[therooster]

i think texas should be an open carry state. could that ever happen? i dont know... but i do know that there are a lot of us on this board along with other boards that can try to make it happen.

if this poll gets a good response lets see if we can do something about it.

anyone with me?

 

[XDTOM40]

Nobody has convinced me it is a good idea.

 

[therooster]

well... here is how i look at it

it makes concealed carry much easier.

since i can only carry concealed then i can only draw to fire, which i dont want to do. if i draw to "scare someone away" then i can get charged with brandishing a weapon. so its almost like we are forced to use deadly force.
there have been many stories on this board where people simply let a "wouldbe attacker" know that they had a weapon (in an open carry state) by indescreatly showing it, and the "wouldbe attacker" fled without anyone haveing to draw a gun. in texas.... no no, thats ileagal.

anyhow thats my 2 cents.

 

[HighVelocity]

in texas.... no no, thats ileagal..

Well, I gues if the would be attacker goes to the cops and says you threatened him with a firearm you could get in trouble. :?

 

[one-eyed-fatman]

I don't see why not.

 

[therooster]

in texas.... no no, thats ileagal..

Well, I gues if the would be attacker goes to the cops and says you threatened him with a firearm you could get in trouble. :?

... what if there were OTHER people around that you didnt notice?


Cmon... i dont want this to turn into an argument thread. please refrain from smartass comments. this may be a joke to some of you, but it is serious to me; i dont know about the rest of you but i tend to get offended when someone makes fun of something i'm serious about.

if you are going to post then post with the mindset of "weighing the pros and cons"

 

[MoJo]

I am not a fan of open carry, BG sees you have a gun and backshoots you. It's happened. Making the CHL law less restrictive regarding accidental display of your concealed weapon would be a nice thing to have happen.

 

[xdfreak]

I agree with MoJo; we need to change the existing laws to allow "brandishing" in certain instances; if just letting a BG know you are armed will save your life or others, then to me that is the smart action to take; under existing regulations, you better be ready to shoot rather than just trying to ward the BG off.

 

[dolanp]

I agree with MoJo; we need to change the existing laws to allow "brandishing" in certain instances; if just letting a BG know you are armed will save your life or others, then to me that is the smart action to take; under existing regulations, you better be ready to shoot rather than just trying to ward the BG off.

You may brandish your weapon in Texas in order to 'create the apprehension' that you may use deadly force if necessary and this does not constitute the use of deadly force. However, a threat must be present to you, you can't just go around saying 'Don't look at me like that I have a gun!' :wink:

 

[one-eyed-fatman]

I am not a fan of open carry, BG sees you have a gun and backshoots you. It's happened. Making the CHL law less restrictive regarding accidental display of your concealed weapon would be a nice thing to have happen.

I'll settle for that.

 

[[TASF]Overkill]

BG sees you have a gun and backshoots you

Fine. That's my problem, not something that should be legislate away.

It's also happened that simply seeing an openly carried firearm resulted in no one being killed, and a crime stopped.

 

[MoJo]

Here's a link to the gun bills pending in the Texas legislature this session.

http://www.txchia.org/legistex05.htm#top

 

[xHypex]

I personally don't approve much of open carry, and feel the CHL laws should be loosened and clarified first.

I do have one question on open carry though: Is any sort of instruction, registration, etc. required to be able to carry openly or is it a mandate to allow you to carry if you simply passed the background check to buy a gun?
-hype

 

[[TASF]Overkill]

If you can own a gun in Va, you can legally carry it. Openly.

Carrying it concealed requires an additional permit.

 

[MoJo]

I personally don't approve much of open carry, and feel the CHL laws should be loosened and clarified first.

I do have one question on open carry though: Is any sort of instruction, registration, etc. required to be able to carry openly or is it a mandate to allow you to carry if you simply passed the background check to buy a gun?
-hype

There is no open carry of a handgun in Texas you have to obtain a CHL to carry concealed. Now, long guns are a different story.

 

[xHypex]

I personally don't approve much of open carry, and feel the CHL laws should be loosened and clarified first.

I do have one question on open carry though: Is any sort of instruction, registration, etc. required to be able to carry openly or is it a mandate to allow you to carry if you simply passed the background check to buy a gun?
-hype

There is no open carry of a handgun in Texas you have to obtain a CHL to carry concealed. Now, long guns are a different story.

I realize that, I just wanted clarification on how open carry would affect us in the rare event it ever happened.
-hype

 

[jgdean85]

I believe Texas should have open carry, and less restrictive concealed laws. I would support the right to open carry. However, I am for the element of suprise. Don't want to take a chance at being the first target, and I love to be underestimated by people. :shock:

 

[XDTOM40]

Are we trying to go back to the Wild West days, Stetson Envy (as someone had called it. Wanting to be a cop) or what. Open carry will just cause more problems than it is worth. 9/11 did not help the situation with people being so freaked out about weapons. Keep it concealed, so maybe you'll have the edge. You need all the advantages you can. Carry a gun openly and hope to prevent a crime or be a target? Hmmmm, eliminate the possibility of being a target and have your weapon availible if needed. I carry OC, knife and pistol. Who said every encounter was going to escalate to deadly force. Talk to cops (maybe ex-cops) that have had to KILL a human being. It F*CKS you up mentally most of the time. Have an alternate method available, but if needed, use DEADLY FORCE.

The more people seeing folks walking around with guns on their hips, the more crap we are going to hear about it. Be glad we even have concealed carry. A lot of CCW people do not have the training enough to carry a weapon PERIOD, let alone open carry.

Open Carry People, are there a lot of folks walking around the streets in your states with a pistols on their hips? I just wonder how common it is. I have never been to any of those states. You know Texas though, there would probably be more than we would like. Hell, you have seen the boots and hats haven't you. All we need now if the guns on our hips.

DEAD HORSE, I KNOW.

 

[TXD]

there was a study done not too long back that showed, per capita, to make it even for different populations. that the states that did have an open carry policy had a much much lower crime rate than those states with a chl or no weapon policy. some max. sec. inmates interviewed in this also stated that you could see who had a weapon, that they are not gonna go mess with them. you could see who had a weapon, so they are not gonna commit a crime while they are around. i think open carry would help a bit around here. im all for letting someone know, without saying a word, that i am ready and will defend my family and myself

 

[XDTOM40]

TXD, if you remember where someone could find that report, I would love to read it. Sounds interesting. Thanks. 15 years working in the system, would love to read that.