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Open Carry?

RedGoat said:
Maas Ayoob, in his writings, was an outspoken advocate of wearing a photographer's vest as a cover garment. I don't know if he still is or not, I've sort of "fell off the wagon" as far as reading his stuff. I don't know how everyone dresses in other parts of this vast nation, but here in the former sovereign state of Tejas (at least anywhere outside of the great blue triangle), a photographer's vest sticks out like a sore thumb! MY OPINION: Optimum dress for concealed carry varies depending upon the situation and general customs where you're at.
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Nothing signals "look at me," like a photographer's vest in today's world. This is why I think Ayoob is, largely, "outdated."

If you want to blend in, then for goodness sakes, blend in. Don't be that guy that stands out.
 
RedGoat said:
MY OPINION: Optimum dress for concealed carry varies depending upon the situation and general customs where you're at.
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(y) (y) (y) (y) Wear a photographer's vest around here you'll draw attention. "What to hell is there around here to take pictures of?" Fly fishing vets, "hay buddy if you want them you can dig up some worms around the manure pile behind my barn" and really catch fish".
Wear work boots, oil, silage, pitch, stained jeans, ripped tee shirt, ball cap, unbuttoned flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled up, carrying a chainsaw, barn shovel, or shotgun, no one would bat an eyelash.
 
PieterCoetzee said:
When that was published, he may have been correct. I doubt hes still saying it
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Within what little that I have consumed of Maas' more recent written and video content, he's not really discussed the topic, so his advocacy may have moderated. His early books and other writings about concealed carry frequently mention wearing the photog vest as a cover garment. My approach to reading after experts is to take what my common sense tells me is viable and leave the rest. Sometimes what seems reasonable turns out not to be and vice-versa, and sometimes my interpretation of what's being said is just "off" a little. As a non-professional "civilian" concealed carry practitioner, my opportunities to learn first hand have been thankfully few and far between, and I've always advocated learning from the experience of others. However, I also realize that, when it comes to second-hand accounts and "expert recommendations", everything must be viewed through a very critical lens.

I've always enjoyed reading Maas' writeups of after-action reports and his writeups which conclude with lessons learned from historical armed encounters and contemporary armed encounters. There's good info to be gleaned from those.
 
Anchorite said:
Nothing signals "look at me," like a photographer's vest in today's world.
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I mean, "Today's World" includes people that go to Walmart in pajamas with pink hair and guys wearing dresses, reading the weather report on the 5:00 news.

I don't wear a Photographer's Vest and if I saw somebody else wearing one I would assume they were carrying because a gun because that's what the internet has taught me.

That said, I think the only people that notice things like that are people who have been taught to look for things like that.

I can't count the number of times I've been to Walmart with my wife and and somebody walked right by Us open carrying a six shooter.

One time they walked right in front of the car while she was sitting down so it would have been eye level on her and I pointed it out and she never noticed.

So I'm using voice to text and she heard me put all the above in and as soon as I stopped talking she said "It's not relevant to my life."

That's reality of it. Open carry and concealed carry is not relevant to most people's life.

I've told this story before, I think it was two licenses ago I went to the DMV to renew my license. There was a sign on the entrance door prohibiting open carry.

So I went in to get my license and the clerk would not accept my previous license as a valid form of identification.

Which raises its own questions but I'm not going into that now.

She told me that they would accept a state issued MMJ card or concealed handgun permit as valid ID.

I handed her my concealed handgun permit.

She told me she was considering getting a concealed handgun permit. She asked me some questions about it. I told her that when I got my permit I made a decision that I was going to put my gun on when I got dressed in the morning every day.

We got everything done and it was time to take the picture for my new driver's license. She told me I had to remove my jacket and I told her I couldn't because I was armed and Open Carry was prohibited in the DMV.

I watched her go deer in the headlights on me. I had just spent 5 or 10 minutes answering This Woman's questions about the concealed handgun permit and had explicitly told her that I was carrying a gun.

