Open Carry in Texas

[Bowhuntamistad]

think about your question and look what is in charge of this country from the president on down........... they really are people that stupid,, i know i arrested mostly morons and idiots for 30 years,,, open handgun carry is a dumb idea,,, what we should be doing in increasing the numbers of capable law abiding CITIZENS, to carry concealed.... how are you or anyone else going to know if the other guy is a gang member or not,,, because they will take advantage of open carry!! i am all for carry always have been and encourage responsible people to do so,, but then you have mega hot heads like my own brother who would be quick to pull, because he is also a coward,, how he does not have a criminal record is beyond me,,, i do not want to see people like him carry concealed let alone open,, because if you dropped a light bulb in a store he would shoot first....
so a gang member who has nothing to live for anyway,, walks up to you or anyone else with his open carried gun and decides to rob you, or just shoot you because he can, you will not be able to do anything about it , because he will not announce his intentions,,,, go to u tube and look at the "knock out game" videos which many filmed themselves or someone in their group did... every one of the victims was sucker punched, all of them were criminal offenses and they committed the crime anyway.... it would be no different with open carry,, the best advantage to a "CITIZEN" is concealed carry,, there not likely to allow you to carry in all the stores, banks schools or post offices,, so guess were the auto burglar is going to be waiting,,, in the store parking lot watching you get out with an empty holster or watch you move around trying to hide your pistol.... it will not be there when you get back,,,
society as a whole can not be allowed to just openly carry a gun we did that up until the early 1900's,, gun laws went into effect because of the people who were quick to resort to a gun,,
i do agree with back ground checks,, to carry,, but i also think anyone who has not been proven mentally unstable or even just hot tempered, should allowed to carry concealed.... but the macho attitude " i have an open gun on my hip" is wrong... that very idea is about being large and in charge,, i am billy bad ___ here is my gun, i dare you!!.
i am also against the 30.06 law of not being able to carry concealed in certain places because the very places most of those signs are at is were you most likely to need it!!!!
not left in the car with an empty holster, under your shirt...........

I really have to disagree with you on that one.

My wife works in a very bad part of town. Most everybody you see walking around is shady and there is a lot of gang activity. I have yet to see one OC and I know they probably have illegally concealed weapons on them. I have seen bulges where one would carry a firearm. On the contrary, almost everyone I have seen OC here seem to be good folks(well dressed and spoken, head on a swivel, just that feeling of professional). Anyways....we don't see that here in a state that is OC, so why would your results vary?

Yes, you have your hot headed folks but at the ratio of them compared to good folks, I really can't see that as being an excuse. If they want to carry a firearm, they are going to do it anyways regardless of their observance of the law.

I also have never had anybody look at me weird or hint towards targeting me or my sidearm. We have a big number of law enforcement here that are plain clothes officers (either Detectives, P&P, Gang, State, Narc, etc). I think that might have something to do with it, believing they don't know if they are seeing a citizen or LEO. Basically, what I am saying is it occurs so much here it really seen as a big deal or show stopper. Folks around here keep on keeping on.

[sooner6969]

It all comes down to good ol' fashioned situational awareness. Do you constantly watch the door when in an establishment? Do you sit facing the crowd? Try to gauge/read people when walking around. Keep people a safe distance from you? Try to have a pretty good idea of what is going around you at all times?

I hate to say it, but if you don't know what is going on around you having your weapon CC'd isn't going to do you much good anyways. They would probably have the drop on you before you even realize what is going on, access the situation, formulate a plan, draw and shoot.

I'm pretty aware of what's going on around me most of the time, but I also have a family and a two year old that loves to get into things and without going into different senarios to think that you have 100 percent situational awareness 100 percent of the time you are fooling yourself. We can hypothetical all we want but the element of surprise is a great equalizer. Just saying

[Lungbustr]

I want the option. I would definitely open carry to and from hunting and stuff, just for convinience. I would mostly concealed carry though. Probably open carry sometimes when dressed nice and shirt tucked in. I hate drawing shirt tucked and the extra time and movement to untuck shirt clear it then draw.

[Bowhuntamistad]

I want the option. I would definitely open carry to and from hunting and stuff, just for convinience. I would mostly concealed carry though. Probably open carry sometimes when dressed nice and shirt tucked in. I hate drawing shirt tucked and the extra time and movement to untuck shirt clear it then draw.

This too! If I am wearing a suit or business attire, I wear a nice leather holster and belt. If I going shooting or doing anything outside, I wear my serpa.

If I am in anything else, its just in a IWB or pocket.

[JC_follower]

I want a concealed but I have often wrestled with what Jesus said ' those who you live by the sword will die by the sword'.. Anyone who follows Him and maybe has some insight on this subject wanna enlighten me?

[WCB]

I'm kinda for open carry and would only do it occasionally. Mostly I like no one knowing I have anything.
Maybe the macho in me wants OC. I don't know...
But that new STI/TBH 10mm 1911 in a Dirty Harry shoulder holster concealed under a sport coat trips my trigger.

[JP135]

I want a concealed but I have often wrestled with what Jesus said ' those who you live by the sword will die by the sword'.. Anyone who follows Him and maybe has some insight on this subject wanna enlighten me?

I don't see defensive carry as living by the sword. Being a gang banger doing drive-bys is living by the sword.

Remember 'Thou shalt not kill' is a poorly done interpretation of 'Thou shalt not commit murder'

[JSF]

I don't see defensive carry as living by the sword. Being a gang banger doing drive-bys is living by the sword.

Remember 'Thou shalt not kill' is a poorly done interpretation of 'Thou shalt not commit murder'

Exactly......God doesnt expect us to not try and preserve our own lives.
Heck our pastor carries his pistol in church as do I.

[JC_follower]

Hmm.. Good word

[Okiehunter]

I live in Oklahoma where we have open carry. I like the option. It is nice to go into a restaurant and be able to take off your jacket or relax without having to worry about "covering up". The best part is you don't have to put on an over shirt or jacket when you get out to pump gas or to run into a C store for a bottle of water. I don't recall seeing very many open carry, except in a few gun stores or maybe Bass Pro.

If you think it will be a big issue you are over thinking it. Open carry will create no more or less issues than conceal carry has.

[JC_follower]

Last quick thought before I snooze.. Jesus did tell that to Peter when he grabbed the sword in their defense and cut the soldier's ear off.. Now maybe Jesus was speaking to ill motives on peters part but I don't know.. More thoughts and speculation from you folks are encouraged.. Another truth to consider is how, 'The Lord is my protector, those who trust in him will not be put to shame'

-(paraphrase of several verses from the Bible Psalm 27:1-4 is one.)

More thoughts?

P.S. I do own several guns and hunt often.

[JSF]

Psalms 144
Blessed be the lord, my rock
He prepares my hands for war, my fingers for battle

[JSF]

Its even goin on the AR im building

[vanmedic]

This is a great write up, I myself would continue CC but with that said knowing if my gun was to peak out of my shirt that I would not be unlawful is very nice .

[tvc184]

This is a great write up, I myself would continue CC but with that said knowing if my gun was to peak out of my shirt that I would not be unlawful is very nice .

I am not sure by what you mean by "peak out" but if you are talking about someone accidentally seeing it, it is not against the law.