Open Carry - anyone doing it now?

[user1776]

Haven't seen any open carrying in Nashville yet. Curious if anyone has been open carrying themselves or seeing it happen in their part of the state. 

Saw this article today and I am considering starting to open carry in order to help normalize gun ownership and seeing guns.

Responsible Gun Ownership Is a Lie - The Atlantic (of course, this article's arguments are nonsensical... because the best solution for personal safety is "buy a gun + go get trained on your guns/self-defense in general" but the gun-grabbers and their friends NEVER suggest that as a viable option)

There are organized forces dead set on turning gun ownership into something bad, irresponsible, and evil. OC'ing and having conversations with people curious enough to ask may be one way to fight back against that. 

 

[RED333]

I prefer to not let anyone know I have a firearm on me.

[A.J. Holst]

12 minutes ago, RED333 said:

I prefer to not let anyone know I have a firearm on me.

Same here.

[res308]

I of course have to open carry at work.  But when I’m off it’s always concealed. My personal preference is that I don’t want to have all my cards showing. 

I am seeing a little more open carry in my area. I do occasionally engage people in a conversation when I see it, but it’s normally about whatever interesting gun they’re packing at the time. I’ve met some good people that way. 

[Grayfox54]

About 20 years ago I visited friends in Missouri. At that time they didn't have concealed carry and didn't honor CC from Tennessee. However, open carry was legal, so that's what I did while I was there. Honestly, It just felt plumb awkward. Nobody said anything and everyone was polite, but I could just feel the eyes watching me everywhere I went. 

Nope, ain't doing that again. 

[chances R]

1776, that is just a terrible idea.  You don't like being 'force fed' and others don't either.  Making people feel uncomfortable is not a way to win them over.  Take any protesters that you may oppose; does that sway you over to their side?  People make their own choices.  OC can make you a target for a quick grab, now you are chasing an armed bad guy - bad choice.  You lose your element of surprise is approached by a criminal.  There is no known instructor to me that promotes OC...there is a reason for that.

Edited September 7, 2021 by chances R

[Darrell]

The only time I ever "open carry" is when I am walking in the woods behind my house, when I really expect to see no other people. I never carry openly in public, and consider to be a generally bad idea. 

I once saw a fellow motorcyclist riding down the highway on a Harley in a semi-reclined posture with an unconcealed pistol on his belt. The first thing that came to my mind was the pistol falling out of the holster and bouncing down the highway. I don't pretend to know what's on anyone else's mind, but open carry seems to me like it's an attention-getting ploy most of the time.

I can think of three occasions when people (two tradesmen and one person coming to buy an item I'd advertised) came on to my property with unconcealed handguns. I was unimpressed, and told them so. I'm a "gun guy", but I think if one is going onto private residential property the gun should be concealed or left in the vehicle unless prior consent is given.

Edited September 7, 2021 by Darrell

[E4 No More]

No.

[bobsguns]

I don't do it except if I have to take off my outer clothing layer for some odd reason.

The ones I do see open carrying almost always are using some cheap assed Fobus or Ace nylon holster. Neither of which should be used for carrying period, never mind OCing. 

As a TFA member, I'm quite surprised at the % of fellow members who promote OCing. I think it's stupid, unsound tactically & is a good way to get yourself shot first. But what do I know?

[A.J. Holst]

19 minutes ago, bobsguns said:

is a good way to get yourself shot first

Along with @chances R , "target for a gun grab," makes OC less than optimal.

 

[Grayfox54]

During my trip to Missouri, we went to dinner at a popular restaurant. I was there for a shooting event and feeling a bit rowdy. All of us were open carrying and I stupidly decided to show off a bit. I was carrying a 5" S&W 25-7 .45 Colt in a crossdraw holster forward on my left side.  I had two incidents there that have stuck with me. 

1. I was in the rest room washing my hands when a young boy about 6 or so came busting through the door at a dead run. He came to a screeching halt with his nose mere inches from that cannon.  His eyes got big as saucers! You could easily see the shock on his face. But he slowly backed away and went on about his business without a word. I've always felt bad about scaring him like that. 

2. When I went to the cashier to pay my bill, there was a uniformed LEO waiting for a take out order. He didn't say anything, but he sure was giving me the hard eyeball the whole time.  I felt really uncomfortable.

