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Poll: When SB234 Becomes A Law How Will You Carry

How will you carry after SB234

  • Conceal carry, doing your best to remain concealed even if it means being unconfortable.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    33

Rod0990

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2010
Messages
35
Location
frozen
When SB234 Becomes a law (hoping) how will you change, if at all, the way you carry?

As for myself I will continue to conceal carry, except instead of having to wear a sweater and feel uncomfortable I can just wear a T-Shirt and not worry about printing.

For me this bill is about restoring a right and I probably will open carry it every once in a great while, while hunting, fishing, to exercise that right, but Im really excited that I wont have to worry about printing.

My reason for this is that when I think of the reason I carry (to protect myself and my family) I think about the dangers of being in an area where a crime will be committed:

Ideally, the criminal comes in with a concealed weapon, sees me open carrying and is discouraged to commit the crime in the first place, wonderful.

But I am afraid of the instance where the criminal comes in with a concealed weapon, sees me carrying and thinks "Ok no guards or cops but theres a citizen with a gun, Ill take him out first." and not even give me the chance to defend myself.

So as for me, it will be 99% concealed (and confortable).

What about you?
 

77zach

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2007
Messages
2,913
Location
Marion County, FL
It is very unlikely that when a criminal sees you with a gun that they will "just take you out first". Instead, they'll wait for a softer target. This makes the most sense to me and is confirmed by real world experience. There are no examples (which doesn't mean it can't happen because it DOES happen to cops occasionally) of the situation that you fear with a lawful OCer.

http://www.usacarry.com/forums/open-carry-discussion/7230-open-carry-argument.html
 
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Rod0990

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2010
Messages
35
Location
frozen
Carry

It is very unlikely that when a criminal sees you with a gun that they will "just take you out first". Instead, they'll wait for a softer target. This makes the most sense to me and is confirmed by real world experience. There are no examples (which doesn't mean it can't happen because it DOES happen to cops occasionally) of the situation that you fear with a lawful OCer.

http://www.usacarry.com/forums/open-carry-discussion/7230-open-carry-argument.html

I agree that in the case of me walking down the road alone, ya they probably will wait for a soft target but in a robbery or shooting (Virginia Tech style) I fear it will do more harm to OC then not. Am I wrong here?
 

j4l

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2011
Messages
1,835
Location
fl
I dont think there's a right or wrong here. We cant project what a potential threat will do or how they will behave. We just have to react accordingly to how they do so.

Nor do I think there is a right/wrong in favor of, or against OC or CC. I think there are times and places and weather/attire situations in which one sometimes works better than the other. I'll adapt accordingly.

My intent will be to OC whenever/wherever I lawfully can do so in most situations.
It is, will be, my preferred method for a lot of reasons.
But,there are times, or attire I might be wearing at times, when OC may not be appropriate. It will depend on where Im going, (am I going to the store, or am I going to a nephew's birthday party with a bunch of toddlers running about? am I going to the beach, or to a very casual eatery, in warm-weather attire? etc.)
 

77zach

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2007
Messages
2,913
Location
Marion County, FL
Wow what an excellent article. Ill have to ponder a bit on it. The stages of a violent crime, wow, thats right on the money I think.

I agree. I cannot plan for any conceivable eventuality. If I were seriously worried about my safety I'd OC and CC a back up gun. But, in the preponderance of situations I think OC trumps CC. And the more I think about it, the more I'm convinced that it makes the most sense.
 

j4l

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2011
Messages
1,835
Location
fl
Oh, I agree, in most situations it does indeed. OC'd in Arizona for the 2 yrs or so I was stationed there. It most definitely has an effect.
 

Motofixxer

Regular Member
Joined
May 14, 2010
Messages
965
Location
Somewhere over the Rainbow
The OC of a firearm making the carrier a target argument has been used for years. But the facts and statistics don't uphold that side of the debate. Statistics show repeatedly that the majority of crimes don't have real physical injury. Many times the weapon is not even displayed, it's only implied that there is one. The statements from criminals uphold that if they knew a potential victim was armed, they would many times avoid a confrontation and move on to an easier target. Why? because even criminals have that innate self preservation. It's also common sense, not that criminals really follow that but still. If you have one target where your victim is obviously armed, and one victim that isn't. Which target will the criminals choose. The unarmed almost every time. Think of where most crimes happen, is it at a gun store? No, is it at a Police Station? No, is it at a gun range? No, is it at a Law Enforcement convention? No, is it at an OC meet? No, where does it happen? Where the victim is presumed to be unarmed. A gas station, store, on a sidewalk, in a park, in a school or other area where the potential victim is assumed to be unarmed. There have been documented situations where an Open Carrier has deterred crime by their simple presence, or been able to prevent a more serious negative outcome. But I will reiterate what was stated earlier and many times before, where has the mere Open Carrying caused them to be a victim?
 

