Peachey Posted July 31, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2019 Here in GA it's perfectly fine (legally) to open carry completely. Of course there are stipulations, but it goes back to your own personal responsibility and situational awareness as to wether or not it's a good idea. I completely understand and agree with the whole first target mentality regarding bad folks who would target a open carrier. I guess it's a balancing act of sorts for me. Same regular grocery store, gas station, etc etc, fine no problem open carrying. Date night in the city, no way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98Z5V Posted July 31, 2019 Report Share Posted July 31, 2019 (edited) I've been open-carrying mainly, where ever I go in AZ, since I moved here in 2004. There's a definite "fantasy" or "fallacy" that being an open-carry person "makes you a target." I've never been a "target" at all, just from carrying an open carry gun. Never, ever, have I been in a situation where someone else has tried to take my gun, because they've seen it on my hip, ever, here. Ain't the concern. I left WA state in 2004 to move here, and had a concealed license there. WEasn't my choice to move, but I didn't realize at the time that "I moved to freedom." In July 2010, AZ passed the "Constitutional Carry" law. If I'm legal, over 21, I can conceal without a permit. I don't conceal often - I open carry more than anything. That doesn't make me any kind of a "target" at all, I can tell you that with 15 years of it now. You'll never be a target just because you have a pistol presented, carrying open. You might be a target if you look weak, and some fuckbag thinks they can overpower you - criminals don't look for a serious fight, they look for an easy target. Most open carry people don't look like that. Predators only prey upon the weak. Don't be weak. Don't look weak. If you carry a gun, you have responsibilities, both personal and public. You all know what those are, and it's up to you to determine if that's something you can handle, in the ultimate test. That's no one's choice (or responsibility) but yours - and it only falls onto your OWN personal assessment. You can either ultimately do that, or you cannot. Nobody else can answer that riddle but you... Quote “The Gun Is Civilization” By Maj. L. Caudill, USMC (Ret) Human beings only have two ways to deal with one another: reason and force. If you want me to do something for you, you have a choice of either convincing me via argument, or force me to do your bidding under threat of force. Every human interaction falls into one of those two categories, without exception. Reason or force, that’s it. In a truly moral and civilized society, people exclusively interact through persuasion. Force has no place as a valid method of social interaction, and the only thing that removes force from the menu is the personal firearm, as paradoxical as it may sound to some. When I carry a gun, you cannot deal with me by force. You have to use reason and try to persuade me, because I have a way to negate your threat or employment of force. The gun is the only personal weapon that puts a 100-pound woman on equal footing with a 220-pound mugger, a 75-year old retiree on equal footing with a 19-year old gang banger, and a single guy on equal footing with a carload of drunk guys with baseball bats. The gun removes the disparity in physical strength, size, or numbers between a potential attacker and a defender. There are plenty of people who consider the gun as the source of bad force equations. These are the people who think that we’d be more civilized if all guns were removed from society, because a firearm makes it easier for a [armed] mugger to do his job. That, of course, is only true if the mugger’s potential victims are mostly disarmed either by choice or by legislative fiat - it has no validity when most of a mugger’s potential marks are armed. People who argue for the banning of arms ask for automatic rule by the young, the strong, and the many, and that’s the exact opposite of a civilized society. A mugger, even an armed one, can only make a successful living in a society where the state has granted him a force monopoly. Then there’s the argument that the gun makes confrontations lethal that otherwise would only result in injury. This argument is fallacious in several ways. Without guns involved, confrontations are won by the physically superior party inflicting overwhelming injury on the loser. People who think that fists, bats, sticks, or stones don’t constitute lethal force watch too much TV, where people take beatings and come out of it with a bloody lip at worst. The fact that the gun makes lethal force easier works solely in favor of the weaker defender, not the stronger attacker. If both are armed, the field is level. The gun is the only weapon that’s as lethal in the hands of an octogenarian as it is in the hands of a weight lifter. It simply wouldn’t work as well as a force equalizer if it wasn’t both lethal and easily employable. When I carry a gun, I don’t do so because I am looking for a fight, but