National Open Carry...What If...?

[SteyrAUG]

Open carry has its' time and place. Camping, hiking, etc... Otherwise it's silly. Not saying it shouldn't be allowed, but that it's not smart.

I agree with Templar about many OCA. Everyone I have seen in AZ was a top shelf tool. One guy had a nylon holster and it was flopping all over with his pistol in it.

Another guy weighed about 400 lbs. and was sporting some type of nylon drop leg holster. Again, it was bouncing all over and he couldn't even reach the pistol to draw it from standing position.

What about the people who aren't activists? What about those who simply wish to be armed?

And I really don't want to get into the whole open carry vs. conceal carry as it is besides the point.

What I'm really talking about is right to carry without requirements such as "must be concealed."

[SteyrAUG]

2) Makes the person carrying the first person to be shot in the back of the head while standing in line at Subway by the bad guy who really needs to do that bad something in order to get the money he needs for his dope.

I say, until you grow eyes in the back of your head, concealment provides more advantages in today's American society.

I'm not discounting that discrete carry makes you less of a target, but I did address this in the OP.

"Some will point out that open carry makes you a target for criminals who will want your guns. This is of course true, but the same is true of the guns in your home. Criminals are also willing to target and kill you for your nice watch, car, cell phone, shoes, jacket, $10 in your pocket and a host of other things. Best to keep that in mind but you can probably save your life more effectively with the gun on your hip than the watch on your wrist. And honestly the average criminal can get a lot more from your Rolex or Omega than your Glock."

[SteyrAUG]

As a LEO it makes me uneasy to see someone whether a slap dick or aj squared away carrying a weapon on their hip not next to a badge.

Why? If someone is potentially dangerous, how is their gun being hidden better? Why do you fear a law abiding, good person who is armed simply because he hasn't chosen your profession?

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

I'm for national conceled carry but not for open carry.

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

If you are going to carry do it concealed. As a LEO it makes me uneasy to see someone whether a slap dick or aj squared away carrying a weapon on their hip not next to a badge.

I got to say I disagree with this 100% a badge does not make anyone better than anyone else.

[CoryCop25]

I think if there was a national law allowing open carry, it would be LESS of a surprise to others when they would see someone OCing. The big deal about open carry is that not everyone is aware that this type of thing is allowed. If the country knew that this was allowed, more people would know about it and not be surprised to see someone OCing.
This sort of thing would probably never come to fruition but if it did, I am sure there would be a butt load more people running around with guns that have no idea how to use them and have no idea what weapon retention is.
Please don't forget that the active firearms enthusiast that trains and lives in that so called condition yellow is the minority. Hell, look at all the police that don't know squat about firearms and they carry one every day and get paid to do it!

[SteyrAUG]

This sort of thing would probably never come to fruition but if it did, I am sure there would be a butt load more people running around with guns that have no idea how to use them and have no idea what weapon retention is.
Please don't forget that the active firearms enthusiast that trains and lives in that so called condition yellow is the minority. Hell, look at all the police that don't know squat about firearms and they carry one every day and get paid to do it!

Isn't that basically what we had in the 40s, 50s and 60s? Probably even fewer people had actual training.

[CoryCop25]

Isn't that basically what we had in the 40s, 50s and 60s? Probably even fewer people had actual training.

I agree. I think that people overlook certain aspects because it is their right. Yes, open carry and all of the BS anti-gun laws will always be a touchy topic but I look at it this way...
You need a license to drive a car yet very few people will refuse to obtain a license because they think it is their right to drive. They just go get a license. They follow the guidelines and obtain a permit and then get a driver's license. If you want to open carry, go for it! Follow the guidelines and do it!
We will have people getting in to situations with guns as we have people getting into situations with cars. It's going to happen with anything.

[4x4twenty6]

SteyrAUG-"Why? If someone is potentially dangerous, how is their gun being hidden better? Why do you fear a law abiding, good person who is armed simply because he hasn't chosen your profession?"

I Dont think ANYONE should open carry, whether you are an off duty LEO or a civilian. I think it paints a target on your back.
In Louisiana I know for a fact if a private business has a person who walks in and is OC'ing that business has the right to refuse service even though it is perfectly legal to open carry in Louisiana.

Why would you want that? You walk into a business and not everyone understands the law and may react negatively to ANY person open carrying a firearm.
The badge reference was because of what was stated above. If a gun is next to a badge an uninformed citizen is put at eaze when they see firearm displayed.

BTW, don't make this a "I'm a cop so i know more than you" issue because that is not at all how it was implied. Stop reading more into comments than what it obviously says.

ICANHITHIMMAN- I will say it again, stop reading into a comment more than what it obviously states.
A badge doesnt make anyone better, but what it does bring to the table is significant training and day to day experiences that make a police officer better in certaing situations than a vast majority of civilians will NEVER experience in their entire lives.

I would love more citizens to carry concealed and educate themselves and train properly but i doubt that happens very often... excluding some of the folks on this site, there seems to be a lot of really well informed folks here.

[mskdgunman]

I would much rather see a Nationwide, consistent concealed carry law. I'm not sure what the fascination is that some have with the whole OC thing but different strokes and all that. Personally, I'm not in favor of it for a variety of reasons some of which have been addressed here. I'm all in favor of CC and wish that more folks did it and that more States had CC laws like Florida. I think people stand a better chance of getting reformed CC laws then they do pushing the whole OC thing. Having carried a gun OC for the better part of my 21 year career, I much prefer to CC these days even at work. I've always thought that a visible firearm makes you the guy the BG will shoot first if he sees it before you see him. It will definately move you up on the target priority list.