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My carry style, recently

()pen(arry

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2010
Messages
735
Location
Seattle, WA; escaped from 18 years in TX
Lately, I don't so much choose whether to carry open or concealed as I decide what's more comfortable with the shirt I'm wearing. If it would be awkward to tuck the shirt inside the grip of the PPQ, I drape it over; otherwise, I carry openly. At no time, however, do I give two rat sh'ts about whether it's obvious that I'm carrying. So if I'm wearing a shirt that is too long comfortably to tuck inside the grip, I drape it over, and even if it's a less bulky shirt and it's completely obvious I have something decidedly non-organic underneath, I really don't care. I don't have to care. So I don't.

Occasionally I feel like I should open carry, and that I should wear shirts that make that more convenient. Then I remember that I don't have to care. Carrying is my right. I don't need to make a statement, and I don't need to coddle the feelings of pansies. The only purpose is to carry, because I choose to. If someone knows I'm carrying, great! That furthers normalization. But I am under no obligation to go to any length to make it obvious that I'm carrying. I simply do what's most convenient and comfortable for me at that time, and all I care about is that I'm carrying.

I do have a drop/offset extension for my BladeTech paddle, and I've been thinking about adding that on, since in this weather it would let me open carry comfortably more often. It's also less comfortable to sit down while it's on, so I haven't added it on yet. The great thing is that there's absolutely no urgency in the decision. I don't have to care. I'm carrying, and that's all I care about.

Man, I love Washington's gun laws. F'Texas.
 

fire suppressor

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2008
Messages
870
Location
Kitsap County
Personally I do not care if someone open carries or conceals what matters most to me is that people carry. Why do I open carry? A lot of reasons but one of the biggest reasons is comfort. Carrying a gun is not effective unless it is comfortable otherwise it turns into a chore. A very big reason why I open carry is because of its comfort. I know my rights and what is and is not legal. In six years I have had some mixed interactions but never a bad day. If it offends someone too bad. Every time I see someone walking down the street wearing a Obama shirt or a pot shirt I get offend but I leave them alone. Why because it is their right to wear what ever shirt they want regardless of my views. And it is my legal right to openly and proudly carry my firearm
 

fire suppressor

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2008
Messages
870
Location
Kitsap County
I am going to assume then you are from Texas? Of all the states that do not allow open carry Texas always surprised me. I would think for heat reasons alone trying to always cover up would get difficult
 

Grim_Night

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2012
Messages
776
Location
Pierce County, Washington
Personally I do not care if someone open carries or conceals what matters most to me is that people carry. Why do I open carry? A lot of reasons but one of the biggest reasons is comfort. Carrying a gun is not effective unless it is comfortable otherwise it turns into a chore. A very big reason why I open carry is because of its comfort. I know my rights and what is and is not legal. In six years I have had some mixed interactions but never a bad day. If it offends someone too bad. Every time I see someone walking down the street wearing a Obama shirt or a pot shirt I get offend but I leave them alone. Why because it is their right to wear what ever shirt they want regardless of my views. And it is my legal right to openly and proudly carry my firearm

I have learned that it's so much easier to pen carry then it is to conceal carry. If you carry concealed and are worrying about carrying concealed, you constantly have to make sure that your firearm is concealed. If you carry openly and are legally allowed to carry concealed, you simply carry openly and if the firearm accidentally becomes concealed, who cares? lol
 

OlGutshotWilly

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jun 30, 2008
Messages
443
Location
Snohomish, WA, ,
I have learned that it's so much easier to pen carry then it is to conceal carry. If you carry concealed and are worrying about carrying concealed, you constantly have to make sure that your firearm is concealed. If you carry openly and are legally allowed to carry concealed, you simply carry openly and if the firearm accidentally becomes concealed, who cares? lol

Why do you have to worry or make sure it is concealed?

If you are carrying concealed and it accidentally becomes open, then it is also perfectly legal and who cares?
 

Grim_Night

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2012
Messages
776
Location
Pierce County, Washington
Why do you have to worry or make sure it is concealed?

If you are carrying concealed and it accidentally becomes open, then it is also perfectly legal and who cares?

I have to worry because of such places that either don't allow open carry such as my former and current college or places that don't allow firearms or weapons even though it's not illegal to carry such things such as hospitals.
 

OlGutshotWilly

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jun 30, 2008
Messages
443
Location
Snohomish, WA, ,
I have to worry because of such places that either don't allow open carry such as my former and current college or places that don't allow firearms or weapons even though it's not illegal to carry such things such as hospitals.

Grim,
I appreciate and understand what you are saying about the places that you carry concealed within because you have to.

But the way your original statement was written, gave the impression that you were commenting on "carry" in general, in that if your weapon accidentally became covered, it was legal if you had your CPL, but that if concealed one could face repercussions if it was accidentally revealed.

One of the nice things about WA state, is that we are not penalized for "printing" or accidentally letting our concealed gun become openly visible accidentally.

Cheers.
 

Coyote_VS_ACME

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2013
Messages
37
Location
Bummertown
I have a question and it will drift OT a bit, but the convo here makes a good jump point to ask.

I have two co workers that are gun nuts (meant in a good way), that argued with me that if you have a concealed permit, you are forbidden from carrying open. I know this is not the case but lack the panache to make them understand this.
 

