Yea, I Open Carry.....Get over it already!

Over here in Michigan, all the police open carry. In fact, when the officer steps out of the car, it's usually one of the first things you see them with.

Another surprising thing: Most of the people in my area don't open carry, even when the idiots come up from Detroit, or down from Flint, to steal something. In a way, it's probably better for them, because the crooks around this area love to come up from behind with a loaded gun, and demand you turn everything over.

I will say this though - I've lived in and visited some rough neighborhoods down on the outskirts of Detroit, and never carried, nor did any of my friends. I also had to go shopping later at night almost every other day (11:00pm to sometimes 3:00am), and have ran into plenty of shady people, but haven't experienced any major problems. Bear in mind, this was in complete darkness, and usually, my hands were full.

You can lessen your odds of being a statistic without a gun (although if it makes you safer with one, disregard the first couple points) by:
1. Looking like you belong in the place you are in. For example, when I went out at night, I dressed like everyone else (torn jeans, hoodie with the hood up, bent posture - didn't sink to the "pants on the ground" trend though, and hands in pockets). In my area, a gun at the side either meant an undercover, or someone was from out of town (exception was rifles, as that usually meant hunters).

2. Not making a big scene, or flashing your wealth around. The only people that care about a new laptop in public are computer people, and crooks.

3. Look intimidating (aka, carry a big gun). This should do the trick in 99.999% of cases, but if you're caught off guard, then there's a chance that you'll injure someone else apart from the crook.

I say if you want to open carry, then go ahead; and if I see you do it, I'll bite my tongue, as your business isn't my business. Just please, if you do decide to play wild, wild, west with a crook, at least make sure all of us "non-weapon" people are out of the way first? I understand there may not be enough time to do so, but keep it in mind.

-fossilera

PS: If you note a certain bias, it's because the members in my family, who are (or were) in the armed services were taught that if they ever expose a weapon to someone, or considered pulling the weapon out, it wasn't for "threatening" or waving it around, but for killing. Therefore, those in my family that do carry carry concealed. It's weird, because they also will wait for police to show up, and I think only one of them to date has ever had to use one.

reply to post by fossilera


If I had to do all that to go to the store...I would rather live in the woods. In a hut. Eating dirt. People need to realise when you give the crooks, thugs and chance they take it. Each day we read of people being robbed in broad open daylight in good areas. Homes being invaded and families terrorized from it. Recently there was a news broadcast about a man in Texas who pulled from an open carry holster and stuck the gun barrell in the thugs mouth. If he would have to gone for a concealed weapon...the outcome may have been different. The thug would have then came totally out with his firearm and who knows what would have happened.

I was robbed at gunpoint after leaving a gun show in my state. They took, my money, my guns, my credit cards, and even my tools out the box on my truck. I had my home invaded by an armed intruder, loaded 12 gauge shotgun, with one in the chamber. Ever had these things happen to you? If you have never been a victim, then playing the victims advocate is impossible. I know my carrying open rubs some folks the wrong way. So be it. People wearing their pants around their ankles rubs men the wrong way, but I dont stop them and ask them why? People eating with their mouths open rubs me the wrong way too.... But I dont stop and ask them why they do? The reason I do not ask is that it's none of my business. Thanks for your post & Peace.

reply to post by OtherSideOfTheCoin


I find it sort of comical that you come into my thread with the attitude you did. All anti Open Carry and all. The reason I find it comical is that you authored a thread.....More Guns, Equal, Less Gun Crime: FACT!! About how more guns equal less crime. And you said you were'nt a shill, your words, not mine. As far as being a far superior human being comment I made. Do you even understand sarcasm. Peace be upon you my friend and lets hope you never say to yourself" damn I wish I had a gun about now".

reply to post by openyourmind1262


You should not apoligize sind TOSOTC attacked you first by basically questioning your manhood. The penis thing, remember.

Sounds like a pomposs remark to me.

Open carry doesn't faze me in the least, unless the person is acting strange.

reply to post by chiefsmom


That's what I was thinking. I have no desire to be a man, I also carry and feel safer when there are other guns around. Granted, I encounter bears on a regular basis. I am also alone in remote places with my kids regularly. I have encountered men who will stop when I am berry picking, and only move on when they notice my gun. When I was young and single, I also slept with a 12 gauge shotgun. Only one person ever tried anything stupid, after that I was the crazy girl who sleeps with a gun. Funny enough nobody ever tried anything stupid after that.

