Open Carry experience thread.

Firearms Iinstuctor said:

That is what I figured to much computer time LOL I am here for 3 months until the cold weather goes away up north.

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Seems like every day more kids become interested in guns and the carry of guns.... in video games. The silver lining may be that those kids then take advantage of an offer to go shooting; a group on the UofA campus tries to organize a range day roughly twice a year (once a semester), and I've been taking family, friends, and colleagues (found one girl who could probably go pro with pistols if she was more passionate about shooting). Activism starts at home, right?

Don't know if you'll be around (three months total, or three more months?), but hopefully you can make it to our OC meet up at the end of this month (yes, this is a shameless plug):

"Bullets, Burgers, and Resolutions" January 2015 OC lunch

Details:
Who: OCers, CCers, and other Freedom-loving individuals.
What: OC lunch and range time
Where: the range will be the Scottsdale Gun Club, and the eatery will be David's Hamburgers and Mexican Food, a great place we found some months back.
When: Saturday, 31st of January. Range from 11 am, Lunch at 1:45 pm (gives range attendees time to navigate the congested streets of Scottsdale).
Why: Because perfect practice makes perfect, and friendly banter among friends never hurts.

The manager told me his establishment abides by and respects AZ law, so we are welcome in his establishment AND our lawfully-carried sidearms are welcome (the tasteful carry of holstered pistols is appreciated). Also, he'd like a rough estimate of how many people will be in our group so as to make preparations, so PLEASE, if you haven't already done so, let me know so I can give him the updated numbers. As it is, he's told me his staff will be ready for us that day, and they are glad we've decided to patronize their business.

Add.
Wasn't carrying (coming from disarmed zone, only taking a dinner break), but I did give the manager at Momma's BBQ a "Thank you" card from AzCDL's website, letting her know that I appreciate them following AZ state law regarding lawfully-carried firearms. The manager seemed to respond well, so I'll return in a few weeks to see if anything goes south.

Will be around till April first might talk my brother into taking a ride.

We have a personal connection to the Scottsdale gun club. The founder and owner is a cousin of ours.

That said I normally don't pay to shoot to many free areas available to shoot here.

Nice to see the gun appreciation runs in the family, Firearms Iinstuctor! Letting your brother know that good food and good folks will be there might help convince him.
I agree on the free shooting spots, and hopefully we can get out to a good place (and share our presence with the locals) at a future meetup.

OT: Got to OC at a Circle K where several fire department folks had come in to grab something on the go (I felt a lot safer having them there). No problems, just a few looks, and one of the guys even struck up a conversation, thinking my SA 1911 was a Kimber.

THAT is the kind of conversation any carrier SHOULD have; "what make/model/caliber is that?" instead of "why do you carry a gun?", and "is that the new ______?" instead of "are you a cop or something?".

Somewhat related to OC: my brother had the unfortunate experience of having his 1911's ambidextrous safety shear off where the two parts meet; he's decided to switch it to the antiquated, un-tactical, single-sided safety.

Rusty Young Man said:

Nice to see the gun appreciation runs in the family, Firearms Iinstuctor! Letting your brother know that good food and good folks will be there might help convince him.
I agree on the free shooting spots, and hopefully we can get out to a good place (and share our presence with the locals) at a future meetup.

OT: Got to OC at a Circle K where several fire department folks had come in to grab something on the go (I felt a lot safer having them there). No problems, just a few looks, and one of the guys even struck up a conversation, thinking my SA 1911 was a Kimber.

THAT is the kind of conversation any carrier SHOULD have; "what make/model/caliber is that?" instead of "why do you carry a gun?", and "is that the new ______?" instead of "are you a cop or something?".

Somewhat related to OC: my brother had the unfortunate experience of having his 1911's ambidextrous safety shear off where the two parts meet; he's decided to switch it to the antiquated, un-tactical, single-sided safety.

