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OC Problems!

M-Taliesin

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2011
Messages
1,504
Location
Aurora, Colorado
Howdy Folks!
There are plenty of folks who will speak of problems associated with OC. Cops claim you'll be the very first target of a bad guy if trouble erupts. Most new OC'ers have a natural feeling of apprehension, if not outright fear, that they'll be hassled by other citizens or LEOs when they commence to OC'ing. Quite a few will ask about what to wear, how to wear it, what kind of gun to carry, what sort of holster to carry it in, and a whole range of what folks might consider problems.

To help clear some questions away, I'd like to observe what actual problems tend to manifest when an individual makes the decision to open carry.

First problem: OC'ing is a radical act, in the eyes of the general public. Yet, when we go out there, we get very little, if any, reaction at all.

Next, we tend to relate stories of open carry experiences that tend to sound pretty similar in nature: "Gee, I went out OC'ing, and nothing happened."
While we all love to hear of OC experiences that go well, after you've carried OC for as long as some on this forum, just posting "Gee, I went OC'ing and nothing happened" becomes somewhat redundant. Eventually, we get so comfortable with OC'ing that it loses uniqueness. It is just another day of non-eventful OC'ing.

LEO encounters: We all have met LEO's while OC'ing, and in most instances, nothing happens. It can be entertaining to read about a newcomer who has his first OC encounter, and his (or her) surprise that the LEO's don't pay much mind to the OC'er at all. In fact, it is almost downright disappointing. After all, we study up, learn about the encounters of others, prepare ourselves with the laws of our state, role play our anticipated responses in an LEO encounter, try to figure how we'll react to questions they may pose and by the time we actually meet an LEO, all they do is ask "What sort of pistol do you carry?" What's up with that sort of snotty question. We're all set to argue our civil liberties, our constitutional rights, what Article 2, sections 3 and 13 have to say about our right to bear arms, and all they want to know is what sort of pistol we're carrying? Where's the conflict? Where's the witty reparte'? Instead of demanding their RAS for being anywhere near our personal space, or demanding to speak with their supervisor, we end up telling them "It's an XDm .40 cal compact." That's just not what we prepared for. How dare they be civil to us when we're ready to grapple on the playing field of our constitutional liberties. They could at least ask something we might argue about. But Noooooooo. They gotta go around like ruffians respecting our rights! Is there no justice in this universe?

Let's be ruthlessly honest here: OC'ing is a whole lot like exhibitionism. Except that one is legal and the other isn't. Despite the famous line "This is my weapon, this is my gun. This one's for fighting, this one's for fun!", we (like exhibitionists) look for reactions from people on the streets. Just as an exhibitionist, we end up a little bewildered that nobody seems to notice. Maybe size does matter. Time to get a bigger gun!!! Many posts we see on the forum take the form of the "Nobody seemed to notice" variety, and you can almost see disappointment between the lines in such posts.

Honestly, when it comes to posting our experiences, it helps to have a little conflict to chat up! Or at least an encounter where we educated another citizen about open carry. But when we carry every day, all day long, and get no feedback from LEO's or the general public, it just doesn't spin a very good yarn.

Sure, we'll see posts now and again where an individual OC'er might have been asked to leave the gun in the car, or leave the local Walmart on the heels of an encounter with a night manager who suffers cranial-rectal juxtapositional syndrome, and we'll all get righteously indignant for a day or two... at least until the OP has a talk with the general manager or the corporate offices and everything turns out just peachy. Again, where is the existential conflict that makes for a good story? Where is the struggle for our rights when citizens simply won't challenge us on them? Where are the legions of OC'ers to shout Huzzah when an OC'er wins the hearts and minds of those around him by standing his constitutional ground?

The gloves must come off. We need more cops to abuse our rights so we have fodder to write about. We need more night managers who don't know the corporate policy when they throw us out of their store so we have something to relate on the forum. We need citizens to, in all good order, manifest shock or fear and run screaming in some direction away from us so we can share that experience with folks on the OCDO Colorado forum. Where are all those folks taking umbrage at our OCing? Where are the stalwart hearts who are supposed to challenge our right to carry our sidearms on the streets or shops where we are seen every day?

I personally am hoping to have an LEO experience go south one day just so I have material to write posts expressing my general annoyance and outrage at their infringement of my 2a rights.

Guess I'll need to travel out of state, because Colorado is just too darn accepting of our rights to make for great posts!

Blessings,
M-Taliesin
 

mahkagari

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2009
Messages
1,186
Location
, ,
I personally am hoping to have an LEO experience go south one day just so I have material to write posts expressing my general annoyance and outrage at their infringement of my 2a rights.

