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Open Carry Experience

G

Glockster

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 24, 2010
Messages
786
Location
Houston
As we slowly move towards January I thought that it might be interesting to talk about any OC experience you may have already had elsewhere (as I'm assuming you haven't yet carried in TX!) to get a better sense of how new OC will actually be to us when it goes into effect here in TX. If you don't mind, I'm hoping to just hear from those in TX or who are planning on being here (residence or visiting) once OC goes into effect.

I myself OC'd in Virginia for about 5 years before moving to TX, but did mix it up with CC depending upon the circumstances (and well familiar with that "Virginia tuck").
 
C

Count

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Mar 8, 2007
Messages
453
Location
, ,
I spend about one month vacationing every year in Arizona, Nevada, Colorado and Utah! I always open carry in those 4 states and never had a police encounter... One might say, maybe you avoided some places..... Not really. In Arizona I open carried inside Phoenix international airport and the Grand Canyons..... In Utah I open carried even in bars, even while having a beer.... Same in Durango, Colorado..... In Nevada I open carried everywhere in Vegas, except inside the casinos, but I open carried in other casinos while gambling in Vendover, near the Utah border...... Every hotel I ever stayed, in all those states..... Really a non-event..... I got many compliments and a couple stares..... Once in Vegas a cop asked me why I carried.... I told him for self-defense.... He asked me, why I don't conceal.... I told him I don't wanna break the law since I don't have a permit accepted by Nevada and I really prefer open.... He just said O.K. Never asked for ID or anything....
I don't anticipate Texas being any different unless you just act nervous or like you don't belong where you are..... Just know the places off limits, have your permit with you, and enjoy life.... That's all.....
 
Ian

Ian

Lone Star Veteran
Joined
Nov 11, 2007
Messages
710
Location
Austin, TX
I'll re-post a few interesting experiences from the Louisiana thread I had while I'm working in Baton Rouge, LA right now. I also open carried for a few years when I lived in Colorado.

So I had a couple of interesting experiences last night. I spent all night building a new computer and by the time I finished, it was getting close to midnight. I needed to get a part from Walmart and was starving so I figured I would stop by and get something to eat first. Jack in the Box was on the way. Being almost midnight, it was pretty empty looking, but I wanted to see if I could eat inside so I didn't get my car messy. I walked in and there was nobody at the front window. I guess the only girl working the front was taking drive thru orders. I waited for a few minutes and she came my way and then stopped dead in her tracks with a really surprised look on her face. She looked straight down at my gun and stared for a few seconds before looking back at me almost waiting for me to do something.
Me: "Hello, could I get a sourdough Jack please?"
Her: "Uhhh, Gaaaaaaaary? We have a customerrrrrrrrr in the front."
She was all freaked out like she half expected me to pull the gun out and rob the place. I just stared at her blankly. It was pretty clear at this point that they thought the front was locked and I was not supposed to be inside the building. I walked out to my car and went to the drive thru so we could have the same conversation and I could get my sandwich.


Went over to Walmart to grab an external CD player for the computer since I didn't put one in it and needed to install Windows. I found one on the website for 30 bucks, but it rang up 60 bucks at the cash register. Apparently Walmart also changes out all its cash at midnight, so things were extra slow. I looked over to the exit and a Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff Deputy walked in and sat down by the door. I guess he was there because of all the cash that they were moving around. She called a manager over to the check out lane using the PA and at the same time the Deputy got up and started walking toward me. I thought, "here we go." However, when he got close I asked him,
Me: "How you doin tonight sir?"
Deputy: "Pretty good, thanks."
Then he kind of awkwardly stood near me since I was waiting for the manager to get a higher manager for the price override. I guess he then got bored and sat down behind me. I think he was over by me because the manager had brought over the cart full of all the cash when she came to deal with my pricing issue. We finally got it all sorted and the general manager just told them to give it to me at the price on the website. I told the deputy to have a good night and headed home. No issues.
Click to expand...


I've open carried around police officers from multiple states and it's really a non-issue. I've never been stopped or even questioned for it. I would recommend dressing relatively nice when you open carry. We are trying to present the best possible image for gun rights especially with this legislation being a brand new thing for a lot of Texans. Also make sure you're confident. If not, fake it till you make it. People will notice your attitude and pick up on that. If you're new to it, knowing the laws like the back of your hand will give you the confidence you will need to not only act like you're doing something that's perfectly legal, but also to be able to educate people that are misinformed or uneducated about the laws themselves.

There's no doubt about it, anyone's first time open carrying will be a nervous experience because you've been taught for so long that it's wrong. It won't take very long to get over those first time jitters as long as you follow the advice above.
 
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qednick

qednick

Regular Member
Joined
May 1, 2007
Messages
499
Location
Bandera, TX
OC'd all the way through New Mexico, Arizona and Nevada (including everywhere in Vegas except inside the casinos). Absolute non-event everywhere I went, no stink eyes, no comments--as it should be. And I was carrying a very visible Sig P220. Can't wait to carry here in Texas!
 
C

CrimsonSoul

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2009
Messages
144
Location
, ,
I oced once in Wisconsin before they had their cc law. No one looked at me funny and no cops came. I think it's an idea that I have to get use to though as it was awkward for me (being my first time and all)

Sent from my SM-G920T using Tapatalk
 
F

Firearms Iinstuctor

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2011
Messages
3,431
Location
northern wis
CrimsonSoul said:
I oced once in Wisconsin before they had their cc law. No one looked at me funny and no cops came. I think it's an idea that I have to get use to though as it was awkward for me (being my first time and all)

Sent from my SM-G920T using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

That because open carry had always been legal in WI with only some very anti gun cities causing all the trouble.
 
N

nobama

New member
Joined
Mar 19, 2009
Messages
756
Location
, ,
CrimsonSoul said:
I oced once in Wisconsin before they had their cc law. No one looked at me funny and no cops came. I think it's an idea that I have to get use to though as it was awkward for me (being my first time and all)

Sent from my SM-G920T using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Good! now start doing it more and it will be easier for you, I promise.
 
solus

solus

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2013
Messages
9,315
Location
here nc
wethepeople, perhaps we should organize an OC picnic for the texas folk in somewhere in the tarheel state this fall some time so they can get comfortable OC'g and see how easy the experience actually is?

or VA....oh grape & skid wanta host?

tell ya what...any longhorn folk get to eastern NC and want lunch or dinner while OC'g the tab will be on at highway 55 or five guys of their choice within, oh let's say 100 miles radius from the heart of rural, religious eastern NC aka goldsboro. need at least a week notice to ensure my schedule is clear, but the offer is on the table.

ipse
 
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