Open Carry stats

[Guest Mbeck]

I am interested in seeing if there is a way to get some open carry stats.

 

Firs though, I am not trying to argue for, or against open carry. I personally carry concealed because of things like tactical advantage etc. I might open carry my gun if I felt that the situation called for it.

 

Anyway, I want to know things like:

 

• Numbers for quantity of instances when an open carry is involved in a shooting, compared with concealed carry.
• Numbers for quantity of instances when a open carry was shot, compared with concealed carry.
• Numbers for quantity of Police/Government arrests of open carry, compared with concealed carry.

I am just trying to get a handle on my thoughts about it. There are many arguments on both sides... but it all seems like conjecture and not based on facts and statistics.

[TMF]

I would be surprised if any reliable facts could be compiled to create statistics. I think any "studies" one way or the other would be immediately suspect since there just aren't that many instances out there of shootings where the manner in which a person was carrying was entered into a police report, let alone into some kind of database where this info could be tracked. Someone could easily just cherry pick incidents to prove their argument one way or the other.

Best to just apply common sense and rational thought when considering carry options. Some folks think that it's crazy to walk into your local convenience store with a weapon exposed as if the world will end and any potential robber will just take your gun and shoot you with it; some folks think you should be able to walk into a Chuck E Cheese with an AK pistol strapped to your leg and no one should be alarmed and anyone who is is a hoplophobe. Edited March 13, 2013 by TMF

[Erik88]

Here is one example where OC may have prevented a crime.

 

 

http://forum.pafoa.org/open-carry-144/147404-oc-may-have-prevented-crime-leo-encounter.html

[Titansfan]

Read the forum post, very interesting.  Being I work juvenile justice, the hats to the right, ID's the thugs as GD's, apart of the Folk Nation. 

[dcloudy777]

The sample size of lawful gun carriers involved in shooting is (thankfully) too small to do any sort of significant statistical analysis.  Pure facts and stats, in most parts of the country anyway, would probably indicate that carrying a gun is a waste of time, as the likelihood of "needing it" is so little.

 

I carry a gun not because of the odds I might need it, but because of the horrific nature of the consequences if I need it and don't have it. 

[Guest Victor9er]

A lot will depend on where you live and the culture of your fellow residents. For instance, a small town in West Texas might be more open-minded and tolerant of people who open carry since they may be used to seeing it on a daily basis. Meanwhile, someone trying to open carry near a major metropolitan city in Pennsylvania might cause more alarm.

[Guest Mbeck]

Yeah, I figured that this was probably not possible. I just wish there were at least some more examples (like Erik88's) to point to on the OC side. There are plenty of examples of CC, but not so many on OC.

 

I guess, for me, the whole argument comes down to weather OC puts you in danger, or prevents lowlives from doing things when they see you OC.

 

Does anyone have an example of someone getting shot while OC? Besides tactical advantage, the biggest argument I hear against OC is that it makes you a target. I am just wondering if there are any examples of this.

[LowBb]

Good thread.

Where would you go to need an exposed firearm? Edited March 14, 2013 by LowBb

[Guest Mbeck]

Good thread.

Where would you go to need an exposed firearm?

 

Thanks!

 

Well, I know a business owner that OC when he is behind the counter. He is near the edge of the rougher area of my town. I think that its probably a good deterrent for thugs that might want to hold him up. His business isn't a high cash place, so I don't think anyone would risk getting shot over so little money knowing that the guy behind the counter was armed.

[Guest bluecanary25]

Good thread.

Where would you go to need an exposed firearm?

The same very places you would go when you need to CC!!   :usa:  :pleased:

[bronco302]

This guy didn't get shot but http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zx_YUO4SzcY 

[Guest Mbeck]

Very interesting. I am so glad that my state allows me to CC :)

[Oh Shoot]

Very interesting. I am so glad that my state allows me to CC :)

 

Old vid. Wisconsin does now, too. And honors TN permits.

 

- OS

[tartanphantom]

A lot will depend on where you live and the culture of your fellow residents. For instance, a small town in West Texas might be more open-minded and tolerant of people who open carry since they may be used to seeing it on a daily basis. Meanwhile, someone trying to open carry near a major metropolitan city in Pennsylvania might cause more alarm.

 

Plausible in theory, but flawed in example.

OC in a small West Texas town is completely illegal.

However, OC in Pennsylvania is perfectly legal-- although you must have a carry permit in the city of Philadelphia to OC. 

[mikegideon]

It all comes down to a simple blanket statement. It depends. You may open carry all day, every day, and never have an issue. Or, you may push a gaggle of bedwetters into a huge hissy fit. Displaying your gun may be a major deterrent to a threat, or it may not.

 

No doubt that open carry is a lot more comfortable (to you) and convenient. The potential outcomes are just part of the choice. If you want odds, there are plenty of threads out there. The hissy fits are real and fairly frequent. Examples of tactical disadvantage... not so much. The most common threat is an anti-gun douchebag.

Edited March 25, 2013 by mikegideon

[Makiaveli]

Read the forum post, very interesting.  Being I work juvenile justice, the hats to the right, ID's the thugs as GD's, apart of the Folk Nation. 

 

I think he meant they were ON right as opposed to being turned to the right. Which is what looked odd to him, they weren't crooked.

[Worriedman]

Do we then need to start requiring our Officers to CC instead of OCing?  Should all Police cars be unmarked so that our LEOs are not targeted and killed by the bad guys?  Do they need to shed uniforms and start going undercover?

[S&WForty]

Do we then need to start requiring our Officers to CC instead of OCing?  Should all Police cars be unmarked so that our LEOs are not targeted and killed by the bad guys?  Do they need to shed uniforms and start going undercover?

Thankfully, most criminals that aren't being chased don't shoot cops merely for the hell of it. The few that do are really stupid/crazy and are guaranteed a death penalty if the officer is killed, and they are caught.

As stated before, "it depends" is the blanket answer. I know a very petite lady with very long hair that open carries. Unless she is Uber-Tactical, someone coming from behind could jerk her down by her hair and likely get their prize, her pistol, before she knows what hit her.

I occasionally offensively OC at the gas station where a deterrent is more necessary. Elsewhere, I defensively CC in case trouble arises.

[MarkInNashville]

Here is one example where OC may have prevented a crime.

 

 

http://forum.pafoa.org/open-carry-144/147404-oc-may-have-prevented-crime-leo-encounter.html

And here is an example where OC may have caused a crime.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zx_YUO4SzcY

[Guest bluecanary25]

First let me re-affirm that I am no genius! 

I do not think there is anyway to get "reasonable" stats on OC.

Just opens some peoples "expert knowledge" of the inherent dangers of OC and thus restart a debate that only fuels a division within a group of people that supposedly believe in the 2nd Amendment.

I would pose this question to those that profess "concealed is concealed": how many converstations have you had from people WANTING to get a HCP?  (Make that from strangers not family, friends or co-workers.)

I have had many people stop to ask me about the legality of my OC and how to get information to acquire a HCP.

While I share this information, both to the person asking and those listening near-by, I have an opportunity to provide a positive image of a citizen exercising their 2nd Amendment Rights.  I believe that has more impact on Public preseption that sending emails to public officials.

[ted]

Jest don't let this be you http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oDeKtgkZKmQ Edited March 31, 2013 by ted