Why you don't open carry in close crowds
In the state of Utah (like many states) it’s perfectly legal to open carry your gun…
This means you can wear it on your hip for the whole world to see and it doesn’t have to be concealed at all.
For instance…
Recently, I went out to lunch.
I walked into the restaurant which was pretty crowded since it was lunch time.
Directly in front of me were two guys wearing guns on their hips.
In my small town this isn’t unusual.
I’ve seen guys open carry at food joints, the grocery store, and walking their kids to the school bus stop.
It’s what I love about living in a small and conservative town. Nobody cares or freaks out if they see someone walking around with a gun on their hip.
But here’s the thing…
When I was standing behind the two guys in the restaurant, I was very close to them.
I could have snatched their gun out of the holster in a heartbeat.
They weren’t paying attention to their surroundings.
If some criminal had been behind them, he could have had a gun in his hand in 2 seconds.
And this is why I don’t open carry in crowded places.
Pretty much the only time you’ll ever see me open carry is when I’m hiking in the mountains or when I’m training out at Spy Ranch.
Otherwise, if I’m running errands in town, my gun is concealed in my pocket (a Sig Sauer P365) or it’s on my hip (a Walther PDP.)
I totally understand that it’s legal to open carry in a lot of places… just make sure if you do it, you pay close attention to who’s around.
More than one police officer has been killed by his own gun and you certainly don’t want your gun to be used on you either.
This is also why it’s vital (and why I always shout from the rooftops) to learn simple self-defense moves in case you need to stop someone from taking your gun.
Of course, I hope that you never have to use any of these moves, but I’d rather be safe than sorry.
Stay safe,
Jason
Last edited by senor honda; Nov 29, 2022 at 02:54 PM.