do you open carry?

99% concealed, since Texas is the original "you can't carry a gun state" - yes, we were the first to outlaw the practice statewide by legislation.

As for "if I could, would I?", it depends. I generally conceal when I have a choice, just to avoid the conversation. It would be different if I lived in such a place, and I'd be much more stylish with a shirt tucked in. And the .380 in the pocket of my Dockers is not really convenient (in a pocket holster) when I'm working.

My family knows I carry, and it interests my nieces and nephews who know, I don't hide it and we talk about it. There is no shame in shielding it from view as a measure to put people at ease. Some people were just raised that way. Just as some people are uncomfortable with tattoos or nudity, if they don't get it, they don't get it, and it's not my job to teach or condition them. (no, I'm not a nudist or a tattoo aficionado, just drawing a comparison.)

Welcome to the forum, but I don't think you're going to like it here.

As for the poll, I OC probably 95% of the time.
Some places it's just more polite to cc, & sometimes it's next to impossible to carry on-body, so I carry off-body & concealed.
Often I do both. Someone described that to me as bi-carry.

sjcea said:

I don't begrudge anyone from open carrying at all just the fact that I have carried concealed for so long its my preference to do so.

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Fine. It's your choice. Ain't it wonderful that you have one?
At least you're able to protect yourself.
So why are you on an open carry forum??
And do you see anyone telling you you shouldn't?
So why are you implying that we shouldn't?

I also do not want my kids getting the worng impression seeing me with a gun 24/7

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It's wrong for them to see you vote?
To see you go to church?
To see you associate with friends?
Or only to see you exercise your 2A right, & be able to protect yourself & them?

if you have a CC permit? Why would you need to open carry?

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You're looking at this the wrong way 'round.
If you live in a state where OC is legal, esp. without a license, why do you need a license?
Why do you need to conceal? Are you ashamed?

There are many threads about the advantages of open carry. I suggest the search function.

MKEgal said:

Welcome to the forum, but I don't think you're going to like it here.

As for the poll, I OC probably 95% of the time.
Some places it's just more polite to cc, & sometimes it's next to impossible to carry on-body, so I carry off-body & concealed.
Often I do both. Someone described that to me as bi-carry.

Fine. It's your choice. Ain't it wonderful that you have one?
At least you're able to protect yourself.
So why are you on an open carry forum??
And do you see anyone telling you you shouldn't?
So why are you implying that we shouldn't?


It's wrong for them to see you vote?
To see you go to church?
To see you associate with friends?
Or only to see you exercise your 2A right, & be able to protect yourself & them?


You're looking at this the wrong way 'round.
If you live in a state where OC is legal, esp. without a license, why do you need a license?
Why do you need to conceal? Are you ashamed?

There are many threads about the advantages of open carry. I suggest the search function.

Click to expand...

Ashamed?? Not in the least? If you read the rest of what I wrote it would have explained it. I do not begrudge anyone for either form of carry! To each his own. I have open carried before just my preference not to based on where I live and who I am protecting . Also I need a license cause even though open carry is legal in PA. The minute you get into your car with a gun on your hip you are now illegal as the gun is concealed so a license to conceal is a must

Sent from my Galaxy S///

sjcea said:

Ashamed?? Not in the least? If you read the rest of what I wrote it would have explained it. I do not begrudge anyone for either form of carry! To each his own. I have open carried before just my preference not to based on where I live and who I am protecting . Also I need a license cause even though open carry is legal in PA. The minute you get into your car with a gun on your hip you are now illegal as the gun is concealed so a license to conceal is a must

Sent from my Galaxy S///

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Same thing in Maine. You need a CC to carry a loaded gun in the car. I refuse to supply for a permit I don't need to carry. I simply unload in the car. Keep the gun on the console in plain sight(in slide lock) and the mag on my lap. If I need it in the car it's as simple as throwing the mag in and dropping the slide. I will admit it's a bit annoying when running into 10 different places within an hour's time to lead and unload each time. When people ask me why iOC around here, "because state law says I have to".

I OC 90% of the time, CC 10%.

SPOProds said:

Same thing in Maine. You need a CC to carry a loaded gun in the car. I refuse to supply for a permit I don't need to carry. I simply unload in the car. Keep the gun on the console in plain sight(in slide lock) and the mag on my lap. If I need it in the car it's as simple as throwing the mag in and dropping the slide. I will admit it's a bit annoying when running into 10 different places within an hour's time to lead and unload each time. When people ask me why iOC around here, "because state law says I have to".

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I have my cwp in Maine. Its easy to get and gets rid of the whole unloading hassle. I OC all the time with exception to being designated driver when going to the bar and at the bank when with the old lady (her rule, best not to argue). Haha.

CC has its place though. There is a huge stigma with carrying a gun everyday. And I think CC is a great way to get used to it. I don't like to CC as much but I used to all the time and as I got more comfortable I would stop completely concealing and then I started to OC and haven't gone back.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

sjcea said:

Ashamed?? Not in the least? If you read the rest of what I wrote it would have explained it. I do not begrudge anyone for either form of carry! To each his own. I have open carried before just my preference not to based on where I live and who I am protecting . Also I need a license cause even though open carry is legal in PA.The minute you get into your car with a gun on your hip you are now illegal as the gun is concealed so a license to conceal is a must

Sent from my Galaxy S///

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The part I emphasized is not correct. The law makes no statement as to the reason, simply that carrying in a vehicle requires a PA LTCF or license permit from any state.

It is not legal to open carry on a motorcycle, without a license, yet this is obviously not concealing.

CCinMaine said:

I have my cwp in Maine. Its easy to get and gets rid of the whole unloading hassle. I OC all the time with exception to being designated driver when going to the bar and at the bank when with the old lady (her rule, best not to argue). Haha.

CC has its place though. There is a huge stigma with carrying a gun everyday. And I think CC is a great way to get used to it. I don't like to CC as much but I used to all the time and as I got more comfortable I would stop completely concealing and then I started to OC and haven't gone back.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

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I just moved from CT. Had to get a permit to carry in CT, period. CCd for the first couple of months then made the switch to OC permamently after awhile.

I did until I moved to Hawaii

CDT COX said:

I did until I moved to Hawaii

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Probably had some hicap mags too.

aa1911 said:

Biggest argument I get is if someone comes in to shoot a place up and sees an OCer, he will shoot him first.

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This "argument" has so little basis in fact it's time to relegate it to complete fiction. In FACT, criminals case joints. If the see carriers, they abort. If they don't see carriers while casing, but do while committing the robbery, they abort. If they're in the midst of committing the robbery, they almost invariantly don't until the OCer reveals himself, usually either by a stoppage or one or two through the perp's heart.

...maybe but he might also just leave and shoot some other place up or just go home.

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IF he's that smart. Otherwise, stats say 90% he's either shot or dead if he comes across an OCer while committing a crime.

We're very good at discerning what's what, but when something's going down or the sh** hits the fan, we're not a very tolerant bunch. Perps usually wind up injured, or dead.

Learning point: Don't rob stores.

You're talking about two entirely different circumstances, Since9. He's not talking about robberies, he's talking about shooting sprees like the ones in Aurora. If the shooter sees you carrying a gun, then he probably will shoot you first. But it really doesn't matter, because mass shootings are such a rare event that the rewards of OC(deterrent) greatly outweigh the risks.

sjcea said:

I do not open carry. I do not want the attention nor am I trying to show it off.

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Implying that the rest of us want attention & / or are showing off.
That's called "projection", son.
You might learn a bit from reading this article (written by a psychiatrist):
http://www.vcdl.org/new/raging.htm