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Your first time

wolfman90

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Aug 7, 2009
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I am very new to the whole firearms world. I was wondering how you all out there finally got the courage to finally open carry for the first time. I know that there will be some out there that will say that they have always had the courage, but as of now I am not. Any words of wisdom would be appriciated.
 

t33j

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Know your rights. That's the most confidence inspiring advice I can give you. My first time was at a local grocery store. I used to be super nervous, and hyper aware of my surroundings and who was looking at me but I've relaxed (probably too much) now.
 

Hendu024

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Apr 8, 2009
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wolfman90 wrote:
I am very new to the whole firearms world. I was wondering how you all out there finally got the courage to finally open carry for the first time. I know that there will be some out there that will say that they have always had the courage, but as of now I am not. Any words of wisdom would be appriciated.
I didn't realize OC was legal until I found this site. Read up on the site, and what laws pertain to the state that you are in. If you know the laws, you will be mentally prepared should an incident occur. Start small, carry down your street, or into a gas station and work from there. The more you do it, the more natural it becomes.
 

TheMrMitch

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Hodgenville, Kentucky, USA
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My first real confrontation was with the New Haven, KyChief Of Police in about1973. I reckon I've been OCing for MORE than 37 years. I carried way before that. I carried my dad's .38 on my paper route in 1955 or so.:dude:

Took me a LONG time to get this old.;)
 

SouthernBoy

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Western Prince William County, Virginia, USA
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I have been CC'ing since '95, but I didn't start OC'ing until July 2007. I took me several months to work up the gumption to do it. My first steps were gas stations and grocery stores. I started somewhat slowly at first, and just let things proceed naturally. Now it's no big deal. It goes just about everywhere I go.

I still do CC when that is what I deem to be best at the time. But I OC over 80% of the time - maybe more like 90%.

Pick your places before you venture out to OC. Think about which places are less likely to cause you concerns. Then take it from there.
 

t33j

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SouthernBoy wrote:
Think about which places are less likely to cause you concerns. Then take it from there.

Yeah, the bank is probably not the best place to start. :p
...although every time I come out of my bank I'm happy with how things went
 

Task Force 16

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Jul 20, 2008
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Lobelville, Tennessee, USA
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wolfman90 wrote:
I am very new to the whole firearms world. I was wondering how you all out there finally got the courage to finally open carry for the first time. I know that there will be some out there that will say that they have always had the courage, but as of now I am not. Any words of wisdom would be appriciated.

If you're new to firearms, don't try to carry until you are well familiar with the weapon that you plan to carry. The last thing you want to have happen is toneed to use your weapon for self defense and not be reasonably proficient with it. Learn the laws in your area/state and the rules of safe handling of a firearm.

When you do start to OC begin by going to places where people know you, businesses you frequent allot. YOu can venture out from there. You'll experience some anxiety at first, but after awhile that will go away. Before long it won't be any different than going out as you do now, unarmed.

Welcome to OCDO. Listing your general location helps us help you in regards to carry laws.
 

SouthernBoy

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Western Prince William County, Virginia, USA
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Task Force 16 wrote:
wolfman90 wrote:
I am very new to the whole firearms world. I was wondering how you all out there finally got the courage to finally open carry for the first time. I know that there will be some out there that will say that they have always had the courage, but as of now I am not. Any words of wisdom would be appriciated.

If you're new to firearms, don't try to carry until you are well familiar with the weapon that you plan to carry. The last thing you want to have happen is toneed to use your weapon for self defense and not be reasonably proficient with it. Learn the laws in your area/state and the rules of safe handling of a firearm.

When you do start to OC begin by going to places where people know you, businesses you frequent allot. YOu can venture out from there. You'll experience some anxiety at first, but after awhile that will go away. Before long it won't be any different than going out as you do now, unarmed.

Welcome to OCDO. Listing your general location helps us help you in regards to carry laws.
:exclaim:
 

stainless1911

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Dec 19, 2009
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Davisburg, Michigan, United States
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Welcome

As soon as I got my gun, I knew I wanted a CPL. As I was researching the CPL laws, and gun stuff in general, I ran across something known as open carry. Open carry?:shock:I dug around a bit, and found this site. Could it be true, theres a way to carry without a CPL? Holy crap:exclaim:Cool, I diddnt have the money for the CPL yet, and even after I got it, it would take 6-8 weeks to get the permit, if they would issue one at all. So I started to open carry.:DI had no idea there was a movement, or that I was making some political statement, nor did I realise I was one of thwe few gun owners that were actually doing anything of any real effect, to promote and protect our rights.