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Oh trying not to poke a Tupperware pistol jab in there...must resist...must resist...must resist. The most trouble I ever had with a Tupperware pistol was ..ummm....none!

Most trouble with 1911's seems to stem from a really good 100 year old design being "modified" with gizmo's JMB never intended the design to support. Love'em but - I'll take function over form any day of the week!

On topic OCed today - no issues -- as it should be.

[video]http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ro7N7dAmjLY[/video]

FreeInAZ said:

Most trouble with 1911's seems to stem from a really good 100 year old design being "modified" with gizmos JMB never intended the design to support. Love'em but - I'll take function over form any day of the week!

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I'm a Glock fan but have carried 1911's. I have also taken 1911 armorer's classes.

You are right - Mess with the original design and you invite problems. Also, stick with the steel frame. No aluminum or plastic frames. They will eventually crack. It's also designed for a right handed shooter. The pistol will twist clockwise into the shooter's hand. For us lefties, it will want to twist out of our hands.

Re: The ambidextrous safety that broke. It's a really easy fix but if the shooter is right handed it's unnecessary. If the shooter is left-handed, you need the ambi-safety.

Same with Stoner's AR (another armorer's class I took). Leave it alone. Don't mess with it.

Fred

Had quite an eventful day:
Got to meet up with some fine folks for our "Bullets, Burgers, and Resolutions" OC lunch (http://forum.opencarry.org/forums/s...t-January-2015-OC-lunch&p=2123729#post2123729), and was thanked for carrying.

Later found myself walking around in Mesa (Main St.), looking at several shops and sights and even getting a few smiles and hand waves from people who noticed the OCers walking outside (my brother and I, mostly).

Also had an encounter in Phoenix with what could be described as a wannabe Opinion Enforcement Officer (WOO?); was told by an uninformed Lightrail security guard that I could not board the Lightrail while carrying, so I tried explaining state preemption and the lack of Lightrail lock boxes to him. He then called his lieutenant over, who got the same explanation, and seemed to at least understand that an informed citizen was not likely part of the criminal element, so I was able to board without further problems.
Not sure how to proceed, if I should at all, since the outcome was good and no real animosity took place, and the security guard was witness to a Lawfully-Armed Citizen not being barred from boarding the Lightrail.

No other issues.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone (posted just in time too).

OCed all over Tucson today:
Waffle House franchise where at least one employee got a really good look at my holstered 1911.
Circle K where a Tucson PD officer didn't notice me OCing in line with him. Had a woman and her husband - who said he was now technically a felon - ask me about OC and carry laws in general, and the cashier responded (almost correctly) by saying AZ is a state where you can carry OC or CC without a permit so long as you aren't a felon. Both guys and the wife seemed nice.
On the buses, where a man tried to tell me that "you can't carry guns on these buses". Got that cleared up, and engaged in a great conversation about how carry is prudent because you never know when your umber may be drawn for an encounter with a violent criminal.

Other than that, no issues regarding carry.

Rusty Young Man said:

Happy Valentine's Day everyone (posted just in time too).

OCed all over Tucson today:
Waffle House franchise where at least one employee got a really good look at my holstered 1911.
Circle K where a Tucson PD officer didn't notice me OCing in line with him. Had a woman and her husband - who said he was now technically a felon - ask me about OC and carry laws in general, and the cashier responded (almost correctly) by saying AZ is a state where you can carry OC or CC without a permit so long as you aren't a felon. Both guys and the wife seemed nice.
On the buses, where a man tried to tell me that "you can't carry guns on these buses". Got that cleared up, and engaged in a great conversation about how carry is prudent because you never know when your umber may be drawn for an encounter with a violent criminal.

Other than that, no issues regarding carry.

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Hmmm... You never know when your
"umber" may be drawn.. I think you are getting carried away with the whole carrying a bug notion. Although, I guess carrying a bunch of brownish-gray moths could come in handy?

noun
1.
a natural pigment resembling but darker than ocher, normally dark yellowish-brown in color ( raw umber ) or dark brown when roasted ( burnt umber ).
the color of umber.
2.
a brownish-gray moth with coloring that resembles tree bark.

