ArcticF7SnoPro
Regular Member
imported post
Well I have been building up the gusto to OC since I have gotten my XDM. Before I felt I would express my right I wanted to become as educated as possible in the instance I would have toanswer formy actions and todefend against possible ridicule. Last evening I had it set in my mind that I was going to sport my 40 out in the public for the first time. I straped on my mag holder and my holster and away I went. First stop was Wendys.
As I pulled in I got cold feet and I started to think to myself about this and that and how some things with OC where still kind of shady to me. I figured instead I would carry my mags and empty holster around to get a feel for it and when I got home I would jump on the internet and try and get the infomation I felt I needed to feel confident going out in the public with my weapon. Behold I came across this site and I feel it gave me the confidence I have needed to complete this. After dinner this evening I went out with the wife and we started at Wal Mart.
She had thought I was crazy for carrying there because the place was packed and talked me out of it. So being that it was my first time and still feeling nerved about it I backed off and went into fail safe mode and just carried my mags and empty holster. My wife has great understanding for the situation but in my opinion does not understand the logic behind it. My word of advice for your first OC is do it with a understanding buddy or by yourself, becauseeven though my wifeis fine with and agrees with owning weapons for hunting and self defense, she only see's the negatives when she feels she is out of her element and me OC'ing thisevening put her there. I was also out of my element so it made it even harder to commit and follow through.
We left Wally World and went on to Menards. Ultimatly this has been what I felt was my safe haven since I had seen another person OC'ing there a little while ago without instance. My wife had asked if I was serious and I was about to back out of it and then I said screw it, this is more then her or my embarrasment. This is about my personnal right to carry arms and to defend my family and myself in all situations. I loaded my XDM and holstered it up and in the store I went. I even threw my big mag on with the 170mm extension to let it hang out there.
Right off the bat I was more in low profile mode as to deal with the excitment and jitters, but as time went on I had gottten more comfortable with it and did my business there. My main objective there was to pick up some bolts I had needed and look at paint. I had walked past a store employee going to the hardware section that gave a double take. Strangely this person kept poping up by me regardless of the section of store I was in as if they were keeping tabs on me. I didn't let it bother me and continued on. By this time I have already been in the store atleast 15 minutes and I was surprised by the lack of attention I was getting other then the store employee. Many people walked right by with no care as to the gun being there and had a few glances, but no double takes. I think this was more due to the majority of the population being locked into a zone in which they are unaware of their surrondings and caught up in what they have going on at the moment, a situation I try to avoid because this is exactly what makes us vulnerable.
Anyways I grab my bolts and look at paint and proceed to checkout. This is wherethe attention was drawn. Standing in line a few people stone cold stopped what they where doing and looked at my gun andtwo guys did the old head nod in agreeance or they really liked my gun. Some of the other check out clerks did the doudle take. The cashier in my isle looked but seemed to be unaffected by it. I walked out of the store witout instance and I felt it was a successful first OC. After returning home and thinking about it I feel proud to have followed through with it, being that I was on the hair line fringe of not doing it. I had also talked about it with my wife and I feel I had clarified it more with her. She states she is going to be uncomfortable with it, but will be supportive of it. So that is my story for the day. Sorry if it is to long, but it felt good to get it off my chest and practice my right.
Well I have been building up the gusto to OC since I have gotten my XDM. Before I felt I would express my right I wanted to become as educated as possible in the instance I would have toanswer formy actions and todefend against possible ridicule. Last evening I had it set in my mind that I was going to sport my 40 out in the public for the first time. I straped on my mag holder and my holster and away I went. First stop was Wendys.
As I pulled in I got cold feet and I started to think to myself about this and that and how some things with OC where still kind of shady to me. I figured instead I would carry my mags and empty holster around to get a feel for it and when I got home I would jump on the internet and try and get the infomation I felt I needed to feel confident going out in the public with my weapon. Behold I came across this site and I feel it gave me the confidence I have needed to complete this. After dinner this evening I went out with the wife and we started at Wal Mart.
She had thought I was crazy for carrying there because the place was packed and talked me out of it. So being that it was my first time and still feeling nerved about it I backed off and went into fail safe mode and just carried my mags and empty holster. My wife has great understanding for the situation but in my opinion does not understand the logic behind it. My word of advice for your first OC is do it with a understanding buddy or by yourself, becauseeven though my wifeis fine with and agrees with owning weapons for hunting and self defense, she only see's the negatives when she feels she is out of her element and me OC'ing thisevening put her there. I was also out of my element so it made it even harder to commit and follow through.
We left Wally World and went on to Menards. Ultimatly this has been what I felt was my safe haven since I had seen another person OC'ing there a little while ago without instance. My wife had asked if I was serious and I was about to back out of it and then I said screw it, this is more then her or my embarrasment. This is about my personnal right to carry arms and to defend my family and myself in all situations. I loaded my XDM and holstered it up and in the store I went. I even threw my big mag on with the 170mm extension to let it hang out there.
Right off the bat I was more in low profile mode as to deal with the excitment and jitters, but as time went on I had gottten more comfortable with it and did my business there. My main objective there was to pick up some bolts I had needed and look at paint. I had walked past a store employee going to the hardware section that gave a double take. Strangely this person kept poping up by me regardless of the section of store I was in as if they were keeping tabs on me. I didn't let it bother me and continued on. By this time I have already been in the store atleast 15 minutes and I was surprised by the lack of attention I was getting other then the store employee. Many people walked right by with no care as to the gun being there and had a few glances, but no double takes. I think this was more due to the majority of the population being locked into a zone in which they are unaware of their surrondings and caught up in what they have going on at the moment, a situation I try to avoid because this is exactly what makes us vulnerable.
Anyways I grab my bolts and look at paint and proceed to checkout. This is wherethe attention was drawn. Standing in line a few people stone cold stopped what they where doing and looked at my gun andtwo guys did the old head nod in agreeance or they really liked my gun. Some of the other check out clerks did the doudle take. The cashier in my isle looked but seemed to be unaffected by it. I walked out of the store witout instance and I felt it was a successful first OC. After returning home and thinking about it I feel proud to have followed through with it, being that I was on the hair line fringe of not doing it. I had also talked about it with my wife and I feel I had clarified it more with her. She states she is going to be uncomfortable with it, but will be supportive of it. So that is my story for the day. Sorry if it is to long, but it felt good to get it off my chest and practice my right.
