I would vote for open carry with a license, but I would still carry mine concealed.

I do also think there should be a more intensive training class required.

I think some folks are under the false impression that by open carry they will intimidate the bad guys into behaving. Well I've news for you, the bad guys could care less. I've been open carrying as a peace officer for more than 20 years and it don't work that way. Some of these guys are not the least bit intimidated by you and your gun. Some of them have been in shootouts on the streets with much tougher hombres who didn't give one hoot about the consequences of their actions.

My advise, if this ever becomes an option and choose to open carry, then invest in a kevlar vest. They're expensive, hot and uncomfortable, but when you open carry you have made yourself a mark. Why do you think every street cop is wearing one?

I remember the first time I saw open carry in by non LEO was in Montana. Cowboys sitting in a bar eating lunch tith the pistols on their hips. Nothing wrong with it IMO if you choose to where legal.

The only time I would open carry is when out at the leases. Would prefer to be able to leave it straped on driving between them or from the house we stay at to the lease and back jsut for convience.

I think most are missing the point IMO.

If you are one that chooses not to have a CHL and carry concealed, does that mean that you believe that it shouldn't be legal?

I dont own or intend to own an AR rifle. So should I believe that the weapons ban should be reinstated?

I don'y own or intend to own a crossbow. Should I believe that they should not be allowed during regular archery season?

The question is whether Texas will ever have an open carry law, not whether you think it is good/smart to do so.

IMO, I dont think that Texas ever will. I think tech CHL laws were sort of a compromise. You can have a concealed weapon, but you must spend an entire Saturday being "trained", fill out the paperwork, and wait an undisclosed amount of time to get your license. So I jumped through the hoops. Others in my family did not. That is their choice.

I agree with the poster above. ALot of the arguments sound exactly the same as those made by anti-gunners.

If you could carry open... Would you?

That was the original question and what people have responded to.

I would open carry in certain situations and choose to conceal in others. All depends on the time and place im going. My biggest problem with it, is u loose the element of suprise on the bad guy, cause he already staked out his surrounding and made u a mark. The other thing is, if that becomes the norm of open carry, I think licensed holders should have some form of weapon retention training and have a requirement for at least a level 2 holster. I know regulations suck, but i think those to regs would save alot of over zealous ppl's lives if it passed.

Yes we should pass open carry.
Yes I'd carry openly. Not everywhere and not always, but yes.
I won't mess with the CHL because it adds too many extra rules and laws and that's the last thing I want. In this day and age you have to watch what you do and say and how you do and say it. Make the least wrong move and get noticed by the right person and life becomes a chore.

If open carry puts a target on your back then why dont police officers wear civilian clothes and conceal a little rinky dink .380 in thier belt? How may 7-11's get robbed with a armed police officer paying for his coffee at the cash register NONE!! i dont care how crazy you have to be to rob a store at gun point but more than likely you dont want to take a chance of getting shot and if you see a man carrying a gun chances are you are going to rethink your options but when it comes down to it being a man armed or not in any situation such as that puts a target on your back because you are the biggest immediate threat i say if you wanna open carry by all means i think it would make the state a safer place sure i think there should be some licensing involved but im all for it

Open carry is not going to happen in Texas.

As for "freaking people out" when they see guns: it's time to change the culture. When people think panic is the appropriate reaction to a cocked-n-locked 1911 on someone's belt, there is a sickness to be cured. This is the same mentality that espouses the notion that meat originates in a supermarket. People are isolated from reality and have been for so long they have a hard time dealing with it.

They predicted wild west shootouts with blood in the streets when Florida passed concealed carry. It didn't happen. Open carry should be no different. If they can have open carry in Arizona, New Mexico, and wherever else common sense has prevailed then it will work in Texas also.

Armed society is polite society.

I think they Need to add a like button

I was referring to the thread title. So in a way we are both correct.

