IWB Vs OWB and CC vs Open

[Fa24wrx]

Just curious what you guys prefer when carrying in public. Open or Concealed? IWB or OWB?

Feel free to post state/country if you want and even what firearm/holsters you may be carrying most of the time.

Also, what made you decide to carry how/what you carry.

I'll start:
My most common EDC is my Smith and Wesson Shield Plus that has a Cyelee red dot on it. It's in a kydex IWB holster for CCW from Bradec.

My other carry is a Smith and Wesson 686 plus chambered with 7 rounds of. 357 magnum federal HP. IWB holster from Garrett industry.

I'm in Georgia where we have constitutional carry

 

[burbguy82]

Up until recently, I carried either my old XD9 or my USP45, typically in a kydex IWB holster. Soon I will be carrying my new G42, as a daily as it is smaller and more convenient.

I do open carry and concealed carry, depending on the situation.....the where when and why.

For instance, when I go to a public range, I open carry, just for speed, and that unknown people have powerful guns at the ready.......you never know.

TBH, around my house, and the surrounding towns, there is not much crime, partly I reckon because there are a lot of folks with guns.....both open and concealed. I would say a fair number per 100 people would be 5 with a gun of some kind.....legally.

NC.

 

[Cropduster172]

Carry a Taurus 86UL in a Fobus paddle OWB holster and less frequently a Taurus PT111 G2 in a Fobus OWB paddle holster.
Have never open carried since I left law enforcement and never will.

 

[riff1006]

I carry OWB, always concealed. IWB isn't comfortable for me.

 

[Fa24wrx]

I carry OWB, always concealed. IWB isn't comfortable for me.

Do you print?

 

[spasm3]

When in public where there are a lot of people, concealed , Hellcat RDP iwb holster. Sometimes the Ruger LCP. I don't want most people in more crowded areas to know I'm carrying. Don't want the be the Shoot me first victim if a mass shooter event happens, also some people get triggered or want to get triggered by the sight of a gun. There are some people who might call in a sighting of someone with a gun in public , just to have you harassed for doing so. Also groups of gang youths might decide they can take your gun away from you with numbers, especially if they present to you as unarmed. So concealed avoids that.

Now, if I have a breakdown on the highway, which did happen once towing my travel trailer. I switched to open carry to discourage anyone from thinking i was in a vulnerable situation to be robbed/accosted. The sight of a large .45 ( Ruger P-90) on my side would hopefully send them looking for easier targets.

When walking my dog down a quiet road near my house, open carry, again to not be too appealing as a lone target of opportunity.

At the range, I keep a loaded pistol on my side, that is not the one i'm practicing with. I don't want to be walking back to the bench with an empty gun to reload if someone goes berserk at the range.

Edit. The Hellcat RDP is in a IWB, We the People kydex holster.

Ruger p-90 OWB Fobus paddle holster.

Ruger P-95 OWB Blackhawk Serpa retention holster.

Ruger LCP leather IWB holster. Dont remember the brand. And a OWB retention holster Scorpion Gear.

Walther P-22 OWB We the People holster.

 

[riff1006]

Do you print?

Very little, if any. I wear loose clothing and keep it as discreet as I can.

EDIT: I'd have to admit, it's a lot tougher to do in the summer. It gets plenty hot 'round here.

 

[ATex7239]

Glock 19, LCP or Shield concealed carry IWB. Glock 17 open carry hunting sidearm or hiking OWB. Most of my holsters are Blade Techs. I don’t remember the brand of the pocket holster for LCP. I think it’s a DeSantis.

 

[JoeDirt41]

Pocket carry with a pocket holster, SIG Sauer P365. Pocket holster really just prevents in from printing. It also works well for small of back IWB.

 

[ATex7239]

Very little, if any. I wear loose clothing and keep it as discreet as I can.

I always wonder how much non-gun people notice printing. I figure gun people would notice it more.

 

[Mekks]

IWB Sig 365 X-Macro Tacops normally
Pocket S&W Bodyguard 2 at work

I have carried a Shield, XD, XDs, G43x, G48, G19.

For non pockets guns it is always IWB.

 

[Slick3914]

I would never carry open

 

[riff1006]

I always wonder how much non-gun people notice printing. I figure gun people would notice it more.

I wouldn't think they would notice. Even I don't pay much attention and I'm a gun guy, although i have had other guys wearing loose clothing give me the "bro nod" in the grocery store on occasion.

 

[burbguy82]

Have never open carried since I left law enforcement and never will.

why

Blade Techs.

the mentionedUSP holster is a bladetech, branded by HK, mean8ng more $. nice holsters. for owb i use a safariland sls

I would never carry open

why

 

[Slick3914]

why

the mentionedUSP holster is a bladetech, branded by HK, mean8ng more $. nice holsters. for owb i use a safariland sls

why

Because drawing attention to it is not a good look for gun owners, in my opinion.

 

[Hall]

I always wonder how much non-gun people notice printing. I figure gun people would notice it more.

I have never noticed "printing", but then again, I don't look at other guy's crotch area

For instance, when I go to a public range, I open carry, just for speed, and that unknown people have powerful guns at the ready.......you never know.

At the range, I keep a loaded pistol on my side, that is not the one i'm practicing with. I don't want to be walking back to the bench with an empty gun to reload if someone goes berserk at the range.

Is that a concern where you guys are ? I'll admit, at an indoor range that we go to occasionally, I've been concerned about inexperienced people or careless people, but someone "losing it" isn't something I've ever considered.

 

[Cropduster172]

Open carry in a populated environment is not a deterrent, it's an attraction, advertisement and invitation for serious problems.
As a cop, you develop your personal space radius limit depending on the situation and it's mostly based on sidearm retention. Most duty holsters have some form of retention too. Civilians going about their every day lives can't effectively create that personal space boundary in a grocery store, gas station, Home Depot, train station, sidewalk.
Very few on this forum have the sustained level of both self and situational awareness to know who, if, when, where some maggot can split your skull from behind with a hammer, put a slapper to the side of your head just out of your peripheral vision, I know I don't at least not so much anymore. There's an infinite number of potential risk exposure scenarios one can never account for where someone sees your weapon and will stop at nothing to try and take it.
I see all risk and zero benefit.
For concealed carry, I see all benefit and almost zero risk.

 

[spasm3]

Is that a concern where you guys are ? I'll admit, at an indoor range that we go to occasionally, I've been concerned about inexperienced people or careless people, but someone "losing it" isn't something I've ever considered.

Not really worried, but the range is large and has several hundred members, that i don't know, and guests that i don't know. I go during the week so not many people there.

A military vet years ago recommended I do that, so I do.

 

[JoeDirt41]

I would never open carry personally. It's just an invitation for trouble.

 

[burbguy82]

Because drawing attention to it is not a good look for gun owners, in my opinion.

I general i agree, when there is no retention, past an interference fit. There is a certain level of responsibility when carrying a gun, a high one. Open carry with no active retention, such as a thumb activated lock, is not up to standards of open carry.

A professional grade owb holster with one level of active retention should be mandatory.