Why I don't like people that open carry...

[Riot]

Yes, it's another one of those posts folks...one that will probably get people all pissed off again and wonder if I'm actually FOR gun rights.

So here it is, I'm against people that carry their firearms openly. Whether it is for protection, protest, or just to get people to accept firearms as a whole, I just plain don't like people to do it.

Now, lets get to the WHY I don't like it when Joe Blow carries his/her firearm out in the open. When you carry concealed, you have a main element on your side; the element of surprise. If the bad guy doesn't know you are carrying, this is a good thing people. The less that the bad guy knows about what you have, the better. Keeping your firearm out in the open is an invitation for the bad guy to come up, disarm you and use your firearm against you.

Now, I know what you may be thinking...."police officers wear their firearms out on their hip in the open, so why can't I?"

Well let me tell you why....LEOs wear Level II+ holsters and train EXTENSIVELY in weapons retention. Joe Blow doesn't...and until he does, I will not be for him open carrying.

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[Izzy]

Cry me a river.

 

[Trlsmn]

Given the scenario of a person with a concealed gun and a person with a visible gun the criminal will chose the concealed every time, criminals look for the weakest victim. Criminals are not the brave tough bad guys in the movies they are opportunist cowards.

 

[TonsOfOregonBrass]

Given the scenario of a person with a concealed gun and a person with a visible gun the criminal will chose the concealed every time, criminals look for the weakest victim. Criminals are not the brave tough bad guys in the movies they are opportunist cowards.

+1.

I have never heard of a recent crime against a person open carrying. (police officers excluded)

There are plenty of crimes against people who do not have weapons, and people who are hiding there weapon.

The liberal media would all over the story of a person carrying a gun that was targeted because of it.

 

[M.Link]

I agree with trlsmn. If I was going to take on someone, I sure as h**l wouldn't try someone with a gun!

 

[raftman]

That's a pretty often-used argument against open carry. I don't open carry ever and concealed carry all the time so I do agree that open carry is probably not the way to go.

But one argument people do make for open carry is that it serves a deterrent. I guess to play devil's advocate... If someone who wants to attack someone else, and that someone else isn't openly carrying, the attacker knows that the odds are that would-be victim isn't carrying. It's simple statistics, the vast majority of the population doesn't carry and assuming random selection, it's more likely the would-be victim is unarmed rather than carrying a pistol concealed. But furthermore, I suspect many criminals are perhaps somewhat adept at picking out victims that are even less likely to be armed than the general population. In contrast, when the attacker sees the would-be victim has a gun, he knows for 100% certain the victim is armed, and would likely prefer a softer target. It's been said many times before but criminals, much like water, prefer the path of least resistance. For example, this is why the vast majority of robbers prefer to target houses that they know are unoccupied as opposed to houses they know for certain are occupied. Because the likelihood of getting shot, stabbed, beaten, or otherwise thwarted is that much greater when someone is home to do those things.

That said, I still don't open carry because I think there are a number of big downsides to it. For example, if you're open-carrying, and you're with at least one other person, a would be attacker that does happen to be brazen enough to carry out a surprise attack will know who to target first.

Furthermore, if you're openly armed, it may be more likely that an attacker would use a surprise attack. If you're carrying concealed, the attacker may assume you're unarmed and may act accordingly. That does give you the element of surprise, instead of forcing the attacker to use the element of surprise.

Another downside is potentially getting hassled over it and possibly even causing panic. In places like central and eastern Oregon, the vibe I pick up is that I probably could go about with a pistol at my side in the small towns and most will think nothing of it. In fact I once walked right past a man who was walking in the opposite direction and carrying a rifle in just such a place. I said ,"Hi" he said "Hello" and we each went on our own way. But in places like Portland, Hillsboro, and the like, it would probably be a matter of minutes before police are alerted about a man walking around with a gun. Even if you're not doing anything illegal, it's still likely going to be a big hassle establishing that.

 

[ak56]

:drink:

 

[Mutoman]

+1.

I have never heard of a recent crime against a person open carrying. (police officers excluded)

The liberal media would all over the story of a person carrying a gun that was targeted because of it.

Oh man, that would be the story of the year!

However, there may be low occurrences of incident simply because there are not a lot of people, besides LEO's, who open-carry in our country.

Personally, I usually only open-carry when hiking, camping, hunting, fishing, etc., I very rarely open-carry in general public. I guess I'm just not comfortable doing so because of the way some people feel about guns. I know that's hypocritical when considering I would like more people to feel comfortable around guns. The more of us who actually open-carried would perhaps train more people to be comfortable seeing guns in the open.

I am trying to increase my open-carry time; however, I only do so when I am sure the situation is personally appropriate. I have had a lot of conversations with people in my neighborhood when open-carrying my pistol, most of the time they don't even mention the gun. Maybe they are getting used to it.

 

[Izzy]

I'm 6'2" 250 Lbs. & have a 44 mag. on my hip. Am I a taget?

 

[Mutoman]

I'm 6'2" 250 Lbs. & have a 44 mag. on my hip. Am I a taget?

More of a target that a guy who is 6'2 125 lbs.

 

[Izzy]

Hey!!

 

[Trlsmn]

I'm 6'2" 250 Lbs. & have a 44 mag. on my hip. Am I a taget?

The only way you would make a good target is with an RPG!

 

[Izzy]

4 or 5 people with side arms in a public place makes for a very polite crowd.

 

[clearconscience]

I'm 6'2" 250 Lbs. & have a 44 mag. on my hip. Am I a taget?

Taget???
You from Boston? LOL.

I think this is a personal view. I can't tell someone else not to do something.

I wish I could do both. Have it concealed, but not get busted if you can see it under my shirt or if I removed my jacket in a restaurant, etc.

I read a story of two escape convicts breaking into a house and stealing a rifle, they went to rob the neighbor and saw he was mowing the lawn with a sidearm on, they shot him from the bushes 100 yards away. He was dead before he knew it. Then they went in and killed his wife, stole his vehicle, etc.

So after that I wouldn't want to open carry in public, However, I do prefer open carry when hiking/fishing/hunting/etc.

 

[Izzy]

Oakridge Oregon.

 

[theLEMband]

Taget???
You from Boston? LOL.

I think this is a personal view. I can't tell someone else not to do something.

I wish I could do both. Have it concealed, but not get busted if you can see it under my shirt or if I removed my jacket in a restaurant, etc.

I read a story of two escape convicts breaking into a house and stealing a rifle, they went to rob the neighbor and saw he was mowing the lawn with a sidearm on, they shot him from the bushes 100 yards away. He was dead before he knew it. Then they went in and killed his wife, stole his vehicle, etc.

Take off his sidearm and the story would probably have the same ending.

 

[clearconscience]

Take off his sidearm and the story would probably have the same ending.

I can't argue with that. And IZZY I wasn't pokin fun. I went to Boston a couple years ago and love the accents. I love that city, but would hate to live there.

 

[swoop]

Keep mine under cover..don't have anything pretty enough to show off.

 

[Trlsmn]

Take off his sidearm and the story would probably have the same ending.

Exactly!

 

[whphel]

If responsible gun owners were not so worried about people FREEKING out about guns I bet many more would carry open. In washington we can and if it were common place I would the problem is the anti gun FREAK. When I notice a person carying I think cool another 2nd amendment guy exercising his wright to do so and have no fear of that person. All this comes down to is fear and many people out there are afraid of guns and don understand that if you or I were standing there and they were in harms way we would step in and help.

Thats all for now!