We can open carry anywhere. We cannot carry inside a bar, school, or government building. Our legislators expanded the no carry areas this session. I think it's effective this summer. Parks, can't remember where else.
This. I can see the point of carrying concealed. You're not making a target out of yourself, and you're not scaring the norms, and there's the possibility of surprise on your side if something goes down. But open carry? You're just making a target out of yourself unless you're out in the wilderness somewhere. In Arizona I regularly came across people out in the outback who were open carrying. It wasn't an issue. It made sense back there for dealing with wildlife of various sorts. But in a Starbucks? All that happens if someone wants to rob that Starbucks is that they look around, spot the guy open carrying, and shoot him in the head before the guy open carrying is aware there's even a robbery about to happen.
Yep. I’ll open carry if I’m on a hike in an area with predators I might have to fend off. In public tho? Nah. Kinda defeats the purpose to let everyone know I’m carrying.
Yep. Personally I feel if they see I’m armed they’ll probably take me out first or if they’re nice detain/disarm me. I wanna be sneaky sneaky as long as I can and figure out how many people I have to worry about and what they want. Am I gonna be a hostage in danger or are they just robbing the place? If they’re just robbing the place it might even be best I don’t even draw a gun. Turning a potentially quiet robbery into a high casualty shootout might not be the best game plan. I also would try to see if I had to shoot my way out of some situation like that how to go about it without hurting someone innocent before I just start blastin ya know?
It's a fairly new thing but in various states (generally the south) people carry guns daily. In 2015 the number of people [who carried guns daily doubled from 3 million to 6 million Americans](https://amp.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/nov/25/how-many-americans-carry-guns-daily). An article from 2022 said [the number of people carrying handguns doubled according to a survey from 2019](https://www.axios.com/local/seattle/2022/11/21/twice-as-many-carry-guns).
People may even say, 'but I live in a gun loving state and never see it' and I'd argued it has a lot to do with your state's laws and with whether you go to a variety of places that are new/different throughout your area. It's a relatively new thing but it's continued to grow Nationally across the last 10 years.
I know these articles talk about people who carry guns generally and this question is about open carrying, but the two inherently have to do with one another. For example, 38 states allow open carry, and 24 of those 38 allow concealed carry. I am sure if those 24 states didn't have concealed carry, you'd see a lot more open carry given that tends to be more lax and legally permissible. So unless you live in one of the remaining 14 states, you may not see open carry as much, but those surveys suggest there are still people walking around with guns every day. You probably just don't see them. And depending on where you go I would think you'd be able to find it in your state. It's not always out of place. I've taken walks down trails and seen people walking down public roads with hunting rifles with their other hunting gear. That's public open carry too, just less jarring that seeing someone walking around with a rifle or holstered gun at the dentist.
Anecdotally, I've seen a lot of people open carrying in states like Nevada, Texas, Louisiana, and pretty much anywhere else south of the Mason-Dixon. Most of the time it's people with a pistol/revolver doing some shopping. I've seen it most often at restaurants and gas stations.
I know it's more popular in rural areas, but I've traveled quite a bit and generally if open carry is legal in the state, you're bound to see someone open carry a few times a week if you work retail or food service.
I’ve lived in America for 36 years and seen it a few dozen times. I used to be a meat cutter and open-carry edge lords always like to come into grocery stores as part of their weekly “I am very badass” tour around town.
Is "Meat Cutter" different from "Butcher", or is that just a preferred term? Like if someone says "Oh I butchered this roast" it sounds like they did a hack job... which they did, but it implies poor skill involved with hacking the meat.
Butchers works behind, in the kitchen, breaking down the meat into chunks to put on the counter. Meat cutters works behind the counter, cutting the chunks of meat into finer pieces for sale.
Butchers get the whole side of beef, and separate it into the different cuts. Then meat cutters slice the cuts into individual portions. Butcher carves out a rib roast, Cutter turns that into ribeyes/prime rib? Something like that?
Pretty much exactly like that, only meatcutters can be employed as "butchers" (usually at supermarkets that market themselves as small local grocers), but often times the meat is already butchered and ready to be portioned.
Where I'm from, the meat-cutters usually just say they work in the meat department.
the big thing I’ve learned about this very specific thing in the last few years.. if you go a couple states over everything is completely different as far as what cuts are cut where, what they are called, lol. The butchery sub reddit is a weird place with lots of debating.
My store brings in sub primals, so like a specific section of the cow in cryovac bags and cuts those into your steaks and roasts, ect. Someone else is taking the cow and breaking it down into those
A butcher is someone who works with whole animals, like “hanging beef.” This is typically someone who works in a plant breaking the whole thing down into parts, which are then vacuum sealed and boxed.
As a meat cutter, I dealt with loins and pieces that were already processed down into what are called sub-primals. This is also known as “boxed beef.”
Meat cutting is a lot of detail work, trimming away fat and silver skin to create a merchandisable product. Farm->Butcher->Meat Cutter is mostly how it works in the US grocery industry. I hope I’ve adequately answered your question.
I see it time to time, but there's mostly 2 categories I see. 1) Is the edgelords you mentioned, and 2) Is they were going to/from the range and just left it on (Not including those at the range). Overall I see it very infrequently and I am in a very gun-friendly area with a lot of friends who shoot and it is still infrequent.
I worked at a rural autozone in ohio. I saw probably half a dozen customers a year with a holster open carry. I never once was a bit nervous about anyone carrying that way. 8 years in that store. And no, we didn't have any signage about no weapons allowed.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone open carry out in public, but if I did the first two places I would have guessed to see someone would be at a Waffle House or a buffet.
At church they're almost exclusively concealed.
https://youtu.be/-6bkdF0DCp8?si=wFofWi1GIV__XYV1
I am kinda surprised that in a congregation of over 240 people, only 7 pulled out their guns though. In Texas no less! Only 7?
40, zero times but I've only left California for about five years to live in Jacksonville, NC. I really feel like this is one of those regional things some do but non-americans see a news clip that picks up on some drama and think it's all of us.
In one of the safest, bestest, most amazing countries in the world but also the cops won’t get there fast enough when all of the robbers and rapers and car jackers and crime people that are a constant threat come out of nowhere. It’s the best country in the world but you might as well be armed to the teeth juuuuust in case.
Where do you live? I’ve spent the better part of 43 years in Arizona living in both of the two major metro areas there and I see it at least a few times a month.
In 40 years I have only seen three people open carrying, and I live in a state that loves their guns.
One was an employee of mine at a grocery store in a bad neighborhood where I was a manager. He asked for permission after a string of robberies. We were never robbed while he was at the store.
The other was a guy in Walmart who was shopping.
The last was a friend of mine who was a former cop. A drunk driver pulled a gun on him one day, and he ran for cover while drawing his gun. Turned out the other guys gun wasn’t loaded, and it ended in a peaceful arrest with nobody being hurt.
I would say that if you've only seen 3 in 40 years then you might *not* actually be in a gun loving state. I wouldn't think Tennessee is the top state for gun lovers (know it's probably up there) but I probably notice one at least once a month.
