Open Carry vs Concealed Carry, What Say You?

Concealed Carry vs Open Carry

  • Concealed Carry

    Votes: 60 92.3%

  • Open Carry

    Votes: 5 7.7%
  • Total voters
    65
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Read a article about the topic. Got me thinking about my decisions on the topic. I enjoy learning from others and hearing the opinions of others. So I'll kick it off by saying that personally I am for concealed carry. I don't believe that a firearm is a deterrent to every violent criminal. For those that it will deter, it will deter them when the gun is brandished just like it will when they see it open carried. For those that a gun will not deter, seeing it open allows them to properly plan an attack. However having it concealed and then introducing the handgun into the situation hopefully will gain an element of surprise and get the criminal stuck in the OODA loop giving me time to counter the attack. I know that there are other great reasons for both, so in a respectful manner lets discuss the topic. If this has already been talked about on the forum I apologize, I search the forum and didn't see any other post.
 
I personally prefer concealed carry for some of the same reason you mentioned but here are a few others.

Our society as a whole is uncomfortable with guns. Like it or not, it's the truth and while I 100% support people's right to own and carry a firearm I choose(my choice only, make your own) to draw a little attention to myself as possible which leads me to concealed carry. I think open carry draws more attention to yourself which I try to avoid.
First line of defense, IMO, is to avoid an attack. I do this by paying attention to my surroundings and not drawing attention to myself, I think they go hand in hand.

Having said all that, I would love to carry a full sized 1911 and 2 spare magazines openly at all times but I don't because of what I've outlined above.
 
I do both, but I'm more apt to carry concealed to avoid drawing attention to myself.

I don't buy into the deterrence issue the OP raises and I question why they seem to be framing that as the grounds for open carry.
 
I open carry 99% of the time. Never had a problem.

I don't buy into the "element of surprise" argument. If things go sideways, I'll be involved from the get go.

I also don't buy into the "OC makes you a target". I read that a lot, but nobody has any real examples.
 
One would think in the alexandria shooting that the openly carrying po-leese wouldve been shot first, but that aint how it went down is it
 
Concealed, but without any concern of printing or it being seen if I move just right/wrong.

As in put a G21/1911 (or whatever in the world you want to carry) OWB under a t-shirt instead of a micro 9 in a pocket.
 
rogue said:
I also don't buy into the "OC makes you a target". I read that a lot, but nobody has any real examples.
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I think a lot the argument about OC making you a target, comes from the theory you eliminate the immediate threats first in combat. From a logical stand point I feel this is true. However we know from past experiences criminals aren't always logical.
 
I prefer concealed, but like BigWaylon above my days of stressing over whether or not I am printing are over. I'll throw a tshirt over it or tuck in my shirt around it, but I don't spend a lot of time or energy ensuring that it is always 100% ninja hidden.


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I prefer CC simply because I never tuck in a shirt unless I'm at work (where I can't carry). Like others have said I don't really care if I print or my shirt happens to ride up over my gun. I do however support anyone who wants to open carry. As for society being uncomfortable with guns that's not my concern or problem. I'm usually not going to go out of my way to make the people around me uncomfortable but I'm also not going to go out of my way to make them feel comfortable and "safe". If what I'm doing offends someone or makes them "uncomfortable" they can either suck it up or move along, don't really care which one.
 
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Concealed on my belt with shirt tail out, or a wee .380 in my pocket for what scarce few times I need to have my shirt tucked in.
 
As for now here in SC we don't have open carry. If and when we get an open carry option I'll still carry concealed because it's no one's business if I'm armed or not.
 
I prefer to be the only person in the room who knows I'm carrying. I do not mind others OC and I've done it from time to time but I just prefer CC. When I have OC I haven't really noticed people acting weird. Most are too busy with their nose stuck in their phone to notice. I'm very aware of my surroundings but most of society isn't paying attention to anyone but themselves
 
I support OC and agree that in certain situations it makes total since. I am not the least bit concerned when I see it and couldn't care less if one of you guys wanted to carry a rifle around with you slung on your back.

With that said, I do have to admit that I am not big on large open carry demonstrations in public places. I think it actually hurts the very message the event seeks to send. There are people who are freaked out by guns and I get that. Freaking these ignorant people out further helps no one. Instead, I feel safe knowing NRA conventions are enormous gatherings with thousands upon thousands of people and Moms Demand Action can barley fill two school buses even after offering free lunch.
 
rdinatal said:
The poll needs to have a 3rd option: Either

I CC but have OC'd when to/from hunting. If I was out, and armed, for a particular reason (family issues comes to mind) then it would be OC.

-R
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I didn't think of adding a 3rd option to the poll. My main goal was going for what you did the majority of the time. I too will OC while fishing on the kayak but once I get off the water I go back to concealed.
 
helpertoo said:
When we conceal we do run the risk of further sanitizing the attitude towards guns in general - in other words, if the public is not use to seeing guns on regular basis they think that they have gone and there is no need for a gun. Okay... that's the tongue... now for the cheek - the friggen public is too damn dumb to realize the importance of a gun to care either way.
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I have always said people are inherently stupid and evil. It takes work to not let either of those control your life. These dumba$$'s don't realize the only reason they get to walk around raising hell and making a$$es of themselves in public is because of the RTKBA. Take away guns and watch the other "rights" tumble away.
 
