SHTF Open Carry Scenario

Let's say the fan has already been splattered with excrement... People are open carrying now, mostly for pragmatic, practical reasons as well as (lesser so) a visible deterrent. Which handgun do you have on your hip, and which rifle on your back (or front, if you have a fancy sling)?

In Kali - nada. Our elites have long ago banned open carry of rifles and pistols. The police will be more than happy to drop the hammer on the law-abiding. Much more pleasant people than those nasty, impolite rioters. Saw it happen here during Rodney King and in New Orleans after Katrina.  

However, with all the timing that I'm known for, in two weeks I'll be in St Louis. Ten miles away from Ferguson. A couple of days before the Michael Brown/ Officer Wilson Grand Jury results are rumored to be released. *Sigh* If it drops in the pot - and I'm still hopeful it won't - I'll have my G22 on my hip and the AR 5.56 on my back. With honest to gawd standard capacity magazines. Getting the Cali bullet button off the AR will be a high priority.

I'm going to be scarce for the next two weeks with the move. Good luck to you all.  

Check Your Six.

Keep us informed as you can, CF.

Corn, not sure I have a simple answer. You can go practical, in which case I would opt for a Sig or HK. Not sure about calibre, but .357 Sig, .45 ACP, or 9mm are the choices. Rifle would be an AR platform with as little on it as you can. Molle gear for mag carriage.

The OTHER alternative is ostentatious. So a pair of Colt SAA's in a proper rig. Maybe a 1886 in .45-70. I realize this is disparate ammo, but you are looking to impress, not necessarily shoot large numbers of people.

If things turned serious, then the Garand. Pistol can be anything, but Sigs are still nice.

For me, I would have my glock 19 on the hip with some spare 33 round mags. On my back I would have either my 5.56 AR or my .308 Vepr. It would be a question of light and lots of ammo vs heavy and heavy hitting.

Good luck CF.  Will be anxious to hear from you when you're in Free America.

If I didn't have any concern about freaking out the local populace, then an AK slung over my shoulder, and a Glock 20 with a drop-in 40 S&W barrel on one side, and a Glock 23 on the other side.  

But, if the situation still required a modicum of discretion, I'd have a pistol caliber lever action carbine slung on the shoulder, and a matching caliber revolver in an IWB.

OK. Let me throw a wrench into all this.

You are carrying, in part for protection and in part for show. ?Are not AR's ubiquitous. ?Does not pretty much everyone and his aunt have one. ?What part of show does this give.

Glocks. Plain. Brown. Wrapper. Perhaps you want something a bit more menacing. You can take your pick of what looks like the EBP, but there might be a case for a different firearm than a Glock.

Even though I live in the gun-friendly South, the mere sight of an AR would send some of my pansy neighbors running to go change their newly-soiled undergarments.

Shotguns, and anything with a wooden stock wouldn't be viewed as militant. Unfortunately, the AR hasn't crept into enough households here to be commonplace.

Of course, the question of "do I care?" is a completely separate issue.

Devereaux wrote:OK. Let me throw a wrench into all this.

You are carrying, in part for protection and in part for show. ?Are not AR's ubiquitous. ?Does not pretty much everyone and his aunt have one. ?What part of show does this give.

Glocks. Plain. Brown. Wrapper. Perhaps you want something a bit more menacing. You can take your pick of what looks like the EBP, but there might be a case for a different firearm than a Glock.

I think for gun people AR's may appear as such, but for the general public, a nice black AR with a 30 round mag and an optic on top looks somewhat menacing. I think an AK does the same thing--looks familiar but menacing. I think I still have mental images of those koreans armed with AK's on the tops of their stores during the Kali riots. I personally think that to the general public, an AR or AK says, "Watch out bud, tread lightly." I do think, however, that my .308 Vepr looks a touch more menacing than the avg AR. As far as hand guns go, I think for most people, all black handguns look about the same--although a desert eagle or smith 500 mag might cause a little more "Wow" factor.

