TexasCHLforum.com

G.A. Heath wrote: ↑Wed Aug 29, 2018 4:41 pm

bblhd672 wrote: ↑Wed Aug 29, 2018 4:03 pm Are there documented incidents in Houston where open carrying citizens have been targeted by bad guys during robbery? Or is multiple bad guys robbing a business the new M.O. there?

Everyone's situation is different. If its the criminals in Houston have gotten better at recognizing that citizens may be carrying and are looking for open carrying victims then its a tactically sound decision to conceal carry in Houston.

Charles is referencing the common tactic of hijacking, or take-over robberies, where multiple armed suspects are involved going from person to person demanding money and valuables (including cell phones). If they do not notice when one of their victims is open carrying a firearm then it's because Ray Charles can see better than they can. In this situation they will disarm the victim or simply shoot them before taking what they want off the victim (or the body). With concealed carry the weapon is less likely to be discovered unless the suspects are frisking victims or the armed citizen is doing a bad job of concealing.

There is at least one documented instance in another state before TSRA passed open carry where a hijack/takeover crew scout went into a restaurant noticed armed customers and reported back to the crew. Rather than risk an encounter with armed victims the crew waited for the armed citizens to leave. While they were waiting a LEO spotted them and arrested them in the course of investigating their 'suspicious activity' which led to learning why they were waiting. Had the LEO not arrived, or had the LEO not been as aware of the situation as he was Open Carry would not have prevented the crime, it would have simply delayed it. Had the criminals not sent a scout in to check the place out before hand who knows what would have happened.

However there has also been at least one case, in Oregon IIRC, where a man was open carrying and robbed of his weapon at gunpoint. Many people feel that open carry is like a cross made of garlic to a vampire and simply keeps it safely away. This leads to complacency and a loss of situational awareness either of which can lead to the loss of a firearm and/or the loss of life.

I will open carry when I am in an environment that is conducive to it and that I feel comfortable doing so in. This would be when I am hunting, going to a gun store (mostly so they don't ask me if I have an LTC when I say I am going to buy something), and so on. However 99% of the time I am concealed carrying since prefer to simply blend in and avoid attention from unknown parties with unknown intentions.

Oregon, October, 2014
http://www.kptv.com/story/26729956/man- ... -armed-man

North Carolina, December 2017
http://www.fayobserver.com/news/2017122 ... uses-panic

I had previously factored these into my risk analysis. I will continue to carry openly wherever I can legally do so until factual evidence changes my risk analysis.

As with most things in life, it comes down to which risks we are willing to manage and which benefits matter most to us.

mojo84 wrote: ↑Tue Aug 28, 2018 12:50 pm I am glad open carry passed. However, I have only open carried a time or two. Otherwise, I conceal carry 98% of the time when allowed by law. How anyone else carries is of no concern to me as long as they do it responsibly and appropriately so as to not bring a bad light upon the carry of guns and the 2nd Amendment.

Doing it just to get a rise out of others and to instigate a confrontation falls in neither the responsible or appropriate category in my opinion.

How anyone outside of my family chooses to carry is of no concern to me. I've encouraged my youngest brother to carry concealed as that best fits his capabilities. I encourage my younger brother, retired Marine Lt Col, to carry openly in CO, but he finds that carrying concealed best fits his needs. They both carry. Win.

I'm training my three youngest sons to carry concealed. Time will show how they evolve as armed citizens.

Based on my experience and training, carrying openly is a sound tactical and strategic decision for me at this point. That may change one day, but not this day.

As in most things in life, it comes down to which risks we are willing to manage and which benefits matter most to us.

Be safe and carry.

cmgee67 wrote: ↑Tue Aug 28, 2018 5:46 am I wanted to hear everyone’s thoughts on open carry vs Concealed. I believe there is a time and place for both. Like when I’m working my security team at church I have to CC as OC is not permitted. We don’t have any .06 or .07 signs but we were given notice by our pastor asking us not to OC but to make sure we are CC’ing. Others settings such as that I will CC. When I’m just out and about and know that I’m not going anywhere like that I tend to still CC but you may find me occasionally OC. I know most people I’ve talked to say “I don’t open carry I don’t want to be a target”. I feel like that’s just a blanket statement excuse not to do so because they are uncomfortable. If they are that’s fine it’s their choice as long as they carry. I don’t think people who don’t carry a gun have any room to speak on the matter. That’s like me telling my wife how to put on makeup when I don’t do it myself. I have OC’d plenty and find it much more comfortable. I use the Safariland 7TS ALS holster with the paddle attachment and it works great. I do think if you OC in public you need a retention holster of some sort. If I’m at home one of my regular Kydex friction holsters work. How do y’all feel about the subject?

I agree with liberty in that how we carry is a non-issue. Our choices of self-defense tool and carry method are based on considerations that are as unique as are we. Pick what works best for you and carry. As with most things in life, it comes down to which risks we are willing to manage and which benefits matter most to us. I prefer to make my life choices based on evidence and logic rather than supposition and feelings because that works best for me. Your mileage will vary.

What works best for me and mine is for me to carry openly everywhere I can legally do so. My choices of tool and method are subject to change based on my continuous evaluation of my situation and abilities. I bought my first pistol, a Tanfoglio BTA90, in 2013, a month after getting my CHL. It came with a Fobus OWB paddle holster. My wife and I were on the way to CO. We stopped in Lubbock to visit her family and I bought the pistol from my wife's recently widowed aunt. I carried it concealed all the way to the NM state line. For three days in NM and CO I carried openly. First in the Fobus holster and then in a nylon Blackhawk OWB holster with a strap. Upon returning to Texas, I switched to a Galco King Tuk and carried concealed until 1/1/16, except for trips to AZ, NM, CO, OK, KS, and MO. To that point, my experiences have shown that I an best prepared to defend myself and mine by carrying openly.

My joining this forum has been a great help in the evolution of my self-defense techniques. I came to understand that, for me, my DA/SA pistol was not the best tool and that not having a purpose-built retention holster was an issue. After much research, I settled on the S&W M&P M2.0 9mm 5inch which I now carry every day. It rides in a Safariland 7TS ALS holster, openly, for which I use the Safariland Quick Lock System to easily attach and remove the holstered pistol from my belt.

My wife had her own epiphany and now carries a Walther PPS M2 LE as her EDC. I have adopted her Ruger LCR .38 as my back up gun which I carry in a Remora RFT pocket holster. I have found that I like being able to quickly stow my M&P, when necessary, and still be armed.

I practice and train both for carrying concealed and carrying openly. Among other trainings, I passed a Texas DPS school safety/active shooter course https://www.krtraining.com/KRTraining/C ... afety.html and the KR Training Defensive Pistol Skills Program https://www.krtraining.com/defensivepis ... ogram.html. I validate my techniques by competing in USPSA matches and force-on-force scenario training. I continue to train. My next class is Combative Pistol II with Tom Givens. http://rangemaster.com/training/combative-pistol-ii/

My point is that as I continue to learn, improve, and evaluate my skills, I will adjust my self-defense choices to best meet my needs.

As with most things in life, it comes down to which risks we are willing to manage and which benefits matter most to us.