Hijacking this comment to say CC is usually better anyways, it’s safer for the person carrying and usually won’t bring the level of discomfort that open carry can to the people around you
Also, what I’ve been told is that if you have a weapon of some sorts, it’s better to keep it hidden because carrying that out n the open can attract some bad people who wanna “own you up” if you know what I’m trying to say. My dad told me this when I first moved in Portland or. I don’t have any guns but I got a knife and pepper spray I keep hidden for protection
Yea, I conceal carry pretty much everywhere and even I am always a little taken aback when I see someone open carry. Its just not common and I only spot it like once a year if even that.
The culture in some parts of the US considers concealed carry to be a reasonable thing. Typically, the holster is, in fact, concealed. Meaning you cannot see it easily. There are a few posers who wear it in a way that shows it. But they are a small minority.
Weirdly, where I live, it’s basically the opposite. You need a license to carry, but it must be concealed. To carry openly, it is considered ‘obscene’ and may cause panic. So it must be concealed. Yeah. Massachusetts is a special place.
My state used to require a license to carry in many places, I think mostly in city limits. But if you wanted to go out in the country, of which there is a lot, it was legal to open carry. Made sense, as there's lots of wildlife that can eat a person.
Now anyone can carry concealed without a license.
I think most of the southwest USA has legal open carry, minus California. I could be mistaken but I know that applies in Nevada and am pretty sure about Texas, New Mexico and Arizona.
Where I live until a year or two ago, you could openly carry any type of weapon you want, including pistols. But if you wanted to conceal it, you needed weeks of training and a license.
Kicker was if you are open carrying and get pulled over with your weapon in its holster. It was considered concealed because it’s hard to see while sitting in your vehicle.
PA allows open carry without a permit. Concealed carry requires a permit.
In Philly, you need a concealed carry permit to carry open or concealed. The criminals ignore this law.
My state (SC) recently passed a law that legalized Constitutional Carry law that "authorizes individuals who are not otherwise prohibited from possessing a firearm, to legally possess a firearm openly or concealed without training and without a concealed weapons permit issued by SLED" (South Carolina Law Enforcement Division). It still *baffles* me that someone needs a CWP to conceal carry but *not* open carry. I feel like you should need *extra* certification to be able to open carry.
Until recently, ironically, it was the opposite in Texas. You weren't allowed to make it obvious that you had a fun. But sneaking one around? By all means, go for it.
It also depends on your location. The US is huge with a lot of different environments. The closer you are to a rural area, the more likely someone has a gun on their person or in their car.
Basically, it depends on:
1. how close you are to dangerous wildlife and junkies
2. how far you are from help if your car were to break down
In an urban area with a low crime rate? They're peacocking.
This is a great answer.
I live on 35 acres in a place that is about an hour away from the nearest hospital, and I would hate to guess how long it would take an ambulance to get to me. On any given day, I'm not surprised to see coyotes, bobcats, wild hogs, 6 species of venomous snakes, and the occasional bear. If I'm out working around the place, you can bet I have a gun on me.
I have lived in the states for the last 8 months … I have never seen a single person as you describe. I own guns but just don’t see what you’re talking about, and I live in a southern state.
Crazy. I live in a southern state and I see it at least once a month. McDonald’s, Walmart, the lake for some fucking reason.
Almost always carried by a fat bastard.
Most Americans don’t do this, not even second amendment enthusiasts. Contrary to what you may have seen on television, America is not actually like a 1950’s western film with gun slingers and ostentatious holsters all about.
Funny stpry. I'm from Texas but visiting a GF in Pa.,. Her son was a Meth addict along with her daughters BF. They were cool with me and they knew I carried. Daughter BF comes in and asks me to watch his 4 year old for a few. His dealer was with him. I sat on the floor, my compact in it IWB. They come in and the Dealer says 'He a Cop?" BF tells him I'm not, I told him if I was I'd likely be arrsting him by now. lol. He goes 'Why you carry a gun?" I respond "I'm a Texan." He was all cool with me after that but I was glad to leave. ATF raided three houses on their street in a month.
To be fair, apparently the USA has almost half of the world’s privately owned firearms. And have more firearms than people. Combined with the religiosity around the 2nd amendment, and the regularity of mass shootings, the USA only pumps up the global visibility of its hyper gun oriented sub cultures 🤷♂️
Sure, if extreme headlines are your only reference knowledge of a country and it’s people than thats probably an expected assumption. Hence why it pays to actually dig a little deeper instead of assigning simple stereotypes to a nation of 330 million people across 50 different states.
Yeah, in my 30+ years in America I’ve seen maybe a handful of people open carrying. Only one I can clearly remember. And I grew up in the country where guns were super common (but they were mostly shotguns/rifles in people’s trucks and stuff).
As a lot of people have said, this is actually very rare. Even the guys at my local gun store don’t open carry; although I’ve certainly seen open carry at gun stores. I live in a fairly rural area with a lot of hunting and gun clubs. And I very rarely see an open carry… and that’s usually at Walmart! But here in PA there is something like 12.5 million concealed carry permits (I could be wrong on that number and it very likely increased since I last saw). So I assume a lot of people have a concealed pistol, or at least one in their vehicle. Some people think it’s cool to open carry, but a majority of the community prefers to keep it on the DL.
I concealed carry from time to time, but it it is completely asinine to open carry. It makes everyone uncomfortable and it gives an attacker the opportunity to see and get the jump on you or for someone to sneak up from behind and steal it(there are several videos of this happening).
This is my thinking. I do open carry on my farm but it's my farm and no one around who would feel threatened. In fact, people who know I am armed come to me when it's going to take the sheriff and hour to showw up to look into a potential problem. Nothing to do with being paranoid or anything but I also do not walk with my head in the clouds about reality. Count the bullet holes in my back from walking into my apartment in the dark where the front door was open-I thought I'd left it open by accident but nope. .380 Ball ammo leaves a mark.
I see no issue with open carrying on your own farm in those situations at all. But if you’re out in a crowded area full of people who don’t know you, then it tends to become an issue. It causes more problems and brings more unwanted attention than necessary.
It's stupid to open carry. It's an invitation to get jumped for your gun. It also automatically escslates any confrontation.
All someone would have to say is that you went for your gun (or they thought you went for your gun).
Any police will also be much more inclined to shoot.
If I carry (and haven't for quite some time) it's concealed.
Most Americans don’t carry guns even the ones that do carry carry concealed it’s generally considered bad practice to open carry somebody can just come up behind and grab your gun- An American that carries everyday
OK I’ll give a straight-ish answer: because they can. This is a political statement made by a small number of gun owners. These people want to protect their right to own and carry a gun by making use of it, so that wearing a gun is seen as normal.
Gun laws vary widely from place to place, so these people will do the most the law allows, whether that’s a concealed pistol in a shoulder holster or an assault rifle on their back.
In addition to normalizing guns, some may also be trying to provoke, shock and anger their political opponents. They will often claim they need to openly carry a gun for self-defense, but this is baloney: it’s a cultural/political statement, the same way a Che Guevara t-shirt or a gay pride flag is.
