What was your introduction to OC?

Lyndsy Simon · Jul 26, 2013

I think there's only been a couple of times I've seen someone else OC, though it was generally illegal where I lived until two months ago.

The first time was at an OCDO breakfast in Richmond. No surprise there. The second was a guy at a grocery store - Walmart, I think, in Charlottesville.

I started to OC about a year ago, in the area near Branson, MO. OC is legal in Missouri, but they lack state pre-emption so you have to be damned sure you know where you are and what their laws are. I confirmed that Springfield and Ozark were good to go, and carried there every time I traveled through. When I moved to Virginia, I literally stopped at the welcome center on my way into the state and donned my holster. Since then, I can probably count on one hand the number of times I've appeared in public unarmed. Aside from work and the occassional visit to a prohibited place, I OC everywhere I go.

Mattimusmaximus · Jul 26, 2013

A few years ago just before my 21st I was stabbed in the neck outside my apartments by someone who wanted money. After the police came took my statement, he asked me if I carried any weapons to protect myself? I asked like what? He told me all about OC and how to go about getting a CHL if I wanted one. The day after my 21st bought a 1911 .45 and take it everywhere. My first event was the packing heat meet and greet in Washington with GOGODAWGS and for that I thank both the police officer and Gogo

-Matt of Hillsboro OR-

Rusty Young Man · Jul 29, 2013

Re: Introduction to OC

In my case, it began with OC of a knife (3" blade folder, on belt), that escalated to a 12" overall-length fixed blade, and only recently became a full-size 1911 in a leather OWB holster.
I realized at a pretty young age (around 9-10) that criminals didn't follow the law (I still wonder when the antis will come to the same realization). Seeing folders and butterfly knives on school campus (grade, middle, and later high school) only strengthened my views (after all, the schools had those magical "No Weapons Allowed" signs). Now pretty much anyone that knows me understands that the RIGHT to self defense is one of my strongest convictions. Of course, it helps that I try to keep up on the law so I can cite state and federal cases to them (Warren v. District of Columbia usually gets them to clam up with all their hoplophobic rhetoric

).

okiephlyer · Aug 8, 2013

I don't remember the exact date, but it was several years ago. I had been CC for as many years as Oklahoma had the CWL. Somewhere along the way, I heard about this site. Since I travel to VA often, I read up on the laws and normal goings on in the area. A co-worker and I decided to take the plunge together. On a trip to Manassas, we went in the local Logans Steakhouse on Sudly Rd and walked up and asked for a table. Waiter asked if we were LE. I replied that we were just ordinary citizens. He said "Cool, follow me". At our hotel, after dinner, we ran into some FBI from Louisianna that didn't like OC. I calmly explained the law to them and we all went on our way. I OC'ed wherever and whenever I could. Last Nov. 1, OK was legal in OK and I have been OC since then.
gogodawgs was along for another one of my early OC trips in the Seattle area.

cirrusly · Aug 14, 2013

Didn't consider or entertain the idea of OC or "being armed in public" until about a year ago when I moved to Virginia. However, when the recent publicity hit about our 2A rights being under attack I quickly learned that thankfully some rights do exist.

And now I want to ensure we never lose them. Simultaneously, it would be great to see those states (and DC) where the right is denied progress a little!

hermannr · Aug 17, 2013

b0neZ said:
I mean besides LEO, security, Reenactors, etc.

For me it was Spring of '93. I had just arrived in Carson City from the SF Bay Area and stopped at a Chevron for smokes and sodas. Went to pay and there stood a guy in front of me wearing a black cowboy rig and had a case of beer in each hand.

Did I fear him? Not even close. Did I tell people back home what I had seen? Yep. You bet I did, as it was the coolest thing I had ever seen anyone do (OC) up to that point in my young life.

I learned at that point that freedom really did exist East of the state line, and have not felt right in CA since.

