Open Carry - Just your opinions. Let's try not to debate just hear everyone out.

[randmplumbingllc]

I've thrown out or yelled at cops, CHL holders, military, etc. you name it on the gun range for obviously stupid gun handling. Ultimately what remains common to all of these people is this:

1) They don't pay attention.
2) They don't care.
3) They have practiced poor gun handling enough that it's normal.

These people are not going to be fixed, or learn anything, from a simple CHL class. The CHL class is a dog and pony show for the right to carry. While people that do care, and do pay attention can gain some excellent info from the class, it's up to them to remain up to speed on current laws. In the end, you are changing nothing, and might as well just give the rebate retards their right to carry. Yeah, they'll probably end up shooting someone or themselves, but frankly that was going to happen anyways.

All a CHL or CCW class does is to see if you know which end of the gun you hold and they skim over the basic laws. Not any kind of "real" gun handling qualification. Pretty much a waste of time, unless you have never been exposed to guns before.

I have never seen or heard of ANY state that had a real CHL qualification test. I can't even name one state that even has you draw from a holster in their test.

Like was said, the CHL/CCW is just a "feel good" requirement that states have, so that all the unarmed people will feel better about having people armed around them.

Anyone that has a CCW/CHL knows just how untrained most people really are.

 

[espnazi]

I don't have a CHL, but I believe it is just a measure to add one more step in preventing the ability to protect yourself. Used as a Deterrent. Not only because of the time it takes, but more importantly because of the $$, and paperwork. It would be much simpler if as Arizona we passed constitutional carry. While offering some sort of free(optional) course with the addition and development of public ranges. The course would be similar to the NRA basic courses.



btw: I don't have a CHL because i am not of age

 

[Fisherman777]

If your neighbor does screw up and hurt an innocent then he should be utterly crushed.....

^This^ Punish the morons and not folks who have done nothing wrong.

Also remember that anyone can carry a gun whether they have a license or not. Plenty of good people don't get a CHL because they don't have the money or time. Thugs don't know the law and don't care, and carry anyway. Why should someone be penalized for following the law?

^This Again^ Punish the Thugs and not, Yada Yada Yada..... nothing wrong. Yada Yada.

 

[TaoJones]

I'm happy to see the pro freedom concensus here on Texas Gun Talk. When I became aware of OpenCarry while in the Navy and living in Virginia, I was surprised at how many times I read comments from Texans saying that people shouldn't OC. There seemed to ba a smug dismissal of the whole idea. Now it seems the tide is changing. I for one can say with utmost confidence, and from personal experience, that nothing negative comes from openly carrying a firearm in public. I've been in banks, resteraunts, convenience stores, malls, and Wal-Mart. Never did anyone say a negative word to me directly. Never did a criminal take my gun or target me because I had one. Never was I put to the ground by law enforcement. I also only had to pay $30 for my Virginia license, which is recognized here. :-P

I love Texas, but we need to get our gun rights sorted out.

 

[40Arpent]

I am trying to figure out where I stand on the issue of "unrestricted carry."

Ok, after a couple days of serious thought and consideration, I am now in full support of unrestricted carry.

 

[cuate]

Well, I have not been in favor of OC unless licensed but I see that I am in the minority so let it all hang out ! I will go for it ! Sure will make folks a little more curteouss and be unrewarding for the insulting loudmouths. I'll go with the crowd, okay !

 

[SIG_Fiend]

Things really work much more smoothly in general when you stop worrying about "everyone else" and simply focus on what is morally and ethically right. There are plenty of ways to work towards alleviating the "idiot factor" through education and encouragement, while still allowing maximum freedom for everyone. This is true of basically any topic. Treating people like idiots and telling them they are not allowed to do something is incredibly negative and really doesn't achieve anything towards helping the unsafe to be safe, plus it punishes everyone else.

It should embarrass us as Texans that people perceive this state as being the wild west, yet we actually have some pretty ridiculous state laws, and in some cases do not have quite as much freedom as some other states when it comes to various things (knife laws, OC, etc.). These are things we really should correct IMO, as it is not in keeping with the original principles and rebellious nature of this state.

 

[M. Sage]

I've thrown out or yelled at cops, CHL holders, military, etc. you name it on the gun range for obviously stupid gun handling. Ultimately what remains common to all of these people is this:

1) They don't pay attention.
2) They don't care.
3) They have practiced poor gun handling enough that it's normal.

These people are not going to be fixed, or learn anything, from a simple CHL class. The CHL class is a dog and pony show for the right to carry. While people that do care, and do pay attention can gain some excellent info from the class, it's up to them to remain up to speed on current laws. In the end, you are changing nothing, and might as well just give the rebate retards their right to carry. Yeah, they'll probably end up shooting someone or themselves, but frankly that was going to happen anyways.

There was a lady in the CHL course I took that had never fired a gun before and passed. There was one old guy (he was actually RE-qualifying) who kept wrapping his support hand thumb around the back of his P229... even after the slide cut it!! And he wasn't the only one doing it on the range! I was shaking my head that even with how slow the rate of fire is (c'mon, it's a joke for a combat test), there were people whose targets looked like they'd been hit with shotguns before we were done at 7 yards. If you can't hit the little scoring guide in the upper left corner of the target at 7 yards with a decent pistol and decent ammo, you're doing it wrong. Just seeing people use sights at 3 yards... C'mon, all you have to do is point and shoot and it'll be in the 9 ring at that distance!

I hadn't seen shooting that bad since I was a kid watching cops qualify.

All a CHL or CCW class does is to see if you know which end of the gun you hold and they skim over the basic laws. Not any kind of "real" gun handling qualification. Pretty much a waste of time, unless you have never been exposed to guns before.

I have never seen or heard of ANY state that had a real CHL qualification test. I can't even name one state that even has you draw from a holster in their test.

Like was said, the CHL/CCW is just a "feel good" requirement that states have, so that all the unarmed people will feel better about having people armed around them.

Anyone that has a CCW/CHL knows just how untrained most people really are.

Well, anybody who's trained even a little bit for real knows how untrained people really are after running through a CHL class. It's not training by any stretch. I've taken safety courses that are real courses (like the Motorcycle Safety Foundation course) that are what they advertise. CHL class? Not really a class IMO.

Well, I have not been in favor of OC unless licensed but I see that I am in the minority so let it all hang out ! I will go for it ! Sure will make folks a little more curteouss and be unrewarding for the insulting loudmouths. I'll go with the crowd, okay !

Don't just go along with the crowd just because. If you can give me a good argument for mandatory licensing, I'd love to hear it. I'll probably have to counter, of course. Or you can rebut the arguments I made earlier.

But at the very least it is useful to have a nay-sayer, a devil's advocate. It helps keep our thinking honest and our foundations strong. So please, give us everything you've got. Unless we've actually managed to sway your opinion through reason, in which case... welcome aboard, brother.

Treating people like idiots and telling them they are not allowed to do something is incredibly negative and really doesn't achieve anything towards helping the unsafe to be safe, plus it punishes everyone else.

It's actually counter-productive in a lot of cases. Having participated first hand in some of the pro-gun backlash in California over the past few years, I have to say that there wouldn't be so many people out buying ARs, AKs and more exotic stuff in CA if it wasn't banned. They're perfectly happy to find any way to make them legal. Why? Just for the sake of proving to themselves that they can't be bossed.