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First Time OC in The City of Angeles - residential area

cato2

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Popped my CA OC cherry late last week. I carried a full sized1911 in a serpa holster with one mag in a pouch. I wore aprinted t-shirt with shorts and white tennis shoes. Had my cell phone ready to record (it will record up to 30 min of audio). My two sons went with me riding scooters.

Saw numerous people out with kids and pets in their yards or walking. Too many pets were off their leash. Saw at least two pit bulls but they looked and acted friendly enough. I'd say I was seen by at least 50+ people and perhaps the same number of cars drove by. Maybe only 10 noticed I was carrying. Several soccer moms noticed but there was no reaction that I could tell (got a hello backwhen I waved). Iwaived and orsaid hello to everyone I made eye contact with.

I did not carry a copy of the codes but can recall them from memory.

No problems to report. Will try the retail stores around here soon. Maybe a dinner out with the family.

FREEAT LAST! FREEAT LAST! THANK GOD ALMIGHTY I'M FREE AT LAST:exclaim::celebrate (well partially :))
 

cato2

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You California open carriers must have big brass ones.

Not really. I never passed the same place twice;). If LAPD was called it would take them forever to respond (half the reason for being armed in a city). 3-10hrs+ (or never)for non emergency calls, 10min+ for emergency. And what would the call be? An individual with two kids with a holstered firearm smiling and waving? I think theymust bevery strict about driving code3. I don't even see them speeding when they do.
 

FreshTapCoke

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Nice, welcome to the forum! Send me a PM if you ever want some company on your OC walks.
 

cato2

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Yesterday 4-5-08- Open carried in a serpa (cross draw configuration) my 1911 with two mags in an exposed pouch. Total time in public was 1 and1/2 hours.

Bicycled with the boys around the neighborhood. Very few people out except for some kids playing basketball and no loose dogs for a change (I wonder...). I said hello to the kids (teenagers actually) both clearly saw my sidearm. Both were very friendly and wished us a good evening (sun was still up and visibility was good).

Stopped at a 7-11. Several people got to the door before me and I held it open for them. Nobody noticed. Got a water and waited in line. Once I was at the register the clerk (of real Indian decent!)noticed my gun and said, "I need one of those right up here", patting his hip. "It might keep the crazies in line. Maybe If I just had a fake one that would work". I told him he can openly wearone if it was unloaded while in the city and that a "fake" one was a crime. We also discussed 7-11's policy against employee firearm carry. And I informed him of the pizza hut guy who saved his life by violating policy but may loose his job.

We then bicycled home.

I then drove to the grocery store. Several employees saw me as I entered pushing a cart. About two minutes later one of them walked past me at a rather fast pace carrying a two-way radio but he did not seem to take direct interest in me. I shopped for about 30 minutes spending over $100(easy to do these days). The store was packed and a few others must have noticed but no visible reaction was detected by me.

At the check out stand the clerk must have noticed but not a word was said beyond the usual small chat. I exited out past the customer service station where the manager was. I said "good night" and he said, "thank you for shopping here, please come back".

A head light burnt out on my car when I turned them on. I thought that was funny as I could now be stopped just for that.

Otherwise it was a very uneventful evening. As it should be. I did feel a little apprehensive entering the grocery store but carried on like I wasn't carrying. Being too self conscience can give off a bad vibe and that may lead to a negative encounter. Just tried to be myself. I think it worked.

added - Almost forgot to mention filling up at the 76 station on the way home. Several other patrons out side their cars had to have noticed. No one ran away in uncontrollable fright. Had a nice chat with the driver pumping next to me about prices and drilling in Alaska and eliminating the 40 cent tax on gas.

Until next time...good night.
 

cato2

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04-08-08

Opencarriedwhile shopping at Office Depo. & Trader Jons Market.No problems. No reactions. As it should be.
 

J.A.G.