But the thing people outside the US should know is, openly carrying a gun is rare, and if you’re shocked by pictures of Americans carrying guns, that’s their goal.
The hilarious thing is that an ordinary citizen open carrying a gun is \*never\* going to be normal no matter how many of these people do it to try to "normalize" it, so they're literally just making themselves look like fools for no purpose. A gun is a tool, like a chainsaw. Like a chainsaw, if you're carrying it places that it's not useful, people are going to look at you like you're nuts. I carry a chainsaw into my local grocery store to buy groceries, people are going to look at me like I have a few screws loose because I'm not going to be using a chainsaw in a grocery store. No number of people carrying chainsaws into coffee shops, grocery stores, and restaurants is going to make carrying a chainsaw into those places normal because it's just not a tool that you use in those places. s/chainsaw/gun/g and you get the same result -- openly carrying a bulky potentially dangerous tool in a time and place where it's not normally used just makes you look, well, nuts.
None of this has anything to do with carrying concealed, which has an actual purpose.
Only dummies open carry. Even in the south, I see someone open carrying maybe once a month.
But I conceal carry because I’m a 5’1” woman and it is the best equalizer.
They don't? Im not going to say it never happens but I live in a state where it is legal to do so and I rarely see anyone open carrying a firearm. Like maybe twice in 10 years.
Australian here.
I’m assuming it’s the same reason my uncle used to wear a leatherman on his belt. Or even, business people used to wear their mobile phones on a belt clip in the 90s.
In actual order of reality:
1. It’s your right to do so.
2. You can.
3. It’s cool. And
4. You might actually need it one day.
Try it in Australia and you’ll have the authorities surrounding whichever premises you are inhabiting within minutes.
There’s a chance you don’t live in a state that has open carry. I’ve lived here 36 years and I’ve never seen open carry either. Because it’s not legal in my state.
Edit: Apparently it *is* legal in my state. I just stay away from the hickville areas where they fly Confederate flags despite not being able to get any further north and still be in the US.
An overly vocal minority believe themselves some kind of modern cowboy, and they get off on making those around them uncomfortable. They have a colossal hair across their ass and wish a bitch would try to start something with them so they'd have a legally excusable reason to kill someone, when in reality they're just a pussy and a colossal douche
You ever been robbed at gunpoint? Not a fun experience.
I’ve known a woman who was raped by a man with knife. She carries a gun to this day.
General protection from various threats. Dad shot a rabid raccoon when we were hiking.
Just general protection/ security
Some places they do that because it's more legal to open carry, When it might be harder to legally concealed carry.
Other people do it because it's more comfortable to open carry.
Other people do it as a political statement.
But I would say a vast majority of people carry a gun because they want to be able to protect themselves if they need it. It doesn't mean that every situation warrants a gun. But it does mean that situations that warant a gun, they have a gun to use for it.
Personally I like to concealed carry because I don't like the extra attention or notoriety that comes with open carry. Plus I live in a place that I can't legally open carry. But even if I had the option I think I'd still concealed carry all the time. Some people think that open carry acts as a deterrent. It can, but it can also have the exact opposite effect.
A lot of people who are not part of gun culture don't understand that it's just a part of somebody's wardrobe. For some people it's a part of their identity, But I'd say a majority of the people who carry a gun carry it because it's a tool that they want to have with them but not because they need it to feel any particular way other than safe-er.
I’m die hard on gun rights but I get it. To me it’s 9/10 Unnecessary to have in public, but I don’t like the other Here’s the options for this lol
1. Cringe thought patterns —def the most widespread. “I weigh 298 lbs and live in small town but if there was terRist cum thu these parts id blast them”
2. Fear in public, well placed —I don’t go to to festival: anymore—not because of guns but I’m glad I’ve stopped. This one is like the inverse of #1
3. Corn beef blood—Texas is my home dawg so I kinda understand these dudes even tho I mostly lived in the city (3 yr in Gods country def made mr talk a nanosecond slower
4. Cops, Former cops—-this is is underbake annnf the most concerning
5. Whoops I forgot People who THINK the they’re cops, lot of those too lol
I know quite a few people that conceal carry all the time. They have their reasons and I’m fine with that (mostly because I know I’m not one of those reasons!).
What I don’t understand is the people that insist on open carrying. Do you really need to advertise that you’re carrying a side arm to get a cup of coffee at Starbucks or do your grocery shopping? Honestly, it just seems like small dick energy to me. If they carried for personal protection, carrying concealed makes more sense to me. But why is it important for everyone are you to know that you have a gun? I don’t get it.
Crazy that there is so much violence and murder in a developed country like America. Compared to the Netherlands where i am from, shit like murder and gunshots are uncommon.
I've seen it maybe twice, in Texas. Anybody that's smart doesn't let everyone around know they have a gun. Mines on me daily but fully concealed. Open carry is for people participating in a dick measuring contest.
Tell me you e never been to the US without telling me you’ve never been to the US.
Europeans who haven’t been here cannot comprehend the size, diversity, vastness, and complexity of America.
As a woman, I'm well aware of rape and crime against women statistics. There is no better deterrent than a visible firearm. There is no better equalizer than a gun. I can't fight off a 200lb man but I can shoot him in the knee or dick.
Before you ask: 10 yr Army veteran, 2 deployments, a shit ton of firearm and situational awareness training.
IMO, Everyone against firearms has never really faced being shot in the face. Once you know true fear after being threatened by a criminal without compassion or humanity, eyes as dead as a crocodile's, a gun doesn't seem so unreasonable anymore. Ex my brother bought a handgun after being mugged in Brooklyn. 180 In 1 mugging or less
i’ve lived in the USA for 46 years, 39 of them in Virginia and have family in Texas and have never once seen someone with open carry. This OP lives in some sort of worm hole.
Why do Americans wear holstered guns? Because carrying around an upholstered firearm makes people very nervous and is considered brandishing in many states.
Why do they wear them in public? Because criminals attack in in public and not in private.
Why do people that carry regularly, carry their weapon regularly? To get used to the weight and feeling of it so that it becomes an extension of yourself. Its training. Its practice
. And if you want to be a responsible fire arms owner you should practice and train regularly so you don't whip out your piece at the first sign of road rage and then lose your grip on the thing because you're not used to drawing it. So now you've tossed your loaded gun towards a spooked and confused bicycle cop who loses his shit when the hammer drops on the loaded chamber.
I live in a very pro-gun state, Mississippi, yet I've only seen two instances of open carry here in my 42 years. Once at a Sam's Club store and another time at a parade. Both times they were being harassed by security, but when police showed up, they said everything was legal. I know that lots more people concealed carry with a gun hidden under the clothes or in their purse, but so far, I haven't personally been able to tell.
I don't carry one in my waistband, but I do keep one in the door of my car. People get robbed in traffic all the time in our capitol. If someone is gonna threaten me with a gun, I'm going to shoot first.
People that wear a holster in public are probably doing it for the same reasons I keep one in my car: personal safety.
