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My first OC experience was just what I wanted...

Kenosis

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2009
Messages
30
Location
Roanoke, Virginia, USA
imported post

Uneventful.

Yes, that was my goal and it came to fruition flawlessly. Tonight I went into Chick-Fil-A with my good friend and as calmly and nonchalantly as I could ordered a number one with no pickel. I stood as I always stand, one knee slightly bent and otherwise made it clear to everyone else that nothing was ary here, just a man with a gun. Nothing more.

I got my drink and waited for the meal to come, nearly had my gun bumped into by a man next to me, but I moved to my left quickly so he wouldn't brush my gun with his side. After several quick glances and some lengthy stares that I could spot from my peripheral vision, I sat down and began my meal with my friend. It was nothing special, and that was good.

Over the course of my stay I saw three different police officers frequent the restaurant. None of them saw my handgun because I was sitting, but once I got up to throw away my trash and get a refill on sweet tea (yummy :] ) they all spotted it. I looked them all in the eye and smiled, and they just gave me a slight nod in confirmation that I was doing no wrong.

All in all, it was a very liberating and positive experience. I felt very much like a decent citizen and it was surprising to me how freeing it felt - I didn't feel like a criminal who was dodgy and looking out for the black and white, I felt like an ordinary guy minding his business and exercising his rights as an citizen of the United States. It was incredible! :)

Of course most of you here are already familiar with this feeling, and my story was likely drab and ordinary to you veterans of OC, however, I could not resist sharing my first OC experience and encouraging anyone else out there that might be thinking about OC'ing to just get out there and go for it!

Thanks for your time and thank you to everyone who previously offered advice in my first post about OC jitters - your wisdom was very helpful in giving me the courage to try out this very rewarding experience.

Stay safe!
 

richarcm

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2008
Messages
1,182
Location
Richmond, VA
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It is a very liberating experience. Although you can still get some heat from the police and from people, generally the experience is uneventful. I think that is the most surprising part at first. I haven't been OC'ing REAL long...almost a year. But I OC every chance that I can (whenever not at work, gym or sleeping) and I've yet to have a truly negative experience. The most negative experiences are from hearing my friends talk about how stupid and paranoid that I am...LOL. But I've even broken in my family. I walk around my mom's house and my dad's house OC'ing and they are used to it now.

Keep up the good work. Keep progressing to more and more challenging places. And also always be aware of your surroundings and stay confident and prepared to answer questions. You will get a few curious people who don't understand who you are or what you are doing. Think of a good response now to "Are you a cop?", "Why do you need to carry a gun?" and "Do you have a permit?"...those are most common.

Good Luck!!
Chris
 

skidmark

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 15, 2007
Messages
10,444
Location
Valhalla
imported post

Happy first OC! All your experiences should go as well, but unfortunately they may not.

Read, learn the law, figure out from other posts of encounters with those who do not agree with OC what are the good and bad ways of responding to those encounters. Use the good, avoid the bad. Invest in a voice recorder and keep it on you and accessable - in a pocket next to your holster is NOT a good place for it. It's like your wallet and handgun - part of your everyday carry.

stay safe.

skidmark

PS - Connect with other OCers in the Roanoke valley. Think about hosting an OC dinner.

* edited to add PS
 

Grapeshot

Legendary Warrior
Joined
May 21, 2006
Messages
35,317
Location
Valhalla
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Excellent - "Liberating" is the word most often heard to describe first OC.

Take Skidmark' remarks to heart re digital recorder - good advice and dinners are great sharing experiences.

Yata hey
 

Dutch Uncle

Campaign Veteran
Joined
May 11, 2006
Messages
1,715
Location
Virginia, USA
imported post

I especially enjoy the stories of first timers. Yours is very typical, but you are more articulate than most about how the experience felt and what it meant to you. Being free to exercise a right is usually quite uplifiting. We live in a great country and a great state. Those of you who have traveled to other countries, or even other states know what I'm talking about.

Please do three things: 1) Join VCDL, if you haven't already. 2) Keep OC'ing regularly, learning always to be safe and civil. 3) Spread the word, so others might get the courage to do the same!
 

