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nwoodco1 wrote: Sun Feb 24, 2019 5:44 pm Curious what the everyone else does, for me (in my limited CHL experience), I will rarely open carry, with a good IWB holster, I just don't see when it would be necessary beyond hunting, being on the ranch, etc.
I am open carrying tonight just so I know what it's like, but I'm not sure when it would be useful in everyday life?
Also, I kept this out of the open carry forum because I want both sides on this one.

Carrying openly is my default mode. You say " ... I just don't see when it would be necessary ... " to carry openly. You are right; it is not necessary. I find it necessary to breathe. I find it prudent to carry my self defense tool in the manner that works best for me.

I carry my S&W M&P M2.0 9mm 5inch in a Safariland 7TS ALS OWB holster, with Guard and QLS, openly wherever I legally can. I conceal as the situation dictates.

We must each do our own risk analysis. Hardly anyone knows my limitations and capabilities. What works for others may or may not work for me. As with most things in life, it comes down to which risks we are willing to manage and which benefits matter most to us.

Be safe and carry.

It depends where I am to be quite honest. I live and work in Austin. So in these here parts I typically carry concealed though there are some occasions when I will open carry just on a whim. For the most part when I do open carry in town Austinites typically don't notice or don't care. But I'm sure some Commiefornia transplant will eventually cross paths with me be disgusted at me exercising my Second Amendment Rights. But when I do open carry is typically on range days. I go to ranges in the rural areas outside of Austin where I know it won't be a problem.

I OC the majority of time. I CC when at church,or if I have to enter a 30.07 posted location. In the winter, my jacket covers my gun so I guess that would be CC, but once inside I remove my coat. I have had several people thank me for carrying, one clerk at a Home Depot said it made her feel safer knowing people carried in her store. I would say 90-95% of the people never notice. But I don't wear clothes, that draw a lot of attention. To each their own, to me it's more important, that you carry, rather than the method. JMHO

I OC from time to time, when I do it’s generally with my Les Baer 1911 with my custom holster.

95% of the time I open carry is the time right between defeating cover and draw stroke.

Open carry is great until you are ambushed and outnumbered OR until someone calls the police with claim there is an active shooter or you threatened someone with a gun. Do some research, and don't be a liability.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_K4U11C6fmQ

No.

I open carry 98% of the time, I cover up only when necessary, the whole bad guy will shoot you first, take your gun... blah blah blah! Is just nonsense, your situational awareness should always be on high alert, I've had one occurance where somebody made me nervous enough to put my palm on the butt of the gun! Over all most people do not notice or they don't care! So as my friend Excaliber says CARRY ON!

montgomery wrote: Mon Feb 25, 2019 8:41 am
Open carry is great until you are ambushed and outnumbered OR until someone calls the police with claim there is an active shooter or you threatened someone with a gun. Do some research, and don't be a liability.

That was my primary fear about OC initially. I had been on social media where quite a few threatened to "swat" anyone who they saw with a gun. I spoke to our police chief about that problem. He held seminars open to the public where he told everyone that his department had trained dispatch about how to handle "I see a gun" calls. While there still could be a person who blatantly lies about seeing an un-holstered gun being waved around, those who militantly suggested doing that appear to have followed through about as well as that Hollywood celebrities did when they said that they wold move to Canada if President Trump was elected. If there has been any in the exodus, their departure was a well kept secret. I've asked local officers about problems with OC and none have had any incidents but that is only anecdotal information.

Personally, I've OCed a lot more recently. Part of my initial reluctance was that I didn't have a good retention holster. Now I do. Like others, I'm careful about where I OC. I've done it at meetings, including ones with prominent Texas State officials attending but I'm not alone and those meetings have often attracted protestors for those State officials. In the Summer, my retention OWB paddle holster is more comfortable that my usual IWB one. I've noticed some people fixated on my visible gun while speaking to me but have only had positive comments about it. I make it a point to go about my business in a concerted way and not to give any appearance of just "hanging around" while I'm OC. I walk my dog in a public park and often have had people want to fuss over the dog but those same people never mentioned my gun. Now, I too have coats or vests over the gun now, even if it would otherwise qualify as an OC.

