Open Carry Encounters

[Lou McGopher]

For those who respond to the poll above, please provide anecdotes on encounters with others you've had while open carrying, and whether or not it affected the way in which you carry.

I've been open-carrying for only a short time. The only time anyone has said anything about it to me have been a couple cashiers on separate occasions, asking whether I was a cop. One of the cashiers mentioned her daughter had recently got her CHL, but hadn't started carrying yet. I took the opportunity to suggest she encourage her daughter to carry, and continue training beyond what was required to get the CHL. Neither the cashiers nor other customers seemed bothered.

Oh, and I meant for option #2 to exclude incidents included in option #3.

 

[Ditto_95]

Your poll doesn't show up.
I open carry regularly and have never been approached because of it.

 

[Lou McGopher]

Your poll doesn't show up.

I was still typing it up, and apparently the new thread gets created before the poll gets submitted.

 

[mljdeckard]

I was in southeast Utah, near the four corners region a couple of years ago on the opening morning of the deer hunt. Me and my dad stopped in a convenience store to fuel up and get some snacks, I had my 1911 on my hip. I overheard one guy sitting at a table say; "I hope he has a permit for that." I thought about it for a second, and decided that if he wasn't concerned enough to talk to me about it directly, I didn't need to confront him over it. I didn't eyeball him to see if he was a local or a tourist.

 

[chris in va]

Vast majority have been neutral "feeling out" encounters, one very positive with a pat on the back and one "panicky" situation with a woman in VA.

I did get on the evening news here in Louisville after getting interviewed by a news crew outside the 'open carry church' event. They had me carrying a "Zig Zawer B220".

I'd do it a lot more but just don't care for attention, positive or negative.

 

[Lou McGopher]

Oh, and I meant for option #2 to exclude incidents included in option #3.

 

[gunlaw]

Never had a problem or even a concerned look. Once had a convience store clerk say "pimpin gun dude".

 

[Lou McGopher]

"Zig Zawer B220".

That's pretty darn amusing.

 

[NMGonzo]

No one give me a second look that I've noticed.

 

[gunnutery]

I was in southeast Utah, near the four corners region a couple of years ago on the opening morning of the deer hunt. Me and my dad stopped in a convenience store to fuel up and get some snacks, I had my 1911 on my hip. I overheard one guy sitting at a table say; "I hope he has a permit for that."

I thought in Utah, if you were "two actions" away from firing a live cartridge, you didn't need a permit.

My brother-in-law lives in Utah and had a lot of problems with cars getting to close to him while on his bicycle. There was once he just reached down and smacked someones side mirror to let them know they were too close. Once he began open carrying his 6" Taurus .44 mag, people started giving him a bigger area to ride.

 

[mljdeckard]

And he couldn't tell by looking whether or not I was loaded. (If you have a permit you can carry chambered.) Like I say, I was busy, I wasn't wanting to get into a public confrontation and lecture about Utah's gun laws. That's why I wondered if he was a tourist.

 

[gunnutery]

Probably, or very ignorant of gun law. I don't blame you for not wanting to get into it. Iowa just started the "shall issue" permits this January, and boy were people worried it'd be the wild west all over again. As a police officer, I've been waiting for the "man with a gun (in a holster)" call...but after almost 5 months we haven't had one call. I think the permit holders know how big of a hastle it would be.

 

[armoredman]

