Unless you live in some state that pretends they have the authority to outlaw open carry, why worry about printing? I usually conceal to be polite but if you see that I'm carrying - it's not that big a deal. All you need is a pair of pants that's a little on the large side and a moderately loose shirt.
If it bugs you tho, that's cool. There are some good, smaller .45s out there (did I mention Kahr?
) and hunting for that perfect pistol is tons of fun. Good hunting!
Personally, I don't think on these terms. I wholeheartedly support open carry because it's a person's Right but I think it's a bad idea overall. That's my personal choice though and not to be interpreted to mean I think everyone should agree.
PA is, by default, an open carry State because there's no law or regulation disallowing it.
However, I'm of the opinion CCW is better. My personal reasons are these:
1. It's a tactical advantage. If no one knows you are carrying, the less likely you will be a "first one taken out" in 'that' type of scenario. You can and if you choose to respond to a "situation," any perpetrator might be surprised by it.
2. Less of a hassle with LE. Remember that I'm LE and have to respond to "a dude with a gun" call...and what my initial thoughts are, based upon known information. The caller is often panic-stricken simply because there's a gun
present - not that the gun is actually being used in a crime...that it's just being worn on a leg or belt holster. We all go into "high alert" and most times, it's unfounded. The person is just walking down the street, stops into a 7-11 and buys a cup of coffee. Someone in that store panics and calls 9-1-1. We get there and the situation, given testosterone and adrenalin, have the potential of needlessly getting way out of hand.
3. No one needs to know your business. Meaning, no one needs to know [IMO] that you are a gun owner...to then follow you home to find out where you live with the idea on robbing your home of its weapons.
A bit of back story on #2 - I'm an FTO with a new hire. Dispatch took that very call and dispatched me and 1 other unit. The caller was panicked and reported
__description__ male with a gun in a 7-11 - and hung up the phone. The call-back yielded no response. We arrived and observed [from outside] the "perpetrator" who was carrying a Glock 17 in a thigh rig, just standing there chatting with the store clerk. The clerk appeared [through the window] to be engaged in a very cordial conversation with the "perp" to include a bit of laughing on both their parts. We entered the store [cautiously but non-nonchalantly] and the clerk looked over and said, "hey guys. How's the night going?" I stayed at the counter and I sent my partner to find the caller. My back-up unit remained outside but right at the door. The "perp" never even flinched and readily engaged in conversation without an attitude - or even a hint at "doing something illegal." The caller was another customer who was hiding in the back of the store.
I asked the "perp" for ID, being that a complaint was called in about him. He had no issue with giving me his ID and happily complied. I ran the "perp" through NCIC and he came back absolutely clean. My partner [rookie] and I had a bit of a disagreement [well, he had more questions than a disagreement] about my handling of the situation to where I stated firmly, "he has the Right." My partner looked at me like I had a 3rd eye in the middle of my forehead. The "perp" thanked me for understanding the Law [or more to the point, recognizing the lack of one]. I suggested to the "perp" that while I understand and agree that he has the absolute "Right"......that perhaps he might consider a CCW instead to help avoid these situations. He went on his merry way without even a hiccup.
I spent the next 45 mins explaining it to my partner [it's not like we were busy anyway].
The point is that while yes, in my State it is your Right, perhaps utilizing the CCW is a better way. That has to be a personal choice though.
