Open Carry Mindset

[Tactical Black Belt]

I have my own personal policy of when to open carry and when not to. Again, this is just my opinion but it follows a very specific principle.

Open carry for me is limited to times when I am in a remote or unpopulated area or where anyone who approaches has to do so from a long enough distance that I can be focused and aware of them. These are times when you might want someone to clearly see that you are armed before they get close enough to have any interaction with you.

Examples of when and where this principle might apply:

Using an ATM outside a bank after hours. These places are notorious for robberies. You would want anyone plotting such to see that you are armed from a long way off so they would pass on you and wait for an easier victim.

Pumping gas late at night. Now that we have the ability to swipe our debit card at the pump there is no reason to go in the store just to buy gas. This would be a good time for anyone who walks up to see your pistol before they decide to get involved with you. If you need to go in the store for some reason, simply pull your shirt tail out or put on a jacket to cover the pistol so as not to alarm the clerk.

Outdoor activities like camping or hiking where you might cross paths with strangers in the middle of nowhere. Ever see the movie Deliverance? "Squeal like a pig boy!" Enough said.

Fixing a flat on the side of the road or other times when you may appear vulnerable. You would want anyone with nefarious intentions to see that you are armed from the road and just keep going.

Walking to or from your car in an empty parking lot. For example, my warehouse is in a deteriorating part of town. I want any crack head who is contemplating using me for an ATM to get the message “Don’t tread on me” from afar and avoid any contact whatsoever.

I could go on and on with examples but the overriding point is that in all of these scenarios I would be alone or vulnerable and anyone who approached would have to do so from a distance thus giving me plenty of reaction time. Under those conditions they would have my full attention long before they got close enough to become a threat or worse yet, snatch my weapon.

The times I would choose NOT to open carry would be anytime that I have to let strangers get within my reaction zone. This rules out any crowded public place. I know my limitations and I am just not that fast out of the holster therefore, my reaction circle is pretty big, at least ten yards in every direction. I don’t want people who get that close to know I am carrying because it shifts the element of surprise from me to them.

This is why uniformed guards in schools are such a bad idea. If a determined murdered knows who is armed he will simply take them out first. Or exponentially worse, use the guard for a gun store by luring him outside under false pretenses and knocking him over the head while he is distracted by some fictitious problem. When the bad guys don’t know who is armed it makes everyone safer.

If for whatever reason I did have to open carry a within snatching distance of the public, I would defiantly not wear the pistol behind the hip where It can be taken by someone who manages to get into my blind spot. I would choose a police style retention holster and wear it in either the appendix carry position or the 10:00 cross draw position so I can cover and protect it with my hand. I also would choose a pistol with a positive safety such as a 1911 just in case someone did manage to grab it. After handing a locked and cocked 1911 to enough Glock shooters at the range, only to have to show them how to take the safety off, I am convinced that the typical criminal who is not a recreational shooter would never figure out how to get the safety off before I punched his lights out.

Open carry to me is sort of like wearing a bathing suit in public. There definitely are proper times and places for both but they are limited by practicality and decorum. That being said, the last thing I would want is the government making that decision for me.

Again, this is just my opinion.

[BillSWPA]

I have my own personal policy of when to open carry and when not to. Again, this is just my opinion but it follows a very specific principle.

Open carry for me is limited to times when I am in a remote or unpopulated area or where anyone who approaches has to do so from a long enough distance that I can be focused and aware of them. These are times when you might want someone to clearly see that you are armed before they get close enough to have any interaction with you.

Examples of when and where this principle might apply:

Using an ATM outside a bank after hours. These places are notorious for robberies. You would want anyone plotting such to see that you are armed from a long way off so they would pass on you and wait for an easier victim.

Pumping gas late at night. Now that we have the ability to swipe our debit card at the pump there is no reason to go in the store just to buy gas. This would be a good time for anyone who walks up to see your pistol before they decide to get involved with you. If you need to go in the store for some reason, simply pull your shirt tail out or put on a jacket to cover the pistol so as not to alarm the clerk.

Outdoor activities like camping or hiking where you might cross paths with strangers in the middle of nowhere. Ever see the movie Deliverance? "Squeal like a pig boy!" Enough said.

Fixing a flat on the side of the road or other times when you may appear vulnerable. You would want anyone with nefarious intentions to see that you are armed from the road and just keep going.

Walking to or from your car in an empty parking lot. For example, my warehouse is in a deteriorating part of town. I want any crack head who is contemplating using me for an ATM to get the message “Don’t tread on me” from afar and avoid any contact whatsoever.

