Open carry

[oldguy]

While I'm not sure I would open carry I do believe it should be an option,
not sure this has been posted but if you agree to open carry sign
petition.


http://www.petitiononline.com/texasoc/petition.html

 

[txinvestigator]

To: Texas State Legislature and Texas Governor Rick Perry
We hold that all citizens who may lawfully purchase a handgun be allowed to carry openly in public in the State of Texas except for those places prohibited by law. We also call for state preemption of all handgun laws concerning open carry in Texas.

1. Every individual has the right and responsibility to defend their self against unjustified threats of death or serious bodily injury.

2. The Constitution of the United States guarantees the right of individuals to keep and bear arms.

3. Criminals are not deterred by rules, regulations, and laws forbidding the possession of weapons. A man bent on mass murder will not be stopped by a rule forbidding him to have a gun. What has that to do with open carry. Although the statement is true, won't criminals then just open carry?

4. It is well known that the requirement to conceal a handgun for the purpose of protecting self, friends, and family can be difficult especially in Texas with our extreme heat since a person will usually have to wear a jacket to properly conceal a handgun and to avoid "printing." Printing is not illegal now. The statement is just not true. I carry a full sized 1911 all summer with no difficulty. I never wear a jacket. If open carry is a desire, don't make obvious attempts to create issues with non-problems.

5. The requirement to conceal a handgun can make it difficult to draw the weapon should the life of the carrier or the life of someone else be in danger. There is no evidence that drawing from concealment has caused anyone harm. Those of us actually concerned about this though, train.

6. A criminal will not open carry a weapon because he does not want to draw attention to himself. We believe that a citizen openly carrying a handgun lawfully will be a deterrent for crime. There is no evidence of that at all. If open carry will not draw attention to the legal person, why would it draw attention to the criminal. Pro-OC people claim it does not cause alarm. In fact, there are incidents of people open carrying being attacked.

7. Ten states including Arizona, Alaska, Idaho, Kentucky, Montana, New Mexico, South Dakota, Virginia, Vermont, and Wyoming all allow open carry of handguns without a license. Twelve states including Connecticut, Indiana, Iowa, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Utah, and Tennessee allow open carry of handguns with a license. In fact, Texas is one of only SIX states in the entire United States that completely bans open carry of handguns. while I have not looked up the laws in other states, I have serious reasons to suspect the validity and honesty of this. Texas DOES NOT completely ban the open carry of handguns. Out of the nine reasons Texas law allows the carry of a handgun, only two require concealed carry.

8. In these states, Open carry is very common and it does not alarm law enforcement or other citizens. Really? We have all read the stories on different forums of people open carrying causing panic amongst the sheep, and being encountered by Law Enforcement.

For the foregoing reasons, we residents of the State of Texas affirm and assert that all citizens who may lawfully purchase a handgun be allowed to carry openly in public in the State of Texas except for those places prohibited by law. We also call for state preemption of all handgun laws concerning open carry in Texas.

 

[Shorts]

Not favoring one over the other in this particular thread. I think both serve their purpose well and citizens should have the option to choose which on any given day


txinvestigator, here are some more links and good reading if you're interested. It'd also fill in some questions you may have. I highly recommend the open carry forum. Many concerns are addressed there.


http://www.texasguntalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=762

http://opencarry.mywowbb.com/



What works for one person may/will not work for the next in regards to what gun can be carried, by what holster method and under what attire.

 

[SIG_Fiend]

In principle, I think open carry should not be restricted. I don't want to use the word "allow" considering our natural human rights as acknowledged in the BOR and Constitution are just that, natural. They aren't "given" to us by the Constitution or the government, therefore I don't like using the word "allow" as if the government is giving us something.

I myself would not open carry. I like the idea of rolling in "stealth" mode. However, I am not really against it in principle as the 2nd amendment states "To keep and bear arms", so clearly it was intentioned by the founders for people to carry. And I think it's pretty doubtful that the average individual carrying back then concealed carry.

 

[oldguy]

HK, I am of the same opinion also it would eliminate the concern over showing or printing give a CHL more options.

 

[JKTex]

We really need yet another thread on open carry?

 

[Shorts]

We really need yet another thread on open carry?

The board is entirely too young for this!

 

[DopaVash]

Also look at TXCDL.com

They have an entire section devoted to OC and some very good reading there.

 

[50calRay]

Personaly, I read the Constitution as the right to keep AND bear arms meaning we can legaly carry whether it's open or concealed. So anything restricting either one would seem unconstitutional in my opinion.

Anyhow, I'm currently staying in Tucson for two months and you will run across a few people open carring around town...exspecaily gun stores. I've done it my self and it's different. It's something I could see doing if it were legal back home but I still like the idea of concealed carry more.

 

[ambidextrous1]

I agree with that.

I don't think OC should be illegal; we should have that option.

I would probably open carry within a mile or two of my home, and in certain other areas - but would prefer CC in crowds and other areas where OC could be provocative.

Allowing OC does not impact the rights and privileges of CCW holders in any way.

Rich
(CCW holder in good standing)

 

[DoubleActionCHL]

The only problem I would see with Open Carry would be weapon retention. The average person has no training or experience with weapon retention, and most concealed carry holsters have no retention locks or thumb straps.

 

[DopaVash]

The only problem I would see with Open Carry would be weapon retention. The average person has no training or experience with weapon retention, and most concealed carry holsters have no retention locks or thumb straps.

Sure, but does the average person actually carry a firearm? I can tell you that in the OC community, Retention style holsters are strongly recommended.

Either way, would you believe it best that the government mandate this type of thing? I don't.

 

[DoubleActionCHL]

Sure, but does the average person actually carry a firearm? I can tell you that in the OC community, Retention style holsters are strongly recommended.

Either way, would you believe it best that the government mandate this type of thing? I don't.

No, I'm not saying that at all. I just see it as a potential problem. I'd like to take comfort in knowing that people interested enough in their personal protection would also be interested enough to seek out qualified training, but I know this is not the case.

We push additional training in our classes ad nauseam (and not just from us, but from any qualified instructor), and I'd bet than less than 5% ever actually follow through.

I absolutely do NOT want the government mandating this training, but I also wish people were more responsible. There are some things you just can't legislate.

 

[DopaVash]

Ah, then I agree with you completely