because I’m looking to be left alone. The gun at my side means that I cannot be forced, only persuaded. I don’t carry it because I’m afraid, but because it enables me to be unafraid. It doesn’t limit the actions of those who would interact with me through reason, only the actions of those who would do so by force. It removes force from the equation... And that’s why carrying a gun is a civilized act. By Maj. L. Caudill USMC (Ret.) Edited July 31, 2019 by 98Z5V Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98Z5V Posted July 31, 2019 Report Share Posted July 31, 2019 (edited) ^^^ That wasn't directed at you @Peachey in some kind of a direct manner - it was just seeing the words presented. You are not a target, just because you open carry. You'll only be a target if you look weak, and some predator thinks they can take you. You'll never be the "first target" just because you have a gun. You might be the "first target" if you have a gun, and don't look like it belongs on you. In the WAY wrong neighborhood, wrong time, etc. In those cases, I conceal, but I don't ever let any fucker think that I'm "that weak target that they'll attack." Just don't be weak. Your persona is what matters the most, even in what this world is becoming today. Conduct yourself in a manner, at all times, that "you never look like easy prey..." Edited July 31, 2019 by 98Z5V Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98Z5V Posted July 31, 2019 Report Share Posted July 31, 2019 I have been in a situation, here in AZ, in a small town - on my bike. Two drunk fuckheads in a truck saw me come out of a store, and get on the bike - they were sitting in the truck. The mouthy one said, "Hey, you need to give me your bike!" I told the asshead, "If you can take my bike from me, you can have it..." Silence... I sat on the bike and looked at them... Until they started their truck and drove off. Don't ever act like a victim, or prey. Yes, I was armed, they were too drunk to see the open-carry gun. Good for them, great decision on their part, before it went any further. They would NOT have left with my bike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peachey Posted July 31, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2019 Oh no worries @98Z5V. I do agree with you though, it's very true that attitude and confidence show outwardly in people that have it, those that don't, don't have it. I guess I try to imagine the bad guy mentality when I think of these things. That's what makes me more receptive and agreeable with the concept of potentially being a target. Of course I've never even been a guy, much less a bad one lol. I do know for a sure and certain fact from experience, that around here it's all about "street cred" or whatever they wanna call it. Our biggest legitimate worry is some young punk that fears his "cred" might suffer. I swear it seems like that's the basis of most of our local violent crimes. With that in mind, that threat is pretty easy to spot and avoid. Now to what I was starting this thread about, that's a different threat all together. That's a more idealized and agenda driven threat, which makes the situation entirely different than a embarrassed small time dope dealer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98Z5V Posted July 31, 2019 Report Share Posted July 31, 2019 As a woman, and a smaller one at that, you have a tougher time, by far. If you were a Yeti like Moo-chelle Obama - nobody would wanna have anything to do with you. As a smaller, non-yeti woman... you definitely have a tougher time, than a 7-foot tatted, stacked, 'roid-rage looking guy would. Your job ain't easy, and it's actually worse. That's a tough position to be in, I get it. Seen it. My baddest Ex was 5'2", blond, blue-eyed and about 125 pounds, and rock solid. She'd rather punch a fucker out than draw a gun - always looked like she was looking for a fight, once the "confrontation" might come out - she never had a problem, never needed her gun. Flip side to that coin, she always thought she was so tough, that she never "needed a man for anything, she could so it all on her own..." That's what ended that one... Attitude rules, always... Just don't let it rule you, overall, though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peachey Posted July 31, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2019 You just described me ten years ago lololol. Oh the stories I can't tell in public..