I could go on and on with examples but the overriding point is that in all of these scenarios I would be alone or vulnerable and anyone who approached would have to do so from a distance thus giving me plenty of reaction time. Under those conditions they would have my full attention long before they got close enough to become a threat or worse yet, snatch my weapon.

The times I would choose NOT to open carry would be anytime that I have to let strangers get within my reaction zone. This rules out any crowded public place. I know my limitations and I am just not that fast out of the holster therefore, my reaction circle is pretty big, at least ten yards in every direction. I don’t want people who get that close to know I am carrying because it shifts the element of surprise from me to them.

This is why uniformed guards in schools are such a bad idea. If a determined murdered knows who is armed he will simply take them out first. Or exponentially worse, use the guard for a gun store by luring him outside under false pretenses and knocking him over the head while he is distracted by some fictitious problem. When the bad guys don’t know who is armed it makes everyone safer.

If for whatever reason I did have to open carry a within snatching distance of the public, I would defiantly not wear the pistol behind the hip where It can be taken by someone who manages to get into my blind spot. I would choose a police style retention holster and wear it in either the appendix carry position or the 10:00 cross draw position so I can cover and protect it with my hand. I also would choose a pistol with a positive safety such as a 1911 just in case someone did manage to grab it. After handing a locked and cocked 1911 to enough Glock shooters at the range, only to have to show them how to take the safety off, I am convinced that the typical criminal who is not a recreational shooter would never figure out how to get the safety off before I punched his lights out.

Open carry to me is sort of like wearing a bathing suit in public. There definitely are proper times and places for both but they are limited by practicality and decorum. That being said, the last thing I would want is the government making that decision for me.

Again, this is just my opinion.

As you use that ATM or change that tire, you have at least some task fixation. Someone who sees your gun and decides they want it has only to sneak up on you and hit you over the head.

Convey the don’t tread on me through true confidence backed by skill. They don’t need to know why you will win, just that you will win.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[wvincent]

I also would choose a pistol with a positive safety such as a 1911 just in case someone did manage to grab it. After handing a locked and cocked 1911 to enough Glock shooters at the range, only to have to show them how to take the safety off, I am convinced that the typical criminal who is not a recreational shooter would never figure out how to get the safety off before I punched his lights out.

You've convinced yourself of a bunch of horse shit. You don't know who you will have to defend yourself from. You don't know what the face who snuffs the life out of you will look like. To say otherwise is pure self-stroking.
Your opponent gets a vote too.

Guns are like penis's, nobody needs nor wants to see it hanging out in public.

[blues]

Guns are like penis's, nobody needs nor wants to see it hanging out in public.

What a dick thing to say...

[wvincent]

I also would choose a pistol with a positive safety such as a 1911 just in case someone did manage to grab it. After handing a locked and cocked 1911 to enough Glock shooters at the range, only to have to show them how to take the safety off, I am convinced that the typical criminal who is not a recreational shooter would never figure out how to get the safety off before I punched his lights out.

You've convinced yourself of a bunch of horse shit. You don't know who you will have to defend yourself from. You don't know what the face who snuffs the life out of you will look like. To say otherwise is pure self-stroking.
Your opponent gets a vote too.

Guns are like penis's, nobody needs nor wants to see it hanging out in public.

My apologies for the poor way this is put together. The first paragraph is a copy of Tactical Black Belt.
Been a long week and I'm only 3 days in.

Most of this OC self justification is so fucking stupid it hurts.

[vcdgrips]

To paraphrase Tom Givens- We need to be thinking about odds v. stakes. For purposes of this discussion, the odds of a prospective bad guy being deterred by the mere sight of your OC blaster may be quite high. However, the stakes of them not being so deterred are so much higher, particularly if there is a miscalculation in the odds.

Instructors/schools I have trained with include:
Tom Givens
Randy Cain
Pat Rogers
Todd Louis Green
Clint Smith and cadre
Gunsite
FBI/DEA/ATF/USMS/IRS/DOA/USPI
KCPD/IPD

ALL say carry concealed as opposed to open carrying if the opportunity is available to you. Many I fear are deluding themselves to think that their open carried pistol is some type of talisman that will effectively ward off evil.

YMMV Greatly.

[Cypher]

Using an ATM outside a bank after hours. These places are notorious for robberies. You would want anyone plotting such to see that you are armed from a long way off so they would pass on you and wait for an easier victim.

Pumping gas late at night. Now that we have the ability to swipe our debit card at the pump there is no reason to go in the store just to buy gas. This would be a good time for anyone who walks up to see your pistol before they decide to get involved with you. If you need to go in the store for some reason, simply pull your shirt tail out or put on a jacket to cover the pistol so as not to alarm the clerk.

