Carried for the first time today

[TCBA_Joe]

I carried for the first time today. I won't get my CCW until next week, but I was scheduled to go meet a guy off of craigslist to buy some ammo (never happened) from so I brought my handgun. I open carried my 1911 in an Uncle Mikes law enforcement kydex holster.

It's was really awkward to say the least. I'm sure I'll get over the feeling, as my plan is to open carry, but I'm sure you all went through the same thing.
My fear was I'd get questioned and not have a CCW permit (not required) but the cop wouldn't know open carry is legal without a permit.

When I got to the furniture store we asked for the woman who had been working with us. Waited a few minutes and she finally was able to stop by and help us. She was a little taken back asking "what's that on your hip?" I just raised my arm and then put my arm back in pocket.

She left for a min and when she returned she was pleasant but asked why I had a gun on me. I just replied that it's legal and my job is to protect my fiance here (who was with me). She smiled and we got down to couch business.

I got no dirty looks from any of the customers, I just felt most conscious around the employees who I don't think even noticed.

Oh well, it'll be a little less awkward when I get my card.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Bando]

if you feel weird about it, when you get your license just carry concealed. It's my opinion you have a tactical advantage anyway.

[retsupt99]

Having a sidearm is a secure feeling, but carries no guarantees...just much better odds.

I agree with above poster...concealed is concealed...a better advantage.

Stay armed...stay safe!

[Hawker]

My fear was I'd get questioned and not have a CCW permit (not required) but the cop wouldn't know open carry is legal without a permit.

Many LEO's will tell you that they are in the arresting business. The legal stuff can be sorted out downtown.

[IfIhaveto]

I got no dirty looks from any of the customers, I just felt most conscious around the employees who I don't think even noticed.

Hmmmm let me yell or give an awkward look to a stranger whom open carry’s a Gun!!!

[NWCP]

if you feel weird about it, when you get your license just carry concealed. It's my opinion you have a tactical advantage anyway.

+1 Concealed Carry is the better option in any case.

[NCHornet]

Every now and then I like to OC just because I can. I haven't done as much of it lately as I have done in the past. I have one word of advice for you. Print out a copy of your states OC, and when the time comes CC, laws and carry them with you. You wouldn't believe how little some LEO's know about their states gun laws.
Also I want to say something. Everytime we hear about someone OCing we tell them they should CC because they are a target and the BG will shoot them first, or someone is likely to sneak up behind you and disarm you etc.... I have been doing a lot of reading lately and the stats just don't back these claims up!!
In fact a BG is more likely to wait until you are long gone before going through with his plan, trying to take a mans weapon is also a huge risk they are not likely to attempt. I wasn't able to find actual shooting where a person who was OCing was shot so the perp could follow through with his plan. I do agree CC gives a better tactical advantage, and when I OC I always use a retention holster. I just thought I would mention it as this info is passed around the internet so often and folks just repeat what they have read when in fact the stats disprove it. I have come to the realization that our society is to liberal to accept OC, and therefore it isn't worth the encounters with people asking questions and unknowledgable LEO's , I now prefer to CC. To bad we couldn't have greater numbers of OCers all at once to shock society back into reality!!

NCH

[tamworth]

I know this is a concealed carry forum. BUT, in order to hold a stance I'd presume you'd have some skill at defending your position. I myself am PRO-concealed carry. I just read an interesting fact though... on page 10 of this year's volume of Gun Facts, found on buckeyefirearms.com's homepage...

Fact: Every day, 550 rapes, 1,100 murders, and 5,200 other violent crimes are prevented just by showing a gun. In less than 0.9% of these instances is the gun ever actually fired. National Crime Victimization Survey, 2000, Bureau of Justice Statistics.

How does this help or defeat the argument for the tactical advantage of concealing your weapon? There is so much research on the way of the criminal mind, that most of the time if they see you're armed and 'on watch' they'll keep moving. Now I am AGAINST open carry purely because I don't want criminals to know I own guns and follow me home to burgle my home after they've learned my daily pattern. But the tactical advantage in the midst of a crime, as far as I've researched, seems to be on the side of open-carrying.