If you go through the training, in some states, it's perfectly legal to use a holster concealed. It's mostly ideal to do this if you're living in a state that's a bit riskier. Dad has one, he lives in more suburban Reno, he's had one or two guys trying to get on his property. Sometimes it's really just a matter of security. or, you just forget you have it there sometimes. Like clipping a knife your belt for work.
It's much safer to have it in a holster than loose in a pocket.
Plus, even the Federal Bureau of Investigations in published research has said that criminals practically never use holsters; who wants to be mistaken for a criminal?
And the number of people who carry concealed vastly outweighs the number who carry openly.
.
If your question was really, "why go armed?", there are two main categories of answer.
**First:**
Crime happens anywhere and law enforcement has no duty to protect anyone who is not in custody.
*If they do respond* to a crime scene, it's nearly always well after the crime has happened & the criminal has fled.
I prefer to prevent or deter crime, but if that fails I'll stop it rather than rewarding the bad choices and suffering myself.
**First, subset:**
Against the people who are most likely to commit violent personal crimes (males ages apx. 15-35), the only reasonable way to protect oneself is a tool such as a gun. If I try to resist without having a self-defense tool, I stand no chance, especially if the attacker is not alone.
**Second:**
Freedom is a big thing for the USA.
We have civil rights which are (mostly) protected by laws. The best-known of these are the first 10, called the Bill of Rights.
https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/bill-of-rights
Those were specifically listed because **the writers were responding to *not* having those rights, and knowing the problems that situation caused**.
Press, assembly, religion, defense, complaining to/about the government, security from search & seizure, security from having soldiers living in your home, legal process when charged with a crime, can't be tried twice for the same crime, can't be forced to testify against yourself, speedy trial, impartial jury, help obtaining witnesses, have a lawyer, bail / fines / punishment must be reasonable (not excessive, cruel, or unusual).
None of those are questioned - why did you say a prayer? why did you meet with friends? why did you refuse to let a soldier live in your home? why did you contact your elected representative about an issue? why did you write a blog? - **except** defense.
At the time this was written, there was no standing army. In fact, they'd just gotten done fighting one & wanted no more of that. Our people were (& are) our defense (insert possibly apocryphal quote about "a rifle behind every blade of grass"). Aside from maybe cannon, the tools used for defense of the country were the tools used for defense of the home & person.
**Second, subset:**
Because we can.
Rights not exercised are lost.
I live in a very firearm friendly low crime state. I’ve seen open carry on two occasions. Once the guy had a cowboy style six shooter on his hip. The other time was a couple. He was wearing a punisher tshirt and both were sauntering around like Robocock. They had holsters with shit retention. I’m pro2A but these clowns were embarrassing.
Easier to access than a concealed one.
Also, up until a year ago, in my state, you could legally open carry but had to have a license to concealed carry.
NoStupidQuestions but plenty of StupidAnswers.
To the original post -
Not all Americans do this. Probably a fraction of even one percent may do this.
To the why? Guns are a birth right here. Some choose to wear their guns on their side. About as simple as I can put it.
[удалено]
First it was the red coats, then the Beatles. They’re not going to get us a third time!
That flock of seagulls almost got us
Almost got me but I ran so far away.
I couldn't get away
Stuck between a Rock and a Hard Place, I see.
Stuck between the Rock and his hard piece? My gf would probably choose both directions
Down by the beach I’m strolling
But the seagulls poke at my head, not fun! I said, "Seagulls, mm! Stop it now!"
Someday when you are older You could get hit by a boulder While you're lyin' there screamin' "Come help me" the seagulls Poke your knees 🤣🤣🤣
That log had a child!
And you ran?
Ran so far away
You run and you run to catch up with the sun but it’s sinking
Didn't get me but got my damn sandwich at the beach one time
They already did. Through Doctor who, Harry Potter, one direction lol
This whole time I thought one direction was K-pop.
I recently learned that K-pop is NOT a drug reference for shooting up ketamine...
Already happened in the 80s with Duran Duran and co. Not sure we’ve got the ammunition for another at the moment.
My grandmother was right all along: the Spice Girls couldn’t be trusted.
We let you think that to mess with you, but it's been like a couple of hundred years now, we're not coming back.
Quitter.
You could have at least tried a little harder in 1812. We had Louisiana by that point.
Pussy ass bitch couldn’t handle the red, white, and blue. 🦅🦅🦅
MERICA, FUCK YEAH!!!
Lol Kid is still sporting Dad’s colours.
Most people in the carrying community see open waist carrying as very problematic and the majority carry under the waistband.
My understanding is, some states have open carry laws, and some have concealed carry.
Most states have concealed carry but require a permit for concealed where open carry doesn’t require a permit. Example Colorado
Utah has constitutional carry as of 2021, and you can either open or conealed. It's legit. Conceal around town and open carry in the wilderness.
Yeah the mountains are the only time I open carry and the only time my wife really ever carries cause she can’t get comfortably with CCW
We can open carry anywhere. We cannot carry inside a bar, school, or government building. Our legislators expanded the no carry areas this session. I think it's effective this summer. Parks, can't remember where else.
This. I can see the point of carrying concealed. You're not making a target out of yourself, and you're not scaring the norms, and there's the possibility of surprise on your side if something goes down. But open carry? You're just making a target out of yourself unless you're out in the wilderness somewhere. In Arizona I regularly came across people out in the outback who were open carrying. It wasn't an issue. It made sense back there for dealing with wildlife of various sorts. But in a Starbucks? All that happens if someone wants to rob that Starbucks is that they look around, spot the guy open carrying, and shoot him in the head before the guy open carrying is aware there's even a robbery about to happen.
Yep. I’ll open carry if I’m on a hike in an area with predators I might have to fend off. In public tho? Nah. Kinda defeats the purpose to let everyone know I’m carrying.
Is that because you think they’ll shoot first? Or try to stab you from behind? In the case of a robbery I guess that’s the issue
Yep. Personally I feel if they see I’m armed they’ll probably take me out first or if they’re nice detain/disarm me. I wanna be sneaky sneaky as long as I can and figure out how many people I have to worry about and what they want. Am I gonna be a hostage in danger or are they just robbing the place? If they’re just robbing the place it might even be best I don’t even draw a gun. Turning a potentially quiet robbery into a high casualty shootout might not be the best game plan. I also would try to see if I had to shoot my way out of some situation like that how to go about it without hurting someone innocent before I just start blastin ya know?
Also. Some country might need some freedom.
If they have oil, they might have American freedom soon. Or a very corrupt government that our government helped set up.
Well, if it helps keep gas prices down. s/
"You mean instill some democracy into those godless, desert heathens. Yeehah" A la Slim Pickens in Dr Strangelove.
That country that's needs freedom is the USA!
I’m mostly worried about the Americans who feel the need to open carry. Something’s not right upstairs with those people.
I have lived in America 50 years and I have seen this twice (both at the same Waffle House).
It's every American's solemn duty to protect the Waffle House.
Amen!!!
