I am all for the 2nd but dont like concealed carry, and this is why...

First off I am all for the people right to keep and bare arms, but am totally against most forms of concealed carry.
Why you ask?
Because I am more in favor of Open Carry instead.
When I go into a store it would bother me to see that "bulge" of someones hidden firearm under their shirt.
Why?
Cause it seem like they are hiding something, like they don't want people to know that they have a gun.

Open Carry is much more honest to me it says, "Hey I am just a guy standing here with my gun, I am not hiding anything and I am not up anything shady, I just happen to have my firearm with me."

Maybe its just because I grew up in a town with like 300 total people in it and folks would walk down the street with their rifle and even go into the local country store with their gun to buy ammo, a coke and candy bar, before going out hunting or shooting.

Is it just me?
Maybe I don't trust people enough who don't want me to know they are armed.

Open carry has the potential to make you a target. When you're playing poker, you don't lay all your cards out on the table, do you?

a reply to: cmdrkeenkid

Maybe so but I think that wearing a firearm should just about be like wearing shoes.
So in my ideal world it would just be a normal part of life, for most people.
Get up put on your pants shirt and holster and out the door you go.
I mean I can understand covering it up on a cold day with a coat or what not.

a reply to: Punisher75

Predators want that gun.
They'll hit you to take it.

a reply to: cavtrooper7

Well that is no different than predators wanting my wallet is it?

I think that if people were allowed to just walk around openly armed, then the people most likely to be robbed would be those who are obviously not armed.
After all they would be the easier target.

Actually I found an article about this very idea...
www.usnews.com...
I have not read it fully myself. If you guys read it I would be interested in what you think about it.

a reply to: Punisher75

Well then, it's a good thing no one cares what you like and your opinion has no bearing on our rights protected by the Constitution.

Dude I stated a preference I never said anything about stopping concealed carry, so how about you hop off your soapbox?
The discussion has nothing to do with outlawing anything at all.
SMH

As far as I know it is not illegal in Texas to carry a shotgun over your shoulder.
Probably open a can of worms if you did that at Wal Mart.

Im all for carry however the hell you want. If you want to hide it, hide it. If you want to break out the holster and make it part of your outfit then wear it proud.

Just be responsible.

originally posted by: skunkape23
As far as I know it is not illegal in Texas to carry a shotgun over your shoulder.
Probably open a can of worms if you did that at Wal Mart.

Hmmm, Isn't that a requirement to enter Walmart? Either that or you have to weigh more than a pallet of rock salt. I know it's one of those two.

originally posted by: alienjuggalo
Im all for carry however the hell you want. If you want to hide it, hide it. If you want to break out the holster and make it part of your outfit then wear it proud.

Just be responsible.

This is exactly how I feel, I however personally would rather see more people open carry.
I think there is more to gain by making people less afraid of the presence of firearms.
As long as they are seen as something that we "hide" then people who are never around them wont get used to the idea that there is nothing bad about them.

originally posted by: Punisher75
a reply to: cmdrkeenkid

Maybe so but I think that wearing a firearm should just about be like wearing shoes.
So in my ideal world it would just be a normal part of life, for most people.
Get up put on your pants shirt and holster and out the door you go.
I mean I can understand covering it up on a cold day with a coat or what not.

Your ideal world would probably be all well and good in some laid back small town or city. But could you imagine if everybody was walking around armed in major cities like Los Angeles, London or Sydney?

With all the crazy road rage and general short tempered behavior that goes on there, it'd be a perfect recipe for total chaos.

But having said that, if I lived in a place where you were allowed to just freely walk around with a gun, I'd much rather not have it shoved in my face personally. Open carry just feels to much like some macho man statement to me.

If a person needs a gun to feel safe walking the streets, then they should probably keep it to themselves, imo. But that's from a person who grew up where its completely unacceptable to walk around with a gun in the first place, lol.

Well where i grew up no one did it to "feel macho" or safe, they did it cause it was just as easy to walk from Meghans Grocery store into the woods as it was to drive 3 blocks to get to the edge of the the woods. LOL

originally posted by: cmdrkeenkid
Open carry has the potential to make you a target. When you're playing poker, you don't lay all your cards out on the table, do you?

I agree ! besides I don't really want anyone to know I am armed... That makes you a target right off the bat for the bad guys.

I do like open carry for one reason. If your weapon is accidentally seen you don't get hauled in from something like brandishing or not carrying concealed.

originally posted by: 727Sky

originally posted by: cmdrkeenkid
Open carry has the potential to make you a target. When you're playing poker, you don't lay all your cards out on the table, do you?

I agree ! besides I don't really want anyone to know I am armed... That makes you a target right off the bat for the bad guys.

I do like open carry for one reason. If your weapon is accidentally seen you don't get hauled in from something like brandishing or not carrying concealed.

Well their are pros and cons to everything I suppose.

I don't know if you read the article I posted earlier or not but apparently there was some study done that suggested that you were actually less likely to be a target if you open carried.
Take it with a grain of salt as always. I am just brainstorming here but it was an interesting read.

a reply to: Punisher75

My home state is open carry, and though I have maintained a concealed permit for over 20 years, I would never practice open in an urban environment. I carry for the express purpose of being able to protect myself and family(it has saved me from a robbery on 2 occasions), and don't want focus on what I have on my hip when I choose to carry.

In a state that has been increasingly progressive and antigun, the last thing I want is to be a victim of a "swatting" call from someone who hates those that choose this option for self-defense. Aside from those reasons, I would never open carry to make a statement or promote a cause.

I can understand why you would feel that way.

It would absolutely suck to have to deal with the police harassing you and giving you the "stink eye" because someone got scared of a guy walking to his car with his bag of grocery's.

a reply to: alienjuggalo

Y'know...

That's just about right.

The key word, of course, being "responsible". Which describes the vast majority of legal gun owners.

a reply to: okrian

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!