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I only CC (purely out of a desire to not attract attention to myself).
I live in Virginia and have only seen one person OC'ing (at a doctors office), the only thing that came of it was him, myself, and the receptionist talking about our guns for a bit.
In all honesty many people carry smartphones on their belt now, and a pistol on the hip may not even be so immediately noticeable anymore.
The OC of long arms on the other hand, is pretty obvious. It's totally within your rights, but it does come across as aggressive to others I guess. In any event I wouldn't give any OC'er grief over their choice, it's just not for me.
Long arms are totally within you rrights??? Are you saying long arms are, and hand guns are not?
I carry concealed, however, there are times when concealed is under a coat. When I go inside, I don't leave my gun in the truck, and I don't keep my coat on while inside. So then, it becomes a matter of OC and in my state it is perfectly legal and often seen in towns around me, either during hunting season, or during the winter. Not often see during the summer, but seen occasionally. If it was a common sight, the questions and objections would dwindle away in other areas.
If it was a common sight, the questions and objections would dwindle away in other areas.
This is the exact same situation we have in AK. No one freaks out when someone is carrying openly, because it's a common event.
The issue is that often OC is seen as scary, so people do not OC, which perpetuates a cycle. Now I'm not a huge fan of OC, however perpetuating a cycle that leaves you no option but to CC and also desocializes gun ownership has no positive outcome for gun owners.
This holds true for gun owners too, I can see several posts on this thread that contain the same logical fallacies as discussed between non-gun owners and concealed carriers.
You write that as if your being a small guy is a disadvantage for concealment. It's not - it's an advantage.
I'm 6'2" and around 240lb. Clothing doesn't generally drape loosely around my torso. For you, "concealment clothing" means buying a t-shirt that's one size larger than normal. I don't have that same luxury. And I'm not just talking about my waist size - most t-shirts aren't long enough on me to confidently conceal an OWB holster. Do they cover it? Sure, but only if I'm standing up straight, and then only by a couple of inches. All I have to do is twist my torso to look behind me or bend over to tie my shoe or something and the lower half of the holster is plainly visible.
I prefer carrying concealed, but sometimes it's just not worth the hassle, or even practically possible. In those cases, I can either leave the gun at home or OC. Sometimes I choose the former, sometimes the latter.
I have a PM9. I don't like the way it shoots, and it's too heavy for pocket carry (IMO). It's the only gun I own that I'm considering selling, as I don't ever see myself carrying it and it's not a good range gun. Are you looking for another one?
I had not considered that lol. But if you are 6'2" 240 (all muscle presumably) the G19 would disappear if you carried it the way I do. Appendix-style, IWB, in a hard plastic holster to positively protect the trigger and ward off any chance of an accidental discharge. If not all muscle, then I suggest distance running.
I guess the PM9 is a little heavy for pocket carry(about 17 oz empty) but if I can do it, you can do it at almost twice my size. The S&W 342 does tend to provide a better draw stroke and is only about 11 oz. w/ Hogue grip. I would be happy to buy your PM9 but it is unlikely that you are in my state (WA) and there is a huge push here to ban private sales anyway.
i dont like people coming up to me with a gun unless they are a cop.
too many crazy people out there.
i dont pick one up til i have to.
signed
a loyal nra member
i dont like people coming up to me with a gun unless they are a cop.
too many crazy people out there.
i dont pick one up til i have to.
signed
a loyal nra member
I see...you are assuming that the person is a cop, and that cops are all good people. How do you know if the person really is a cop or not? How about times when people impersonating cops rob others or rape women on the road?
But then it's a matter of opinion. For example, I feel a lot safer in a place where a lot of people carry guns, regardless of being concealed or not.
Location: When you take flak it means you are on target
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I think open carry should be more widely accepted by the public. It is our constitutional right (IMHO) and the failure of the People to exercise and demand it is what had led us to this mess.
Look at Israel, it is relatively common to see young people in the Army carrying rifles while in civilian clothes. But OMG - can you image if someone had an AK slung over their shoulder here in the US. Most places out west anyway you don't even see hunting rifles anymore.