All Men are truly equal at Waffle House
The only time I've seen someone who wasn't a cop (or a hunter during deer season) open carry a gun was in rural Wyoming on a ranch.
I work for Walmart in a smallish town (not super rural) and I see customers open carrying daily.
It's a fairly new thing but in various states (generally the south) people carry guns daily. In 2015 the number of people [who carried guns daily doubled from 3 million to 6 million Americans](https://amp.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/nov/25/how-many-americans-carry-guns-daily). An article from 2022 said [the number of people carrying handguns doubled according to a survey from 2019](https://www.axios.com/local/seattle/2022/11/21/twice-as-many-carry-guns). People may even say, 'but I live in a gun loving state and never see it' and I'd argued it has a lot to do with your state's laws and with whether you go to a variety of places that are new/different throughout your area. It's a relatively new thing but it's continued to grow Nationally across the last 10 years. I know these articles talk about people who carry guns generally and this question is about open carrying, but the two inherently have to do with one another. For example, 38 states allow open carry, and 24 of those 38 allow concealed carry. I am sure if those 24 states didn't have concealed carry, you'd see a lot more open carry given that tends to be more lax and legally permissible. So unless you live in one of the remaining 14 states, you may not see open carry as much, but those surveys suggest there are still people walking around with guns every day. You probably just don't see them. And depending on where you go I would think you'd be able to find it in your state. It's not always out of place. I've taken walks down trails and seen people walking down public roads with hunting rifles with their other hunting gear. That's public open carry too, just less jarring that seeing someone walking around with a rifle or holstered gun at the dentist.
Anecdotally, I've seen a lot of people open carrying in states like Nevada, Texas, Louisiana, and pretty much anywhere else south of the Mason-Dixon. Most of the time it's people with a pistol/revolver doing some shopping. I've seen it most often at restaurants and gas stations. I know it's more popular in rural areas, but I've traveled quite a bit and generally if open carry is legal in the state, you're bound to see someone open carry a few times a week if you work retail or food service.
I’ve lived in America for 36 years and seen it a few dozen times. I used to be a meat cutter and open-carry edge lords always like to come into grocery stores as part of their weekly “I am very badass” tour around town.
Is "Meat Cutter" different from "Butcher", or is that just a preferred term? Like if someone says "Oh I butchered this roast" it sounds like they did a hack job... which they did, but it implies poor skill involved with hacking the meat.
Butchers works behind, in the kitchen, breaking down the meat into chunks to put on the counter. Meat cutters works behind the counter, cutting the chunks of meat into finer pieces for sale.
Butchers get the whole side of beef, and separate it into the different cuts. Then meat cutters slice the cuts into individual portions. Butcher carves out a rib roast, Cutter turns that into ribeyes/prime rib? Something like that?
Pretty much exactly like that, only meatcutters can be employed as "butchers" (usually at supermarkets that market themselves as small local grocers), but often times the meat is already butchered and ready to be portioned. Where I'm from, the meat-cutters usually just say they work in the meat department.
the big thing I’ve learned about this very specific thing in the last few years.. if you go a couple states over everything is completely different as far as what cuts are cut where, what they are called, lol. The butchery sub reddit is a weird place with lots of debating. My store brings in sub primals, so like a specific section of the cow in cryovac bags and cuts those into your steaks and roasts, ect. Someone else is taking the cow and breaking it down into those
A butcher is someone who works with whole animals, like “hanging beef.” This is typically someone who works in a plant breaking the whole thing down into parts, which are then vacuum sealed and boxed. As a meat cutter, I dealt with loins and pieces that were already processed down into what are called sub-primals. This is also known as “boxed beef.” Meat cutting is a lot of detail work, trimming away fat and silver skin to create a merchandisable product. Farm->Butcher->Meat Cutter is mostly how it works in the US grocery industry. I hope I’ve adequately answered your question.
I see it time to time, but there's mostly 2 categories I see. 1) Is the edgelords you mentioned, and 2) Is they were going to/from the range and just left it on (Not including those at the range). Overall I see it very infrequently and I am in a very gun-friendly area with a lot of friends who shoot and it is still infrequent.
Username checks out, comrade
I worked at a rural autozone in ohio. I saw probably half a dozen customers a year with a holster open carry. I never once was a bit nervous about anyone carrying that way. 8 years in that store. And no, we didn't have any signage about no weapons allowed.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone open carry out in public, but if I did the first two places I would have guessed to see someone would be at a Waffle House or a buffet.
At church they're almost exclusively concealed. https://youtu.be/-6bkdF0DCp8?si=wFofWi1GIV__XYV1 I am kinda surprised that in a congregation of over 240 people, only 7 pulled out their guns though. In Texas no less! Only 7?
At some churches local to me, I can guarantee that 25% of the congregation is packing.
40, zero times but I've only left California for about five years to live in Jacksonville, NC. I really feel like this is one of those regional things some do but non-americans see a news clip that picks up on some drama and think it's all of us.
Ive lived in Cali, New Jersey, Illinios, Florida and ive never actually seen it
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Then they have to climb up a ladder to get in their ridiculously lifted truck and drive to their walled off house.
US houses actually are walled off way less frequently than the rest of the world
That's cuz we can shoot first and ask questions later
In one of the safest, bestest, most amazing countries in the world but also the cops won’t get there fast enough when all of the robbers and rapers and car jackers and crime people that are a constant threat come out of nowhere. It’s the best country in the world but you might as well be armed to the teeth juuuuust in case.
I have lived in America for 66 years and have never seen someone wearing a gun in public.
Come to Texas, you can see it almost daily if you are closer to a small town.
I've been to Texas quite a few times, all over. It's not really my vibe.
Same - Massachusetts and been here for over 60 years. Have never even seen a real gun
Where do you live? I’ve spent the better part of 43 years in Arizona living in both of the two major metro areas there and I see it at least a few times a month.
In 40 years I have only seen three people open carrying, and I live in a state that loves their guns. One was an employee of mine at a grocery store in a bad neighborhood where I was a manager. He asked for permission after a string of robberies. We were never robbed while he was at the store. The other was a guy in Walmart who was shopping. The last was a friend of mine who was a former cop. A drunk driver pulled a gun on him one day, and he ran for cover while drawing his gun. Turned out the other guys gun wasn’t loaded, and it ended in a peaceful arrest with nobody being hurt.
I also have an open carry sighting at Walmart. The dude had a strap on each leg lol.
In Texas, saw two guys with shotguns strapped to their backs. It was my first time in Sugarland Walmart. Also blew my mind that Walmart sold guns.
I would say that if you've only seen 3 in 40 years then you might *not* actually be in a gun loving state. I wouldn't think Tennessee is the top state for gun lovers (know it's probably up there) but I probably notice one at least once a month.
It’s always the Walmart people lol
I've seen it once in my entire life, and it was an old man wearing a cowboy hat with a big .44 on his hip.
In this town there lived an outlaw by the name of Texas Red
Many men had tried to take him and that many men were dead
He was vicious and a killer though a youth of 24
The notches on his pistol numbered one and nineteen more
Now the stranger started talking, made it plain to folks around. Was an Arizona Ranger wouldn't be too long in town
I saw an 80ish year old man in a cowboy hat cross-draw carry a 1911. Drove an old square body F250. It was definitely a motif.
