My second OC experience

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After reading the article about the three shootings in DE (forwarded to me thanks to my fiancee) and realizing one happened 2.5 blocks from my house, I've decided to make 2008 a more OC year than last. Here's the article for anyone who missed it:

http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080101/NEWS/801010334

Anyway, I decided to OC again last night when my fiancee and I went to Appleby's Restaurant (on Route 40, next to Wal-Mart). I actually OC'd from my house, down to my fiancee's house, then to the Restaurant. [We also went to Wal-Mart after dinner, but I left my gun in the car (because I know how "close" and crazy Wal-Mart can be, and I didn't want anyone to see it, bump into it, etc - Wal-Mart was empty and dead anyway, so it may not have beenan issue)].

I had my jacket tucked behind my SERPA holster to make sure it was obvious and not concealed. I walked normal from the entrance to our table. As I looked around, I don't think anyone even noticed. And I don't think our waitress noticed the whole time, either (or she just blew it offas me being LEO or something). I kind of expected one of the kids at the tableacross from us to say something, but I didn't hear anything about it, which surprised me since I sat facing the door (like I try to do) which put my gun on the "outside" of the booth. The only person that noticed was the guy in the bathroom, who was at the urinal as I came out of the stall and washed my hands. HE noticed for sure, since he gave a double-look to me, but nothing was said.

So far, I've found that as long as youdon't make a big deal about carrying, and act like having a gun on your hip is totally normal for you and your daily lifestyle, that most people don't even notice. Granted, I've only OC'd twice so far (in public anyway), but not once has anyone said anything to me about it, nor have I had the police show up due to a "concerned" patron.

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Didn't hear about those shootings, thanks for the link. I hope, when I start to OC, that I have uneventful experiences like yours. Although I would like to carry as much as possible, I believe I will only be able to do so on occasions as my gf has my mothers opioion, where they don't see the need for it and "don't want to talk about it."

:banghead:

I hope to convince them, just hope it doesn't take a life changing, life threatening event to do so.

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MustangDave wrote:

Didn't hear about those shootings, thanks for the link. I hope, when I start to OC, that I have uneventful experiences like yours. Although I would like to carry as much as possible, I believe I will only be able to do so on occasions as my gf has my mothers opioion, where they don't see the need for it and "don't want to talk about it."

I hope to convince them, just hope it doesn't take a life changing, life threatening event to do so.

Click to expand...

You're welcome for the link. It's just another instance that makes me want to protect myself and my family even more. Anyone just has to watch the news, read the paper, or go online and they'll find out that crime knows no boundaries (be it location, time, date, color, etc). Violent crime can happen to anyone, anywhere, and at any time. Two of those shootings happened too close to home for me. The one was only 2 blocks from my house (where my children were this whole holiday weekend with me), and another happened in Claymont where I used to live!

Add to that: I thought my neighborhood and street was relatively quiet when I first moved there, until I SAW someone shoot at someone right outside my window one night. The "victim" ended up on my neighbor's porch, bleeding and moaning in pain. Having witnessed the shooting (generally - I couldn't ID the shooter), I was subpoenaed to show up in court as a witness for the State, but the shooter plead guilty....

That, and other stories I've seen/read (combined w/the shootings only 2 days ago), have made me make a New Year's resolution: OC more often.

With all due respect to you and your family and gf: Don't letanyone dictate when and where (or even IF) you OC. You don't NEED to convince them of anything. And you don't NEED to justify your desires/actions of OCing a deadly weapon, so long as it's lawful. I don't mean to sound insensitive to your family or significant other's feelings, but we could betalking about life and death here.

You're not only exercising your Constitutional right to bear arms, but you're doing your duty as anAmerican to protect yourself, and more importantly, protect your FAMILY.

Article I of the Constitution, Section 20:

"A person has the right to keep and bear arms for the defense of self, family, home and State, and for hunting and recreational use."

I'd rather OC a firearm and have no one notice and never need it, than to be in a situation where I DIDN'T have it and someone I cared about got hurt/killed when I could have stopped the threat. By then,the "life changing/life threatening event" you speak ofmay be too late to matter.

Personally, I'd rather hurt a few feelings now thanfor them to lose the ability to feel at all.

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You definitely made a good point.

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Thanks. I hopeI didn't offend, or come across as "holier than thou" or anything...

It just gets under my skinwhen people say they need to convince someone or prove to someone why they choose to carry a firearm. It shouldn't take a hostage situation or a gun pointed to their head to "convince" someone that having a gun to defend yourself (or a loved one) is a GOOD thing.

If my gf didn't "approve" of me carrying a gun (or shooting, or collecting, or whatever), then I'd tell her to hit the curb, because it's something that *I* choose to do for whatever reason I have. I don't have to convince her of anything, nor should I need to, or have a list of 10 reasons why I do it (which can be found on the internet, or I have a list saved on my hard drive). Family members are more "difficult" since you're kind of stuck w/ them, but again, you don't have to justify it to them.

You could always tell them "Next time you're in trouble, call 911 and tell me how long it takes for the police to actually show up, assuming you can call 911."

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That is a good line, I'll be sure to use it, thanks. And no you didn't offend me.

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Dave I live in Dover but work in Newark would like to join ya one night or get a group together I just got one of the Mini-revolvers was thing about the belt buckle have the holstergrip already

http://www.naaminis.com/custcry.html

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Delaware ranked #9 in 2004. http://www.census.gov/statab/ranks/rank21.html

Cant find the 2006 rank of I think #7.

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Double tap, 2 to the board....

Per the link above, Vt is 48/50. Guess their CC is working. .02