New OC'r

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I just found this site and am encouraged by what I read.

I've had my concealed permit for about two years, but did not have a good weapon/holster combination that made for good CC. I recently bought an XD45 with a smartcarry holster and have been using that daily for a couple of months now.

I decided to try and open carry a couple of weeks ago. I knew that it was legal and I was confident in my rights to do so, but it was a very hard decision. I remember sitting in the car in the Wal-Mart parking lot debating with myself about whether I had the guts to actually put the paddle holster on and do my shopping, or would I slip it into the smartcarry and go about it as CC?

I decided that it was now or never, so I put it on and shopped for about 1/2 hour. No one even gave me a second look. So I kept it on and went to a local t-shirt printing place to pick up an order. This is a small, mom-and-pop operation and again, not a word. So I went and got gas and paid inside. Nothing. I went to the grocery store and picked up a few things for dinner. Nothing.

Now that this heat is upon us (tempurature-wise), I am much more comfortable open carrying, especially now that I am aware that 99% of the people have no idea what is going on around them.

Thanks for the forum to encourage one another and keep each other informed.

-Frank

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welcome and congrats

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Frank-

Good job, brother! Welcome to the club. Wait till you have to walk past a LEO for the first time. Real butterfly brigade then, too! I recommend you just smile, nod and go about your business.

I started OCing LONG before I found these great folks. It's easier knowing that you aren't the only one. Coming up on 11 years. You can get a lot of support and good info here, and we'glad you're here and supporting the 2A and meeting the threat of violence on equal terms.

Keep up the good work, and throw your .02 in any topic that interests you. Prior experience is not needed, but we sometimes forget that. Have some patience with us crochety old farts.

Cal

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Welcome and congrats!

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Another welcome to the club!

It gets easier every time you OC. Soon you will stop thinking about it and wonder why you ever thought there would be a problem.

stay safe.

skidmark

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A few days ago I OC'd for the first time in NoVA (outside of my truck)...I wore my Mod. 64 Smith in a paddle holster while I used the ATM at the Wachovia in Burke (Corner of Lee Chapel and Old Keene Mill). This was the first time I OC'd while not at a range

Looking forward to many more OC experiences in the future, especially the VCDL meetings and OC dinners.

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I know it is exciting on a certain level at first. Or perhaps exhilirating or freeing are better words. After a while it is no longer an "OC/CC experience" but just daily life. I think no more about putting on my pistol before walking out of the house than picking up my cell phone or locking the door behind me. They are just normal life behaviors. It becomes a casual non-event to carry unless you get to have one of those exciting "confronted by the officer" moments. The first time you carry into a bank or talk to an LEO while armed have a certain adrenaline raising quality. I think that after a while though, as you become more casual and non-event about it, so does the public and LEO you see as your looking casual, like it is no big deal keep them in a more toned down non-event mode as well.

Welcome to the forum new members and congratulations to those carrying in public for the first time!

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Welcome.

Deepdiver nailed it.

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Also a newbie here to OC. I've had my CCW ever since VA went to "shall issue" and have been carrying concealed ever since, but I would definitely agree that OC would definitely be preferable, especially during the summer months!

Has anyone seen this video? And do you know whether the BlackHawk Serpa is as easy to destroy?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDeKtgkZKmQ

I'm trying to be sure I have the right OWB holster and I like the retention of the Serpa, but I'd hate to have the kind of incident protrayed in the video.

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Welcome Aboard to both of you!!

I have not tried to destroy my blackhawk serpa, but I am now looking for a used one on the gun auction sites to do an experiment with.

MySerpa seems much better than my Kydex, and the Serpa holster has belt loops. This makes it a PITA to disarm, but I feel much more secure with it than with my paddle holster.

BTW there is a special category for holster threads, so if this thread goes "missing", look there.

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Welcome to the world of open carry. When I first moved to Arizona a few years ago I had been told of folk who open carried, so I checked the laws and tried it for myself. It took me a while to get used to doing so, but I carried regularly that way for over a year before deciding to get my CCW permit. Now I'm used to both ways of carrying, but it certainly is a little "scary" at first, but you quickly get used to it, especially if you know others who do the same.Seeing this site has been good for me since moving to Virginia since I don't see folk open carrying quite as often here as I did in Arizona.

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ThunderRanch wrote:

Also a newbie here to OC. I've had my CCW ever since VA went to "shall issue" and have been carrying concealed ever since, but I would definitely agree that OC would definitely be preferable, especially during the summer months!

Has anyone seen this video? And do you know whether the BlackHawk Serpa is as easy to destroy?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDeKtgkZKmQ

I'm trying to be sure I have the right OWB holster and I like the retention of the Serpa, but I'd hate to have the kind of incident protrayed in the video.

Click to expand...

Definitely see the holster sub-forum as the SERPA has been oft discussed and many of us frequently carry in one. That vid in relation to the Blackhawk SERPA was discussed at one point.

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ThunderRanch wrote:

Has anyone seen this video? And do you know whether the BlackHawk Serpa is as easy to destroy?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDeKtgkZKmQ

I'm trying to be sure I have the right OWB holster and I like the retention of the Serpa, but I'd hate to have the kind of incident protrayed in the video.

Click to expand...

A lot of us carry using Serpa CQC's, I think what you're seeing in the YouTube video is a Fobus holster, or some other thin Kydex holster. The Serpa's are made of a different material, we have three of them as they are gun specific, and they are very strong - even when using the paddle (which is way more comfortable and also holds the gun closer to you). I believe Chet was almost lifted off the ground by the Norfolk police when they tried to disarm him while wearing his Serpa CQC at last years HarborFest - they didn't know how it worked.

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Welcome. I've been to your town and OCd at The Station.