Open Carry at the Purple Turtle

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I was open-carrying my SW99 when my wife and I decided to stop in at a local burger joint in Pleasant Grove, Utah to grab some lunch. The burger joint, The Purple Turtle, is a well-known local landmark (everybody knows what you mean when you say, 'turn right at the Purple Turtle').

I've been regularly open-carrying in Utah County for some time now, and have surprisingly had almost no noticeable public reaction. This visit to the Purple Turtle really involved my first experience of being questioned by a member of the public. After my wife and I ordered our meals at the counter, we filled our soft drink cups and started walking to a table. An elderly woman sitting with her husband nearby motioned me over and asked -- with quite a worried expression on her face -- if I was a police officer. When I said no, she asked, "Then how is it you can carry a gun?"

I just smiled at her and explained, in brief terms, what the gun laws are in Utah concerning the carrying of a gun. She seemed surprised and just said, "Oh!"

I proceeded to my table to eat lunch with my wife. About twenty minutes later, the elderly couple got up to leave. They briefly paused by our table while she leaned over, smiled and said, "Good hunting!"

I just chuckled.

Another citizen educated.

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Its not everyday but I do get asked if I am a LEO about once every month or two. I don't mind when I am asked because I get to shatter that person's notion that only the police can carry guns legally.

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Yep. That's one of the reasons that I've taken to open carrying when out and about. There is a value to be had in educating people, as well as desensitizing them to the sight of a gun in a holster on a citizen.

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Jeff and Longwatch,

Your posts exemplify EXACTLY why open carry is better than concealed carry!It ENLIGHTENS folks!Good job, fellers!

TrueBrit.

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youre right! man, i cant WAIT to get my firearm now! these people are all set on the notion that "normal citizens cant carry a firearm" well... 2 things... one... YES THEY CAN! and two... im not normal HAHA!

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I hope you also want to get your firearm for personal defense and not just for 'showing' people that you can carry a gun...

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ofcorse its personal defense



ive been surrounded by gangs several times, and i could have died..



a couple months ago, i went to a jack in the box, and 5 gang members surrounded me and my brother (we both had knives on us) and they asked us if we had money, and im SO BLESSED that a cop came pulling around the corner, it must have been 9:00 at night... i would have probably died... but if that ever happens to me (or another civilian) again, ill be there to save my (or the other innocent persons) life. thats just one reason for OCing... id like the UT community to be able to KNOW that this is a good, legal thing to do and that more people should do it... a right unused, is a right lost... and most of you will agree that when we will REALLY NEED firearms... they will be outlawed... i have a feeling that soon this government may be taking them away from us... (and inserting the chip into us, which im against as well)

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Don't forget the training. A gun is worthless without quality instruction. There is a lot more to surviving than just being abe to handle a gun. A quality school will teach you both gun handling and situational awarenes and alternative de-escalation of force techniques.

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im actually moving to utah in a couple days, and right when i unpack my stuff, im gunna look for a good gun safety program