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I know you probably don't want to give out your specific location on an open forum...but where are abouts are you doing all this carrying?
 

cato2

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OCed and walked for about 45 minutes with the familyin the surroundingneighborhoods at dusk. Very little foot traffic out and about. Maybe saw 5-7 people. No visible reactions just waves and hellos. People out here are very courteous!
 

sv_libertarian

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Dang dude... I spent two years in San Diego, and not sure I would have the stones to OC around there. Gotta hand it to you!

Come up and visit in Washington sometime. We can put the mag in and everything :p

I was thinking about SoCal this winter though, that's for sure. Sunshine and whatnot.
 

cato2

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OCed while out withmy oldest son at a gun store, a hardware store, and a Sees Candy store.

I got more attention atthe gun storethan the other places. The clerks there were dying to ask questions about my OC but for some reason didn't (perhaps they were confused by the usual gun store"lore" about locked cases and ammo out of reach). I was there for about an hour as a friend was conducting some business.

The clerks as well as a security guard at theother stores were very courteous and helpful. I'd say in the hour and a half I was out I was clearly seen by 50+ individuals. No issues. Everybody including me went about their business as usual.
 

cato2

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Walked with the family around the neighborhood for about 1/2 hours. No stray dogs at all this timeand only saw two other pedestrians. Both must have noticed but friendly hellos were definitely exchanged.

Oh...exposed cross draw 1911 with one exposed spare loaded mag.

Prior to the walk I shopped at Whole Foods...no issues...but I really think everyone else in this world is in condition white???????maybe it should be called condition zombie. To the security guys credit he did notice I was carrying as I was checking out. But by then he must have figured out I was a good guy if I'd managed to load up my cart and not done anything nefarious. Or he didn't want to get into trouble by noticing when I was checking out and not when I entered. Or he thought as unarmed security he was better of just staying at his post. It was an entertaining moment when we made eye contact; I think I might have winked. The checkout girl noticed as I caught here looking at my pistol as I was signing the receipt but nothing was said other then the ususal small talk of "thank you come again".
 

b1ack5mith

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YOURE BRAVE!!! i didnt learn about CA OC till i left CA and moved to UT. my pistol isnt registered, so i dont know if that is CA legal... we dont need to register them out here. im 19 and i OC EVERYWHERE... especially when i have another OCer with me :)
 

IdahoCorsair

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Congrats to you for exercizing those OC rights!

I can't but help wonder as conditioned as the sheeple are in CA, don't you think they pretty much don't even consider the possibility that you're non-law enforcement? In Idaho, they pretty much assume that I'm LE, and we're one of the more free states and common states to do OC. Just my two cents for today.
 

cato2

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IdahoCorsair wrote:
In Idaho, they pretty much assume that I'm LE, and we're one of the more free states and common states to do OC.


That might be true of most but I wear shorts, t-shirts and carry cross draw and usually with an NRA hat so I don't think that looks very LE.

Today I spent the whole day carrying. 9am out the door - drove to West LA area to pick up some medical documents. Then I met a friend for an 1130 lunch at a Japanese restaurant. Afterwards I drove home.

Got some checks in the mail so I then when back out to my credit union. The teller noticed I was packing but apparently none of the managment types at their desks did. There were only thee customersin side going about their business. I was carrying my deposit slip and checks in my strong hand. No issues.No comments. Business as usual. If there was a concernit would have been easy enough for the bank to ID me after the transaction and for the police to contact me at my address.

Back home at around 4pm and took a walk with the family around the neighborhood for about 30-45 minutes. The kids road their scooters. The temperature is kinda cold for May but that is welcome considering how hot it will be later this summer in the valley.
 

J.A.G.

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League...

Do you just google map all the schools, and draw a perimeter of 1000 feet around them so you know where not to drive/walk through? That seems like the best course of action.

Is there any easy way to find all the schools? because as i've been driving here, i've noticed small schools in places that I didn't realize.
 

cato2

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I know of only two schools relatively close to my home (about a mile away or so on major streets - where the 1000' boarder is I don't have a clue). Beyond that I don't knowing enter (or reasonably know of) any other school zones. And I keep my eyes on the road and traffic conditions like any good driver does.
 
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