• 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, From Central VA

7

72Malibu

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2007
Messages
392
Location
Near Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
imported post

Hello all!

I've lived in central VA since 2004. Moved here from Kalifornia where I spent 2 years. I'm a native of PA and had a CCW permit there when I lived there.

I currently have a valid VA CCW that I've had for several months. I've been getting more interested in 2nd Amendment activity and have been daily checking out PDO, VCDL and just today OCDO.

I'm one of the typical "I've always had a concealed permit, so I have anxiety about open-carrying" -type people. I'm fine with open carry (though I have never seen anybody personally doing it) and feel that it's a great expression of excercising our rights and being a positive representation of law abiding gun owners... now if only I could grow a pair big enough to do it myself :)

Keep it up!
 
S

sitedzn

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2006
Messages
449
Location
, ,
imported post

welcom to ocdo! i know the anxiety you're feeling as i only had my first experience last night (see http://opencarry.mywowbb.com/forum54/1327-3.htmlfor the results of our evening). i'll admit i was nervous for a while, but after the good conversation and waiting in the foyer for 45 minutes while 30 people or so passed by us, i became more comfortable. i too still prefer cc whenever possible, i guess i like the element of surprise. best advice, imo, is come to an oc dinner when possible.
 
T

TEX1N

Regular Member
Joined
May 15, 2006
Messages
842
Location
Northern VA, Virginia, USA
imported post

Welcome to OCDO!

Normally a good place to start OC'ing is in restaurants that sell and serve alcohol. Mainly because you have to under the law, and because it's easier than trying to plan your carrying habits around your eating habits.
 
T

TEX1N

Regular Member
Joined
May 15, 2006
Messages
842
Location
Northern VA, Virginia, USA
imported post

I almost forgot, your anxiety about OC'ing is normal after living in the People's Republic of Kalifornia! Hopefully 2 years in the PRKA was not enough time to do permanent damage! :D ;)
 
M

markand

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2006
Messages
512
Location
VA
imported post

Welcome to VA. Be sure to sign up for VCDL's email VA-Alert. Its about 8 inches or so down from the home page, www.vcdl.org.

Open carrying can make you nervous the first time(s) you try it. Go to a VCDL meeting in central VA sometime. If is like the VCDL meetings here in NOVA, members will go to a restaurant, open carry style, after the meeting. Eventually, you'll feel no more self-conscious open carrying than you do wearing a new hat or haircut and wondering if people will notice and point :lol:.
 
7

72Malibu

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2007
Messages
392
Location
Near Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
imported post

Thanks for all of the "welcomes".

My wife makes it hard for me to plan carrying around eating. She always decides to go someplace that serves alcohol, so I end up having to leave it in the car... not a comforting thought. I just need to get the nerve up to lift my shirt and tuck it behind so that it's visible.

2 years wasn't enough to change me in Cali. I had a good time living there but never even bothered trying for a permit. I've just always felt more comfortable with people not knowing. As it was said, I like to have the element of surprise, should I need it.

I'd definitely be interested in attending an OC dinner or central VA VCDL meeting... so long as my wife loosens the apron strings enough to let me go somewhere without her (she's a housewife/mom right now and any opportunity to go out she'll be all over).
 
K

kle

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2007
Messages
348
Location
, Virginia, USA
imported post

72Malibu wrote:
Thanks for all of the "welcomes".

My wife makes it hard for me to plan carrying around eating. She always decides to go someplace that serves alcohol, so I end up having to leave it in the car... not a comforting thought. I just need to get the nerve up to lift my shirt and tuck it behind so that it's visible.
Click to expand...
I find that if I'm wearing a dark cover shirt and a dark under shirt, my blued/polymer sidearm doesn't feel so obvious in its IWB holster when I transition to open-carry. I think wearing dark clothing helps to "hide" my sidearm, even in plain sight.

Welcome to the forum! (I'm a newbie here, and a newbie to carrying open or concealed in general)
 
T

TEX1N

Regular Member
Joined
May 15, 2006
Messages
842
Location
Northern VA, Virginia, USA
imported post

72Malibu wrote:
I'd definitely be interested in attending an OC dinner or central VA VCDL meeting... so long as my wife loosens the apron strings enough to let me go somewhere without her (she's a housewife/mom right now and any opportunity to go out she'll be all over).
Click to expand...
Then bring her!!!
 