Regum

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2009
Messages
71
Location
, Virginia, USA
imported post

Uplifting is right! I'm about two weeks into carrying and it's a pretty good feeling so far. Having to try to explain things to my friends and especially my parents has been hard, though. I am very close to my family and they have a slightly different stance on the purpose of firearms. Otherwise it wouldn't be a problem. Don't worry, they are NO gun control advocates, I'll have you know.

I've been to Asia a few times and it's surprising to me the level of insecurity among the citizens in the countries I've been to, not to mention fear of the government. You never really appreciate what you have until you witness what it's like without it.

~Ultimo Ratio Regum
 

Neplusultra

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2007
Messages
2,224
Location
Christiansburg, Virginia, USA
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Regum wrote:
I've been to Asia a few times and it's surprising to me the level of insecurity among the citizens in the countries I've been to, not to mention fear of the government. You never really appreciate what you have until you witness what it's like without it.

~Ultimo Ratio Regum
Really? If you would please expand on this a little, I'd like to hear it. I've known quite a few foreigners in my time and they are mostly quite shocked to see my puny arsenal and that I carry and publicly publish photos of me doing so.... I took some Iranian friends to the shooting range one time and my friend's wife said everyone would kill each other if they allowed this in their country....
 

Regum

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2009
Messages
71
Location
, Virginia, USA
imported post

I have a few friends from China and Singapore, mainly. In China, even most Law Enforcement do not carry firearms. In Tienanmen Square, Beijing, China, even patrolling military will only carry batons! Needless to say, only the military and LE posses firearms there to my knowledge and certainly the general populous know it's unwise to resist their authority unless they have the support of thousands of others. It's a simple case of those without guns and those with guns. This is likely to begin to change though, since more freedoms (mainly free speech) are becoming a well known ideal and a right sought after by the people there. But yes, the ability to petition your concerns about inalienable rights, and such, to the government is simply not a reality there. To them, a normal citizen in possession of a firearm is a BIG deal; it simply does not happen.

Singapore is a slightly different story, since all the men are called into National Service (a two-year compulsory military stint) after high school. Almost all of them get weapons training so firearms simply do not faze them. But guns are not allowed outside of service and certainly no one in the country is allowed to posses a firearm as a civilian. So, the same apprehension generally arises when they hear of civilians with guns. My buddies always talk big about their weapons training, but if they see me carrying or I tell them about common knowledge gun laws in VA, there's no more big talk. While the government is not as repressive or unreachable as the Chinese Government, an open system of government like the one we enjoy here simply does not exist there.

While firearms are a well known part of our lifestyle here in the U.S.A and in VA, it is unheard of in their countries and it is mainly a testament to a real lack of individual freedoms in these places.

I'm not an expert, but these things were very clear to me during my time abroad and the experiences I've had here in the States.

I count my blessings here, honestly, we have a lot to be thankful for and we have a lot to defend.

~Ultima Ratio Regum
 

MSC 45ACP

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2009
Messages
2,840
Location
Newport News, Virginia, USA
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I guess China is too busy exporting their rifles to the USA. I remember buying a CHICOM (Norinco) SKS with a bayonette attached)for $79 about 16 years ago. Those were the days! Sometimes I regret giving it to my little brother as a present, but I'm glad to own an AK-47 now... Much easier to load and holds more rounds. You never know when you're gonna have a really bad day and you don't have quite enough ammo pistol magazines for the problem at hand. I only have 3 12-rnd mags for the USP 45.
 

Regum

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2009
Messages
71
Location
, Virginia, USA
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Friend of mine has an SKS, he really likes it. I haven't gotten into rifles yet but there may be a day...hopefully not too late, haha.

~Ultima Ratio Regum
 

wylde007

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2009
Messages
3,035
Location
Va Beach, Occupied VA
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MSC 45ACP wrote:
Sometimes I regret giving it to my little brother as a present, but I'm glad to own an AK-47 now...
:shock:

Or do you have an AKM or WASR variant? The AK-47 is a select-fire weapon.
 

