Quote:
Originally Posted by KirStang
Crompsin, you're certainly entitled to your opinions as to what is suitable as a carry gun. I cc a commander length, alloy frame 1911 in the understanding that if I ever have to use it, I'll be extremely proficient with it.
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Oh, I getcha, bro. I've only come to my conclusion through experience using both carry methods and dealing with the trials and bullshitlations with both.
No Duh: A lot of factors dictate what kind of weapon and carry method one wants to use: Gender, body type, age, occupation, training preference, favorite TV show as a kid, etc. Plethora of others.
Wild 'n Free: Open carry doesn't feature many of the numerous physical restrictions that concealed carry does. See, I used to open / concealed carry a H&K USP 45. I shoot like an action movie hero with that piece, but concealing a full-size automatic on my body type is a chore in anything less than a winter coat. I'm tall and skinny and a handgun the size of a small railroad car just doesn't disappear when I stuff it behind my kidney in a pair of Levi's. Hell, the spare mags are bigger than my cell phone.
Stop That Guy: When I chose open carry with a "cop gun" (boys in blue use H&K around here), I got a lot of stares and harassed by everybody from random people on the street to managers at Wal-Mart. I'd explain to them that it was perfectly legal and that it would also be perfectly legal for me to hide it under a coat due to my little piece of gummint paper, but the "OH-NOES-GUN-SO-SCARY" thing just never went away. Totally irrational fear. So... turns out I got really tired of making myself a instant domestic terrorist whenever I got out of my vehicle in town somewhere.
Crompy Got A Gun: Open carry, for the most part (on the east coast, IMO), is no different than brandishing as far as cops and gun-phobic civvies are concerned. It's wearing a symbol of power that few in society are accepted to tote: military, cops, Effa-Bee-Eye, etc. They don't get it when Joe Average does it. They watch too much TeeVee and assume too much about the purpose and scope of law enforcement (especially when it comes to their personal protection).
Screw Open Carry: After seeing how practicing my perfectly legal right to open carry was going to send me to jail or worse due to public perception, I gave it up. I only do concealed carry these days. I use the excellent 5.11 "UnderArmor" style holster shirt and pack a S&W J-frame with some Federal Hydra-Shok. .38 Special isn't a "man-stopper" or a "one-hit-drop" or whatever, but the gun is light and concealable, can be fired inside a pants pocket or bag multiple times (revolver cylinders don't jam). The holster shirt hides the gun and the gun and ammo I use are a time-tested concealed carry combo that'll do the job it needs to do: neutralize a threat should I need to protect my life.
Any of that make sense to anybody?
*heads off to school to be educated about the real world*