This here. And Elwood's point #1. I used to enjoy open carry when camping and staying at the folks' cabin in the mountains, where nobody else is around and the coyotes run free. In civilization (if I had the option to carry), I'd choose concealed to blend with the crowd and not draw attention to myself.
I'd really like my state to adopt an Alaska/Arizona/Vermont-style carry policy, but I doubt that it'll ever happen.
You know what violent criminals like to steal? Guns. If you're open carrying and you're not in uniform you may as well be hanging a sign around your neck that says "I'm an insecure dumbass who's going to be way too embarrassed to report anything to the police if my gun gets stolen." In any event, criminals always overestimate their chances of getting away with it, whether that means getting away from the cops or getting away from their target. If you're open carrying a gun that's worth wanting that makes you a target, not a threat.
Yes. From peoples houses and cars. Not from attacking, fighting, and then disarming a person carrying a gun. The odds of someone jumping you just to steal your gun is slim to none. You're nuts to think otherwise. With that said while I support open carry I personally would never do it unless I'm in my uniform. (under Florida law I could do it as an officer out of uniform as long as I had my badge with me but then I could and would get in trouble with my agency since I'm Corrections and not Police and am not authorized to carry in this manner - FL law forbids open carry in public for non-LEO) If you open carry and allow someone to steal your gun from you then you should never carry a gun again. So that means you're dead from fighting over the gun or you're permanently crippled to the point where you could never carry one again. Contrary to the leftist anti-gun people it doesn't have anything to do with insecurity for the majority of people to want to open carry. There are valid reasons. It makes you both. You don't understand how criminals work. Most criminals are not looking for a fight. They are looking for an easy score. The criminal may want your gun but the odds are he's not going to attack you to get it since that automatically would justify a deadly response from you and create the one situation the criminal doesn't want: a fight. Working in a jail has opened my eyes up to the criminal world. They are mostly cowards who run from the first sign of serious resistance. Criminals want to get in, steal, and get out. Speed is life for them. The longer the crime takes the greater they get hurt, killed or arrested. Know this though: The vast majority of stolen guns are taken from peoples homes, businesses and cars.
Okay, fun facts time. The State of Alabama has no law prohibiting open carry. In fact, there is an Attorney General's Official Opinion on file that says it's legal to carry openly because there's no law specifically prohibiting it. People carried openly all the time in the 1970's. I remember it distinctly when I was growing up. But, times have changed. There may be no law against carrying openly, but there is Disorderly Conduct and the courts, including the Alabama Supreme Court, have consistently upheld convictions for Disorderly Conduct based on the "alarm" it causes in a public setting. Okay, now that I've said that, let me say this. I wasn't telling the complete truth when I said there is no law prohibiting open carry. There is, but it only applies to Peace Officers, Corrections Officers, and Faux-Law Enforcement (Private Armed Security, etc.). It is technically and specifically illegal for Law Enforcement to carry openly unless they're wearing something that clearly indicates that they're a Police Officer. The full uniform is strongly preferred, but a windbreaker, golf or button up shirt with the Agency's name, a badge, and your name embroidered on it passes the sniff test. But, Detective Jim Bob from Mayberry PD better not go into Birmingham or one of the larger cities like that because they will roast his ass. They do that, because, you and I both know a badge doesn't mean shit. I want to see a commission card/photo ID. You can buy LAPD badges on eBay for Christ's sake.
I always have my agency ID card on me. Also have my firearms qualification card. You're supposed to have it with the gun and badge but the badge has to be displayed next to the gun (or somewhere easy to see like hanging on a chain around your neck). I didn't feel like going into that much detail for the non-LEO's like Liet who live in a fantasy world.
No you don't. Since those states don't issue permits, they don't have reciprocal agreements with the other states.
Actually, it does. If you've got a carry permit, you can legally open carry... ...it's just not advisable.
That's not totally accurate. You can still get a permit in Arizona and Alaska in order to comply with the reciprocity agreements. You don't need a permit if you never plan on going outside of the state with your weapon. So basically you still get one anyway to make sure your covered. (also in Arizona without the permit there are extra restrictions on where you can go armed so having a permit gets you out of that bind) Vermont is the only one where you are out of luck. http://www.handgunlaw.us/states/vermont.pdf http://www.handgunlaw.us/states/arizona.pdf http://www.handgunlaw.us/states/alaska.pdf
