Open Carry "protests"

[Chris338378]

The only time I personally open carry is when I'm at work in uniform all other times I want it to be out of site and out of mind to the public.  Here in Pennsylvania you can open carry but just because you can do it doesn't make it a good idea.  Keep in mind there are A LOT of people who don't you can legally do it let alone some Assistant District Attorneys and even some police officers.  A few years ago there was a group that baited the police into responding to a restaurant for their group open carrying and the responding officer didn't know what to do so he or she called an Assistant District Attorney who didn't know the law.  Long story short it ended up in a law suit that was settled out of court.  The one thing the police department had going for them is the people who were open carrying were bragging on their website about how they set up the police and are going to make lots of money.  Let's be realistic, imagine you're out with your family at the store, restaurant, or where ever for that matter and someone or a group of people come strollin in with guns strapped to their hips like cowboys did I'm sure a lot of people would be concerned for their family's safety.  Good guys don't have it tattooed on their foreheads they're the good guys.  Look at the Bank of America robbery in California years ago.  Those guys walked right in the bank carrying AKs and were wearing dark clothing that were bulging from their body armor and ski masks.  Now for a minute let's say for argument sake they weren't wearing the ski masks and obviously bulging clothes.  Either way the average person would more than likely be alarmed and calling the police.  Their is a time and place for everything and just because you can doesn't make it a good idea.  My opinion is to avoid problems and prevent the ones you can.  If some one wants to open carry that's their business but realize when it gets negative attention you are the one who brought it upon yourself and the cause.

[petey]

I believe you'll get further flying under the radar than being on the radar.

You mean like going to jail?  If that's your idea of getting ahead, go for it.  Like I've said before, people from other states don't realize that when I buy a firearm, the state gets a copy of the paperwork.  You're already on the radar.  If you get stopped and have an undeclared AR, you go to jail and the press jumps all over a man with an 'assault rifle' found on a street near you!  If they stop me, there is no story which benefits ALL gun owners.   

[224KING]

I was talking about carrying openly and drawing attention to yourself.Isn't what this post is talking about?

[petey]

My apologies to you King.  Got carried away in my rant about law changes that I forgot the main basis for this thread.  Under the radar is the way to go!

[TexWeatherby]

I respect the comments about our rights and believe in them as much as anybody out there. But, I don't really feel personally that I have relinquished my rights by carrying concealed. CHL numbers have exploded the last 20 years, so in that respect, we have actually moved forward. Speaking of the "Wild West," when supposedly everybody walked around wearing a Colt .45 SAA (or something similar) on their belt, not really true. The average farmer didn't walk around town that way, and in fact, when a man came into town visibly armed, the reaction was often suspicion or even alarm. Hollywood started a lot of that nonsense. Not saying it never happened, but not like the movies with everybody in town with a pistol and a belt full of ammo. Some towns even had ordinances against walking around openly armed – too many drunks. Some "gentlemen" carried a "pocket pistol" hidden away in their vest so as not to draw attention to themselves. The lawmen sometimes reserved the right to hold on to your gun until you were ready to leave town. CHL's prevent that for the most part, so stronger rights now. Concealed carry is nothing new, just the licensing part to make it completely legal as long as you behave.

[badsection]

The second biggest reason I moved to Florida from Maryland was "shall issue concealed carry permits. Maryland proves everyday with their restrictive gun laws and outlandish taxes( RAIN TAX?) I made a good choice!   

[mike cardinal]

I do not agree entirely with Roger. (Sorry mister Terminator sir). I have watched countless vids on youtube of camo wearing people who look scary without the big ass gun marching around and trying as hard as they can to flaunt the fact that they are armed to the teeth. Even in the old west this sort of thing didn't go over well. I just don't think a huge armed presentation is the best way to gain acceptance of Right To Carry. You will one day be like us oppressed Canucks if this continues in mass. People will protest. Amendments will be made. The noose of justice will tighten. Justice is for the People. The people are the majority. Gun toting activists are not the majority. There has to be a better way.

[224KING]

Petey.
    We are good.

[HuskyMusky]

I tell you where citizens need to open carry ar15's is on the southside of chicago!

I'm all for concealed carry, everywhere.


Also if a gunman is going to start shooting randoms, don't you think the guy open carrying is going to be 1st on his hit list?  vs. the concealed carry guy?

[Jameson]

Zonie,
I didn't mean dress up as if you were rich. Hell, I don't even own a suit. I just mean that if open-carry is something someone feels passionate about enough to stroll around with an AR, dress up in clean clothes and look presentable.
But I think Godscountry may be on to something. Anti-gunners have been known to engage in dirty tricks, so maybe getting a bunch of slobs to walk around with ARs is a way to get negative publicity. It would be taking a page right out of the politician's handbook.
Jameson

[zonie]

Jameson we're on the same page.   Where I have a problem and this is just my opinion people carrying guns where it's not the normal just to make themselves look cool or whatever their motive is not my idea cool.   People that carry concealed don't bother me because It's not obvious and I wouldn't know anyway if the weapon was correctly concealed.  I carry concealed sometimes and the people I run into that are carrying openly I always keep my eye on them just in case, not that they are bad people but rather they have a gun on.  If a person is traveling to and from hunting or  shooting it's for the most part pretty obvious what their intent is.   Carrying  open in the local denny's,   eye balls are on them from patrons.  I do the same with plain clothes cops I keep an eye on them also.  Years ago one of my dad's police lieutenant's walked in the church and killed two other officers then went to the police station and shot his dispatcher wife, she was banging the others,  and got caught, so police are not always above the law.    There are a lot of people out there scared of guns because they didn't grow up around them, weren't in the military, police or didn't  have a need to be around them.  We sometimes look at it from our perspective as gun owners and not see the other side.   We don't need to antagonize these folks but also we don't need to back away from our rights either.   It's all common sense.  Arizona is far more open than most states,  anyone legal can carry open in most, but not all places there are a few restrictions, Residents that are legal can carry concealed no permit required,  We can get  CCW's if we choose to carry in reciprocal other states.  I can transport a rifle/shotgun  openly loaded no carrying case required.  Correct me if I'm wrong,   in AZ  I think we need to carry pistols in some type of holster otherwise to be carried openly,  concealed might be a different matter to be on the safe law abiding side  I carry a little pocket holster with a belly gun in my front pocket and no one sees it.  If I need to take it out of my pocket and lay it on the seat while driving,  it's still in a quick to get to shoot thru holster. 

[O C hunter]

Why do we have to go by what this law maker or that law maker says because that is what he or she thinks is right when did this happen. what the h--- happened to our rights. To me if it is open then let it be open. Dont forget they want all our guns so if it comes to this law or that law they are all against the Second. Hiding or flying low that is dropping our guard just what they want.

[mike cardinal]

I left out in my post that I am all for the right to carry. By carry I mean in a holster or tucked away in a belt etc. Even law enforcement would look intimidating if they went around holding AKs. Just look at countries where police look more like combat personnel then cops.
If I was walking down the street and two characters where walking toward me with ARs in their hands I would take the first door that presents itself.

[badsection]

Already checked that our for another Canadian! I can`t get you a "concealed carry permit" in Florida. I can do that for any resident of the U.S.