Posted on 01/03/2018 12:53:04 PM PST by PROCON
There’s a lot of debate that takes place around the idea of open carry. Many argue that open carry is tactically stupid as it makes it clear to any potential bad guy who to take out first during a robbery. Others counter with arguments about how open carry initiates conversations about the Second Amendment and our right to keep and bear arms.
Both are good points, but for one open carrier in Fayetteville, NC, open carry isn’t such a grand thing these days.
An incident involving a stolen gun caused a commotion at Walmart on Skibo Road on Thursday afternoon.
About 3 p.m., Fayetteville police spokeswoman Asia Cannon said, inaccurate information based on radio scanner traffic began circulating about a shooting at the Walmart. Officers arrived and discovered that a man had grabbed a gun off another man who was open-carrying the weapon. The man who grabbed the gun then ran off.
Someone then yelled out about a gun in the store, which then caused some kind of commotion, though no one was injured.
Of course, this illustrates one of the main problems with open carry. Besides freaking out the uninitiated citizen, it also makes yourself a target for crap like this.
To be sure, there are things you can do to mitigate this kind of thing. First, look at your holster and see how easily it is to draw from someone else’s hip. I’ve found that some holsters are very easy to draw from when they’re no your hip, but not so much when they’re on someone else’s.
Also, look at learning some weapon retention techniques. These are, in my opinion, a good idea for anyone who is carrying a firearm, whether open or concealed. The last thing you want is for your decision to rely solely on stealth to come back and bite you in the rear should someone figure out you’re packing.
That said, stealth–in other words, carrying concealed–is the best way in which to carry as a general rule. If you want to make a statement, that’s fine, but don’t expect anyone to listen to you when they’re concerned about the heater on your hip. Some will, but a lot more won’t.
But if you’re serious about protecting yourself and others with a firearm, carry it concealed. Doing so means that not only will you minimize your chances of being murder target number one in the event of a robbery, but you’ll also help make sure that you actually have your gun at that key moment, rather than having lost it to some schmuck in a local Walmart who snatched it and ran off.
Folks, if we want to be considered responsible gun owners, we need to act like it. That means not advertising what we have so would-be thieves like this can grab a hold of our weapons and run for the hills. The last thing any of us want is to help arm criminals, but just what do you think happened with this weapon?
Learn from this, just as I am, and let’s make this the last such incident.
Fascinating. I wonder if your “Tommy Tacticool” number three types really are a local to Phoenix phenomenon or if they crop up elsewhere.
Another anti open carry gun writer theorizing from his armchair.
The plain truth is you can’t prove one way or the other whether open or concealed carry is “better” in much the same way you can’t prove that vanilla ice cream is better than chocolate. Both have advantages and disadvantages and it boils down to personal preference.
Open carry may also prevent an engagement in the first place.
There was one discussed a few months ago here on FR. Seems they pop up in the news once or twice a year. Does happen but incredibly rare. Still, why announce yourself? Why create the risk?
Can I have two scoops? One of each.
The Open Carry culture with related has been going here for quite some time. States that have just had this introduced may have little occurrence. Some of the types I am talking about have very little “cool” and are as much tacky as “tacti”.
Really? Where are these people who are “freaking out” due to open carry? I’d sure like to meet them. I keep on hearing about them but never see them.
Kinda like I missed seeing those “rivers of blood” in the streets once CC laws were passed.
Among the shooters I hang out with, “tacticool” is an insult.
I’m no fan of open carry. It’s tactically foolish and more likely to generate support for banning open carry among non gun owners than convert them. Just having the right to do it doesn’t make it smart.
One usually wants to blend in and not stand out. Open carry makes a person stand out.
Agreed. Most of the open carry folks I've seen seemed to have “issues”. I know, probably not true of all. Carrying concealed just makes more sense.
Having carried now for many years, I recall thinking I didn’t have the retention ability that I actually have. 5’6” and 135 pounds made me concerned that I wouldn’t be able to keep it on me.
Years of experience taught me differently.
I’ve met some pick pockets that could take your pocket pistol. One thing I do know is that if you’re to the right of my body, you have my undivided attention.
I carry concealed during the winter months when coats are needed and open during the summer. All my holsters have thumb straps.
“or a retention holster”
Exactly. That’s the only way I’d open carry.
I don’t know what the law is in other states, but in Texas it is considered lethal force to attempt to take the gun of a police officer or security guard.
I’m not sure if this applies to licensed carry, but since security guards essentially operate no different than armed citizens, I would expect it would be the same.
I would think most people in most areas would see the word “taticool” as having a negative connotation. Those that think its denotation is indeed “cool” are marginalized at best.
I am in my late sixties. I have spent quite a bit of time in the southwest before I moved here five years ago. Prior to that I also spent a lot of time in urban, suburban and rural areas elsewhere in the country as I managed construction work and companies which gave me a lot of travel.
The Open Carry aspects in Arizona that morphed into laws and rulings that concealed carry WAS open carry here, were in part brought about by sensible people wanting to push the envelope to be sure to preserve that rural western 2nd amendment aspect of Arizona.
In ‘72 , when I first spent a weekend in Phoenix it seemed smaller than the Kansas City area where I was from. Now, of course, it is the fifth largest metro area. The open carry culture looks a lot different in a crowded suburb of a huge metroplex than it does in Globe or up in Prescott Valley. And part of that may be plain anticipation of incidents just like the one described in this thread. I almost never open carry even in the outback.
That being said, there is an aspect of criminals better look out. The interstate right-of-way criminals and criminals in parking lot confrontations with police where the law abiding carry citizen jumps in to help take down or affect custody of a perp does happen and it does one’s heart good.
I fully agree with the recommendations to maintain situational awareness (armed or not), use a holster that impedes the snatch-and-grab and to practice weapon retention. But I also agree that most criminals who see that a man is armed will move on to greener pastures.
Oh, and you don't need an Eastwood scowl (or a gun) to look like someone who is not good to mess with. Stand up straight, look people in the eye, look like you know what you're doing (even if you don't) and don't say much. ;-)
(OK, I just described Clint Eastwood didn't I?)
LOL. Pretty much describes me as well.
I think that comes down to personal preference. I'm not sure that it's true that the risk in increased. What discourages me from open carry is the potential hysterical snowflake reaction. Gimme a freakin' criminal over that mess any day! lol
In WV they thank you for carrying.
(Did I mention that I love WV?)
I have been thanked by sheriff’s deputies in three different Virginia counties while open-carrying in local parks.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.