• We are now running on a new, and hopefully much-improved, server. In addition we are also on new forum software. Any move entails a lot of technical details and I suspect we will encounter a few issues as the new server goes live. Please be patient with us. It will be worth it! :) Please help by posting all issues here.
  • The forum will be down for about an hour this weekend for maintenance. I apologize for the inconvenience.
  • If you are having trouble seeing the forum then you may need to clear your browser's DNS cache. Click here for instructions on how to do that
  • Please review the Forum Rules frequently as we are constantly trying to improve the forum for our members and visitors.

To Open Carry, or Carry Concealed!

M-Taliesin

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2011
Messages
1,504
Location
Aurora, Colorado
Howdy Folks!
With my birthday presents ready to go and conceal my pistol, now that I have a permit and all, I've made a discovery or two since Saturday.

Regardless of the rig I wear for conceal, there are drawbacks. I have learned how much easier it is, and far more comfortable, to open carry. I've also discovered that people behave differently toward me when I carry concealed compared to open carry. Throw in the fact that I feel positively naked when carrying concealed and it has become evident that I'd prefer to open carry when possible and reserve conceal carry for those times when it is simply impossible. Like... when I am running around in Denver city or county territory.

The new holsters I got are terrific for concealed carry, but take a heap of getting accustomed to wearing. I like my new holsters, but it just ain't the same as open carry. So, guess I'll remain an open carry fan despite the fact that I have gear to do the job and a permit to conceal.

Oddly enough, I have a certain sense that concealing the weapon is somehow sneaky and underhanded. I know that ain't true, but it just seems that way to me. Like somehow shady or something. Maybe I just haven't concealed enough to have a reasonable opinion, but after a week of alternating between concealed and open carry, I just feel much more relaxed open carrying.

What do you guys who have done both think on this particular observation?

Blessings,
M-Taliesin
 

Cesar A

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 23, 2011
Messages
20
Location
Colorado Springs
Oc ftw!

OC is much better tactically and obviously a much better deterrent than ccw. I also think not OCing makes me feel like I am not armed at all but then again I think it is because I am so used to it now. Having stated that I do think CCW is nice to have just to avoid headaches in places where people or LEOs might be retarded about weapon display. So I guess what I am trying to say is this OC everywhere you can and ccw only when you know it would be best not to call attention to yourself :D. As for my belief on CCW it is this: if I am carrying a fire arm I want the people around to know, not because I want attention but because I want to give everyone around a fair chance to think twice before doing anything stupid around me or towards me. So OC>CCW in most cases, that is my opinion.

Airborne!

I am writing this after coming from work and I am tired so if it doesn't make sense sorry! lol
 

Beau

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2007
Messages
672
Location
East of Aurora, Colorado, USA
I don't feel sneaky or naked when concealing. I do feel under prepared. I feel like I loose the sight deterrent OC provides and I can't draw as fast CC.
 

Polynikes

Regular Member
Joined
May 18, 2011
Messages
182
Location
Colorado Springs
Building on what Cesar A said, I'll give a quick example of when I thought it better to CC than OC. The wife and I were buying some appliances from a private seller on Craigslist and were heading over to their house to pick them up. In an attempt to be respectful to a stranger while entering their own home, I wore my IWB holster under a button down shirt. I approached the door to their home first, with the wife and kids a good distance behind me and introduced myself to the seller. They ended up being very nice individuals and I'm sure that my friendly, non-threatening manner helped to close that sale. :)

Basically, I since I was meeting them in their own home (their "safe area" in essence) I wanted to enable them to remain in their comfort zone as much as possible and honestly, as comfortable as I am around other armed individuals, even I would feel a little apprehension when allowing an armed stranger to step over my threshold. That said, it's that same level of caution when meeting new people that causes me to arm myself on a daily basis, because there ARE crazies out there, and every so often one of them finds their way on to Craigslist.
 

M-Taliesin

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2011
Messages
1,504
Location
Aurora, Colorado
Still Prefer OC!

Howdy Folks!
I just gotta tell ya... I still prefer OC for quite a few of the reasons already given by others here. That being said, you still need to CC in some areas just because the situation isn't OC tolerant. (i.e. City and County of Denver!)

