• 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.

New to OC

BrandonW

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2013
Messages
34
Location
Happy Valley, OR
I just joined OCDO recently and plan to start OC next week (holster arrives!), any time I'm not at work. A little background: I lived in Portland for my entire life until recently I moved to Happy Valley. I work in Portland, but spend my time in Happy Valley amd Gresham. Both of which to my understanding are fine to OC in without a CHL. I plan on carrying my Glock 26 loaded, everywhere I legally am able to. I'm 18, so obviously don't have a CHL, so I'm just curious if there's anything I need to know before I OC for the first time. I already really enjoy this forum.
 

hermannr

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2011
Messages
2,327
Location
Okanogan Highland
I just joined OCDO recently and plan to start OC next week (holster arrives!), any time I'm not at work. A little background: I lived in Portland for my entire life until recently I moved to Happy Valley. I work in Portland, but spend my time in Happy Valley amd Gresham. Both of which to my understanding are fine to OC in without a CHL. I plan on carrying my Glock 26 loaded, everywhere I legally am able to. I'm 18, so obviously don't have a CHL, so I'm just curious if there's anything I need to know before I OC for the first time. I already really enjoy this forum.

Read ORS 166 carefully, join OFF (the link in previous post) and read some more. Get politically active be polite to everyone, don't roll over like a submissive puppy, just be polite...no hothead stuff...and carry on...
 

BrandonW

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2013
Messages
34
Location
Happy Valley, OR
Read ORS 166 carefully, join OFF (the link in previous post) and read some more. Get politically active be polite to everyone, don't roll over like a submissive puppy, just be polite...no hothead stuff...and carry on...

I'm readindg on there as we speak. I'm aware of the new ordinance that Multnomah County passed in April, and also the lawsuit that followed. I've been researching it pretty heavily and I can find out if anything has been decided. Does it apply within the City of Gresham? Because if it does I don't want to make the mistake of carrying there.
 

hermannr

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2011
Messages
2,327
Location
Okanogan Highland
I'm readindg on there as we speak. I'm aware of the new ordinance that Multnomah County passed in April, and also the lawsuit that followed. I've been researching it pretty heavily and I can find out if anything has been decided. Does it apply within the City of Gresham? Because if it does I don't want to make the mistake of carrying there.

ORS 166.173 does not give the county authority to set town policy. That is why the law suits. If you have a CHL all of the is irrelevant anyway ORS 166.173(2)(d). If you have any other "license to carry a concealed weapon" you may not conceal, but you can ignore the county ord. ORS 166.173(2)(c) link: http://www.oregonlaws.org/ors/166.173 read the side bar too
 

BrandonW

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2013
Messages
34
Location
Happy Valley, OR
ORS 166.173 does not give the county authority to set town policy. That is why the law suits. If you have a CHL all of the is irrelevant anyway ORS 166.173(2)(d). If you have any other "license to carry a concealed weapon" you may not conceal, but you can ignore the county ord. ORS 166.173(2)(c) link: http://www.oregonlaws.org/ors/166.173 read the side bar too

That's great news. I'm 18 so I don't have a CHL. Does that change anything?
 

hermannr

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2011
Messages
2,327
Location
Okanogan Highland
That's great news. I'm 18 so I don't have a CHL. Does that change anything?

Within Multnomah county and the towns that have restricted UNLICENSED LOADED CARRY, yes, you cannot carry loaded without a license to carry a concealed weapon. ORS 166.173. You can carry unloaded. Portland wants you to think your magazine cannot be loaded but that is not what the law says, The weapon cannot be loaded, but nothing in .173 authorizes any restriction on a loaded magazine. However, this little nuance has never gone to court so Portland still tries to enforce this provision, Just do not allow them to search your person, it is a very well established principle that the openly carriage of a firearm, where legal to do so, is not RAS under Terry to search a person. (Black and Delaware V Prouse)

Outside of those local government areas (Gresham is NOT on) that restrict unlicensed loaded carry, you may carry as per ORS 166.250(3). 1: Make sure it is in a holster on your hip and visible. 2: in unrestricted areas it may be loaded 3: in restricted areas it may not be loaded. Remember, the exemption is specifically for #1

Multnomah Co., Portland, Beverton, Tiagard, Independence, Oregon City, Salem, and Astoria. Also Parks (only) are restricted in Springfield and Bend. I know there is another town down on the coast, but I forgot which one (either Lincoln City or Newport). To my knowledge this is it. Check with OFF, or the sticky at the top of this Oregon forum.
 
