AZ:More Open Carry at the Vertical Church

Gun Watch ^ | 31 October, 2015 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

I was on Security detail at my church again.  They keep the temperature cool, so I was wearing a jacket.  One of the difficulties of open carry is that it becomes awkward when you are wearing clothes to keep warm.  So I was carrying casually concealed.

Glocks are popular

I did not mind the temperature.  I am acclimated to warmer temps; but it is easier to for me to put on a jacket than it is for someone who likes it a bit cooler to remove their skin.

I noticed five open carriers, and at least one other concealed carrier.  I only noticed that he was carrying concealed because he adjusted his shirt and I caught a glimpse of an in the waist band holster in the appendix position.  There were certainly a number of other concealed carriers.  By definition, they are harder to spot.  I may well have missed a couple of open carriers as well; I was not on a "roaming" position that Sunday.

Maybe a Bersa? Note the folding knife, clipped to the pocket.

 I was reading David Hardy's excellent new book, "Origins and Development of the Second Amendment, when I found a reference to colonial requirements to carry guns in church from the Virginia laws of arms bearing.

All men that are fitting to bear arms, shall bring their pieces to the church...

The law dated to 1631.  David Hardy found it in the 1823 work by William Henning, "The Statutes at large, being a collection of all the laws of Virginia, Vol. 1 at 127, 173-174."

Those were perilous time in Virginia.

This congregant preferred a Ruger LCP. 

All of the open carriers that I noticed were younger than I am.  One of the things that I enjoy about the Vertical church is the significant number of young people and families with children.  It is a thriving and growing church.

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[marktwain]

The Church is growing fast. Lots of young people, people with tatoos, lots of kids.

[Yo-Yo]

Maybe a Bersa? Note the folding knife, clipped to the pocket.

I note the Uncle Mike's nylon holster.

[T-Bird45]

I note the Uncle Mike's nylon holster.

My first impression, as well. Except for field wear when hunting or their pocket holster, I hate the UM gear with the heat of a thousand suns. None of those pictured has really effective retention and the third one using the "Virginia tuck" only shows ignorance. I OC very occasionally so I'm not absolutely opposed but I don't care for those that are not mindful when doing so.

[Yo-Yo]

I only have three open carry holsters, and I only use them on private property or at matches.

I have an old Safariland leather holster with thumb break for my S&W Model 19 revolver, a Triple K leather holster with thumb break for my Dan Wesson 715 revolver, and a Safariland GLS molded plastic paddle holster (with elk lining) for my Glock 26.

The Glock holster has positive retention, and I suppose the two thumb break holsters can also be considered to have positive retention.

It’s a personal choice, but I prefer to conceal carry in public.

The rest of my holsters are either hybrid IWB, or pocket holsters.

[marktwain]

Perhaps you would care to show us the horror stories of people who open carry, who are disarmed and the guns used against them?

It may happen, but it is extremely rare. The only cases I have been able to document are in Venezuela where the police are regularly killed for their weapons. Even police, who open carry nearly all the time, very rarely have their guns taken from them and used against them in the U.S It is down to about 2-3 cases in a year. Some years it has been zero.

The police actively look for trouble, and put themselves in the middle of it.

I would rather have someone open carry with a cheap Uncle Mikes, and likely be able to do something in most situations, than leave it at home because they do not have a more expensive (and better) holster.

Disarms are rare; perps running when confronted with a gun: common. People deterred because an armed man was present; unknown, but likely far more common than potential disarms.

Having said that, I may approach these fine young men (most are Marines, or former Marines), and offer the aid them with better holsters...

Maybe it would be better to approach the pastors, and suggest that an “unknown donor” thought they would like a better holster...