Over at Bearing Arms Tom Knighton presents a discussion with a fellow gun blogger on Is Open Carry Idiotic, or Just a Topic for Debate? In the post, Knighton takes up an article by Kat Ainsworth Stevens. Now, Ms. Stevens doesn't dispute anyone's right to open carry. She just thinks it is unwise to do so.
From a tactical standpoint, open carry is…unwise. There are a lot of guys who will argue that having a visible firearm serves as a deterrent. Mr. Bad Dude, they reason, will see that gun and think twice about messing with [insert location here].
However, Mr. Bad Dude is just as likely to see Dude With Visible Weapon as the first target to take out. That or Bad Dude might think, hey!…a freebie!…and proceed to take that gun (ask me how many hardcore open carriers have proper handgun retention training).
When you conceal your gun, you take any potential weapons-based target off your back, you stop looking like a loot drop, and you retain the element of surprise.
I agree with Ms. Stevens on this point. It makes no sense to draw attention to yourself as carrying a gun. Too many people have been "SWATed" by anti-gunners, and some have been thereby killed. As discussed above, why remove the element of surprise? As long as your gun remains concealed, you have the option to engage at a time and place of your chosing, not that of the Bad Dude. You should take advantage of it.
I have to run now, but please read the entire article and also the embedded article. And as the Liberty Doll says, "Happy Shooting."
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