Last edited:

BrandonW

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2013
Messages
34
Location
Happy Valley, OR
Within Multnomah county and the towns that have restricted UNLICENSED LOADED CARRY, yes, you cannot carry loaded without a license to carry a concealed weapon. ORS 166.173. You can carry unloaded. Portland wants you to think your magazine cannot be loaded but that is not what the law says, The weapon cannot be loaded, but nothing in .173 authorizes any restriction on a loaded magazine. However, this little nuance has never gone to court so Portland still tries to enforce this provision, Just do not allow them to search your person, it is a very well established principle that the openly carriage of a firearm, where legal to do so, is not RAS under Terry to search a person. (Black and Delaware V Prouse)

Outside of those local government areas (Gresham is NOT on) that restrict unlicensed loaded carry, you may carry as per ORS 166.250(3). 1: Make sure it is in a holster on your hip and visible. 2: in unrestricted areas it may be loaded 3: in restricted areas it may not be loaded. Remember, the exemption is specifically for #1

Multnomah Co., Portland, Beverton, Tiagard, Independence, Oregon City, Salem, and Astoria. Also Parks (only) are restricted in Springfield and Bend. I know there is another town down on the coast, but I forgot which one (either Lincoln City or Newport). To my knowledge this is it. Check with OFF, or the sticky at the top of this Oregon forum.


I do carry in a holster on my belt openly. When you say Gresham isn't one, do you mean that it isn't one that restricts unlicensed loaded OC? I know I cant carry loaded in Portland. Thanks for the information
 

catastrophic_success

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2013
Messages
21
Location
oregon
I just joined OCDO recently and plan to start OC next week (holster arrives!), any time I'm not at work. A little background: I lived in Portland for my entire life until recently I moved to Happy Valley. I work in Portland, but spend my time in Happy Valley amd Gresham. Both of which to my understanding are fine to OC in without a CHL. I plan on carrying my Glock 26 loaded, everywhere I legally am able to. I'm 18, so obviously don't have a CHL, so I'm just curious if there's anything I need to know before I OC for the first time. I already really enjoy this forum.


Hello fellow under-21-open-carrier

The best thing you can do is dress nicely and act confident. I believe that this is the #1 thing you can do to avoid overly alarming people.

I've had a few "neutral" encounters where someone sees me carrying. I notice a quick flash of the "ALERT! I SEE A GUN" thought.

And then usually a brief flash of embarrassment as they realize that there is no "situation"

Always be polite ( duh ) and have a few "good answers" ready.

Depending on the situation, and how long I have to talk with them. I either just say "for self defense"

or if we are somewhere where a short conversation is appropriate I give them the "seatbelt talk"

"I carry for the same reason we wear seatbelts in the car. We don't plan on getting in an accident, and we are not paranoid that all other motorists are out to cause a crash"
 

BrandonW

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2013
Messages
34
Location
Happy Valley, OR
Hello fellow under-21-open-carrier

The best thing you can do is dress nicely and act confident. I believe that this is the #1 thing you can do to avoid overly alarming people.

I've had a few "neutral" encounters where someone sees me carrying. I notice a quick flash of the "ALERT! I SEE A GUN" thought.

And then usually a brief flash of embarrassment as they realize that there is no "situation"

Always be polite ( duh ) and have a few "good answers" ready.

Depending on the situation, and how long I have to talk with them. I either just say "for self defense"

or if we are somewhere where a short conversation is appropriate I give them the "seatbelt talk"

"I carry for the same reason we wear seatbelts in the car. We don't plan on getting in an accident, and we are not paranoid that all other motorists are out to cause a crash"

Nice to meet you! I have been OCing everywhere I have gone (except work) for the last week and a half. No encounters so far, just a lot of staring. But that was to be expected. Everyone I've interacted with has been nothing but polite and professional. I did have some stupid remark from a 20 something year old guy about me "trying to be cool" lol but I just ignored it and finished my meal.
 
Top