OC rare in Indiana?

[frankie_the_yankee]

I also believe that a fair amount of the state by state info on opencarry.org is misleading and/or incorrect. People visiting areas that they are unfamiliar with can get themselves in some real hot water if they use that site as a source of information.

Would you care to post this over there, or are you only going to deride them from here?

Educating that group is too big of a job for me. I would simply caution against taking their advice without some good corroborating info from other sources.

When I visit a place I haven't been to before, I like to call the local cops and get their perspective about any aspect of their gun laws that I might be unsure of.

That usually gives me a good idea of what I can expect from the officer on the street, regardless of the legal technicalities involved. And since when I travel I'm travelling, as opposed to crusading, that is what I am most interested in.

[flintknapper]

Delete.

Pointless to continue.

[flintknapper]

I also believe that a fair amount of the state by state info on opencarry.org is misleading and/or incorrect. People visiting areas that they are unfamiliar with can get themselves in some real hot water if they use that site as a source of information.

Would you care to post this over there, or are you only going to deride them from here?

Educating that group is too big of a job for me. I would simply caution against taking their advice without some good corroborating info from other sources.

When I visit a place I haven't been to before, I like to call the local cops and get their perspective about any aspect of their gun laws that I might be unsure of.

That usually gives me a good idea of what I can expect from the officer on the street, regardless of the legal technicalities involved. And since when I travel I'm travelling, as opposed to crusading, that is what I am most interested in.

Well, according to many posts from folks living in various OC states... this would be just about the worst source for correct information.

But as you say, it would at least give you a feel for what you might expect.

[frankie_the_yankee]

What has living somewhere 35 years got to do with it? Lets see know.....how long has OC been legal in Indiana???

1) It represents 35 years of observations. Unless you think the person is flat out lying, it would seem that OC in Indiana is quite rare.

I have a question for you. Why would you put more credence in statements by OC proponents (zealots?) than in the evidence provided by your own eyes? Have you ever visited or lived in any urban area in the United States where you saw with your own eyes that OC was common? That people were doing it all over the place? Like the way people wear blue jeans? Or shoes?

2) I have no idea how long OC has been legal in Indiana but I'll bet it's been that way for quite a while. I certainly am not aware that they have changed their laws in the last 5 or 10 years. Maybe Zero G can tell us.

Everyone that doesn't share your point of view seems to be a nut, I've noticed.

Why would you say that? You don't share my point of view and I have never characterized you as a nut nor would I. The same goes with plenty of others on this board with whom I have differred from time to time.

But I would also not have a conversation with a state trooper like the guy you quoted. That whole exchange moved the needle on my "strange-o-meter".

Again, post this over at OpenCarry.

As I said, educating that group is just too big a job for me.

I guess I'm a little "thick", where exactly are you headed with this?

OCing in urban areas is strange. Strange enough that even where it is legal most people, including many cops, are unaware of it. (Partially because they never see it because hardly anyone ever does it. If people did it in any significant numbers both the cops and the general public would be aware of it, like people are in AZ. And even in AZ it is pretty rare in urban areas. And don't take my word for it. Go there and see for yourself.)

That, and that the state by state info on opencarry.org is unreliable.

[flintknapper]

flintknapper wrote:

Everyone that doesn't share your point of view seems to be a nut, I've noticed.

Frankie wrote:

Why would you say that?

Oh, I don’t know…….call it intuition:



Frankie wrote:

Armed citizens do not need to carry openly. They do not need to take on the added risk. That being the case, IMO it is foolish to do so.

I'd say that people might get shot with their own guns if they are carrying openly.

It ain't my problem if someone gets their darn fool head blown off.

I open carry on my ranch. I think it is stupid to do so in a crowded urban environment.

I merely think it is D-U-M-B to carry openly in an urban environment.

Don't make me laugh. I wouldn't trust anything I saw on that website.

So based on all of that, I'd say that the OC people in Indiana are a little bit off of the normal curve.

I'll take his word over that of an OC proponent any day - because it matches up with what I and just about every other normal human being living in America has experienced their whole lives.

The guy sounds like some kind of a nut to me.

And I find the quote from the police chief interesting. "Strap it to your forehead for all I care." I can almost hear him add (to himself), "... you idiot."

[frankie_the_yankee]

There is a difference between foolishness, eccentricity, even stupidity, and someone fitting into the classification of "a nut".

Also, I notice that all of the quotes you dug up relate to OC. But OC isn't the only topic that I discuss or disagree with people about. And as I've made plain, your characterization of me considering all those who disagree with me as "nuts" is patently incorrect.

And I guess you don't disagree with my main points that OC in Indiana is RARE, say compared to something we might agree is common like people wearing blue jeans or shoes, and that state-by-state information at opencarry.org about OC, the legality of OC, the amount of OC going on, and the acceptance of OC is of dubious accuracy and/or misleading.

Remember the questions in my last post.

I have a question for you. Why would you put more credence in statements by OC proponents (zealots?) than in the evidence provided by your own eyes? Have you ever visited or lived in any urban area in the United States where you saw with your own eyes that OC was common? That people were doing it all over the place? Like the way people wear blue jeans? Or shoes?

Note that in this thread I did not get into the tactical disadvantages of OC.