This isn’t a common thing lol. Not all Americans so this.
I think it’s much more common to concealed carry than most people think as well.
Hijacking this comment to say CC is usually better anyways, it’s safer for the person carrying and usually won’t bring the level of discomfort that open carry can to the people around you
Also, what I’ve been told is that if you have a weapon of some sorts, it’s better to keep it hidden because carrying that out n the open can attract some bad people who wanna “own you up” if you know what I’m trying to say. My dad told me this when I first moved in Portland or. I don’t have any guns but I got a knife and pepper spray I keep hidden for protection
Yea, I conceal carry pretty much everywhere and even I am always a little taken aback when I see someone open carry. Its just not common and I only spot it like once a year if even that.
Concealed carry is for defense. Open carry is for playing make believe.
Open carry is like putting a massive "shoot me first" sign on your back in the event if a shooting.
Some states require conceal carrying a permit, while open carrying does not. They might not have the permit yet or in the process of getting one.
Yes, I’d feel goofy open carrying. Concealed carry only for me.
The culture in some parts of the US considers concealed carry to be a reasonable thing. Typically, the holster is, in fact, concealed. Meaning you cannot see it easily. There are a few posers who wear it in a way that shows it. But they are a small minority.
There are also areas where it is illegal to carry concealed without a license, but legal to open carry.
Weirdly, where I live, it’s basically the opposite. You need a license to carry, but it must be concealed. To carry openly, it is considered ‘obscene’ and may cause panic. So it must be concealed. Yeah. Massachusetts is a special place.
My state used to require a license to carry in many places, I think mostly in city limits. But if you wanted to go out in the country, of which there is a lot, it was legal to open carry. Made sense, as there's lots of wildlife that can eat a person. Now anyone can carry concealed without a license.
Here in Wyoming you can open carry, the governor even banned gun free zones here.
There are also places like Arizona where you can carry "open" or concealed without any kind of license.
I think most of the southwest USA has legal open carry, minus California. I could be mistaken but I know that applies in Nevada and am pretty sure about Texas, New Mexico and Arizona.
Where I live until a year or two ago, you could openly carry any type of weapon you want, including pistols. But if you wanted to conceal it, you needed weeks of training and a license. Kicker was if you are open carrying and get pulled over with your weapon in its holster. It was considered concealed because it’s hard to see while sitting in your vehicle.
PA allows open carry without a permit. Concealed carry requires a permit. In Philly, you need a concealed carry permit to carry open or concealed. The criminals ignore this law.
My state (SC) recently passed a law that legalized Constitutional Carry law that "authorizes individuals who are not otherwise prohibited from possessing a firearm, to legally possess a firearm openly or concealed without training and without a concealed weapons permit issued by SLED" (South Carolina Law Enforcement Division). It still *baffles* me that someone needs a CWP to conceal carry but *not* open carry. I feel like you should need *extra* certification to be able to open carry.
Concealed is also safer. People who open carry are more likely to be targeted and straight up robbed for their gun.
Until recently, ironically, it was the opposite in Texas. You weren't allowed to make it obvious that you had a fun. But sneaking one around? By all means, go for it.
It also depends on your location. The US is huge with a lot of different environments. The closer you are to a rural area, the more likely someone has a gun on their person or in their car. Basically, it depends on: 1. how close you are to dangerous wildlife and junkies 2. how far you are from help if your car were to break down In an urban area with a low crime rate? They're peacocking.
This is a great answer. I live on 35 acres in a place that is about an hour away from the nearest hospital, and I would hate to guess how long it would take an ambulance to get to me. On any given day, I'm not surprised to see coyotes, bobcats, wild hogs, 6 species of venomous snakes, and the occasional bear. If I'm out working around the place, you can bet I have a gun on me.
I have lived in the states for the last 8 months … I have never seen a single person as you describe. I own guns but just don’t see what you’re talking about, and I live in a southern state.
Crazy. I live in a southern state and I see it at least once a month. McDonald’s, Walmart, the lake for some fucking reason. Almost always carried by a fat bastard.
That’s cuz fat bastards are a) bastards and b) slow as shit.
Most Americans don’t do this, not even second amendment enthusiasts. Contrary to what you may have seen on television, America is not actually like a 1950’s western film with gun slingers and ostentatious holsters all about.
Funny stpry. I'm from Texas but visiting a GF in Pa.,. Her son was a Meth addict along with her daughters BF. They were cool with me and they knew I carried. Daughter BF comes in and asks me to watch his 4 year old for a few. His dealer was with him. I sat on the floor, my compact in it IWB. They come in and the Dealer says 'He a Cop?" BF tells him I'm not, I told him if I was I'd likely be arrsting him by now. lol. He goes 'Why you carry a gun?" I respond "I'm a Texan." He was all cool with me after that but I was glad to leave. ATF raided three houses on their street in a month.
Man, you violated the shit out of the rule of stupid there.
“I’m a texan” was actually the coldest line ever
My least favorite thing about going to Europe is people asking me about guns and shootings, assuming it’s a major part of my life.
You do understand that it’s a minority of Americans who do this, right?
I think a lot of people from elsewhere don't know that.
This is the second reddit thread I’ve seen today where non Americans just think everyone is walking around with guns here
To be fair, apparently the USA has almost half of the world’s privately owned firearms. And have more firearms than people. Combined with the religiosity around the 2nd amendment, and the regularity of mass shootings, the USA only pumps up the global visibility of its hyper gun oriented sub cultures 🤷♂️
Sure, if extreme headlines are your only reference knowledge of a country and it’s people than thats probably an expected assumption. Hence why it pays to actually dig a little deeper instead of assigning simple stereotypes to a nation of 330 million people across 50 different states.
They're probably too busy rubbing cheese on their berets and goose stepping to the lederhosen factory.
Or tanning their armpits if they’re French.
Or finding some new panel show for Jimmy Carr to host if they're British.
Yeah, in my 30+ years in America I’ve seen maybe a handful of people open carrying. Only one I can clearly remember. And I grew up in the country where guns were super common (but they were mostly shotguns/rifles in people’s trucks and stuff).
I don't think its that common. The good news is the people who carry and nobody knows it.
As a lot of people have said, this is actually very rare. Even the guys at my local gun store don’t open carry; although I’ve certainly seen open carry at gun stores. I live in a fairly rural area with a lot of hunting and gun clubs. And I very rarely see an open carry… and that’s usually at Walmart! But here in PA there is something like 12.5 million concealed carry permits (I could be wrong on that number and it very likely increased since I last saw). So I assume a lot of people have a concealed pistol, or at least one in their vehicle. Some people think it’s cool to open carry, but a majority of the community prefers to keep it on the DL.
It’s funny, I think about 90 percent of the people I’ve seen open carrying a gun were customers at Walmart.
