Open carry for attention?

[CapnBald]

As most on here know, Fl. is not a OC state. It would be nice if it were, Not because I would want to, but in case you happen to accidentally have your weapon exposed. It could make things less complicated if you were seen. I would still conceal most of the time to have some advantage, but it would be good to have the option.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[packinnova]

There are always going to be the few odd-balls out who really don't need to be carrying. Quite frankly I am always carrying. Whether I carry concealed or open can depend on not only my comfort level, but also location, garment/attire at the time, and/or activities. I live in VA and it seems to have become much more acceptable in the last few years. At the very least it has lead to eye/door opening opportunities to explain the finer points of life and bring others over from the pants-wetting liberal side. Fishing in the middle of summer is a prime example of comfort issues!

[ENSANE1970]

I have posted about the goofball I work with, him and I are complete opposites. Even though, I work on cars for a living, I still dress as professional as I can, he on the other hand dresses like a "redneck", I carry concealed most of the time, he always carries on his hip. You guess who the customers, prefer to interact with. I think if, we responsible people in the carrying community, promote a professional and courtious attitude towards people, it goes a long way to further our cause. Don't get me wrong, I find open carry perfectly acceptable, just please don't look like Joe Dirt while doing it. Alot of you that have posted here, about open carry and sound like, people who represent the lot of us, in a very positive manner. Unfortunatley no matter what we do, some among us, don't have any business representing the gun carrying community, but we all know the few bad apples quote.

[amlevin]

Appearance is everything when it comes to how one is perceived. The nicest guy in the world that dresses like his wardrobe came from a Rescue Mission will get more adverse attention than a "slimeball" in Office Casual.

Couple that with a weapon and the attention can get real adverse. When my Son In Law and I go to lunch, he is viewed as if he is about to hold up the place. I wear a pair of blue jeans, a polo shirt, and a 5.11 Vest, with my Sig P-229 in either a shoulder rig or in a Kydex paddle. I am almost invisible next to him as he is wearing "Joe Redneck" uniform items like frayed jeans, cutoff long sleeve shirt, filthy baseball hat, georgia romeo slippers, and NO gun.

Should it be like that, where we are judged by how we look? Probably not but it has been that way as long as I can remember and I would guess that I am one of the "older" members here. Probably will be like that for the future as well.

[torrejon224]

Man, thats BS and a tec-9 to boot!! Thats a problem with a lot folks and that includes quite a few who have permits!! To them it's just a "cool" thing to do with absolutely no thought given to the gravity of the situation, they just want to impress their friends!!

[rocky]

I don't open carry unless out in the woods. Not legal in most areas around here anyway.

[Anubis]

There are a couple of cities that ban open carry here in Colorado, but there's no prohibition in state law, so it's de facto legal elsewhere. I support anyone's right to practice open carry.

I myself never open carry because of the usual oft-cited reasons of getting involved in "man with gun" calls to 911 or being the first target chosen by a bad guy because I'm the obvious threat to whatever felonious plan he is considering.

Having said that, however, I think a perfect world would include most people open carrying. If virtually everyone carried openly, no one would get excited about it and the would-be bad guy wouldn't be able to carry enough ammunition to eliminate all threats.

(I know for sure we don't have a perfect world, because if the world were perfect, I'd be running it )

[Baby Hulk]

I personally wouldn't open carry. I'd feel like I have a 'bulls-eye' on me and perhaps wanted (but hate) the spotlight on me. Also concerned about panic.

CC has for it the element of surprise and hopefully the upper hand against BG's.

The kid was just all blow & show.

[500Mag]

As previously stated PA is an open carry state and I live close to the open carry state of DE, but being in an urban/suburban area I have never personally seen it. I wouldn't mind carrying openly mainly for a convienance factor in the summer months but I don't for the fact that I'm sure I'd get unwanted LE attention which I really don't want to deal with.

It's a downer though when you work hard to keep a good repuation for the majority of good people who carry and have this clown act in that manner.

[.45acp]

I Conceal carry. I'm in PA so can open carry and would like to just for reason of comfort. The area I'm in is big for hunting and such so I don't think there would be too much of a problem but no doubt some would complain and the problem is that in PA the full laws on weapons is not available and if you ask any LEO they'll all have different versions of what is and isn't legal.
Though I support different laws such as a Castle Doctrine for PA one of the first things I would really like to see here is clear, consise and complete handgun laws readily available.

[Tubby45]

Not legal in most areas around here anyway.

Confused. MI is an open carry state. How is open carrying in most areas in MI illegal? Please explain.

[Wayne]

I opened carried before I got my permit (when I first got here) and now only open carry at the range or in the woods.

As for open carrying in public for attention, I don't need to do that. I have one of them "Concealed Carry" badges pinned to my chest when I go into Wal-Mart.

j/k

Wayne

[Trade_Sniper]

For those that want attention, we should just make up a t-shirt that says in HUGE letters on the front: I'M CARRYING A CONCEALED HANDGUN

Then put a target on the back.

[40S&WMAN]

I opened carried before I got my permit (when I first got here) and now only open carry at the range or in the woods.

As for open carrying in public for attention, I don't need to do that. I have one of them "Concealed Carry" badges pinned to my chest when I go into Wal-Mart.

j/k

Wayne

[SimmCity3]

Appearance is everything when it comes to how one is perceived. The nicest guy in the world that dresses like his wardrobe came from a Rescue Mission will get more adverse attention than a "slimeball" in Office Casual.

Couple that with a weapon and the attention can get real adverse. When my Son In Law and I go to lunch, he is viewed as if he is about to hold up the place. I wear a pair of blue jeans, a polo shirt, and a 5.11 Vest, with my Sig P-229 in either a shoulder rig or in a Kydex paddle. I am almost invisible next to him as he is wearing "Joe Redneck" uniform items like frayed jeans, cutoff long sleeve shirt, filthy baseball hat, georgia romeo slippers, and NO gun.

Should it be like that, where we are judged by how we look? Probably not but it has been that way as long as I can remember and I would guess that I am one of the "older" members here. Probably will be like that for the future as well.

so very true.