I think its fine. Az is all about it. I usually dont ask anything to anyone that has a gun though. I dont just walk up to them. I avoid them, I have nothing to say to them and I dont need to talk about their burner.

I love it when people open cary though, just to watch the cops and people around them get nervous Me not so much. I know that the person carrying that firearm, is licenced to do so after training to use it.

Most people take their training further as well. No just the course to get the license.

So Im cool with it, but I ant gunna ask you s##t because you coud be a nutter

I too open carry. Not always, it's around 35-40% of the time these days, but I do. I'm not afraid to, and fortunately living in Alaska our "gun laws" makes even Texas look like a Bloomberg paradise.

That much said here's some thoughts; partly in reply to our friend across the pond who made some rather disparaging remarks about our OP's reasons to OC, and partly for the OP to consider.

Whenever I carry a firearm openly, the mentality of responsibility and situational awareness I have when concealed carrying (CCing) is even greater. I know at any given point somebody, or multiple people, will see my firearm exposed.

The reality, in both concealed and open carry, is that almost every single person you see...does not notice. Even when open right on the hip, not hidden by anything. Most people aren't looking at your hips when walking, and more so, most people are so absorbed into their own thoughts that they never notice.

There are people who do notice, and most commonly they react the same way most people of the world do when confronted with something unusual: they keep on walking. Their day doesn't end beyond a raised eyebrow and maybe a verbal 'huh.'

Some people, very rarely, take real notice. But those observant people also take notice of your actions. The fact that whatever I might be doing at that moment, I am doing it just as normally as they would. I'm not acting "shifty" or unnaturally. I'm just going about my business. And that is where that observation ends: because I'm not doing anything unusual beyond open carrying....they just continue on with their own business.

Even rarer, and I mean truly rare, one out of maybe a hundred, will actually come up and talk to me. And out of those people...even fewer are the ones coming to remark about it in a negative way. Most of the time it's another carrier or a gun enthusiast OR a person who is considering carrying themselves, and so a friendly conversation is struck up.

For the incredibly rare instances I have encountered with a person reacting negatively - it's also been an opportunity to explain my reasoning and beliefs; and answer any questions they might have as rationally as I can. At this point I become an ambassador of defensive carry, and I will do this diligently as long as they are open to listening. If they just want to rant, ironically they become the extremist that they would make me out to be, and I move on.

The assumption that open carrying a firearm, or carrying one in general, is somehow about being macho, or insecure, is a fallacy. While it may very well be true for some people, the vast majority are simply doing it because they want the added protective options that a firearm gives them.

To say that we do this because we have small pensises, or are insecure, or want to intimidate or show off, is as childish and immature a statement as saying "anyone who insults someone on the internet is just a fat forty year old living in their parents' basement." It's a generalization that has almost no basis in reality, and only highlights your own immaturity.

The truth is, by opening carrying there is a chance, statistically provable or not, that it may deter an assault on myself or the place of business or residence I might be at. That is cheap insurance to have. It may not deter someone, and things may become intractable. In which case, I at least have an option other than ducking and hiding and hope the police don't take the average 15-20 minutes to respond. By carrying a firearm openly I have likely done a subtle service to the people around me, and in mine and many other ocers experience, done little to nothing in terms of a negative impact to the people around me.

It's opened up opportunities to spread the value of conceal and open carry to people curious enough to ask, and has potentially made my life safer, for myself and my daughter. There is no tangible negative to doing this, beyond the hassle of being bothered -very rarely- by people.

And you know what? If they bother me that much, or I don't feel like putting up with it, I just conceal carry. Life goes on, they don't know, and they continue to live on their lives.

I realize firearms are a very polarizing subject to many people, but I stick by one major fact of life: You can dislike it all you want, you can demonize me for my choices, and you can consider me as physically or mentally deficient as you like - but at the end of the day, if things went bad and I was there - you'd be glad to see me.

"How dare you save my life or the lives of the people around me by using that evil, evil gun!" - said no person ever.

Carry safe, with sharp eyes my friends.

reply to post by UnmitigatedDisaster


Thanks for an educated reply about Open Carry. I did not rant to inflame our friends across the pond. But inflamed they became. I ranted to vent. I meant everyword I said. Just tired of the looks and remarks made. The worst is probally folks in the Home Improvement stores, Ive been followed by management, asked to leave. told I could not enter. The problem with all of that is these folks dont know the law, Know the law and local ordinances and you'll be fine when you Open Carry. It stuns me amount of folks who dont know you can legally Open Carry your firearm.

