Any Advice on Carrying Openly for the First Time?

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Ltp0wer

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Yes, another open carry thread. I used search and read threads from the first 4 pages of search results for "open carry". I tried narrowing it down to "Open Carry Advice" and "Open Carry Tips" and even "First time Open Carry", and I didn't find a thread.

Anyway, I turn 18 in on the 17th (Roughly 6 days).

I was wondering if any of you guys have any tips for me. I live in a rather large suburban area, rather than a secluded part of the state where open carry is more common. I am going to carry a (9mm) Smith and Wesson Model 39-2 on a hip holster with one spare magazine. I plan to wear some dark blue jeans and a t-shirt.

My questions are:
Is this a good idea? The majority of my friends have never seen someone open carry. If they have, it's only been 1 or 2 times.

How was your first open carry experience? I want to know if there is anything I should expect or avoid. How old were you?

There is no one in my family I can get advice from because no one besides me shows any interest in firearms. My mom is proud that I want to open carry, while my dad and my step mom told me, "You aren't open carrying with us outside the house. You need to be respectful of other peoples' fears".

Also, I envy all you guys that are 21 and have concealed carry permits. Attached is a picture I took of my gun.
Thanks for reading.
 

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I don't know if it will help or not, but it couldn't hurt to have a copy of the Revised statutes and such that show that it's legal to open carry where you are.

-Mark.
 
M60 and jakemccoy, I have a book that I have been reading called "Arizona Gun Owners Guide". It has the statutes in plain and in layman's terms.

I also have a book called "You and the Police", which explains what you should say to the cops, and what rights everyone has as far as searches and the like.
 
You need to be respectful of other peoples' fears
Click to expand...
Respectfully tell them to get a life. This is America. People need to be respectful of your Constitutional rights. If they get scared that's their problem and they need to see a shrink about it.

Situational awareness is the biggest issue. Keep your gun side away from people. Don't let people get inside your personal bubble. Watch hands, then look at their face. Be yourself, be polite, go on with life.
 
i wish i could help you, but open carry is something that i don't do so therefore i have no tips for you that are open carry specific, however best of luck to you. just be responsible and do the legal gun owners/ ccw proud, and set the example for people to see. show them what right looks like. ie don't do things that would give teh antis fuel for the fire.
 
Just be ready for a Crap storm if you are downtown PHX, Scottsdale maybe. Most of the other cities were not as up tight about open carrying.
Being ex LEO in Gilbert, I can give you a couple suggestions.
1. If you are approached by law enforcement, keep your hands at about belly height and folded.
2. I would suggest starting to keep your wallet (With ID) in your front pocket, opposite the side where you will wear your firearm.
3. ID yourself, and advise of the weapon. If asked for ID, before moving your hands, advise the office of everything you will do, and move slow.
4. I believe the law in AZ, if I remember correctly, is you can carry open, but you can't have a round chambered, but can have a mag inserted.
5. When you go to travel in your vehicle, the law changes a bit. If you don't have a concealed permit, you need to have the handgun in plain sight, with no mag inserted, and ammo in a separate locked compartment.

Good luck. Remember, if an officer approaches you, they will be at a high level of anxiety. They don't know you, and need to asses the situation. Work with them, and be polite.
 
Proper attire and hygiene will go a long way in reducing the immediate impact of OC. If you need details on what I mean by "proper attire and hygiene", you may either ask your grandmother or forget about OC because you aren't ready yet. The required level of maturity is key to your success. Maturity is a mental factor and is exhibited externally by attitude and dress.
 
freakshow10mm said:
Respectfully tell them to get a life. This is America. People need to be respectful of your Constitutional rights. If they get scared that's their problem and they need to see a shrink about it.

Situational awareness is the biggest issue. Keep your gun side away from people. Don't let people get inside your personal bubble. Watch hands, then look at their face. Be yourself, be polite, go on with life.
Click to expand...
Thanks exactly what I've been trying to tell them, but they are too old and set in their ways. I am hoping that things will go smoothly and they will hopefully see that there is nothing wrong with open carrying.

kmcintosh78 said:
Just be ready for a Crap storm if you are downtown PHX, Scottsdale maybe. Most of the other cities were not as up tight about open carrying.
Being ex LEO in Gilbert, I can give you a couple suggestions.
1. If you are approached by law enforcement, keep your hands at about belly height and folded.
2. I would suggest starting to keep your wallet (With ID) in your front pocket, opposite the side where you will wear your firearm.
3. ID yourself, and advise of the weapon. If asked for ID, before moving your hands, advise the office of everything you will do, and move slow.
4. I believe the law in AZ, if I remember correctly, is you can carry open, but you can't have a round chambered, but can have a mag inserted.
5. When you go to travel in your vehicle, the law changes a bit. If you don't have a concealed permit, you need to have the handgun in plain sight, with no mag inserted, and ammo in a separate locked compartment.

