Post your open carry experiences and encounters

[Arin Morris]

Two people in two years?? Wow I hope we get more in Texas after the new year. Are you based in a city or rural area?

I can count the number of open carriers I've seen on one hand since OK went OC.

 

[kinggabby]

I used to open carry until I had my feelings hurt. I mean how can people be so mean? Just kidding I open carry anywhere legal to do so.

 

[ddillman]

I live in Skiatook and still have not seen any open carriers. I have only seen a few while in Tulsa, Owasso, Claremore....etc. But, as I have always thought (which is my own opinion), I like to conceal myself. That way, if ever in a situation I feel I cannot get out of, I still have the element of surprise. Also, this prevents the rest of the "insane" world from giving me their snide remarks about gun control. I know I have the legal right to open carry, but I don't like people knowing what I have or don't have on me.

 

[Grapeshot]

I live in Skiatook and still have not seen any open carriers. I have only seen a few while in Tulsa, Owasso, Claremore....etc. But, as I have always thought (which is my own opinion), I like to conceal myself. That way, if ever in a situation I feel I cannot get out of, I still have the element of surprise. Also, this prevents the rest of the "insane" world from giving me their snide remarks about gun control. I know I have the legal right to open carry, but I don't like people knowing what I have or don't have on me.

Several problems with that.

CCer's look exactly like unarmed, defenseless victims which is what a BG will seek out. You are inadvertently making yourself a target.

OCing serves as a signal like the rattlesnake's warning AND it educates the general population. CCing does neither.

That said, I really don't care how you carry - you're still a prepared good guy.

 

[ddillman]

Several problems with that.

CCer's look exactly like unarmed, defenseless victims which is what a BG will seek out. You are inadvertently making yourself a target.

OCing serves as a signal like the rattlesnake's warning AND it educates the general population. CCing does neither.

That said, I really don't care how you carry - you're still a prepared good guy.

I see your point. But I also see it this way.....if a BG sees my open carry, who do you think he is going to take out first?

 

[Grapeshot]

I see your point. But I also see it this way.....if a BG sees my open carry, who do you think he is going to take out first?

A number of people have bumped their nose on that.

We have an oft repeated challenge: Show me one verifiable (w/cite) incident in modern times where an OCer (non-LEO and non-military) was preemptively taken out. Hasn't happened yet, though many have tried to find such. All examples presented have proved to be false.

Might it happened someday? Sure, but when it does the resultant percentage/ratio will look a lot like this = .00001% or less. Those are odds I can live with daily.

Typical scenario happened right here in Richmond, Va at the Golden Market a few years ago. The BG ran right passed the OCer to shoot the shop owner.
http://www.ammoland.com/2009/07/gun-owner-saves-lives-in-the-richmond-va-golden-market-shooting/

 

[ddillman]

A number of people have bumped their nose on that.

We have an oft repeated challenge: Show me one verifiable (w/cite) incident in modern times where an OCer (non-LEO and non-military) was preemptively taken out. Hasn't happened yet, though many have tried to find such. All examples presented have proved to be false.

Might it happened someday? Sure, but when it does the resultant percentage/ratio will look a lot like this = .00001% or less. Those are odds I can live with daily.

Typical scenario happened right here in Richmond, Va at the Golden Market a few years ago. The BG ran right passed the OCer to shoot the shop owner.
http://www.ammoland.com/2009/07/gun-owner-saves-lives-in-the-richmond-va-golden-market-shooting/

No one can say for sure that the BG even saw the open carry. I know the article said the gun was visible and large caliber, but, that doesn't mean the BG saw it. Again, everyone has their own opinion. I know if I was a BG, I would want to take out my biggest & earliest threat first. I don't care what statistics show.

Also, to get valid statistics on open vs. concealed, you would have to interview the BG to see if he saw the gun or not. And that won't happen because some end up dead. I'm sure if I researched it hard enough I could find an incident ot two where the perps tried to take out someone with a visible weapon. And last, most states aren't open carry, so your statistics aren't going to show anything in favor of open carry.