What Freedom looks like at the Grand Canyon

Visited the Grand Canyon on Sunday (2015/02/22) with a few friends, while OCing an "American icon" (manufactured in Brazil). Get comfy, because this brief story... isn't.:lol:


No problems at any of the places we stopped at along the way, including at a little restaurant in Camp Verde, AZ by the name of "Verde Café". The food was delicious, the vibe homely, and the price a bargain. I had a suspicion that the locals wearing the cowboy hats were probably not as unarmed as they appeared at first sight. As usual, left one of the AZCDL "Thank you" cards.

OC at the Grand Canyon was only hampered by the whole "federal building" thing: basically, entering any of the visitor/tourist buildings except for the restrooms could land you in prison. I didn't check if the Bright Angel Lodge also fell under this or not, but the "No Firearms" (with what looked like a silhouette of one of those OLD Nintendo guns) made me not want to even go inside. I chose to brave the cold wind and hail rather than set foot inside a place that required me to be defenseless as a prerequisite for entry.

Had more than a few looks, stares, and outright gawks from tourists; at least one shuttle's worth of Japanese students* have something to talk about when they get home to their disarmed nation, and a group of three young ladies (~24-33) asked me about OC. One asked me if carrying required "authorization", and I let her know that no permission nor permit is required to carry in AZ so long as one is here legally, is of legal age and has no felony or domestic abuse record. I let her know that I had no permit and was an ordinary citizen. She translated that to the other two ladies*, and we bid each other a nice day and farewell, parting with smiles.

One encounter really stands out to me: I asked an older lady (visiting from Indiana) if she could take a photo of me. She saw my OCed 1911 front and center, but didn't even bat an eye. The same cannot be said for the two men who were walking past and suddenly had a case of jaw-drop (a serious medical condition indicative of Freedom-deprivation, Liberty-anemia, and Rights-denial).

Alright, here are two pics showing what some have called my best side.

It's days like that one that make me truly appreciate what we have in AZ, and make me wonder how much sweeter true Freedom may be.


*Not racist; one friend speaks Japanese and he overheard the students' Japanese, AND a conversation about the trip
**Couldn't place the accent nor recognize any of the words, so I will ask a few friends if they would know from hearing it.

Rusty Young Man said:

Visited the Grand Canyon on Sunday (2015/02/22) with a few friends, while OCing an "American icon" (manufactured in Brazil). Get comfy, because this brief story... isn't.:lol:


No problems at any of the places we stopped at along the way, including at a little restaurant in Camp Verde, AZ by the name of "Verde Café". The food was delicious, the vibe homely, and the price a bargain. I had a suspicion that the locals wearing the cowboy hats were probably not as unarmed as they appeared at first sight. As usual, left one of the AZCDL "Thank you" cards.

OC at the Grand Canyon was only hampered by the whole "federal building" thing: basically, entering any of the visitor/tourist buildings except for the restrooms could land you in prison. I didn't check if the Bright Angel Lodge also fell under this or not, but the "No Firearms" (with what looked like a silhouette of one of those OLD Nintendo guns) made me not want to even go inside. I chose to brave the cold wind and hail rather than set foot inside a place that required me to be defenseless as a prerequisite for entry.

Had more than a few looks, stares, and outright gawks from tourists; at least one shuttle's worth of Japanese students* have something to talk about when they get home to their disarmed nation, and a group of three young ladies (~24-33) asked me about OC. One asked me if carrying required "authorization", and I let her know that no permission nor permit is required to carry in AZ so long as one is here legally, is of legal age and has no felony or domestic abuse record. I let her know that I had no permit and was an ordinary citizen. She translated that to the other two ladies*, and we bid each other a nice day and farewell, parting with smiles.

