[P95Carry]

I think most would agree that if a situation occurred where you had to draw but not fire - it would be wise to call that in - pronto, and explain circumstances etc.

However, a what if? - you are out front in yard - open carrying (as I do) - and someone walks by who maybe is anti-gun, and/or just feeling in a really bad mood that day. They decide to try and cause trouble and call in that they were threatened by your gun, implying you had brandished.

What the heck could you do? One guy's word against another! No way to prove either way but I have the feeling that it would not be easy to sort out. Perjury for some folks is a way of life!

Lee - what would be your take for instance - and any other LE folks here. I forget who y'all are :smile:

 

[Tangle]

I'm not LEO, but as always, I have an opinion - it's free so you can figure how much it's worth.

I doubt brandishing would stick in a his word against yours, but a disturbing the peace might.

The scary version is, what if there are two of them and one of you? Now the brandishing thing might stick unless the interrogators were pretty skillful at spotting subtle discrepencies in stories that indicate they are lying.

So, I guess we all have learned a lesson (again) from all this :biggrin: . Don't open carry in public, even if it's on your own property. If they don't know you have it, they can't cause you any grief. :wink:

 

[500Mag]

First, I have to disagree with the open carry comment Tangle made, I think that is the way to go.

Second, if someone accused you of brandishing, they'd need a decent story to back it up. Because I doubt a "he just did" is going to fly. Next if he does have a story to tell, and it came to a court thing, he'd probably have to recall the story 3 different times, and people usually make mistakes when they have to recall something that never happend so you could probably pick him apart.

Lastly, coming from experience (not firearms related) I wouldn't want any false accusations of any sort of criminal nature on anyone. It takes up a lot of time, money and aggravation, but usually works out in the end.

 

[rocky]

CC is a much better way to carry anyway. At least in suburban areas. As for me , I keep it hidden till needed in semi urban or urban areas. A fellow got in trouble up here for mowing his lawn with open carry. Ended up shootin git out with local PD. Not a good situation, even if he was unbalanced. Better to keep the pistol hidden to avoid unneeded problems.

 

[K-Man]

I had something similar happen to me. I had a neighbor who called the cops on me one day, saying that I threatened him with a gun. At the time of the incident, we were approximately 100 yards from our apartment, where the gun was locked up and safely stored. (He knew I had a gun because I had previously invited him to go along to the range with me.) In short order, there were three LEO's there. I met them at the driveway entrance and explained my side of the story. They, in turn, talked with the neighbor and quickly surmised that it was no more than him trying to "stir the pot." Obviously no crime had been committed and they recommended to me in private to store the gun somewhere else for the short term (we were in the process of moving to a new home), which I did. So, yes, an irrational neighbor can cause some aggravation, but I think common sense on the part of the LEOs would quickly squash it.

 

[rachilders]

You bring up a good point. In most "it's your word against mine" situations, my experience has been the authorities tend to favor the person that's most believable and/or someone known (in a good way, hopefully) in the neighborhood or community. From a majority of the posts I've read, many of the people here seem to be suspicious of not only strangers but their neighbors, the local LEO's and probably don't socialize with the people who live around them much, if at all. I also like to keep to myself and usually mind my own business. However, it may serve us all well to get to know our neighbors and if possible, our local LEO's a bit better. I'm not saying we all need to become drinking buddies or eat dinner at one another's homes twice a week, but we should at least get to know the people who live around us and if possible, the policemen who will knock on our doors if the time ever comes, whatever the reason. A policeman is much more likely to listen and believe someone he knows, even casually, than to a stranger. Even more so if the neighborhood thinks of you as that anti-social gun nut who walks around with a pistol on his hip and won't give anyone else the time of day. Besides, if you need a character reference, it's good to have a few neighbors to side with you - unless you've pissed them all off - and who knows, you may need those neighbors someday in a pinch. Another good point is you get to know the people who live around you. You get a better idea of who's in the neighborhood, what they are like and who you possibly can or can't count on if you ever do need help.

 

[Tangle]

First, I have to disagree with the open carry comment Tangle made, I think that is the way to go.

I'm a little confused, are you saying that it's better to open carry than concealed carry?