Yeah, 'cause if there's one thing M-T runs out of faster than rounds in an LC9, it's personal experience to prolifically write about. ;p
 

PFC HALE

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2012
Messages
481
Location
earth
when i start oc, i really dont want to be noticed. i enjoy staying under the radar and not be bothered. i tend to avoid people (sheeple) when i can as i cant stand ignorance. i dont want a negative LEO meeting.

just need to get my holster.
 

LoneEchoWolf

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2012
Messages
285
Location
Alamosa,Colorado
Got to love Colorado. I personally enjoy the fact that we have law abiding Citizens and Leo alike, it makes so you don't have to be looking over your shoulder every two min expecting to be shot by a overzealous misinformed LEO and devote that attention to the real threats. Of course there are real things we need to be focusing on that are still problems in our great state if i can point everyones attention to Peterson v. Martinez (10th Circuit) Official Appeals Thread http://forum.opencarry.org/forums/showthread.php?98476-Peterson-v-Martinez-(10th-Circuit)-Official-Appeals-Thread and the lack of progress on the States part. We need more urging maybe? or something else we can do? of course its always awesome to read a hefty story about someone getting kicked out of such and such, but i also think its awesome that in Colorado we don't have that occur as much as Ive heard of elsewhere.

just my two cents ^^
 

LoneEchoWolf

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2012
Messages
285
Location
Alamosa,Colorado
when i start oc, i really dont want to be noticed. i enjoy staying under the radar and not be bothered. i tend to avoid people (sheeple) when i can as i cant stand ignorance. i dont want a negative LEO meeting.

just need to get my holster.

Ive gone through quite a few holsters before i landed the one i like, what are you looking for? anything specific? Just the lack of good holsters in the area? heck ill hook you up with one of mine I'm not using if your looking for anything!

oops I'm dumb and missed your post about the holster ha. sorry. anyhow black hawk has a huge line of OWB holsters id look into the site or a local retailer and see what they have in stock that you can maybe try on in store. i know i had a problem with mine sticking out too far away from my body which just felt wrong to me so maybe it will feel right to you. just a idea
 
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PFC HALE

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2012
Messages
481
Location
earth
thank lone wolf, after i get my truck repaired ill be picking one up. im not a thin guy so conceal holster is a bit cumbersome, not a hinderance for the taurus 45 but for the hk lol its big.
 

M-Taliesin

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2011
Messages
1,504
Location
Aurora, Colorado
thank lone wolf, after i get my truck repaired ill be picking one up. im not a thin guy so conceal holster is a bit cumbersome, not a hinderance for the taurus 45 but for the hk lol its big.

Howdy Amigo!
The question is, which piece is likely to be your carry piece? That's the one, natch.... that you'd need a holster for.

If transport is your only issue in getting a holster, drop me a PM and I'd be delighted to fetch you from Lochbuie for a trip to Brighton guns or maybe Bass Pro Shop. I also have access to a couple of actual cop shops where the cops get their candy. Blue Star is real friendly and has a pretty good assortment of holsters. Bass Pro is also terrific from a selection perspective. I wasn't at all impressed with Gander Mountain, considering they had very little selection for my 1911.

Anyhow, you can PM me if you'd like to go shopping and I can get you hauled pretty easily. I'm mostly off today, unless I get lucky on a bounty I'm wanting to go after up in Aspen. The guy is shopping for somebody to fetch his fugitive into custody, and I'd really like to be working that particular case. (touch wood. Yet again!)

Meanwhile, back at the topic, I was hopeful everybody would recognize the humor in my post because it was intended to be entirely tongue in cheek.
Right Mahk? He got it!

Blessings,
M-Taliesin
 

ak56

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Aug 10, 2009
Messages
746
Location
Carnation, Washington, USA
Howdy Folks!
There are plenty of folks who will speak of problems associated with OC...
Guess I'll need to travel out of state, because Colorado is just too darn accepting of our rights to make for great posts!

Blessings,
M-Taliesin

Well, don't bother coming over here to Washington State. It's getting to be the same way.
 

wmodavis

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2012
Messages
109
Location
CO
Come on Mel. You got to let us know at the beginning that you're being humerous and that what you are sayin' was intended to be entirely tongue in cheek. Else we think you mean what you say. And your 'tongue in cheek' doesn't jibe with my real time experience. I got cops chasin' me down just to harass me about my OC. I think they are using those drones on me. Course the only time they caught up with me was that time with you. Guess my counter tactics are working. Staying under the radar. Either that or they aren't paying attention. Shouldn't they be turned in for not paying attention? Oh well!
 
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rushcreek2

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 27, 2010
Messages
909
Location
Colorado Springs. CO
My moments of greatest expectations for potentially causing "alarm" when first beginning to OC were when presenting my visibly armed self at the Pharmacy counter, or a convenience store counter.

These two locations being the most notorious for experiencing armed robberies. I was somewhat surprised to be greeted by warm, friendly smiles and absolutely no references to my armed condition.