It never registered. It never occurred to her to think that I might actually be armed even though I had told her not 5 minutes previously that I was.

Most people aren't looking for it. Most people aren't even thinking about it.

Most people have their head all wrapped up in who's going home next on Survivor or who The Bachelorette is going to give a rose to. Or they're hoping that Walmart will still have their favorite peanut butter.

What they're not doing is wondering who around them is carrying a gun.
 
I guess the subject has shifted to how we dress or look. I'm stuck with what I am. A 60-year-old white guy with a slight limp and sometimes a cane. Ball cap with sunglasses on top of the brim. White beard, more of a gut than I need, sleeved pocket tee shirt for town, sleeveless tee shirt or tank top at home. Cargo shorts with pockets big enough to hide my J-frame. Fanny pack for times I need a little more than a J-frame in the pocket. I haven't worn long pants since I retired last year. Skechers (not white) for foot gear. Nothing athletic, I couldn't run to save my life. Maybe a fast shuffle. I try to avoid places that might point me out as an easy mark. But you know what, you can't live in fear all the time. With a little common sense, you can lead a fun and productive life out in public. But apparently not for some of you guys.
 
KillerFord1977 said:
I draw the line at dying my hair blue, a man bun or wearing Indian(dot) garb to fit into suburbia. ;)
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Won't be dying my hair any color anytime soon
 
OldGrunt said:
I guess the subject has shifted to how we dress or look. I'm stuck with what I am. A 60-year-old white guy with a slight limp and sometimes a cane. Ball cap with sunglasses on top of the brim. White beard, more of a gut than I need, sleeved pocket tee shirt for town, sleeveless tee shirt or tank top at home. Cargo shorts with pockets big enough to hide my J-frame. Fanny pack for times I need a little more than a J-frame in the pocket. I haven't worn long pants since I retired last year. Skechers (not white) for foot gear. Nothing athletic, I couldn't run to save my life. Maybe a fast shuffle. I try to avoid places that might point me out as an easy mark. But you know what, you can't live in fear all the time. With a little common sense, you can lead a fun and productive life out in public. But apparently not for some of you guys.
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My comment like others pertained to blending in to those around you.
 
Every time the topic of clothes comes up I say the same thing.

VA compression socks
Walmart boxers
Walmart pocket T (pen, notebook, pocket watch)
Thirty YO Vasque hiking boots.
Wrangler cargos
In the fall and winter long sleeve flannel shirt.
In the summer short sleeve camp shirt.
Cabela's ball cap.

I usually finish by saying you can throw a rock in Colorado Springs and you will hit somebody dressed just like me. Which is still true but I don't live in Colorado Springs anymore.

I see a lot of Ariat out here, I see a lot of Wranglers jeans and Wranglers shirts out here. I see a lot of Carhart out here.

But I still don't really stand out. Pretty much everything I wear you can buy at the Big R in Peyton. Or, as I do, the Goodwill in Falcon.

I still pretty much look like a bean in a pile of beans. There's also the added fact that I don't leave home more than once or twice a week. So I could probably walk around naked and nobody would notice.

20260317_124904.jpg


Although, the turkey might bite something that I don't want the turkey biting
 
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KillerFord1977 said:
My comment like others pertained to blending in to those around you.
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Oh, I wasn't picking on your comment. It was for the usual crowd that this subject has been talked about and talked about. I know you aren't afraid to go out of your house or be seen in public. Look at all those artsy fartsy events you go to. And sometimes take your buddy Simon. I bet you two could be picked out a mile away since he has probably now convinced you to wear Italian shoes more expensive than your house! lol
 
OldGrunt said:
It's called having a life.
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I have a life. Why does doing something that I don't want to do, such as going out in public and hanging out with a bunch of people I don't know constitute "having a life"

While hanging out at my range in the back 40 watching Hawks and Antelope doesn't?

RedGoat said:
For those more rurally situated, is called 'having to go to town and git some stuff...'
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Note the key words in Bold

Most of the people I know who live out here, live out here because they Don't Like being in town
 
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