I open carried from age 16 until 1994 in AZ. I got a few looks, a couple of stores told me to get out, (oddly enough, every business that threw me and my friends out for open carrying is out of business), but one of the funniest was sometime in the early 90s, when a former friend and I were carrying in a Circle K conveniance store that no longer exists. My friend had a Colt 1911A1, I was carrying...wait for it...not a CZ, a Springfield 1911A1. Go figure. Pre CZ days. The clerk asked if were were carrying .25 autos. Seriously.
Reel back many years previous, open carrying in Park Mall, before they put signs up, about 1986 or so. 4 hours we'd already spent inside, and then a security guard waving a stick comes up and demands that we leave. Ok, we turned to go. Mr Security Guard reached out to grab my friends' Smith Model 28 Highway Patrolman. We did NOT break leather, but the stickman backed away slowly as we politely said goodbye and left, as originally asked. BTW, I believe I was carrying an Astra A-80 at the time.
Last time I got any feedback was in the mid 90s, right before I got my CCW permit. Went over to Safeway, open carrying a Smith 686 2 inch in an Uncle Mikes nylon rig - I don't do THAT anymore! Lady from church with her very attractive daughter turned up in line behind me at checkout. Mom saw the sidearm and turned pale. I was very pleasant as always, but somehow I never ran into them at church anymore - I think they started going to a different service...oh well.

 

[wrs840]

I'm no crusader, so I open-carry only where I think it's not going to be received with indignation by anti-gun crusaders who believe they have the upper-ground of their own turf.

In other words, I open-carry where it's semi-common, and concealed-carry where OC is possibly provocative, for the same reason I don't wear a Rush-Limbaugh Tee-shirt to take my kid to the doctor: Being "right" or exercising my "right" is not as important to me as getting the desired result from those who's cooperation I need under the circumstances.

It must be working, because I carry one way or the other everywhere legal, an I catch no negative static from anyone.

 

[Lex Luthier]

I have also heard it pronounced "Six Hour".

 

[NavyLCDR]

My experiences in semi-rural Washington have run the entire range from thumbs-up and verbal thank yous to the MWAG call resulting a police harassment with them threatening to revoke my CPL (which they had no grounds nor authority to do, anyway).

99% of the time it goes completely unnoticed, but when it is noticed, about 80% of those times it's a positive reaction.

 

[Monkeyleg]

I opened carried for several years on motorcycle trips in AZ, UT, ID, and MT. I only did so in rural areas or small towns, because my reason for carrying was that I was going into desolate areas, and in larger cities I didn't want to be hassled by cops.

I never had police bother me, although I did have an officer stop to "chat" at the dam in Paige, AZ. I'm 99.99% sure he was responding to a man with a gun call, and was just checking me out. Very polite, and no trouble.

Any time I'd pull into scenic overlooks or other areas where there were tourists, people would back away, or get into their cars, lock the doors and leave.

The most irritating experience was with a group of German guys in an RV. They followed me around with a video camera. I suppose the sight of a guy on a Harley carrying a sidearm in the desert appealed to their perceptions of the old American West.

After finally getting too annoyed, I got my FL non-resident permit, and no longer worry about scaring away mom, dad and the kids, or being a source of entertainment.

 

[ZeSpectre]

99% of the time it goes completely unnoticed, but when it is noticed, about 80% of those times it's a positive reaction

Same here though I had one "interesting" interaction at the state capitol once. An anti-rights type who proclaimed her fear of guns somehow overcame that fear enough to get right in my face and tell me how I was evil and she wished I were dead so she didn't have to be afraid of nuts like me.

I've never quite been able to square her alleged "paralyzing fear" with her in my face aggressiveness.

 

[mljdeckard]

I know that viewpoint well. Southwest corner of Page, on the canyon, looking straight at the dam.

 

[cleardiddion]

99% of the time it goes completely unnoticed, but when it is noticed, about 80% of those times it's a positive reaction.

This.

I carried my PA63 and I've only had four times when I've been approached.
Once was at wally world and the guy asked if I was carrying a Luger. "No, they're too expensive ). At the same walmart on the same trip there was a guy who asked if I was a cop. I think he was trying to get a reaction out of me but I just explained the legalities of carry in Colorado. I think I surprised him by just being calm and collected.

Other time I was carrying around my old Nagant and the guy in the checkout at Sports Authority asked where I got ammo for that.

And the final time I was carrying a Taurus model 86 and some drunk outside of a King Soopers saw it and blabbing on about it. He wanted to see it but I just explained that it wasn't possible.

