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Some Questions

mcalvert

New member
Joined
Oct 2, 2014
Messages
10
Location
Waterloo, Iowa
Hello everyone. I recently decided to become a member of OC.Org. Unfortunately my 21st is about a year from now, but I have decided that when the time comes I will apply for a permit and (when I get the permit) will OC and every now and then CC. My questions are
1 Does the permit to carry also work as the permit to acquire handguns? (Just to clear things up for me)
2 Does any one have any experience OCing in the Waterloo area?
3 What should I expect from both people and LE when I do start OCing?
4 In the meantime what can I carry(other than a knife) to be able to defend myself?
 

Darkshadow62988

Activist Member
Joined
Oct 17, 2010
Messages
238
Location
Iowa
Hello everyone. I recently decided to become a member of OC.Org. Unfortunately my 21st is about a year from now, but I have decided that when the time comes I will apply for a permit and (when I get the permit) will OC and every now and then CC. My questions are
1. Does the permit to carry also work as the permit to acquire handguns? (Just to clear things up for me)
2. Does any one have any experience OCing in the Waterloo area?
3. What should I expect from both people and LE when I do start OCing?
4. In the meantime what can I carry(other than a knife) to be able to defend myself?

1. Yes.
2. I'm in Davenport and have never carried in Waterloo other than as a passenger in a car driving through so I can't comment on that.
3. Expect the unexpected. People have a wide range of reactions. Some will give you a smile and a thumbs up while others will harass you. Good LE will either not really acknowledge you/watch you from a distance or just ask to see your permit while bad LE will detain/arrest you and take you to court and try to destroy your reputation for perfectly lawful behavior. You can ask Dennis Estell about that. He was dragged through the courts, fined, and still didn't really win.
If these are the questions you're asking, you still have a lot to learn before you start carrying. I'm not saying this to discourage you. Please, CC/OC when you feel comfortable doing so. I wish more people did. Just make sure you know the law well enough that you'd feel comfortable going before a judge or jury and defending yourself against prosecution. The law is still unclear in a few aspects, but clarity comes at the cost of a lot of time, money and(even if only for a short while) liberty. You picked the right place to ask the tough questions. Out of all of the many discussion forums I've seen this place is by far my favorite for getting good information and/or direction on where to look for it.
4. Knives are not covered by preemption, so make sure that you know the law of every jurisdiction you're going to be in(No, I am not kidding, I'm completely serious). Same is true for pepper spray. Tasers/Stun Guns require a PTC just like a handgun. The best thing you can get to defend yourself is knowledge. Take good courses. Find the best information you can. Though a lot of the best knowledge I have I've gotten for free from here on OCDO and YouTube, getting good information for real world application is seldom cheap, but it is a hell of a lot cheaper than bail and a lawyer.

There's a lot of people here who will support you in your decision to OC, but not if you go in without having thought out what consequences come with the decision to do so. There aren't a lot of threads in the Iowa section of this forum. Search for the good ones and read them in your spare time.
 

mcalvert

New member
Joined
Oct 2, 2014
Messages
10
Location
Waterloo, Iowa
Thanks for the input it is very helpful and i have and will continue to read up on the law. Hopefully in a year the bad le would know the law.
 

Tucker6900

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2008
Messages
1,279
Location
Iowa, USA
Just know that the public perception of guns is 50/50. I have never had an issue while open carrying. I have been asked for my permit once, and the officer never said anything other than asking for it, and " Ok, have a nice day." I carry through Washington, Linn, Johnson, Henry, Iowa, and Louisa counties and the larger cities that reside there. No issues. I have even been near Washington CO deputies without them even giving me a second glance.

Just remember one thing, and I tell this to everybody. If you think you look suspicious, you do. If you act like you want people to see it, they will.

I have followed these next rules without fail, and suggest everyone do the same :
DO NOT TOUCH YOUR FIREARM UNLESS YOU INTEND TO USE IT
IF YOU DRAW ATTENTION TO IT, THE ATTENTION YOU DRAW WILL BE OF THE NEGATIVE KIND

I suggest, for your own comfort and confidence, start with CC. Wear clothes that prevent printing and riding up. When it starts getting warm, wear lighter clothing that may ride up and prints. You get the idea. Dont just jump into a pot of boiling water. Start with the tips of your toes.

Good luck and be safe.
 

Tucker6900

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2008
Messages
1,279
Location
Iowa, USA
Thanks for the input it is very helpful and i have and will continue to read up on the law. Hopefully in a year the bad le would know the law.
And to add, bad cops will be bad cops, whether they know the law or not. And I garantee that they know the law. They just dont care. They will force personal and policy preference on you under the color of law and call it legit. Most of the time it is the brass in their department that gives them the nod to do what they do. If you come across a bad LEO, you will know it right away. I suggest you exercise your 5th and keep your mouth shut.
 
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