 

[FortyFive]

I would tend to lean toward the LEO and his feelings about people carrying guns exposed. If it goes against his past experience or general feeling maybe it will be hard to overcome that bad information called in by the neighbor.
How we look, our appearance and how we speak may enter into who gets believed. Just my thoughts.

 

[BlueLion]

P95 first if you have a concealed permit why open carry anyway. Concealed really gives you the edge. Secondly, if I open carried and someone started I would go in the house, I would not even acknowledge them because I have learned that most people only want to get you going anyway. Go in and monitor and call the cops.

 

[Euclidean]

See this is what's wrong with society. If a (wo)man wants to walk around with a gun and they aren't pointing the muzzle at anyone or doing anything patently illegal, let them I say.

To be honest, I loathe that we carry concealed because the only we do is because our rights have been compromised so much. But I also realize there is a reason we have to carry concealed at this point. We have to get our country back to the point no one cares about anyone carrying a gun before we can get back to the point no one cares about the sight of a gun any more.

 

[P95Carry]

Blue - yes indeed, I have CCW but - around house I am open this time of year because it is (still) hot. Plus to be honest (and stubborn) I consider it is very much my right on my own private property to carry that way. All day in the office, the same - it's a comfort thing.

I also in this mythical instance was considering no actual situation where ''someone started'' - no, simply a passer by with attitude!! If someone did ''start'' I would head for house and go in and probably call cops to mention it.

This is very unlikely where I live and in fact if folks go past I invariably turn so as to keep the piece hidden - but if on lawn tractor for example, might be made. I was exploring just my concerns over someone essentially wanting (for whatever reason) to make the life of another awkward, perhaps just to gain some satisfaction for themselves.

Thx for the many replies folks.

 

[AirForceShooter]

if I draw my weapon it's going to go off.
I'm never pulling it out to tell the BG to back off.
Simple

AFS

 

[P95Carry]

AFS - probably true enough but this was not a case of imagined actual presentation - just an exploration of the possible accusation of such by a third party and how we'd deal with that.

 

[BlueLion]

P95 whats up with these Air Force guys giving you a hard time. No, really, I got ya bro. I understand.

 

[P95Carry]

Hey Blue - I was just L Cpl - Signals Division - but always an aspiring fly-boy. I can only do that with my R/C planes, but it's good!

(AFS - no sweat!).

Here's one of my ''toys'' :smile: -

 

[500Mag]

Tangle - to clerify I personally think it would be better to open carry.

One way I think of it is like this...The BG wants an easy target, with concealed he has to guess who or who isn't carrying (in places like DC there is no guessing, but i digress), with open carry, he'll likely just move on to his next target, which is not me. Why pick on someone that might fight back?

 

[Sheldon J]

Repeated questioning would bring out the holes in their story, and then you get to sue them for filing false charges, Harassment, verbal assault, Defamation of character, and any thing else you lawyer can think of.

 

[P95Carry]

That's what I'd hope Sheldon but - just never quite sure.!

 

[rfurtkamp]

In Idaho, there have to be at least two willing to sign a complaint. They're going to look askance in most cases at a husband + wife complaint unless they've got it coming for you.

That said, unless you were menacing in some manner, open carry has caused no problems here locally.

 

[gunthorp]

In MN it's legal to carry open or concealed. The permit says on or about your person or clothes. When I’m in the woods I carry openly. What I carry in the woods would be very difficult to conceal anyway. And who cares if the bears freak out when they see it. They’re not going to shudder and cover their cubs eyes. They’re not going to hire Darth Attorney to strip me of my rights and tie me up in court challenges. They’re not going to foment the liberal news media into an hoplophobic lather. They’re not going to get the drop on me and disarm me before raping and killing me with my own openly carried weapon. Defensive handgun carry in today’s urban society solves a different set of problems. Why give up the advantage of surprise just because its legal?

In the 1700's and 1800's, it was seen as unmanly, even cowardly, to carry concealed. Today's urban womenfolk and children haven't had to hide from savage attacks that bound the menfolk into a brotherhood of common defense. Our nanny state has made them feel victimized and alone. Now open carry doesn't give our neighbors a warm feeling of security that it used to, that it should.