Good day all. Walmart’s answer to a psycho shooting up one of their stores is typical of MBA’s everywhere. Anger some of their biggest customers. First, Walmart announced it was no longer selling certain types of ammo.
Their reasoning made no sense to anyone who has any knowledge of firearms. Then Walmart said they would prefer that customers not come into their stores openly carrying a firearm. This started a trend with a number of major stores asking or announcing the same policies.
This has set supporters of the 2nd Amendment’s teeth on edge. However, lets take another look at this, shall we? First, Walmart’s asinine decision on the sale of certain types/calibers of ammunition. The one caliber I didn’t see them banning was the caliber used by the psycho, 7.62×39 ComBlock. This is the standard round for the AK-47, a semi-auto version used by the psycho. They went after the .223/5.56mm rounds and some pistol calibers.
Now I don’t buy ammunition in Walmart. Actually, I studiously avoid Walmart like I would avoid the plague. I can get better deals for better ammunition online. (My preference is for Target Sports USA) As for the request not to open carry, that could actually work to the benefit of most supporters of the 2nd Amendment. Here me out as I explain.
First, I need to define the differences between open carry and concealed carry. Open carry means that you are carrying a firearm in plain view. Everyone can see it and knows you are armed. Most people are carrying a pistol of some sort. A few, usually to make a political point, might be carrying a long gun, in other words, a rifle or shotgun.
Concealed Carry means you are carrying a firearm in a manner that people won’t know that you are armed. The majority of people who carry a firearm do so in a concealed manner. Unless a store like Walmart or any of the others put metal detectors at their doors, there is no way for them to tell if a customer is carrying a pistol.
Now, besides the political reasons some people might prefer open carry, there are practical ones as well. People who open carry are usually wearing what is called an “Outside the Waist Band” or OWB holster. This is a holster that is usually worn on the belt with everything in plain view. The other type of holster in general use is called an “Inside the Waist Band” or IWB holster. These holsters are worn inside the pants with clips attaching it to the belt. Such holsters generally hide pistols with the grip exposed. A shirt or jacket is then worn which covers the pistol grip.
There are advantages to each type of holster. One big one is comfort. If you are wearing an OWB holster, then you don’t have your pistol pushing in against your side or back. In some cases, you can wear an OWB holster and still have the ability to conceal your pistol. Another advantage is ease of access in an emergency.
With an IWB style holster, you need to move the covering material aside as you draw. This will slow you down, however, most people who use this style of holster practice for just such an eventuality. (Clearing the clothing away and drawing) The OWB holster is generally right their and all you need to do is grasp and draw.
Now one big disadvantage of an OWB holster is that everyone knows you have a gun, and that includes the doers of evil. If they see you, they will shoot at you first. On the other hand, if there are a large number of people openly carrying, then the doer of evil will see that he or she is outnumbered and is probably going to die if he or she does something evil.
With an IWB style holster, that same doer of evil won’t know that one or more of his or her targets is armed and ready to shoot back if needed in defense of self and others. We see videos of this happening all the time. A doer of evil comes into a store, shoves a gun into the face of the clerk and one or more customers, who the doer of evil may have disregarded as a threat, (Doers of evil generally aren’t to smart), draws his or her firearm and promptly ends the threat from the doer of evil.
This brings us back to the “Requests” from all these retail businesses that people not open carry in their stores. Note they are not saying don’t carry at all, just don’t let anyone see it. They might be considering the legal ramifications of flat out banning guns inside their stores. If they post a no guns allowed sign, it may just be ignored. How will they tell unless they stop and frisk their soon to be former customers as they come in?
Then there is the liability problem. People who obeyed the rule and left their means of defense in the car or at home, and are then injured or killed by doers of evil are now suing those same businesses. (Or their survivors are) If a company strips away a person’s means of defending themselves, and does NOT provide security, well, the court cases have been happening. You can research them yourselves.
Corporate lawyers consider these to be a Catch-22 situation. They are damned if they do and damned if they don’t. The worst case is that the corporation is held liable and financially ruined. On the other hand, if they win, they are going to lose who knows how much business as customers move on to competitors who don’t block people from defending themselves.
This may be why all these corporations are saying please don’t open carry. First, there might be legal issues with such a demand. There are states that simply say that such signs have no legal basis. Second, as mentioned, if someone is carrying a concealed firearm, unless you do a stop and frisk, (With all the issues that will create), there is no way to tell. It’s possible that there is a Don’t ask, don’t tell” sort of thinking here.
Finally, if an incident occurs in one of these stores where a doer of evil comes in to shoot some sheep, and someone draws their concealed firearm and stops the attack, the management could say that “Hey, we didn’t say don’t carry period, just please keep it covered so none of the sheep will see it and wet themselves.”
The debate over concealed verse open carry has been going on for as long as people started retaking their rights under the 2nd Amendment back, and they will continue debating it until the end of time. In the end, it’s a personal preference how someone lawfully carries their firearm. All that you have to remember is “Do not draw unless you intend to shoot and if you must, be aware of what is behind the doer of evil and don’t miss.
Thatisall
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