I vowed then and there that I'd never open carry again. 

[bersaguy]

I have never open carried and never will. It is just an advertisement for a bad guy to shoot me 1st. The only people outside of my family and my doctor and staff know that I carry. Most times if I have a belt holster I'm wearing a long loose shirt or light jacket. If I have my shoulder holster on normally I have on a light windbreaker.

  This is just my opinion on OC. I think if you do see an open carry chances are he/she is a new gun owner or does not have an HCP and is using the new law just to show off mostly and probably never thought they might be a target for a bad guy!!

[user1776]

Of course I understand both the points I have been brought up, one about tactical surprise, and the other about whether or not this makes other people uncomfortable/is it about getting attention or something else. 

Tactically, I agree it's better to not let others know you have a gun most of the time. So I don't see that as a benefit. But things change if there are enough people open carrying in any given area, because criminals would think twice knowing there are so many armed citizens around. Seeing is believing. 

On the topic of norms, open carry currently gets eyeballs because it's not the norm. If it were, it wouldn't really be an attention getting move anymore. And that's my point is that if we could make guns normal enough, there's a benefit to that culturally. Because then kids growing up who may not be from gun friendly families can more easily explore guns with fewer barriers (often the biggest barrier is just not knowing anything or anyone with guns to ask basic questions). 

If we don't actively work to influence norms, the left leaning media, politicians, and celebrities tend to influence it in a negative way. If you are not part of gun culture now (which could range from loving guns to just seeing it as a self defense tool), there is a high mental barrier to overcome to get involved because of all the negatives associated to it. 

@chances R I don't think wearing a gun open carry is force-feeding anybody else to get or carry a gun. Not unless you were to aggressively go up to people and turn your hip to them.

-----

From the responses here, it sounds like very few people have experience open carrying outside of law enforcement. I know I haven't. I remember there was someone on this forum advertising an event where open carry would be encouraged, and I believe that event is supposed to be in Nashville. Has that happened? Did anyone here go?

[user1776]

3 hours ago, Darrell said:

I can think of three occasions when people (two tradesmen and one person coming to buy an item I'd advertised) came on to my property with unconcealed handguns. I was unimpressed, and told them so. I'm a "gun guy", but I think if one is going onto private residential property the gun should be concealed or left in the vehicle unless prior consent is given.

Thinking about it, I'd probably also feel a bit on edge if someone I didn't know came to my house open carrying. Lots of negative norms associated with it, from thief or bad guy to simply being a fool. 

It's funny that them concealed carrying would make the situation feel better. In both cases they have a gun, but if they concealed carry I just don't know about it. I think any logical person would rather know if the person on their property has a gun.

And that's my point about norms. The norm is currently against anyone open carrying because those folks who do are "looking for attention" or foolish or potentially more of a risk (and I don't disagree). The few who do open carry become disproportionately our "representatives" to non gun owners, and this may go on to reinforce a negative stereotype of gun owners of the only open carryers are not really representatives of me and you. 

I see this as an opportunity to possibly change norms, and there's always a risk to doing that. Even if it might lead to a societal good, which I think open carrying could do (coupled with an attitude and culture of training and safety).

For now, it's just something I am turning over in my head. 

[Worriedman]

4 hours ago, bobsguns said:

I don't do it except if I have to take off my outer clothing layer for some odd reason.

The ones I do see open carrying almost always are using some cheap assed Fobus or Ace nylon holster. Neither of which should be used for carrying period, never mind OCing. 

As a TFA member, I'm quite surprised at the % of fellow members who promote OCing. I think it's stupid, unsound tactically & is a good way to get yourself shot first. But what do I know?

Having been run out of TN in the very early 80s due to grain embargos and such, I landed in TX. They passed permitted carry, Concealed only, and if a LE spotted your handgun under your clothing, it was called "printing" and depending on location you were arrested and lost your permit. That is why TN has a Handgun carry permit, not a Concealed carry permit.

Just because you can does not mean you should, but for one, I am glad that is the law here. I imagine Memphis, Nashville and Knoxville are not much different than Dallas or Austin.

[Erik88]

I see people OC a few times a year and I swear that most people don't even notice the person carrying. People are oblivious. I've not carried openly in many years and when I did it was while hiking. I wouldn't do it in public. 

