I must thank God that in nearly 60 years i have never felt the need to be armed.

I have traveled to many different countries, lived outside the US, and yet have managed to avoid the incredible number of cretins who are out to steal From me or harm me and my family at every corner.

I have not allowed my children to stay in their friends homes when their parents are gun owners. Many young lives have been lost as a result of legal gun ownership, when the gun was not properly secured.

Gun ownership does not equate to responsible ownership. Think of how you store your gun, do you take all precautions concerning gun access. The nightstand is not a gun locker, yet the gun locker prevents your ability to shoot the bad guys who are constantly at your doorstep - i would move if i were you.

The same as drunk driving - a drunk (as defined by the law) carrying a gun is scary - read the news - slightly drunk owners of legal guns shoot people all the time. Generally a family member.

No thanks.

Shaun,

And there are many more wacko's like the one your friend is dealing with who are just "out there" waiting for someone or something to trip their switch and go after you. As your friend says, most of us do not want to bring a knife to a gunfight.... Well except for the two posters on this thread who very well may end up being in a police report and on the nightly news as "another victim" of crime...

Wow - this looks like it was an entirely adult, polite conversation on the pros and cons of open vs. concealed carry, until grendiers added his rambling little childish rant. Then, just when I didn't think it could get any more childish, Darisc jumps in and brings "childish" to a whole new level. At least he is consistent. Oh well...

Back to discussing this with the adults. Washington is an open carry state. It's pretty rare, however, to see anyone exercising that right. At least in the Seattle area. On the more rural east side of the Cascade range, we will see more of it, but it is still far from common.

Myself, I will open carry where I deem it appropriate and convenient to do so - mainly when I'm hiking, backpacking, or otherwise out bumming around the back country. It will invariably be one of my single actions (in a caliber that begins with a "4"), which are too large to conceal and too heavy for a typical concealment holster anyway. It's just easier to have them in a good, stout belt holster. That, and the handful of times I've actually had to use one to defend myself, it sure was handy to have it readily accessible and not have to dig under clothing to get to it (all of these incidents involved critters of various descriptions, never another man).

Other than that, I'll pretty much stick with concealed carry. I don't like to alarm people, nor do I have any need to make a statement. I just wouldn't want the attention I would be certain to attract in an urban or suburban setting. I've got smaller sidearms made specifically for concealed carry, so it is actually easier to carry these guns in purpose built, concealed carry holsters than it would be to open carry them.

So, in the end, I simply "dress" for the situation in pretty much the same manner in which I really dress for it. Heading for the hills, intent on spending a day in the outdoors, occasionally winding up in the smaller towns in the area, I'll grab an appropriate sidearm. Heading downtown, I'll grab an entirely different sidearm appropriate for that.

The advantage to open carry here is being able to carry something larger in the warmer weather. Trying to conceal 36 oz of stainless steel isn't easy in July in Houston, unless you wear long baggy shirts.

Just read in the newspaper today that there is a bill in the House right now in Ga. to get rid of the CCW permit. After freaking out, I read further. The propsed law basically states that concealed carry for all of legal age will be legal, no permit required.

Wow, Snake....that's good news.

I hope they keep the permit process for those that choose to do it as well. Otherwise the reciprocity is gone. Also the special case for firearms near schools for permit holders will be lost.

I'm pretty sure the guy in the video was just found dead, tied to a chair, and shot in the back of the head!

Keith Ratliff, Manager of FPSRussia found murdered

No, it was their weapons manager. The guy in the video is Kyle Lamar Myers.

Thanks for clearing that up, I must not have read it right.

I've carried a concealed weapon sine 1977. Some times for work, sometimes not. The work, I was a licensed bail bondsman in the State of Indiana. At that time all bail money had to be paid in cash. At times I had a lots of money on me, at night around city and county jails. At that time there was no requirements as to proficiency with a hand gun, just no felony arrests and legal residency in the state. You didn't have to take am NRA course or something similar. Moved the operation to south Florida in the late 80's. Florida at that time mandated that bail bondsmen have a concealment permit AND training and passing an NRA approved course. I took mine with the Homestead Fl. Police Department. I guess the point I want to make. It's your right to carry in one form or another, BUT, know how to handle, fire, clean, and safely store or keep it. I'll throw more gas on the fire...We make our kids,(I don't have any, but I was one) take drivers ed., how about a gun safety class in school? Just a thought...

UOTE=Drdogface;7174388]Wow, Snake....that's good news.[/QUOTE]

Well I've waited a few days to respond to these comments, cooling down, if you will.
But keep feeling the desire to reply. I don't usually join into discussions of these topics that bring out the vocal fringe of both sides. You seem to be able to carry the discussion along on your own hurling insults and inflating the comments of each other quite well with out my help.

I had enjoyed shooting and a little hunting in my youth. But a year in Viet Nam cured me of finding pleasure in the sport and for guns in general for many years.

Recently thru the threads posted by enthusiasts here and with my brother getting more into collecting and doing some range shooting, my interest has returned a little. Unfortunately his interest is fueled by a belief in this zombie Apocalypse paranoia.

How ever with the current country wide debate surrounding gun regulations I'm very surprised to see enthusiasts embracing a ridiculous new law as mentioned above.
Any one 18yo or older free to buy and carry with out any permit or training is just crazy. And endorsement of such laws does the pro gun side no favors in the current climate.

Open carry/ concealed carry should totally up to the choice of any adult that is willing to get the training and back round checks that are only reasonable and prudent
for such a responsibility.

I hope I misunderstood the comments here, as they are counterproductive and an embarrassment to our community.

Blast away,
Richard

Richard, it is already that way (all can carry) in several states. Alaska, Arizona and Vermont are three off the top of my head. Texas, by comparison, has had fairly strong gun laws. Concealed carry was illegal from the time of the Civil War until the mid 1990's.