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Something to consider with the "Other people are oblivious to their surroundings / lack of situational awareness of others" in regards to being noticed while open carrying is :

You are now relying ( in part ) on the actions of others , to go your way / have things work out for your desired outcome , etc...
That just ain't the case all the time.

Please note that :
I am not for or against open carrying....carry as you wish , carry in the way that works best for your situation.
Nor am I saying that many , if not most folks go throughout their day not seeing what goes on around them.

I am just saying that relying / expecting things to go a certain way , may not always work out the way you want.
It may be best to control as much as you can in regards to how you carry your firearm.
Andy
 
Something to consider with the "Other people are oblivious to their surroundings / lack of situational awareness of others" in regards to being noticed while open carrying is :

You are now relying ( in part ) on the actions of others , to go your way / have things work out for your desired outcome , etc...
That just ain't the case all the time.

Please note that :
I am not for or against open carrying....carry as you wish , carry in the way that works best for your situation.
Nor am I saying that many , if not most folks go throughout their day not seeing what goes on around them.

I am just saying that relying / expecting things to go a certain way , may not always work out the way you want.
It may be best to control as much as you can in regards to how you carry your firearm.
Andy
This is why even when it is legal, I will never open carry. Better to appear harmless and be disregarded than giving away the advantage of surprise.
 
This is why even when it is legal, I will never open carry. Better to appear harmless and be disregarded than giving away the advantage of surprise.
I can't argue with that logic. I hardly carry concealed around town, but open carry when we do a day in the forest, or fishing, if were going to be where nasties may/could be.
 
I can't argue with that logic. I hardly carry concealed around town, but open carry when we do a day in the forest, or fishing, if were going to be where nasties may/could be.
I do that as well, I probably should have clarified on that. I just cannot imagine why anyone would open carry in public, much less without a level 3 retention holster and a damn good reason. Open carry makes you stand out, even if you don't realize it. I carry concealed for professional reasons, when I see open carriers my attention is diverted to them as a potential threat, either because it's such an asinine cry for attention or because something else is amiss about those individuals at first glance. Usually, amiss is a poor holster choice and a cheap gun, or sloppy general appearance.
 
I do that as well, I probably should have clarified on that. I just cannot imagine why anyone would open carry in public, much less without a level 3 retention holster and a damn good reason. Open carry makes you stand out, even if you don't realize it. I carry concealed for professional reasons, when I see open carriers my attention is diverted to them as a potential threat, either because it's such an asinine cry for attention or because something else is amiss about those individuals at first glance. Usually, amiss is a poor holster choice and a cheap gun, or sloppy general appearance.
Some pretty broad brush strokes there. Here's a novel thought, carry how you want and let others do the same without judgement. Everyone's circumstances and thought process is different.
 
Some pretty broad brush strokes there. Here's a novel thought, carry how you want and let others do the same without judgement. Everyone's circumstances and thought process is different.
Threat assessment is a standard part of my particular job, not to mention it plays a part in every single person's thought process when that person is concerned about their or another person's safety. Not one single person who carries can tell me they don't size up a room when they enter it, if they are aware or their surroundings. Judgement is often a part of threat assessment. If you want to avoid judgement, be the gray man and blend in. Otherwise, you will always be a part of someone's threat assessment.

Personally, I'd rather every potential threat open carry, makes it far easier to determine who is a potential threat and who isn't. Doesn't mean you don't respect that person's right, of course all of us should value that right, but it also doesn't mean you immediately see that person as a non-threat.
 
Threat assessment is a standard part of my particular job, not to mention it plays a part in every single person's thought process when that person is concerned about their or another person's safety. Not one single person who carries can tell me they don't size up a room when they enter it, if they are aware or their surroundings. Judgement is often a part of threat assessment. If you want to avoid judgement, be the gray man and blend in. Otherwise, you will always be a part of someone's threat assessment.

Personally, I'd rather every potential threat open carry, makes it far easier to determine who is a potential threat and who isn't. Doesn't mean you don't respect that person's right, of course all of us should value that right, but it also doesn't mean you immediately see that person as a non-threat.

No I get it, and agree to some extent, but I wouldn't look down on someone who sees things differently, or assume it's a "cry for attention". There are lots of reasons people could be OCing. Maybe it's the only legal option for them because they are from out of state. Maybe they won't submit to the infringement of having to have a permit. Maybe they are LE. Maybe they normally CC, but got hot and took off their secret squirrel fishing vest.
 
No I get it, and agree to some extent, but I wouldn't look down on someone who sees things differently, or assume it's a "cry for attention". There are lots of reasons people could be OCing. Maybe it's the only legal option for them because they are from out of state. Maybe they won't submit to the infringement of having to have a permit. Maybe they are LE. Maybe they normally CC, but got hot and took off their secret squirrel fishing vest.
Generally I agree with you, that's where sound judgement becomes a factor. Some people who peacock in public while carrying a firearm give themselves away as looking for attention, either positive or negative.
 
It seems like every time I hear about how dangerous open carry is I never hear statistics. I hear anecdotes and people guessing. Some may be well educated guesses but at the end of the day, I have seen no proof.
 
I do that as well, I probably should have clarified on that. I just cannot imagine why anyone would open carry in public, much less without a level 3 retention holster and a damn good reason. Open carry makes you stand out, even if you don't realize it. I carry concealed for professional reasons, when I see open carriers my attention is diverted to them as a potential threat, either because it's such an asinine cry for attention or because something else is amiss about those individuals at first glance. Usually, amiss is a poor holster choice and a cheap gun, or sloppy general appearance.
Living in the city, VS out in the country, can be like night and day. You being close to the capitol of "Karen" is vastly different than if you were in rural places in Idaho. And I presume there's still places in rural Oregon too that open carry isn't given so much as an extra glance. I wouldn't disagree with you as far as open carry in the Willamette Valley goes. Or even Bend may get you in a spot with the Po-leece there.
 
The irony in all of this is I wear fitted clothes and my waist has grown over the last year.

So, even that I conceal carry around here 100% of the time, I am often printing, but it appears the majority are completely clueless on what that outline at my side is.
 
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That is absolutely incredible. Living in Portland, idk what that feels like for the most part. I open carry out in the forest while shooting, obviously, but that's the extent of freedom I've experienced in that regard. I believe in bend you can open carry as well, but I rarely go there and.i could be wrong, need to look into that a bit more. But I'm sure you'd get some looks and frightened people.
 
In Claremont CA there is a cluster of 5 universities... We used to go to "Day On The Green" type free open air rock concerts. This was late '60s and early '70s. People would drop acid and run around naked.... what's up with that?
I'll be back there for a few day shortly. I'll keep an eye out for any baked nikkid college students.
I went to some of those. I was like 12, 13.
I lived in that place when I was 12 or 13...and never had the experience @bbbass detailed, sadly :cool:

The Claremont School of Theology now has a campus in Salem, yes Oregon. I'll keep an eye out here as well.
 
For some reason, I keep getting this vision in my minds eye of the OP skipping and twirling around, singing look at me, look at me I've got a gun neneer neneer, neneer. I'm not trying to be mean, I just don't understand why "my first open carry" is a big thing.
 
I lived in that place when I was 12 or 13...and never had the experience @bbbass detailed, sadly :cool:

The Claremont School of Theology now has a campus in Salem, yes Oregon. I'll keep an eye out here as well.
You didn't miss out on anything... they were all guys. Not like at Woodstock.

My wife still talks about all the hippies running around naked up in the mountains during the filming of "Paint Your Wagon". She was living in a wall tent while her ex was logging.
 

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