Now, I really don't much fit the profile of your typical armed robber frequently appearing on security camera footage. Now if I were a person 18-20 years old sporting an unkempt appearance, wearing a dark hoodie, or displayed other "qualities" associated with desperado types - the reactions might not have been so favorable.
 
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mahkagari

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2009
Messages
1,186
Location
, ,
Come on Mel. You got to let us know at the beginning that you're being humerous and thay what you are sayin' was intended to be entirely tongue in cheek.

Oh, that's easy. First thing you do when you look at a forum post is look to the right of it. If there's a picture of a jolly guy with an expensive hat and commeasurate metal detector, that ol' tongue's gonna be planted firmly in his happy jowls.
 

M-Taliesin

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2011
Messages
1,504
Location
Aurora, Colorado
If there's a picture of a jolly guy with an expensive hat and commeasurate metal detector, that ol' tongue's gonna be planted firmly in his happy jowls.

Howdy Mahk!
Now you did it! I'm so disappointed with you.
How DARE you refer to me having happy jowls without mentioning my cute little dimples!!!!

Blessings,
M-Taliesin
 

pfries

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2012
Messages
182
Location
East Tennessee
Firstly Big HOWDY to M-Taliesin,
Now I have to say conflict or not M-Taliesin's posts are some of my favorites to read, somehow even on the interweb he conveys and embodies the very nature and demeanor that I attempt to exude when I head out into the masses. This may be the very reason he does not get anyone riled up when mingling with the heard, a bit of a conundrum.
Almost all of my endeavors and encounters weather LEO or civilian have been positive, this lends to me believing we are moving the causes forward. Fewer negative stories, though not as good for entertainment value, are IMO an indicator of forward movement in our plight. Food for thought none the less I do digress.
 

M-Taliesin

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2011
Messages
1,504
Location
Aurora, Colorado
Firstly Big HOWDY to M-Taliesin,
Now I have to say conflict or not M-Taliesin's posts are some of my favorites to read, somehow even on the interweb he conveys and embodies the very nature and demeanor that I attempt to exude when I head out into the masses. This may be the very reason he does not get anyone riled up when mingling with the heard, a bit of a conundrum.
Almost all of my endeavors and encounters weather LEO or civilian have been positive, this lends to me believing we are moving the causes forward. Fewer negative stories, though not as good for entertainment value, are IMO an indicator of forward movement in our plight. Food for thought none the less I do digress.

Howdy Pard!
Thanks for the compliments. I surely do appreciate them.
Actually, over the last few weeks, I've run into a whole bunch of LEO's.
Lots and lots of them over a single week or so.
And not one made any fuss over my being armed.
That got me thinking that we are indeed having a positive impact in our communities.
It ain't the fodder for good stories, but certainly good for OC'ing in general.

So what happens when nobody, ever, at any time or any place,
has anybody raise a fuss about a MWAG or otherwise raise the alarm about us OC'ers?
What will we talk about then?
Oh, sure... we can talk about seeing other OC'ers here or there, but that ain't enough for a forum to survive.
And I surely can't hold things together on my own with a Stetson hat and splendid dimples!
Maybe we can change the focus of the OCDO forum to something new.
Like OC on the beach... or the perils of wearing a shoulder holster while breast feeding an infant,
or perhaps... the very real possibility that our government may be up to something sneaky and underhanded?

Regardless, I thank you for your kind words, and surely do appreciate your stopping by our forum to share a moment with us Coloradoans.

Good to have you aboard!

Blessings,
M-Taliesin
 

pfries

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2012
Messages
182
Location
East Tennessee
So what happens when nobody, ever, at any time or any place,
has anybody raise a fuss about a MWAG or otherwise raise the alarm about us OC'ers?
What will we talk about then?

Blessings,
M-Taliesin

I would hope our focus would shift to changing the remaining laws and that my friend will take some time.

As far as the state specific forums, I travel all over the US of A both job and pleasure related. After all being in the know is a good way not to get known.
Not to mention my home state Sub Forum seems a might bit slow.
Thanks again M-Taliesin, and if I get into your neck of the woods I would like to look you up.

Pat
 
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LoneEchoWolf

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2012
Messages
285
Location
Alamosa,Colorado
And I surely can't hold things together on my own with a Stetson hat and splendid dimples!

Blessings,
M-Taliesin

I don't know the hat goes a long way. ha! but i agree with what your meaning for sure! don't want anyone to get the wrong idea and think I'm disagreeing or nothing. Its nice to see Colorado has made many leaps in respecting our Rights! now just to get them to continue to do so!
 
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mahkagari

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2009
Messages
1,186
Location
, ,
Must not be the forum I'm looking at :)

O2

*headdesk* Left. I meant left. [insert clever word play on how many people on this forum can't find anything "to the right" of themselves that it's too late for me to formulate]
 
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