Are you at all familiar with the Rule of Stupids?

Going someplace that is notorious for robberies is the epitome of going to a stupid place to do a stupid thing.

[runcible]

I have my own personal policy of when to open carry and when not to. Again, this is just my opinion but it follows a very specific principle.

Open carry for me is limited to times when I am in a remote or unpopulated area or where anyone who approaches has to do so from a long enough distance that I can be focused and aware of them. These are times when you might want someone to clearly see that you are armed before they get close enough to have any interaction with you.

Examples of when and where this principle might apply:

Using an ATM outside a bank after hours. These places are notorious for robberies. You would want anyone plotting such to see that you are armed from a long way off so they would pass on you and wait for an easier victim.

Pumping gas late at night. Now that we have the ability to swipe our debit card at the pump there is no reason to go in the store just to buy gas. This would be a good time for anyone who walks up to see your pistol before they decide to get involved with you. If you need to go in the store for some reason, simply pull your shirt tail out or put on a jacket to cover the pistol so as not to alarm the clerk.

Outdoor activities like camping or hiking where you might cross paths with strangers in the middle of nowhere. Ever see the movie Deliverance? "Squeal like a pig boy!" Enough said.

Fixing a flat on the side of the road or other times when you may appear vulnerable. You would want anyone with nefarious intentions to see that you are armed from the road and just keep going.

Walking to or from your car in an empty parking lot. For example, my warehouse is in a deteriorating part of town. I want any crack head who is contemplating using me for an ATM to get the message “Don’t tread on me” from afar and avoid any contact whatsoever.

I could go on and on with examples but the overriding point is that in all of these scenarios I would be alone or vulnerable and anyone who approached would have to do so from a distance thus giving me plenty of reaction time. Under those conditions they would have my full attention long before they got close enough to become a threat or worse yet, snatch my weapon.

The times I would choose NOT to open carry would be anytime that I have to let strangers get within my reaction zone. This rules out any crowded public place. I know my limitations and I am just not that fast out of the holster therefore, my reaction circle is pretty big, at least ten yards in every direction. I don’t want people who get that close to know I am carrying because it shifts the element of surprise from me to them.

This is why uniformed guards in schools are such a bad idea. If a determined murdered knows who is armed he will simply take them out first. Or exponentially worse, use the guard for a gun store by luring him outside under false pretenses and knocking him over the head while he is distracted by some fictitious problem. When the bad guys don’t know who is armed it makes everyone safer.

If for whatever reason I did have to open carry a within snatching distance of the public, I would defiantly not wear the pistol behind the hip where It can be taken by someone who manages to get into my blind spot. I would choose a police style retention holster and wear it in either the appendix carry position or the 10:00 cross draw position so I can cover and protect it with my hand. I also would choose a pistol with a positive safety such as a 1911 just in case someone did manage to grab it. After handing a locked and cocked 1911 to enough Glock shooters at the range, only to have to show them how to take the safety off, I am convinced that the typical criminal who is not a recreational shooter would never figure out how to get the safety off before I punched his lights out.

Open carry to me is sort of like wearing a bathing suit in public. There definitely are proper times and places for both but they are limited by practicality and decorum. That being said, the last thing I would want is the government making that decision for me.

Again, this is just my opinion.

I for one find it interesting that you have chosen a place that coincides with increased predatory interest and turning your back on all others, as the ATM does, to be one of your preferred places to wear a firearm openly.

More so, that you opine that an openly worn firearm deters or repels people, when the gas pump you believe to be a good cause for open-carry gives people cause to be close and clustered to you. This, curiously caveated with concealing the firearm from the clerk but maintaining its exposure to all others; which implies that there is a downside to your firearm being worn openly.

Changing a tire roadside involves turning one's back to all others, as with the ATM; and I don't know if a holstered and visible firearm is quite the barrier method against four-wheeled suppositories driven by the opportunistic that you think it might be.

You have an interesting hope-based approach to the consideration. With what pistol, carry position, and holster do you presently open carry?

[TCinVA]

The idea of open carrying in situations where you are guaranteed to be task fixated seems rather counterproductive to me.

Open display of a firearm does not scare the kind of criminal you will need to use the gun on.

[Caballoflaco]

Many I fear are deluding themselves to think that their open carried pistol is some type of talisman that will effectively ward off evil.

Many people can’t comprehend that a not insignificant number of people who walk among us genuinely don’t care if they end up dead at the end of the day.