If 50 people at the mall went shopping with their AK's slung over their back, I can guaranty you that mass shootings would be a thing of the past. And if someone did try, they would meet their end rather quickly. Same with schools.
My grandmother (long passed away) was a teacher around the turn of the last century in Oklahoma, in like 1897. She rode a horse and carried a six-gun to school. In those days it was only maybe 20 years after the Indian's had been "pacified." She carried a little revolver in her purse when I was a kid.
I remember as a kid (in the 50's) everyone had a rifle and maybe a shotgun in the rack in their truck. I can remember as a teenager HITCHHIKING in northern Nevada with my .30.30 and a six gun! How times have changed.
On the other hand, even back in the 1800's in CITIES, people didn't open carry. Sure if you were a cowboy coming in from the range, you might have a gun belt on. But in town most people concealed their guns. That doesn't mean they weren't armed - only that they were discrete and polite about it. Many western towns even had anti-gun ordinances way back then.
My only real issue is on a number of occasions I've seen really scruffy people OC'ing. Then I have to take MY time to determine for my own peace of mind whether I'm about to witness a whacko about to start a mass shooting, or if it's just a visiting California cowboy exercising the rights they lost to ignorant tyrants.
So - I open carry when appropriate. When going hiking, or shooting, or potentially during social unrest. Otherwise I keep it covered and avoid issues.
I would like to see society be more comfortable with people carrying long guns in town though.
And even though OC is legal in many places, go ahead, do it and see if you get charged for some bogus ancillary charge. "Disturbing the peace", "failing to follow order of a police officer," (even if illegal).
So, that's my opinion on the topic. Carry if you wish, and fight any govt that tries to stop you.
as an admitted newbie to gun ownership (but being in my 50's i have grown up around them and shot them) i see points on both sides. If a state is open carry, then odds are the residents are more accustomed to a gun owning lifestyle and would be somewhat used to seeing those carrying whether pistol or rifle. But take a state where OC is not allowed and now make it legal, you'd have a higher % of people who have not been around it and (understandably so) could be concerned or even fearful the first time they see one walking around in full view with a weapon on their side/back.
And right or wrong, i believe there is a certain level of fear out there due to past events, and heck if i suddenly saw someone walking around especially carrying what is one of those (as viewed in the media) "scary looking rifles" my 1st thought might be to call someone. I'd guess for every gun owner there is a non-owner, so we may never see the day where gun rights are uniform and the same for all 50 states..... or a time when all residents are more comfortable around those who do carry
I remember as a kid (in the 50's) everyone had a rifle and maybe a shotgun in the rack in their truck. I can remember as a teenager HITCHHIKING in northern Nevada with my .30.30 and a six gun! How times have changed.
I did a fair amount of hitchhiking growing up in the 70's; never carrying a 30-30 lol, but I did not grow up in a rural area. I remember hitching from Maine to NYC when I was 18. A guy picked me up and we stopped for a visit with his relative in Maine, then on to NYC. I was a tad concerned when I spotted the revolver that he had on next to him, under some stuff. But he did get me into NYC safe and sound. I picked up hitchhikers too. It was just a common form of transportation back then. It was virtually a different country in those days.
i dont like people coming up to me with a gun unless they are a cop.
too many crazy people out there.
i dont pick one up til i have to.
signed
a loyal nra member
My thoughts on open carry are posted earlier (I don't do it myself) but let's be careful about the above sentiment. Let's see exactly what you are saying - the only ones that should be allowed open carry are government employees. A badge shouldn't give someone exclusive rights to carry a gun, and I trust someone with a badge and a gun about the same as I trust someone without a badge. Actually, with the educational level and hiring practice of most of the police in my nearby big town (Memphis), I trust the badged gun holders even less then the open carry civilians.
Cops and Government agencies have a far worse gun record per capita than the law abiding public!
Gun enthusiasts tend to shoot better and handle guns safer than non-enthusiast cops.
Depending on where you are, the rates of a cop also being an enthusiast is usually fairly low...lower than you would think anyway.
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