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First Time OCing

dclabounty

New member
Joined
Sep 20, 2007
Messages
76
Location
Yuma, Arizona, USA
imported post

I've been browsing the forum, reading the Arizona Gun Owners Guide and looking over Arizona laws for a while now. I was going to wait until I got my CCW (just to be on the safe side) before I started carrying. But with two convience stores within six blocks of where I live being held up in the past week I changed my mind. So today when my wife and I went out to do some shopping today I went out armed with my .357 and the knowledge that the law was on my side.

1st stop: Walmart on Ave B - I was kind of concerned about this after reading what others had posted about Walmart, but we spent an hour in here getting groceries and the closest I came to an encounter was when another shopper was pointing at me when talking with a Manager. He talked to her for a bit and and walked off. Other than that and a couple of wide-eyed stares from kids and snowbirds nothing happened here.

Went home to drop off the groceries and then headed out again.

2nd stop: Liquid Mart on 16th St. to get gas - Nothing here. Paid the clerk. he looked down but never batted an eye.

3rd stop: Game Stop in the Yuma Palms - Went in to get a couple of games for Christmas gifts. I honestly don't think anyone even noticed.

4th stop: Sam's Club - Finished up grocery shopping. Nothing major just got the "evil eye" from an older gentleman just smiled and walked by.

Final stop: Had to go by the other Wal-mart in Yuma (on Pacific Ave) to pick-up a perscription. Had three people ask me about it here:

1st group here was a group of 2 males and 2 females late 40's early 50's. Only one man did most of the talking.

Him: "Are you store Security?"

Me: "No sir"

Him: "What gives you the right to carry a gun in the store?"

Me: "Arizona state law gives private citizens the right to open carry"

Him: "Do you have a Concealed Carry Permit?"

Me: "No sir, I don't need one I'm not carrying concealed"

Him: "But in the store?"

Me: "It's private property. The management of the store can regulate the carrying of firearms as they see fit. They can ask me to leave at anytime. If they do I will leave and take my money elsewhere"

The issue over private property and the store went back and forth for a little while.

One of the ladies: "Are you military?"

Me: "Yes but -" (trying to make sure they knew that's not what gave me the right to carry.)

Him: cutting me off "That doesn't mean anything"

Me: "No it doesn't. Anyone who can posses a Firearm can open carry it in Arizona."

Him: "But we don't carry in the store" and walked off.

They we're polite the whole time they were talking to me I guess they just don't think I should carry in a store.
From his last statement I assume he carries. I guess he expects someone to wait until he get's to the parking lot before they start shooting.

The 2nd was an older lady when I was waiting on the pharmacist to get back from lunch.

Her: "I don't mean to be nosey but are you a US Marshal of just a concerned citizen."

Me: "Just a concerned citizen ma'am"

Her: "I don't know much about gun's. Do you mind if I ask what you're carrying"

Me: "Not at all. It's a .357 Magnum.

The 3rd was the cashier at the pharmacy counter who checked me out. The first thing he said when I stepped up to the counter was "Damn that's a big gun". He asked what it is and if I needed a permit to carry. I explained that you didn't need a permit to OC only to CC. He said he had a Colorado permit. I assume that's where he was from. He asked why I carried and I explained about the convience stores and with all the other shootings that had happed he said "I'd be packing too".

Also while at this Walmart I walked right by an assistant manager and he didn't say anything.

Overall there were less problems than what I was expecting. I had already planned for walking out of walmart and buying my groceries elsewhere. But I'm not complaining.

If anyone has suggestions for anything I could have said differently or should have brought up with the first group please let me know. That was the only encounter I would classify as a little on the negative side.
 

LuvmyXD9

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2007
Messages
126
Location
, ,
imported post

whiskaz_55 wrote:
I've been browsing the forum, reading the Arizona Gun Owners Guide and looking over Arizona laws for a while now. I was going to wait until I got my CCW (just to be on the safe side) before I started carrying. But with two convience stores within six blocks of where I live being held up in the past week I changed my mind. So today when my wife and I went out to do some shopping today I went out armed with my .357 and the knowledge that the law was on my side.

1st stop: Walmart on Ave B - I was kind of concerned about this after reading what others had posted about Walmart, but we spent an hour in here getting groceries and the closest I came to an encounter was when another shopper was pointing at me when talking with a Manager. He talked to her for a bit and and walked off. Other than that and a couple of wide-eyed stares from kids and snowbirds nothing happened here.

Went home to drop off the groceries and then headed out again.

2nd stop: Liquid Mart on 16th St. to get gas - Nothing here. Paid the clerk. he looked down but never batted an eye.

3rd stop: Game Stop in the Yuma Palms - Went in to get a couple of games for Christmas gifts. I honestly don't think anyone even noticed.

4th stop: Sam's Club - Finished up grocery shopping. Nothing major just got the "evil eye" from an older gentleman just smiled and walked by.

Final stop: Had to go by the other Wal-mart in Yuma (on Pacific Ave) to pick-up a perscription. Had three people ask me about it here:

1st group here was a group of 2 males and 2 females late 40's early 50's. Only one man did most of the talking.

Him: "Are you store Security?"

Me: "No sir"

Him: "What gives you the right to carry a gun in the store?"

Me: "Arizona state law gives private citizens the right to open carry"

Him: "Do you have a Concealed Carry Permit?"

Me: "No sir, I don't need one I'm not carrying concealed"

Him: "But in the store?"

Me: "It's private property. The management of the store can regulate the carrying of firearms as they see fit. They can ask me to leave at anytime. If they do I will leave and take my money elsewhere"

The issue over private property and the store went back and forth for a little while.

One of the ladies: "Are you military?"

Me: "Yes but -" (trying to make sure they knew that's not what gave me the right to carry.)

Him: cutting me off "That doesn't mean anything"

Me: "No it doesn't. Anyone who can posses a Firearm can open carry it in Arizona."

Him: "But we don't carry in the store" and walked off.

They we're polite the whole time they were talking to me I guess they just don't think I should carry in a store.
From his last statement I assume he carries. I guess he expects someone to wait until he get's to the parking lot before they start shooting.

The 2nd was an older lady when I was waiting on the pharmacist to get back from lunch.

Her: "I don't mean to be nosey but are you a US Marshal of just a concerned citizen."

Me: "Just a concerned citizen ma'am"

Her: "I don't know much about gun's. Do you mind if I ask what you're carrying"

Me: "Not at all. It's a .357 Magnum.

The 3rd was the cashier at the pharmacy counter who checked me out. The first thing he said when I stepped up to the counter was "Damn that's a big gun". He asked what it is and if I needed a permit to carry. I explained that you didn't need a permit to OC only to CC. He said he had a Colorado permit. I assume that's where he was from. He asked why I carried and I explained about the convience stores and with all the other shootings that had happed he said "I'd be packing too".

Also while at this Walmart I walked right by an assistant manager and he didn't say anything.

Overall there were less problems than what I was expecting. I had already planned for walking out of walmart and buying my groceries elsewhere. But I'm not complaining.

If anyone has suggestions for anything I could have said differently or should have brought up with the first group please let me know. That was the only encounter I would classify as a little on the negative side.
Some people you're just not going to get through to. They're dead set on their opinion and that's that...........just like our opinions are set in stone until proven otherwise.

The best you can do is state that Arizona has a shall issue state with no requirements on the open carry of a firearm. Explain the law and answer questions. People just have to decide for themselves.

And that's just a neutral encounter I would think..........you'll definitely know a negative encounter when you have one. When a woman is hysterical screaming she's gonna call the cops...........THEN you have a negative encounter hahaha.
 
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