1245A Defender

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 7, 2009
Messages
4,365
Location
north mason county, Washington, USA
Wowwie!!!

I have a question and it will drift OT a bit, but the convo here makes a good jump point to ask.

I have two co workers that are gun nuts (meant in a good way), that argued with me that if you have a concealed permit, you are forbidden from carrying open. I know this is not the case but lack the panache to make them understand this.

that is the oldest BS in the book...

bet they learned that piece of the LAW by asking a COP!!

what do you do if you accidentally forget your wallet and CPL at home?
 

1245A Defender

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 7, 2009
Messages
4,365
Location
north mason county, Washington, USA
And,,,

Ask them if they have drivers licences. If so, are not allowed to walk anymore?


ask them if they have a pilots license ?????

soooo now they cant neither walk,, nor can they drive anymore too....

it is terrible,,, I have a CPL, so cant OC now..
I have a drivers license,,, so cant walk anywhere...
And a pilots license,,, so cant drive anywhere....

Ever try to fly to the Safeway,,, the Gfc????
 

EMNofSeattle

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2012
Messages
3,670
Location
S. Kitsap, Washington state
No, in WA there is nothing in the law that allows a sheriff to modify CPL requirements and nothing that mandates concealed carry.

Remind them that 49/50 states and the federal government follow English law tradition, laws forbid acts, not allow them. If no law exists regarding CPLs forbidding open carry then it is by definition legal.

The only way that idea would even be true is if you lived in a may issue state that allowed open carry w/o maybe then the sheriff could revoke of refuse to renew your license if you open carried... Delaware I think is the only state that meets this criteria...
 

Whitney

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2010
Messages
435
Location
Poulsbo, Kitsap County, Washington, USA
Right vs Privlege

I have a question and it will drift OT a bit, but the convo here makes a good jump point to ask.

I have two co workers that are gun nuts (meant in a good way), that argued with me that if you have a concealed permit, you are forbidden from carrying open. I know this is not the case but lack the panache to make them understand this.

It is simple really, one is a right and the other is a privlege. Your right to open carry cannot be taken away because you paid for the privlege of a CPL. A CPL doesn not abrogate your right to open carry.

SECTION 24 RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS. The right of the individual citizen to bear arms in defense of himself, or the state, shall not be impaired, but nothing in this section shall be construed as authorizing individuals or corporations to organize, maintain or employ an armed body of men.

Read through RCW 9.41.50 Carrying Firearms. Consider the RCW to mean unless it is expressly prohibited by law, it is legal.
Be sure to read the exceptions as well; you should be able to get a lively conversation going with exception #8..

~Whitney
 

kparker

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2006
Messages
1,326
Location
Tacoma, Washington, USA
Good answers to far to Coyote's question (and svg's made me LOL!) Let me try my hand:

If you read the RCW's carefully, you will find that concealed carry is prohibited unless you have a CPL, but not a single word requiring concealment anywhere in the entire RCW.

Indeed the term "Concealed Pistol License", though it appears in the law so it's the term we have to use, is a bit of a misnomer. It should really be called and Enhanced Pistol Permit, or something like that, as it allows the permit-holder to:

1) Carry a loaded handgun in a concealed manner (though again, the holder is NEVER required to conceal),

2) Have a loaded handgun in/on a vehicle,

3) be exempt from municipality bans on carry in a municipality-operated stadium or convention center under RCW 9.41.300(2)(b),

and

4) be exempt from the 5-day hold on delivery when purchasing hanguns (RCW 9.41.090).

Did I miss any?

There's quite a number of people here on OCDO whose default carry mode is to open-carry and who obtained a CPL only to enable #2 from my list above.
 

sudden valley gunner

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2008
Messages
16,674
Location
Whatcom County
No, in WA there is nothing in the law that allows a sheriff to modify CPL requirements and nothing that mandates concealed carry.

Remind them that 49/50 states and the federal government follow English law tradition, laws forbid acts, not allow them. If no law exists regarding CPLs forbidding open carry then it is by definition legal.

The only way that idea would even be true is if you lived in a may issue state that allowed open carry w/o maybe then the sheriff could revoke of refuse to renew your license if you open carried... Delaware I think is the only state that meets this criteria...

+1 to the reference of common law!
 

sudden valley gunner

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2008
Messages
16,674
Location
Whatcom County
Good answers to far to Coyote's question (and svg's made me LOL!) Let me try my hand:

If you read the RCW's carefully, you will find that concealed carry is prohibited unless you have a CPL, but not a single word requiring concealment anywhere in the entire RCW.

Indeed the term "Concealed Pistol License", though it appears in the law so it's the term we have to use, is a bit of a misnomer. It should really be called and Enhanced Pistol Permit, or something like that, as it allows the permit-holder to:

1) Carry a loaded handgun in a concealed manner (though again, the holder is NEVER required to conceal),

2) Have a loaded handgun in/on a vehicle,

3) be exempt from municipality bans on carry in a municipality-operated stadium or convention center under RCW 9.41.300(2)(b),

and

4) be exempt from the 5-day hold on delivery when purchasing hanguns (RCW 9.41.090).

Did I miss any?

There's quite a number of people here on OCDO whose default carry mode is to open-carry and who obtained a CPL only to enable #2 from my list above.

#2 is a good name for it.....:p

and pick up kids at school was my other reason....otherwise the state could go F itself.
 
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