I'm not trying to spur this into a pro-open carry discussion, I'm looking to keep this discussion in the hands of pro-concealed-carry users. Please enlighten me to how there is no tactical advantage to open-carrying if 99.1% of crimes are prevented just by showing the gun. Is the statistic wrong? It does seem mighty unbelievable.

[tns0038]

It's up to you and I for one don't care if someone has a gun on there hip exposed or not.

I know in Florida with exception of hunting, fishing from a boat, or camping in remote areas, it's the law, that all pistols must be concealed.


To me carrying open, leave you vulnerable to a BGs. Surely most BG seeing your armed will leave you alone but there are those BG who will target you just to take your pistol.

Like BANDO said having a concealed pistol is a big technical advantage.

[Ram Rod]

I carried for the first time today. I won't get my CCW until next week, but I was scheduled to go meet a guy off of craigslist to buy some ammo (never happened) from so I brought my handgun. I open carried my 1911 in an Uncle Mikes law enforcement kydex holster.

if you feel weird about it, when you get your license just carry concealed. It's my opinion you have a tactical advantage anyway.

Good for you! Personally, concealed carry is the only available option for me right now. I conceal all of the time, and I do it very well. I'm still hoping for the option of open carry in my state! I'd just like the opportunity to feel weird whenever I want to.

[TOF]

I feel those of us that still have the RIGHT to open carry should do so at least a percentage of the time. I simply hold to the theory that a RIGHT not exorcised will soon dissapear.

I do both OC and CC as the mood strikes me.

Stay safe

[digitalexplr]

I know this is a concealed carry forum. BUT, in order to hold a stance I'd presume you'd have some skill at defending your position. I myself am PRO-concealed carry. I just read an interesting fact though... on page 10 of this year's volume of Gun Facts, found on buckeyefirearms.com's homepage...

Fact: Every day, 550 rapes, 1,100 murders, and 5,200 other violent crimes are prevented just by showing a gun. In less than 0.9% of these instances is the gun ever actually fired. National Crime Victimization Survey, 2000, Bureau of Justice Statistics.

How does this help or defeat the argument for the tactical advantage of concealing your weapon? There is so much research on the way of the criminal mind, that most of the time if they see you're armed and 'on watch' they'll keep moving. Now I am AGAINST open carry purely because I don't want criminals to know I own guns and follow me home to burgle my home after they've learned my daily pattern. But the tactical advantage in the midst of a crime, as far as I've researched, seems to be on the side of open-carrying.

I'm not trying to spur this into a pro-open carry discussion, I'm looking to keep this discussion in the hands of pro-concealed-carry users. Please enlighten me to how there is no tactical advantage to open-carrying if 99.1% of crimes are prevented just by showing the gun. Is the statistic wrong? It does seem mighty unbelievable.

I think you are somehow infering that the crimes stopped by being armed were because the intended victim was openly carrying. This is not the case. The crimes were prevented when the gun owner presented an option the BG didn't like, i.e., their intended victim drew they ccw, or racked a round into a shotgun in the home that was being burglarized. There are many ways to, "show" your weapon other than open carrying.

[AZ Desertrat]

good for you, and I know we have all done it at one time or another....but remember....concealed is the best option.....tactical advantage.

[kohburn]

open carry will deter the crimes of convenience, but it could also potentially make you a target. While conceiled carry gives you a tactical advantage if you are attacked it can not work as a deterent before the fact. Both have merrit and fall under our 2A rights and thats why i'm on multiple forums.

[LongRider]

Many LEO's will tell you that they are in the arresting business. The legal stuff can be sorted out downtown.

That would be false arrest or unlawful detention seems some people are using that to retire on. Not my idea of a good way to gain support for 2A from law enforcement on the other hand the law and our rights need to be respected by all.