I was in Lowe’s on Sat. A guy walks in with a pistol on his hip. It looked like a cheap gun with a 5” barrel. I live in SE Ga so it did not faze me. However, I did think to myself, “why carry openly”. He got in line in front of me. An old lady behind me said to me..”I pack but I don’t advertise”. She went on to say he would be no good if a mass shooter presented himself as he would be targeted first. She then proceeded to say he must lack confidence. It made me chuckle especially as she was pretty old (70’s).
Do others share the old ladies sentiment? Personally, I don’t care and am not offended but I would not carry openly as I do agree with the lady about not advertising it.

Everyone loves to crap on open carriers, but I think it completely depends on context.

There's almost no situation where I don't like to see a well-mannered person visibly armed.

Open carry is very common here though. Then ones who are really put off by it are always crazy, and a little unhinged themselves.

quote:

Everyone loves to crap on open carriers, but I think it completely depends on context.

Yup.

Agree it depends on context. Alaska probably is one of the more open carry friendly places. Hell, even our hippies walk around strapped. Out in the woods, on the trail, never even give it a second thought. Downtown Anchorage? Probably more dangerous than hiking in the Kenai, but it's going to draw attention.

The other context is the context of the person. I still remember going to 3 Bears in Chugiak on day. 3 Bears is an Alaskan Institution; groceries, sporting goods, liquor store, etc. This one is just up the road from Birchwood Shooting Center, a large private range. Guy in line at the gun counter weighed at least 450#, dressed in all black tactical gear and openly carrying 4 handguns. Really dude?

I agree, context matters. But as a general rule, I agree with the old lady.

I was in a fast food chicken place for lunch and I live in an exceptionally low crime area (strong arm robbery and the like essentially zero). A 20 something was open carrying; I looked at him and he said it’s legal. I said I know but you should know if I were the bad guy you would be shot first, in the back and then I would take your gun.
Big facial expression change.

Out in the woods, always open carry. In other settings, concealed.

Concealed means concealed to me, I’m not a fan of advertising. Even if it’s legal. I get why some do, but it’s not for me.

Each to their own but it's not for me.
As long as he leaves it in his secure holster I don't really care. If he were to decide to handle it out in public, as a show off type, I might say something as that's the start of a problem.

I prefer to carry concealed, as it gives me an edge, so to speak and not giving anything away to anyone. If you can carry openly, I have no issue with that but whether you will be targeted first or not is debatable.

I tend to agree with the old lady, don’t advertise.
Living in an open carry state ( Arizona) if you want to carry that way it is your business. But the rigs I see people openly carrying in with only a couple exceptions are almost entirely unsound. A cheesy limp belt and crap 10 dollar nylon holster. If you are going to open carry at least use a decent belt and holster for god sakes!
Cheap guns in cheap holsters improperly supported by cheap belts seems to be the open carry standard here.

quote:

Originally posted by captain127:
I tend to agree with the old lady, don’t advertise.
Living in an open carry state ( Arizona) if you want to carry that way it is your business. But the rigs I see people openly carrying in with only a couple exceptions are almost entirely unsound. A cheesy limp belt and crap 10 dollar nylon holster. If you are going to open carry at least use a decent belt and holster for god sakes!
Cheap guns in cheap holsters improperly supported by cheap belts seems to be the open carry standard here.

That's the truth. A couple of memorable ones:

There was a guy at an art show we were at In South Dakota last year carrying a CZ75 in some kind of generic leather "gun bucket" type holster, zero retention, in a pretty crowded place. My son saw it and said "Hey dad, want a CZ?"

I did see a lot of open carry in Alaska, and for the most part it made sense and was pretty well executed with quality gear. I remember one touristy looking type in Talkeetna with an M&P at 6 O'Clock in an cheap nylon OWB rig that barely seemed to be hanging onto his belt with the snaps. Watching that guy I was less worried about him being the victim of a gun grab than I was about that thing just falling off on its own.

Ohio is open carry but it's very rare up here in the north of Ohio to see people open carrying.


I think it was some mall in NC near Fort Bragg when we were visiting my son that I saw a bunch of people open carrying.

Or maybe it was a mall in SC? I can't remember. We were there visiting and did run into SC to watch the eclipse.

I only open carry at work. But it's in a Safariland Duty Holster so no worries about someone trying to snatch it. lol

I open carry when we are horseback, hiking or around the farm but thats it. Any other time and its cincealed

Has there been a case where a BG/mass shooter just walked up to an open carrier (excluding cops) and took him out first? I'm not talking about Chicago, where thugs kill one another.

The following case is not a scenario asked above but illustrates something important. A few years ago, an open carrier who just slid his gun inside his back pocket, no holster, walked into a convenient store, and some BG saw it and easily snatched it out. Now, he gave chase after the BG and ended up getting killed with his own gun. Lesson number one, if you're going to oc, better have a secure holster and always be aware of your surrounding. Lesson number two, when you have no gun, do not chase after a BG with a one, even if it was yours.

I'll consider open carry when everybody else is. I'm of the "society is safer when criminals don't know who's armed" school of thought.

In TN since 2020 you can open carry with an "enhanced" permit (or the pre-2020 permit); there is a separate concealed carry permit. (Although the state adopted permitless carry in 2021, it is still useful, primarily for carrying out of state). But I almost never see anyone doing it. At the Walmart stores there are signs saying "We ask that you refrain from openly carrying a firearm."

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Originally posted by 92fstech:
I agree, context matters. But as a general rule, I agree with the old lady.

Context certainly matters. If I’m in Alaska, I understand the open carry bear scenario. Open carry at Lowe’s is not something I would do. I prefer to be anonymous and not seen in the unlikely event something happened. To each his own though.
Out of curiosity, how well placed a shot is needed to actually drop a grisly with a .44?
Any real life instances of it?

Yep, if you were just working out on the ranch and drove into town to get some stuff from the farm store, that's certainly different from the guy bummin' around town all day in shorts, sandals, a dirty t-shirt that's too small to cover your giant belly and a Glock flopping around in a cheap cordura holster, looking like a homeless guy. (describing a guy I saw in Maine)

Honestly every single open carry person I've ever seen, my first thought has always been "oooh, free gun." or "I could take that." Some of them in really crowed stores, where I also though "...and they probably wouldn't notice."

I already stand out, I wouldn't want to make it worse.

I don't open carry for the same reason I don't put gun and 2A bumper stickers on my car and "forget the dog..." signs in my front yard. Heck, I only wear gun t-shirts and hats when I am at a gun event. With that much advertising, its only a matter of time before someone bites. I have pretty much always lived in the suburb of cities so always a criminal element lurking down the road.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
Has there been a case where a BG/mass shooter just walked up to an open carrier (excluding cops) and took him out first? I'm not talking about Chicago, where thugs kill one another.

The Pulse night club shooting a few years back - the first person shot was a visibly armed security guard. Not exactly a cop, but cop adjacent.