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Open carry in Mass??

rhoonah

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Jun 11, 2010
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I have OC'ed in MA a few times and never received a hastle. I think the reality is that most people assume that I am LEO (even thought I am not). I used to OC at my old church even... that caught a few looks when I was ushering the collection plate up and down the pews. The cool thing was that many people asked if they could look at it or let their kids see it... no one ever had anything negative to say.

I choose to CC now because I agree with Phinneus. I believe that people have the right to OC but I am also not trying to make a statement. I studied martial arts for years and have 2 black belts but I don't go around telling everyone and wearing shirts that say "black belt" or whatever. I prefer to not advertise my skills or the fact that I am armed in an effort to avoid a confrontation. But again, I believe that people have the right to OC should they chose and this is purely my personal belief.
 

Grapeshot

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May 21, 2006
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Valhalla
I have OC'ed in MA a few times and never received a hastle. I think the reality is that most people assume that I am LEO (even thought I am not). I used to OC at my old church even... that caught a few looks when I was ushering the collection plate up and down the pews. The cool thing was that many people asked if they could look at it or let their kids see it... no one ever had anything negative to say.

I choose to CC now because I agree with Phinneus. I believe that people have the right to OC but I am also not trying to make a statement. I studied martial arts for years and have 2 black belts but I don't go around telling everyone and wearing shirts that say "black belt" or whatever. I prefer to not advertise my skills or the fact that I am armed in an effort to avoid a confrontation. But again, I believe that people have the right to OC should they chose and this is purely my personal belief.

Defending your choice to OC, CC or noC - still this is an open carry site, directed at educating the public. Nothing, I repeat nothing, demonstrates that better, nor is more effective, than participating in the practice thereof of OCing.

"Avoiding confrontation" is a mental attitude - not the result of how you are dressed or how you carry.
 

MagsH2

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2010
Messages
16
Location
Seacoast NH
. Once it's in peoples faces that is IS legal to carry openly the door starts to open. .

I couldnt agree with you more. But...in the Comnichusettes they would enact legislation to make sure that door doesnt open and OC would be on the books as illegal.
I could here the evening news " A little known loop-hole in MA gun laws allows normal citizens the very dangerous act of carrying a weapon out in the open like the wild west" Kerry and Frank would say they never knew that such law existed and emergency legislation would take place.
 

attackcamel

New member
Joined
Aug 27, 2011
Messages
3
Location
Massahusetts
open carry event in MA

I would love to get in contact with other lawful gun-owning citizens. (class A LTC holders preferably) and start to talk about getting an open carry event going. We should have an open-carry barbecue or something. Anything to show the fellow citizens and police that carrying is legal and can be done safely and responsibly. Its high time we do this. If we don't exercise our rights, we will lose them.
 

edinmass

New member
Joined
May 21, 2011
Messages
6
Location
LUDLOW MA
More than 2 years OC and still no problems.......

It's been over two years OC and still no questions or stops in my local western Mass town. While at work I have had almost no problems with shoplifting in the retail trade. Seems the sticky fingers crowd dosen't like the 357 on my hip. I still don't carry in the super market, as I think a few old ladies would pass out. Only one negative comment from thousands of customers over the last 12 months. When I told them there were 12 armed robbberies in the last 18 months within a half mile, 5 of them banks, they said OK I get it, no problem. Some of the local hoods now call me GANSTA but it also seems to keep them on their best behavior.
 

edinmass

New member
Joined
May 21, 2011
Messages
6
Location
LUDLOW MA
Two Open Carriers meet by chance in MASS!

:banana:

In what would almost be science fiction, at lunch today in Western Mass two of us entered a restaurant for lunch, both open carrying. There are several remarkable things about this chance meet up. First, it is a regular lunch stop for the Local LEO's. They are there three or four times a week, and both of us had no problems or issues going in the establishment knowing this. Remarkable #2 is the town was and is not ethnically or racially diverse, yet one of us (not me) had the courage to open carry in an area where just one's race and a gun would normally cause the sheepeople to run and hide or call 911. Remarkable #3 is the entire establishment not only engaged us in the dining room, ALL in the room were in favor of self reliance and right to carry, just one was opposed to open carry. Could it be time to stare a new moment in MASS? I think the Boston Bombing and the Ct shooting has people staring to realize LEO's cant protect them and it's time to go back to relying on ones self for protection. CARRY ON!
 
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Primus

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2013
Messages
3,939
Location
United States
Agree....if you accept the status quo, but that isn't going to change a thing.

Personally, I'm still trying to wrap my head around the OC thing. Would you really wan to OC in Fall River or Brockton? Why? I always carry in every city, but you'd never know it. Just don't see the tactical advantage to OC. I get the "statement" it makes, but I don't carry to make a "statement", I carry for protection.
 

