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Carrying in Georgia and the Southeast

2K views 31 replies 17 participants last post by  Nugene 
#1 ·
I'm noticing the trend in my neck of the woods is moving toward open carry. I'm noticing more and more open carry, and a lot more versions of discrete carry where "concealed" was once the preferred option.

This makes me optimistic that guns are a far less taboo subject than it once was, at least in my neck of the woods. And yes, even in Georgia there was a slight taboo nature to firearms being carried in public during years past.

I think folks around here are truly fed up and just simply don't care what the anti-gun folks think or if it offends anyone's sensibilities. I think it is best to assume that all adult males who are physically capable of carrying are carrying... especially if their children are present. I see it all the time, and the trend is growing.

I think it is a fair and needed response to the current political climate. I think the response is far overdue, but better late than never. While certain parts of the country are busy trying to normalize Islamic hate and transgender bathrooms, we are busy normalizing the Right to Keep and Bear Arms.

I'm wondering, do any of my fellow Southern brethren notice the same trend? Or am I just getting better at noticing these details?
 
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#2 ·
Maybe a little of both- its becoming more common and you're paying better attention to such things... its also late spring, and the weather is more conducive to OC.

In the NC Sandhills, I see OC a couple of times a week, on average, from about April through October... its been that way for several years. Its simply not a major issue here...
 
#4 ·
We do not see a lot of open carry around here where I live.

But I do it fairly often as my wife and I carry openly on our place while doing our chores. This for a number of reasons. And if I have to go into town for something. I just do not see a need to change my work clothes so to speak. It is pretty much a non issue around me. Most people do not even notice.
 
#6 ·
Most people do not even notice.
^^^THIS^^^

AND it also probably applies to the vast majority of the membership here as well. Despite much talk about "situational awareness ", few really understand what that means, fewer still have been educated and trained in observational skills and cognitive enhancement to process, sort, manage, prioritize, and utilize what they see.

I would suggest that just because one doesn't "see" OC with regularity doesn't mean it doesn't exist around them...
 
#7 ·
I'm starting to wonder if some of the increase in carry that I've seen has more to do with the most recent Georgia gun legislation. It would appear that a Military I.D. card serves as a Weapons Carry License. Also, I live near a Military base... hmmmm.

That has to have some effect.
 
#9 ·
Does GA require a permit or license for OC....? If so, than your explaination may have some validity - a new group of people carrying that may not have bothered to get a permit. If OC is permitless, then the changes in law don't effect OC.

I think some of your initial observations bear more consideration: citizens carrying arms for personal protection is becoming more commonplace, and more socially acceptable. While in the past, doing so was something that was not discused in polite company, it seems to be more socially acceptable now, even among the left-leaning. With carry more common, and less secretive, people may be less concerned about absolute concealment, or more focused on comfort over concealment.
 
#8 ·
I use to worry about printing but now I could care less.

I spoke to my neighbor with mine up under my arm because I had taken it out of the holster for the drive home. After about 5 min her son asked about it, she hadn't even noticed it sticking out in plain sight. Sometimes at church with a short shirt it becomes visible if I raise a hand and I've even been giving announcements and my wife tell me later that my grip was sticking out...lol I've switched to appendix carry so I typically don't have that issue anymore but it still shows when my hands go up. Now it just looks like I'm a little fatter.
 
#10 ·
If I see someone carrying openly it's probably in the LGS or at the range. Otherwise it's a very rare occurrence. Still, although I seldom open carry, my area is gun-friendly enough that I don't worry about printing when I carry concealed. I'm not worried about some liberal whack-job calling the cops about a man with a gun.
 
#12 ·
I just asked my wife how she would feel if I switched to open carry instead of my usual "discrete" carry. She gave me a bit fat "NO". lol

I reckon the gun carry culture in my family is set by Momma. What Georgia does ends at my property line lol

WCCountry, as stated previously, all forms of carry require a Weapons Carry License unless in ones vehicle or property.
I find there are a lot of Georgian's that are still confused about that.
 
#13 ·
We have no open carry here in Florida. I am not a fan of open carry because I don't need anyone to know I am armed. It is a pain here in Florida especially in the summer when it is miserably hot and humid, as it is in many parts of the country. I am sure it will happen sooner or later but there is a lot of opposition to it here in state government. The usual political crap. I have traveled all over the country and have never seen anyone open carry with the exception of a small town in rural Texas. It just causes more hassles than it is worth. Just my opinion.
 
