The concealed carry vs open carry debate has been going on in the U.S. gun community for many years now…
…and there are a lot of things to consider when trying to decide which option is right for you.
Things like where you’re from and what your local laws are play a big factor (be sure to check and follow your local laws always), but there are many other things to consider as well.
Since the idea of carrying a gun for personal defense has been becoming more popular in recent years…
I think it’s important that new gun owners have a solid understanding of the pros and cons of concealed carry and open carry.
So in this article, we’ll be going through the differences between these two methods of carrying a gun in detail, and here’s what we’ll be focusing on:
- What Is Concealed Carry And What Is Open Carry?
- Which Method Allows Quicker Access To Your Firearm?
- Which Method Is More Comfortable?
- Which Method Has The Tactical Advantage?
- Legal Restrictions…
- Open Carry Vs Concealed Carry Pros And Cons…
In the end, I’ll give my final thoughts about the concealed carry vs open carry debate, and you should have a clear idea which method of carry will work best for you.
What Is Concealed Carry And What Is Open Carry?
Before we go any further, it’s important that you understand what concealed carry and open carry actually are.
Concealed carry is when a person conceals a firearm (usually a handgun) in public on their person or in something that they keep close by (a purse or a backpack for example).
The most common place people conceal firearms is probably inside the waistband (IWB), but others will conceal in purses, shoulder holsters, ankle holsters, in pockets, and in other places as well.
I personally prefer to carry inside the waistband in the appendix position, and I’ve been doing that for about 5 years now.
Open carry is when a person carries a firearm (it could be a handgun or a rifle) in public without concealing it.
Often times handguns will be carried in a holster on a person’s hip, and rifles will be carried with a sling (we’ll get to why a person might open carry a rifle later in this article).
In many states, you must acquire a concealed carry permit in order to legally carry your firearm concealed in public, and the process is usually not very difficult to go through.
Concealed Carry Vs Open Carry – Which Method Allows Quicker Access To Your Firearm?
Even though there are many ways for concealed carry that allow you quick access to your gun, you will generally have quicker access while open carrying…
Just think about it, all you have to do is reach down to your hip, establish your grip, and draw your pistol from its holster.
Your hand is usually hanging around that area anyway, and it’s a natural motion to draw a gun from that position (which is why law enforcement officers carry there).
However, even though it’s probably quicker to draw a gun from open carry, that doesn’t mean drawing a concealed handgun is difficult or slow.
Sure, if you carry in a purse or a backpack, you’re going to have to reach in, fish around for your gun, and establish a good grip before you draw, which is all going to take up time…
Similarly, if you carry in a shoulder holster or an ankle holster, your access to your firearm isn’t that great, and your draw probably won’t be very quick…
But if you carry inside the waistband like I do, with a little bit of practice you can learn to draw your pistol very quickly.
In many ways, it’s similar to drawing from an open carry holster because you’re still drawing a gun from a holster on your hip.
The main difference is that you will have to remove your cover garment (the shirt or jacket over your gun that keeps it concealed) before you are able to draw.
This is actually easier than you might think because all you have to do is pull up your shirt, and instantly you have easy access to your gun.
So to sum up here… one of the disadvantages of having a concealed carry firearm is that it makes access to your gun a little bit more difficult…
However, with a little bit of practice, you can actually draw your gun very quickly if you carry inside the waistband.
Which Method Is More Comfortable?
You might think that open carry is always more comfortable than concealed carry, but that’s not always the case.
A lot of factors come into play including:
- The weather in your location
- The clothing you like to wear
- The gun you choose to carry
- Your body type
Let’s start by discussing the weather and the type of clothing you wear. If you live in a cold location, and are going to be wearing jackets, sweatshirts, or hoodies it makes concealed carrying a gun very easy and very comfortable.
Part of that comfort is knowing that your firearm is not going to be printing. Printing is when you can see the outline of a gun because it has a tight shirt around it or some other piece of clothing.
Others might not be able to actually see the gun, but they can tell that you’re carrying one because it’s making a big bulge in your shirt that reveals the gun’s profile.
If you’re afraid of printing, it can cause you to be a little anxious, and having the extra cover of a jacket or sweatshirt just tends to make things more comfortable.
That being said though, you can also comfortably carry in shorts and a t-shirt without printing as well.
In addition to that, the type of gun you carry and your body shape also come into play. For example, if you are open carrying a heavy steel-framed handgun, that extra weight is going to be pulling down on you all day and you may find it very uncomfortable.