Good luck. Remember, if an officer approaches you, they will be at a high level of anxiety. They don't know you, and need to asses the situation. Work with them, and be polite.
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Wow, thanks. Very informative. I have a few issues though.
I have never heard about anything about chambering rounds being illegal.
Also, number 5, I heard that I can have a holstered pistol anywhere in the vehicle except on my person, and I can have an unholstered weapon in the glove box. Unless I am misunderstanding the law
ARS 13-3102 said:
1. Carrying a deadly weapon without a permit pursuant to section 13-3112 except a pocket knife concealed on his person; or
2. Carrying a deadly weapon without a permit pursuant to section 13-3112 concealed within immediate control of any person in or on a means of transportation; or
...
F. Subsection A, paragraph 1 of this section shall not apply to a weapon or weapons carried in a belt holster that is wholly or partially visible, or carried in a scabbard or case designed for carrying weapons that is wholly or partially visible or carried in luggage. Subsection A, paragraph 2 of this section shall not apply to a weapon or weapons carried in a case, holster, scabbard, pack or luggage that is carried within a means of transportation or within a storage compartment, map pocket, trunk or glove compartment of a means of transportation.
Click to expand...
 
And yes you will be very nervous the first few times. Everyone is, even carrying concealed. You will get comfortable the more you do it. Just takes time.
 
My advice... even though you plan on OC, get a CC permit first. This gives you an extra level of legal protection....just in case you accidentally conceal your "open carried" weapon.. (it can happen...) or get in a weird situation where the legal regulations change because you are in a vehicle, etc.

I would also carry concealed first (with a permit) and then when that "I'm carrying a gun" novelty has worn off, only then would I open carry.
 
You missed the point.

He will be 18 years old within a week. He can open carry at 18. He can't get a concealed carry permit until 21. Open carry allows him to carry a firearm for his protection at 18 years old.

As the OP resides in Arizona, it's doubtful a jacket is worn except possibly at night in the winter.
 
I'm going to say this, even if it's not what you want to hear right now.

You are right. Your father is wrong. At least that's the opinion you are going to get from us in here. Every human being has a fundamental human right to self-defense, and there isn't some magical age where you suddenly become responsible enough to handle deadly force.; I believe in my case I was much younger than 18. There is no shortage of idiots over 21 who CAN'T handle it. I experienced this absurdity when upon my first discharge from the army, two months short of 21, I was the assistant armorer in the HHC of an armor battalion, which means I had unaccompanied access to 273 M-16s, 87 M-9s, and 50 some-odd M-60s, M-240s, M-2s, and honest-to-Roosevelt M-3 burp guns. I bought a pistol from a friend of mine, and I wasn't allowed to take posession of it because I wasn't 21 yet. I know.

HOWEVER COMMA

The consequences of going against your father's wishes are going to have a much more immediate and direct on your life than the possibility of an event where deadly force may be authorized. I know 21 seems like a LONG way off, but when it gets here, and you are a real adult human being who can do anything you want to, the pre-21 blues will fade into insignificance.

You can be right, or you can be happy. Pick ONE. You can't have both. MY advice is, bite the bullet for now, leave it home, get lots of practice when you can, read those books cover to cover, in addition to "In the Gravest Extreme" by Massad F. Ayoob. Be ready when you ARE 21.
 
Wear a button down shirt and slacks instead of jeans and a t-shirt. Shave daily and get a haircut monthly. Look as clean cut as you can and people will react much more positively.
 
Be dang sure you know the laws, all of them, before you go.

Not to talk you out of it, but just because you are not breaking any laws does not guarantee that you will not be hassled or have legal problems arise from the situation.
 
The chambered round thing is a UT law then, not AZ.

As for the vehicle carry. That is an open debate, and varies from department to department and officer to officer. I don't think that there is any case law to support which interpretation is to be taken yet. But, it has been at least 5 years since leaving LE and AZ.
Call your local PD and take to a patrol officer, not a SGT or supervisor, they are desk jockeys.

And the hygiene thing will go along way. More times then not, if you look like a dirt bag, you are treated like a dirt bag. If you look like John Q Public, who obeys the law, you are not bothered.
 
TheProf, like freakshow10mm said, I am only going to be 18. Trust me, if I were 21, I would get my CCW permit in a second.

Tacbandit, yeah, I don't want to stir up any trouble.

mljdeckard said:
The consequences of going against your father's wishes are going to have a much more immediate and direct on your life than the possibility of an event where deadly force may be authorized. I know 21 seems like a LONG way off, but when it gets here, and you are a real adult human being who can do anything you want to, the pre-21 blues will fade into insignificance.

