I have a horizontal shoulder holster and as I have stated in other threads, I think there is a repsonsibility to the general public in how we conduct ourselves with our firearms. Just like we ask them to respect our rights to own, and open carry our firearm, we must respect their rights to not have a loaded weapon pointed at them.
I have explained about "sweeping" the general public with a shoulder holster on this forum and was very surprised to find those who basically gave a "tough crap" style of answer. Or stated that they were never "sweeping" when carrying or even drawing their weapon. I am pro-gun...pro-carry...pro 2A....
So let me phrase a general question to every in this way...
Even as a 2A advocate and pro-gun owner and defender...how would you feel holding your newborn baby or grandbaby in your arms in line at Walmart and in front of you is an open carry shoulder holster and the muzzle is only 12" away pointing directly at your baby's face? As pro gun as I am, I would have a HUGE issue with this.
Now I know that there will be some who respond with, then i would move to another check out line, etc. Yes, thats your right. and while I am not attempting to infringe on the rights of the 2A shoulder holster person in front of me, I still believe that holding a high regard for personal and public responsibility AND discretion should be the 2A person's philosophy. What if the person standing in line behind the 2A shoulder holster person was a anti-gun...or just a anti-carry person? Perhaps this person has had a history of gun violence in their family and (although innocently enough) there is a person in front of them pointing a muzzle directly at them. Do we believe that we are going to be able to have a convincing conversation with this person and win them over to the 2A side? (notice I said 'conversation' and not 'argument').
Remember the big internet chaos about the blackhawk serpa holster and the video of the guy in texas shooting his own leg...people are still going crazy over this...the edited video which was first emaild around and posted on websites ony showed him shooting himself...only later did everyone see the entire video with the shooter actually confessing that this was NOT an issue of the holster nor of the gun...this was a training issue. Completely his fault. yet, we are STILL in chaos over this issue and people are over-reacting all over the country.
Now, what if that same guy was in front of you, your wife and children and he reaches for his weapon and does the same thing?!!! With the horizontal shoulder holster the person behind gets shot. yes, this could happen with or without the shoulder holster beign concealed. I am not trying to make this a traiing issue, AD issue or ND issue...The point I am trying to make is that people, regardless of their stance on gun rights, do not like to be looking down the barrel of a loaded weapon and even those mildly accepting of us having and carrying weapons are still fearful of a muzzle because of ADs and NDs.
I believe we have a legal,moral and ethical responsibility to claim our own rights AND protect those rights of others well. Responsibility and discretion go along way to winning our war with anti-gunners.
just my two cents....
GONZO!!!