One of the debates in the firearms community is regarding carrying of handguns. Not whether or not to carry a handgun but the method: Open carry or concealed carry. The distinction is pretty easy and I see no reason to discuss that.
Of the two, I think that concealed carry is the way to go.
The first concern is an individual one, the technical name for it is "weapon retention". There is a reason why uniformed cops do not wear fast-draw holsters and that is to keep the bad guys from taking the weapons. There was a story awhile back about a gent who was openly carrying and a mall cop tried to grab his gun from behind. The gent was well trained in weapon retention; the mall cop wound up on the deck with a broken face. Anyone who open-carries in public would do well to be so trained.
The second issue is societal and no, I am not referring to the people who have the vapors at seeing someone else legally packing heat. Concealed carry has an important function in general deterrence of the bad guys. When people carry concealed weapons, the crooks don't know who is armed and who is not. Of all the potential downsides to a life of crime, the risk of coming down with a sudden case of bullet wounds from an armed citizen is a risk that most criminals would prefer not to take.
Open carry does not serve the same function for society.[1] Criminals, at least the ones who are brain-dead, can see and avoid people who carry openly, just as they can avoid committing crimes within the sight of a uniformed cop. Open carry deters specifically, concealed carry deters generally. That is why I think concealed carry is a better option.
But if you prefer to carry openly and it is legal where you live, have at it. It may work for you, but not so much for me.
[1]Of course, there are times when open carry is the only practical method, such as when using a handgun for hunting as it is pretty hard to conceal a revolver that weighs three pounds, has an 8" barrel and a scope sight.
An Explosion Of Entitlement
1 hour ago
5 comments:
My general rule: Concealed unless I'm in an environment where'd it'd be acceptable to run around with a rifle in my hands, slung on my shoulder, or in the gun rack in the back of a pickup.
Though I will admit developing a soft spot to openly carrying when out and about the wife and kiddo now that I'm a dad. Haven't done it, but I could see it in my future.
My main beef with this is training. I like the requirements to have training to get a concealed permit. It shows a person put some time and effort into learning about the law and proper deployment of their weapon.
The folks's who want to abolish this procedure, for whatever reason, are the ones who should not carry at all, IMHO, you need a license to drive a car, and you should need one to carry concealed.
I see enough idiots on the road who supposedly have a drivers license, and I figure there would be an greater number who would carry concealed if they didn't have to get a permit.
Honey I’m ready for the opera, but I have question? Does it look better if I wear my 1911 on the outside, on my hip or should I just take the 32 under my jacket?
I like to think that my fellow citizens, even the ones I do not know, are good people and for the most part approachable, I don‘t want to insult them by wearing a gun in the open like they're dangerous. Carrying a gun in the open is like, well; immature. To wear a gun in public is akin to standing on a street corners and flexing your arm muscles in public. Yes you can do it, and some do, but do you want to be that guy?
Keneth,
If you're going to the opera, the 1911 with the pearl grips is the appropriate piece.
Well, there's especially the dangerous problem of going to Starbucks for your banana Frappuccino and cinnabun. I mean, c'mon. You're gonna pack iron to hang out with all those effete latte-drinkin' liberals, but you ain't gonna pack iron to Jim Bob's Biker Bar and Topless Emporium, where you might, like, actually need it? What kinda wuss silliness is that?!
What I'm getting at is that the sort of places where you might need a weapon, open carry is gonna get your rear end kicked long before you can use it, and concealed carry *might* be effective there. You walk down the streets in some of the places in East L.A. that I know about with a six-gun on your hip, your ass is gonna get capped long before you even *see* the dude who caps you, 'cause they view anybody who's carrying as a gangsta who's on *their* turf, and react accordingly. If you're carrying concealed, on the other hand, you stand a much better chance of surviving long enough to at least see the dudes who are gonna wipe the pavement with your tight white ass and maybe even get a few shots off before they turn you into a statistic...
So anyhow, just a little reality. There's a difference between having a right, and exercising it. I have a right to drive straight in my lane through a green light. But if I see a truck turning into my lane right in front of me, I'd be a durn fool to try to exercise that right, because a car arguing with a truck is a statistic, yo.
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