 

[Grapeshot]

No one can say for sure that the BG even saw the open carry. I know the article said the gun was visible and large caliber, but, that doesn't mean the BG saw it. Again, everyone has their own opinion. I know if I was a BG, I would want to take out my biggest & earliest threat first. I don't care what statistics show.

Also, to get valid statistics on open vs. concealed, you would have to interview the BG to see if he saw the gun or not. And that won't happen because some end up dead. I'm sure if I researched it hard enough I could find an incident ot two where the perps tried to take out someone with a visible weapon. And last, most states aren't open carry, so your statistics aren't going to show anything in favor of open carry.

Ah so - thought there was hope for you still ........until I saw the 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] comment

Research away, knock yourself out even. Been there, done that, still doing it.

As to the latter (most states aren't open carry), you could not be more WRONG. A far greater number of states do allow open carry.

[url]http://www.opencarry.org/?page_id=103
[/URL]

 

[ddillman]

Ah so - thought there was hope for you still ........until I saw the 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] comment

Research away, knock yourself out even. Been there, done that, still doing it.

As to the latter (most states aren't open carry), you could not be more WRONG. A far greater number of states do allow open carry.

[url]http://www.opencarry.org/?page_id=103
[/URL]

Well, I stand corrected. I looked up open carry in USA. I was amazed open carry is that wide spread. I did not realize that. My apologies.

BUT, I still conceal and that is just my personal belief. I just can't think of it any other way that a BG would see my weapon and attack me first rather than go any other direction. Again, everyone has their opinion on this matter. I'm not trying to be hateful, just doing what I think is best for me and my family.

 

[Grapeshot]

Well, I stand corrected. I looked up open carry in USA. I was amazed open carry is that wide spread. I did not realize that. My apologies.

BUT, I still conceal and that is just my personal belief. I just can't think of it any other way that a BG would see my weapon and attack me first rather than go any other direction. Again, everyone has their opinion on this matter. I'm not trying to be hateful, just doing what I think is best for me and my family.

Indeed, that is what we are all trying to do.

We all make decisions based on our own standards - it is a matter of personal choice how one carries. All we ask is that one do so legally and responsibly.

 

[qednick]

I see your point. But I also see it this way.....if a BG sees my open carry, who do you think he is going to take out first?

Same old tired arguments *but* it's up to you how you prefer to carry. As for element of surprise thing: would you rather someone actually tried to attack you first? Or would it be best if the attack never happened in the first place? I was the subject of an attempted car jacking a while back. I was CC at the time and it was deep in my front pocket and under the seatbelt. If I had been OC at the time, the dude that suddenly got in my passenger seat (in like a split second) may never have even bothered had I been visibly OC'ing. Thankfully I managed to get him out the car without incident but the whole thing made me realize:
1) It's no good having CC if it's in your pocket and under a fastened seatbelt, and;
2) He could've slit my throat in a heartbeat before I had chance to do anything about it.
Therefore I'd rather OC any day.

 

[Rusty Young Man]

I see your point. But I also see it this way.....if a BG sees my open carry, who do you think he is going to take out first?

Glad to see you are carrying. That said, you're attributing too much valor to the common criminal (common, as in, not the ones in office). Common criminals aren't soldiers with an "at all costs" mentality. Contrary to the fallacious notion that common criminals are incredibly well-reasoned and daring individuals, the overall trend suggests they are actually opportunists.

As in nature ('the wild"), the predator seeks out the easiest prey: the elderly, the injured, the small-framed, the sick, etc.. Let's call these collectively "soft targets". Don't often see a predator go after the biggest, hulking animal. Also the reason they don't like to get into extended firefights (increases the likelihood of them getting shot and KILLED, or allowing enough time for cops to arrive).

This is likely the same reason common criminals don't tend to go after hulking bodybuilders: they want an easy score. So what seems like the most likely outcome of a criminal seeing an OCed sidearm?
1) "Oh man, I need to take this guy out and increase the time and amount of attention I get here"
or
2) "Oh man, guess I should move on to the business down the street where that big "No Guns" sign is posted".