#14 ·
I choose not to advertise that I'm armed. For me personally, open carry law allows me not to be paranoid about printing and keeping my handgun out of sight in my vehicle. I hunt deer and hogs with a handgun. One location is 150 miles from my home. When stopping to eat breakfast at my favorite place, Il wear an empty holster into the café. The 6 inch Smith will be locked in my tool box. I elect not to raise eyebrows or offend someone. Also the revolver is big and cumbersome. This method is the same one that I've used for 30 years when traveling this route to the same lease to hunt with the same handgun.
 
#15 ·
You may be suprised to find that OC, in many if not most places, doesn't really raise eyebrows or cause offence.... I do understand that OCing a pistol is a relatively new and novel privilage in TX- yet I haven't heard of flared tempers exploding, road rage devolving to gunplay, daily violance, and blood flowing knee deep in the streets...

As it relates to the subject at hand, rather than be a catalyst for violence, the open display of arms facilitates an environment that isn't particularly conducive to neither random crime or spontaneous violence. The vast majority of criminals will tell you that they don't want a victim fighting back, and most normal people prefer to keep their temper in check rather than pick a fight with someone they know to be armed....
 
#16 ·
The Texas Open Carry law requires one to have a chl in order to do so. Requirements are high; screening is thorough. For the 20 or so years since chl's became obtainable, statistics compiled by the state show that chl holders have had a very compliance rate with the law. Data show a breakdown by county, age, and so on. Therefore, I conclude that these same persons would continue to comply whether or not they carry concealed or openly.

I am not likely to carry openly because I would not be comfortable doing so. The key word is comfortable. My unsubstantiated opinion is that if I did, others would become uncomfortable. I wish not to offend or give any other person negative views about handguns. Now if you choose to carry openly and have a chl, then that's your business.

I've seen two persons carrying a handgun openly. Both were wearing Stetson hats, western boots, and cowboy gun belts complete with ammo loops and low slung holsters. If they had chl's, they were legal.
 
#17 ·
Open carry.....

I prefer to carry concealed. Even though FLA can get hot and humid, I would still prefer to carry concealed, and a good holster choice is needed. I have carried concealed since FL allowed concealed carry permits back in the late 1980's, and have never had to draw my weapon. However, if I ever have the need to draw my weapon, I want the element of surprise if the situation presents itself.....
 
#18 ·
However, if I ever have the need to draw my weapon, I want the element of surprise if the situation presents itself.....
I find interesting that some who have never experianced quickly dismiss it. I would suggest one keep an open mind about techniques that one has no experience with...

The "element of suprise" is the default "advantage" of CC... personally, I prefer that an event end before it begins because a miscreant decided NOT to attempt to victimize an armed man....

I look at it this way: most advertise that their home has an alarm system, yard signs and window decals.... why do this if one want the "element of suprise"? The reason is simple - a marked house is about 10x LESS likely to be the target of a break in. Even if an alarm suprise a BG and forces him to abandon his efforts, he still already kicked your door in or broken a window, and caused some loss.

The same principle applies - an event avoided completely is far better than drawing a gun, or shooting and possibly killing someone... the latter is at best a hassle, at worst, some time in lockup.
 
#19 ·
I live on the GA / AL line...literally. So I see it in both states. And to answer your question - yes I have noticed much more open carry then ever before. I "size up" people almost all the time. I always have. For About five years, I have been actively playing a game - "who's packing?" Primarily when I started the game, I looked for printing and CCW. I was surprised how often I could tell...it is very hard not to do. If me and my wife are out to dinner, she will ask me; "so, how many folks are packing"? I usually always know...or think I do.

Some of the trends that I have noticed are:

Much more OC.

CCW guys seem to have much nicer holsters than OC guys. I swear, I have had a hard time containing myself when I see what sad ass holsters some of these guys use. Thier guns look like they are gonna fall off their pants. Wore out Velcro everywhere.

Some bars have more CCW guys than you may think.

Many women who open carry like full size service pistols.

During the day, even despite work uniforms, almost all the BBQ restaurants patrons / men are packing (80%). I think you are likely safer ina BBQ Joint than anywhere else, at least in these here parts.
 
