Open Carry in Florida?

[kjtrains]

http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/local/open-carry-law-under-consideration-01172011

Thoughts?

CCW.  What are your thoughts!    

[Reinz]

I personally see no advantage.  However I could see down the road if more and more people carry open, more people doing it.  And CCW holders carrying open out of lazinees or "it's too hot to dress this way", I'll go open.

But me, I'm always thinking "tactics".

[Aglifter]

A) FL currently has some pretty draconian laws about printing - OC makes for a simple legal standard.  

B) There are plenty of rural parts of FL, a few times, I would forget to cover before I started running into town on an errand - usually one of those "SunuVa" moments, when I broke something - it wouldn't be bad to not have to worry about it.

[Chief-USN]

 There is a huge disadvantage to open carrying. And that is the element of surprise. If a bad guy comes into an area where you are and he scopes the area out. When he sees you are armed, you may become his number one target as you are his biggest threat. If he does not see a gun, you are still probably his biggest threat but he does not know it. Yet.

Chief

[Richard S]

There is a huge disadvantage to open carrying. And that is the element of surprise. If a bad guy comes into an area where you are and he scopes the area out. When he sees you are armed, you may become his number one target as you are his biggest threat. If he does not see a gun, you are still probably his biggest threat but he does not know it. Yet.

Chief

Amen!

[Z]

Very true. If they don't see it, they don't know you have it. It's your advantage to conceal it.

[kjtrains]

There is a huge disadvantage to open carrying. And that is the element of surprise. If a bad guy comes into an area where you are and he scopes the area out. When he sees you are armed, you may become his number one target as you are his biggest threat. If he does not see a gun, you are still probably his biggest threat but he does not know it. Yet.

Chief

Very good thoughts!

[DDGator]

I have mixed feelings.  I would like the right to do it, and then decide where and when.  To me, open carry is mostly a political statement.

It would be nice to not have to worry about being a felon just because your cover garment comes open or rides up.

But, there is a definite tactical disadvantage.  I will go one further too.  When someone that doesn't like you wants to ruin your day, they call the cops and say (lie) you pointed your Glock 19 at them and threatened them.  Cops stop you and you have a Glock 19.   Your word against his -- sometimes you lose the probable cause game.

This is one of the reasons you don't tell people you carry, and you don't tell them what you carry.  When its out in the open, it just makes it that much easier to set you up and seem credible.

That being said -- I will support the movement in Florida and make my own decisions as to when it is appropriate.

[kjtrains]

More good thoughts.  I would like to have the ability to open carry or not.  Just peace of mind knowing you can.  

[chameleon]

There is a huge disadvantage to open carrying. And that is the element of surprise. If a bad guy comes into an area where you are and he scopes the area out. When he sees you are armed, you may become his number one target as you are his biggest threat. If he does not see a gun, you are still probably his biggest threat but he does not know it. Yet.

Chief

Excellent! I have been saying this for a long time. Not that all the other points against open Carry aren't valid, this one makes me laugh in a sense because all the hype about the "SHOOT ME FIRST" Vests, what do you think would happen if you had an exposed handgun? Who'd get shot first especially if you are the only one in any particular place. I realize there is strength in numbers, but who's your friend/back-up at that point?

[chameleon]

Something else scares me about this push nationwide for open carry, those of us that like concealed carry could have a chance of loosing that. Law makers don't like to give up anything without taking something.We as a nation would gain OC and loose CC.
I certainly could see some states doing this.

[Ratzo]

DD Gator, You know and I know that Most of the People that Open Carry cannot get a CCW,  We all have rights, but, do we have to make a Fool of one self, they make it so easy for someone to take it away and use it for some illegal reason.
When it is Concealed only you know it is there and you will pick the time to use it. I know someone reading this is saying I have my Rights, you do, but do not yell Fire in a Theatre.  Rights should be well thought out.

Also unless you have eyes in the back of you head, I hope you have a Good Holster.

[Chief-USN]

 Here in Florida open carry is allowed if you are going hunting or fishing. Usually does not involve being around many people in my case. But if I were going to open carry around the masses it would be in a retention holster for sure. Can you say Serpa?

Chief

[Lance M]

Here are my 2 cents on the subject.

I have had a carry permit in TN which allows open carry and currently have one in TX which does not.  I firmly beleive that for a variety of reasons one should carry concealed even if allow to open carry.  Those reasons are an entirely different conversation.  I like the open carry option in TN because if I accidently expose my handgun in TX, even if a chance breeze catches my jacket, I am breaking the law and can lose my CHL or worse.  Of course wearing a jacket in Houston is rare, but you get my meaning.

I support changeing the law in TX to allow open carry.  To me the only danger is that if too many exercise that right it could hurt the cause in the public eye.

[RickP]

CCW holders already have, by virtue of their not having done anything to prevent their getting a CCW permit, exhibited good judgment. Furthermore this thread is filled with people expressing good judgment discussing potential problems that could result from open carry in different situations. Many states now allow open carry and blood is not flowing in the streets. This law, if passed, places the judgment with the CCW holders where it should be, as well as removing potential legal problems should a concealed weapon become inadvertently exposed.

This law also allows CCW holders to carry on college campuses. As we have seen, "Gun Free Zones" do not work.

Rick