My wife had dental work done and wasn't able to eat solid food. I was on my way home from work up in Brighton when she asked me to stop at the King Soopers in Green Valley Ranch to pick up some soup for her. GVR is part of Denver. Time for CC, like it or no.

I had the Judge on me on this particular evening, holstered in a kydex rig that my friend in Highlands Ranch had created just for me. I was only wearing slacks and a tee shirt, so I pulled out the tee shirt and walked in! This particular Judge has the 3" chamber, so it is a rather big honking pistol. Since I was wearing just a tee shirt, I felt a bit self conscious that it would show like mad.

The security guard near the door checked me out as I walked in. I saw his eyes drift up and down my body as I entered the store. After fetching the soup and a few other victuals, I walked back out and the security guy again checked me out from head to toe. This time, however, the Judge was on the same side as the security guy. After I put my grocs in the Subaru, I walked back in and approached him directly.
"Did you spot it?" I asked.
"Spot what?" he responded.
"I noticed you checked me over as I came in, and again as I went out. Did you spot my concealed weapon?" I held out my CCW card as I asked him this. "I am new to concealed carry, and just wanted to know if I am doing a proper job of it."
"No sir," he answered back. "I didn't see anything at all."
At this point, I lifted my shirt to reveal this big honking pistol on the cross draw side, and noticed his eyes got wide.
"If you can conceal that piece mister, you are doing just fine!"
"Thank you," I replied. "Nice to know I'm getting the hang of this conceal thing!"

The next evening I called the man who did the custom holsters for me and told him the story. He is creating a website for his business and I will be sending a testimonial for him to use on his site.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, my other new rig for the XDm is really terrific and I can use it for both CC and OC. It is downright comfortable and easy on the bod.

Blessings,
M-Taliesin
 

Polynikes

Regular Member
Joined
May 18, 2011
Messages
182
Location
Colorado Springs
Howdy Folks!

...I had the Judge on me on this particular evening, holstered in a kydex rig that my friend in Highlands Ranch had created just for me. I was only wearing slacks and a tee shirt, so I pulled out the tee shirt and walked in! This particular Judge has the 3" chamber, so it is a rather big honking pistol. Since I was wearing just a tee shirt, I felt a bit self conscious that it would show like mad...

Blessings,
M-Taliesin

M-Taliesin, one of the things I started doing immediately after I got my permit was just keeping a spare button down shirt in my car. If I'm OC and the situation warrants CC, it's great piece of mind to just throw on that extra shirt over the holster (even unbuttoned) and just go on my merry way.
 

M-Taliesin

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2011
Messages
1,504
Location
Aurora, Colorado
M-Taliesin, one of the things I started doing immediately after I got my permit was just keeping a spare button down shirt in my car. If I'm OC and the situation warrants CC, it's great piece of mind to just throw on that extra shirt over the holster (even unbuttoned) and just go on my merry way.

Howdy Amigo!
Oddly enough, I've done that myself before I saw this post.
Keeping one handy is... well... sorta handy.
I got stuck with having to make a stop in Denver the other day, and was glad I had one onboard.

Blessings,
M-Taliesin
 

JamesB

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2010
Messages
703
Location
Lakewood, Colorado, USA
What do you guys who have done both think on this particular observation?

Blessings,
M-Taliesin

I've been carrying pretty much every day for a little over ten years now. For the first five, I carried almost exclusively concealed. For the last five, it's been mostly open with a few exceptions.

I think I honestly prefer open.

Then again, it's simply amazing what most people don't see. I can't tell you the number of times I have been in a long conversation and twenty minutes into it the other person's demeanor changes because they just now realized that I am wearing a gun on my belt. So many people have Bat Belts on now what with the personal cell, work cell, keys with car alarm... Apearently I carry concealed even when it's out in the open some times, just because most people see what they expect to see.

How many people there in Belmar were oblivious to the presence of the guns when we met up there? Even though they were all out in the open.

This changes slightly for people who have gotten thier permit, or who know the statistics of the number of people whe are carrying (us). They actively look for others who are carrying. It becomes easier to spot a recogniseable buldge when that is exactly what you are looking for.