NOW you're talking! Dessert Eagle - in at least .44 Mag. Better yet .50 A&E. ?Ever see one of those puppies. They kind of look like a small missile.

Perhaps you have a point about AR's. I certainly am not impressed with them. And were I to worry, it would be more from a Garand than an AR. But that's me. I happen to believe the AR will probably not penetrate a fair number of vests, while the Garand won't even slow down.

The irony is that the avg person would probably find a Garand LESS intimidating or menacing than an AR. The Garand looks a lot more like a hunting rifle than a battle rifle to most people. I would also bet that if asked which was the 'high powered rifle,' they would pick the AR over the Garand.

You may have a good point. Certainly you may remember the big shoot-out after a busted bank robbery in San Diego. 2 guys with smuggled full auto AK's and body armor came out against an encircling police force. The cops were absolutely shocked that the rifles shot through trees. That's what comes from too much time among a basically disarmed populace that loses its sense of weapon performance. If an AK would shoot through a tree, imagine just what a Garand would do.

Devereaux wrote:...If an AK would shoot through a tree, imagine just what a Garand would do.

I need to spend more time with my Garand and see what that puppy can do... I haven't shot it much.

Yeah, me too. A year ago I decided that I needed to do just that. I loaded up 300 rounds of ammo with that exact intention. The only problem was, it shot so well that, about 30 rounds into that ammo pile, I decided to spend my skill-building time on something else.

It remains a stunningly effective and accurate rifle to me.

Just for kicks and giggles, I'd sure like to find some AP ammo to mess with.

Charlie Foxtrot wrote:However, with all the timing that I'm know for, in two weeks I'll be in St Louis. Ten miles away from Ferguson. A couple of days before the Michael Brown/ Officer Wilson Grand Jury results are rumored to be released. *Sigh* If it drops in the pot - and I'm still hopeful it won't - I'll have my G22 on my hip and the AR 5.56 on my back.

Now that you are there in a borderline hot situation, I was wondering if your choice remains the g22 and AR?

Cornmastah wrote:

Charlie Foxtrot wrote:However, with all the timing that I'm known for, in two weeks I'll be in St Louis. Ten miles away from Ferguson. A couple of days before the Michael Brown/ Officer Wilson Grand Jury results are rumored to be released. *Sigh* If it drops in the pot - and I'm still hopeful it won't - I'll have my G22 on my hip and the AR 5.56 on my back.

Now that you are there in a borderline hot situation, I was wondering if your choice remains the g22 and AR?

Yep. In a short term social disruption, cornered rat situation, I'm thinking that short range, rapid fire, light weight, handy, high capacity (I got some Magpul 40s! Take that you Cali ComSimps!), accuracy, and limited penetration make the 5.56 AR Carbine the obvious choice... To me... And if things devolve to handgun range - I prefer the proven stopping power of the Fotay.

I DO wish I had my CCW.

If I was back in Cali, a SKS with 10 round stripper clips would be my choice. And a M&P 45. Again limited by the ten round mag limit.

Must be a great feeling to have your freedoms 'restored' to how they should be. Now you can use normal capacity mags and such--and no weird bullet button crap.

Cornmastah wrote:Must be a great feeling to have your freedoms 'restored' to how they should be.  Now you can use normal capacity mags and such--and no weird bullet button crap.

Yes and no. I'm sad to have to leave the state of my Great Great Grandfathers.

Then again, it's good to get away from the stupidity. Just today, a resolution was introduced in the LA City Council to require all guns to be either disassembled, locked up, or trigger locked when stored in the home. It's just too dangerous now for the armed home invaders.

BTW, one of our their local politicians recently served 71 minutes of a 3 month prison sentence for 8 serious felonies. The sentence had alrady been radically reduced. And it was in no way unusual - jailing criminals is just tooooo expensive. Criminals are laughing at the "justice" system. And crime is on the rise - where the police bother to take reports.

Crazy damn state.