newbie from Tennessee

Hi guys and gals. Thanks for letting me join. I hope I'm doing this in right section. I'm newb to this sight fairly newbie to computers & to guns. My name is Charlie I've lived here in Maryville TN. My whole life & a huge fan of TN. VOLS Football. I bleed orange. Like I said I'm fairly new to guns also. I'v been shooting roughly 8 months. Have been a carry permit holder for 5 months now. When I got my Permit I went and Purchased a Ruger GP100 with 3 inch barrel figuring it be a lot easier to conceal which it is. You can't tell its there. My question to others that Open Carry in Tenn. Do you seem to get harrased? Like I said carrying concealed there is no issues. Except when I go to shoot at range. When at range sometimes after taking gun out my pants may be a little loose which I may have to tighten belt this is big issue if I was needed to help protect my family & my pants were to baggie to move freely. Its not always the issue but if there is one that's probabably going to be it. My other sometimes issue is after shooting at range putting gun back in my holster inside the pants it is tight and difficult to reholster. This was making me think of open carrying. I was just wandering what types of reactions most people get? I've watched some videos on YouTube of people who were not harming anyone or causing any problems but they ended up getting harassed by cops or it may have been mall cops or cops at park like park rangers. I'm not sure what states all these were in but I don't want issues with being harassed by law enforcement or being harassed by other law abiding citizens like my self. So should I Just keep it concealed or try open carry? I'm just curious to other responsible people thoughts are on this? Thanks if anyone has any questions I may not know the answer but I'll try to help people out any way I possibly can. And again thanks for letting me join this great looking site & am eager to learn more about gun & gun safety!

I open carry every time I go home (Chattanooga-Hixson area) on leave. I've not had any problems a couple of looks but never anything said to me. Nor have I had MWAG. That being said there is always the possibility of confrontation with people and ofc. Make sure you read and know the laws of TN regarding firearms and carry of them I would post the link but phone isn't letting me ill try and do it from the computer later if I have a chance. If you have any questions just ask.

It's your choice in TN to carry openly or concealed when you obtain a handgun carry permit. Just keep in mind (if you decide to carry openly) LEOs in this state have the right to stop, detain, and verify that you're carrying legally. This is done by checking your handgun carry permit. Follow directions and produce your permit when requested to do so. I believe most of my LEO counterparts are pro-gun, but like me, they are pro-gun when it's carried/handled responsibly. Be safe.

SgtScott31 said:

It's your choice in TN to carry openly or concealed when you obtain a handgun carry permit. Just keep in mind (if you decide to carry openly) LEOs in this state have the right to stop, detain, and verify that you're carrying legally. This is done by checking your handgun carry permit. Follow directions and produce your permit when requested to do so. I believe most of my LEO counterparts are pro-gun, but like me, they are pro-gun when it's carried/handled responsibly. Be safe.

Click to expand...

If you and your "LEO counterparts" were indeed "pro-gun", you would default to liberty and would assume someone peacefully carrying a defensive firearm to be a law abiding citizen. Not use TN law as an excuse to stop and detain. Just because you have the legal authority to do so does not mean you have to.

welcome to the forum. New to guns and PCs huh? I have shot several of my PCs in the past ~ nothing so satisfying I can tell you ... "memory error? freaking lead error!"

Kingfish said:

If you and your "LEO counterparts" were indeed "pro-gun", you would default to liberty and would assume someone peacefully carrying a defensive firearm to be a law abiding citizen. Not use TN law as an excuse to stop and detain. Just because you have the legal authority to do so does not mean you have to.

Click to expand...

From reading my other posts you should know that's what a bulk of LE does (at least in my area). Obviously I'm pointing out what he should do in case he does get stopped.

p.s. I don't use the law as an "excuse." Last time I checked we're "law enforcers." It's the legislators you need to be aiming for, not the LEOs (no pun intended).

New to Forum

Been a carry permit holder for twenty years now and have lived in Tennessee for the past ten years. Have only open carried a handful of times and mostly when gassing up the truck. When riding the motorcycle, I usually conceal carry but have always wondered what my experience would be if I open carried. I have no problem with law enforcement asking for my permit. The way I see it, my complying with them will be mostly positive and they will most likely remember me when they see me again. I just joined the forum and enjoy reading the articles and seeing where everyone is located in the beautiful state of Tennessee. Hope to make good friends on here who share the same interests as I do.

Chuck52 said:

...I was just wandering what types of reactions most people get? I've watched some videos on YouTube of people who were not harming anyone or causing any problems but they ended up getting harassed by cops or it may have been mall cops or cops at park like park rangers. I'm not sure what states all these were in but I don't want issues with being harassed by law enforcement or being harassed by other law abiding citizens like my self....

Click to expand...

You've seen those videos because only the videos of confrontations are interesting enough for people to upload them to youtube. For the other 95% of the time, nothing interesting happens; so, they don't bother uploading a boring video of someone open carrying without any reaction whatsoever.

