The Risks of Open Carry for Handguns: Why Concealment is Wiser.

Phoenix, AZ— For many decades, Arizona only permitted the open carry of firearms, reserving concealed carry solely for sworn peace officers. However, open carry of handguns, in particular, is fraught with risks and is more likely to lead to a breach of peace than firearms carried discreetly.

When you openly carry a handgun, you are more likely to encounter unstable individuals who might confront, complain, or even attempt to disarm you. But there’s an even more alarming scenario: imagine someone sees you with a gun, feels threatened, and falsely reports to the police that you pointed the weapon at them. The police respond to find you openly carrying a firearm, and there’s a so-called “victim” willing to lie under oath. In Arizona, aggravated assault laws, especially those involving gun-pointing, are severe, carrying a mandatory five-year prison sentence without parole.

Even if you know you did nothing wrong, the trial may not go in your favor. The accuser could perjure themselves, and the prosecutor might paint you as a danger to society. With no evidence other than your word, the risk of conviction looms large. Facing such a scenario, many people, fearing the harsh sentence, may opt to plead guilty in exchange for probation or a shorter jail term—yet this still results in a felony conviction and a lifetime ban on owning firearms.

In states that only permit open carry, it might actually be safer to risk violating a misdemeanor law that forbids concealed carry. In a self-defense situation, how you carried the gun won’t be easily proven unless you self-incriminate. Arizona, after 14 years of my lobbying efforts eventually allowed for concealed weapons permits and later removed the requirement altogether. Therefore, there’s no practical reason to openly carry a handgun, as doing so diminishes any tactical advantage you might have in a self-defense scenario. It’s best to keep your firearm out of sight and out of mind.

As one of the first firearms safety instructors in the state, I’m proud to say my students have always acted responsibly. When it comes to long guns, however, situations of unrest may necessitate openly carrying rifles or shotguns. Recent history has shown us examples, such as Korean shopkeepers during the Rodney King riots in LA and that Kenosha riot that showed Kyle Rittenhouse defending himself against three thugs trying to kill him. 

While we must defend open carry laws for such situations, it is generally wiser to conceal handguns to avoid unnecessary and potentially life-altering conflicts. Never forget when you’re carrying a weapon conflict avoidance is rule number one.