One encounter really stands out to me: I asked an older lady (visiting from Indiana) if she could take a photo of me. She saw my OCed 1911 front and center, but didn't even bat an eye. The same cannot be said for the two men who were walking past and suddenly had a case of jaw-drop (a serious medical condition indicative of Freedom-deprivation, Liberty-anemia, and Rights-denial).

Alright, here are two pics showing what some have called my best side.
View attachment 12394View attachment 12395
It's days like that one that make me truly appreciate what we have in AZ, and make me wonder how much sweeter true Freedom may be.


*Not racist; one friend speaks Japanese and he overheard the students' Japanese, AND a conversation about the trip
**Couldn't place the accent nor recognize any of the words, so I will ask a few friends if they would know from hearing it.

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Thanks for posting this open carry outing, I enjoyed reading about it and seeing your photos. The Grand Canyon is awesome and I hope to see it again sometime. BTW, this AZCDL "thank you" card you left at the cafe', could you post a picture of it, it's the first I heard of it. I find it to be interesting and it seems to be good idea to promote a positive OC interaction with service staff.

OC Freedom said:

BTW, this AZCDL "thank you" card you left at the cafe', could you post a picture of it, it's the first I heard of it. I find it to be interesting and it seems to be good idea to promote a positive OC interaction with service staff.

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You can pick these up at any AzCDL gun show table. We keep plenty on hand.

If you want to print your own, go to the AzCDL website's Educational Page then scroll to the bottom and look for the heading "Activism Tools." You'll find 2 cards. One for handing to businesses that ban guns and one for handing to businesses that are gun friendly.

And....if you live in Arizona and this is all news to you, I invite you to join AzCDL.

Fred

azcdlfred said:

You can pick these up at any AzCDL gun show table. We keep plenty on hand.

If you want to print your own, go to the AzCDL website's Educational Page then scroll to the bottom and look for the heading "Activism Tools." You'll find 2 cards. One for handing to businesses that ban guns and one for handing to businesses that are gun friendly.

And....if you live in Arizona and this is all news to you, I invite you to join AzCDL.

Fred

Click to expand...

Thanks for the info and where to find the link to the card.

I don't live in Arizona, but thanks for the info...

My OC experiences so far since moving

Hey - I haven't posted in a while - I've been settling in, working on getting a life-routine here, but figured it's time to share my OC experiences since moving here.

THAT JUST ODD FEELING :uhoh:
I need to be honest about this - it's very "strange" still, having just moved to America from Kalifornia. The anti-mantra driven laws are so ingrained in my thinking that I've mostly been way too uncomfortable OCing as I go out and about.

My biggest concern is always having to do with two issues.

1. What if the managers at the apartment complex I live in see me OC, or get a complaint from some other tenant, and terminate my lease?

I've begun to ease into that one - just nonchalantly strapping on my gun-belt while standing at my car trunk, carrying my gun belt/ Glock in its holster over my arm up to my apartment, though it's still "odd" and I have concerns...

2. What if I'm OCing out and about, and walk into an establishment that doesn't have the proper signage, and I'm confronted? What if I get people who are shocked / freaked out over it? I don't practice dealing with these situations in front of a mirror, so I don't know what I'd do in those moments and I don't want to get stupid...

And I HATE the notion of having to traipse back to my car, just to unholster, secure my weapon...

So for the most part I've just gone concealed. (with only one "googly-eyed" stare from a store owner who obviously knew I was pocket-carrying the day I walked into his store wearing sweat-pants)


TODAY WAS DIFFERENT:exclaim:

Today was a perfect "exercise your rights" day though - the Tucson gun show! I was all excited that I'd get to walk around OCing and feel "normal" about it.

Except no. I was stopped at the door and told we're not allowed to OC at a gun show, that I'd not only have to empty my glock, I would even have to empty the MAGAZINE... and just carry the bullets in my pocket. :cuss:

I was shocked. :banghead: Yeah yeah - they explained it's the policy of the expo center. And yeah, crap. I hated that.