There are actually a lot of police officers who can’t wait to take their duty belts and holsters off at the end of the day because carrying around all that gear isn’t as easy as you might think.
On the other hand, there are many guns on the market right now that are specifically designed for concealed carry… So they’re lightweight and fairly thin…
…and they can usually be carried inside the waistband or in a shoulder rig very comfortably.
As far as your body type goes, you’ll just have to experiment a little bit with where you conceal your gun.
For example, I carry a very thin gun (an M&P Shield) inside the waistband in the appendix position (right below my stomach and slightly closer to my strong hand).
Even if I’m wearing a t-shirt and jeans, it’s a very comfortable position and my gun doesn’t really print much at all (side note: the first few times you concealed carry, you’ll think that everyone around you can tell that you have a gun, but they probably won’t be able to tell at all).
For some people, appendix carry is very uncomfortable and they prefer to carry inside the waistband on their strong side hip (almost as if they were open carrying on their hip just under their shirt).
And then there are others that get a very small gun and a good holster and carry in their pocket (this is called pocket carry).
There are many other ways to carry, and the only real way to know what’s going to be most comfortable for you is to try out different positions and methods.
Which Method Has The Tactical Advantage?
I think the method of carry that gives you the tactical advantage is definitely concealed carry…
The whole point of concealed carry is that no one knows you are armed, and if someone intends to do you harm, the element of surprise can go a long way to stopping the threat.
If you open carry in a store or restaurant, you’ll stand out to just about everyone in the building, and if someone has ill intent, you’ll be their first target.
In addition to that, you have to be really aware of your surroundings to ensure no one is able to come up from behind and disarm you.
It can also become a bit of a hassle open carrying because frightened individuals may call the police, and even in open carry states you may have an encounter with law enforcement officers who just want to find out why you are open carrying.
Now at pro 2nd Amendment rallies, you’ll see people open carrying rifles and handguns to make a political statement, and I think that’s a good thing.
But the primary reason why I carry a gun is to protect myself and my family, so for me, the element of surprise is one of the most important reasons why concealed carry is good for defensive situations.
Watch This Video To Learn More:
Legal Restrictions…
Every state has different gun laws on the books, and those laws are always changing. It’s up to you to know and follow all you local gun laws…
In some states, open carry is not legal. So your only option is to go through the process of getting your concealed carry permit if you want to carry a firearm.
In other states concealed carry might not be legal or it may be very hard to get a permit, and if open carry is legal, that might be your only option.
Some states have what’s called constitutional carry, which means you don’t need a permit for open carry or concealed carry.
It’s also important to note that some states will honor the concealed carry permits of other states, So if you get your concealed carry permit in your home state, you may actually be able to legally carry in many other states as well.
Additionally, some states will issue you a concealed carry permit even if you are not a resident.
Again, concealed carry laws are different all around the country, and you just have to do your due diligence to follow all laws that apply to you.
Open Carry Vs Concealed Carry Pros And Cons…
Pros And Cons Of Concealed Carry…
Pros…
- You can quickly access your gun
- It’s comfortable
- You can conceal in different places
- It’s more private (you can carry without others knowing)
- You have a tactical advantage (the element of surprise)
- It is legal in many states
- Many states will honor the CCW permits of other states
- In many states concealed carry permits are not very difficult to acquire
- Some states issue will issue permits to residents of other states
Cons…
- it could be slower to access your gun (depending on where you choose to carry)
- A few states make it very difficult for their citizens to acquire concealed carry permits (keep in mind that even if you live in one of these states, there are other states who will issue concealed carry permits even if you are not a resident)
Pros And Cons Of Open Carry…
Pros…
- You can quickly access to your gun
- It’s comfortable
Cons…
- You draw a lot of attention to yourself (and could become a target)
- You don’t get a tactical advantage (the element of surprise)
- It is not legal in many states
Concealed Carry Vs Open Carry – Final Thoughts…
In the end, concealed carry is generally the more preferred method of carry among gun owners, and as I’m sure you picked up on, it’s what I prefer out of the two options (and I live in a state where I have the option of open carrying if I would like to).
I find concealed carry to be very comfortable, and no matter what I’m wearing, I’m confident that others are not aware that I am legally armed.
I personally hope I never have to use a firearm in self defense, but if God forbid there was no other option, it’s nice to know that I can legally carry and keep it very discreet.
Now if you want to get your Concealed Carry Permit Online (fast and easy), check out the secret ‘Hack’ below to get it done…