I'm honestly surprised I never got a MWAG call on me considering that I carried a lot in Boulder (for those of you not familiar with the front range, it's the most ego centric anti-gun place short of Denver around). Used to hang around a lot on Pearl Street yet not one soul there seemed to notice.
I guess I would have more stories but for the time being I'm stuck down in Florida finishing school and no go on OC unlelss I'm out hunting/fishing. Makes me sad, especially considering how hot the weather's been lately.

 

[Kleanbore]

A group of activists recently decided to "exercise" their right to carry openly by doing so and going into business establishments in two nearby communities.

Results so far: an emergency council session in one, which passed a ban that was effective immediately, and a similar ordinance in the other that will come up for vote at the next regular session and that will certainly pass.

Concealed carriers whom I know are extremely irritated at the actions of these guys. Concealed carry is still overwhelmingly opposed by most people here, but we've been getting along fine with it for some years now. There is concern that these actions will get CC eliminated.

 

[Single Action Six]

Media Knows Firearms? NOT..!

Chris in VA said in part..

I did get on the evening news here in Louisville after getting interviewed by a news crew outside the 'open carry church' event. They had me carrying a "Zig Zawer B220".

What else do you expect? The "media" is as knowledgeable about firearms, as a burlap sack full of rocks has flying!

Single Action Six

 

[NavyLCDR]

A group of activists recently decided to "exercise" their right to carry openly by doing so and going into business establishments in two nearby communities.

Results so far: an emergency council session in one, which passed a ban that was effective immediately, and a similar ordinance in the other that will come up for vote at the next regular session and that will certainly pass.

Concealed carriers whom I know are extremely irritated at the actions of these guys. Concealed carry is still overwhelmingly opposed by most people here, but we've been getting along fine with it for some years now. There is concern that these actions will get CC eliminated.

So, you will be able to post the names of these two communities?

Would one of them happen to be Portantino, CALIFORNIA?

http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/news/ci_17838654

BTW, the proposed open carry ban attempted by the city of Portantino violates California's preemption statute. So, what you have is one group of persons attempting to take an illegal action against another group of people who have done nothing illegal. But, of course, it is the law abiding citizens' fault for causing the illegal actions of the city government?

And, according to your statement, what we have here is a group of people who you are saying should not exercise a legal behavior, because by doing so that behavior may become illegal in response. So what difference does it make at all?!? What difference does it make if it is legal or not if you can't do it when it's legal because of the threat of possible illegal government action against it?

Do you know what the REAL cause of this is? It's the fact that WE, the gun owners of this country, have allowed the Brady Campaign and their anti-gun cronies to push their anti-gun propaganda down the throats of any people that will listen, largely unhindered, for the past 60-70 years. And now, some of the same gun owners are asking the rest of us to continue to do the exact same thing - to put up and shut up and bow down to the anti-gun groups and just keep quiet and concealed.

 

[Lou McGopher]

It's very unfortunate that a small group of antis had the ability to ruin it for those open carriers. I don't know what state it was in, but I wonder if there's any hope for a legal challenge to those ordinance. Even though I live in the suburbs of Cleveland, I guess I am lucky enough that the state of Ohio has preempted municipalities from passing any such legislation. Also, an energetic and determined group of open carriers here in Ohio recently sent out packets to every police dept in the state, detailing the legality of open carry, and the repercussions of violating that right. It's yet to be seen how effective it will be, but so far the results have been encouraging. As the number of people carrying concealed and openly continues to grow in this country, I expect such negative reactions will all but disappear.

 

[TrickyDick]

I never OC unless I'm hunting. I always CC wherever I go, simply because I don't carry for attention. It's nobody's business if I have a gun or not. If an officer asks, then I'll tell him. otherwise I abide by the law behind carrying firearms, and mind my own business. These "activists" are only making it more difficult for the rest of us. I appreciate their intent, but with idiots on town councils, it just scares them.