First Time Open Carrying In Public.

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Well for the first time I open carried out in public. Had to go to the Puyallup Safeway on South Hill for a few things tonight. I was wearing a sweat shirt zip up jacket but took it off when I pulled into the parking lot of Safeway. It was cold tonight. I wanted to give open carrying a shot tonight. I was kinda surprised actually. No-one noticed a thing. I did run into a old high school friend though.

Me: Hello.
Friend: Jesus don't ever walk up to me like that I thought you had a gun.

I guess I startled him a little by saying hello.

Me: I responded I do and kinda chuckled.
Friend: ya I do too.

Me: I'm showing mine though.
Friend: No your not.

Me: Yes I am look alittle harder.

His eyes got big when he seen I had my Glock on my hip out in the open.

Friend: When did you get your pistol permit.

I was in a hurry to get out of the store. So, I said a while and gave him my number and left.

If I wasn't in such a hurry tonight. I should have told him you didn't need a permit to carry openly. This didn't even cross my mind till I was back in my car. Other then my encounter with a friend. All the stock boys and cashiers didn't really even notice I had my pistol on my hip. At least they didn't say anything. Nor did anyone else. I was really surprised on how everyone acted around me.

I guess I thought that everyone would be scared from recent events but they weren't. Turned out to be a good night. I'm going to open carry a lot more now.

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congrats to you!:celebrate:celebrate

i did my 1st OC at safeway in bremerton 7/22/09, sterile carry, theres a pic in my thread about it on this forum.

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I will try and find your thread 1245A Defender.

I'm going to change the subject alittle. I would like to know how you get over the fear of your gun going off if you have a round in the chamber. I conceal carry and open carry now but I do not keep a round in the chamber because I think normal sitting, standing, moving around and bumping into things might make it go off. I know this is not going to happen but its in the front of my mind. I was wondering if anyone else feels the same way and if you ever get over it?

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Crypto wrote:

I will try and find your thread 1245A Defender.

I'm going to change the subject alittle. I would like to know how you get over the fear of your gun going off if you have a round in the chamber. I conceal carry and open carry now but I do not keep a round in the chamber because I think normal sitting, standing, moving around and bumping into things might make it go off. I know this is not going to happen but its in the front of my mind. I was wondering if anyone else feels the same way and if you ever get over it?

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First, I carry a firearm that will not go off with a round in the chamber. Sig229 DA, in a Blackhawk leather paddle holster.

Second, 95-99% of the sheep do not notice your firearm.

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if you are insecure about unintended discharges,, and i have been too, you are not alone!

i hardly ever have one in the chamber,, no matter what you carry, it cannot go off if its carried that way!

you should tell us what gun you have, we all want to know so we can talk about your options.

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I have a Glock model 21, Late 3rd Gen. Just bought it about 3 weeks ago. (I'm not sure on what date) I like it. I've been wearing it the whole time with a Galco Concealable hip holster that costs 85 dollars out the door. I wear a black shirt with a black holster and black gun. So, I think people will not notice it as much as they would a stainless or nickle plated pistol.

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Crypto wrote:

I have a Glock model 21, Late 3rd Gen. Just bought it about 3 weeks ago. (I'm not sure on what date) I like it. I've been wearing it the whole time with a Galco Concealable hip holster that costs 85 dollars out the door. I wear a black shirt with a black holster and black gun. So, I think people will not notice it as much as they would a stainless or nickle plated pistol.

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You are correct, if it looks like a LEO gun/holster and you look relatively LEO/undercover then most probably assume that you are....

Again, even my friends and daughters never notice. Most peoples SA is relatively low. As I get older I find that most think I am weird to always sit facing the door at a restrurant or be able to close my eyes and identify all of the exits, etc...

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i have a distrust of "safe action" guns. i like carrying hammer down, and i like to be able to see my hammer!

im looking to buy a new gun soon, in 45 cal, but i dont know what yet, i would like it to be as advanced as my P-38, a 70yr old design! double, single action, with a hammer drop safety, and firing pin interlock,, super safe at all times!

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Crypto, congrats on your first OC, I likewise made my first OC tonight! I have been CCing for a couple weeks (since I got my pistol), just with my jacket hanging over it. But tonight I was hot so I took off my jacket and went into my favorite convenience store here in Walla Walla (76), and had no issues, no "stink eye", nothing! It made my night, and made me much more comfortable with OC.

Secondly I would like to address your concern on carrying your weapon in Condition 1. You said you have a Glock 21, I have a Glock 22 , just bought it like 3-4 weeks ago. One of the reasons I purchased a Glock is because of my own concern about carrying with a round in the chamber. I researched alot before buying, and what I found is that because of the way a Glock is designed it CANNOT fire (even if thrown down a mountain, literally or figuratively), unless the trigger is deliberately pulled by a finger, not even some random thing getting stuck in the guard is likely to make it fire. There is a hardened steel pin that slides between the striker and the round so that it is physically impossible for them to make contact without you intentionally firing the weapon.

