Why is Open Carry such a popular issue?

[Logical]

My state, Kansas is about to sign in a law that allows open carry anywhere. No cities allowed to block it.
If concealed carry is easily available, which it is in Kansas, I have my CC license, why do people want open carry?

Open carry does seem to bother some people and causes alarm, and I am sure many here will say 'tough shit' but it is still drawing attention to the gun issue where concealed carry does not.

Why do people feel the need to open carry?

[tularetom]

1. How can I impress chicks with what a bad MF'er I am if I have to hide my piece?

You may think I'm joking but this was pretty much the response I got from a relative when I told him he couldn't sit down to Thanksgiving dinner with his S&W strapped to his hip.

My answer was, look asshole, you are related to every "chick" at this table and they know you well enough that they will never be impressed by anything you do. He put the gun in my safe, but that was the last time we asked him to dinner here at the house.

I think appearance has a lot to do with the appeal of open carry.

[Lurks Often]

2. Some practical answers

1. Some CCW laws are written so stringently that simply allowing the firearm to be seen could result in an arrest. The open carry law resolves this issue, so if someone sees a gun when the wind picks up or if you reach up or down for something on the shelf they no longer face getting arrested.

2. There are some parts of the country where it gets too hot and humid for a covering garment during the summer, the Gulf Coast is a good example of that.

3. Suppose you want to go hiking in an area known for bears, cougars or alligators, open carry allows one easier access in case of an attack, however rare the attack may be.

[Logical]

4. OK, some good points. nt

[bowens43]

3. we live in a very sick, blood thirsty society, those who carry are hoping for the chance to kill....

[krispos42]

5. Yeah, which explains the tens of thousands killed per year...

...by people who are legally carrying concealed.

And by "tens of thousands" I mean about 200.

[spin]

6. Strange. It must be simply an odd coincidence that while I know a good number of people ...

who have concealed weapons permits in the "Gunshine" state of Florida, I don't know one who has shot another person.

I do know a couple that said they were able to stop an attack when their attacker realized they were armed.

If we all are bloodthirsty people looking for a chance to blow someone away, I must be an exception to the rule. I have had my carry permit for well over 15 years and I have never had to even draw my handgun. I also practice "situational awareness" and do my best to avoid irritating or arguing with others. I have even given up on flipping the bird to someone who cuts me off in traffic. Oddly rather than go looking for trouble which according to you most who legally carry concealed do, I have become a very polite individual.

[Logical]

13. I hear this a lot. And look at ANY states CC holder stats. An honest bunch. nt

[The Straight Story]

7. No, some pretty simple reasons why people would want to:

1. When I was an armed security guard I carried at the job site and that was allowed/covered/demanded by the federal contract. Going to from work was not but I was still in uniform and we didn't leave our guns at the work site (we were required to carry guns we owned by the contracting company - to whom I sold mine to when I left). Now, if I stopped to get a slushie on the way home (or smokes for my pitbull) and if I left the gun in the car and it was stolen people would whine I wasn't being responsible. So I left it on and wore it in to the store.

2. Hiking in dangerous areas (as someone else noted).

3. Hunting. You kind of have to open carry doing that Which leads to transportation - if you are hunting hours from home and you stop for a bathroom break/etc you might not want to (as noted above) leave a firearm in a car for any number of reasons.

4. Because you want to for any number of reasons. People, except maybe criminals, don't carry hoping/wanting to kill others but may be older, disabled, etc and in an area like mine feel a little more safe (and since over 99% of gun owners don't harm others with their guns I don't see them as any more of a problem than those on the left see Muslims - yet folks on the right get all scared when they see one on the street and perpetuate the stereotype that they are all wanna be terrorists. We call that hate and bias when others do it....)

[Lizzie Poppet]

8. Why thanks, Doctor Bowen, for that free psychoanalysis.

I assure you it was worth every penny I paid for it...

[Nuclear Unicorn]

9. You should still demand a refund.

[sarisataka]

10. Two recent experiences

Yesterday I went to get my haircut. From past visits my barber know I carry concealed. She told me one other regular carries. Though not a gun owner she said she doesn't understand why people are afraid of someone who open carries. Her opinion was someone who carries as such is clearly doing it for self defense; someone with ill purpose would not carry openly.

Today I assisted in corralling a loose dog. I used my outer shirt as a net to catch the little beast. I was able to remove the shirt and not become a felon by doing so as open carry is legal here if a person has a permit. No one cared two hoots for the pistol on my belt; they were grateful for my help in catching the dog.

Still as many are unsettled by open carry and the wide spread opinion that someone openly carrying is looking for trouble, I will continue to carry concealed.

[Logical]

11. Thanks. The accidental exposure is a good reason. nt

[Eleanors38]

12. A different view. The pro-2A forces are topping off

in their legislative agenda, and open-carry is deep down in the barrel. This issue (like legalizing warning shots) is yet another way of forcing others (often Democrats) to once again prove their bona fides, or suffer the consequences. Campus-carry, open-carry, long gun-carry -- all this is a sign that the "gun rights" groups are at high tide and thinking up some new liberalizing law. The proposals may also be hedges against any meaningful attempt to attack 2A: Before you can even talk about bans & restrictions, you'll have to deal with a myriad of "lesser" protections and privileges.

Expect lots of layers and victory laps.

[ileus]

14. Seeing guns scares people...they've been told over and over "guns kill people"

and they believe it.


A CC firearm isn't visible and the sheeple don't panic at what they can't see.

I don't know anyone that OC's on a daily basis, but I'm going to assume it's done as a big "up yours" to the 1%ers who want us disarmed.

[Brown Coat]

15. Better retention

At least for me anyway, my OC holster holds my pistol more securely than my CC holster. So when ever I take my motercycle out I end up OCing.