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New to OC in NoVa

M

moecomputer

Regular Member
Joined
May 2, 2009
Messages
12
Location
, ,
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Hello fellows, I am new to this site and I just bought my first handgun last week at the Chantilly gun show (it's a SIG p6 9mm). I would like to consider open carry, but since I am only 18 years old (and look 16), I would appreciate some advice from you OC veterans especially from the NoVa area :)

First, what are some places where it would be illegal or not recommended to go with my OC pistol?

Second, if I decide to leave it in my car, where and how should I store it?

Third, and most importantly, how should I deal with police encounters? I already had my first one at the gun show only moments after purchasing it when some grumpy old hag decided to call the cops on me because I looked to young to be buying a handgun :banghead: Luckily the police were polite and they confirmed that I wasn't breaking the law.

Am looking forward to hearing some good advice, thanks!
 
ed

ed

Founder's Club Member - Moderator
Joined
Mar 8, 2008
Messages
4,841
Location
Loudoun County - Dulles Airport, Virginia, USA
imported post

moecomputer wrote:
Hello fellows, I am new to this site and I just bought my first handgun last week at the Chantilly gun show (it's a SIG p6 9mm). I would like to consider open carry, but since I am only 18 years old (and look 16), I would appreciate some advice from you OC veterans especially from the NoVa area :)

First, what are some places where it would be illegal or not recommended to go with my OC pistol?

Second, if I decide to leave it in my car, where and how should I store it?

Third, and most importantly, how should I deal with police encounters? I already had my first one at the gun show only moments after purchasing it when some grumpy old hag decided to call the cops on me because I looked to young to be buying a handgun :banghead: Luckily the police were polite and they confirmed that I wasn't breaking the law.

Am looking forward to hearing some good advice, thanks!
Click to expand...

Welcome to OCDO.

Congrats on starting out right... seeking out information. Also.. many of the questions you ask.. many first timers have.. feel free to try the search feature and you will see the same questions and answers. Join us for dinner like we talked about on Thursday night and I will give you some Open Carry cards I have... you can also prepare a list of questions and not only get my opinion.. but the opinion of many.. and sometimes off duty LEO's (Law Enforcement Officers) have come to our dinners as well and I am sure if any come, they would field your questions too... sometimes the OCers know more than the LEO's which is why its fun when we all get together!

Ed
 
M

moecomputer

Regular Member
Joined
May 2, 2009
Messages
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Appreciate all the info/advice, I will talk to my girlfriend and seeif she has anything in mind for Thursday so i'll know if I can go or not, or maybe kidnap her and force her to come hehe :lol:

I wish I had the extra $30 for the car gun safe, being apoor college student :cry:but I thought it was illegal to store a gun in the glove compartment since it's hidden from plain view? Or maybe that just applies to driving. I think Ishould go look that up right now...

And the reason why I am worried about police encounters is because I've had countless ones already because I think police in the areajust get bored so they pick on kids my age trying to find something to bust us for...It's happened too many times to me and my friends when we were never doing anything wrong in the first place lol
 
K

kle

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2007
Messages
348
Location
, Virginia, USA
imported post

I've been told that locking the gun in the glove compartment, loaded or unloaded, is still considered "concealed", and that to store the gun in the car it would be best to put it in a locked container in the trunk (i.e. out of easy reach of the driver and potentially anyone else in the car w/o Concealed Handgun Permits). I don't personally worry about it, one way or another, because I've got the magic slip of paper in my wallet, and I don't mind driving the speed limit. I'm sure it would become a PITA if I had to pop the trunk every time I wanted to drive somewhere (and then again if I wanted to carry when I got there), though.

Hey, if you're local (i.e. you can get to the NRA HQ range on Mondays after 5PM, Wed-Thu-Fri after 7PM, and anytime on the weekend), I've got a spare C.O.M. lock-box (and maybe even the cable to secure it to your car) that you could have.
 