On that same note, because of my cautious nature I won't leave it loaded sitting around un-holstered because my Safariland ALS holster covers the trigger and retains the weapon, thereby making it physically impossible for it to go off.

So yes, I do carry in condition 1 because I am confidant of the safeties in place on the weapon to prevent any possibility of accidental discharge. And if some guy is pulling a gun on your wife, do you have time to be racking your slide? No point in having it if it isn't ready. LEO's don't have to rack the slide... Food for thought.

Here is a great video for why to carry one in the chamber too :celebrateGo clerk guy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AA_dgRdDhk

CRA

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Thank you for your story. I will just have to carry with one in the chamber and get used to it. That is the only way I will over come the fear of accidental discharge.

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Crypto wrote:

I will try and find your thread 1245A Defender.

I'm going to change the subject alittle. I would like to know how you get over the fear of your gun going off if you have a round in the chamber. [SNIP]

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Carry without a round in the chamber for as long as it makes you comfortable.

When it doesn't anymore, carry locked & loaded.

I think many people go through an initial period of Condition 3 carry while they become comfortable with the prospect of having a loaded firearm on their person (Is it safe, is it necessary, etc.).

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Crypto wrote:

Thank you for your story. I will just have to carry with one in the chamber and get used to it. That is the only way I will over come the fear of accidental discharge.

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Precisely. It helps to understand enough of the mechanics of the gun and it's firing mechanism. It also helps to determine whether your fear is rational or irrational.

As for me, although I pray I will never have to use the hellish thing, God-forbid I should have to stave off an attack with one hand while drawing an unchambered weapon.

Now what? I might as well fight off my attacker with a fountain pen. Bad mojo.

Here's hoping we never need to, but if we do...

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I don't usually carry a pen. But I do usually have a Coke Can in my hand most the time. (I will throw it at em) :celebrate

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You can always pop the bullet out and dump the powder and just carry with the case and primer. One you get confident and you see that it won't just "go off" for no reason, then you can carry with a complete bullet. I carry my sig 1911 in condition 1. It has never fired all by itself.

Every time I hear the "guns kill people" crap I always explain, "you see, I can lay this 1911 right here on the table in condition 1 and it will sit there for 100 years and not kill a single person. And then some dumbass has to pick it up and start handling it and somebody will get shot."

Guns don't just "go off" with no help, regardless of what the anti's tell you. Anything manufactured in the last 20 years has several firing pin blocks and safeties on it.

Some people (my girlfriend included) freak out when they see a 1911 with the hammer back. I explained to her that the 1911 actually has FOUR safeties that would all have to fail at precisely the same time for it to fire. Now she's educated.

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Crypto wrote:

I don't usually carry a pen. But I do usually have a Coke Can in my hand most the time. (I will throw it at em) :celebrate

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a coke is a great backup weapon, but only if its fully loaded!

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1245A Defender wrote:

i have a distrust of "safe action" guns. i like carrying hammer down, and i like to be able to see my hammer!

im looking to buy a new gun soon, in 45 cal, but i dont know what yet, i would like it to be as advanced as my P-38, a 70yr old design! double, single action, with a hammer drop safety, and firing pin interlock,, super safe at all times!

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my P-38, my star modelo super, my tanfoglio GT-380 all can preform a function that i think is important, but nobody with a 1911 can do!

pick up your "empty gun" apply the manual safety, load it completely, including the chamber, now unload it completely, including the chamber. with the safety ON the whole time!

how many gun designs can do that?

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1245A Defender wrote:

Crypto wrote:

I don't usually carry a pen. But I do usually have a Coke Can in my hand most the time. (I will throw it at em) :celebrate

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a coke is a great backup weapon, but only if its fully loaded!

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If it's open and he throws it, would that be considered spraying and praying?? :celebrate

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Not sure if this has been mentioned or not..but I'll toss in my two cents anyways. Been carrying for a year and a half now with my Glock 26 and my progression went like this.
-got myself a "Siderlock" (glock trigger safety)
-carried chamber empty and might have even still had the safety on, which seems pretty silly but this was the first week I was carrying
-after about a week I carried one in the pipe, safety still on...did this for maybe a month
-then I built myself a nice kydex holster instead of the cheapo leather one-size-fits-all crap I had
-then what I tried to do here is shove and yank out my EMPTY pistol (press check a million times to make sure the gun is empty) out of the holster to see if I couldn't get the trigger snagged...nothing
-from then on it was safety off, and +1

Still is sort of nice having the Siderlock still on there for the few times that I may be passing it to a newbie at the range. I can have one more safety precaution that the guy/girl won't accidently shoot me. Although you can just give it to them and let them rack the slide and be just as safe. I'll probably just sell or give the Siderlock away if anyone I know decides to get a Glock and wants that extra precaution for the first month or so.

