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open carry in lynchburg va.

KFALKO

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2009
Messages
24
Location
Lynchburg, Virginia, USA
imported post

Hello everyone, my name is Christopher Huiner. I'm a new open carrier, and new to the forum. I was wondering who else out there is an open carrier. Please feel free to message me any tips to help me better myself in following the rules and guildlines and to protect our right to bear arms and open carry. Also I want to organize an open carry lunch or dinner here in lynchburg. thank you for your time.

LCPL Christopher Huiner USMC
 

Jero1987

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 27, 2009
Messages
191
Location
Lynchburg, Virginia, USA
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Hello Christopher!
My name is James and I have been open carrying in Lynchburg for about a year and a half now. I work nightshift on the weekends and do errands around town during the day. This gives me the opportunity to OC during all times of the day.

I have not had very many issues with police here in lburg. Any run-ins I have had were very short and polite. Most of the time the officer will ask me if I have a CCW and I respond with "I don't need one" (although I have one).

As far as residents of Lynchburg go. Most are fine and will just stare and or ignore you. On a weekly basis I frequent wards road Sheetz, Walmart and Hess gas station.

Sheetz customers have given me more problems than the employees.

Walmart has asked me and a buddy (who was also OCing) to leave, but when we explained that it was legal for us to carry and we were not trying to cause trouble, they were fine about it. I have personally never been kicked out of any businesses in the Lynchburg area, but a few buddies of mine have been kicked out of Madison Heights Walmart.

The best advice that I can give you is to be polite and know the law. You would be surprised how many people in Lynchburg will go right up to you and ask you about your gun. This presents a great opportunity to inform them about the law.

If you ever see a tall bearded Arab looking guy open carrying a semi-auto, feel free to say hi (see profile picture for reference)!

Good luck OCing and stay safe,
James
 

jmelvin

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2008
Messages
2,195
Location
Lynchburg, Virginia, USA
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Howdy Chris, welcome to OCDO! Myself and my fiance both open carry here in Lynchburg on a regular basis (every day for me). I've lived here about 2 years now and have open carried the entire time with very few problems. You'll find that if you know the laws and carry yourself in a cordial, comfortable manner most people won't pay any mind at all to the sidearm you're carrying.

Let me know if you need a hand with coordinating an OC dinner around here, I've thought of doing it myself but just haven't taken the initiative. By the way you didn't happen to run into a chunky bald guy and his woman both openly carrying in the Lynchburg Wal-Mart a couple months ago did you? If that was you, then the bald guy was me. :)
 

proud_to_serveUSAF

Regular Member
Joined
May 30, 2009
Messages
134
Location
Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
imported post

Hey Christopher. I've carried at several locations while traveling through Lynchburg on the way to Danville or back here to Cville. Never had one problem. Maybe we can start getting some more people from Lynchburg to crawl outta their holes and get some dinners going down there.

Let me know if I can ever help you guys with anything there. God Bless and Semper Fi (i know i went to the evil chair force. still got plenty of close friends in the USMC so no hard feelings for your decisions lol jk)
 

markhudson

New member
Joined
Aug 20, 2009
Messages
1
Location
, ,
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hello all im also OCing in lynchburg just started carrying recently and so far its been a good experience for the most part ive been able to educate a few people on their right to carry. Its good to know there are other OCers around look forward to running in to you guys.
 

KFALKO

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2009
Messages
24
Location
Lynchburg, Virginia, USA
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yes sir that was me. i was hoping you would find this post. i just bought a voice recorder the other day like you said, i also printed out the va state laws about open carry and have those in my wallet. i hope to talk more soon thanks again
 

KFALKO

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2009
Messages
24
Location
Lynchburg, Virginia, USA
imported post

i go to walmart on wards and the sheetz on 221. ive only had one prob and that was at ihop on a sat night. the police officers told me to put it in my trunk. that was before i knew my rights now i carry a copy of the va state police laws in my wallet just in case. i hope to see you around
 

Citizen

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2006
Messages
18,269
Location
Fairfax Co., VA
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KFALKO wrote:
SNIP ive only had one prob and that was at ihop on a sat night. the police officers told me to put it in my trunk.