N

nova

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2007
Messages
3,149
Location
US
imported post

moecomputer wrote:
Hello fellows, I am new to this site and I just bought my first handgun last week at the Chantilly gun show (it's a SIG p6 9mm). I would like to consider open carry, but since I am only 18 years old (and look 16), I would appreciate some advice from you OC veterans especially from the NoVa area :)

First, what are some places where it would be illegal or not recommended to go with my OC pistol?

Second, if I decide to leave it in my car, where and how should I store it?

Third, and most importantly, how should I deal with police encounters? I already had my first one at the gun show only moments after purchasing it when some grumpy old hag decided to call the cops on me because I looked to young to be buying a handgun :banghead: Luckily the police were polite and they confirmed that I wasn't breaking the law.

Am looking forward to hearing some good advice, thanks!
Click to expand...
Lucky...good buy on the P6! I was at the same show but was after mainly carry ammo. If you want to get together with some other NOVA OCers, come on out to Ed's dinner this Thursday (May 7). Myself and a couple other 'younger' OCers will be attending. EDIT: looks like Ed already filled you in. Here's the link nonetheless:

hunter45 wrote: [/b]
Welcome to the forum. Glad to see another young guy OC'ing. I just started in December. I turned 19 last week. :)

Check here to see where OC is prohibited: http://vaguninfo.com/documents/VirginiaGunRights.pdf

When I leave my gun in the car I usually lock it up in the glove compartment.

As for dealing with police encounters, I have yet to experience one. :D
Click to expand...
I turned 20 last week myself! I quit leaving my gun in my truck after a near run in with some thugs in Tysons. Now I either carry it or don't go to places I can't carry at. I've never had any police encounters and I hope I never have to.
 
IanB

IanB

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Joined
Jul 18, 2006
Messages
1,896
Location
Northern VA
imported post

hunter45 wrote:
Check here to see where OC is prohibited: http://vaguninfo.com/documents/VirginiaGunRights.pdf
Click to expand...

*Most* of the info in that PDF is correct, however *some* things have changed since since it's publication in 2007. I have not had the time to update it, and had actually planned on removing it from the site sometime soon until I can get it updated. The most current gunrestriction info is on the main page, not the PDF. I have not given the site as much attention as it deserves lately, hopefully sometime in June it will see a refresh in time for the new laws taking effect July 1st.

Ed makes a great OC card which if you bug him politely, he will give you some for yourself and to hand out during encounters. VCDL also makes some cards that are too big to fit in a wallet, but not so big they can't be placed somewhere in your car.
 
jmb_nova

jmb_nova

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2009
Messages
65
Location
Fairfax City, ,
A

Argus Eyed

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Apr 13, 2009
Messages
62
Location
Virginia Beach, VA, , USA
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Know the law, dress nice, Just go about your businesslike your not even carrying a handgun. Never touch your handgun.

Welcome to the site.:D Post a report here after you OC and let everyone know how it went.
 
J

Jonesy

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2009
Messages
416
Location
Alexandria, Virginia, USA
imported post

As for leaving the gun in the car, the Virginia Supreme Court has ruled that concealing the gun in the car and immediately exiting the vehicle does not violate the statute because you are not concealing it "about your person". See http://opencarry.mywowbb.com/attachment.php?id=5732. However, LEO's are not going to have access to case law, but will look at the statute. They may decide if you hide it in the car that you are in violation and arrest or cite you.

I have concluded that the prudent course of action is to not conceal it in the car (glove box, locked safe, etc.) until I get my CCP.Further, I usually OC in holster on right hip. When driving such may not be visible to officerat window if I am pulled over, so to avoidissues, I have concluded that it would be prudent to either push the holster around to 1:30 position where it will be visible or to place it on drivers seat if I am stopped. I will feel alot better when the ccp comes.

You probably know the places you cannot go, churches, K-12 schools, courthouses, federal bldgs.
 
