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Of course, there have been lots of open carry threads, but I've not heard this thought presented in others just yet. Mods, please feel free to move this post if it is in the wrong place.

I've heard (and tend to agree with) the argument that if a BG walked into a bank and saw one open carrier, he might be deterred, or he might say to himself, "OK, that's the first guy I have to deal with today". That latter potential situation alone is enough to make me cautious about open carrying. That, plus the fact that I live in Houston, and the MWAG calls are likely to be more prevalent here than in Carrizo Springs, for instance.

But what if the situation were different? What if there were LOTS of open carriers? If the BG walks into the bank and sees 6 people open carrying, then I'd bet his high-stress meter would start pinging a lot, and it might give him pause. It could have the same effect on the antis. One open carrier, every once in a while, may cause their reactions to flare up momentarily to super-nova level intensity, but a constant deluge of open carriers would eventually temper that firestorm of emotion. Nobody can keep that high a panic level forever - eventually even they would get somewhat desensitized. No, I'm not saying that they'd all get converted or anything, but they'd have to budge a bit on their emotions, or risk a nervous breakdown in the process.

When/if open carry passes, I'll likely not be a regular practitioner of that method, but if I find that open-carriers become more common, I might reconsider that position, at least in selected circumstances.

I will say it again......
MOST people won't even notice you are carrying and if they do most of those will assume you are LE.

I have personally seen this play out several times.
Twice at a store with 4-6 other competition shooter. I was the only one that noticed the man with a pistol on his hip...one time we actually talked to the guy briefly the other time we were all on the same isle. HUGE gun guys didn't notice.

Another time at Walmart with a couple of buddies...one of them a USPSA shooter....the other could care less either way about guns.

Another time at Walmart in Ardmore OK.....my family, my little sister n her husband and couple of their kids....all huge gun people...didn't notice the guy that walked right passed us with a shiny 1911 on his hip.

Twice I have caught myself not noticing until well after the guy had walked by me.

The only thing that will make people notice more is if the media continues to blast it constantly.

Target1911 wrote:I will say it again......
MOST people won't even notice you are carrying and if they do most of those will assume you are LE.

If someone sees these two clowns, or anyone dressed like them wearing a tactical or any other holster, I am going to say they will NOT assume they are LE.

Keith B wrote:

Target1911 wrote:I will say it again......
MOST people won't even notice you are carrying and if they do most of those will assume you are LE.

If someone sees these two clowns, or anyone dressed like them wearing a tactical or any other holster, I am going to say they will NOT assume they are LE.

[ Image ]

If the one on the right walked in at low ready dressed like that there's a real good chance he might end up ventilated.

that screams LUBYS MASS KILLER.

Target1911 wrote:I will say it again......
MOST people won't even notice you are carrying and if they do most of those will assume you are LE.

I have personally seen this play out several times.
Twice at a store with 4-6 other competition shooter. I was the only one that noticed the man with a pistol on his hip...one time we actually talked to the guy briefly the other time we were all on the same isle. HUGE gun guys didn't notice.

Another time at Walmart with a couple of buddies...one of them a USPSA shooter....the other could care less either way about guns.

Another time at Walmart in Ardmore OK.....my family, my little sister n her husband and couple of their kids....all huge gun people...didn't notice the guy that walked right passed us with a shiny 1911 on his hip.

Twice I have caught myself not noticing until well after the guy had walked by me.

The only thing that will make people notice more is if the media continues to blast it constantly.

Possibly why no-one paid attention was the persons body language. The person had no intention of committing a crime and his/her body language told you so.

I know this question is a long shot, but does anyone know the name of the guy on the right?

To the OP, what would make me OC is the same reasoning I OC'd a few times while hiking in California:

*Rural area with potential to run into dangerous 4 legged varmints (mountain lions and bears),
*Rural area with potential to run into dangerous 2 legged varmints.

The example of fly fishermen carrying large caliber revolvers in case bears object to their fishing methods is an excellent example.

I would not OC in an urban or suburban setting.

About the only thing I can think of that will make me contemplate the possibility of OC is the heat and the ease of not having to wear a cover shirt when it is 100+ in the shade.

OCing is not a big deal, not matter how people try to make it one.

Argument #1> You will be the first guy to be shot.

Never seen or heard about this happening. You know if it had/ or did the liberal news media would be all over it.

Argument #2> Someone could strip it out of your holster and use it against you.

Heard of this happening once in VA a few years ago and lets just say there were some extenuating circumstances. This doesn't happen.

Argument #3> How will the cops know the good guys from the bad guys?

The same way the do now. No criminal is going to open carry illegally and risk the attention of an LEO. This just doesn't happen.


To the OP, my #1 reason for OCing in my former home of VA was not to OC, or CC, or to even care. I got dressed in the morning and depending on the time of year, what I was wearing, etc. my gun might be concealed, covered, or partially covered. This is all I want to do here in Texas.

#2 reason is to be able to carry outside all my clothing when hiking, especially during cold weather. Just this morning I was walking my dog, at 5:30AM, on the River, in freezing temps. It would have been a challenge to get to my gun underneath a heavy coat.

#2 reason is to be able to carry outside all my clothing when hiking, especially during cold weather. Just this morning I was walking my dog, at 5:30AM, on the River, in freezing temps. It would have been a challenge to get to my gun underneath a heavy coat.

Cedar Park Dad wrote:

#2 reason is to be able to carry outside all my clothing when hiking, especially during cold weather. Just this morning I was walking my dog, at 5:30AM, on the River, in freezing temps. It would have been a challenge to get to my gun underneath a heavy coat.

I see the difficulty in getting to a handgun under those circumstances, but don't know how I would openly carry one on the outside of that heavy coat under those conditions. Do you have a method in mind?

Abraham wrote:I know this question is a long shot, but does anyone know the name of the guy on the right?

I don't know their actual names, but I nicknamed them 'Bubba' and 'Boo Boo'.

Actually, someone posted a link to an article about them and it had a couple of Tweets listed saying he is a pot smoker and maybe sells it too http://bearingarms.com/long-gun-open-ca ... -mistakes/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Just Google his Twitter name and you will get all kinds of stuff on him.

I thought his name was "snowboots" and the other one was "fatman"

Keith B wrote:

Abraham wrote:I know this question is a long shot, but does anyone know the name of the guy on the right?

I don't know their actual names, but I nicknamed them 'Bubba' and 'Boo Boo'.

Actually, someone posted a link to an article about them and it had a couple of Tweets listed saying he is a pot smoker and maybe sells it too http://bearingarms.com/long-gun-open-ca ... -mistakes/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Just Google his Twitter name and you will get all kinds of stuff on him.

I call them Yogi and Booboo, and Yogi has obviously been hitting the pickanick baskets pretty hard lately.

C-dub wrote:

Cedar Park Dad wrote:

#2 reason is to be able to carry outside all my clothing when hiking, especially during cold weather. Just this morning I was walking my dog, at 5:30AM, on the River, in freezing temps. It would have been a challenge to get to my gun underneath a heavy coat.

I see the difficulty in getting to a handgun under those circumstances, but don't know how I would openly carry one on the outside of that heavy coat under those conditions. Do you have a method in mind?

I have a a snowboarding jacket that zips up about 10" on each side for ventilation. When I am in VA if it is cold, and I am so inclined, I simply unzip the carry side of the jacket, tuck it behind my OWB holster/gun, and then zip it back down behind the rig.