Open Carry for 1st time...not the best experience...

[Proscene]

For me personally, Why give away your best advantage with an open carry?

[mcurrier]

For me personally, Why give away your best advantage with an open carry?

Uh oh...Here we go...

[Patton]

Police can and do OC off duty but we automatically grow out of the bad habit after about a year or so. The element of surprise is the best tactical advantage we have. Due to my build and short hair cut I m allready a target when I walk in somewhere. Also someone referenced Ohio but Im pretty sure that OC is legal there. I just saw a news clip were someone was robbed of there OC firearm.

[Volzfan]

Get you one of these and everything will be OK!

No NOT REALLY!!!

[Guest Sgt. Joe]

Really Not Really Volzfan.......They need to get the one that has your license number on it, it is more official that way;)

Personally I really like the "Thars baars out thar" comment:cool:

Edited February 2, 2012 by Sgt. Joe

[Guest kirkosaurus]

Police can and do OC off duty but we automatically grow out of the bad habit after about a year or so.

Most can't. Nashville Metro is not allowed from what I've been told from those officers that I know. And I have yet to talk to one that is against OC. All of then would rather know you're armed and see your weapon.

The element of surprise is the best tactical advantage we have.

No the best tactical advantage you have is situational awareness and not looking like a target. How is looking like an unarmed sheep so you can surprise someone and shoot them a defensive tactical advantage??

The element of surprise is a great offensive tactic. As a defensive tactic it sucks.

Due to my build and short hair cut I m allready a target when I walk in somewhere.

You'll be less of a target when a criminal sees a firearm on your side.

Edited February 2, 2012 by kirkosaurus
to not look so snarky

[TMF]

Due to my build and short hair cut I m allready a target when I walk in somewhere.

I've actually felt that way a long time ago, but I've come to believe that it actually keeps me pretty safe. Criminals are opportunists and will go after the weakest prey they can see. Those of us that carry ourselves a certain way (like meat-eaters) I think are a big turn off for those types. Not to say that it doesn't draw attention depending where you go, but I've felt pretty safe in some pretty bad areas due to how I carry myself. I think it only makes us targets for other meat-eaters with something to prove.

[Dolomite`s Breezy]

I do not want people to know I have a gun on me..And as a woman they prolly think that I cant hit anything anyway with it..

Personally I think open carry sets you up for all kinds of problems..Not that it is wrong but I personally will not ever open carry...

[Patton]

I dont want to be the first target win **** goes south. Im not fooling anyone, I look like a cop. Your right my best tactical advantage is my situational awarness, I have been in several fights were the perp has went for my gun and I dont want to be in that situation if i dont have to be and not with only a single retention holster. I was off duty and thought I was getting ready to be in a gas station holdup with only a .380 but was glad i allready had my hand on it in my coat pocket. Who knows what would have happened had 2 more people not walked in. As far as police OC it comes down to department policy. Most departments want you to act like your a armed citizen and just be a good witness if crap happens.

[Guest Catfish36]

I usually CC but do OC on occasion (depending on what I am wearing at the time). I can definetly see both sides of the arguement. But for those who choose to OC, I suggest we take each and every opportunity we can to education any Americans who question us. Their fear is created by lack of knowledge. If we can educate them on gun laws and their right to protect themselves..maybe they will join us. For this reason, sometimes I wonder if OC is not a good idea..just as an educational tool for the masses, to make them aware of how many of us are really out there. (Someone is going to chime in now and say "I don't carry to prove a point..I carry for self defense"). Good for you. But if you get the chance to talk about firearm ownership and carry..let's spread the good news..."Free at last..free at last..Thanks God Almighty I am Free at last"..(at least if Obama doesn't get elected again).

I was OCing in WM several months ago. A woman and her small boy were walking behind me. I heard her say "see that man..that is what you call an undercover cop". I just laughed and kept walking..but I regret not turning around and giving them information..that boy deserves to know who he is..he is an American..born free! He has rights that he needs to understand and fight to keep. "Self evident" rights...Obvious rights..rights that really should not be up for debate at all. Rights that just are..they should not even have to be written down.

Just saying, I usually don't OC,..but maybe we should more often..and use that opportunity wisely.

[Guest asaxton]

Unfortunately, these things happen. All you can do is display common decency towards others. It is very frustrating, it may help if you keep in mind that they are trying to look out for the safety of their family. Even if they don't carry. You're doing the same. You are just better prepared.

[Guest nicemac]

Im not fooling anyone, I look like a cop.

So, what does "a cop" look like?

or

or

[Guest President Fernatt]

At Cades Cove, a cop would look like this lol

[Guest bkelm18]

I always CC. My ego isn't big enough to OC.

[Guest President Fernatt]

I always CC. My ego isn't big enough to OC.

I don't think the bears or mountain lions were concerned about my ego

[Oh Shoot]

I don't think the bears or mountain lions were concerned about my ego

Well for sure the mountain lions weren't, not even the black ones.

- OS

[Glock30]

So, what does "a cop" look like?

Complete with Kwik-tip

[10-Ring]

The fact that you were in Cades Cove plays into things quite a bit. I spend quite a bit of time there myself, you are talking about the one place that everyone passing through our region must stop by so you get all types, plus they are on vacation so you already know that they left their brain at home. From experience I can tell you that when OCing in such a place and someone says something a reply such as "lots of bears around here" will usually put the nosy person at ease.

[hornett22]

Better they met you instead of me.

My response would have been , "last time I was here I saw a man with a bottle of pepper spray get mauled to death by a mother bear. The park service keeps that stuff hush hush as to not scare away tourism dollars."

[Guest Catfish36]

Complete with Kwik-tip

Her left thumb is going to get cut wide open when that slide racks too..haha..

[Guest ArmaDeFuego]

I always CC. My ego isn't big enough to OC.

I hear you on this. Every time I OC I feel like I'm trying to be some wannabe cop or something.

[FJCrusing]

Seems like Waly-Mart is always a good test bed for OC. I've never OC'd in Tennessee other than at a private residence/land but I did OC in Vermont a few years back while on vacation while seeing a few others OC and it didn't seem to garner much attention which is the way it should be. Then again opencarry.org rated Vermont as "one of our Gold Star open carry states."

[Guest kirkosaurus]

I've never OC'd in Tennessee other than at a private residence/land but I did OC in Vermont a few years back while on vacation while seeing a few others OC and it didn't seem to garner much attention which is the way it should be. Then again opencarry.org rated Vermont as "one of our Gold Star open carry states."

And amazingly we're not hearing daily stories coming out of Vermont (or any other state for that matter) of people getting their guns snatched from them and shot with them or being targeted first in a robbery! Imagine that!

Still don't understand where all these fear mongering myths about OC come from.

[Guest President Fernatt]

Some pics from my open carry day at The Cove

[Guest bluecanary25]

Prez... sorry you are discouraged about OC. Don't abandon it as an option.

Been a permit holder for 15 yrs, OC since AG opinion.