Is Open Carrying for the Young?

Hi Folks

In keeping a journal of my open carry experiences the last three months, nothing out of the ordinary occurred however on the nine occasions that I open carried, six times in DE, three times in PA, I observed only seven other folks open carrying, while I feel that number to be low, that is not the issue.. The seven folks that I did observe were in my opinion probably between the ages of 30- 40 years of age, give or take a couple years.. So I started thinking, is open carry a method only used for young/younger folks and not for folks in my age bracket of which is 60 and older.. In previous years I never gave the age issue any thought but looking and thinking back, I don't recall seeing anyone that I would consider older than myself open carrying.. While my observations have been limited to only three months and two small areas of only two states, I was just wondering if my observations are the norm in other states where more folks are open carrying. Do you folks see older folks, say 55 and older open carrying?

Thank you in advance for your thoughts and opinions!

Regards
CCJ

So far all 7 OCers that I've come across have been around between 30 to 70ish.

There are a lot of us that hang out here are over 50 who open carry daily. I'm 66. Most of what gets done with keeping government in line are the older members. Please don't get me wrong, we have a good number of younger guys that are very active. I think older guys are less likely to be harassed than the young. But I know an old guy involved in a federal 42 USC 1983 lawsuit for being arrested while legally open carrying, so, no guarantees.

I use my gray hair to my advantage and I won't roll over. But, that is just me.....

I'm 58 and OC everyday, everywhere it's legal. I get nothing but positive comments. +1000/-5. Just got my first negative in 3 years from a woman that said I was gonna get into lots of trouble with the law! I had just talked to two local Police Officers around the corner on my dog walk, who know I open carry and saw it unless they were blind. Not a mention of a firearm by them. I'm in a rural/farming community.

My son is 26, lives in St. Point. A fairly liberal college town. He open carries sporadically. Longish hair, I wish he would get a haircut!!���� Says he gets very few comments, but lots of bugged eyed looks and head turns. I really need to go visit him more often and do some team OC shopping! Haha

Saw one open carrier at the Kwik Trip in Portage, Wi in the last year. I probably have 10-15 conversations about firearms a week, initiated by people that see me OC. But, it's kinda of scary how many people walk right past me, and in my opinion don't notice.

Was at Menard's/Wausau on Saturday. VERY busy, lines at cash register were out into the walkway and everyone was pushing up tight trying to get out of aisle and not block it. I was talking to the guy behind me about firearms after he mentioned it. Everyone in our line I think knew or saw I was armed. Didn't see anyone move and our line was as long as the rest. I generally don't like to have people right on top of me on my right, in a line, but doing something about it would have caused a scene. I NEVER bring up firearms in a conversation, but I am happy to talk about them if someone enquires about it, as long as they are civil.

color of law said:

There are a lot of us that hang out here are over 50 who open carry daily. I'm 66. Most of what gets done with keeping government in line are the older members. Please don't get me wrong, we have a good number of younger guys that are very active. I think older guys are less likely to be harassed than the young. But I know an old guy involved in a federal 42 USC 1983 lawsuit for being arrested while legally open carrying, so, no guarantees.

I use my gray hair to my advantage and I won't roll over. But, that is just me.....

Click to expand...

some wish they had hair...er...off topic...

while NC has a large diverse military population in rural, religious, eastern part of the state, i see very few of those members OC'g. i did happen to run into a gentleman at Sunday's breakfast outing, in their late thirties who was noticed carrying inside the waist band, to the point of being the firearm was almost concealed, a small 40 shield. during our brief exchange he was not very up on the NC statutes and indicated w/o hesitation he preferred to CC and was extremely dismayed and uncomfortable i had quietly noticed, let alone, mentioned it to him.

one consideration to point out...NC has been a non-permit required OC state. however, the 'powers that be' (LE, Gov officials, via local news hacks, etc.) have convinced the state's citizenry CC is the only safe methodology in which to carry a firearm. based on the unsubstantiated folklore i can glean...when NC went to the local sheriff making $$$ on CC permits (eh, mid 90ish) the only instructors allowed to instruct were LEs ~ period! this may have a slight impact on rational why so few OC.

of late, as previously mentioned in the NC thread, one retired LE in this area was running upwards to 100+/- citizens through his CC mandated 8+ live-fire course. since he owns the local range his minions oversee the live-fire exercises. i will attest, the majority were white folk from through out the local and nearby counties spurned on by gossip and rumor and propaganda, aka fear... further, i attended his class and the lack of knowledge presented regarding firearm handling, malfunctions, and statutory information not presented was extremely worrisome, but he collected his 30 pieces of silver for each and every student ~ whistling to the bank the whole way.

somehow we have to break the mentality CC is the only way to carry and i am not sure quite how to overcome the prejudice spread by LE and others. a smattering of us OC'g is not working.

ipse

added...tks CCJ for providing a viable thread to propagate discussion...

Here in Alabama, I open carry on an almost daily basis. Only had two negative incidents; one was an ill-informed Wal Mart manager who thought she set the rules for her store. She no longer works for Wal Mart. The other was a snotty young deputy sheriff, at the same Wal Mart, who tried to tell me I couldn't carry past the signs on the door. After he spent twenty minutes looking for the signs (which do not exist), he was one frustrated young deputy and I was one amused old man.

Thanks to the efforts of one former member here and another man who has gone to his eternal reward, Montgomery is pretty straight about OC.

I do see several younger men carrying when I am out and about. Not as many as I would like to see. Me? I'm pushing seventy-three very hard.

I did see a fella about two months ago OCing, on a Sunday, heading into a local big-box hardware store with his family. He looked to be in his late 30's to early 40's.

The CC Industrial Complex is strong in MO.