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Having completed my business in WA, my wife and I are on our way back. Stopped in Boise, ID to eat at Cracker Barrel. Saw a guy walk in OCing a Taurus revolver in a leather holster. A couple of observations. First, no one batted an eye. No weird looks, no snarled lips, no one visibly whispering about him. Also, he was not instantly filled with holes simply because he was OCing. The restaurant was pretty well patronized, too.

K.Mooneyham wrote:Having completed my business in WA, my wife and I are on our way back. Stopped in Boise, ID to eat at Cracker Barrel. Saw a guy walk in OCing a Taurus revolver in a leather holster. A couple of observations. First, no one batted an eye. No weird looks, no snarled lips, no one visibly whispering about him. Also, he was not instantly filled with holes simply because he was OCing. The restaurant was pretty well patronized, too.

But....

He was giving up the element of surprise...
He would be the first one targeted by bad guys...
He doesn't have the training in marksmanship and weapon retention that LEO's have...
He was showing off and saying "Look at me"....

What does that say about me when I OC my Ruger Vaquero in my El Paso saddlery

cmgee67 wrote:What does that say about me when I OC my Ruger Vaquero in my El Paso saddlery

Probably about the same thing it says about me since I always carry my S&W M&P M2.0 5 inch openly in its Safariland ALS. I've carried openly in AZ, CO, KS, MO, NM, OK, and Texas. No issue, no problems.

oljames3 wrote:

cmgee67 wrote:What does that say about me when I OC my Ruger Vaquero in my El Paso saddlery

Probably about the same thing it says about me since I always carry my S&W M&P M2.0 5 inch openly in its Safariland ALS. I've carried openly in AZ, CO, KS, MO, NM, OK, and Texas. No issue, no problems.

That can’t be correct as I have read many posts about people not open carrying in those states. :-)

1911 10MM wrote:

oljames3 wrote:

cmgee67 wrote:What does that say about me when I OC my Ruger Vaquero in my El Paso saddlery

Probably about the same thing it says about me since I always carry my S&W M&P M2.0 5 inch openly in its Safariland ALS. I've carried openly in AZ, CO, KS, MO, NM, OK, and Texas. No issue, no problems.

That can’t be correct as I have read many posts about people not open carrying in those states. :-)

It's not that common, but it does occur more in rural areas.

To be clear, I've carried openly in urban and suburban locations such as Tucson, AZ; Colorado Springs and Pueblo, CO; Oletha and Kansas City, KS; Kansas City and Hamilton, MO; Alamogordo, NM; Oklahoma City and Edmond, OK; and Texas cities including Austin, Bastrop, Elgin, Giddings, Navasota, Round Rock, Pflugerville, Cedar Park, Waco, Ft Worth, Lubbock, El Paso, and many others. Starting in 2013 in other states, 2016 in Texas. Same results in large and small cities. No muss, no fuss. Other states seem more accommodating, but they have been at it longer. I expect Texas to catch up.

That's nice to know, as I plan to move to Idaho once I'm finished with my degree and...I rather like OC.

oljames3 wrote:To be clear, I've carried openly in urban and suburban locations such as Tucson, AZ; Colorado Springs and Pueblo, CO; Oletha and Kansas City, KS; Kansas City and Hamilton, MO; Alamogordo, NM; Oklahoma City and Edmond, OK; and Texas cities including Austin, Bastrop, Elgin, Giddings, Navasota, Round Rock, Pflugerville, Cedar Park, Waco, Ft Worth, Lubbock, El Paso, and many others. Starting in 2013 in other states, 2016 in Texas. Same results in large and small cities. No muss, no fuss. Other states seem more accommodating, but they have been at it longer. I expect Texas to catch up.

A lot of it depends on how you present yourself and your appearance. What is your manner of dress normally? And what types of businesses did you visit?

Keith B wrote: A lot of it depends on how you present yourself and your appearance. What is your manner of dress normally? And what types of businesses did you visit?

I am a retired Army officer whose one concession to civilian life is the beard I promised my self during Basic Combat Training in 1973. I do not own any shorts or short sleeved shirts. I always wear a long sleeved shirt (I may roll up the sleeves) and jeans or slacks with athletic shoes or a two-piece suit. 5'10" and 175lbs.

I carry openly as I go about my life. My wife, with her Ruger LCR .38, and I usually stay at Holiday Inn Express or La Quinta. I have attended week-long conventions at higher-end hotels in AZ and CO. Whataburger in AZ. Starbucks, Target, Chili's, Walmart, Home Depot, Lowe's, Hobby Lobby, church, and many more. Longhorn is our favorite steakhouse. The only place I want to carry that I do not do so is into Texas hospitals. I'm working on that.

If I ever get to Idaho, I'll carry openly wherever I legally can. Works for me. Your mileage will vary.

As with most things in life, it comes down to which risks we are willing to manage and which benefits matter most to us.

Your dress and visual appearance is not one to cause alarm. The sloppy dressed person in dirty tennis shoes and cargo shorts, Def-Leopard t-shirt, with a Hi-Point strapped on their hip in an Uncle Mike's cheap nylon holster are the ones that cause more angst. Dress and demeanor are major factors in whether you get ignored, a second look from someone, or called on as a person with a gun.

I agree. How you look when you OC is important. But in the summer time I do wear shorts and OC and even wear the dreaded crocs shoes. Nobody cares. I was dressed up last weekend OC’ing my Vaquero and a guy said hey man what kind of B.B. gun is that. I Smiled and told him and he said he loved it and wanted to get him something like that. I have found Oc’ing A big SA revolver in a nice leather rig like my El Paso saddlery holster people when they do notice act like it is really no thing. Sometimes when I carry my “black guns” people look harder but usually really don’t care. Most people just don’t even notice.

oljames3 wrote:

Keith B wrote: A lot of it depends on how you present yourself and your appearance. What is your manner of dress normally? And what types of businesses did you visit?

I am a retired Army officer whose one concession to civilian life is the beard I promised my self during Basic Combat Training in 1973. I do not own any shorts or short sleeved shirts. I always wear a long sleeved shirt (I may roll up the sleeves) and jeans or slacks with athletic shoes or a two-piece suit. 5'10" and 175lbs.

I carry openly as I go about my life. My wife, with her Ruger LCR .38, and I usually stay at Holiday Inn Express or La Quinta. I have attended week-long conventions at higher-end hotels in AZ and CO. Whataburger in AZ. Starbucks, Target, Chili's, Walmart, Home Depot, Lowe's, Hobby Lobby, church, and many more. Longhorn is our favorite steakhouse. The only place I want to carry that I do not do so is into Texas hospitals. I'm working on that.

If I ever get to Idaho, I'll carry openly wherever I legally can. Works for me. Your mileage will vary.

As with most things in life, it comes down to which risks we are willing to manage and which benefits matter most to us.

You look well put together sir

He was giving up the element of surprise...
He would be the first one targeted by bad guys...
He doesn't have the training in marksmanship and weapon retention that LEO's have...
He was showing off and saying "Look at me"....

Have no problem agreeing with any of the above statement

o b juan wrote:He was giving up the element of surprise...
He would be the first one targeted by bad guys...
He doesn't have the training in marksmanship and weapon retention that LEO's have...
He was showing off and saying "Look at me"....

Have no problem agreeing with any of the above statement

So you agree with baseless information? Please provide statistics that show any of the above opinions are actually facts.