Eye Opening Open Carry Experience

[GeauxLSU]

I don't LOOK for/Scan for Firearms--Or Knives, Scissors, etc.--Either--I DO keep my eyes open & pay attention to what's going on around me--I am not uncomfortable around people CC'ing or OC'ing--With the possible exception of the guy carrying the Hi-Point or Jennings in the CHEAP Nylon Holster that's "Flopping Around" on his CHEAP Wal-Mart Belt, and THAT is not because of any "Armament Elitism"on my part, but out of a GENUINE SAFETY CONCERN--How long is that thing gonna' flop around before it FINALLY falls out and hits the Floor?

If I encounter someone who is not known to me personally, I treat 'em.with cautious respect, until such time as they show me that they have earned--Or NOT earned--My Trust--Gun Owner, Soccer Mom, Politician, doesn't matter--Well, MAYBE with the Pol... ....mikey357

I concur completely. Like I said, I think we were off in different directions. There IS a 'fear' of gun owners/carriers by other gun owners that I just find illogical but worse counter productive.
All pols are evil... fact.

 

[Retread]

I get it. And non gun owners are (presumably) then less of a threat. You guys seriously don't see how that mindset affects the state of gun rights?

If we lived in a society that required all people to serve in the military, and handle guns on a regular basis, I still wouldn't trust my safety, or my life to anybody but myself. I have seen too many irresponsible acts to be that irresponsible myself. I have seen farm accidents, industrial accidents, automobile accidents, and yes firearms accidents. I have witnessed tankers playing "cops & robbers" outside the armory with M-16's, and I've seen soldiers wake up comrades by poking them with the barrel of a rifle. I even bound the wound of a soldier who shot himself in the thigh with a bring back from the storm as he was trying to disassemble a Makarov he had smuggled back.

And you think my caution has anything to do with the 2nd Amendment?

 

[01coltcolt]

Open carry is at first glance a great idea and seems cool as you don’t have to hide your gun. But from tactics standpoint it isn’t the best option. Some of the advantages of open carry would be that it is easier as hiding a firearm can take a little more effort depending on your carry method, clothing attire and the size of your pistol. For open carry you can get away with wearing the bulky holsters that stick out versus concealed you would want a holster that sits very close to your body and in warmer climates you may not have the luxury of throwing a jacket over a pistol that sticks out far. But this is pretty simple to overcome if you chose the proper holster and a pistol that is compact. In some instances seeing someone open carrying a pistol might deter a crime from ever happening would be the last positive attribute to open carrying.

The disadvantages of open carry unfortunately far outweigh the positive. The biggest disadvantage would be you have lost all elements of surprised as if painting a big red mark over your head to a bad guy saying shoot me first. If you’re open carrying and a criminal spots it they will see you as a threat they may need to overcome first before they can get to their objective. They may also see your firearm as a way to carry out their plan and grabbing your firearm when you least expect it. There can be many bad situations that can arise when you open carry from a tactical standpoint I wouldn’t make a regular practice of open carry. Now that being said I do believe that people should have a right to open carry if they so desire.

And that brings me to my second point: real gunfighters (that is, people who make their living shooting other people) don’t use pistols, except as a last resort. The rifle and the machine gun are the tools of the trade for soldiers, terrorists, guerillas and SWAT.

The pistol’s prime advantage is its small, concealable size. OC gives up the pistol’s single greatest advantage over a rifle: stealth. It alerts every criminal that you are armed, so he can take you out first. He can then relieve you of that pistol which, besides being a threat to him, is also an item of considerable value that he can sell to his criminal buddies.

OC is not a social norm and it’s not going to become one. Open advocacy of OC runs a real risk of dragging all gun owners down into the pit of some serious, no BS gun control. Call me crazy, but for the dubious pleasure (and questionable tactical advantages) of walking down the streets with a pistol, its just not worth it. There are to many people in this world that I wouldn't trust to watch my son, but are legal to carry a firearm. Hell you can be mentally insane and still get a CCP because of HIPA, just sayin. These folks make us all look bad.

 

[GeauxLSU]

If we lived in a society that required all people to serve in the military, and handle guns on a regular basis, I still wouldn't trust my safety, or my life to anybody but myself. I have seen too many irresponsible acts to be that irresponsible myself. I have seen farm accidents, industrial accidents, automobile accidents, and yes firearms accidents. I have witnessed tankers playing "cops & robbers" outside the armory with M-16's, and I've seen soldiers wake up comrades by poking them with the barrel of a rifle. I even bound the wound of a soldier who shot himself in the thigh with a bring back from the storm as he was trying to disassemble a Makarov he had smuggled back.

