Posted on 05/16/2012 4:42:18 AM PDT by marktwain
BRYAN COUNTY, OK -- Come November, Oklahomans with a permit will be able to carry their guns out in the open in most places. Governor Mary Fallin signed the open carry measure into law Tuesday.
The open carry law not only allows people to have their guns out in plain sight, but it also allows property owners without a permit to carry openly on their lawn for self defense. We talked to several people who all had strong and very different opinions about open carry.
Raymond Coats has his concealed weapon's license and says he is excited about the new open carry law.
"I know a lot of people that will conceal them behind their back in their coats. I never did do that, but now that you can wear them openly I probably will," Coats said.
Coats says even though he is in favor of the law he does have some concerns.
"It's going to cause kind of a problem with the police officers wondering 'does that person have a concealed weapons license or not'" asked Coats.
Bryan County Sheriff Bill Sturch says that could be a big issue. Under the open carry law businesses may continue to prohibit firearms to be carried on their premises and the law maintains the existing ban on guns in public buildings and schools. Sturch says he is concerned people may forget they are openly carrying their gun and walk into a school. He says that will tie up officers responding to a lot more calls and writing a lot more tickets.
"What's going to happen is they're going to into those places and their going to get reported or your going to create a nightmare with people by carrying a gun in those places," Sturch said.
Dozens of people agree and say seeing guns out in the open would make them feel extremely uncomfortable.
"I don't think I'd feel comfortable to it. It might make me feel scared and nervous you know especially kids. I mean I don't mind that people carry it just don't show it that's all," Chauwn Chau said.
However, others say the licensed open carry law does not seem to be a problem in states like Iowa, Indiana and Tennessee, and having a gun visible could be very beneficial.
"You're not going to have a whole lot of people attack somebody that they see carrying a gun," Donavon Wesner said.
Sturch says it could also impact open carriers who cross the state line.
"What is this law going to do about going to Texas? Because Texas doesn't have an open hand gun law like Oklahoma does now," Sturch said.
To carry a gun in public people still have to get a license, take a firearms safety course and submit to a background check by the OSBI.
The law goes into effect in November.
Hoplophobia is a mental disorder.
...that exists(and thank you Col Cooper for the term)...I'd rather have mine stuck in my waist band and covered with a shirt...
why look for trouble?
Also the scared female vote will get you if too many are walking around with guns. We could lose the right to carry!!!
Perhaps 'police officers' should do some wondering - is whether there is reasonable and probable cause to harass a citizen exercising open-carry? They shouldn't be 'wondering' if the citizen has a license or not unless there is some reason that is within the bounds of the law. If they can't help but 'wonder,' perhaps they should be 'wondering' about another damned job.
And to think here in New Hampshire and also Vermont our gun laws are less strict than Oklahoma or Texas.
New Hampshire requires a permit for concealed only (cost is $10) and Vermont requires no permits. If anything I would expect New Hampshire and Vermont to have stricter gun laws.
Ah, I see how they sold the powers that be on the idea. ;-/
Dozens of people agree and say seeing guns out in the open would make them feel extremely uncomfortable.
That's not a very realistic attitude. Ok, I get that many fears are irrational. I work around armed people every day. I am far more nervous walking through the parking lot of the local supermarket than I am at work. Not that I expect to be attacked in the parking lot. Just the opposite, I'm afraid I'll be ignored. That some soccer Mom dealing with kids in the back of her minivan will run me down, or some teen texting will back over me.
Seriously. Most people, when they get behind the wheel of their car are operating a piece of machinery weighing a couple of tons with a couple hundred horsepower. That is the most dangerous thing most people do. And they do it impaired and don't even think a thing of it. Drunk, angry, distracted, sleepy... Don't fear the guy in the produce aisle with the Colt on his hip, be more worried about the 16 yr old driver into his 3rd month with his license out in the parking lot in Mom's Accord.
"I don't think I'd feel comfortable to it. It might make me feel scared and nervous you know especially kids. I mean I don't mind that people carry it just don't show it that's all," Chauwn Chau said.
Sorry Chauwn, but I've got to call that attitude stupid. If you know they are there, but don't see them, how does that make you feel better? Wouldn't you rather know who is and who is not? In general, "out of sight, out of mind" is not a particularly good policy to live by.
Personally, I think open carry in public is too risky. In the country, camping or in the wild, it’s absolutely necessary. I’ve had a CCW for 24yrs and carry open at my business and home, but not out in public. That said, it’s a personal choice and one should be able to do so if it’s secured and not easily grabbed/yanked by someone else. I’d be worried about that happening w/ quick-draw holster, but I use a FED212 for my 1911 .45cal scp:
http://www.holsters4guns.com/holsters/product/FED.html
I always get a kick out of the hoplophobes that worry about seeing a gun. I CC all the time and I’ve even had discussions about guns in the presence of hoplophobes WHILE CARRYING A GUN within inches of them! If they don’t see it, then the problem disappears for them.
I think “open carry” (although OK by the Constitution, yada yada yada) ... is kind of stupid. I have stated here before it is a “bling” thing. “Look at me, I have a gun”. It brings out these crazies, and even the cops go nuts when the see it wanting to shout “Gun, Gun, everybody down!”
Unfortunately, it is a TINY MINORITY of crazies that seem to be running things in this country today. 1% of the population is “gay” (I’m told) ... but you would think we were dealing with a majority of people. So tiny numbers of people can cause HUGE changes, not necessarily for the good.
My feeling is CC your 357 S&W and gently talk to them about the weather instead of wearing it in the open and talking guns. I don’t see a “need” for showing the gun. (OK, yes we have the CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT to ... yada yada yada). But why? It simply tells the bad guy you are armed. It also tells a “bad group” of people that you are carrying a $600 gun they could grab and sell for $300. You are actually attracting attention you may not want. I don’t wear my pretty gold retirement watch to the mall either! Better to sit on the bench and watch the toughs walk by knowing you could stop them cold if they turned toward you.