B

bohdi

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2007
Messages
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Centreville, Virginia, USA
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Stay away anyone with MMM stamped on their foreheads, on buttons, license plates, embroidered on clothing. Those folks are just plain dangerous and make Los Zetas look like the Vienna Boys Choir....MS-13 is thier farm league. :what:
 
C

Chaingun81

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 20, 2007
Messages
581
Location
Centreville, Virginia, USA
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bohdi wrote:
Stay away anyone with MMM stamped on their foreheads, on buttons, license plates, embroidered on clothing. Those folks are just plain dangerous and make Los Zetas look like the Vienna Boys Choir....MS-13 is thier farm league. :what:
Click to expand...
Pardon my ignorance...who the hell is MMM?
 
ed

ed

Founder's Club Member - Moderator
Joined
Mar 8, 2008
Messages
4,841
Location
Loudoun County - Dulles Airport, Virginia, USA
imported post

Chaingun81 wrote:
bohdi wrote:
Stay away anyone with MMM stamped on their foreheads, on buttons, license plates, embroidered on clothing. Those folks are just plain dangerous and make Los Zetas look like the Vienna Boys Choir....MS-13 is thier farm league. :what:
Click to expand...
Pardon my ignorance...who the hell is MMM?
Click to expand...
GOOGLE is your friend.
 
A

Argus Eyed

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Apr 13, 2009
Messages
62
Location
Virginia Beach, VA, , USA
imported post

ed wrote:
Chaingun81 wrote:
bohdi wrote:
Stay away anyone with MMM stamped on their foreheads, on buttons, license plates, embroidered on clothing. Those folks are just plain dangerous and make Los Zetas look like the Vienna Boys Choir....MS-13 is thier farm league. :what:
Click to expand...
Pardon my ignorance...who the hell is MMM?
Click to expand...
GOOGLE is your friend.
Click to expand...

Sometimes I think Google hates me.:lol:

http://www.google.com/search?q=MMM&hl=en&start=0&sa=N
 
ed

ed

Founder's Club Member - Moderator
Joined
Mar 8, 2008
Messages
4,841
Location
Loudoun County - Dulles Airport, Virginia, USA
imported post

Argus Eyed wrote:
ed wrote:
Chaingun81 wrote:
bohdi wrote:
Stay away anyone with MMM stamped on their foreheads, on buttons, license plates, embroidered on clothing. Those folks are just plain dangerous and make Los Zetas look like the Vienna Boys Choir....MS-13 is thier farm league. :what:
Click to expand...
Pardon my ignorance...who the hell is MMM?
Click to expand...
GOOGLE is your friend.
Click to expand...

Sometimes I think Google hates me.:lol:

http://www.google.com/search?q=MMM&hl=en&start=0&sa=N
Click to expand...
http://www.google.com/search?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=1G1GGLQ_ENUS240&q=MMM+gang
 
Tess

Tess

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Joined
Jun 15, 2006
Messages
3,837
Location
Bryan, TX
imported post

nakedshoplifter wrote:
Ed makes a great OC card which if you bug him politely, he will give you some for yourself and to hand out during encounters. VCDL also makes some cards that are too big to fit in a wallet, but not so big they can't be placed somewhere in your car.
Click to expand...
The VCDL card is reprinted in each issue of the newsletter (The Defender) on page 5-6. That card can be folded to fit in your wallet.
 
Dutch Uncle

Dutch Uncle

Campaign Veteran
Joined
May 11, 2006
Messages
1,715
Location
Virginia, USA
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MMM is indeed a radical group of zealots these days. The real Mommies are no longer Marching anymore, and there never was a Million of them, but the residual core group of looney left agitators truly needs to be avoided unless you are with a group.

Anyway, be of good cheer, don't worry about them, and try to make an OCDO dinner. From what you've already written, I'm pretty sure you'll fit right in. It doesn't hurt to prepare mentally for dealing with LEO's or other people who might have issues with your OC'ing, but keep it in perspective: most of us have never had any major problems, and some of us, no significant interactions at all. I haven't, after 3-4 years of OC.

You may hear from one "CRF250rider1000". As we speak, he is driving home to NOVA (Herndon) so he might be going to some of the dinners by you this summer. If you need advice from someone under 21, I'm sure he'll fill you in.
 
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