• We are now running on a new, and hopefully much-improved, server. In addition we are also on new forum software. Any move entails a lot of technical details and I suspect we will encounter a few issues as the new server goes live. Please be patient with us. It will be worth it! :) Please help by posting all issues here.
  • The forum will be down for about an hour this weekend for maintenance. I apologize for the inconvenience.
  • If you are having trouble seeing the forum then you may need to clear your browser's DNS cache. Click here for instructions on how to do that
  • Please review the Forum Rules frequently as we are constantly trying to improve the forum for our members and visitors.

Good open carry experiences

Noel Avenelle

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2012
Messages
55
Location
Toledo, OH
I have now been openly carrying my weapon for at least a week now. I've not been hassled once by police, nor any other people. I live, work, and shop in Northwestern Ohio, in the Toledo area.


No one has seemed to care thus far, even discussed it with one of the employees at a restaurant I go to on the weekends sometimes. She told me she thought I was undercover police, but seemed no more alarmed when I told her I wasn't. She even completely understood why, "Because people go crazy sometimes," she said. Also, the owner of said restaurant is a gun collector. Got into a small discussion with him, too.

I've been to many businesses over the past week, and no one looks, except the kids. Children seem to be..Curious, or even slightly worried about the carrying, but nothing has come from it. I blame this on the media, "Guns are bad, kay?"
 

BB62

Accomplished Advocate
Joined
Aug 17, 2006
Messages
4,069
Location
Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
I have now been openly carrying my weapon for at least a week now. I've not been hassled once by police, nor any other people. I live, work, and shop in Northwestern Ohio, in the Toledo area.


No one has seemed to care thus far, even discussed it with one of the employees at a restaurant I go to on the weekends sometimes. She told me she thought I was undercover police, but seemed no more alarmed when I told her I wasn't. She even completely understood why, "Because people go crazy sometimes," she said. Also, the owner of said restaurant is a gun collector. Got into a small discussion with him, too.

I've been to many businesses over the past week, and no one looks, except the kids. Children seem to be..Curious, or even slightly worried about the carrying, but nothing has come from it. I blame this on the media, "Guns are bad, kay?"
Are you former military or law enforcement? The reason I ask is your use of the word "weapon".

As well as a term that connotes an offensive (vs defensive) purpose, it's a term than can scare the sheeple. My kind suggestion is to use the word "firearm", or "pistol" ("handgun" has been villianized by the media, btw) when speaking to other citizens about your sidearm and your rights.

Final thought - a baseball bat is not a weapon - until I use or threaten to use it on someone's body.
 

Hareuhal

Regular Member
Joined
May 5, 2012
Messages
209
Location
somewhere
Are you former military or law enforcement? The reason I ask is your use of the word "weapon".

As well as a term that connotes an offensive (vs defensive) purpose, it's a term than can scare the sheeple. My kind suggestion is to use the word "firearm", or "pistol" ("handgun" has been villianized by the media, btw) when speaking to other citizens about your sidearm and your rights.

Final thought - a baseball bat is not a weapon - until I use or threaten to use it on someone's body.

I can understand if that's why he's calling it a weapon. I'm military, and I have a hard time calling it anything else. I can somewhat understand your point of view of "firearm" versus "weapon"...but yet I don't think I can convince myself to call it otherwise while speaking. Once it's been beaten into your head to call it a weapon, it's hard to get that out. I really struggle when talking to civilians about it, friends, family, etc. "Gun" just sounds dumb to me, but every so often I am able to force it to come out to talk to those who aren't quite as knowledgeable... (i.e: "I bought a new gun/pistol today")
 

eamelhorn

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 19, 2012
Messages
143
Location
ripley wv
Im neither Militry or LEO, and I call my everyday carry weapon, a WEAPON, I refer to it has my self defence weapon, or sometimes self defence side arm. My rifles and shotguns are used for sport, hunting and target shooting. My pistols are self defence weapons. But I understand the the wording people use. Also thank you for your service, my brother was KIA in Vietnam June 28th 71, when I became old enough to join my mother about filped and said I gave one son, she never used the word lost, always said she gave.
 

Noel Avenelle

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2012
Messages
55
Location
Toledo, OH
Are you former military or law enforcement? The reason I ask is your use of the word "weapon".

As well as a term that connotes an offensive (vs defensive) purpose, it's a term than can scare the sheeple. My kind suggestion is to use the word "firearm", or "pistol" ("handgun" has been villianized by the media, btw) when speaking to other citizens about your sidearm and your rights.

Final thought - a baseball bat is not a weapon - until I use or threaten to use it on someone's body.

Sorry for late reply.

I call it a weapon, because that's what it is. Nothing more, nothing less.

PS. I don't refer to it like this when fielding questions from passersby.
 
Last edited:

MyWifeSaidYes

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2009
Messages
1,028
Location
Logan, OH
I understand the importance of the "image" we project as open carriers. Some people freak out at the sight of a gun. Any gun.

