IF YOU HAVE A CONCEALED FIREARM PERMIT - you can also open carry a fully loaded firearm. You give up the advantage of surprise, and can attract unwanted attention.
Keep in mind that if a sheeple gets scared, they WILL call 911. They won't say that they saw a man with a gun in a holster. They will say they saw a man with a gun. After the "telephone game", that will most likely be interpreted by the responding police as a "man waving a gun around and scaring people".
There is also the matter of LE response. Unfortunately, our myriad and copious number of laws has created the situation that no LEO knows ALL of the laws they are charged to enforce. This includes the laws relating to firearms. While most SHOULD show up, see someone acting peaceably with a holstered firearm, and walk away - there are some that will react as if they are observing a felony in progress. Do you really want to go there? While you should not have to worry about this, the sad reality is that you do.
IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A CONCEALED FIREARM PERMIT - the firearm must be unloaded and require two actions to fire. In Utah, a round in "firing position" = loaded.
If semi-auto, no loaded round in chamber but magazine may be loaded. (rack slide = one action plus pull trigger = 2 actions). A cocked and locked 1911 is loaded, and therefore illegal without a CFP.
If a revolver, the chamber under the hammer AND the next one in rotation must be empty. This gets you around the loaded firearm definition in Utah (if the chamber under the hammer has a round, then TECHNICALLY there is a loaded round in firing position even though PHYSICALLY and FUNCTIONALLY that round won't fire as the trigger will first rotate the cylinder). Two pulls of trigger = two actions. This leaves you two down on a revolver, and at a further disadvantage.
On this one, don't expect the average patrol officer to understand the direction of rotation on the cylinder. Many of them have never handled a revolver before. Just be prepared, and again, ask yourself if you really want to go there.
Keep in mind that the overall tactical advantage of concealed carry is very important. Yes, concealed carry means that it may be a bit harder to access your loaded and "ready to rock" firearm. However, the CONCEALED aspect gives you both the advantage of surprise, and anonymity. The latter is often forgotten. We have already dealt with the average sheeple, and LE seeing your openly carried fireram. Here is another example of why that anonymity is a good thing.
I work in a gun store and open carry there. I also open carry at the businesses immediately surrounding the shop during the day on occasion. They don't mind. However, I have had some very interesting looks from some other folks. Mostly just looks, and that's it. I have never been bothered by the police either.
However, on one occasion I encountered some "gang bangers" that looked like they were going to piss themselves at first, and then they threw some looks that I really didn't like. I have a feeling that all of them had warrants and were wondering if I might just be there to serve them. There is usually an assumption on the part of the bad guys that a man on the street with a gun in a holster may = a cop.
That's a funny thing - man with a holstered gun seen by the bad guys is more likely to be assumed to be a cop than a man with a holstered gun seen by the average sheeple.
The moral of that story may be best summed up as "Discretion is the better part of valor".
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