I carry in about the best holster on the market, Chicago Tack with saftey release. You just cant walk up and pull it out. Holster is also secured thru belt loops. Most folks as you said dont even notice it till I get really close up. From a distance it looks like a smart phone in a holster. I used to try and explain things to folks, about Open Carry, now I just walk away. If they continue with the questions I tell em " Google It" I have had store managers think they could supercede the law by telling me they make the decision who enters their store. Ive had the LE called on me while in the store, and had to explain to them that the store has no signage on open display in the front entrance and all other entrances stateing NO WEAPONS, so therefore Open Carry is allowed. And I have watched as that LEO explained all this to store management as I continue to shop. Unless there's signage out front... Walk right on in. You know, those stores still dont have a sign. To many gun toting stock holders i guess.

To all who want to Open Carry. Check all local laws and Ordinances in your area. Keep aware of your surroundings all the time, not just when you are armed. And last, hope you never ever have to actually use your firearm. Peace be to all..even you guys over the pond. For the record, I am not a cowboy, I dont have a Chuck Norris complex, I 'm not Billy Bad A--, and my penis is just fine. Well it did miss fire those two times and caused my son & daughter, other than that, it's never failed me. LOL.

reply to post by openyourmind1262



You're right - it was a bummer, knowing that I had to look like I was from "da hood" just to go out walking at night for food. I didn't like it, but hey, even the bad guys leave you alone, because when you look just like they do, they leave you alone.

You're also correct, I've never had any of the experiences that you're posting about(I'd love to claim it's because of blending in, but it's not; when one has European ancestry, it's a little hard to perfectly blend in down there, if you know what I mean). It's a shame you don't live over here, as I wouldn't mind a couple guys like yourself maintaining the peace.

In all fairness, I can also purpose a what-if to you: In the instance where you were robbed after leaving the gun show, what do you think would have happened if you went reaching for a gun? The crook obviously didn't care where you came from, and yet he (or they) still got away with everything. My bet would be that the crook would have fired first, had he saw that you were about to fire yourself (Gladly, that scenario did not happen, else you wouldn't be here).

-fossilera

PS: Glad to hear another person is not a fan of the "pants on the ground" fad. Can't stand those people.

reply to post by openyourmind1262


No worries man, I personally am right there with you. While I don't OC regularly, I do it enough to not be uncommon. Responsible carry of a firearm is a right we're afforded; and one that all citizens should exercise.

It can get tiring, at times, when you do have someone freak out - but I accept that as part of open carrying and treat it as an opportunity to educate.

Let's face it, some people will never accept or like it, but like I said: I guarantee they'll like it if something happens and you or I are able to help

When seconds matter, the police are minutes away and all that.

Carry on brother! Carry on. *thumbs up*

Edit: Yeah again in Alaska we're pretty lucky. Gunbuster door signs have no weight of law here, except in Federal or Municipal buildings. And even several of those allow it. No permits required for OC or CC, though I personally do encourage people to get it anyways just because it puts them through training, but otherwise yeah, carry on

reply to post by fossilera


The ones that robbed me at the gun show..They were professional. They marked me within the gun show, at least that's what LE told me. Power in numbers, IE: Only me & a friend VS 6 grown men. No chance to pull a firearm out. Would have been stupid to try. I lost some guns & some money... replaced with out a problem. The tools they took were given to me by my dad. They meant more than the money & guns combined. I feel for folks like yourself living in a not so good area. When my home was invaded I lived in a different home than I do now, that night caused me to move. That night caused alot of things. It caused me to never want to be a victim again. That home was in a good area, out in the country set back off the road. Never dreamed what happened would have happened. But it did, I am not immune. No one is. Take Care when you do the store thing. Thanks, OYM1262

reply to post by UnmitigatedDisaster


If I would have waited till LE arrived the night my home was invaded. I would'nt be here. I was on the phone with 911 when my door was kicked open, 911 heard the entire 40 to 45 seconds that transpired. LE pulled up about 5 minutes after. LE found one man lieing on the grass about 20 foot from their car, and the other man running up the road.Ive said it before, that was the fastest 45 seconds in my life. When the door came swinging open, I had my firearm in one hand and 911 in the other, dropped the phone and did what was nessasary to protect myself and my family.Never want to have to do it again. Hope none of you ever have it to deal with. Open Carry with due respect for your fellow man, and a keen eye out for the ones that want to do you harm. Peace & have a great weekend. I will try and go back to the educate them question askers attitude..no guarantees.