Grapeshot

Legendary Warrior
Joined
May 21, 2006
Messages
35,317
Location
Valhalla
Personally, I'm still trying to wrap my head around the OC thing. Would you really wan to OC in Fall River or Brockton? Why? I always carry in every city, but you'd never know it. Just don't see the tactical advantage to OC. I get the "statement" it makes, but I don't carry to make a "statement", I carry for protection.
Personal protection is my "statement." OC advertises that I am not an easy target. Yes, I OC 24/7.

Concealing leaves you looking like a typical victim.
 

Primus

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Oct 24, 2013
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3,939
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Personal protection is my "statement." OC advertises that I am not an easy target. Yes, I OC 24/7.

Concealing leaves you looking like a typical victim.

If I went into a store to rob it. Looked at who was in it, saw one person with a gun on their hip, I'd hurt them first (thats tactics). As opposed to scanning seeing no threat, producing firearm at clerk to get money, then promptly getting surprised by the dude behind me with the gun, who i thought was an "easy target". Not knocking it, I just think on a very tactical level. Sure I see the "mugging" deterrent, maybe. Again, if I was a bad guy and wanted to mug you, if I saw the gun, I'd just drop you from behind without even giving you a chance to give me your wallet. I'm not an expert and I'm sure there's many methods, I'm just saying how I view threats. You take out the biggest threat FIRST.
 

Grapeshot

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May 21, 2006
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If I went into a store to rob it. Looked at who was in it, saw one person with a gun on their hip, I'd hurt them first (thats tactics). As opposed to scanning seeing no threat, producing firearm at clerk to get money, then promptly getting surprised by the dude behind me with the gun, who i thought was an "easy target". Not knocking it, I just think on a very tactical level. Sure I see the "mugging" deterrent, maybe. Again, if I was a bad guy and wanted to mug you, if I saw the gun, I'd just drop you from behind without even giving you a chance to give me your wallet. I'm not an expert and I'm sure there's many methods, I'm just saying how I view threats. You take out the biggest threat FIRST.
Great theory - glad it works for you. Don't really care how you carry, just do so responsibly.

To the point, I submit the oft quoted reference:

Show me one (1) confirmed incident, with cite, of where an OCer was preemptively taken out anywhere in the USA in modern times. LEOs, security and military excluded. Many have tried - all have failed - it is basically an urban myth.

Might it happen someday? Of course, but when it does the resultant numerical relationship will be something like .00001% - better odds you cannot find.

Conclusion: OC is vastly tactically superior.

BTW - this is an OC forum......do you really think we have not heard it all before? :)
 

Primus

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Oct 24, 2013
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3,939
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United States
Great theory - glad it works for you. Don't really care how you carry, just do so responsibly.

To the point, I submit the oft quoted reference:

Show me one (1) confirmed incident, with cite, of where an OCer was preemptively taken out anywhere in the USA in modern times. LEOs, security and military excluded. Many have tried - all have failed - it is basically an urban myth.

Might it happen someday? Of course, but when it does the resultant numerical relationship will be something like .00001% - better odds you cannot find.

Conclusion: OC is vastly tactically superior.

BTW - this is an OC forum......do you really think we have not heard it all before? :)

http://freakoutnation.com/2013/09/2...s-the-guy-with-a-gun-gets-robbed-at-gunpoint/

lol this was kind of funny to read.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zx_YUO4SzcY

http://forum.opencarry.org/forums/showthread.php?53000-Man-open-carrying-gets-robbed-of-his-gun this one is from this forum, might actually be a repeat of the youtube video.

But you are correct, I haven't found anyone getting shot because of the OC. Again, potato potahto as long as we get to carry and do it safely then its a good thing.
 

Grapeshot

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http://freakoutnation.com/2013/09/2...s-the-guy-with-a-gun-gets-robbed-at-gunpoint/

The above ^ ^ ^ was a set up - they knew each other and collaborated.

lol this was kind of funny to read.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zx_YUO4SzcY

http://forum.opencarry.org/forums/showthread.php?53000-Man-open-carrying-gets-robbed-of-his-gun this one is from this forum, might actually be a repeat of the youtube video.

If you read the complete thread ^ ^ ^ then you would have seen this incident was proven false also.

But you are correct, I haven't found anyone getting shot because of the OC. Again, potato potahto as long as we get to carry and do it safely then its a good thing.

See my replies embedded in red above.

Again though, I am willing to believe that it will happen some day :uhoh:
 
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acmariner99

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2010
Messages
655
Location
Renton, Wa
The way I see it Primus is "to each their own." If you are not comfortable with OC, that is fine I have no problem with that. Personally I like having the option. If I want to be more discrete, I'll carry concealed. If it is open it is open and if it is covered it is covered. I don't like having to be paranoid about how I carry in either case. Carrying in MA would worry me since it is reasonable to suspect that carrying openly in Boston or its suburbs may result in the loss of your May Issue permit.

