I am fortunate to live in a constitutional carry state which includes open and concealed carry as well as strong preemption laws, at least for now. This has remained true despite the state’s best attempts to lean hard left with every do-nothing-for-safety gun control law proposal from the zealots at Gun Control, Inc. As such, the defense of concealed and open carry becomes very important.
I firmly support concealed and open carry, but I also believe some people need to make better choices for the location and situation they are in.
Constitutional carry I’ve written about before. While the gun control folks ALWAYS claim it will be “the wild, wild west” with “blood running in the streets” if passed, the exact opposite has ALWAYS occurred. Violent crime goes down in the states where constitutional carry is passed.
The reason behind this is crystal clear, at least to everyone except the anti-gun extremists. When the civilian population is armed, criminals are less inclined to attack them. Criminals it turns out, aren’t stupid, they are just criminals. If someone has the ability to stop them, they will move on to someone who doesn’t.
Carrying a firearm for your own protection and the protection of your family, while out in public is not just a good idea, but a responsible choice. The more people who do this, the safer everyone is. But how you carry is just as important.
With open carry, your firearm is out and visible to everyone around you. The plus there is it provides a visual deterrent to anyone who may wish to attack/rob/rape/kill you. It’s also a lot quicker and easier to draw from an open carry holster. The downside your firearm is out and visible to everyone around you. It makes you, and your firearm, a target of theft. Beyond that, it also tends to cause unnecessary concern for others who do not understand or support civilian firearm ownership or open carry.
While there isn’t a huge body of evidence on grabbing open carry firearms, it does occur. Notably off-duty officers in NYPD have been targets of firearm theft with exposed firearms. There are of course the anti-gun social media warriors who proudly proclaim they will ‘pepper spray and snatch the gun’ from anyone they see open carrying. I’m not aware of this happening anywhere since most people agree this would be a really, really bad idea.
This brings up HOW you open carry. Sadly, far too many choose the cheapest, one-size-fits-none padded Uncle Mike’s, or similar ill-fitting/non-safety holster for their carry option. While it may work, it’s not a good choice. Holster technology has come a long way, and secure civilian options are available. Paired with an appropriate belt, this would be a far better choice.
But it doesn’t end there. Making the choice to open carry a firearm ‘should’ mean taking a little more responsibility for the safety and security of the firearm. This means not only traditional firearm training, but also firearm retention training.
I can tell you based on my own experience and that of the officers I know and have known, the vast majority of law enforcement officers have not had sufficient training in firearm retention. It just isn’t a priority in most departments, until a tragedy occurs. The civilian market is far, far worse. Training is available, but it’s not commonly offered. And that’s a damn shame.
Bear in mind I’m referring to what I call appropriate open carry. There is also what I call “inappropriate” or stupid open carry. You’ve probably seen one of these folks at some point in your life. Two, three, four – or more – handguns in holsters in various positions on the body, along with multiple back up mags for each, along with knives… lots of knives. Just… no.
The same thing applies to those who strap an AR or AK pattern rifle on their back and decide to go to Starbucks or “patrol” their neighborhood in their finest downrange camo. HELL no!
Some argue if you don’t exercise a right then you lose it. While I agree in principle, that concept doesn’t apply to those who do foolish crap just to see how much attention they can attract. There is a time and place for obvious Second Amendment displays, and rarely do they attract negative attention. Choosing when and where you open carry is as important as how you carry.
My preference is for concealed carry. The plus here is your potential assailant doesn’t know if you are or are not armed. The downside is the visual deterrent of an exposed firearm isn’t there, until such time the firearm is justifiably and lawfully needed. How do you mitigate this downside? By being alert and aware of your surroundings. By not being focused on your phone or some other distraction, you become less of a target in the first place.
New concealed carriers often struggle with the whole concealed concept and are constantly adjusting and rearraigning themselves. For the most part, it’s unnecessary and it just takes a little getting used to. But carrying concealed also comes with some drawbacks such as how and where the best place is to carry on the body. The good news is there are hundreds of options available, and most people will try a number of them until they figure out what works best for them, their wardrobe, body and situation.
The other big drawback is drawing a firearm from under whatever you have concealing it. Warm weather is one thing, but in parts of the country where numerous layers are needed in the winter, it can be a challenge. Here again is where your personal responsibility for adequate training comes in. Drawing from a concealed position is not the same as from an exposed holster. It takes practice and close attention to the fundamentals of safety.
One last thing. If you’re going to lawfully carry, always carry. Make it a part of grabbing whatever you grab before you leave the house for the day, every day. Your safety and the safety of your family is 100% YOUR responsibility. Nobody else is going to protect you.
Bob
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