BTW, I OC'd quite a bit today. I hoofed it all over my little spread with my son while OCing my SP101 in an IWB holster with NO cover garment. Later on, we both OC'd as we went to our range and spent an enjoyable hour doing some target shooting.

No unusual incidents or reactions to report.

[flintknapper]

There is a difference between foolishness, eccentricity, even stupidity, and someone fitting into the classification of "a nut".

Also, I notice that all of the quotes you dug up relate to OC. But OC isn't the only topic that I discuss or disagree with people about. And as I've made plain, your characterization of me considering all those who disagree with me as "nuts" is patently incorrect.

And I guess you don't disagree with my main points that OC in Indiana is RARE, say compared to something we might agree is common like people wearing blue jeans or shoes, and that state-by-state information at opencarry.org about OC, the legality of OC, the amount of OC going on, and the acceptance of OC is of dubious accuracy and/or misleading.

Remember the questions in my last post.

I have a question for you. Why would you put more credence in statements by OC proponents (zealots?) than in the evidence provided by your own eyes? Have you ever visited or lived in any urban area in the United States where you saw with your own eyes that OC was common? That people were doing it all over the place? Like the way people wear blue jeans? Or shoes?

Note that in this thread I did not get into the tactical disadvantages of OC.

BTW, I OC'd quite a bit today. I hoofed it all over my little spread with my son while OCing my SP101 in an IWB holster with NO cover garment. Later on, we both OC'd as we went to our range and spent an enjoyable hour doing some target shooting.

No unusual incidents or reactions to report.

Glad to hear you guys got to spend some time together. I like to see parents and their children doing things they enjoy.


The rest, I will not comment on.

[tallmike]

Ill never understand the concealed vs. open carry debate. Why would a person who is all for armed citizenry and even carries a gun themself be so adamant that people should not carry their guns openly? There are strengths and weaknesses to both open and concealed carry, I think folks should be able to choose the most comfortable method for them.

About 7 years ago I started carrying a gun while I lived in Kentucky and since that time I have paid attention in the states I live in and visit. I have seen open carry in Kentucky both in city limits (Lexington, never saw open carry in Louisville) and outside of the city limits. I have seen open carry in Indiana (outside of Indianapolis). I have seen open carry in Nevada (outside of Clark County, dont OC in Vegas -they think its illegal there). I have seen open carry in Utah (in SLC city limits). I have seen open carry in Arizona (inside and outside of Phoenix city limits).

Does everyone open carry in these states? No. Is it common? Not really, and the truth is if you arent paying attention you dont generally notice someone open carrying. They dont carry in bright orange holsters or anything crazy like that. I have never seen anyone staring at someone open carrying and I have never seen them tackled by the cops either.

It generally draws no more attention than a knife or maybe even a cell phone on your belt. People assume that if you have something in the open like that and you arent currently using it for an illegal purpose that you probably have a legal right to carry it.


I have never open carried, but I like living in areas where it is legal. I was much more comfortable carrying OWB in states where open carry was legal. Once I moved to Las Vegas I switched to IWB carry simply because of the risk of my gun coming uncovered accidentally. I think everyone would be better off, open and concealed carriers, if open carry was legal here.

[frankie_the_yankee]

tallmike,

I find your account fully credible and in line with my own life experience - unlike some of the characterizations of the prevalence and acceptance of OC that I read on opencarry.org.

I support open carry being legal.

I happen to think it is not a good tactical option for most people, but that is just my opinion, and I do not consider myself in any way an expert at such things. My qualifications are limited to my own experience of 15 years of non-LEO concealed carry mixed in with a smattering of OC in AZ where it is legal.

OC should be legal IMO. If someone wants to do it, they should be free to do so.

For my own part, my comfort level is much greater with concealed carry.

Tactical considerations aside, I believe much of the state-by-state info as to the prevalence and acceptance of OC posted on the opencarry.org website to be inaccurate and/or misleading. In some cases, I have direct personal knowledge to this effect, so I know it is inaccurate or misleading.

I would strongly caution people against taking the state-by-state info found at opencarry.org at face value.

[Charles L. Cotton]

Hey, Frankie, I have to ask: how common is it to see someone carrying a rifle in Texas? Do you dispute the legality based on how often you see it?

And I believe that many of the people who post their experiences on opencarry.org are OCing because they want the attention, from both the sheeple and the cops. They want to educate both groups that OCing is legal and they are hoping that through familiarity they can gain social acceptance for it.

I also believe that a fair amount of the state by state info on opencarry.org is misleading and/or incorrect. People visiting areas that they are unfamiliar with can get themselves in some real hot water if they use that site as a source of information.

Would you care to post this over there, or are you only going to deride them from here?

This is an excellent point flint! TexasCHLforum is not going to be used to bash another website -- Period!!

This is the one and only warning.

Chas.

[45 4 life]

I would like to thank those that reaponded to my original post. I got the information that I was seeking, and feel much more confident about how I am operating here in Indiana. Good sense as always had me following the laws without really knowing them.

Sorry it created a little controversy in the process. Although I have really enjoyed seeing where the original post lead to.

That concealed vs. open carry is a whole different debate, but one we all need to be concerned about. There is quite the effort in Texas that is trying to gain momentum.

I look forward to communicating with all as it gets closer. For know I want to finish this project and get back to Texas.