Open carry vs. Concealed

This is a topic with a pretty big divide. I’ve seen people who vehemently support their side of choice. Each has it’s own communities and culture associated with how you choose to carry a weapon on yourself. Today I’m going to share my thoughts on each method, my preferred way to carry and some philosophies.

Permits First

If your going to be carrying a handgun for defense firstly you’ll need to get a permit. Unless you live in Vermont and Wyoming where you are allowed to carry without a permit or Illinois which unconstitutionally denies the right altogether. The classes are usually in the $50~$100 range and consist of classroom time and qualifying on the range. The class time will get you familiar with the laws concerning when/ where and how to use your permit and firearm. To be honest the biggest reason I got my carry permit is due to laziness. In  Tennessee without a carry permit when you transport a firearm, like going to the range, you have to store the firearm and ammunition in separate compartments and unloaded. Well I drive a hatchback so I really don’t have a trunk and it’s easier to just put it all in the back seat. See sometimes laziness is a good thing.

Open Carry

Last week when I was heading to the range my buddy Gabe was all ready to head out the door with his Baretta .40 caliber on his side in a huge holster. It was as visible as you can get. If we were headed straight to the range I probably wouldn’t have minded but we were making a stop for breakfast and know how open carrying can cause a scene. I have seen people at work freak out when they see someone open carrying and run to tell managers, or even worse call the police. Which waste the police time, they will ask to see your carry permit and then “suggest” you carry concealed in the future. Most people are not accustomed to seeing armed citizens, unfortunately. I usually glance over open carriers. I assume anyone that has the balls to open carry must have a permit. Criminals don’t want you to know they have a weapon until it benefits them. Until open carry becomes as common as the wild west I will not be open carrying ever.

Concealed

I choose to conceal carry my weapon. I do this to keep from getting harassed by the police to open carrying. To keep from causing undue panic in people. I don’t need people running off telling their managers that their is a guy with a gun in the store. Another important reason I choose the concealed path is for the element of surprise during a conflict. If I need to use my weapon in an altercation I don’t want the criminal knowing I have a weapon early. They could just shoot me from a distance to eliminate the chance of being shot. They could try going for it since they know where it is. While it’s concealed they would have a hard time knowing where it is. Especially since I’m left handed and wear it on the left side. With training and practice you can get plenty fast enough to draw from concealed to mitigate any slowness you have.

Winner?

They only reasons I can even come up with for carrying openly would be a faster draw, and the possibility of scaring off any attackers before they try anything. Like I said earlier thought with practice you will be able to draw fast enough concealed to cancel out that argument. As for the threat mitigation factor I don’t think it is strong enough to outweigh the unneeded attention you get from open carry. It’s for those reasons that if I am not working and not planing on drinking my Glock 19 will be concealed on me.

Do you carry? What is your preferred way open or concealed? Let me know in the comments!

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