carolinaguy
New member
imported post
I have been open-carryingmost of the time since first attending the Triangle Open Carry dinner at Panera's two months ago. I've carried in stores and restaurants in Apex and Cary, NC, including the Apex Walmart. I haven't had any problems until today. Iwas in Shallotte, NC today (Saturday, March 13, 2010), while open-carrying a .45 ACP 1911 style gun. After I had been in a Belk's store for about 15 minutes (and with a shirt that I was going to buy over my arm), two police officers approached me. One came close and asked for my identification, while the other stayed back a few feet. (My wife, for some reason, backed off about 20 feet.) I informed him that I had a concealed carry permit and said that I was informing him of that because it is required, but I only had the open-carry gun. He asked to also see my concealed carry permit, which I handed over. They radioed to check my ID. One had checked the door, and said since there was no sign on the door, that my carrying was OK. He said that someone had called, so they had to come and check me out. He then asked if I could please put the gun in my car, so that they could save face. (I guess that he meant: someone called about a gun, the policecame to check, and then the gun left the store = saving face.) I said OK, and I would always respect their request if someone asked me to take the gun outside because they were uneasy, but no one had asked. The police seemed OK, and didn't really see a problem, but had to check anyway. The police left, I told my wife that I was going outside, and then I left. I went to several other stores, without any problem. Then we went back to Southport. One of the stores that we visited in Southport was Lowe's home supply. No problem in the store, until I was checking out. The cashier lady said "I hope you have a badge for that." I didn't think fast-enough of anything useful to say, so I just smiled. Then she said "that gun just makes me so nervous." But we finished checking out with no further problem. I should've had one of Matt's cards with me to give her.
Dave
Apex, NC
I have been open-carryingmost of the time since first attending the Triangle Open Carry dinner at Panera's two months ago. I've carried in stores and restaurants in Apex and Cary, NC, including the Apex Walmart. I haven't had any problems until today. Iwas in Shallotte, NC today (Saturday, March 13, 2010), while open-carrying a .45 ACP 1911 style gun. After I had been in a Belk's store for about 15 minutes (and with a shirt that I was going to buy over my arm), two police officers approached me. One came close and asked for my identification, while the other stayed back a few feet. (My wife, for some reason, backed off about 20 feet.) I informed him that I had a concealed carry permit and said that I was informing him of that because it is required, but I only had the open-carry gun. He asked to also see my concealed carry permit, which I handed over. They radioed to check my ID. One had checked the door, and said since there was no sign on the door, that my carrying was OK. He said that someone had called, so they had to come and check me out. He then asked if I could please put the gun in my car, so that they could save face. (I guess that he meant: someone called about a gun, the policecame to check, and then the gun left the store = saving face.) I said OK, and I would always respect their request if someone asked me to take the gun outside because they were uneasy, but no one had asked. The police seemed OK, and didn't really see a problem, but had to check anyway. The police left, I told my wife that I was going outside, and then I left. I went to several other stores, without any problem. Then we went back to Southport. One of the stores that we visited in Southport was Lowe's home supply. No problem in the store, until I was checking out. The cashier lady said "I hope you have a badge for that." I didn't think fast-enough of anything useful to say, so I just smiled. Then she said "that gun just makes me so nervous." But we finished checking out with no further problem. I should've had one of Matt's cards with me to give her.
Dave
Apex, NC