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I am a long time Glock Aficionado, and carry them regularly. While I am not a certified Glock armorer, I have been trained on complete dis-assembly and repair. I have an intimate understanding of how they work and why they are absolutely safe from "just going off".

One thing absolutely MUST happen for a Glock to go "BANG", the trigger needs to be pulled. Contrary to Chris.R.Anderson's post, it doesn't have to be a finger, other things getting caught in the trigger guard can result in the trigger being pulled (as is true with any gun).

ALL accidental or negligent discharges involving Glocks have been the result of either a booger hook on the bang switch when it shouldn't have been (index people, index), or something being caught in the trigger guard while holstering, unholstering, or handling the gun.


As to your question on why it won't just go off....

Let me give a not so quick explanation of what happens when you intentionally shoot a Glock. Starting with a round in the chamber and the gun holstered. Refer to your Glock manual to see which parts I refer to. Here is the sequence...

1. In a loaded and ready condition, the Glock has a round in the chamber and the Trigger Bar is engaged with the Firing Pin (also known as "striker"), The Trigger Bar is putting PARTIAL tension on the Firing Pin Spring. The engagement with the Trigger Bar provides a physical barrier to the Firing Pin moving forward under inertia should the gun be struck or dropped.

2. Keeping your finger out of the trigger guard and off of the trigger, you draw the weapon from the holster and bring it to aim with your finger indexed alongside the frame. The slide lock (also known as "take down tab") is a good index point for most people.

3. Once you have target in your sight, confirmed safe background, and have made the decision to fire, you put your finger on the trigger and start applying pressure.

4. The Trigger Safety (center tab on the trigger) is for all intents and purposes a "manual safety". It is a lever that locks the trigger from being pressed. The difference from it and the safety on a 1911 is mostly the placement and how it engages. The lever is in trigger rather than on the side of the frame, and is disengaged during the trigger squeeze instead of being a separate action. When NOT engaged, there is a tab that is in contact with the frame behind the trigger that provides a physical barrier to the trigger moving rearward. When the Trigger pressed, the Trigger Safety levers up the tab, allowing the trigger to move rearward.

5. As the Trigger beings it's rearward travel, the Trigger Bar moves to the rear, and in doing so, completes two distinct functions. It moves the Firing Pin (that was under partial tension) fully rearward, and fully compresses the Firing Pin Spring. As it is doing this, the tab that sticks up from the Trigger bar is moving rearward as well, engaging the Firing Pin Safety and begins to disengage it. The Firing Pin Safety is a small metal plunger that physically blocks the channel the Firing Pin slides through. Without this plunger depressed, it is the second physical barrier to the firing pin striking the cartridge in the chamber without the trigger being pressed.

6. At the end of the Trigger travel, the Firing Pin Safety is fully depressed and the Trigger Bar is deflected downward by the Connector. As the Trigger Bar moves downward, the tab that has been pushing the Firing Pin back comes out of engagement with the Firing Pin, releasing it to move foward under spring tension from the Firing Pin Spring. The Firing Pin, released from the physical barrier of the Trigger Bar, moves forward and with the physical barrier of the Firing Pin Safety out of the way, is able to travel fully forward, through the opening in the slide to strike the primer of the chambered cartridge.

7. The gun goes "BANG", the slide cycles, extracts and ejects the spent case and strips and loads the next round from the magazine.

8. When the trigger is reset, the Firing Pin Safety re-engages and the Trigger Bar re-engages with the Firing Pin, ready to repeat the process.


So bottom line, as long as you don't pull the trigger (intentionally, inadvertently, or accidentally) your Glock is safe to carry with a round in the chamber.

To reduce the chance of an accidental trigger pull:
1. ALWAYS use a quality holster that completely covers the trigger guard.
2. Anytime you holster your Glock (or any gun for that matter) pay attention and make sure nothing (clothing, pull strings, etc.) is getting fouled in the gun or holster.

Repeat after me.. "I will not Mexican carry my Glock, I will not Mexican carry my Glock"


Here is a pretty cool animated diagram of how a Glock works:

http://www.genitron.com/Basics/Glock23/P2Glock.html

(And no, it isn't the "Exploding Glock" one...)



Here is a diagram that shows the three safeties:

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How about "I will not Mexican carry ANY gun, period"? I loved how so called long time gun guys were trying to tell me I should just stick my 1911 in my waistband, that they had always done it that way and that I was wasting money buying holsters.......

OT, good job OCing, I am down that way and OC all the time at places along Meridian, etc......pretty easy going, have never had an issue yet.