What do you think of Open Carry Texas and other gun groups trying to carry firearm in public places?

The picture of those Guns is just plain horrendous, and I would not want to be seen carrying them. All of us here have or should have an understanding of rights, I personally feel that the reason why some people think Open carry advocates are insane, because they feel they have no choice but to speak out. How often do people protest for one right or another, is the 2nd amendment any different? No its not. Look personally no one needs to know what I have, but if my shirt ends up being too short to conceal my firearm or I am reaching for something on a shelf and my firearm can be seen, and someone takes issue with it, tough because my security takes precedence over your insecurity.

Not so funny story. I took my wife to a doctor’s appointment in Spokane WA being a law abiding citizen I left my firearm at the house, as I do not trust leaving it in my truck, anyhow my wife my daughter and I came home to see our house being broken into this happened March 27th 2014, I live out in the country, I confronted the two meth heads as they dove in to their car with stolen items from my house and in the process of them trying to make an escape I got hit by the car and ran into a stand of pine trees, I quickly limped back into my house grabbed my firearm from my safe and went back outside in time to see both of them trying to get out of the car. It took the deputies an hour and a half to get to my house even after i had fired a warning shot while my wife was on the phone with 911.

Open carry, conceal carry if you’re a law abiding citizen carry everywhere you go.

Personally, they can open carry all they want . . . I'll stay concealed.

I prefer the "surprise" option of CC and I don't like giving anyone intent on doing harm the advantage of knowing what I'm carrying. I have a number of CC weapons and if someone wants to know what make/model/caliber at any given time . . . they will have to give me cause to draw.

While I don't necessarily agree with their tactics, I support their cause. I live in KY which is a constitutional open carry state where you need no special permit to open carry but establishments can restrict this but it holds no weight of law, but you could catch a trespassing charge. It has been proven time and time again that an armed society is a polite society. In areas where guns are banned, crime rates are astronomically high. Gun Free zones are nothing but defenseless zones and if a criminal sees a weapon, they are more likely to not commit any acts of violence at that location.
Does this group take it to the extreme buy walking around with AR-15s slung on their back, yes. Am I threatened by them, not a chance. I carry concealed and open depending on the day and my mood. Have I ever had a confrontation when open carrying, yes. Have I changed people's minds about guns when the conversation is brought up? More times than not.

At first I must admit I thought Open Carry Texas were a bunch of ******* IDIOTS. This coming from a gun owner and AR very pro 2A. These folks are carrying long guns under Open Carry Texas laws to show everyone the backwards laws that call for illegality to open carry a hand gun but it is legal to open carry a long gun.

Now at the same token, COL Vincent Stoneking said something very poignant here, "because I can" doesn't mean "I should." You and I, know full well about handguns & long rifles and how to implore them same as we should know the laws in our state regarding firearms. But when you carry into a Starbucks or Wal-mart or Target, you are asking for trouble. Most people aren't ready to accept that, its threatening and intimidating to them. Well why? because certain groups/people with an elitist behavior who have an agenda and with the help of media, have demonized the legal gun owners of this country. Even the group of the NRA accused the civil rights demonstrators of lacking “consideration and manners,” “downright foolishness,” and a “hijinx.” Do groups like OCT hurt the 2nd amendment? Well its one thing to properly educate and raise awareness about legal gun ownership/rights/responsibilities and I will add go out there and get some training. On the same token, going into a Starbucks with a AK-47 strapped to your back so you can order your skinny caramel macchiato with whip cream doesn't pass the common sense test either.

Part the other big problem is you have legislators who don't even understand how the current gun laws in their states work and they want to pass knee-jerk legislation. You don't believe me, watch this buffoon>>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAeI7rTjJMQ Close the loopholes, revamped the current laws, fix the ones we have now.

To me, any constitutional right that a state or the federal government tramples must be protected. All of our individual rights are precious and must be advocated at all cost. Americans, maybe not all, have an irrational fear of guns, too bad society has been conditioned to fear people who open carry.

I'm going to pile on, it looks like we have a broad consensus on RP on this topic which is great! 1. 2nd amendment Good. 2. Concealed Carry Good. 3. Open Carry mostly good (some disagreement). 4. Property rights Good (restaurants asking you to leave are not infringing your 2nd amendment rights, they are exercising their property rights) 5. Carrying long guns into public places to gain attention BAD! Obviously very bad, poor politics, intimidating, rude, inconsiderate, unsafe, and tactically unsound. doing this runs a serious risk of a gun rights supporter plugging you in the chest with a concealed pistol.

