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Greetings--

I read postings on other forums discussing open carry (by permit) in other states. Just curious-- if you could in Texas, would you ?

IMO, open carry causes two problems-- First, it could tend to scare people, causing unnecessary incidents with LE and store personnel. I'd bet most folks that saw someone out in public carrying on their hip would become alarmed. Second, it takes away the element of surprise. I've read folks' posts that label open carrying as wearing a Shoot Me/Bop Me on the Head First sign.

Comments ?

I like it the way it is....national reciprocity is much more important to me.
Jason

Open gives the option of open or conceal. If it is conceal only there is no other option. I still believe open is a far greater deterrent than invitation to shoot me 1st. I would open only but like the thought of choice.

I would like to have the option. I would likely seldom exercise that option, but it would be nice to have.

Under certain circumstances I would like to have the option to carry open.

One such would be going for a walk in the woods with my dog. I am not hunting, not expecting a confrontation with a bad guy, but we have run into a mangy and possibly rabid coyote one time, and a very aggressive Possum another. I never drew my gun on either occasion, but both times, because of the active nature of our "hike" I had the gun not only concealed but buried under clothes in such a way that getting to it in a hurry was out of the question.

I also don't have a holster for the .22 that I like to carry on these outings, because I don't consider it a concealed carry gun, but I would get an appropriate holster for it if I could carry it open for things like that. ( I would also have my .45 concealed anyway.)

Plenty of good opinions on why you shouldn't open carry, but I can't think of any real good reasons why it shouldn't be allowed.

Voted yes because of that.

I too would like the option but would likely use that option very much.

I agree with Piney's statements. In my CHL renewal class, the instructor discussed open carry and was against it. Primarily because open carry makes you the first target of the bad guy. Concealed carry gives you an element of surprise and provides an opportunity for you to evaluate the situation at hand. Open carry would cause alarm. Would there be a tempation for some to get into an arms race by carrying larger and larger pistols to impress (or intimidate) people?

I say the law should remain concealed carry.

longtooth wrote:Open gives the option of open or conceal. If it is conceal only there is no other option. I still believe open is a far greater deterrent than invitation to shoot me 1st. I would open only but like the thought of choice.

Excellent said!

I think it should be legal, but don't think it should replace concealed carry. As long as the option to legally carry concealed is still retained then I'm all for extending the carry laws to include open carry.

But I'd only carry openly on very rare occasions, if at all.

Going to exclusively open carry destroys the deterrent effect of not knowing who is armed and who isn't. This is touted as one of the major side-effects of legal concealed carry. It seriously complicates the victim selection process and generally deters violent crime across the board.

We can argue about how probable it is that open carry makes a person a target, but it's impossible to argue against the following statements.

NO one is going to try to steal a gun that they don't even know is there.

Being able to CHOOSE the time YOU want to respond by drawing your defense weapon is a tremendous advantage that is lost when you open carry. I know of at two real-life scenarios where this advantage almost certainly made the difference between life and death for the concealed carrier AND those around him.

NO one is going to complain about or be offended by a gun that they don't even know is there.

Ya...all those scenarios are well and good. All that being said, I would open carry...or "lazily conceal" a whole more than carry the methods I currently do.

I would love to wear drop thigh holsters for pure comfort...and just because I can (if open carry were allowed). I would wear 2 of them with matching chrome plated 1911s

It would be nice to wear a shoulder holster and to take your jacked off, like cops, if it gets hot. It would be nice to wear JUST a t-shirt and have a full size 1911 OWB for comfort AND safety hanging out of hte bottom of the shirt.

Having open carry would change the way I carry. That said, I carry now everytime I leave the house, and it's usually OWB but strategically covered and engineered with the right shirt/undershirt combination and the perfect belt placement. I feel this is both rediculous and currently necessary.

Open carry would make protecting yourself much less of a headache.

Just some "good opnions" on why I would open carry I voted yes.

Stay safe however you end up carrying,

-nick

gigag04 wrote:It would be nice to wear JUST a t-shirt and have a full size 1911 OWB for comfort AND safety hanging out of hte bottom of the shirt.

I believe pants would still be required, even for Aggies.

Kevin

I voted yes for the reasons many have already stated. I would also be very choosy about when to open carry, like many have already stated.

Open carry might not be tactically sound in all times and places, but that doesn't mean it should be illegal.

Kevin

I voted yes.

I don't like eating while wearing a sport coat.

That would be about the only time I would open carry.

It would be nice to slip the coat off and sit down to eat. Keeps the sleeves cleaner.

I would prefer to have the choice. I can think of many situations where it would make carrying more convenient. As to the issue of "shoot me first", I believe the idea has been blown way out of proportion. While I doubt there has been a study on it, there are plenty of states that allow open carry (in one form or another) to choose from.. and if open carry was presenting any significant problems, I'm dead certain the liberal media would have been all over it!

Personally, I would continue to carry concealed for the slight tactical advantage, and to preserve the "halo effect" it provides the general public concerning those of us who are armed.