[bobsguns]

4 hours ago, user1776 said:

From the responses here, it sounds like very few people have experience open carrying outside of law enforcement. I know I haven't. I remember there was someone on this forum advertising an event where open carry would be encouraged, and I believe that event is supposed to be in Nashville. Has that happened? Did anyone here go?

I'm old (63) & can't remember schitt. But there have been events where permit holders wore empty holsters showing in order to protest some sort of "no guns allowed" law(s) a couple of times. I want to say one was at Legislative Plaza in Nashville? 

I don't recall any specific even where OCing was considered a main focus of the event. 

I do agree with removing the "shock value" of seeing someone OCing. Krogers, restaurants, etc would all be prime spots for "normal" people OCing, IMO. I used to attend all the Nashville TFA meetings & there were multiple people OCing as they went around the buffet line. On enight a Karen complained to the manager about it. He asked her if she wanted him to call the police & also told her the police would also be OCing. Said Karen was not amused. The TFA spends a LOT of $$$ at their monthly meetings there, so the manager took that into account. As far as I know, she was the only one whom ever complained. No doubt that was THE safest restaurant in the state on that particular night. 

In rural areas, OCing doesn't get a second glance, IMO. Everybody & their sister owns a gun here & knows how to use them. 

[user1776]

@bobsguns 

I found a link to the event I was thinking about. It is advertised in our forum's Events section (although it seems most people missed it). 

Nashville Constitutional Carry - Open Carry Fundraiser supporting cancer research, gun rights

It is happening Sep 19th in Downtown Nashville at the grounds around the Capitol Building at 2PM

[Daniel]

1 hour ago, user1776 said:

@bobsguns 

I found a link to the event I was thinking about. It is advertised in our forum's Events section (although it seems most people missed it). 

Nashville Constitutional Carry - Open Carry Fundraiser supporting cancer research, gun rights

It is happening Sep 19th in Downtown Nashville at the grounds around the Capitol Building at 2PM

Funny that if ol Voldemort got busted down there around the capitol people would be up in arms about it but i guess that was simpler times.

[Daniel]

Just now, Daniel said:

Funny that if ol Voldemort got busted down there around the capitol people would be up in arms about it but i guess that was simpler times.

Quicker than you lol I forgot if I knew that we couldnt use his screen name.

[BJB]

Nope

concealed. 
 

no one needs to know 

[Grayfox54]

 Honestly, I'd love for OC to become the norm and a common practice that few paid any attention to. But we're a long way from that yet. 

[MacGyver]

In a polite society, the open display of weapons will never seen as normative.

Open carrying is seen by the public at large as potentially disruptive to preserving order. We have people that we choose to put forth as a community to protect that order (law enforcement -  at least in theory.) 

When an individual or group takes it upon themselves to open carry, it’s making a statement that they’re operating outside of societally agreed upon bounds. It’s always going to be anti normative.

None of that affects an individual’s right to defense. You can carry a gun for defense. When you make the choice to strap on a gun you either become an asset to society or a liability.  When you open carry the community around you also gets a vote.

Choose wisely. 

[kwe45919]

No matter what I'm doing, mowing the lawn, laundry, riding the trails, fishing or working on a project in the shop, I'm concealed....and I always have some type of firearm on me..

I do it so I don't have to have discussions with anyone about my choice to carry a firearm. Not family, not cops, not Karen's or Ken's. Its not about the bad guys, its not about what's good or bad about OCing. It is about protecting my privacy and my choices.

[Murgatroy]

I have conceal carried for a long time. I live in a Constitutional Carry state now, but I still have my permit. When I carry (everyday) the goal is to have what I need, and not let it encumber me. That means a lot of different things. First and foremost that it not get in the way of what I am doing. If I were to carry a big iron on my hip for everyone to see, sure, they would all stand in awe at what a mighty and powerful man I am. But that isn't why we carry. Well, it shouldn't be. We should carry so that if the need ever arises, we have it. And frankly, keeping it concealed adds to that. I don't get spooked when I see guys open carrying. I do get spooked when I see guys in an Uncle Mike's holster on a floppy belt with a cocked and locked 1911 in flip flops ordering food at McDonald's. If you carry, be responsible, it is my opinion that part of that is concealing it with a quality holster.