By the time I actually got my CPL, I had gotten well accustomed to OC. I have always been an outsider, at school, dating, and so on, so open carrying was right up my alley. I also have a distain for the political system, so I found myself in the right spot. Now that I have been OC, and have even been dragged through the courts over it, I am all the more determined to promote OC. Although having a CPL has its advantages, I do consider the permit system to be immoral and unconstitutional. You should never have to ask permission for, or have to pay to exercise your rights.

You will learn alot here, people are more than willing to help out anyway they can, and some will put their money where their mouth is. Like anywhere else, there are trolls here, but for all around gun rights, CC and OC, this is the right place to be.
 

SouthernBoy

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May 12, 2007
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stainless1911 wrote:
Welcome

As soon as I got my gun, I knew I wanted a CPL. As I was researching the CPL laws, and gun stuff in general, I ran across something known as open carry. Open carry?:shock:I dug around a bit, and found this site. Could it be true, theres a way to carry without a CPL? Holy crap:exclaim:Cool, I diddnt have the money for the CPL yet, and even after I got it, it would take 6-8 weeks to get the permit, if they would issue one at all. So I started to open carry.:DI had no idea there was a movement, or that I was making some political statement, nor did I realise I was one of thwe few gun owners that were actually doing anything of any real effect, to promote and protect our rights.

By the time I actually got my CPL, I had gotten well accustomed to OC. I have always been an outsider, at school, dating, and so on, so open carrying was right up my alley. I also have a distain for the political system, so I found myself in the right spot. Now that I have been OC, and have even been dragged through the courts over it, I am all the more determined to promote OC. Although having a CPL has its advantages, I do consider the permit system to be immoral and unconstitutional. You should never have to ask permission for, or have to pay to exercise your rights.

You will learn alot here, people are more than willing to help out anyway they can, and some will put their money where their mouth is. Like anywhere else, there are trolls here, but for all around gun rights, CC and OC, this is the right place to be.
So true. However unfortunately, people have allowed their elected officials to circumvent their natural rights. In the more extreme locations, Americans can't carry at all - period. This says something terribly wrong and bad for their state and local governments.
 

AK47hero

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Nov 15, 2009
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my first time i was very nervous. OCed comming home from the shooting range. wenttowalgreens to pick up something to drink. on the way in from the parking loti got a very bad reaction from a mother and child. they were walking to the door and ran right back tothe car.turned me sour to the ideah of open carry at first, inever want to make anyone feel threatendaround me. i realized it was just one persons uneducatedreaction, but since then ive gottenquite a few compliments and had some good conversations with people. i always tell people to check out this web siteand are state statutes if they dont beleive its legal.

OC half the time CC the other

still stay away from big businesses with lots of people while OCing. just want to shop and not be hassled by management so i CC.
 

Dreamer

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Sep 23, 2009
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I had been CCing about 3 months before my first OC expereince. I had just got a new Blackhawk Serpa holster, and since it was the summertime, it just wasn't practical to try and wear it concealed. I strapped it on for a trip to everyone's favorite OC "proving ground" (WalMart), and went grocery shopping. I will admit, I was pretty nervous, and was a little worried someone would call the cops. Bu tI had REALLY been studying the law, and knew my NC Statutes for CC and OC pretty much forwards and backwards, and could recite many of the relevent statutes from memory. Plus I had loaded texts for several relevent statutes (particularly the GAttTotP wording) on my iPhone...

Nobody said anything, and I was instantly hooked. After that initial "rush", OC got easier each time I went out. Now, I prefer OC to CC (more comfortable, more practical, more Constitutional!) and OC most of the time, except when the weather gets cold or rainy.

I'm sure that WalMart probably isn't thrilled to know that it is essentially the "default test run site" for new OCers, but it sure seems that a LOT of OC newbies make their first few runs there.