I'm pretty active about situational awareness normally. I try to take it up even another notch or two when I OC, particularly behind me. I walk with a purpose out of habit and turn my head to see if anyone is close by or attempting to keep my pace. In crowded environments, I turn a lot, making my path unpredictable. Someone attempting to catch me by surprise is going to have to work at it so I'm not too worried about an ambush where I go and doing what I do. Regarding outnumbered, I'm already keenly aware of any group of people around me. While I admit that several individuals could suddenly come together from various directions, I don't consider that to be the greatest threat to me. Given my physical characteristics now that I've been working out, the way I move and the fact that I have a visible gun, I'm betting that there are a lot more attractive targets out there. As one man said to the other was they were both running away from a charging bear, "I don't have to outrun the bear, I just have to outrun you."

crazy2medic wrote: Mon Feb 25, 2019 8:56 am I open carry 98% of the time, I cover up only when necessary, the whole bad guy will shoot you first, take your gun... blah blah blah! Is just nonsense, your situational awareness should always be on high alert, I've had one occurance where somebody made me nervous enough to put my palm on the butt of the gun! Over all most people do not notice or they don't care! So as my friend Excaliber says CARRY ON!

Sort of, iwb holster with no over shirt.

I have to conceal at work, so most of the time I am CC. But on weekends when I make the occasional trip to town I usually OC. In two years I have only had a handful of comments, and all of them have been positive. Most people don't even notice. And that fact is strange to me. It surprising how little situational awareness many people have.

longtooth wrote: Sun Feb 24, 2019 8:45 pm

nwoodco1 wrote: Sun Feb 24, 2019 5:44 pm Curious what the everyone else does, for me (in my limited CHL experience), I will rarely open carry, with a good IWB holster, I just don't see when it would be necessary beyond hunting, being on the ranch, etc.
I am open carrying tonight just so I know what it's like, but I'm not sure when it would be useful in everyday life?
Also, I kept this out of the open carry forum because I want both sides on this one.

Open Carry all the time. If it is not posted 30.07 I open carry. Couple of exceptions.
1. We ask at church that all weapons be concealed.
2. If I am somewhere that is not posted but I know they would probably frown on it then I put the vest on. Example: my doctor. And changing Dr is not an option. Barely found him. No one else wants our insurance.
I live in Angelina County, Deep East Texas. My son and family live in Round Rock. Only bout 3 miles from Travis county line. I still OC there. Never an eye bobble or problem there either.

You will get several that say they conceal so they have a tactical advantage of surprise.
Surprise has never been considered a defensive strategy. If you have to SURPRISE someone they already have you covered w/ a deadly weapon.
Surprise is offensive. Surprise the enemy in ambush. Surprise them with first assault. Surprise is offensive.
Open Carry is a deterrent to any crime of opportunity.
I am a retired Instructor. Before Open Carry I taught and still do that any evident means of self defense is a deterrent to crime. I never had any LEO to disagree with that. Why anyone wants to hide their evident means of personal defense so after a gun or knife is pointed at you and ordered to "gimme your keys and wallet" then you can SURPRISE them with your gun and shoot them is beyond my reasoning.
You will still get those who wills say All of the above may be true but they still want the element of surprise for defense. Again beyond my reasoning. Just say I am not really comfortable w/ OC.
Had my say one more time I wont argue it w/ anyone.

Concealed carry allows the deterrent to extend to those who choose not to carry.

longtooth wrote: Sun Feb 24, 2019 8:45 pm

nwoodco1 wrote: Sun Feb 24, 2019 5:44 pm Curious what the everyone else does, for me (in my limited CHL experience), I will rarely open carry, with a good IWB holster, I just don't see when it would be necessary beyond hunting, being on the ranch, etc.
I am open carrying tonight just so I know what it's like, but I'm not sure when it would be useful in everyday life?
Also, I kept this out of the open carry forum because I want both sides on this one.

Open Carry all the time. If it is not posted 30.07 I open carry. Couple of exceptions.
1. We ask at church that all weapons be concealed.
2. If I am somewhere that is not posted but I know they would probably frown on it .

.

I open carry on the weekend. Never had any issues.

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Commander Cody wrote: Mon Feb 25, 2019 8:51 amNo.