The biggest difference I see is that it is far more comfortable to open carry in hot weather and far more easy to conceal in cold.

My overall view is simply: Damn do I feel naked when I am without it at all. I think I'd prefer to walk around without my prescription glasses than without my iron. It is only when I do not have it that I am consiously aware of it anymore. It's kind of like putting on socks, you think about it while you put 'em on but not at all through the day. Unless you have none and your shoes are rubbing your feet in strange ways.
 

M-Taliesin

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2011
Messages
1,504
Location
Aurora, Colorado
Still waiting on holster pics M-Taliesin :uhoh:

Howdy Amigo!
I was going to focus on that yesterday. I really wanted to work up my video on these new holsters.
But then, as I sat at my computer, I got a call from a manager asking why I wasn't at work.
When I left Friday evening, no schedule had been posted, and when I tried to call on Sunday night, nobody answered.

So there I was, supposed to be at work at 11am, but blissfully unaware I was supposed to be at work.
Over the past several weeks, I haven't been scheduled to work on Mondays. Naturally, I was scheduled for this one!
So, at 11:15, the duty manager calls.

You ever get one of those episodes where you go from zero to 80 in 3.5 seconds? I had one of those yesterday.
Ran around putting on clothing, grabbing gear, and getting myself loaded into the car for the trip to Brighton!
By the time I got to work, I was nearly an hour late.

So I'll be working on that video today and tomorrow.
I know I'm good to go!
I've checked and double checked the schedule! LOL!

Blessings,
M-Taliesin
 

M-Taliesin

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2011
Messages
1,504
Location
Aurora, Colorado
I've been carrying pretty much every day for a little over ten years now. For the first five, I carried almost exclusively concealed. For the last five, it's been mostly open with a few exceptions.

Howdy Pardner!
Consider, if you will, that I never carried iron before April of this year. The whole thing is fairly new to me.
And carrying concealed even newer. What little experience I've had with carrying has been exclusively open carry
until I got my CCW almost 2 weeks ago now. So I haven't really concealed much yet.

Point being, I just don't have enough data to evaluate fairly. But one thing I have figured out for myself;
based on the little experience I do have: I seem to prefer open carry where possible.
It is nice to have the option, but feels restrictive to me.

Perhaps if I conceal carry more, I might grow to be comfortable with it. I dunno.
That's why I asked for ya'lls opinion, figuring just about everybody here has much more experience than I with both methods of carry.

And I really do appreciate ya'll sharing your thoughts on the matter.

I think in winter, I may like to try a shoulder holster under a jacket.
It seems reasonable that shifting the weight to the upper body would be easier somehow.

Blessings,
M-Taliesin
 

JamesB

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2010
Messages
703
Location
Lakewood, Colorado, USA
Howdy Pardner!

Perhaps if I conceal carry more, I might grow to be comfortable with it. I dunno.
That's why I asked for ya'lls opinion, figuring just about everybody here has much more experience than I with both methods of carry.

And I really do appreciate ya'll sharing your thoughts on the matter.

I think in winter, I may like to try a shoulder holster under a jacket.
It seems reasonable that shifting the weight to the upper body would be easier somehow.

Blessings,
M-Taliesin

I've been wondering that myself since you asked your original question. Am I more comfortable carrying openly or is it just that that has been my recent method?
I know that the first year that I carried, concealed, I was uncomfortable with it. A good part of it was just insecurity. Much like you have said...am I donig it right? Is it actually concealed? (by the way, great response from the security guard) Part of the insecurity there was also that the CCW law (shall issue) had just been passed here, and everyone on both sides of "the blue line" were a little nervous. That also meant that if I was not doing it right, there could be serious ramifications, and I'm just to pretty to go to jail.

When I was driving for a living, I switched to using a shoulder holster almost exclusively. It was great for the car. While driving, a small of the back just wouldn't work at all for me. A strong side just got pinched between the console, sometimes it took a piece of me with it to the pinching. A cross draw would get pressed under the seatbelt in a differently uncomfortable way. For that year of my life, shoulder was definately the answer.

If you are going to conceal, the advice of extra buttondown shirt handy is priceless.
 
Top