And you think my caution has anything to do with the 2nd Amendment?

Yes I do. To be clear (since my point keeps getting missed) I don't think your MOTIVE has anything to do with the second (at all) but I think any extra 'caution' you raise just because a fellow citizen is exercising his second amendment right is NOT a help and feeds an already illogical fear by the non gun owning public.

 

[Retread]

Yes I do. To be clear (since my point keeps getting missed) I don't think your MOTIVE has anything to do with the second (at all) but I think any extra 'caution' you raise just because a fellow citizen is exercising his second amendment right is NOT a help and feeds an already illogical fear by the non gun owning public.

Maybe you have just led a more sheltered life than I have. Memories, and mistakes can't be erased, and some stereotypical redneck showing off his gun doesn't do anything to support our rights, or for that matter, make him more of a 'man.' To think otherwise is foolish.

 

[01coltcolt]

Yes I do. To be clear (since my point keeps getting missed) I don't think your MOTIVE has anything to do with the second (at all) but I think any extra 'caution' you raise just because a fellow citizen is exercising his second amendment right is NOT a help and feeds an already illogical fear by the non gun owning public.

If I note that some one is OC or printing, I view them as having potential to present a threat. I take note of it. I don't act on it, I don't draw attention to it, I just take note of it. Any extra caution going on in my head, doesn't feed any already illogical of fear by the non gun owning public, at all. But my awareness of my surrounding, guarantees the safety of my family and myself are more likely.

 

[GeauxLSU]

Maybe you have just led a more sheltered life than I have. Memories, and mistakes can't be erased, and some stereotypical redneck showing off his gun doesn't do anything to support our rights, or for that matter, make him more of a 'man.' To think otherwise is foolish.

It is entirely possible that I have. When in the heck did I say (or imply) anything about being more of a man if you OC? My comments are about GUN OWNERS feelings once they know someone has a gun (the comments have generally been about CCing and people who consciously look for people printing).

 

[GeauxLSU]

If I note that some one is OC or printing, I view them as having potential to present a threat.

EXACTLY like anti gunners. THAT is my point.... (that I'm apparently terrible at making).

 

[01coltcolt]

EXACTLY like anti gunners. THAT is my point.... (that I'm apparently terrible at making).

You intentionally left out the rest of my post to make your point when you quoted me..

Read again!
If I note that some one is OC or printing, I view them as having potential to present a threat. I take note of it. I don't act on it, I don't draw attention to it, I just take note of it. Any extra caution going on in my head, doesn't feed any already illogical of fear by the non gun owning public, at all. But my awareness of my surrounding, guarantees the safety of my family and myself are more likely.

Maybe I view this from a different perspective cause of my life paradigm. You have been sheltered. I have spent 2.5 years in Afghan and many more in other crap holes in witch I have no faith in humanity. Maybe this is the real issue here. I'm a realistic guy that knows the potential of real evil, first hand.

 

[GeauxLSU]

You intentionally left out the rest of my post to make your point when you quoted me..

Read again!
If I note that some one is OC or printing, I view them as having potential to present a threat. I take note of it. I don't act on it, I don't draw attention to it, I just take note of it. Any extra caution going on in my head, doesn't feed any already illogical of fear by the non gun owning public, at all. But my awareness of my surrounding, guarantees the safety of my family and myself are more likely.

Maybe I view this from a different perspective cause of my life paradigm. You have been sheltered. I have spent 2.5 years in Afghan and many more in other crap holes in witch I have no faith in humanity. Maybe this is the real issue here.

I left out the rest because it is irrelevant. I'm addressing the fact that GUN OWNERS, who amongst EVERYONE should feel the most comfortable with fellow citizens exercising their 2A right are 'nervous', 'on alert', 'feel a heightened sense of threat' whatever.... which is EXACTLY the very thing we belittle anti gunners for doing. You seriously don't get this point? So anti gunners pick up the phone and make a call and gun owners just do a hip check to 'be ready'. If you can't see the sad similarity, I don't know how else to try and explain it.
I've lost most of my faith in humanity as well but I concur, probably on completely different levels and for completely different reasons.