The Open Carry Argument

[ATM]

I hope your luck holds up. I've unfortunately had to deal with OC'ers on several occasions due to somebody having an issue with the way they carried.

Why not deal with the person who has the issues?

 

[eldirector]

Always wondered how one "deals with on OC-er". Are you required to make contact? Just observe? Tell the MWAG caller to stop wasting your time?

I've yet to be the victim of a MWAG call, so have no first-hand experience. Well, that I know of. Maybe Kut and others HAVE responded to my OC, and simply shrugged it off.

 

[chipbennett]

I hope your luck holds up. I've unfortunately had to deal with OC'ers on several occasions due to somebody having an issue with the way they carried.

Why do you have to "deal" with them? What's wrong with telling the busybodies (or the perpetually aggrieved) to call you back when they see unlawful behavior, and leave it at that?

 

[CPT Nervous]

We don't "deal" with OCers here. Just tell the complainant that it's legal and move on.

I've been OCing for five years, and I've never encountered any "headaches" along the way.

 

[nakinate]

Why do you have to "deal" with them? What's wrong with telling the busybodies (or the perpetually aggrieved) to call you back when they see unlawful behavior, and leave it at that?

In all fairness, according to what I've read on INGO, the act of carrying a handgun in Indiana is illegal. It is incumbent upon the carrier to prove they are licensed. Following that logic it would seem that unless your LTCH is visible for all to see then the MWAG caller can only assume you are committing a misdemeanor.

 

[cbhausen]

I hope your luck holds up. I've unfortunately had to deal with OC'ers on several occasions due to somebody having an issue with the way they carried.

How about telling the complainant to quit wasting your time instead?

 

[CPT Nervous]

In all fairness, according to what I've read on INGO, the act of carrying a handgun in Indiana is illegal. It is incumbent upon the carrier to prove they are licensed. Following that logic it would seem that unless your LTCH is visible for all to see then the MWAG caller can only assume you are committing a misdemeanor.

I, for one, will not stop someone solely for the act of carrying a handgun.

Neither will any of our officers, or the county deputies.

 

[Dead Duck]

That's why you should always have your Conceal Carry Badge visible.

 

[nakinate]

I, for one, will not stop someone solely for the act of carrying a handgun.

I wouldn't expect you to, but chip said that the MWAG caller should call back when they see unlawful behavior. Due to the language of the law that is exactly what they are doing when they call cops over an OCer.

 

[2A_Tom]

Sometimes you act obtuse, but we all know you are acute lil' angle.

 

[CPT Nervous]

I wouldn't expect you to, but chip said that the MWAG caller should call back when they see unlawful behavior. Due to the language of the law that is exactly what they are doing when they call cops over an OCer.

It doesn't warrant police attention.

 

[Kutnupe14]

Why do you have to "deal" with them? What's wrong with telling the busybodies (or the perpetually aggrieved) to call you back when they see unlawful behavior, and leave it at that?

Believe it or not, our dispatchers in recent years have been handling those call for us. The won't dispatch on MWAG calls unless there's some accompanying behavior to go along with. But there in lies the problem. It's very similar to "black guy in the neighborhood" calls. They won't dispatch on that either. However, the good public has gotten wise, knowing that there needs to be something else to "justify" a police response. So typically MWAG calls are relayed from the complainant as the person looking like he's about to rob a location, casing a house, following people, intimidating people, or even walking around with gun in hand. One can't simply say, "oh they're just upset that someone is oc'ing" (which 99% of the time is true), a response is required.

 

[cbhausen]

Are these good people being cited for false reporting?

 

[chipbennett]

In all fairness, according to what I've read on INGO, the act of carrying a handgun in Indiana is illegal. It is incumbent upon the carrier to prove they are licensed. Following that logic it would seem that unless your LTCH is visible for all to see then the MWAG caller can only assume you are committing a misdemeanor.

That is an excellent point - and exemplifies why the wording of the statutes is unconstitutional and needs to change.

 

[chipbennett]

Believe it or not, our dispatchers in recent years have been handling those call for us. The won't dispatch on MWAG calls unless there's some accompanying behavior to go along with. But there in lies the problem. It's very similar to "black guy in the neighborhood" calls. They won't dispatch on that either. However, the good public has gotten wise, knowing that there needs to be something else to "justify" a police response. So typically MWAG calls are relayed from the complainant as the person looking like he's about to rob a location, casing a house, following people, intimidating people, or even walking around with gun in hand. One can't simply say, "oh they're just upset that someone is oc'ing" (which 99% of the time is true), a response is required.

So, basically, the law-abiding OCers are being SWATted? And the call is probably ambiguous enough that there's not enough evidence to string the caller up on a false-report charge?

I'm happy to hear that more departments are handling MWAG calls in this way (stopped at dispatch, unless there's an allegation of unlawful activity), though. Progress!

 

[cbhausen]

Want to stop this crap, at least when the complainant is close enough to you? Draw your camera phone and record them. Hell, interview them. And, if you see anyone else getting hassled for carrying, pull that phone and record it. Most of these anti-gun freedom-hating goody two-shoes will turn tail and run like a scared deer when they know their illegal (yes, ILLEGAL) acts are being recorded.

Now, as for us pro-gun freedom-loving patriotic Americans, we relish the opportunity to spread the positive message of Liberty and the personal responsibility that goes along with it.

 

[LockStocksAndBarrel]

Here's a good article from The Truth About Guns.


Guns for Beginners: Three Ways to Make Open Carry Safer

By Robert Farago on November 19, 2015


"In the latest edition of Guns magazine, Massad Ayoob offer some cautionary tales of open carry gone wrong. They’re not very many and they’re not very convincing. The gun guru only provides one clear example of a gun snatch from an average open carrier. The bad guy shot and killed him with his own gun."

 

[MCgrease08]

I definitely need to get a retention holster.

I haven't been open carrying much recently, but every so often I get the itch. Currently I have a Raven Concealment Systems owb holster for my G19, but there's no retention at all.

I've been looking at both the Safariland ALS and the Blackhawk Serpa but haven't landed on one over the other.

 

[Dead Duck]

Here's a good article from The Truth About Guns.


Guns for Beginners: Three Ways to Make Open Carry Safer

By Robert Farago on November 19, 2015


"In the latest edition of Guns magazine, Massad Ayoob offer some cautionary tales of open carry gone wrong. They’re not very many and they’re not very convincing. The gun guru only provides one clear example of a gun snatch from an average open carrier. The bad guy shot and killed him with his own gun."

This is only one reason why I take what Ayoob says with a grain of sand. (or is it salt)
He has not been a fan of OC in the past. If he's coming around, fine. But it's not enough for most.
And boy does he have a whole bunch of big city police force stories that all seem to have happened in that very quaint small town department he worked for.

 

[LockStocksAndBarrel]

I definitely need to get a retention holster.

I haven't been open carrying much recently, but every so often I get the itch. Currently I have a Raven Concealment Systems owb holster for my G19, but there's no retention at all.

I've been looking at both the Safariland ALS and the Blackhawk Serpa but haven't landed on one over the other.

It's great that you have a lot of choices. Carrying a CZ limits my choices severely. I landed on IMI level 2 rigs and I'm happy with them. Long way to ship, though. Israel.