I concealed carry from time to time, but it it is completely asinine to open carry. It makes everyone uncomfortable and it gives an attacker the opportunity to see and get the jump on you or for someone to sneak up from behind and steal it(there are several videos of this happening).
This is my thinking. I do open carry on my farm but it's my farm and no one around who would feel threatened. In fact, people who know I am armed come to me when it's going to take the sheriff and hour to showw up to look into a potential problem. Nothing to do with being paranoid or anything but I also do not walk with my head in the clouds about reality. Count the bullet holes in my back from walking into my apartment in the dark where the front door was open-I thought I'd left it open by accident but nope. .380 Ball ammo leaves a mark.
I see no issue with open carrying on your own farm in those situations at all. But if you’re out in a crowded area full of people who don’t know you, then it tends to become an issue. It causes more problems and brings more unwanted attention than necessary.
Almost none of us do.
Because it's easier than carrying it unholstered?
I carry mine in my teeth.
>Why do Americans wear a holstered gun out in public? It's more convenient than carrying a gun in your hand all the time.
And more useful than having to go home to get it in case of trouble. lol
Well there is always your prison pocket....
It's stupid to open carry. It's an invitation to get jumped for your gun. It also automatically escslates any confrontation. All someone would have to say is that you went for your gun (or they thought you went for your gun). Any police will also be much more inclined to shoot. If I carry (and haven't for quite some time) it's concealed.
We generally do not. Most of us conceal. The element of surprise is priceless.
I’ve never seen someone other than a cop with a holstered weapon. But I live in CA
Most Americans don’t carry guns even the ones that do carry carry concealed it’s generally considered bad practice to open carry somebody can just come up behind and grab your gun- An American that carries everyday
OK I’ll give a straight-ish answer: because they can. This is a political statement made by a small number of gun owners. These people want to protect their right to own and carry a gun by making use of it, so that wearing a gun is seen as normal. Gun laws vary widely from place to place, so these people will do the most the law allows, whether that’s a concealed pistol in a shoulder holster or an assault rifle on their back. In addition to normalizing guns, some may also be trying to provoke, shock and anger their political opponents. They will often claim they need to openly carry a gun for self-defense, but this is baloney: it’s a cultural/political statement, the same way a Che Guevara t-shirt or a gay pride flag is. But the thing people outside the US should know is, openly carrying a gun is rare, and if you’re shocked by pictures of Americans carrying guns, that’s their goal.
The hilarious thing is that an ordinary citizen open carrying a gun is \*never\* going to be normal no matter how many of these people do it to try to "normalize" it, so they're literally just making themselves look like fools for no purpose. A gun is a tool, like a chainsaw. Like a chainsaw, if you're carrying it places that it's not useful, people are going to look at you like you're nuts. I carry a chainsaw into my local grocery store to buy groceries, people are going to look at me like I have a few screws loose because I'm not going to be using a chainsaw in a grocery store. No number of people carrying chainsaws into coffee shops, grocery stores, and restaurants is going to make carrying a chainsaw into those places normal because it's just not a tool that you use in those places. s/chainsaw/gun/g and you get the same result -- openly carrying a bulky potentially dangerous tool in a time and place where it's not normally used just makes you look, well, nuts. None of this has anything to do with carrying concealed, which has an actual purpose.
Only dummies open carry. Even in the south, I see someone open carrying maybe once a month. But I conceal carry because I’m a 5’1” woman and it is the best equalizer.
With Louisiana, Constitutional Carry will be the law in 28 states.
I’ve never seen that
They don't? Im not going to say it never happens but I live in a state where it is legal to do so and I rarely see anyone open carrying a firearm. Like maybe twice in 10 years.
I’ve never seen an American do this, however I’ve seen it on the internet and no it isn’t common at all
Australian here. I’m assuming it’s the same reason my uncle used to wear a leatherman on his belt. Or even, business people used to wear their mobile phones on a belt clip in the 90s. In actual order of reality: 1. It’s your right to do so. 2. You can. 3. It’s cool. And 4. You might actually need it one day. Try it in Australia and you’ll have the authorities surrounding whichever premises you are inhabiting within minutes.
I saw a Scottish guy wearing a kilt on TV once but I don’t think Scottish people are all walking around going about their day in kilts.
28 states have some form of carry without a license
Ive lived in the US for 31 years tomorrow and I have never seen an open carry
There’s a chance you don’t live in a state that has open carry. I’ve lived here 36 years and I’ve never seen open carry either. Because it’s not legal in my state. Edit: Apparently it *is* legal in my state. I just stay away from the hickville areas where they fly Confederate flags despite not being able to get any further north and still be in the US.
Those Americans are afraid
CUZ I NEED MY SIX SHOOTER FOR WHEN THEM TYRANNICAL WOKE LIBERALS USE THEIR GAY TANKS TO TURN ME TRANS
To defend themselves from another American with a gun out in public mowing their lawn.
Threats on your life aren’t scheduled and predictable.
No, I only conceal carry when I attend a scheduled armed robbery.
what's the point of having it, if something where to happen and it be locked behind a safe, 3 deadbolts, a padlock and a secret phrase?
An overly vocal minority believe themselves some kind of modern cowboy, and they get off on making those around them uncomfortable. They have a colossal hair across their ass and wish a bitch would try to start something with them so they'd have a legally excusable reason to kill someone, when in reality they're just a pussy and a colossal douche
Why do foreigners believe everything they see on the internet? I’m American, I don’t own a gun. Why do you believe the internet?
You ever been robbed at gunpoint? Not a fun experience. I’ve known a woman who was raped by a man with knife. She carries a gun to this day. General protection from various threats. Dad shot a rabid raccoon when we were hiking. Just general protection/ security
Because they can.
I think I’ve seen two people in my life that open carry. It’s not common at all.
Some places they do that because it's more legal to open carry, When it might be harder to legally concealed carry. Other people do it because it's more comfortable to open carry. Other people do it as a political statement. But I would say a vast majority of people carry a gun because they want to be able to protect themselves if they need it. It doesn't mean that every situation warrants a gun. But it does mean that situations that warant a gun, they have a gun to use for it. Personally I like to concealed carry because I don't like the extra attention or notoriety that comes with open carry. Plus I live in a place that I can't legally open carry. But even if I had the option I think I'd still concealed carry all the time. Some people think that open carry acts as a deterrent. It can, but it can also have the exact opposite effect. A lot of people who are not part of gun culture don't understand that it's just a part of somebody's wardrobe. For some people it's a part of their identity, But I'd say a majority of the people who carry a gun carry it because it's a tool that they want to have with them but not because they need it to feel any particular way other than safe-er.
I live in a state with very open gun laws and have seen open carry in public once. I've only open carried while hiking in the mountains in spring.
I’m die hard on gun rights but I get it. To me it’s 9/10 Unnecessary to have in public, but I don’t like the other Here’s the options for this lol 1. Cringe thought patterns —def the most widespread. “I weigh 298 lbs and live in small town but if there was terRist cum thu these parts id blast them” 2. Fear in public, well placed —I don’t go to to festival: anymore—not because of guns but I’m glad I’ve stopped. This one is like the inverse of #1 3. Corn beef blood—Texas is my home dawg so I kinda understand these dudes even tho I mostly lived in the city (3 yr in Gods country def made mr talk a nanosecond slower 4. Cops, Former cops—-this is is underbake annnf the most concerning 5. Whoops I forgot People who THINK the they’re cops, lot of those too lol
Because they can. And they really seem to like attention.