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peachey Posted August 20, 2019 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2019 Well guys, I figured I'd update on my decision. First off, thank you to all of y'all for the awesome input. As always, I just love you guys, best forum ever!!! So after a lot of different opinions on options and trying a few different things out in person, I've basically decided to break my steadfast rule of using a bag. There's just no way I/we can find for a 110-115#ish (depending on food to coffee ratio that day LOLOL) woman to realistically, totally, conceal a firearm with any real stopping power that isn't limited by capacity. On my body at least. So I've basically decided to get one of those little hipster looking thigh pouch deals that clips to your belt and then around your thigh. Harley Davidson has one that shouldn't look too out of place with my normal attire. We're planning on riveting a holster to the inside to keep everything secure and the trigger guard covered up. In the meantime (until I do another bike wash for HD and get a gift card lol) we've got a Russian gas mask bag that will suffice on the same principal. I'm gonna go to the craft store and get some heavier buckles for it, but it should do what I need it to do. It is a compromise from what I originally wanted to achieve, but such is life. On the upside, I can at least carry what I'm used too and feel good about it if I ever need it. There's just a overwhelming comfort for me knowing I have MY pistol, and knowing if I do my part, it will do the same. I've carried and practiced with MY 1911 so much over the last few years, it just feels right and natural. Know what I mean? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hartig Posted August 20, 2019 Report Share Posted August 20, 2019 Going with what ya know is always a recipie for success. As long as you can deploy from such a carrier quick and smooth, why not? I can envision some draw practice time in front of the TV for you, I do this also. It's gotten so that my wife does not bat an eye at it anymore and even joins me on occasion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peachey Posted August 20, 2019 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2019 @Mark Hartig Yeah, exactly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cunuckgaucho Posted August 21, 2019 Report Share Posted August 21, 2019 A great way to do dry fire drills and get feedback, maybe even set it up on top of the TV. https://www.itargetpro.com/collections/frontpage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peachey Posted August 21, 2019 Author Report Share Posted August 21, 2019 @Cunuckgaucho That's pretty awesome! We've actually got a couple of pieces of tape on the hallway walls at different points that I/we sometimes dryfire at. I posted a pic in another thread of me with the .308 doing just that lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DNP Posted August 21, 2019 Report Share Posted August 21, 2019 So....it’s a Fanny Pack? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peachey Posted August 21, 2019 Author Report Share Posted August 21, 2019 (edited) No not quite. They have two clips that attach to your belt. Then it hangs down on your thigh. There's a smaller "belt" of sorts that wraps around the thigh to keep it tucked in tight. I'll see if I can find a picture of one... Very similar to this. Edited August 21, 2019 by Peachey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DNP Posted August 21, 2019 Report Share Posted August 21, 2019 Ok. It’s a fancy fanny pack. Mikedaddy gave me an Amazon one to keep the glock in. It ok. He says they’re cool again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peachey Posted August 21, 2019 Author Report Share Posted August 21, 2019 2 minutes ago, DNP said: Ok. It’s a fancy fanny pack. Mikedaddy gave me an Amazon one to keep the glock in. It ok. He says they’re cool again. Exactly, a fancy fanny pack! Lol. At least someone thinks they're cool again!! On a serious note, I do think it'll work out though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DNP Posted August 21, 2019 Report Share Posted August 21, 2019 Looks like it should do fine and fit in with the lifestyle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cunuckgaucho Posted August 21, 2019 Report Share Posted August 21, 2019 3 hours ago, Peachey said: @Cunuckgaucho That's pretty awesome! We've actually got a couple of pieces of tape on the hallway walls at different points that I/we sometimes dryfire at. I posted a pic in another thread of me with the .308 doing just that lol. The nice thing with the laser it scores your shots so you don't get lazy and simply pull the trigger without getting proper sight alignment. I just use one of my old phones in the cradle and leave it set up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
392heminut Posted August 21, 2019 Report Share Posted August 21, 2019 22 hours ago, Mark Hartig said: I can envision some draw practice time in front of the TV for you, Gawdamn Marshall Matt Dillon! I've shot up 3 TVs trying to outdraw that SOB! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98Z5V Posted August 22, 2019 Report Share Posted August 22, 2019 15 hours ago, 392heminut said: Gawdamn Marshall Matt Dillon! I've shot up 3 TVs trying to outdraw that SOB! That was good... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rsquared Posted August 24, 2019 Report Share Posted August 24, 2019 On 8/21/2019 at 9:47 AM, 392heminut said: Gawdamn Marshall Matt Dillon! I've shot up 3 TVs trying to outdraw that SOB! I'm glad that I'm not the only one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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