+1

I dont care if people carry in the open or not but there should be a ton of classes on how to hold on to that gun if you want to do it. I can carry in the open and never do...cant think of a single good reason to do so.

I don't have any issues with someone open carrying (where it's legal). I just wouldn't choose to do it. I see no personal benefit or tactical advantage to it.

Personaly I like carrying concealed.

Concealed only for this girl.

Ummmm could.. It has been passed, just need dick perry to sign it.. Then again.. That means he will have to do something...

As far as this huge fear of a target being painted on your back.. I wonder what the statistics of such problems are in the multiple states that have it?

Jeff Cooper had some interesting comments about open carry. I agree with Cooper.

If I have the option for open carry I'll choose where do I want to concealed or open different places different decision

I don't think it will ever happen, but.

I wouldn't carry open unless I was just at the lease, had it on and ran into town for something...

I would not. I'd rather not let the bad guy know I'm carrying until I let them know.

And personally I would not want Ol' John Q. Public carrying open beside me if I was somewhere that was being robbed or had some other bad situation going on.

I watch movies... Bad guys can't shoot. And he's probably going to get popped first. lol

I would not and am not for it and here's why. I think it will close more doors for us than it'll open. I carry everyday and nobody is the wiser. I think though you'll see a lot more signs go up in windows not allowing any kind of carry in their business. A lot of the businesses like restaurants and stores that I frequent now have no idea how many guns go through their place everyday. I'd rather not draw attention to that. You'll see a lot more owners get themselves "educated" on how to keep us out, and right now they're not.

I wouldn't open carry anyway, because I don't want that attention or like others have said, a target on my back. It'll do more harm than good in my opinion.

As it stands currently, the only 3 places I go regularly that I cannot carry at are my kid's school, the post office, and Ranger's games. If open carry happens, who knows how many places will be against it.

I say leave well enough alone.

You make a valid point there, Jay. I still think I'd like to know more about how open carry works out in other jurisdictions, though.

Personally no I would not open carry, prefer no body but me knowing what I have tucked in at 4 o'clock.

Now, lets forward think a few things that have been mentioned.

1. "I think it would be ok but there should be a license for it"

Ok, I can see this being a reality, but know think abouyt what all is involved, no not the getting the liscense part, the after the liscensed is issued part. To me, LEOs please comment on this, would be a nightmare for law enforcement. If you are suppose to have a license to open carry, that means that technically ever person an officer sees open carrying he has to stop and ask for proper identification, this also means that every time you as an open carrier sees an officer prepare to present said identiciation. I do not know about you guys but on average when I Conceal Carry, I see about 5-10 officers a day at the store, Gas Station, heck just anywhere.

Now, lets get even deeper into this asking for license (potential) problem. Anybody other than a White Male that gets ask will probably scream profiling, I do not think this needs further explianation.

2 "Paint a target on your back"

Well yeah you kinda would, if someone is going to rob a store and they bust in, see you with a gun on your hip I would agree you have a higher probability of being shot or atleast shot at.

3. "No conveience store is ever robbed with an armed cop buying coffee"

not 100% true, but atleast 99.99%, there has got to be a world's dumbest criminal episode with this happenign out there, but it is not the Armed Cop that keeps it from getting robbed the majority of the time, its the COP CAR in the parking lot, you think the robber sees a cop car but goes in anyway thinking its a decoy. Most store robberies the gun is pulled when they enter, not looked around( atleast this is what I think).

4. "Open carry would reduced the number of places I can Conceal Carry"

100% agree, not sure to the level that it would, but there are some places that would make sure they had proper signage to restrict both open and conceal carry.

5. "open carry would allow every Tom, Dick, and Harry to have one"

Not sure on this one, kinda feel like the whole now that supressors are legal poaching will increase theroy. Just do not think it would happen as much some/we think it would.

6. "people will freak out"

As sure as teh sun rises, can not please everyone, but doubt mass crazyness.

Anyway, just thoughts on the subject not meant to attack anyone person or persons' views.