When did this happen? The Lynchburg police have known OC is legal for about two years. I remember Mike bringing it up at a VCDL meeting.

Or, was the IHOP in Campbell or Bedford County?
 

KFALKO

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2009
Messages
24
Location
Lynchburg, Virginia, USA
imported post

thanks to everyone who has posted so far. i hope to see you out and about lynchburg. im thinking of trying to have an OC dinner sometime next month. if anyone has any suggestions, please contact me either by replying or by emailing me. ask around to some of ur friends and family who OC or want to know more. thanks for your time

happy OCing, and be safe

chris
 

KFALKO

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2009
Messages
24
Location
Lynchburg, Virginia, USA
imported post

it was the one off of fort ave, lynchburg. it was pretty late at night and it was pretty rowdy in there, i guess because of all of the drunks. but there was two officers in the front and one of them asked me to put it in my trunk. so i did
 

Citizen

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2006
Messages
18,269
Location
Fairfax Co., VA
imported post

KFALKO wrote:
it was the one off of fort ave, lynchburg. it was pretty late at night and it was pretty rowdy in there, i guess because of all of the drunks. but there was two officers in the front and one of them asked me to put it in my trunk. so i did
Earlier, youwrote you were told to put it inyour trunk. This time you wrote thatyou were asked. Thedistinction is important. Were you asked or told?
 

jmelvin

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2008
Messages
2,195
Location
Lynchburg, Virginia, USA
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I carry in there about once every couple of weeks or so (some times more, like recently) and have never had a problem. I once had some goof come up and ask me if he could help me out, but he couldn't keep his head from bopping up and down between my eyes and my holster. The wife and I had a good laugh about it, but I've never had the first issue. Walk in acting confident, cordial and non-fidgety and you shouldn't have any issue at all. There are very few places I know of here in the area that has any issue with open carry. :)
 

KFALKO

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2009
Messages
24
Location
Lynchburg, Virginia, USA
imported post

i was comfonted by the manager yesterday with complaints of people being scared and when i politely explained to him that it was my right to carry a firearm he said that since he was the manger he had the authority to tell me i couldnt in the store. so i covered it and went about my business. i was pretty mad about and i feel he wasnt in the right. was he?
 

jmelvin

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2008
Messages
2,195
Location
Lynchburg, Virginia, USA
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Sounds like it's time to call the corporation and file a complaint. I've never had an issue there. I think we may have some info around here on Best Buy already. Let me see if I can find it. You do have a recording of the issue right?

BTW, if a manager tells you to leave, or coverthen leave or cover. Take the issue up with someone over his/her head after you've gone. The manager has the right to tell you to do whatever he/she wishes on the property that they manage (provided it's not an unlawful order). If you believe that the person is wrong, don't continue to give them your business, just leave and start making your way up their corporate food chain until you get resolution.
 

jmelvin

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2008
Messages
2,195
Location
Lynchburg, Virginia, USA
imported post

Here is the info from another link here on OCDO:

BEST BUY's POLICY

from Customer Contact <CustomerContact@bestbuy.com>
to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
date Sat, Apr 11, 2009 at 7:31 PM
subject Best Buy Gun policy - XXXXXXXX
mailed-by
bestbuy.com

Best Buy strives to comply with all applicable law and statues. Best Buy also strives to provide a safe and comfortable shopping environment for all our customers. Best Buy does not ban guns at our retail locations. As a general rule, Best Buy does not post “no guns allowed” signs in our stores and we are not aware of any individual stores that might have posted such a sign.


This info is provided here: http://opencarry.mywowbb.com/forum30/15478.html



I would strongly recommend following up with Best Buy customer service and it may be worth your effort to repeat back to them what has been told to other members. My guess is the local manager is out of line with corporate policy.
 
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