Sharp Shooters

Hello, my name is Bob Cavalcante and I'm visiting Spokane for a short while and was looking for a range to practice and a place for supplies and heard about your shop. Sharp Shooters seems like a decent place and the kind of place that I would patronize except for one thing: you don't allow Open Carry (OC).
I recently read on OpenCarry.org (OCDO) (http://opencarry.mywowbb.com/view_topic.php?id=11776 ) that you have a sign on your door stating that all firearms must be cased and one of our OCDO members on who recently visited was informed by an employee that while CC is acceptable, you have a policy prohibiting OC.

I am both amazed and offended that a gun store would have such a sign and policy that discriminates against OC'ers. I'm sure you are aware that Washington is a traditional Open Carry state and enjoys complete state preemptino of all county and municipal firearms laws. Concealed Carry is most certainly a privilege granted by the state (an infringement) and certainly not a right, while OC is a far sight closer to the actual right to "bear" arms as intended by our Founders. I would be very interested in hearing hear how you have determined that my OC firearm is more dangerous than any other CC firearm allowed in your store?

I spent 20 years in the US Navy definding this nation, have been trained with firearms time and time again, have been fingerprinted, DNA sampled and background investigated many times over and am even a ATF FFL-03 Licensed Firearms Collector of Curios and Relics. I do not need to "prove" my training or ability to be safe to anybusiness or to any state any further than I already have.

As an American, I fully understand and respect that your private property rights overrule my RKBA. As an avid Open Carrier, a Second Amendment Activist, Moderator of OpenCarry.org and consumer I will not go disarmed and therefore unfortunately cannot patronize your store, nor recommend it to my friends on OCDO as long as your policy against Open Carry is in effect. I would most certainly hate to see Sharp Shooters added toour list of "Washington Businesses that Ban Guns" located at http://opencarry.mywowbb.com/forum55/3630.html

I invite you to come take a look at http://www.OpenCarry.org and visit our discussion at http://opencarry.mywowbb.com. We have thousands of members across the nation,some international members as well and are quite involved in supporting all gun rights not only in Washington state, but across the nation. Youwill find that many if not most OC'ers are in the same category as me andhave been thoroughly trainied and some are even more acutely aware of the current firearms lawsthan most CC instructors,LEO's and politicians.

OCprovides us the opportunity to engage and educatethe public on not just the legality of OC but the fact that not only LEO's or criminals carry guns, but average Americansgoing about their daily lives. It certainly helpscounter the stereotypes of gun carriers that have permeated the liberally biased media as of late. OC isalso more comfortable, faster when necessary andquite the crime deterrent.

I sincerely hope that you will reconsider your anti-OCpolicy and open your doors to myself and the rapidly growing number of Open Carriers here in the Spokane area. I am available should you be willing todiscuss this matter further.

I look forward to hearing from you and look forward to the day when I and the other OC'ers in Spokane can patronize your store.

Most Sincerely,
Bob Cavalcante

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Well the reply I got today was the quoted mangled and truncated message I sent with no comment. Perhaps their comment software has limits. Resending directly to Robin. I'll keep you posted!

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might start looking at the $180 it would cost to get 1 year to the Spokane Rifle Club (much longer drive, but facilities do look nice)

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Well, just got a reply from Robin Ball, the owner. It seems that she's a staunch supporter of the RKBA and quite the activist herself:

http://www.nrahq.org/women/2005-ball.asp

Shecaters to all, but emphasizes on bringing in new shooters namelywomenthat have not been around guns without them feeling scared in her store in the presence of OC. She has some very common mis-conceptions about OC and doesn't even allow LEO's to OC in the store.

I'm sending her a PDF of the WGRPamphlet and will attempt to set the record straight, but as said, I do not like CC, will NOT CC and uless the ppolicy changes,will not go disarmed in her store, no matter how good theprices. (Besides, I get the same dealer discount she does as a C&R License holder!)

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Don't do anythingyet! While crafting a Bob Cavalcante special response (read very lengthly and verbose-lol), she looked at the site and has responded in the affirmative! More to follow shortly!

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