Rod0990

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2010
Messages
35
Location
frozen
You guys should really read the link by 77zach. It does favor OC but the wealth of information that can be gained from that article is incredible.

I think most of you make valid points. After reading the article Im leaning a bit towards OC but Im still not there yet. Ill just have to wait and see how this law plays out.
 

~*'Phoenix'*~

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 15, 2011
Messages
538
Location
Florida
I'll OC when it's socially comfortable, at least at first, though I hope to get more serious with OCing once we've established some social accepability and LE recognition of rights. I'll be happy with the change, but I'm still not eager to risk martyrdom. I'll OC when driving, kaying, hiking, rural flea markets, etc. I think I'll try to organize a little OC picnic/barbeque type get-together with my many licensed friends and family members over the summer.

For now, I'll just CC with impunity, probably a light OWB leather holster with a long shirt covering most/all of it and not care about printing/exposure.
This will keep 95+% of people from noticing at first, and make it hard for any responding officers to argue that I'm trying to make a scene with an OC gun.
 

marshaul

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Aug 13, 2007
Messages
11,188
Location
Fairfax County, Virginia
I agree that in the case of me walking down the road alone, ya they probably will wait for a soft target but in a robbery or shooting (Virginia Tech style) I fear it will do more harm to OC then not. Am I wrong here?

So, people who go out of their way to commit crimes in "gun free zones" and kill themselves at the first sign of police resistance, are going to shoot you because you have a gun?

Really, I think not. Not if you have a lick of SA.
 

Rod0990

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2010
Messages
35
Location
frozen
I'll OC when it's socially comfortable, at least at first, though I hope to get more serious with OCing once we've established some social accepability and LE recognition of rights. I'll be happy with the change, but I'm still not eager to risk martyrdom. I'll OC when driving, kaying, hiking, rural flea markets, etc. I think I'll try to organize a little OC picnic/barbeque type get-together with my many licensed friends and family members over the summer.

For now, I'll just CC with impunity, probably a light OWB leather holster with a long shirt covering most/all of it and not care about printing/exposure.
This will keep 95+% of people from noticing at first, and make it hard for any responding officers to argue that I'm trying to make a scene with an OC gun.

Ya I think Im with you on this one.
 

ixtow

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2006
Messages
5,038
Location
Suwannee County, FL
It is very unlikely that when a criminal sees you with a gun that they will "just take you out first".

It flies in the face of everything that CCers preach about why they CC.

"The criminals are cowards" is what it comes down too. And it's true. So, do the cowards looking for a soft target want to 'take out the guy with the AK pistol' first? Really? Who is suggesting that with a straight face?

I think the number of times it has happened speaks for itself. How many CCers have drawn and fired? How many OCers.

We're done here. This is a stupid argument and the people who pose it already disagree with themselves, they just ignore it for the sake of hatred; their true priority.
 

ixtow

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2006
Messages
5,038
Location
Suwannee County, FL
I agree that in the case of me walking down the road alone, ya they probably will wait for a soft target but in a robbery or shooting (Virginia Tech style) I fear it will do more harm to OC then not. Am I wrong here?

Does the fact that it has never happened help? ;-)
 
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protect our rights

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 17, 2011
Messages
290
Location
Fort Wayne, Indiana
I agree that in the case of me walking down the road alone, ya they probably will wait for a soft target but in a robbery or shooting (Virginia Tech style) I fear it will do more harm to OC then not. Am I wrong here?

But which are you MOST likely to run into? I would rather deter a criminal and not have to worry bout my firearm jamming, not drawing fast enough etc.
 

Rod0990

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2010
Messages
35
Location
frozen
Does the fact that it has never happened help? ;-)

It flies in the face of everything that CCers preach about why they CC.

"The criminals are cowards" is what it comes down too. And it's true. So, do the cowards looking for a soft target want to 'take out the guy with the AK pistol' first? Really? Who is suggesting that with a straight face?

I think the number of times it has happened speaks for itself. How many CCers have drawn and fired? How many OCers.

We're done here. This is a stupid argument and the people who pose it already disagree with themselves, they just ignore it for the sake of hatred; their true priority.


Why all the hostility? I started this thread in hopes to get the topic going. You know theres educating people and theres being arrogant about your opinions.

If my arguments (didnt think I was arguing...simply discussing) is "stupid" then dont post here.

And no "we're" not done here...you might be but I still want to hear people's opinions on this and not merely push my own on others.

The "hatred priority" here seems to be yours.

Rod
 
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