Independence day weekend 1970. Sedro Woolley, WA Loggerrodeo. They had a fast draw competition on the main street in town. After the competition was over I noticed all kinds of people OCing. I grabbed one of the competitors and asked about all the OCing... He said, nope, no license necessary (It was just after the GCA68 and I had been in Vietnam, now that I was back stateside I needed to know if the rules had changed...and on top of that, I was a newly minted US Citizen..

So, I jumped into my truck, drove home, holstered up, drove back to town and walked into every place that was open... Not one person said a word. Been carrying ever since.

TonyA · Aug 20, 2013

I was living with my girlfriend in my car for a few months a couple years back and we would park at a rest stop at night most nights and sleep there. I had my Glock loaded in the front with me just in case. I became comfortable with that, and kept researching the laws and lurking forums, and eventually tried carrying it on my belt. Nobody bugged me about it when I went out, so I started doing it more and more. I'm waiting on my CHL now that unlicensed OC is banned country wide here in Portland, and I will continue to OC once I get it.

cirrusly · Aug 29, 2013

I play DC kickball. In casual talking someone just asked me about OC (no I'm not OCing at this moment!! Not legal here). They had saw a post on my Facebook and asked about OC in Virginia. They asked, "that's pretty cool, I had no idea you could do that [legally]! It needs to be unloaded to do that, right?!" (This question is in reference to Virginia law.)

It's sad some people already assume the 2A right is infringed.

Adam Cook · Sep 29, 2013

Intro? My intro was when I bought my first pistol. I put it on my hip and that was that. I have since made myself aware of proper OC conduct, habits and safety through tactical training classes. Never once crossed my mind to hide my firearm.

Grapeshot · Oct 1, 2013

Adam Cook said:
Intro? My intro was when I bought my first pistol. I put it on my hip and that was that. I have since made myself aware of proper OC conduct, habits and safety through tactical training classes. Never once crossed my mind to hide my firearm.

May we then presume you had your permit before you bought your first pistol?

http://www.opencarry.org/?page_id=209

independence · Oct 1, 2013

ABC news introduced me to OC

When I was a young boy, I saw a news segment by ABC (I think) on a town (not sure where) that had ordinances allowing open carry of a pistol. It was painted mostly in a negative light by the reporter, as though it was the Wild West and duels were bound to become commonplace. A picture sticks in my mind of a black man they showed with his pistol. ABC racist? Wouldn't surprise me...

They did not succeed in their propaganda, however. My eyes got big and I imagined myself someday moving to that town and open carrying. It stuck in my mind permanently. Pretty funny that ABC News of all things would be the one to plant the OC seed.

Of course, the open carriers in that town get some credit, too.

It took a while for me to even become a gun owner, though. That came about last year and consisted of a snowball effect from gun ownership, to carry permit (stupid piece of plastic), to EDC/CC, to OC. I started out OCing while with my family on walks through our neighborhood and gradually worked my way up to roughly 50/50 CC/OC.Thanks to those here who have taught me a lot!

Jordan6679 · Nov 13, 2013

My first time was summer 09, while on vacation in the 4 corners area. As we rode across the 4 states, it became a rare thing see a guy not OC. From plastic to 9" nickel smiths I loved seeing it all. From there on I have been a supporter of oc.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

Grapeshot · Nov 13, 2013

independence said:
When I was a young boy, I saw a news segment by ABC (I think) on a town (not sure where) that had ordinances allowing open carry of a pistol. It was painted mostly in a negative light by the reporter, as though it was the Wild West and duels were bound to become commonplace. A picture sticks in my mind of a black man they showed with his pistol. ABC racist? Wouldn't surprise me...

They did not succeed in their propaganda, however. My eyes got big and I imagined myself someday moving to that town and open carrying. It stuck in my mind permanently. Pretty funny that ABC News of all things would be the one to plant the OC seed. Of course, the open carriers in that town get some credit, too.

