The Open Carry Argument

[lonehoosier]

OC is not on my list of things keeping someone from attacking me. Heck, plenty of uniformed police get attacked and they are as OC as you can get. If you look like a sheep and carry yourself like a sheep, displaying a handgun isn't likely going to change that. Displaying situational awareness and looking like a tough target regardless of visible weapon will keep riffraff away. But to each their own.

OC civilians are not try to arrest bad guys.

 

[protias]

OC is not on my list of things keeping someone from attacking me. Heck, plenty of uniformed police get attacked and they are as OC as you can get. If you look like a sheep and carry yourself like a sheep, displaying a handgun isn't likely going to change that. Displaying situational awareness and looking like a tough target regardless of visible weapon will keep riffraff away. But to each their own.

Someone missed the purple...

 

[2A_Tom]

OC is not on my list of things keeping someone from attacking me. Heck, plenty of uniformed police get attacked and they are as OC as you can get. If you look like a sheep and carry yourself like a sheep, displaying a handgun isn't likely going to change that. Displaying situational awareness and looking like a tough target regardless of visible weapon will keep riffraff away. But to each their own.

Someone missed the purple...

Well, I have to agree Denny on with this.

I carry OC in summer and CC mostly in winter, same holster and setup because it is comfortable.

I do try to be situationally aware and not look like a soft target no matter the season. I am older and have bad legs and sometimes look like an easy mark. When my Spidey Sense tingles I straighten up and look much more formidable.

 

[Dead Duck]

Well, I have to agree Denny on with this.

I carry OC in summer and CC mostly in winter, same holster and setup because it is comfortable.

I do try to be situationally aware and not look like a soft target no matter the season. I am older and have bad legs and sometimes look like an easy mark. When my Spidey Sense tingles I straighten up and look much more formidable.

 

[Denny347]

OC civilians are not try to arrest bad guys.

True, so the likelihood of a confrontation is lower. However, my point is that regardless of the firearm on the hip, how you carry yourself and how you look goes a long way in a criminal's mind when it comes to deciding if you are going to be the next victim, even for uniformed officers and plain clothed citizens.

 

[MarkC]

True, so the likelihood of a confrontation is lower. However, my point is that regardless of the firearm on the hip, how you carry yourself and how you look goes a long way in a criminal's mind when it comes to deciding if you are going to be the next victim, even for uniformed officers and plain clothed citizens.

Based on my experience, I believe this to be true. Presenting oneself as a detached, solid professional registers when the individual is sizing you up, deciding whether he can take you, or not. He has to believe that it will not be easy, when he's making that (maybe unconscious) decision whether or not to try it.

 

[Denny347]

Someone missed the purple...

Why? You look like a soup sandwich and OC, you become an armed soup sandwich. It's not a talisman. Criminals are typically good at judging the people around them, even officers. I see it in rookies in training. If it wasn't for the training officer with them, many criminals would take their chances fighting the rookies. They don't carry themselves with confidence and the criminals think they could take them...even armed. It's the same for the regular folks too. They are pretty good at sizing up their victims, armed or not.

 

[2A_Tom]

I didn't know they had a clip of me.

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Dead Duck again.

 

[mergatroid]

OC is not on my list of things keeping someone from attacking me. Heck, plenty of uniformed police get attacked and they are as OC as you can get.

Sure cops get attacked, but that is a totally different context. It is human nature to avoid anything deadly. For instance, I would not care to stand beside a running locomotive, moving or not. Too much power. I know it will not hurt me, but I am human, thus the response.

Many people regard guns the same way. The proof is how, in there minds, they give guns the ability to kill without a human even touching it.

 

[2A_Tom]

I do not get the analogy.

I do not think that most people believe that guns kill people on their own. That is just a gun-grabber talking point.

ET change Liberal to gun-grabber, because Real liberals are not all gun-grabbers.

 

[Denny347]

Sure cops get attacked, but that is a totally different context. It is human nature to avoid anything deadly. For instance, I would not care to stand beside a running locomotive, moving or not. Too much power. I know it will not hurt me, but I am human, thus the response.

Many people regard guns the same way. The proof is how, in there minds, they give guns the ability to kill without a human even touching it.