MSC 45ACP

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Joined
Apr 23, 2009
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Newport News, Virginia, USA
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wylde007 wrote:
MSC 45ACP wrote:
Sometimes I regret giving it to my little brother as a present, but I'm glad to own an AK-47 now...
:shock:

Or do you have an AKM or WASR variant? The AK-47 is a select-fire weapon.
To be specific, I have a WASR 10/63. In comparison to many other AK-type rifles I've inspected over the years, the fit is good, the wood furniture is about as rough as I've seen, but its a tack driver out to 300 yards. I wouldn't try much more than that as the 7.62x39 round isn't designed to be accurate at ranges beyond that. It was (is) a purpose-built battle rifle intended for close to medium range combat. :)
 

45acpForMe

Newbie
Joined
Nov 21, 2008
Messages
2,805
Location
Yorktown, Virginia, USA
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I don't remember my first OC experience. I guess because it was a non-event.

Most of my reluctance to OC is because of my daughters. My ex thinks I'm a nut and I don't really want my daughters agreeing. (gotta watch out for any custody issues) Usually when I OC with my daughters they don't even notice or say something when we get home like, "you were wearing that thing the whole time?". :)

I have a friend in New Zealand and she gets on me for "Americas Gun Culture". I guess it is a nice place to live but they restrict guns. I can understand other countries restricting guns (don't agree with it) but I don't understand how one nation under God lives with the 2nd ammendment and can have so many $%^&*(- gun laws and restrictions. To drive to my brothers I have to play hopscotch with my gun between the glove box, OC& the trunk.

As far as rifles I would be more into them if I had a place to shoot. I hate driving 1-2 hours to a range. I have a 308 and wouldn't mind getting a 223 and AK47. I have always liked the lever action that the Rifleman had on TV as a kid too. ;)
 

MSC 45ACP

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Apr 23, 2009
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Newport News, Virginia, USA
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wylde007 wrote:
MSC 45ACP wrote:
It was (is) a purpose-built battle rifle intended for close to medium range combat. :)
Keep it well-oiled. And I'll take 7.62 over 5.56 any day.

That is never a problem. Except for when I was in the desert; I'mfrom the old match-shooter school: There is enough lube on yourmatch pistolwhen it's dripping from your elbow. That is because my .45 was built so tight, it had to be lubed after every 10 round courseof fire. It was NOT a carry gun - ever. The upside to having a really tight .45 slide: It would print less than a 1" group (hold the "x" ring) at 50 yards.

The AK (and its' variants) are the most widely used battle rifle in the world. There is a reason for that: Reliability and cost. In some parts of the world, you can trade 2 chickens for one. I wish I could have gotten mine for that much... :cool:
 

Neplusultra

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Joined
Sep 7, 2007
Messages
2,224
Location
Christiansburg, Virginia, USA
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MSC 45ACP wrote:
wylde007 wrote:
MSC 45ACP wrote:
It was (is) a purpose-built battle rifle intended for close to medium range combat. :)
Keep it well-oiled. And I'll take 7.62 over 5.56 any day.

That is never a problem. Except for when I was in the desert; I'mfrom the old match-shooter school: There is enough lube on yourmatch pistolwhen it's dripping from your elbow. That is because my .45 was built so tight, it had to be lubed after every 10 round courseof fire. It was NOT a carry gun - ever. The upside to having a really tight .45 slide: It would print less than a 1" group (hold the "x" ring) at 50 yards.

The AK (and its' variants) are the most widely used battle rifle in the world. There is a reason for that: Reliability and cost. In some parts of the world, you can trade 2 chickens for one. I wish I could have gotten mine for that much... :cool:
Have you ever seen that TV program where they visit a Pakistani gun maker out in the hinterlands? Using practically nothing more than a hammer, chisel, file and a coal fire they make almost any type of gun you can think of, except the M-16 :^). I'd like to get one of those guns.... I'm sure they have a few machine tools but none were shown in the program.
 

MSC 45ACP

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2009
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Newport News, Virginia, USA
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Never saw that one. Sounds really awesome, though. I've known some gunsmiths that can literally build a gun from a hunk of metal. Those guys have forgotten more about guns than I'll ever know. God Bless them in their craft.
 
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