IMO - even with Grapeshot's stats about how often an OCer is NOT targeted, having ample situational awareness reduces that risk even further. Since I started OCing I have become a lot more aware of my surroundings (and more friendly and cordial with the people I encounter.) How you carry yourself is more important than how you carry your weapon.

This is an OC forum - did you expect anything else from us?
 

Thundar

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2007
Messages
4,946
Location
Newport News, Virginia, USA
Personally, I'm still trying to wrap my head around the OC thing. Would you really wan to OC in Fall River or Brockton? Why? I always carry in every city, but you'd never know it. Just don't see the tactical advantage to OC. I get the "statement" it makes, but I don't carry to make a "statement", I carry for protection.

My parents were from Brockton and my grandparents lived there all their lives. The city is very different now from what it used to be, and not in a good personal safety way. I still have family in Brockton, and would love to be able to open carry there.

It has been my experience over the last 7 years of open carry that open carry does have a deterrent effect upon predators. Predators like easy targets, and somebody with a gun is not an easy target.
 

edinmass

New member
Joined
May 21, 2011
Messages
6
Location
LUDLOW MA
As the heroin crime goes up, Leo's are supporting open carry in my Western Mass town.

We are seeing quite a bit more crime in the western part of the state. Pills and heroin are the culprit. I have had several comments from the local PD officers, and all of them were positive on open carry and say in effect....."I don't blame you one bit for doing it." Most interestingly, when walking down my street to look at some road construction the other day, I removed my J frame from the holster and placed it in my pocket. An officer I have never met before asked why I removed the gun from the holster and placed it in my pocket. I said just not to cause alarm as I didn't know him. I was informed he was aware of my open carrying, and they had no issue with it. Thus, I have been a topic of conservation at the local PD and there have been no negative issues. Last week I was open carrying in a restaurant when the State Police came in for lunch. Their eyes got big when they figured out I was not a LEO, but didn't comment or ask any questions. While OC may work in the western part of the state, I don't think the libs in Boston will ever go for it.
 

Primus

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Oct 24, 2013
Messages
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United States
Legal Update

Will be glad to report recently had inservice and during Legal Update guess what came up.... Open Carry.

Several of the officers had no idea that it was legal. There was a discussion of it and we were given material to back this up. The hypothetical scenario came up and the instructor asked "What do you do if you get a call that there is a guy sitting in a restaurant with a gun on his hip". The instructor picked me because I knows I frequent this forum and am a "gun" guy. My response was "Not a f**** thing." This got a chuckle from him, but unfortunately some other guys didn't like that.

I will say that several stated that they would demand to see ID (LTC), per MGL 140 129C:

"Any person who, while not being within the limits of his own property or residence, or such person whose property or residence is under lawful search, and who is not exempt under this section, shall on demand of a police officer or other law enforcement officer, exhibit his license to carry firearms, or his firearm identification card or receipt for fee paid for such card, or, after January first, nineteen hundred and seventy, exhibit a valid hunting license issued to him which shall bear the number officially inscribed of such license to carry or card if any. Upon failure to do so such person may be required to surrender to such officer said firearm, rifle or shotgun which shall be taken into custody as under the provisions of section one hundred and twenty-nine D, except that such firearm, rifle or shotgun shall be returned forthwith upon presentation within thirty days of said license to carry firearms, firearm identification card or receipt for fee paid for such card or hunting license as hereinbefore described. Any person subject to the conditions of this paragraph may, even though no firearm, rifle or shotgun was surrendered, be required to produce within thirty days said license to carry firearms, firearm identification card or receipt for fee paid for such card, or said hunting license, failing which the conditions of section one hundred and twenty-nine D will apply. Nothing in this section shall prevent any person from being prosecuted for any violation of this chapter.


https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXX/Chapter140/Section129c


That was about the extent of the discussion since it was the end of the class. Still literallty have NEVER seen a person open carrying a firearm in the SouthCoast area, other then myself and I do it limited. Although I have been making more and more of an effort to do it. I credit that to this forum and some of the guys on here.

I have seriously been debating starting some kind of club or meet up. But there doesn't seem to be much interest.
 

snatale42

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2010
Messages
90
Location
Central VA
I have seriously been debating starting some kind of club or meet up. But there doesn't seem to be much interest.

I always said I'd try to GOAL to back an open carry BBQ or something but I'm sure you could get enough people together if you put out notices at club and ranges. There needs to be some OC events in MA. The Staties seem to be the only ones (usually) that are aware that OC is legal.


Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk
 
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