My first thought was - I'm leaving - I don't want to patronize a place that insists I paint "victim" on my forehead. Then remembered AZCDL has a booth I really wanted to go to.

After expressing my confusion given this is a 2A friendly state, and a GUN SHOW, (I most definitely used a mature, respectable tone in expressing my displeasure) they asked one of the Tucson police officers there to explain that yes, they were serious in their demands.

The LEO was super friendly, relaxed and not at all in my face. He said:

"If it was up to me, every citizen of the U.S. would be able to carry every day of their lives, wherever they go. The vast majority of people in this country are good people. And one day one of them could very well save MY life...

Except its the policy of the building owners, and they do have the right even in Arizona to take that position."

We ended up having a really good conversation, and I accepted that since I definitely wanted to patronize the show itself, I'd comply.

Had a GREAT time there. :lol: bought stuff that you can only buy once you live in America. :banana:

Got to meet a couple of the guys from AZCDL, and offered to volunteer during the Tucson county Fair in April!

Anyhow, as soon as I got OUT of the show, I stood there at the "empty your weapons" table, and reloaded my magazine and slammed that sucker back into the Glock and chambered a round, so I wouldn't feel naked in public.

ADVICE, INSIGHTS APPRECIATED
Bottom line - I WANT to OC. I do... Just need to get over the old-tapes issue in my head mostly I guess. So how do I deal with these feelings? Do I approach building management up front in a preemptive way? Or just "go about my life"?

ODAAT said:

SNIP...
And I HATE the notion of having to traipse back to my car, just to unholster, secure my weapon...

So for the most part I've just gone concealed. (with only one "googly-eyed" stare from a store owner who obviously knew I was pocket-carrying the day I walked into his store wearing sweat-pants)

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I've been asked to leave for carrying (not because OC, but carrying at all) only TWICE after I accidentally wandered into badly-marked "alcohol zones"; done completely by accident, and the officers who informed me of the policy were cordial and did not throw their weight around.
The closest to a CITIZEN asking me to leave was when the little, grumpy old lady at Caswells Shooting Range in Mesa aggressively ordered me to go outside and unload my sidearm or leave because they don't allow loaded carry at their range. Nver mind the fact that increased handling of sidearms increases the likelihood of a ND. :banghead:

ODAAT said:

SNIP...I was stopped at the door and told we're not allowed to OC at a gun show, that I'd not only have to empty my glock, I would even have to empty the MAGAZINE... and just carry the bullets in my pocket. :cuss:

I was shocked. :banghead: Yeah yeah - they explained it's the policy of the expo center. And yeah, crap. I hated that.

My first thought was - I'm leaving - I don't want to patronize a place that insists I paint "victim" on my forehead. Then remembered AZCDL has a booth I really wanted to go to.

SNIP...

ADVICE, INSIGHTS APPRECIATED
Bottom line - I WANT to OC. I do... Just need to get over the old-tapes issue in my head mostly I guess. So how do I deal with these feelings? Do I approach building management up front in a preemptive way? Or just "go about my life"?

Click to expand...

I only just OCed at a Tucson Expo Center gun show? Is this a new policy since the venue's switch to Prepper-based shows? Is anyone aware of this change, or did ODAAT simply run into some opinionated folks? Also, good call on talking with the AzCDL folks; besides being a proud member, I always enjoy my conversations with them, and have been known to attend gun shows solely for their company (and to work on my recruitment skills).

As to the OC jitters, I can say that they will go away with time. Carry a recorder around (on while you are out and about, just in case) and simply go about your day without looking nervous, and you'll find that you set most people who are surprised to see an OCer at ease ("hey, that guy is carrying a gun, but he's NOT acting suspicious, he's just standing in line here like I am. Cool.").

