What is favorite carry position?

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

i prefer concealed but would still carry if open was my only option... when i go hunt in eastern oregon i open carry... when i go into town i leave my gun in the car or conceal it before going into the store. the town i go to sees soo many hunters/new faces during hunting season that i dont wanna send the wrong impression and just assume its ok to open carry into their store/respect the owners property. they may be fine with it or not... idk thats just what i do.

 

[bbbass]

Open carry in town is unusual around here, but it's just fine, nobody cares, except for those snowflake college students from elsewhere.

Open carry is/was very popular in Prescott AZ.

This is nice:

 

[Silver Hand]

Open carry in town is unusual around here, but it's just fine, nobody cares, except for those snowflake college students from elsewhere.

Open carry is/was very popular in Prescott AZ.

This is nice:
View attachment 349565

1960s / My first revolver was a top brake .38 S&W cartridge. Got it for doing some work on Andy's Farm, up in Andes NY.
Silver Hand

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

The "making yourself a target" is a bunk arguement if you maintain situational awareness.

 

[Silver Hand]

Wow - what a world we live in. This was the farm and it hasn't changed, although they were once green fields and the front of the house has been added on to. I shot many ground hogs or wood chucks from the top of that barn.

Google Maps

Silver Hand

 

[Certaindeaf]

The "making yourself a target" is a bunk arguement if you maintain situational awareness.

right

 

[Member 5605]

I OC more than I CC.

I'm impartial to either.

 

[11Charlie]

Wow - what a world we live in. This was the farm and it hasn't changed, although they were once green fields and the front of the house has been added on to. I shot many grounds from the top of that barn.

Google Maps

Silver Hand

That's a cool looking old farm! reminds me of my grandparents farm back in Kansas. Used to love going out there and listening to my dad and grandpa tell stories.

 

[solman]

very seldom. if im coming back from a hike, hunt or similar, using a revolver. usual carry is a bodyguard 380.
one, why telegraph your weapon? makes you a target.
two. look at all the wackos on the left walking around 'look at me' ect in public, with no care as to who they offend. i do know some folks who are neutral as to gun rights who may be made uncomfortable seeing a open carry. im not saying not to do it. i have respect for others for whatever reason in a public place.

 

[bbbass]

Wow - what a world we live in. This was the farm and it hasn't changed, although they were once green fields and the front of the house has been added on to. I shot many grounds from the top of that barn.

Google Maps

Silver Hand

Nice! I remember visiting places like that when I was a young kid. Had a bunch of relatives in upstate N.Y. and in Connecticut.

 

[dmyck1]

I cc single action revolvers. I know, a single action isn't the ultimate self defense carry. I just prefer them. Now with that out of the way, I've been debating on getting a shoulder rig, and open carrying them. Not to make a statement, not to be cool, but because it makes sense to me. I had an incident the other day while hiking. Had to draw under pressure, and while I got it out and on target relatively quick for being concealed, I feel it wasn't fast enough.
So here is my question for you guys. How do you think people would react to that? I've watched people walk through the grocery store with a glock on their hip only to have other people avoid them. However, Ive had my wife's friends who are very liberal see my revolver on my hip and make a comments about it, sometimes a joke like calling me Wyatt Earp or Wild Bill, or sometimes something positive about the look of the pistol and rig.
So, I'm a little unsure how this would come across in public. Typically I don't care what people think about me or what I do, but I also don't want to be grouped into the same boat as the ding dongs that make some of us look bad.
Now, not to turn this into a fashion deal, I'm a blue collar power equipment tech, so usually day to day im just in jeans, a flannel or other button up shirt, and my work boots. I'll sub a button up short sleeve shirt in the summer. If I'm going out with my wife, it's just nicer versions of the same things haha. What I'm getting at is, aside from a few tattoos, and being a little brown , I'm not a threatening looking dude haha.

What do you guys think? Bad idea to open carry?

I love the Colt Single Action Army revolver, They are hands down my favorites. I own ten of them. I briefly carried one concealed but realized it was really not my best option, they are very slow, you have to manually cock it every shot. What happens if you get in a prolonged situation and have to reload? It's a hell of a lot faster to drop and slam another magazine in the weapon. Now I have a winter and a summer carry gun. Winter carry, CZ-75D PCR (Police CzeCH. Republic) with a sixteen round magazine. Summer carry, Kimber MIcro 9, easy to conceal. Whether concealed or open carry the single action is just too slow.

 

[Certaindeaf]

.What happens if you get in a prolonged situation and have to reload?.