JustKeepSwimming said:
Wish that were an option for us folks here SC.
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Until this thread I didn't know it was against the law in SC. But I'm not expert in SC laws either, growing up in NC I just assumed that the law would be similar.
 
rogue said:
I open carry 99% of the time. Never had a problem.

I don't buy into the "element of surprise" argument. If things go sideways, I'll be involved from the get go.

I also don't buy into the "OC makes you a target". I read that a lot, but nobody has any real examples.
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I suppose I could double up.
Carry my FNX45 in my beautiful Chief Jason leather OWB holster, and my FNS9C in my IWB holster [emoji12] [emoji38]

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
 
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rogue said:
I open carry 99% of the time. Never had a problem.

I don't buy into the "element of surprise" argument. If things go sideways, I'll be involved from the get go.

I also don't buy into the "OC makes you a target". I read that a lot, but nobody has any real examples.
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I'm going to assume you don't live inside a metro area, where the largest percentage of the US population lives. I'd prefer to be rural myself, but I'm not, and OC tends to make heads explode around here, or at least scare the women and children. No point in that.

EDIT: I've been casually thinking about this since I posted this comment. I've lived in the Bermuda Triangle, better known as RTP, for 28 years. I grew up in Charlotte and was there 20 years, and lived in Greenville SC for 8 years. In all that time I don't ever remember seeing anyone OC. That doesn't mean there's anything wrong with it. You just don't see it in "the city". None that I've lived in anyway. Even if I agreed with everything you posted, I just don't intend to be "that guy".
 
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At least one, sometimes two concealed. I prefer to be anonymous and armed when out and about.
 
fieldgrade said:
I'm going to assume you don't live inside a metro area, where the largest percentage of the US population lives. I'd prefer to be rural myself, but I'm not, and OC tends to make heads explode around here, or at least scare the women and children. No point in that.

EDIT: I've been casually thinking about this since I posted this comment. I've lived in the Bermuda Triangle, better known as RTP, for 28 years. I grew up in Charlotte and was there 20 years, and lived in Greenville SC for 8 years. In all that time I don't ever remember seeing anyone OC. That doesn't mean there's anything wrong with it. You just don't see it in "the city". None that I've lived in anyway. Even if I agreed with everything you posted, I just don't intend to be "that guy".
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I live in a rural area, but shop and eat out in Greensboro, Burlington and High Point. OC everywhere I go and never had a problem.

Those that CC have a choice when it comes to things going sideways. I don't want or need the choice. I will get involved with or without the gun and have several times in my many years on this earth.

Had a situation years ago when I witnessed a Guilford County Sheriff's Deputy get involved with a guy in a parking lot. The dude decided he wanted to wrestle the deputy and go for his gun. I rolled out and put a choke hold on the guy, pulled him to me, and the deputy shot him with pepper spray. All ended well.

I had a choice to keep driving. I would do it again tomorrow - deputy or you would make no difference to me.

I know plenty of guys that CC. I know plenty of guys that will most likely NOT pull their gun under ANY circumstance. That's why they like CC. They have a choice.
 
Agree with the previous 2 comments. I think some people love to be tacticool, that's their thing and thats great if that works for them. Me, I enjoy being gray, being so normal looking in public that you'd never even give me a second look while carrying a gun or two or four. To me that is another tool in the bag, and an art in itself to be mastered.
 
Derek8404 said:
Oh no?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/bearingarms.com/bob-o/2016/02/03/open-carrier-robbed-gun-virginia/amp/


https://www.google.com/amp/s/bearin...clueless-open-carrier-robbed-gun-arizona/amp/
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I have seen these two examples over and over and that's about it for the evidence. One was in a bad neighborhood with a sketchy story and the other is called "clueless" in the very article. If your "clueless" you deserve what you get.

I'm not stupid, so that alone sets me apart from the googled dipshits. I practice SA everywhere I go, as we all should CC or OC.

As far a being targeted, they had better be a good shot and/or be prepared to die. I do not fear confrontations or death, therefore I do not fear open carry.

Yea, I'm a little different, and I like it.
 
rogue said:
I have seen these two examples over and over and that's about it for the evidence. One was in a bad neighborhood with a sketchy story and the other is called "clueless" in the very article. If your "clueless" you deserve what you get.

I'm not stupid, so that alone sets me apart from the googled dipshits. I practice SA everywhere I go, as we all should CC or OC.

As far a being targeted, they had better be a good shot and/or be prepared to die. I do not fear confrontations or death, therefore I do not fear open carry.

Yea, I'm a little different, and I like it.
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That's wonderful for you, and I'm sure most of us on here who choose to OC would have better SA than those two, but it doesn't change the fact that those are two "real" examples of OCers being targeted.
 
I carry for defense. Only for defense. It's like a knife, handkerchief, wallet, car keys, or reading glasses. I'd prefer not to need any of them, but sometimes I do, and you can't see any of them when you see me.

I have nothing to prove by carrying any of them, and I train and shoot matches enough that I can draw from cover as quickly as I need to. Arguably faster, because I shoot matches that way every weekend, and most folks just don't get around to it.
 
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Either/or/both for me, depending on the situation and what I decide to carry. I've never had a rude comme t while OCing. In fact, I usually get questions about what I'm carrying that spark a conversation about guns and related topics. Of cpurse, I'm not like the guy I see around here with an M&Pc OC at 3 o'clock and a S&W Airweight revolver in a crossdraw. I asked him why One day and he said the Airweight was his backup and a quicker draw. I dismissed his logic once I saw the thumb break. To each his own I guess.
 
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