My personal plans of action in a restaurant, I always sit watching the door, I always know the exits (hyper vigilance anyone?)
A: Someone comes in shooting or weapon at the ready 1. Seek cover, draw weapon. 2. Get family to safe exit. 3. Engage threat if presented clear shot. 4. Escape. 5. Call police. 6. Report. B: Someone comes in with weapon slung on front, but not at ready: 1. Seek cover, hand on grip do not draw 2. Get family to safest exit (including emergency exits 3. If shooting commences go to plan A, 4. Escape 5. Call Police 6. Report.
C: Someone comes in with long gun slung on back, or holstered pistol with no displayed badge. 1. Calmly pack up food, depart by common exit in safe, calm, expeditious manner. 2. Depending on local laws report or do not.
D: Someone comes in with holstered pistol and displayed badge or printing in their clothing indicates concealed weapon: 1. continue eating, this person gets scanned along with the door every couple seconds until he/she departs.

Bear with me as I drag this out a bit. My first duty station out of boot was 3ID, 2/64 Armor in Schweinfurt, FRG. After I arrived, and before the family came over, I spent most of my off time out in the economy looking for an apartment for my family, and getting to know my way around.

My first trip to a schwimmbad was an eye opener, no doubt. Anyone who has been to a public German swimming pool knows, they aren't shy. It was not uncommon to see a lot of naked people. I was a little unsettled to say the least. It was not what I was used to. The same thing was common around almost every lake and pond in Germany that I ran across. I guess the easiest way to say it is there were a lot of people with no clothes running around in the summer.

Now to my point. After a few months, I became accustomed to seeing men and women of all ages without their clothes. It no longer seemed unnatural, and I was comfortable around these people.

The same thing will happen with open carry. Once people are used to seeing it all the time, they will get used to it and think nothing about it. It's just human nature for the most part.

I'd have to say that the whole issue of open carry is a bit off course right now. On the far left you have the overly emotional and knee-jerk reaction Bloomberg funded Moms Demand Action and on the far right there is the provocative, and quite frankly childish, Open Carry Texas that wants to brandish their firearms and intimidate anyone who disagrees with them. The healthy medium lies in the middle in the rights of the individual property owners which is too often overlooked in these debates where both sides insist on "my way or the highway". Consider the following scenarios:

1. I own a small, family oriented establishment in a city that doesn't have a strong gun culture, but open carry is permitted on a statewide level. Most of my clientele will be offended or put off at the sight of firearms. While I would like to tell them that they are just being ridiculous, because if someone wanted to harm them or their family they wouldn't be openly brandishing a firearm and probably would have done something already, I'll keep it to myself and just take their money. As a business owner, I reserve the right to make decisions about how my patrons conduct themselves in my establishment. If they don't like it, they simply can go patronize someone else who allows their habits.

2. I own a upscale, manly as hell, cigar lounge located off the beaten path wit a niche clientele. If my customers wish to show off their fancy new 1911 or uberti six shooter they are permitted to because it fits the culture. Everybody there is used to the sight of guns and knows and trusts that nobody is going to try and pull something stupid. I, as the owner of the establishment, have made the conscious decision that the types of people who come to my business would like to openly carry firearms and therefore I let them. If somebody has a problem with this to the point where it exceeds the value of my product or services, nobody is (hopefully) putting a gun to their head and forcing them to patronize me.

Bottom line way down here at the bottom: Leave it up to the individuals

They make normal, responsible gun owners look like the stereotypical caricatures you hear about on TV..

I've no issues with it at all.

I would like to address your use of the term "assault rifle." I cringe everytime I hear or see someone use it (incorrectly). In the context of this thread, it is being used incorrectly. The media, especially the leftist media, is throwing around the term in a way meant to demonize a simple weapon/rifle for a way to advance the political agenda and is misconstruing the guns and the publics view of the Second Amendment.


The Merriam-Webster Dictonary defines “assault rifle” as “any of various automatic or semiautomatic rifles with large capacity magazines designed for military use.” The weapons being discussed are civilian rifles so therefore NOT for military use.

Furthermore, The the United States Defense Department’s Defense Intelligence Agency book Small Arms Identification and Operation Guide explains, “assault rifles” are “short, compact, selective-fire weapons that fire a cartridge intermediate in power between submachine gun and rifle cartridges.” A selective fire weapon must be able to go from semi-automatic to fully automatic. Unless you go through a very extensive background check, you're not going to be getting your hands on a fully automatic weapon very easily and if you do, it's a good chance you've done so illegally. Please, I implore EVERYONE...STOP using the term assault rifle unless you do so responsibly AND correctly.


Last but not least, I don't know why the HE-Double Hockey Sticks you need to saunter into ANY establishment in an urban environment, other than a weapons range, straping a rifle to your back. Seriously? That isn't for personal security or protection. As stated many times throughout this thread, doing so is done for nothing more than to cause a scene and attract attention. That is a textbook case of irresponsible gun ownership right there. There may be a time and a place, but going out to eat with the whole famn damily whilst strappin' an AR-15 across your back just don't pass the common sense test.