Florida Shooters Network

Prefer concealed! The fewer people that know you're carrying, the better!

Concealed gets in the way as it is, a gun hanging outside your clothing is a pain in the ass if you're constantly moving.

Nope, I'll stay concealed.

I'd definitely sport more OC when around the wife's liberal friends. And probably more at my own BBQs. And more on quick trips around town (advantage small town!).

Been doing it for months now.

In Iowa if you have a conceal carry permit, you can legally open carry.

So it depends on the weather, is it cold or raining, I'm wearing a jacket over the handgun on my hip. Is it a warm summer day, or is it actually hot. I'm open carrying.

Here is what I've discovered. If you look like you belong, people assume you belong. If I wear a polo and some kind of low profile cargo pant like 24/7s people assume it's your job to be armed.

But if you have an arm sleeve of tattoos, a t shirt with a stupid slogan and jeans combined with flip flops you might as well be in Chipolte Grill with a slung AK taking pictures for facebook.

Another important distinction, be polite. If you are getting food and words like"please" and "thank you" come out of your mouth everyone assumes you must be some kind of professional. If you complain about how long the food is taking and have a profanity laced vocabulary you are now "scary guy with the gun who might start shooting any second."

I was actually sitting in a booth eating my food a month ago when an elderly woman with her grandkids noticed the gun on my belt and "thanked me for keeping everyone safe." That kind of thing didn't happen too often when I lived in FL and maybe that is a big part of the difference.

When I open carry here, I'm not being an advocate, I'm just being weather practical.

By chance you didn't have one of those concealed weapon badges on your belt about 3 inches from your firearm as in the way that police officers display their badge next to their gun when in plain clothes ?

Because 9 out of 10 people I see open carrying have something similar.... trying to draw even more attention to themselves.

I wont OC. Now, if florida ever become OC i can just imagine the people of miami doing it. For some reason i find this funny with as much violence as they have there.

The option would be good, but I'd pretty much keep covered. One just would not have to worry as much on a breezy day or bending to a low shelf or reaching up to a higher shelf.
Another point would be carrying a full sized pistol instead of a sub-compact.

P5 Guy wrote: ↑Tue Aug 21, 2018 7:36 am The option would be good, but I'd pretty much keep covered. One just would not have to worry as much on a breezy day or bending to a low shelf or reaching up to a higher shelf.

The above is my thought as well. Would be nice to not worry about accidentally exposing a firearm and the potential drama that might ensue.

neverenoughguns wrote: ↑Tue Aug 21, 2018 7:54 am

P5 Guy wrote: ↑Tue Aug 21, 2018 7:36 am The option would be good, but I'd pretty much keep covered. One just would not have to worry as much on a breezy day or bending to a low shelf or reaching up to a higher shelf.

The above is my thought as well. Would be nice to not worry about accidentally exposing a firearm and the potential drama that might ensue.

Wasn't there a law passed a few years ago that addressed that problem?

Edit: Found it!

790.053 Open Carrying of Weapons.—
(1) Except as otherwise provided by law and in subsection (2), it is unlawful for any person to openly carry on or about his or her person any firearm or electric weapon or device. It is not a violation of this section for a person licensed to carry a concealed firearm as provided in s. 790.06(1), and who is lawfully carrying a firearm in a concealed manner, to briefly and openly display the firearm to the ordinary sight of another person, unless the firearm is intentionally displayed in an angry or threatening manner, not in necessary self-defense.