When open carrying, your encounters will probably go like this. Around 90% of the time, no one will even notice that you're open carrying. About 5% of the time, someone will give you a second look, stare, and maybe even say something about it to a spouse/parent/grandparent, etc. (often, kids are more likely to notice it than adults). However, they won't say anything to you. About 3% of the time, someone will compliment you on your gun or ask you some questions out of genuine curiosity. About 1% of the time, someone will complain to you about it or make a sarcastic remark (so far, I haven't experienced one of these; however, others on this forum have). It's only about 1% of the time that someone will do a MWAG or WWAG call to police ("man with a gun" or "woman with a gun", whatever the case may be). Out of all the times I've open carried (over one hundred), I've had only one of these.

I live near memphis but i dont OC in TN very often however no one has ever appeared to even notice. If i do OC though, i try to be dressed a little better than usual (i wear a suit everyday so i ususally slum it on the weekends).

Never had an issue at all.


oh and for the OP, TN law does require you to show your HCP to an LEO if asked. I also dont have a big issue with it. I always inform the officer when i get stopped, most of the time we strike up a good convo actually.

Kopis said:

I live near memphis but i dont OC in TN very often however no one has ever appeared to even notice. If i do OC though, i try to be dressed a little better than usual (i wear a suit everyday so i ususally slum it on the weekends).

Never had an issue at all.

Click to expand...

I have to agree with Kopis, the few times I do open carry, I tend to dress "better" than when I conceal carry. Happened to be in Books-A-Million the other day and noticed a guy that looked like he came straight out of the backwoods of Buck Mountain and was carrying a sidearm. His appearance alone caused a lot of stares.

BLKH2O said:

I have to agree with Kopis, the few times I do open carry, I tend to dress "better" than when I conceal carry. Happened to be in Books-A-Million the other day and noticed a guy that looked like he came straight out of the backwoods of Buck Mountain and was carrying a sidearm. His appearance alone caused a lot of stares.

Click to expand...

My "The voices in my head aren't real, but they have good ideas" t-shirt gets more comments than my sidearm.


Sent from my HTC One SV using Tapatalk 4

WCrawford said:

My "The voices in my head aren't real, but they have good ideas" t-shirt gets more comments than my sidearm.


Sent from my HTC One SV using Tapatalk 4

Click to expand...

LOL, just don't wear the t-shirts with the pit stains.

WCrawford said:

My "The voices in my head aren't real, but they have good ideas" t-shirt gets more comments than my sidearm.


Sent from my HTC One SV using Tapatalk 4

Click to expand...

Thanks for the kind welcome to the forum

Thanks for Replies

Thanks for all the replies. Sorry took so long to say thanks but my computer kicked the bucket a while back and just now getting a new one. I was in no hurry to get new one because computers and me just don't get along. I don't know if my body puts out some weird frequency but all computers laptops cellphones just hate me and tend to crash when I use one. I have also yet to open carry. I bought a Uncle Mike's Size 2 holster but it really didn't fit my Ruger GP100 that good and it had the latch snap which I really want especially if open carry well 2nd day I wore it I was getting out of my truck and as I got out I looked down and saw my gun in my truck seat. Don't know if seat belt somehow unsnapped it or what happened. After that incident I went back to my concealed carry holster. I don't know if it's cause I have 3 inch barrel that makes holsters so hard to find or what. Well ill eventually find one I like and buy. I just like having the option to Open Carry and conceal carry. Again thanks for all the replies.

SgtScott31 said:

It's your choice in TN to carry openly or concealed when you obtain a handgun carry permit. Just keep in mind (if you decide to carry openly) LEOs in this state have the right to stop, detain, and verify that you're carrying legally. This is done by checking your handgun carry permit. Follow directions and produce your permit when requested to do so. I believe most of my LEO counterparts are pro-gun, but like me, they are pro-gun when it's carried/handled responsibly. Be safe.

Click to expand...

Tell me, how many exemptions to carrying with intent to go armed are there? Please list them and don't forget the Federal ones.

WCrawford said:

Tell me, how many exemptions to carrying with intent to go armed are there? Please list them and don't forget the Federal ones.

Click to expand...

Well, there are quite a list of "exceptions" and "defenses" (no "exemptions" I know of) but I don't see how your question relates to what you quoted from Sarge.

- OS

I open carry everywhere I go in TN and generally am not harassed at all.

Good advice from sgtscott. He always has some good insight. About a month ago, i did have two memphis MPDs ask for my permit. I showed them my AR ccw and we chatted about my 1911. This weekend, i was having a coffee downtown again but with my g17 and about 8 cops pulled up and walked in for coffee. A few glanced at my gun then went in. It just doesnt seem like a big deal here in TN.

I travel in TN fairly often, visiting family in Nashville area. I usually open carry as that is my preferred mode. To date, no bad experiences. Most people don't notice (full size 1911), and/or just don't care. Several LEO have seen it and haven't felt the need to check me out. Makes me feel almost at home.