If that's the type of person I have to appease by saying "firearm" or "self-defense tool", I'd rather not.

It really depends on the situation I'm in. If there is a group of thuds trying to intimidate me, how scary is it for me to say. "Don't make me fire my self-defense tool!" Yeah, not gonna happen.

Now, in court, in front of a jury, or even in front of a camera, I probably don't want to come across as a gun-totin' ass-hat that just wants to kill everyone. "Firearm" or "sidearm" is just fine.
 

color of law

Accomplished Advocate
Joined
Oct 7, 2007
Messages
5,936
Location
Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
I'm sorry, but I still refer to it as a weapon. I've been trained to call it by the proper name.

"Proper Name" - a noun that denotes a particular thing; usually capitalized.

Your handgun could be a weapon depending on it intended purpose.

Weapon covers a wide array of objects, but the term weapon is not a proper name.

You are free to call it by whatever name you wish, but in a court of law your definition could hang your a$$......
 

MyWifeSaidYes

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2009
Messages
1,028
Location
Logan, OH
In Ohio, you can carry a concealed knife. You can not conceal a knife "when carried as a weapon".

Some people get really hung up on jargon, but the word 'weapon' outside of the military is one word I can see using sparingly.

Words are funny. For instance, whoever heard of a lawyer that isn't an attorney?!

Hareuhal, I hope you get a chance to meet Color Of Law one of these days.
 

color of law

Accomplished Advocate
Joined
Oct 7, 2007
Messages
5,936
Location
Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
That reminds me of the saying.....

This is my gun.
This is my weapon.
I use my weapon to defend and I use my gun for fun.

Don't get them confused if you know what I mean......
 

ManInBlack

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2006
Messages
1,551
Location
SW Idaho
In general conversation, I refer to mine as a weapon. In conversation with neutrals or antis, I tend to use "legally-carried, self-defense firearm" or, more simply, "tool."
 

Hareuhal

Regular Member
Joined
May 5, 2012
Messages
209
Location
somewhere
"Proper Name" - a noun that denotes a particular thing; usually capitalized.

Your handgun could be a weapon depending on it intended purpose.

Weapon covers a wide array of objects, but the term weapon is not a proper name.

You are free to call it by whatever name you wish, but in a court of law your definition could hang your a$$......


I understand your statement, however a weapon, by definition, is "any instrument or device for use in attack or defense in combat, fighting, or war, as a sword, rifle, or cannon. ".

While OCing or concealing, it is being carried for protection, in which case in the event of me needing to actually use it...it becomes a weapon. It was designed for that purpose. While anything can be turned into a weapon...the "gun" or "firearm"'s original purpose is to attack or defend.

As such, the definition of "firearm" is as follows: noun
a small arms weapon, as a rifle or pistol, from which a projectile is fired by gunpowder.

Being in the military we are trained to not call it a "gun". "Gun" is a crude term, especially since back in the old days, the word "gun" was something mounted on a ship, not in your hands. As military, we don't shoot for sport, the only time we shoot aside from combat is during training, but in every other instance, the usage of a firearm is as a weapon. With my 9mm, I don't shoot it for sport at all, I've never taken it to the range and I don't have any intent to - I own an M4 that I take out shooting for fun. My 9mm has one and only one purpose; self-defense. Since self-defense entails inflicting harm (if necessary), my 9mm is DEFINITELY a weapon.

Personally, I loathe the word "gun". Firearm, pistol, sidearm, those are fine. I just don't find myself using them in every-day conversations because of the way I was trained.

I can definitely understand your point about court, as well, but as stated..it all comes down to the training I have been subjected to. The word "weapon", in my own opinion, sounds more professional. But to each their own!

I enjoy everyone's opinions, though, so I hope no one reacts harshly to this post.
 

ManInBlack

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2006
Messages
1,551
Location
SW Idaho
With my 9mm, I don't shoot it for sport at all, I've never taken it to the range and I don't have any intent to - I own an M4 that I take out shooting for fun. My 9mm has one and only one purpose; self-defense. Since self-defense entails inflicting harm (if necessary), my 9mm is DEFINITELY a weapon.

I agree with the rest of your post, but hold on a minute here...are you saying that you are depending on saving your life with a weapon you don't train with??? :uhoh:
 

Hareuhal

Regular Member
Joined
May 5, 2012
Messages
209
Location
somewhere
I agree with the rest of your post, but hold on a minute here...are you saying that you are depending on saving your life with a weapon you don't train with??? :uhoh:

I guess I should clarify - I bought this specific 9mm with one purpose only, self-defense. I'm already qualified to operate a 9mm thanks to the military. I have that qualification frequently. What I meant, however, was that I didn't purchase it to take to the range. I may at some point decide to take it to a range and fire some rounds with it for fun, but who knows. I can say with certainty that 99.9% of the time, it's only purpose is self dense, and as such is a weapon.

(Just cause I don't take it to the range, doesn't mean I haven't trained with it :p )
 
Top