Texas Right To Open Carry!!!

[jeepinbanditrider]

Boy all of these felons running around whacking people for their openly carried pistols must be real low profile cause I've only heard of maybe two incidents of anything remotely like this happening. I've been doing it for over 2 years myself.

It simply doesn't happen as much as some of our imaginations would like to think it would. I would like to see Texas law amended to have OC as a legal option.

[Ride the Lightning]

If you were in a place while OC and were the only one OC out of the 100 people in there, who do you think the bad guy would take out first?

[1lowlife]

Originally Posted by Ride the Lightning

If you were in a place while OC and were the only one OC out of the 100 people in there, who do you think the bad guy would take out first?

That's the way I look at it.
If someone plans to rob a bank (eg. scarecrow bandits in Dallas),
they are going to neutralize you (the OCing bystander) first.
Chances are, with seven of them (5 in the bank, 2 outside), they are probably going to see you, before you see them.
You might get one or two of them, but then again maybe not.
If you were to CC, then you would have the option to take action or not, depending on the circumstances.
Records, testimony shed light on alleged Scarecrow Bandits | Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | Latest News
That isn't an imaginary scenario.

You guys wanna OC and fight for your right to do it, by all means go ahead.
I'll mind my business and CC............

[Brickboy240]

I am sure we could "what if" ourselves to death on this subject and probably come up with good reasons for and against open carry.

....but...

The fact is that carrying a handgun out in the open draws unnecessary attention, period. Good attention and bad attention of which you never know how much or what kind you will get...right? Why draw any more attention to oneself than is necessary?

I guess I just skipped that whole gene...the one that wants attention drawn to myself in public. I am against clothing, cars or jewelry that draws attention to myself. I fail to see many advantages to this, but judging by the number of Hummers, Rolexes and flashy clothing I see every day...I am in a minority.

- Brickboy240

[TexicanKid]

No, no, no. Not open carry to carry openly, but rather open carry to not be in violation of a crime if you fail to conceal properly during concealed carry.

The main benefit of Open Carry is to strike down another senseless gun law. The wise will choose properly when deciding whether to conceal or openly carry.

[one-eyed-fatman]

OC laws OK with me but I doubt I would carry OC. As far as Texas traveling laws go anyone coming into the state of Texas can carry a weapon in their vehicle as long as they obey state gun laws.

[Brush-Wolf-Lady]

I wish all of you OC naysayers would go over to opencarry.org's forum and do some reading, esp the Virginia and Utah sections, which seem to be the most active over there. I have yet to read of anyone who posts there saying some thugs tried to or did steal their OC'd gun. The same goes for the crowd of OCers at the PAFOA forums. The main trouble of all OCer's is the sheeple public calling the cops on them, or a few irate store managers asking them to leave due to scared sheeple. But from reading OC journals and the like for many months now, the vast majority of experiences are no more than maybe a few people staring, and sometimes leads to positive encounters like educating the curious that OC is legal in that state.

My own personal OC experience had a few elderly people gawking at the group of us OCing, and one asking the restaurant owner about us, and she explained it to them and that was it.

Now I agree about not OCing in bad neighborhoods, unless in a group perhaps, but then I agree with not even going to such areas to begin with, unless you have to. However I know of 1 gal ( who is on this site) who has OC'd walking past homeless people, so that must not be the best area of the city, however so far no one has messed with her. The homeless used to bug her for money, now they leave her alone!

There are some cities though with REALLY rough areas, if I HAD to go in there, I would CC to not attract any more attention. Some of the thugs in the worst places HATE cops and might gang up on lone cops out on foot, and I could see them thinking a lone OCer is a cop. Baltimore has this lone cop beat-up deal, I assume some of the violent criminal ridden cities in shall-issue/OC states have it too.

[1lowlife]

Originally Posted by Brush-Wolf-Lady

The main trouble of all OCer's is the sheeple public calling the cops on them, or a few irate store managers asking them to leave due to scared sheeple. But from reading OC journals and the like for many months now, the vast majority of experiences are no more than maybe a few people staring, and sometimes leads to positive encounters like educating the curious that OC is legal in that state.

That is exactly my point, thank you.
Like Brickboy stated, I would much rather go unnoticed, than to stand out in a crowd.
I don't want to go about my day and feel I need to explain myself if the situation were to arise.
I don't want to get into a gun debate with a member of the anti-gun sheeple public.
I couldn't imagine going to Walmart with my family and have Joe Blow ask me about my sidearm, wanting to know why I carry it, asking me if I'm LEO, wanting to see my gun permit (which is what he would call it), and me telling him to mind his business.
I don't want to deal with that.
Perhaps some of you jump at the chance to educate the general public about firearms, but I don't.
I've have better things to do.
I'll just CC, run my errands, go out in public, and not be bothered by the staring, nosey, afraid sheeple public.
But you guys please exercise your right to OC, just don't expect everyone to agree with you.

[IamCPTSpalding]

Originally Posted by RobFMJ

That hasnt changed even though the laws have... You think its gonna change with one more law?

Not only do I not think what you propose will make a damn bit of difference, I don't think open carry is the best idea in the first place.

Well, I respect your opinion. The list is up. It's up to you to try. If you don't feel that it is for you, then let it go.

[IamCPTSpalding]

Originally Posted by Brickboy240

I would also love to see the data on how many CHL holders that have actually been fined or hurt, otherwise because they were "printed" and found out. I hear stories and alot of "what if my shirt blows up in the wind" stuff but nothing concrete. Another overblown non-problem if you ask me. Would Open Carry solve these problems? Probably, but again, if there is not concrete data on this...it is not a problem.

- Brickboy240

Texas DPS - Conviction Rates Reports

I was thinking of carrying a new LCP.... but I guess it would be showing off. I haven't gone through the data yet. So if you have the time please do.