Virginia Gun Owners Forum - VGOF

by **formula73** » Tue, 20 Mar 2012 04:54:43

vaeevictiss wrote:What i have found, and i'm sure id take flack for it, is that a good portion of the open carry community does so just to argue and/or preach. They got the whole "look at me i'm carrying a gun" attitude and its annoying. I conceal because out of sight out of mind, i don't get any odd looks or need to explain myself. A lot of the open carriers just wait for people to come up to them so they can praise their rights and frankly they end up just looking like idiots.

Its the same as the religious people who preach to others everywhere they go. If you know that the country isn't ready for it and it makes people uneasy then just leave it be. Let a life altering event happen to them that will maybe change their minds. Until then I will keep it covered.

I actually spent about an hour watching youtube this weekend (bored out of my mind) of open carriers having altercations and then they go posting the video trying to prove they were in the right when in fact all people involved looked like morons.

This. Exactly. IMHO, there's is no reason to OC unless it's some kind of event. Not to start a pissing match or anything, but when I see somebody OC, they might as well be shouting, "LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME!"

by **jdonovan** » Tue, 20 Mar 2012 07:59:24

formula73 wrote:This. Exactly. IMHO, there's is no reason to OC unless it's some kind of event. Not to start a pissing match or anything, but when I see somebody OC, they might as well be shouting, "LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME!"

Other than small of the back, I've yet to find a CC option that FOR ME is well concealed, reasonable to draw from, and comfortable in my daily tasks.

by **WRW** » Tue, 20 Mar 2012 08:58:48

jdonovan wrote:
formula73 wrote:This. Exactly. IMHO, there's is no reason to OC unless it's some kind of event. Not to start a pissing match or anything, but when I see somebody OC, they might as well be shouting, "LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME!"

Other than small of the back, I've yet to find a CC option that FOR ME is well concealed, reasonable to draw from, and comfortable in my daily tasks.

Yes, and as long as you are not being unreasonally confrontational or combative (which I doubt you would) I would NOT view your open carry as any form of exhibitionism. Folks reading too much into others actions or words is the foundation for PC.

by **formula73** » Tue, 20 Mar 2012 10:42:20

To each his own, I guess. I cc a fullsize rattletrap 1911 in shorts with a King Tuk and yeah, though I'm not as fast with it as if it were on a tommy tactical thigh holster, it still works and I practice with it to get better. You might be in the minority, btw: when you open carry, you KNOW people are going to look at you. You might just be a practical guy. Others, however...you know most of them are in it for the attention.

I'd have been embarrassed for that Wal Mart dude's girlfriend.

by **vaeevictiss** » Tue, 20 Mar 2012 18:24:21

I also believe that in the SHTF event, an oc'er is going to be the first target or example made by the bad guy. Incapacitate the biggest KNOWN threat.

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by **vaeevictiss** » Tue, 20 Mar 2012 18:25:33

I also believe that in the SHTF event, an oc'er is going to be the first target or example made by the bad guy. Incapacitate the biggest KNOWN threat.

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by **VBshooter** » Wed, 21 Mar 2012 17:09:15

My experiences have been just the opposite... I 've only seen 1 that I would say was a profiler looking for an argument. S&W 686 and the John Wayne walk to go with it////// Others have been like myself actig natural and if you didn't actually see the dgun you wouldn't believe they had one on.

by **VBshooter** » Wed, 21 Mar 2012 17:09:37

My experiences have been just the opposite... I 've only seen 1 that I would say was a profiler looking for an argument. S&W 686 and the John Wayne walk to go with it////// Others have been like myself acting natural and if you didn't actually see the gun you wouldn't believe they had one on.

by **Newgunguy** » Thu, 22 Mar 2012 16:33:06

vaeevictiss wrote:I also believe that in the SHTF event, an oc'er is going to be the first target or example made by the bad guy. Incapacitate the biggest KNOWN threat.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

Really!! So your example of a SHTF scenario is what you used to knock an open carrier? I would bet that most people during that time would just be strolling around out in the open for people to see them, unless maybe in a group of people that are either going to help protect or up to no good. Besides if the SHTF did happen and I needed to head out to open carry, I believe most people would be very on guard and paranoid.

Was a good comment for a laugh though.

by **CDRGlock** » Thu, 05 Apr 2012 07:16:10

jdonovan wrote:
formula73 wrote:This. Exactly. IMHO, there's is no reason to OC unless it's some kind of event. Not to start a pissing match or anything, but when I see somebody OC, they might as well be shouting, "LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME!"

Other than small of the back, I've yet to find a CC option that FOR ME is well concealed, reasonable to draw from, and comfortable in my daily tasks.

Have you tried a Crossbreed Supertuck?

I have one but I have 4 Shielded Holsters: www.shieldedholsters.com

I prefer concealed carry. Open carry in a range, though.

by **CDRGlock** » Thu, 05 Apr 2012 07:18:42

Kreutz wrote:Never seen an OC'er in the Roanoke vicinity (outside of a VCDL shindig).

Is it more common in certain areas in Virginia?