Sitting on a bench at the mall (while my wife powershops), I use a quick open bag with a cross body strap. I’ve got my Kindle in it and usually, the IPhone ... so I’ll have a cord running out of the bag up to my ears listening to music and reading a Kindle. A 70 year old guy sitting on a bench at the mall? What kind of a threat is that? So the toughs have no idea that I’m better armed and a bigger threat that them.
I’m on “yellow alert” most of the time ... the toughs walking by with their pants below their buts sort of smirk at me like I’m just an elderly throw-away piece of trash in their midst. (You can “feel” the look).
Little do they know ... and unless they try something, they never will.
Good comment.
Yep - I have a Kahr P380 carry piece. When it's in the pocket holster, it looks like I might have my wallet in my pocket. Some pants pockets are too small and the butt is visible if in the holster, so I drop it in the pocket "naked" which makes the outline visible. I occassionally get some looks as someone notices, but have yet to have anyone question me or report me. I don't think the average person is as afraid of citizens being armed as the leftist rags and gun control nuts try to indicate.
Wasn’t Will Rogers from OK. And didn’t he write about how he
carried a rifle when he rode to school?America was better then it seems.
After Nov 1, it won't matter.
“personally I think its a setback. Now everyone is potentially carrying....from the criminals viewpoint. Open carry sorts it out to some degree!”
I don’t follow your logic at all.
Obviously, you don’t agree with firearm carry if you believe that guns exist only as objects of evil and harm. I believe that guns are tools, and the only morality they have is that of the bearer. Many have a hard time accepting this.
I value concealed carry just as much as I value open carry. I do not agree with the idea that people should be forced to carry in one method or another. I decide depending on the activities we have planned for the day or where I am physically located...why should I conceal carry in my back yard if it is more comfortable to carry openly.
“I’m always worried the wind will reveal my sidearm. Technically, that can be construed as “brandishing.”
Exactly. The way most conceal carry laws were written leaves unintended revealing a crime. If they would just remove the printing, accidental disclosure when it is obvious the bearer was intending it to be concealed etc etc...make it better for all.
Ideally call it Concealed Carry Openly! :) And full open carry on your property, house, temporary quarters, or when in vehicle so I don’t have the uncomfortable weapon in my waistband obstructed by the seat belt etc etc. To me that is ideal.
If there had been an increase in violent crime due to this freedom, guaranteed the MSM would be shouting it from the rooftops. But, they are strangely silent. They know it's a loser for the Left.
I agree - fortunaltely, Mississippi considers your auto an extension of your home (we pay high tag prioes for this "honor"), so you can carry either concealed or openly in your vehicle (leave it on the seat or in the glove box). Problem with absolute concealment is that it gets HOT and HUMID down here and there aren't many options to keep it truly concealed in the warm weather - that's why I opted for the Kahr pocket piece. I would prefer a shoulder rig for my 1911 .45 ACP. It's a beaut and a collector's item, but has been lovingly maintained for the 98 years of its existence and is a dependable weapon. Made in Springfield Armory in 1914 with a low-end serial number and passed to me when my Dad passed. I showed it to some old timers at a local gun shop and they almost creamed themselves as they checked it out and found all the "proper" stamps, etc., and noted that it is clean and smooth and there is no looseness to be found.
Here is one of the reasons why I like to open carry.
There is a gentleman I have talked to a few times who is relatively new to Arizona. I see him around the stores in Green Valley now and then. He first approached me because of my openly carried pistol about four months ago. He wasn’t aware of our carry laws and wanted to know all about it. He has recently moved here from Illinois and thinks it is absolutely wonderful that people can walk around with a loaded pistol on their hip. We all know how Illinois is about that. He is a very nice gentleman, probably in his mid to late seventies and always goes out of his way to speak to me when he sees me although I have never gotten his name nor he mine.
So today I am cruising through Safeway picking up a few odds and ends and here comes this gentleman with another man in tow. He comes up to me and very politely says, “Excuse me but I wanted to show my brother from Illinois what the best thing about living in Arizona is.” He was looking at my hip.
I turned so that his brother could see the 1911A1 .45 holstered there and replied, “You mean this?” The brother’s face lit up. Then I pulled the little .22 caliber derringer out of my vest pocket, held that up and said , “Or this?” The look of consternation on the brother’s face was worth a million dollars. Being my usual smart ass self, I added brightly, “ No license needed!”
The brother’s jaw dropped. “You don’t need a license for a concealed weapon? You don’t need a license for any weapon?”
My gentleman laughed and said, “ You don’t need a permit for any weapon.”
The brother’s response? “ You said the housing market here is really low now?”
I like to educate people as much as I like to be educated and that is one reason why I like to practice open carry.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2797276/posts
I grew up in Michigan. Most people who were gun owners were shotgun/.22 types, as was I. Handguns? Well, we weren't really against them, but....there was the media influence, that maybe handguns were for, you know....unscrupulous people.
And then I joined the AF, and my first assignment was Holloman AFB, New Mexico.
I went into a grocery store (Piggly-Wiggly maybe?) to buy some food, and there in the store, was this mini gun shop. And they had....handguns...on display.
I asked the clerk what I had to do to get one of them.
"If you've been a state resident for 6 months, you can buy one."
I couldn't believe it. No restrictions, no license, no permit?
I ended up buying a third-hand Ruger Mk 1 .22 pistol off a friend. It jammed sometimes and the barrel was almost smooth bore, it had had so many rounds through it. But, what a feeling of freedom that was. And that's the way it should be.
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