A question for those who open carry

   / A question for those who open carry #1  

Sigarms

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I carry concealed. Open carry has never appealed to me for various reasons.

Then it dawned on me the other day, the BIGGEST reason why I would never carry concealed is something that I actually never gave much thought until the other day sitting on the hopper in a rest room.

If you open carry and you want to go shopping or anywhere else off your property, how do you know who exactly will allow weapons on their premises? You wear a gun and everyone can see it, you come up to a store that doesn't allow weapons, what do you do? If you go in you're busting the stores request and there is a good chance you can get the law called on you.

The reality is unless you come across a metal detector and you carry concealed, no one knows, period.
 
   / A question for those who open carry #2  
In my experience, those who are of the mindset to open carry have NO problem not patronizing establishments that limit firearms in any way.

p.s. Sorry, I do NOT open carry.
 
   / A question for those who open carry #3  
If you are carrying concealed, and doing it legally and you go into a store that has a no guns sign, you are not breaking state law, at least here in Nevada. And you'll probably get away with it no problem. But if an employee notices the gun and asks you to leave, you'll be trespassing if you don't. At least that is the way I interpret it here in Nevada. Of course, concealed means concealed. If someone spots it, it's not concealed.

As I travel around I see "no gun" signs here and there on doors. I assume this applies to either open or concealed. So, it's cool unless there is a sign on the door and even then it's not against state law, it's just against the store's policy.

Of course, that does not apply to government buildings or schools where there will be no guns on the premises or within some distance of schools.
 
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   / A question for those who open carry #4  
I have CCW license but rarely carry. I don't think open carry is the way to go if you are interested in true self defense. Open carry guys likely just want to appear to be bad asses and the bad guy can pretty easily disarm them from the rear if needed. Also if a bad guy sees you have a gun (open carry) then you will be targeted first in a shooting. Concealed carry parties have at least a little bit of a surprise mode to work with when confronted especially in group settings. When I carry it is always concealed.
 
   / A question for those who open carry #5  
I have CCW license but rarely carry. I don't think open carry is the way to go if you are interested in true self defense. Open carry guys likely just want to appear to be bad asses and the bad guy can pretty easily disarm them from the rear if needed. Also if a bad guy sees you have a gun (open carry) then you will be targeted first in a shooting. Concealed carry parties have at least a little bit of a surprise mode to work with when confronted especially in group settings. When I carry it is always concealed.

Pretty much agree. I am not trying to make a point or be in anybody's face with it. That does more harm than good. Open carry makes more sense for a gun store owner, or when out hiking in the desert or at a shooting event.

Concealed is it's own category and carrying concealed without a permit is a big no no here. So it could be argued, sometimes, that open carry is more legal and less likely to get you in trouble, but it will certainly get you more attention. Even in the car, the gun must be in plain sight, or it's a concealed weapon. One of the reasons I got my permit was so that I could conceal it without a legal problem and I do just that when we go out for walks with the dog in the evening. A 380 drops into my back pocket and disappears. In the car, I have a pocket in front of the seat that could be considered "concealed" and a console vault that might also be considered "concealed".
 
   / A question for those who open carry #6  
I have a CCW, and do. It's either under a shirt or coat on my hip..and the on,y way anyone would ever know is if heaven forbid.. it had to come out. At that point, I'm not worried about weather the store clerk has a no gun sign on the door.
 
   / A question for those who open carry #7  
If you are carrying concealed, and doing it legally and you go into a store that has a no guns sign, you are not breaking state law. And you'll probably get away with it no problem. But if an employee notices the gun and asks you to leave, you'll be trespassing if you don't. At least that is the way I interpret it here in Nevada. Of course, concealed means concealed. If someone spots it, it's not concealed.

As I travel around I see "no gun" signs here and there on doors. I assume this applies to either open or concealed. So, it's cool unless there is a sign on the door and even then it's not against state law, it's just against the store's policy.

Of course, that does not apply to government buildings or schools where there will be no guns on the premises or within some distance of schools.

This varies from state to state. Currently, in Ohio, if you carry into an establishment that is posted no firearms, and get caught, you can be charged with a crime. There is legislation pending in Ohio to "decriminalize" the act and make it similar to what you describe.

Sigarms, did you mean to say you would never open carry? I would not open carry either. I see it as too much of a nuisance. It does make some people obviously uncomfortable and then there are those that want to talk to you about your gun.
 
   / A question for those who open carry #8  
I don't open carry. But I do see it fairly regularly here. I don't know what they are thinking, as I don't bother them and they don't bother me. I would just as soon the bad guys don't know I am armed. And some people are still "bothered" by seeing people open carrying. Although it is common in this area. Here in Branson, of course we have a lot of people from other states as this is mainly a tourist magnet.
 
   / A question for those who open carry #9  
Welsh,

Thanks for the correction on state to state rules. I edited my earlier post.
 
   / A question for those who open carry #10  
In my experience, those who are of the mindset to open carry have NO problem not patronizing establishments that limit firearms in any way.

p.s. Sorry, I do NOT open carry.

Concealed carry permit holders also have the mindset not to do business with any establishment that restricts the carrying of guns, open or concealed.
 

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