Gonna have to go with the concealed carry is better crowd. Except for the rare instances that it is illegal (i.e. at my kids school), I carry everywhere, every day, all the time. I do carry open when I am at the ranch, and I don't bother to conceal when I do something like run up to the gas station or something like that. Yes, I can see the logic of determent of crime through display of strength. I prefer keeping the element of surprise. Even if the element of surprise gives me a marginally lower chance of getting shot, I'll take that marginal advantage.

As you're falling to the ground after the bank robber casually walks up behind you, produces his concealed gun and pops you in the dome because he can see your exposed gun, for that split second you may know you were in a gun fight.

Bank robbers are not the dullard cowards you think they are. For several years I responded to all of them in FW and was there during the apprehension of several of them after my Detectives filed the complaints. Bank robbery is the last act of a desperate person. 75% clearance rate on them. I remember responding to a bank on W. Seminary Dr and was there 3 minutes after the silent alarm was tripped. They walked in the front door and the first thing they did was produce a concealed gun, pop the armed uniformed security guard in the head and add his gun to their collection.

I can count on one hand the number of times I've been IN the bank lobby in the last 10 years. And I expect I could go several hundred times (if not more) and NOT experience a 'Bank Robbery'.

And IF you let anyone casually walk up behind you (un-noticed) then you weren't being aware of your surroundings. I'd wager a more dangerous situation these days....is that people can't put their damn phones down for even a minute when waiting to do something. THAT (distraction) will get you killed/injured faster than open carrying anywhere.

Nobody ever thinks it will happen to them. That was why I had job security.

I'd wager my odds are about the same as getting hit by a meteorite. So I'll take those odds.

Not expecting that to happen either. Everyone choose for yourself...of course.

Noticed 3 things right away.

1. No one paying any attention.
2. No one running for the door screaming 'man with gun'!
3. Good trigger finger discipline.

If you’re going to open carry you might as well show your cards while playing poker!

Concealed carry provides criminals the maximum opportunity to make a fatal error in the victim selection process.

The whole point of open carry is NOT to be selected to begin with. Criminal moves on to a perceived softer target.

Concealed carriers always tout that 'element of surprise'. Why encourage the advances of a criminal right up to the time you HAVE to draw your weapon?

IMO....there is a right time and place for both. I carry both ways based on circumstance and need. Don't really understand why some folks think that is stupid or inappropriate, or why the 'police' are offered up as supposed experts on the subject.

I say carry as you like (within the confines of the law) and support (not denigrate) those who choose to arm themselves.

Well I have investigated or supervised the investigations of more than a thousand shootings and was tasked with knowing every aspect of what took place, as well as presenting the case to the DA’s office with my determination of self defense justification or who was the primary aggressor, so I can’t imagine why I would be considered an expert on the subject vs someone who has watched a bunch of YouTube videos. Then of course there’s the hundreds of hours or more of tactical training on the subject as well as 25+ years of carrying a firearm in a plainclothes or undercover capacity in the worst parts of a major metropolitan city. I’m sure your training, knowledge and experience eclipses mine on the subject though.

Were any of those citizens carrying with a Concealed Carry License, LTC or carrying by Constitutional Carry? Or just a bunch of criminals/gang members/dometic?

Of the cases True Billed or No Billed was there any correlation as to how a weapon was carried?

Several justified shootings involving LTC holders or just normal citizens who were carrying. Several more where the criminal snatched the open carry guys gun out of the holster just to get a free gun. That normally happened in gas stations with folks standing in line to pay for something. Before you go into situational awareness and you would never be caught slipping just stop. Nobody can be 100% aware of everything going on in a public place. Two of the gun snatches were involving a rather attractive young woman who was asking for directions while the bad guy slipped up behind him. Unless your neck works like an owl on meth, you can’t know everything going on all around you. If you’re the anomaly among numerous other people who routinely carry a firearm who thinks it’s somehow advantageous to open carry vs concealed carry, that should tell you something right there. I’ll leave you on that thought because obviously you’re the horse who won’t drink.

The majority of people choosing to carry concealed...in no way invalidates other methods of carry.

Using that logic ONLY strong side carry in an IWB/OWB would be acceptable, since 'numerous other people' carry that way.

This 'horse' drinks just fine. Just not downstream from a place someone just 'shat' in (or other dogmatic views).

I’ve never carried. Can’t say I’m all that proficient with a short gun and in an emergency situation, I would possibly do the wrong thing.


That said, wife and I (retired) spend a lot of time on the road. I always keep the Judge in the car, close to hand, when traveling.

The best thing to do when you find yourself in the bottom of a hole is to stop digging.

Any man with a FUPA should do nothing to attract attention to himself. As for the one with dunlop, I don't think his left arm could clear that massive gut to properly shoulder his "weapon".

No one is in a hole here. If you have a reasonable rebuttal....lets hear it. But you don't, so out come the 'quips' you are famous for.

If I wanted to spend the time to learn how to knap flint, I would ask you to teach me. Because you know what you're doing.

A plus 25 year Detective probably knows what he is doing, pertaining to carrying a pistol in plain clothes.

Meal Team 6 is in town.

I have carried a pistol almost daily since 1996 (28 years). As long or longer than the detective, yet I would never suppose to know what manner of carry is best for each person or adopt such dogmatic positions on the subject.

As I said in an earlier post, I've got a long list of friends in Law Enforcement. Many of them span back well before 1996. 100% of them have told me to never open carry. You are painting yourself as a target.

The concept reminds me of the geniuses who put a giant SIG Sauer sticker on the back window of their truck and then can’t understand why it was burglarized.

Same thing.

The only people I ever see open carrying are the "bubba booger pickers" looking for attention!