Here are some threads regarding the same topic:
(Similar concerns about OC in another state)
http://forum.opencarry.org/forums/showthread.php?121913-New-to-open-carry&p=2059437#post2059437
(Similar concerns from an AZ citizen)
http://forum.opencarry.org/forums/s...y-that-I-have-understood-AZ-OC-laws-correctly

(OC jitters; OC "gun snatch" myth)
http://forum.opencarry.org/forums/showthread.php?124005-New-Here&p=2090735#post2090735
(OC "gun snatch" myth rhetoric by a drive-by poster, answered by several members; HEATED DISCUSSION)
http://forum.opencarry.org/forums/s...Criminals-Target-OC-ers&p=2045354#post2045354

The short & skinny of OC IMHO - if you carry yourself like you would when you are simply going about your normal business people tend to be oblivious about OC. The OCer who sticks out is typically one who is flop sweating, looking nervous, jittery, and head swiveling.

My point - I watch people like mentioned above even if they have no visible firearms? Why? It's human nature to be drawn to unnatural movements, just like sharks are drawn to the fish who moves oddly in the water.

ODAAT said:

What if the managers at the apartment complex I live in see me OC, or get a complaint from some other tenant, and terminate my lease?

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Check your lease. If you signed a document that firearms are not allowed, you are breaking the lease. It's a property issue, not a gun issue.

Fred

FreeInAZ said:

The short & skinny of OC IMHO - if you carry yourself like you would when you are simply going about your normal business people tend to be oblivious about OC. The OCer who sticks out is typically one who is flop sweating, looking nervous, jittery, and head swiveling. My point - I watch people like mentioned above even if they have no visible firearms? Why? It's human nature to be drawn to unnatural movements, just like sharks are drawn to the fish who moves oddly in the water.

Click to expand...

You nailed it!

The way our brains work, all data that comes in through the senses is immediately shuttled from the conscious mind to the sub-conscious UNLESS it affects our survival (fight or flight), or we have programmed ourselves to look for something. We literally cannot see what we are not looking for.

Dress and carry yourself like the gun belongs on you and no one notices. Draw attention to yourself swaggering around with piercings, tattoos, wannabe thug clothing, etc. and everyone spots the gun because you are perceived as a threat and are triggering survival instincts. Perception is reality. Like the old saying goes - Dress for success.

Fred

Brief recap of my day, and a message to potential OCers

Had another non-eventful day of OC today (after the lunch, of course).
Had two short conversations on the light rail with people who were unfazed by my OC, and witnessed those looks and whispers I've come to expect from people who've been deprived the sight of an armed, fellow citizen. Two older ladies on the lightrail even scooted over and invited me to sit down next to them (they'd already seen my 1911 at that point). I'd like to think all of this is just my good looks.:lol:

Maybe more progress has been made by those who've joined this fight before me than I've perceived, and perhaps some day I'll cross paths with them and be able to thank them for it. Unfortunately, it seems some of the older AZ accounts of OCDO have gone silent.


A message to any who are considering OC:
I'd like to add this little tid bit for the benefit of those who are in the same place I was when I first started carrying/OCing almost two years ago (1 year, 8 months, and 14 days now):

Even though I OC 99.99% of the time I carry, I don't post all of my OC experiences (and others have stated they do the same) simply because of the lack of any memorable event, much less any "negative" encounters or any "action"rolleyes of any sort. A few minutes of bad encounters make for HIGH viewership on YouTube, hours of non-eventful carry don't.

The nervousness of OCing the first few times is expected, but I've come to see it more of an anticipation for the feeling of Freedom that is to come, not just in the sense of Rights, but from the (supported) fear that you may be unarmed if you should be faced with an armed criminal who has decided to target you. In short, peace of mind (training is still important though).

Reading of the law and rehearsing your interactions can only take you so far; much like learning to ride a bike by reading about the physics behind it, only the actual practice of OC makes you more comfortable with it, which will in turn ease others' fears if they are surprised by the sight of an armed citizen.
So don't hesitate any longer, and take that first step outside with your OCed sidearm. You'll be glad you did, I know it.

