Concealed Carry vs Open Carry

[Scott]

In some states both are allowed. Both have their proponents and opponents.

Personally I will concealed carry whenever possible. In VA open carry is allowed in some places where concealed carry is not. I chose not to carry in those places.

What says the forum? If you can open carry do you? If not why not?

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Bumper]

Arizona has open carry as well and I agree with you. The only time I open carry is if I am on my way to the range (sometimes open) or out in the boonies somewhere. I just don\'t see the need in carrying open and quite frankly, I just don\'t like \"the looks\". I would bet that 75% of the people in Arizona don\'t know what open carry is or that it is legal in Arizona. I also don\'t want the BGs to mark me as \"shoot first\". We have plenty of BGs here.

[RockyNH]

No problem with open in the back 40 or while hunting etc. I do not plan to or agree with open carry in town. It just draws too much attention even if legal.

[armoredman]

I carried open for years here in AZ before we got our CCW law. There really was very little said - the very few businesses I was asked to leave are all out of business, with one exception - Blockbuster changed thier policy!
It was the only option, and the law states, \"weapon or holster, wholly or partially visible\", meaning you carr wear an OWB rig, and put a short jacket on that exposes the bottom of the rig. Legal, and the sheeple don\'t recognize it. Fanny packs are considered CCW, though....don\'t know about the old Goshen UnHolster...
Now that I have CCW, I don\'t carry open if I don\'t have to, for all the above reasons. I have, for one reason or another, but usually don\'t the biggest advantage to open carry, now, is, unlike other states, where accidentally exposing you CCW peice is \"brandishing\", here you just went from legal,(concealed), to legal,(open).

[Dwight55]

I agree with the above: but since I got my CCW, I have no reason to carry open. If on the local wildlife area, it just draws suspicion, . . . in town it just draws LEO.

As anothe poster said, . . . you are target \"first\" if a bg starts his/her stuff.

Only use visible carry during handgun hunting seasons, . . . state said I gotta do it that way.

May God bless,
Dwight

[Captain Crunch]

I carry concealed all the time. Open carry is legal in Montana with few restrictions, even so, there are places where open carry is politically incorrect or frowned on.

Open carry in downtown Missoula, the most Liberal city & county in the state & home to the Dance School, AKA University of Montana, would probably cause quite a stir.

OTOH, open carry in Bozeman, home to the Cow College, AKA Montana State University, likely wouldn\'t cause too many worries. I\'ve heard some of the County Commissioners regularly pack heat to meetings.

Open carry in bars & taverns is legal (CCW is not). Over on the prairie side of the state, open carry would hardly raise an eyebrow. On most places in the Western side, however, walking into a bar with your hogleg strapped on in open view will bring prompt up close & personal contact with the law.

Many more Liberal yuppies on this side of the state.

[Jacob Lee]

Open and CCW laws are the same here in N.M. As stated above, I normally open carry only at the range or camping in an area that allows weapons.

[Hask12]

Although open carry is legal it seems like a good way to get harrased by the police and general public.

[mikemsd]

I carry concealed everywhere. I\'m glad that the Tennessee handgun permit doesn\'t make a distinction between open and concealed carry though so we don\'t get popped for brandishing if our weapon gets exposed by accident. Open carry just draws too much attention.

[TravisABQ]

I carry concealed, typically. Open carry gives away too much of my tactical advantage, and there are too many people likely to freak out and call police, I don\'t care to explain myself to police 5 times a day.

At home, when I need to do stuff in the yard, do laundry in my garage, I often carry openly with my shoulder holster. If anybody is observant, or casing my house for a buglary or home invasion, they KNOW I am armed.

[LAZYACE1975]

In my home state, it's legal to do either, with permit, but I prefer to go concealed for tactical reasons. The only up side I see in a state where you can carry either way is if you accidently un-cover your gun in public you wont get in the scrap over it, hopefully anyway. Have a safe and happy new year :rock: , Lazyace1975.

[SGeringer]

Open carry is verboten here in WA (some say it is not, and while they're right to some degree that it isn't clearly codified either way, there is plenty of wiggleroom for an ambitious DA and I like to err on the side of caution) and that's fine with me. In that I live in Western WA, many folks here would have a heart attack and it would cause a lot of problems, more then I'd like by far. While this mentality disgusts me (that the sheeple have), shocking them won't persuade them. I'll stick to concealed and discreet.

[Pylon]

I always conceal my gun unless i am at home at which case i will open carry because its simply easier to put on the holster :)

Man, i feels good to be lazy!

[hummel]

what the bg doesnt see will hurt them..i keep it concealed unless out hunting..but since that wisconsin hunter i keep a spare hidden

[Rickstir]

I live in a rural area. I open carry on my farm all the time. Before CCW in MO I would open carry on those short runs to the feed store, hardware and grocery store. I still do at times. Only one time at a fish fry in the city park did an elderly lady object. Tough cookies I told her. On that one occasion I was asked to open carry and sit by the cash box. Being in rural area is plus, I grant you. Almost everyone in town bet I would be first to get my CCW permit, I was out of town and had to settle for number 2:realmad:. People often ask me now if I am carrying, but most close friends know if I am not drinking, I am carrying.