Again, nothing against CC. I sometimes CC a BUG to complement my usual OC.

 

[Wstar425]

Been eating brunch after church at the same place now for a while. An older group of church goers have started also, and invited us to join them. Politely declined as its our time together.

I conceal under a sport jacket or vest in church, then OC if weather is warm. They had seen my firearm a few times before and casual comments made. Nothing bad.

This past Sunday standing by cash register and two of the guys come up to me.

Guy 1 says "I want to thank you, I feel safe when you're here, and I don't have to carry."

Guy 2 says almost before he's done, " I don't open carry, you'll be the first one shot."

Guy 3 (me) says, "So you feel safe because I'll be shot first?"

Uncomfortable silence with sharply pointed darts of intense glaring from my wife, who is paying the bill.

Guy 3 (me again) says "You probably shouldn't feel safe because of me."

Guy 1 says "why, are you a bad shot?"

Guy 3 says, "No, it's not that, I'm not responsible for your safety and just because you aren't being responsible doesn't mean it falls on me by default. I'm responsible for my own safety, and I would protect my wife..........provided I haven't been shot first.......

My wife and I have a bet they go somewhere else next week. I say they do, she thinks they don't. We talked for 5-10 minutes longer, I think they got some answers out of me they weren't expecting. I know they had been talking at their table about it for a couple of weeks, and apparently got the nerve up to talk to me about it. I heard all about it after the first week from a mutual friend, who was not there, but heard about it later.

 

[Liberty-or-Death]

I believe a true story was told (and perhaps Grapeshot can confirm with a cite) of a WaffleHouse that was not held up because of the OC'ers present, but did so once said carriers left, only to be promptly arrested by an arriving LEO.

This lends aid to the argument that "OC'ers will be shot first" is balderdash and confirms both the deterrent value of OC, and the perpetual ignorance of criminals.

 

[Grapeshot]

I believe a true story wad told (and perhaps Grapeshot can confirm with a cite) of a WaffleHouse that was not held up because of the OC'ers present, but did so once said carriers left, only to be promptly arrested by an arriving LEO.

This lends aid to the argument that "OC'ers will be shot first" is balderdash and confirms both the deterrent value of OC, and the perpetual ignorance of criminals.

Yep - remember the story well.

Open carry deters armed robbery in Kennesaw
http://www.examiner.com/article/open-carry-deters-armed-robbery-kennesaw

 

[KBCraig]

I like to conceal myself. That way, if ever in a situation I feel I cannot get out of, I still have the element of surprise.

If you're ever in such a situation, you've already lost the element of surprise, because you are the one who has been surprised.

 

[Liberty-or-Death]

I've never understood why anyone would want to surprise a nervous, jittery and brain deficient thug with an itchy trigger finger.

 

[mynameiscolb]

Been a whilen since I've posted in this thread. I've been open carrying daily, since I received my SDA license (6 months).

- Sophabellas on north May: no issues. Owner seemed to appreciate my presence.

- Ghengis Grill on Memorial: very positive. I've been there several times while carrying, and I've educated a few staff on the process of obtaining their SDA. One of them calls me Open Carry Guy.

- Starbucks on NW Expressway, Penn & Memorial, and Bricktown: all neutral. I'm not a coffee drinker and if I was, bucks wouldn't be my first choice, but my wife likes it.

- Harkins Theater: still no issues. Been there at least 3 times now.


I know I'm leaving some places out, but I can't seem to think of them at the moment. In fact, I've only had one negative experience, which was Whataburger (I haven't returned since)

 

[taxman]

if you're ever in such a situation, you've already lost the element of surprise, because you are the one who has been surprised.

this^

How do you have the element of surprise in your favor when trying to extract a gun from your clothing while somebody else already has a gun pointed at you?

 

[mynameiscolb]

OC'd at Jersey Mikes on Memorial, near May Ave (OKC). One of the gentlemen working correctly identified my Springfield and thanked me for carrying. Said he carries a Springfield 1911 when not working. Good stuff