Since then, I've OCed in 5 states (NC, VA, PA, WV, OH), and not had a single problem. I've OCed in Cabelas in WV, all sorts of places (retail and restaurants) in VA, all over Eastern and Central NC, all along the PA Turnpike and in parts of Southwestern PA, and a few places in OH. Every time I go into some place I've never carried before, I get a little rush, because I don't know how the staff might react, but if all goes well, I'll just file a "positive report" here on the forum, and continue to go back. If I ever get hassled by an establishment, I politely leave, and then post a "negative report" here. I've sort of become one of THE "OC Recon Guys" for the Eastern part of NC. It's a dirty job, but SOMEONE's got to do it... ;)

Open Carry is much more comfortable, gives me an opportunity to "spread the word" about OC and 2A issues in general, and has led me to meet some interesting, like-minded people. Plus OC is a deterrent to crime. At the time when I first started OCing, I was working a late-night shift on the edge of a dicey neighborhood. I figured if the local thug-life saw me OCing now and then when I wasn't on the job, they'd think twice before trying anything stupid while I WAS working, because they wouldn't know if I was packing or not.

Now I carry in some mode pretty much 24/7--OC about 75% of the time, and CC the rest, depending on clothing requirements, and where I'll be going. But this winter has been unseasonably COLD, so I've been CCing a lot lately because I have to wear by big parka to stay warm, and I don't have (or particularly care for) a drop-leg holster.

Of course, when I visit my family in the People's Republic of Maryland, I don't carry at all. My "Situational Awareness" runs on hyperdrive when I'm in MD, because in that serf-state, all I have at my disposal for self-defense is pepper spray and my feet and hands. I REALLY wish my daughters would move across the river to the Free State of VA and abandon the "Constitution-Free Zone". The idea of my granddaughter growing up in the nanny-state gulag of MD just breaks my heart... :banghead:
 

kwikrnu

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May 14, 2008
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Brentwood, Tennessee
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t33j wrote:
SouthernBoy wrote:
Think about which places are less likely to cause you concerns. Then take it from there.

Yeah, the bank is probably not the best place to start. :p
...although every time I come out of my bank I'm happy with how things went
About theonly place I have not been bothered is at the bank.
 

protias

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Dec 18, 2008
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I was a little nervous my first time, but since then, I've gotten more comfortable with it. Most people don't even notice. I was talking with a guy for 15 minutes before he noticed my pistol. :)
 

DEROS72

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Jul 18, 2008
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Valhalla
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tekshogun wrote:
kwikrnu wrote:
About theonly place I have not been bothered is at the bank.



At my bank after stopping at Starbucks....Just do it.Carry on with your day as you would everyday..We have to protect our rights.Hell last tuesday we even open carried in a senate hearing in the room http://www.examiner.com/x-4525-Seattle-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2010m1d29-Fear-and-hostility-toward-open-carry-in-Olympia

Or try this:

http://tinyurl.com/y8db2xe
.State Patrol said nothing.

attachment.php
attachment.php
 

MamaLiberty

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Newcastle, Wyoming, USA
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The last thing you want to have happen is toneed to use your weapon for self defense and not be reasonably proficient with it. Learn the laws in your area/state and the rules of safe handling of a firearm.

Hmmm, seems to me a good reason to learn all that real fast. The LAST THING I want is to be faced with a self defense problem and NOT have my gun! Get some training, practice and get on with it.

Nobody is ever "fully trained" or fully "proficient." But you can get fully dead while you wait for that magic moment to arrive. Don't wait for the PhD.

And yes, I was scared spitless the first time I carried my gun. I got over it very quickly, mostly because I live where guns are common and nobody is worried about seeing one. They get curious why an old lady is so well heeled (I carry an XD .45), but nobody gets upset.
 

Vipersx911

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Feb 2, 2010
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I can honestly say I have only open carried a few times in my life as I haven't been old enough to own a handgun for very long. Being from California (Which I have yet to carry in) it is tough. Law Enforcement watches you like a hawk and often times will approach in all of the stories I have heard. I have carried in Arizona which really set my nerves on the issue to rest. It was completely accepted there and have been doing it every time I have been out there since. It was nice to have the ability to carry when on the drive in the middle of the night from SD, as if anything were to happen help could take hours. Only wish California was more accepting of the issue, and one of these days I will finally test it and see the experience I have with it out here.
 

MamaLiberty

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Vipersx911, much better idea is to get the heck out of California, permanently, while you still can.

You'll be restricted to carrying the gun UNLOADED, even if you don't wind up shot or tasered just for having the gall to carry at all. An unloaded gun is about as much use as an empty lunch pail.

Come to Wyoming. I carry all day, every day, everywhere. Nobody bats an eye.
 
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