You hide behind your horse and reload. duh

 

[STEELE]

I cc single action revolvers. I know, a single action isn't the ultimate self defense carry. I just prefer them. Now with that out of the way, I've been debating on getting a shoulder rig, and open carrying them. Not to make a statement, not to be cool, but because it makes sense to me. I had an incident the other day while hiking. Had to draw under pressure, and while I got it out and on target relatively quick for being concealed, I feel it wasn't fast enough.
So here is my question for you guys. How do you think people would react to that? I've watched people walk through the grocery store with a glock on their hip only to have other people avoid them. However, Ive had my wife's friends who are very liberal see my revolver on my hip and make a comments about it, sometimes a joke like calling me Wyatt Earp or Wild Bill, or sometimes something positive about the look of the pistol and rig.
So, I'm a little unsure how this would come across in public. Typically I don't care what people think about me or what I do, but I also don't want to be grouped into the same boat as the ding dongs that make some of us look bad.
Now, not to turn this into a fashion deal, I'm a blue collar power equipment tech, so usually day to day im just in jeans, a flannel or other button up shirt, and my work boots. I'll sub a button up short sleeve shirt in the summer. If I'm going out with my wife, it's just nicer versions of the same things haha. What I'm getting at is, aside from a few tattoos, and being a little brown , I'm not a threatening looking dude haha.

What do you guys think? Bad idea to open carry?

Stealth and surprise wins wars. I want to be the least of the many targets in my local mall. Concealed gives you the option of thinking, planning and properly reacting. OC puts you in the spotlight. Think of it this way: (Example) A Navy Seal comes thru the surf with floodlights, gawkers and armed to the teeth. A Delta Force trooper slides thru the dark behind cover and very quietly. Which will get the attention? As for hiking, I don't want the bears to know what I'm carrying so I can surprise them as well!

 

[Xaevian]

WOW there aren't any open carry proponents on here any more?
Or they just don't want to argue the good points y'all have made? I remember a few years ago this kind of thread would have had half of the post voting for OC stating you'll lose the right if you don't!
For me OC in town is silly unless you are a cop. I agree that you would be the first target of a bad guy ifin a robbery was about to go down. But when I left town I usually open carried. Maybe a coat over it in cooler months. Even in Sequim I didn't open carry much.
But I have never had any bad experiences out in the wood hiking ,open carrying. Heck here it very common,even with older women out horse back riding.
I don't carry much in town anyway,but for hunting and woods carry I had a tank rig made. It's not a real shoulder rig but carries like one. You may look at Double D holsters also.
They make some nice chest rigs for most any handgun,large or small.
My tanker rig hangs on the side and can be covered easily if you feel it necessary,whereas the DD is right in the middle of your chest. So I guess you could cover it with your binocs
Diamond D Custom Leather, Home of the Alaskan Guide's Choice™ Holster
Here's the google page for a tanker holster. They were originally made for a 1911 but you could have one made for your single action. I prefer these to the double 'd' and the regular shoulder rigs
tanker holster - Google Search

I have tanker rigs, cuz I was a tanker. Both the 1911 and the M9 holsters. I still have them both. I like the leather 1911 holster much better, but it doesn't fit my full size double stack 9mm as well. The actual issued 1911 I didn't care for so much. Well, I didn't like it at all.

 

[Ura-Ki]

Here in most of the south central western states, Open Carry is a way of life, despite the big cities that have taken it upon them selves to try and ban O.C. we mostly just do it and have no problems. Most of the time I have mine on a drop leg holster Sort of Wild bunch style, or I have it in a shoulder rig, depending on the situation. Here, every one Open Carries and as such, no one ever says any thing about it. That said, I also believe in Concealed carry, and I do this when I need to go places that people might take offence at seeing a firearm on ones hip, like the county offices, or the Sheriff's office, or some of the state buildings I visit!
This last saterday, the wife and I were shopping at the local bulk food place and standing in line waiting to check out. A little girl of about 8 said a little too loudly "WOW, Hey Daddy look, that man has a Big 1911 on his hip" I turned around with a cockeyed grin, and with out skipping a beat, Daddy says "Yup, he sure is" and "That's One SWEET Pistol isn't it?" I smiled and thanked them for the compliment, surprised that the little girl even knew what a 1911 even was. I also saw Daddy had on a nice older Ruger Super BlackHawk which got a approving smile and nod from me. These are the kind of responses we normally have here with Open Carry, people are just used to it, and rarely think ant thing of it. Now if I were up in Denver or God Fornid, Bolder, this would have not ended well, some snowflake would have pitched a fit, called mommy who int urn would have called the cops! As many others have pointed out, there is a time and place for both methods of carry and as long as we have the right and the choice, I see no reason to not carry,ever!!!