why do you open carry?

[38SnubFan]

In reply to the comment that I could be shot with my own gun if someone comes up on me and my hands are full:

DON'T YOU THINK I'D JUST LET GO OF WHATEVER WAS IN MY FREAKIN' HANDS SO I COULD DRAW MY SIDEARM???!!!

DUH!



Even if I had it concealed, whatever's in my hands is going to drop to the ground the moment an attack occurs because I want my ENTIRE BODY available to fight.

And now back to our regularly scheduled intelligent programming.

-38SnubFan

[kpw]

In nearly 20 years of carrying, I've never OC'd. I don't know if I ever will. I've said it before but I am damn happy to hear of the ones that do. The more the better. It is our right to do so and those that make the choice to exercise that right are doing all of us a great service. It doesn't matter what their personal reasons are. The public has been conditioned to relate to handguns as instruments of crime or the possesions of gun nuts. Interacting with everyday citizens that are armed can only help change those views in a positive direction. There has to be pioneers in every endeavor and to those few on here that are OCing, you are the pioneers in changing the public face of firearm ownership and handguns in PA. Hopefully, many more will follow.

[c.sander]

i OC because im a good guy and i can also it can be uncomfortable to CC all the time.

rights are just like muscles, if you dont exercise them you lose them.

[violinjim]

Thanks for the topic. As a NY state guy, OC is not an option except on private property or at a shooting range. Except for cops, I've never seen OC. Even at the gun store, guys and gals carry them in the waist. It's damn uncomfortable to try and carry a 5" 1911 in the pants. Even a Jackass rig is not good for the summer when you have to wear a jacket to cover. Hence, I can never really carry my favorite gun, except at the range.
Where in PA is OC banned? I"ll be applying for a PA pistol permit soon but understand that it will be for OC or vehicle only.

JIm

[headcase]

Thanks for the topic. As a NY state guy, OC is not an option except on private property or at a shooting range. Except for cops, I've never seen OC. Even at the gun store, guys and gals carry them in the waist. It's damn uncomfortable to try and carry a 5" 1911 in the pants. Even a Jackass rig is not good for the summer when you have to wear a jacket to cover. Hence, I can never really carry my favorite gun, except at the range.
Where in PA is OC banned? I"ll be applying for a PA pistol permit soon but understand that it will be for OC or vehicle only.
JIm

*bold is mine
Your LTCF is for CC or vehicle, you don't need one to OC. OC is legal where ever it is legal to carry.

My reasons are explained here

[Carnes]

I recently posted this in another thread, I will go ahead and share it again.

I OC while I have a CC permit.

Why?

Ideally, I OC for the same reasons that LEO, Military and Security personnel do; also, I ideally CC for the same reasons that LEO, Military and Security personnel do.

I say 'ideally' because I am not currently in a situation where I can accept the risk of fighting an unjust LTCF revocation, no matter how small the risk. Therefore, I CC the vast majority of the time.

If I were not constrained by certain social limitations, I would prefer to OC the vast majority of the time. However, when circumstances dictate, I do not hesitate to CC.

Why OC when I can CC?

When I was deployed in support of OIF, we OC'd all the time. () Not only that, but we (my unit) made an exaggerated effort to display a readiness to use our weapons. Our crew-served weapons were constantly moving, and orienting toward suspected enemy/threat locations. Individual weapons were held ready, with muzzles pointing out of the vehicles. We maintained a very aggressive posture.

While deployed, I had the opportunity to observe the behavior of many different military units as they conducted operations. The aggressive posture was not always there. I have seen soldiers drive their trucks with just a brown t-shirt under their IBA, iPod earphones in, and rifle stowed under the seat. (seriously!) Their posture was not very aggressive.

Now, I do not have any scientific evidence to back this up, but it really seemed that the folks who did not maintain an aggressive posture got assaulted/ambushed far more frequently than those who did appear aggressive. It seemed that the insurgents liked to pick and choose who they were going to attack, and they typically went for 'soft' targets.

There were several times that we would be moving down a route in our gun-trucks, and then pass a convoy of vehicles where the gunners were sitting down in the hatch, the drivers had headphones on, and there were no weapons in sight, except the barely-attended crew served weapons. We would pass this their convoy, and later hear that they got blown-up, and shot to hell just minutes behind us.

Take from this what you will, but I am absolutely convinced that any potential attacker has to make a conscious decision to make a move on any target. If the potential target appears 'hard' BG's will most likely wait for something that appears easier to confront.

I genuinely believe that a person who OC's is clearly going to appear to be a harder target in the mind of a potential assailant.

Not only that, but with OC, I have no clothing or layers of concealment to fumble with when presenting my weapon, it is easier to fight as I train, and it is much more comfortable.

I don't want to dig through a shirt, or more, to get to my weapon. When I need my weapon, I want to have it on hand, now! LEO, Military and Security personnel only CC when necessary largely because of this.

I've been to pistol classes where students wear pistol belts, and even LBE over their clothing/jackets to mount their pistol on. Perhaps some classes focus on drawing from concealed, but I have only 'seen' civilian training focused on drawing from OC. (although I am sure there are plenty of CC focused courses available) I like to fight the way I train. If I train OC, you damn well bet I want to OC day to day.

Really, comfort is a huge factor too. For many people, it seems that the physical discomfort of IWB or whatever is more acceptable than the social discomfort associated with the fear of people making a fuss. During the summer, I would much prefer to wear shorts, a t-shirt and a BlackHawk Serpa, as opposed to layers and an IWB digging into my side.

I believe that there is a a time and place for CC, as with anything else. There are times where there is a clear and present need to have a weapon concealed. CC is great when the mission dictates that, or if the employer creates an environment where it is necessary, or some such other special circumstances.

However, for the most part, I... oh dear, I really should not say this... but... *gulp* I think CC is favorable to people who like to blend in with the rest of the sheep.

I mean really... Unless you are undercover, conducting sensitive ops or happen to be in a place where there is a sign that says, 'Visible Guns Will be Grabbed!' There is little reason to worry about CC or OC. Since OC is tactically preferable in most circumstances, I cannot justify CC beyond special situations and social pressures.

The only reason that CC is more preferable to many civilians in standard circumstances is due to societal pressures. Baaa! I hope no one takes offense, as I myself succumb to societal pressures and CC most of the time... Even so, I do not consider it to be a particularly respectable act on my part, and just because I do it, does not mean it is good.

From:

http://www.pafoa.org/forum/concealed...tml#post268121

[edstephan]

Why open carry? Why vote?
Because WE are the original US Department of Homeland Security.
Because it is our right and an obligation to exercise those rights if we want to continue to be semi-free.
I refuse to relinquish my family's and my own security to someone else.
I always OC or CC depending where I'm going "except into a prohibited zone"
Ed Stephan

[Aran]

Because I can....'t carry a laser chainsaw.

[TaePo]

I OC in winter time when one of my favorite Chinese restaurants has the heat up around 80 degrees and I am eating the buffet and sweating already anyways.

[jahwarrior72]

because chicks dig it.

because in warmer weather, it's more comfortable.

because i'm overweight, and IWB holsters under $40 suck.

because i can't conceal a katana.

because i wanna be in the OC mafia.

because i like to flex my 2A muscle.

because i live in a shitty neighborhood.

because i hate feeling like i have to be ashamed i carry a gun.

but mostly because chicks dig it.