Open Carry Good Or Bad? What I Think About It

The only time I opened carry was when working as a security enforcement officer and was checking my people out. I think that like Rene stated ,it is a mix concept. Can it deter someone.But at the same time if you have where a person is going to just start shooting, guess what you are more then likely the first person he is going to shoot at. Like I advised to a bank manager who thought he was the biggest threat to a bank robber. I told him, no I was. I am in full security uniform, armed and the first threat in stopping him. So you need to choose open or conceled depending on what you are doing.

I used to open carry in CA until they outlawed it. Since then it’s been concealed carry unless hunting. Here in Michigan where I retired open carry is lawful. However, since this is a shall issue state I continue to carry concealed and agree with the former LEOs that open carry eliminates your tactical advantage. In the rural county where I live I’ve yet to see anyone open carrying. I believe it would only intimidate the general public and discourage others from doing so unless they have no other options.

OK so for the record the comment that I posted just a few minutes ago I was actually voice texting to save time. my grammar is actually not nearly that terrible and anyone that can make sense of what I posted has my respect for being able to understand that gibberish.

first just let me say that I conceal carry probably 99.8% of the time. But what concerns me about the harsh criticism many have toward open carry has to do with mindset. I hear a lot about someone losing the element of surprise if they open carry. The big problem I have with that is that it is an offensive tactica The big problem I have with that is that it is an offensive tactical mindset, not defensive. good guys do not get to go first. Sothe idea of surprising an attacker that is already attacking is absurd. unless you plan on drawing your pistol before you are attacked, which is illegal barring some very specific circumstances, there is no surprise tactical advantage. Further, there is the believe that you make yourself a target. in the very specific circumstance of something like a mass shooting this would probably be true, but there’s actual real data out there that shows open carry is more of a deterrent for most crimes rather than an attraction or invitation to do crime. Again with some exceptions and some extreme circumstances, Most criminals and predators are looking specifically for soft target most criminals and predators are looking specifically for soft targets. Is the mass shooting example still relevant? Of course, and each citizen asked to make the decision for themselves and assess each risk personally for themselves. no one should be judging another person based on whether or not they open carry or concealed carry. and like you said it usually does not go well when discussing this as it involves unfair judgment and name-calling. Again I am a concealed carrier but I get annoyed when concealed carriers see someone open carrying in automatically decide that they are just someone trying to be a tough guy or draw attention to themselve again I am a concealed carrier but I get annoyed when concealed carriers see someone open carrying in automatically decide that they are just someone trying to be a tough guy or draw attention to themselves. it is entirely possible that they wait for them selves the pros and cons and decided having quicker and easier access to their firearm is more important than being more socially acceptable. I don’t open carry but there is logic to it. we tell people all the time to carry with a round in the chamber and we often even avoid manual safety is most of the time because we always say how little time we are actually going to have to react in the situation. Open carry actually eliminate even that extra step of drawling from concealment. again I am not arguing that open carry is better and I pretty much never do it, I’m just making the point that we need to stop being so judgmental about these things and making all of these assumptions. Great video, I love your holsters. my first holster I bought for my M and P shield, and I just placed an order for my M&P compact 2.0 today. (free mag pouch woo hoo) Love what you do brother!

I have to agree with Augie M. there’s a place for open carry with camping, hunting and fishing (living in Texas, Colorado on a farm or ranch with lots of property, etc), but in the urban and suburban environments I think it’s bad news, very bad news. I’m a current LEO in St. Louis and the bad guys now a days are insane, nuts, absolutely crazy with no fear. They could care less if you are a police officer, let alone a private citizen, and they will shoot and kill you on the spot. Walking around with a gun on your hip automatically puts a target on your back, police officers don’t have a choice, private citizens do. It’s silly to walk around with a gun on your hip, just so you can let everyone know you have a gun, acting like a big shot. It takes away all of your tactical advantage, your element of surprise, quite possibly the one or two seconds you need to get the drop on the bad guy when he thinks he is taking “candy from a baby” and he’s going to pull a gun on you and demand your keys, phone and wallet. Rene and everyone else are too nice and politically correct to say it but I’m not, you’re an idiot in my opinion to walk around with a gun on your hip when you aren’t active law enforcement. You are just showing off. It’s a good way to get yourself killed.