OC-Glock19

OC-Glock19

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2006
Messages
559
Location
Woodbridge, Virginia, USA
imported post

72Malibu wrote:
I'd definitely be interested in attending an OC dinner or central VA VCDL meeting... so long as my wife loosens the apron strings enough to let me go somewhere without her (she's a housewife/mom right now and any opportunity to go out she'll be all over).
Click to expand...

I've found that people are a lot less wary of me open carrying when I'm eating out with my wife and two little girls in tow. I guess they rightly figure that criminals don't open-carry, nor do they go out and commit violencewith theirhandgun with their families tagging along.

/BTW, welcome to OCDO
 
7

72Malibu

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2007
Messages
392
Location
Near Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
imported post

Wifey doesn't like fast food. Haha!

I've thought about wearing dark clothes to somewhat camouflage my Glock 19, but my carry holster (OWB forward cant at about 4:00) is a leather brown and kindof stands out against dark clothes. I suppose I should look at getting another holster, but this one so far has been relatively comfortable. I have a shoulder holster setup for it, but can never get it adjusted right, so I never wear it. Plus, it would be hard to "expose" in an ABC restaurant unless I wear it on top of my shirt.

Oh, and she's definitely up for going along to a dinner. Meetings, not so much.
 
L

leprechaun117

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 25, 2007
Messages
283
Location
Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
imported post

im near charlottesville as well, and have also just starded to carry. i havent had any problems in fast food places or cheeseburger in paradise. no one has made any issue of it yet... well see how it goes in the future.
 
S

SIGarmed229

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2007
Messages
212
Location
Burke, Virginia, USA
imported post

Welcome 72Malibu and Leprechaun!! Sorry for the late welcome! Its nice to have yall aboard and cant wait to meet you guys when theres a dineout.

I was so frightened the very first time I OCed. I had to on account of I do not have my CCW yet (pending). It was at the walmart in Burke and i was freaking out because many people were looking and employees were asking me all kinds of questions. Very nerve wrecking. That was about 3 weeks ago. As for now, its very natural for me to OC everywhere I go and pay no heed to onlookers. I do have a freind in the area I OC with but he is not yet a member of this forum due to his internet not working but he will join when it works again. So welcome! and enjoy your stay!
 
S

SubXD-9

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2007
Messages
18
Location
, ,
imported post

Im new here too from Richmond, Va. Great site with lots of useful info.. I am also the General Manager of a casual dining restaurant in Richmond.
 
S

SIGarmed229

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2007
Messages
212
Location
Burke, Virginia, USA
imported post

Welcome SubXD-9! I assume you have a springfield XD. How are they? I was thinking about getting one in .40 or .45. I visit Richmond on occasion, i'll have to pay your establishment a visit! Welcome once again... Strength in numbers
 
S

SubXD-9

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2007
Messages
18
Location
, ,
imported post

I love it so much I put 250 rounds thru it the first time out. Without starting the "better pistol" arguement, I would say I highly recommend the XD. I tried another brand and found the XD to bemore comfortable and as reliable. My restaurant is in the Short Pump mall. I have no problem with OC in my restaurant. I have seen it a couple of times and only had to "school" my staff. The mall.....thats another story.
 
S

sitedzn

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2006
Messages
449
Location
, ,
imported post

SubXD-9 wrote:
I love it so much I put 250 rounds thru it the first time out. Without starting the "better pistol" arguement, I would say I highly recommend the XD. I tried another brand and found the XD to bemore comfortable and as reliable. My restaurant is in the Short Pump mall. I have no problem with OC in my restaurant. I have seen it a couple of times and only had to "school" my staff. The mall.....thats another story.
Click to expand...
is your restaurant accessible w/o going thru the mall? according to the VCDL website, short pump mall is a no carry facility.
 
S

sitedzn

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2006
Messages
449
Location
, ,
imported post

i was thinking it would be a great place for a richmond oc dinner next month. we did the southside last week. i'd like to make sure, even though he's seen oc in there, that it's legal to get into the restaurant. 1 or 2 people could slip thru cc in the mall, but if 10 of us show up....i've heard ofbad stories about Henrico PD, i'd like to not be one of them.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top