#21 ·
Some of the trends that I have noticed are:

Much more OC.

I've noticed an increase in this as well over the last few years...

CCW guys seem to have much nicer holsters than OC guys. I swear, I have had a hard time containing myself when I see what sad ass holsters some of these guys use. Thier guns look like they are gonna fall off their pants. Wore out Velcro everywhere.

Not sure one can assume CCers have "better" holsters than OCers- you very rarely see the former, while the latter are on display.

Some bars have more CCW guys than you may think.

Around here, people OC in the bar- its legal to drink while Oacing, but not CCing... brilliant.

Many women who open carry like full size service pistols.

I've noticed this enough that it stands out, but most who OC aren't carrying subcompacts or micro guns; its part of the benifit of OC. Maybe its just a preconceived bias that females always carry smaller guns...?
This time of year, I see a couple people OCing a week, on average. I'll usually ID about the same number that I believe to be CCing, though its a little more difficult to "prove". I presume that the numbers are about the same because while CC is more difficult to spot, there's far more practitioners.

My experience with how OCers present seems to be differnent than yours. Easily 50%+ are carrying plastic guns in what appears to be adequate plastic holsters. Of the remaining 50%, its probably evenly divided between adequet to decent leather and bad nylon (or any loose fitting, sloppy holster). The vast majority come across as normal, respectable people... only a handful present what I would consider a negative 2A image to the neutral masses.
 
#20 ·
Oklahoma is OC with a CCL. Yet, one seldom sees OC in cities like Tulsa or OKC. It is much more common in Coweta, Wagoner, Bugtussle, and other lesser cities.
 
#25 ·
As someone else stated, here in gun friendly Florida OC is not legal. In the northern part of the state, Jacksonville to Pensacola, it's a more rural area then down south. You would expect to see more OC but since it's not legal, people just don't when they're off their property. There's a "pending" bill in the state legislature to de-criminalize un-intended or momentarily printing/exposing your carry firearm. It's sitting in Committee, I believe held up by a Republican. The concern is that this bill would lead to OC.
If someone has more recent news, please advise.
 
#28 ·
In south Alabama you do see more OC than we use to, but CC still rules the roost here. Most LE do not really care one way or another how you carry just respect the establishment you are going in if they do not like OC. All they can do is ask you to leave. I have CC for most of my life and never had a problem. It is going through states that have restrictions that bother me when traveling, lets hope this gets solved soon.
 
#29 ·
A brief burst of O.C. in the last two years.

I'm noticing the trend in my neck of the woods is moving toward open carry. I'm noticing more and more open carry, and a lot more versions of discrete carry where "concealed" was once the preferred option.

I'm wondering, do any of my fellow Southern brethren notice the same trend? Or am I just getting better at noticing these details?
That brief burst was enough to get the antis to look up and have somebody capable read the law to them. Before the burst of O.C. I never saw a valid "No CCW" sign *except at the gun show* (which I stopped attending). Now I park in front of signs 2 - 3 times a week*. The signs now come in two-fers prohibiting both O.C. and C.C. -Some- only post the O.C. sign; but too many post both.


* The sign, however, it doesn't apply to me: I'm going to an unposted building, owned by a different organization, where I'm on the security team and specifically invited to C.C. But I do not like being where some person of peculiarly poor judgement is advertizing for mayhem. J -;
 
#30 ·
That brief burst was enough to get the antis to look up and have somebody capable read the law to them. Before the burst of O.C. I never saw a valid "No CCW" sign *except at the gun show* (which I stopped attending). Now I park in front of signs 2 - 3 times a week*. The signs now come in two-fers prohibiting both O.C. and C.C. -Some- only post the O.C. sign; but too many post both.


* The sign, however, it doesn't apply to me: I'm going to an unposted building, owned by a different organization, where I'm on the security team and specifically invited to C.C. But I do not like being where some person of peculiarly poor judgement is advertizing for mayhem. J -;
Lucky for us here in GA, signes mean nothing.

Sled
 
#32 ·
I too live in Georgia. I always carry concealed no matter what time of year because I don't want anyone to know I'm strapped, good guy's or bad.
I do carry open if I'm in the woods or on my own property, but in public, not so much.
Even though the whole Southeast has a reciprocal agreement with GA., I always check the local laws if I'm going to carry in another state.
 
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