You can be right, or you can be happy. Pick ONE. You can't have both. MY advice is, bite the bullet for now, leave it home, get lots of practice when you can, read those books cover to cover, in addition to "In the Gravest Extreme" by Massad F. Ayoob. Be ready when you ARE 21.
Click to expand...
You'd be right, but I live with my mom. I only see my dad 2 or 3 days a month. He has no real control over my life. I appreciate the words of wisdom, though.
Also, thanks for the book recommendation. I am getting bored of reading the same gun book over again.

Middy, will do. If slacks and button down would work better, I'm on it. Thanks.

snorky18, That's what I am afraid of. :(

kmcintosh78, yeah, thanks. I'll call the PD tomorrow. And yeah, I shave quite often anyway. I am a bit overdue for a haircut though.

Thanks you guys, you've been really helpful. This thread has been more successful than I thought it would be.
 
Agreed, know the laws to a T so if you are questioned they know your not just some yahoo. On appearance and attitude, keep it clean and keep it confident. Even seeing someone well dresses and clean cut, but who keeps fingering their OC and feeling too self conscious about their firearm (sorry I am kinda suspicous of people anyways, habit.) makes me nervous around them. If you are confident about your carry, ie not favoring your gun side in your stride so it's always ready, or constantly checking it, or brandishing it, that throws up alarms for me, personally. Just be comfortably about it and if you behave to self consiously of it around people they will also become more conscious about the firearm too. I'm not saying let everybody touch it, definitly keep your gun side away from people if you have the chance to without juking and weaving people. Just act like your should, it's your gun, your right to carry, be proud of it just don't flaunt or be second guess yourself on how you carry it.
 
Blue Brick said:
By the way I live in AZ and I always open carry. I bought my first revolver when I was 18 (Fully legal in AZ from a private party).
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Sweet. I'm going to my favorite gun store on my birthday and I am buying a mosin nagant. And yeah, I know it sounds silly, but I constantly fiddle with my gun in my house. I take it a part and practice clearing jams. My snap caps were a solid investment. I don't think I'll have any problems not touching it in public, though.
 
Ltp,
So far, I have not heard a few items that still need to be addressed --- So here goes.

TAKE A CONCEALED CARRY COURSE NOW!
I KNOW THAT YOU ARE ONLY 18 NOW, BUT YOU CAN LEGALLY TAKE THE COURSE.
You will learn the laws and ramification of carrying a firearm in any situation, open or concealed.
They will also teach you how to handle the weapon, and mostly when not to think about touching it or using it.

Also, you MUST have a holster that fits, that is secure, and that you are comfortable with at all times.
Sitting, standing, walking and even running you must be certain that your handgun is secure.
If you don't have a holster that is absolutly secure you have no right to carry in the open, period.
If you haven't found that holster yet, you need to find it now.
Each holster has a designed purpose, and it is to be used for it's intended purpose only.
There is no such thing as a "single holster for every purpose"
I own 9 different holsters and only 5 handguns.

Carrying a loaded weapon will be the most responsible act you will ever do.
Start by carrying it on you around the house all day long.
Stay at home and make a point not to go out.
You won't have an excuse to take it off if you are at home all day.
Do it for 3 or 4 days until you are completly comfortable wearing it.
The hardest thing to do is to keep from checking for it all the time.
Any time your hand goes to or near your weapon somebody will see you do it, and it may be considered hostile.
Learn not to reach for it, or to touch it "Just to be sure it's there".
It is, and it will be noticed only if you draw attention to it.
If you are comfortable with it, nearly everybody around you will be too.

The very first time I open carried I did so with a completly empty weapon.
I carried a loaded magazine with me, but the pistol was empty. I was the only person that knew it.
I was very nervous, but after about 2 hours wandering about I got used to it.

And lastly, it was said earlier that it would be a good idea to respect your fathers wishes and not carry while you are around him.
I agree, it will show your father that you are respectful and acting responsibly by listening to his wishes.
Once you turn 21, you are a fully emancipated adult and can do as you wish.
But I'm sure your father will understand and respect your position, as you did his when you were 18
Good luck in your endeavor - GQ
 
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It's not an issue at all in Arizona.

I've opened carried my pistol into a QT a few times with Glendale PD there and they didn't even give me a second glance.

Just make sure you avoid places that prohibit firearms and you'll be A-Okay.

How was your first open carry experience? I want to know if there is anything I should expect or avoid. How old were you?

There is no one in my family I can get advice from because no one besides me shows any interest in firearms. My mom is proud that I want to open carry, while my dad and my step mom told me, "You aren't open carrying with us outside the house. You need to be respectful of other peoples' fears".
Click to expand...

My first time was actually very nervewracking. Just for the fact I was popping my OC cherry. I was 18 when I first did it and now that I turned 19 a few months ago and got my pistol for my birthday I've done it a few times since then.
 
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