Open carry versus concealed carry. People have very strong viewpoints on this issue, and, interestingly enough, there doesn’t seem to be much middle ground in this area. The people who advocate for open carry are all-in on that, and the people who advocate for concealed carry are just as convinced that they are right.
Now, why do people advocate for open carrying of firearms (other than on duty law enforcement officers)? Often, it comes down to three ideas. One idea is that they open carry because they legally can.
That’s it. They can do it, so, they think that they should do it.
Maybe there is deeper thinking behind that idea, but if the only reason to open carry (assuming that you think that there are no reasons to not open carry) is because you can, then, I might suggest that just because something can be done doesn’t mean that it should be done.
Another common reason that people open carry is the idea that if there is going to be a crime committed, especially if it is an active shooter incident, the person who is open carrying wants to be the person that the criminal comes for first. It seems likely that the person open carrying for this reason is of the impression that they can stop a would-be criminal or would-be active shooter before that person can injure or kill anyone.
I appreciate the courage and, yes, bravado of that idea. I just don’t think that it’s the wisest way to handle those kinds of situations due to the tactical benefits of surprise which will be addressed in the video below.
The third reason that a few people will give for open carrying is that it’s a faster draw than concealed carry, which is often true (though, with the right set up and practice, you can get pretty quick with drawing from concealment). But I’ll suggest considering the benefit of surprise in a violent encounter which, again, will be addressed in the video below.
So, giving the other side of the issue, Will Workman has three reasons why you should NOT open carry. You can watch that video below.
After watching that, what do you think? Is open carry or concealed carry the better option? Comment below.