OCed several places over the past few weeks down here in Tucson without any problems, but I'd like to share the experiences I had at three:

A TV/cable vendor at Sam's Club thought I looked "prepared for any natural disaster"; I was OCing, had two spare mags in a pouch, and had a milk box in my left hand (two, one-gallon jugs in an easy-to-carry box)? I took it as a compliment. No other reactions to speak of.

OCed in the evening at a 7-11 near campus. A group of 5-6 teenaged kids/punks came in and started pouring through the aisles, and it seemed like two were trying to flank me. The owner (?) asked me to let him take care of these kids first (later told me it was a precaution because they could mean "trouble"). Turns out he'd forgotten I was the guy who regularly OCs there, seemed to be ok with me carrying after I told him I wasn't a cop or LE, and I got to give him a brief rundown of AZ carry law.

Met a youthful-looking homeless lady (let's call her "Kate") that evening; looked to be asleep on a bench right next to the road, with a rope tying her bike to her leg (I admired that ingenuity). Compassion got the best of me, so I bought her a sandwich at Subway, and she finally realized I was OCing. :shocker:
She was great at regurgitating the usual arguments against carry (you're more likely to be shot, your kids are less safe, a female carrier could have the gun taken from and used against them:banghead, and I did my best to illustrate the fallacies of each (especially the female carry one).
Oddly enough, "Kate" didn't seem afraid of me (she was walking with me, a visibly armed person, after all), nor did she seem hostile, just seemed to be parroting the anti-carry arguments. She also mentioned that AZ is now a "Right to bear arms state", and the fact that she didn't want to believe me when I told her I personally knew of several female OPEN carriers.

This just seemed like a good example of one of the arguments we've heard for OCing: if people see someone OC, see how normal the person acts, and don't see the rivers of blood the antis promised, how many erroneous notions can dispelled in just a few minutes? Even if "Kate" didn't believe that OCing females exist (they are among the rarer unicorns in AZ?) and didn't want to begin to carry herself, I'd like to thing some headway was made when she realized the OCer walking next to her was actually a fairly nice person, contrary to what the media might say.

So a member by the name of SnarlyWino recently resurrected a WA thread* that had gone silent for about 8 months by commenting on how "long time OC'rs" shouldn't forego posting their non-event carry experiences because the reason for this site is to show EXACTLY that: OC becoming normalized and becoming more commonplace (and thus, less nerve-wracking).

I'll admit to not always posting my (uneventful) encounters, and even more so lately. I figured I'd give a little update.

Here goes: OCed at Fry's, a Walgreen's, and a McDonalds on Saturday with absolutely no issues. The McDonalds was the best because neither the manager nor the cashier batted an eye after seeing my 1911.
OCed at a Little Ceasar's after hitting the range on Sunday with some of my female colleagues (the guys were a no-show; their loss. None of them took offense to my OC, and only one thought it "a bit wierd" (she was also the one who seemed to know the least about firearms, so it could be something that more exposure would solve).

Also, I can't believe I forgot to mention a very pleasant lunch with my family back in March. Three of us were OCing and we decided to visit "Los Reyes de la Torta" in Tempe. GREAT food and vibe, very friendly and professional staff (the lady serving our table came by every 5 minutes or so), they were ok with our OC (they abide by state law), left an AZCDL "Thank You" card, and they invited us to return. So if you're in the area, I highly recommend the place!

The greeter asked why we were carrying and seemed very receptive when I explained that while CC may help in a self-defense situation, OC made it less likely that such a situation would even take place (used the "predators look for easy prey in the wild" analogy).
Also met an older gentleman there who was "CC light" when he asked me where I'd bought my leather magazine pouch. Neither he nor his lovely wife seemed fazed by our OC.

There. That should help show anyone on the fence exactly how terrifying it is to OC.
Anyone else have any OC experiences they'd like to share?

Here is a link to the original thread:
http://forum.opencarry.org/forums/showthread.php?78923-Eastern-WA-OC-Report&p=2136812#post2136812