Neither have I. I KNOW a lot conceal carry though. I can tell.

by **FiremanBob** » Thu, 05 Apr 2012 08:50:10

Well, perhaps not in a doomsday SHTF event, but in an ordinary crime or even one like VA Tech or Oikos U, or even a 7-11: bad guy sees customer OCing and shoots him first, then takes on the cashier or other unarmed victims.

To me, OC is like wearing a T-shirt that says, "Shoot me first".

Every expert on the arts of war and fighting says that surprise is the most important advantage.

by **steelheart** » Sun, 08 Apr 2012 12:54:16

i open carry everywhere i go. i dont carry a light pistol either s&w .40 all stainless steel frame and slide. youd think alot of people see it huh? 99.5 dont till i move my arm or stand a certain way. it isnt how badass you are and no i dont wana scream at people its my right. i do it because its my choice. iv been stoped in lowes and walmart and a few other places by curious people. im polite and i answer any and all questions. oh and as for being the first target in a SHTF situation? its called being aware of your surroundings, something WE ALL SHOULD PRACTICE!!!! get it?

by **TenchCoxe** » Sun, 08 Apr 2012 17:21:43

I've heard the argument for a long time that OC'ing makes you the first target for the bad guy. But I've never seen any data to back that up. It might seem like it "makes sense", but quite often, something that seems to make sense is not supported by real-life empirical data. Anyone have any real-world information to support the assertion that OC'ing makes you a target?

by **Kreutz** » Sun, 08 Apr 2012 18:55:56

FiremanBob wrote:Well, perhaps not in a doomsday SHTF event, but in an ordinary crime or even one like VA Tech or Oikos U, or even a 7-11: bad guy sees customer OCing and shoots him first, then takes on the cashier or other unarmed victims.

To me, OC is like wearing a T-shirt that says, "Shoot me first".

Every expert on the arts of war and fighting says that surprise is the most important advantage.

Once long ago a cop told me that doughnut stores usually give cops free coffee because they're open late at night and get robbed alot, so they like having the cops around. He also said this is where the donut myth comes from.

By your logic a robber, seeing the OC'ing cop, would pop him in the back first, then rob and kill at random, yet I cant recall cops being shot over their bear claws in significant (or any) numbers.

I don't OC because like you I believe in the whole element of surprise thing, plus I dislike attention, but I don't think OC'ing is a bullet magnet...or like I said there'd be alot more shot cops.

by **Jakeiscrazy** » Sun, 08 Apr 2012 20:01:10

TenchCoxe wrote:I've heard the argument for a long time that OC'ing makes you the first target for the bad guy. But I've never seen any data to back that up. It might seem like it "makes sense", but quite often, something that seems to make sense is not supported by real-life empirical data. Anyone have any real-world information to support the assertion that OC'ing makes you a target?

There was a guy that was robbed for his gun once.
http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/95 ... _ID_249430

But equally possible, and I argue more likely, that the criminal sees you with your gun and wants nothing to do with you.
http://www.examiner.com/gun-rights-in-a ... y-kennesaw

You can chose between having the element of surprise or having nothing happen at all.

by **FiremanBob** » Tue, 10 Apr 2012 10:25:22

Fortunately, I don't think there are enough incidents of armed robbery with other customers in the store to make a statistically valid sample.

It seems to me that a cop would be a deterrent to crime for other reasons than his openly carried weapon, including his ability to call for backup and the dire consequences of being caught for cop-killing.

May we never find out the hard way, amen.

by **TenchCoxe** » Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:10:32

FiremanBob wrote:Fortunately, I don't think there are enough incidents of armed robbery with other customers in the store to make a statistically valid sample.

Exactly what I was thinking. One anectode does not constitute proof.

FiremanBob wrote:It seems to me that a cop would be a deterrent to crime for other reasons than his openly carried weapon, including his ability to call for backup and the dire consequences of being caught for cop-killing.

Yup.

FiremanBob wrote:May we never find out the hard way, amen.

Couldn't agree more.

by **TenchCoxe** » Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:14:21

Jakeiscrazy wrote:But equally possible, and I argue more likely, that the criminal sees you with your gun and wants nothing to do with you.
http://www.examiner.com/gun-rights-in-a ... y-kennesaw

What kind of idiots try to commit robbery in Kennesaw, Georgia? That's the town that famously passed an ordinance requiring all homeowners to have a functioning firearm and ammunition in their homes. They saw their crime rate plummet immediately afterwards.

by **gfost1** » Sun, 22 Apr 2012 20:55:11

Howdy, Y'all,

vaeevictiss wrote:If you know that the country isn't ready for it and it makes people uneasy then just leave it be. Let a life altering event happen to them that will maybe change their minds. Until then I will keep it covered.

There was a time, not all that long ago in fact, when it was not unusual to see Average Joe carrying a firearm in the Commonwealth. I for one am grateful to those who exercise OC responsibly, because I believe that the only way to bring about more tolerance of firearms by the general public is through exposure: "they" will have to get used to seeing "us" on a regular basis in order to recalibrate their perception of normal.

vaeevictiss wrote:Its the same as the religious people who preach to others everywhere they go.

Interesting comparison. Christians recognize that it is our duty to spread the Gospel, yet few of us have the guts to do so. Of those who do, some are better at it than others. Those who are good at spreading the Gospel win souls to Christ, and those who are good at OC win goodwill for our cause.

Regards,

George