Not totally different. They are summing up the PERSON connected to the deadly tool. While the tasks performed by a police officer and a non-police officer might be different while armed, the criminals will use the same thought process to weigh their chances of overtaking that person. The criminal might be LESS prone to attacking an armed police officer because we wear body armor, carry radios, and have back-up close if not already with us. An armed citizen rarely has any of that. Food for thought. Remember, we are the weapon, the gun is but a tool. Criminals will size up the bearer of the tools, not the tools themselves (typically).

 

[2A_Tom]

They will tale note of the weapon and possibly what type of tools he/she is carrying.

 

[Denny347]

They will tale note of the weapon and possibly what type of tools he/she is carrying.

Yes, but it is not the only or even the most important factor in their decision.

 

[mergatroid]

I do not get the analogy.

I do not think that most people believe that guns kill people on their own. That is just a gun-grabber talking point.

ET change Liberal to gun-grabber, because Real liberals are not all gun-grabbers.

1.) People attack cops for different reasons than they attack non-cops. No one looks at a cop in full battle dress and says, "bet that guy is an easy target, can't defend himself and has lots of money in his wallet". Cops get attacked for different reasons than non-cops.

2.) True, rational people do not think a gun comes to life and acts. But, there is lots of language used that reveals otherwise. If not, why all the focus on guns instead of criminals?

 

[mergatroid]

Criminals will size up the bearer of the tools, not the tools themselves (typically).

I would agree. But, the question then becomes, all things equal. Guy with a big stick, vs guy without a big stick. Hummmm? Which to choose?

Obviously the no stick guy.

 

[2A_Tom]

Sure cops get attacked, but that is a totally different context. It is human nature to avoid anything deadly. For instance, I would not care to stand beside a running locomotive, moving or not. Too much power. I know it will not hurt me, but I am human, thus the response.

Many people regard guns the same way. The proof is how, in there minds, they give guns the ability to kill without a human even touching it.

I do not get the analogy.

I do not think that most people believe that guns kill people on their own. That is just a gun-grabber talking point.

ET change Liberal to gun-grabber, because Real liberals are not all gun-grabbers.

1.) People attack cops for different reasons than they attack non-cops. No one looks at a cop in full battle dress and says, "bet that guy is an easy target, can't defend himself and has lots of money in his wallet". Cops get attacked for different reasons than non-cops.

2.) True, rational people do not think a gun comes to life and acts. But, there is lots of language used that reveals otherwise. If not, why all the focus on guns instead of criminals?

What I did not get is why you would be afraid to stand next to a locomotive.

 

[Denny347]

1.) People attack cops for different reasons than they attack non-cops.

Yeah, so? They want to get away from me or kill me or steal my handgun. They want to rob you, kill you, etc. The process in which they size up their victims is the same however.

No one looks at a cop in full battle dress and says, "bet that guy is an easy target, can't defend himself [STRIKE]and has lots of money in his wallet[/STRIKE]

Heck yeah they do. We get sized up all the time and predictably, soup sandwiches/meek/timid/small statured officers have to fight more.

2.) True, rational people do not think a gun comes to life and acts. But, there is lots of language used that reveals otherwise. If not, why all the focus on guns instead of criminals?

Because humans (LEO and non-LEO) can be tool-centric beings. It's easy to strap a duty belt, an OWB holster, and believe we're shielded.

 

[Phase2]

Sigh... Idiot open carrier performs down to the worst caricature. He could have easily lost his life. There are definite lessons to be learned here.

Monday night standoff could have been much worse, Madison police say

This isn't an anti-open carry post, but a reminder to not be an idiot. When you open carry, please be responsible about it:

• Be cognizant of your surroundings.
• Use a retention holster and/or concealment garment.
• Make the effort to learn retention techniques.
• Showing off for the sake of showing off (what this doofus was doing) is not productive.

 

[wtburnette]

Plenty of fail to go around with that situation...

 

[protias]

https://www.personaldefenseworld.co...645Z3ibhD4QZNgN9OapL28KusMHtbXKnYHFbMvf-_OvoA

Sigh... Idiot open carrier performs down to the worst caricature. He could have easily lost his life. There are definite lessons to be learned here.

Monday night standoff could have been much worse, Madison police say

This isn't an anti-open carry post, but a reminder to not be an idiot. When you open carry, please be responsible about it:

• Be cognizant of your surroundings.
• Use a retention holster and/or concealment garment.
• Make the effort to learn retention techniques.
• Showing off for the sake of showing off (what this doofus was doing) is not productive.

Welcome to over a week ago.

See my response: https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...71996-open-carry-argument-91.html#post7765550