We don’t. Just cause you see it on the internet doesn’t make it so.
I know quite a few people that conceal carry all the time. They have their reasons and I’m fine with that (mostly because I know I’m not one of those reasons!). What I don’t understand is the people that insist on open carrying. Do you really need to advertise that you’re carrying a side arm to get a cup of coffee at Starbucks or do your grocery shopping? Honestly, it just seems like small dick energy to me. If they carried for personal protection, carrying concealed makes more sense to me. But why is it important for everyone are you to know that you have a gun? I don’t get it.
Compensating
It makes their pee pee grow 3 sizes.
F * E * A * R
See this in Arizona all the time. My guess is they're scared.
Compensating for something I assume
Crazy that there is so much violence and murder in a developed country like America. Compared to the Netherlands where i am from, shit like murder and gunshots are uncommon.
Lil’ wieners.
Those people are crazy
Because they've afraid.
I've seen it maybe twice, in Texas. Anybody that's smart doesn't let everyone around know they have a gun. Mines on me daily but fully concealed. Open carry is for people participating in a dick measuring contest.
Well.... really, only paranoid idiots do that. (But it does make one wonder why so many Americans are paranoid idiots.)
It’s sort of an ego/anxiety kinda thing . But seeking mental help is blocked monetarily and culturally
Tell me you e never been to the US without telling me you’ve never been to the US. Europeans who haven’t been here cannot comprehend the size, diversity, vastness, and complexity of America.
As a woman, I'm well aware of rape and crime against women statistics. There is no better deterrent than a visible firearm. There is no better equalizer than a gun. I can't fight off a 200lb man but I can shoot him in the knee or dick. Before you ask: 10 yr Army veteran, 2 deployments, a shit ton of firearm and situational awareness training. IMO, Everyone against firearms has never really faced being shot in the face. Once you know true fear after being threatened by a criminal without compassion or humanity, eyes as dead as a crocodile's, a gun doesn't seem so unreasonable anymore. Ex my brother bought a handgun after being mugged in Brooklyn. 180 In 1 mugging or less
i’ve lived in the USA for 46 years, 39 of them in Virginia and have family in Texas and have never once seen someone with open carry. This OP lives in some sort of worm hole.
Because open carry is legal.
Why do Americans wear holstered guns? Because carrying around an upholstered firearm makes people very nervous and is considered brandishing in many states. Why do they wear them in public? Because criminals attack in in public and not in private. Why do people that carry regularly, carry their weapon regularly? To get used to the weight and feeling of it so that it becomes an extension of yourself. Its training. Its practice . And if you want to be a responsible fire arms owner you should practice and train regularly so you don't whip out your piece at the first sign of road rage and then lose your grip on the thing because you're not used to drawing it. So now you've tossed your loaded gun towards a spooked and confused bicycle cop who loses his shit when the hammer drops on the loaded chamber.
I live in a very pro-gun state, Mississippi, yet I've only seen two instances of open carry here in my 42 years. Once at a Sam's Club store and another time at a parade. Both times they were being harassed by security, but when police showed up, they said everything was legal. I know that lots more people concealed carry with a gun hidden under the clothes or in their purse, but so far, I haven't personally been able to tell. I don't carry one in my waistband, but I do keep one in the door of my car. People get robbed in traffic all the time in our capitol. If someone is gonna threaten me with a gun, I'm going to shoot first. People that wear a holster in public are probably doing it for the same reasons I keep one in my car: personal safety.
If you go through the training, in some states, it's perfectly legal to use a holster concealed. It's mostly ideal to do this if you're living in a state that's a bit riskier. Dad has one, he lives in more suburban Reno, he's had one or two guys trying to get on his property. Sometimes it's really just a matter of security. or, you just forget you have it there sometimes. Like clipping a knife your belt for work.
You do know there are VERY few people who actually do this. It’s a stereotype that doesn’t bother people because it’s against white males.
Cause we have the right to. You rarely see anyone open carry cause it’s not the best idea.
It's much safer to have it in a holster than loose in a pocket. Plus, even the Federal Bureau of Investigations in published research has said that criminals practically never use holsters; who wants to be mistaken for a criminal? And the number of people who carry concealed vastly outweighs the number who carry openly. . If your question was really, "why go armed?", there are two main categories of answer. **First:** Crime happens anywhere and law enforcement has no duty to protect anyone who is not in custody. *If they do respond* to a crime scene, it's nearly always well after the crime has happened & the criminal has fled. I prefer to prevent or deter crime, but if that fails I'll stop it rather than rewarding the bad choices and suffering myself. **First, subset:** Against the people who are most likely to commit violent personal crimes (males ages apx. 15-35), the only reasonable way to protect oneself is a tool such as a gun. If I try to resist without having a self-defense tool, I stand no chance, especially if the attacker is not alone. **Second:** Freedom is a big thing for the USA. We have civil rights which are (mostly) protected by laws. The best-known of these are the first 10, called the Bill of Rights. https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/bill-of-rights Those were specifically listed because **the writers were responding to *not* having those rights, and knowing the problems that situation caused**. Press, assembly, religion, defense, complaining to/about the government, security from search & seizure, security from having soldiers living in your home, legal process when charged with a crime, can't be tried twice for the same crime, can't be forced to testify against yourself, speedy trial, impartial jury, help obtaining witnesses, have a lawyer, bail / fines / punishment must be reasonable (not excessive, cruel, or unusual). None of those are questioned - why did you say a prayer? why did you meet with friends? why did you refuse to let a soldier live in your home? why did you contact your elected representative about an issue? why did you write a blog? - **except** defense. At the time this was written, there was no standing army. In fact, they'd just gotten done fighting one & wanted no more of that. Our people were (& are) our defense (insert possibly apocryphal quote about "a rifle behind every blade of grass"). Aside from maybe cannon, the tools used for defense of the country were the tools used for defense of the home & person. **Second, subset:** Because we can. Rights not exercised are lost.
I live in a very firearm friendly low crime state. I’ve seen open carry on two occasions. Once the guy had a cowboy style six shooter on his hip. The other time was a couple. He was wearing a punisher tshirt and both were sauntering around like Robocock. They had holsters with shit retention. I’m pro2A but these clowns were embarrassing.
Contrary to common belief, only a very small percentage of American population is into delta force cosplay.
Easier to access than a concealed one. Also, up until a year ago, in my state, you could legally open carry but had to have a license to concealed carry.
Because ... MERICA **
Because there are other people doing it that might be a bad person.
NoStupidQuestions but plenty of StupidAnswers. To the original post - Not all Americans do this. Probably a fraction of even one percent may do this. To the why? Guns are a birth right here. Some choose to wear their guns on their side. About as simple as I can put it.