It took a while for me to even become a gun owner, though. That came about last year and consisted of a snowball effect from gun ownership, to carry permit (stupid piece of plastic), to EDC/CC, to OC. I started out OCing while with my family on walks through our neighborhood and gradually worked my way up to roughly 50/50 CC/OC.Thanks to those here who have taught me a lot!

Have long maintained that there is no such thing as bad publicity, even when reported with an anti spin. People are sharp and see through the smoke and mirrors - people like you are really getting it. "It" being the truth about OC/RKBA and why we carry as we do.

Silvertongue · Nov 13, 2013

When I was 18, I was given a handgun (Taurus PT99) as a gift from a relative. I didn't really think about carrying it; it just sat loaded on the nightstand or locked in the case when I wasn't in the house.

Then I started putting it in my pocket to go to range in my yard and thought "Man there has got to be a better way to carry this thing."

Oh, yeah. A holster. Only took me a year to think of it.

So I looked around the interwebs and found that it will fit the Blackhawk SERPA! CQC holster and went to Academy to get one. I saw a bunch of holsters for a bunch of guns and read some of the boxes. Some of them had the word "concealment" on them and asked myself why anybody would want that word attached to their holster.

This led to more perusing the interwebs and my surprising (to me) discovery that there was even an argument about it.

I put some thought into it and found myself agreeing that the best victory was the fight avoided.

So I went and got my carry permit (learned that you shouldn't outshoot your girlfriend's dad) and have openly carried every day that I'm not wearing a jacket.

JamesCanby · Nov 13, 2013

As soon as I moved into the Commonwealth of Virginia (from the PDR of Maryland) I shopped for holsters for my LCP and my Sig. In deference to my wife, I began OCing the "little" firearm. As soon as we saw that there was almost no notice taken of my carry, I switched to the much more visible Sig and pocketed the LCP as a BUG. In the several years I have been openly carrying, I can count on one hand the number of comments I have received, and several of those comments have been positive.

eamelhorn · Nov 14, 2013

I had never heard of OC. I was researching WV gun laws for my CC permit. OPENCARRY.ORG came up in my search, and I am like WOW. I started reading post became a member and the rest is history. Now I am an active paid member of WVCDL, I attend some OC lunches and peaceful protest while informing and educating as many as I can about the 2ndA. I have signed up a few paying members to WVCDL in the process.

Grapeshot · Nov 14, 2013

eamelhorn said:
I had never heard of OC. I was researching WV gun laws for my CC permit. OPENCARRY.ORG came up in my search, and I am like WOW. I started reading post became a member and the rest is history. Now I am an active paid member of WVCDL, I attend some OC lunches and peaceful protest while informing and educating as many as I can about the 2ndA. I have signed up a few paying members to WVCDL in the process.

After the obvious self-defense element, education of others is the single biggest thing we do. If every person could/would bring one new person into the fold each year, our numbers would double every 12 months. That has never seemed unrealistic to me, but it does require effort.

SD40VE · Nov 18, 2013

a friend of mine enlightened me about OC. told me all the laws and excluded places. talked for a while about it. went and got a voice recorder and started OC-ing

ron73440 · Nov 18, 2013

Thanks OCDO

For me, my intro was OCDO, I was looking for CC permit info and found this, now I refuse to get a permit, and OC everywhere I can, unfortunately Military bases are GFZ's.

Been carrying for 3 months; most people have no reaction, there have been a few postive interactions and I've been kicked out of one store.

Freedom rocks!

SD40VE · Nov 18, 2013

ron73440 said:
For me, my intro was OCDO, I was looking for CC permit info and found this, now I refuse to get a permit, and OC everywhere I can, unfortunately Military bases are GFZ's.

Been carrying for 3 months; most people have no reaction, there have been a few postive interactions and I've been kicked out of one store.

Freedom rocks!

ive also been kicked out of a store. i told the manager he just lost a $200+ a week customer due to the policy and he should seriously rethink that policy. havent been back since then as i am not allowed to open carry

What was your introduction to OC?

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