Dreamer
Regular Member
imported post
I was driving up to MD today* to visit my family, and stopped in at Dance's Sporting Goods in Colonial Heights to see if they had any .45acp FMJ's (for range rounds), and was OCing my Para. While standing at the counter oggling the Todd Jarrett Signature model Para, a younger fellow walked up with his girlfriend, and he was OCing a new RIA 1911. I nodded to him, and said "hey, it's good to see another "open carrier", and turned my hip to show him my Para in the Serpa. He told me he'd just got it, and was looking for a new holster (he had it in a black nylon rig--looked like an Uncle Mikes).
We talked about .45s, and holsters, and training new shooters. We talked about gun laws, and transporting, and concealed carry permits. I told him about OCDO, VCDL, and let him know that there was a REALLY great group of OCers in the Richmond area, and if he got on OCDO, he could find out about a lot of great training, retailers and meetups in the area.
We chatted for a while, and I told him about the "Guns Save Lives" buttons I had, and asked him if they wanted a couple, and they did. So I checked out with my purchase, went out to the car, got some buttons, and came back in the store. He was checking out, and I gave him and his girlfriend the buttons, and some of my "Why I Carry" cards, and some of my "No Guns=No $" cards, and a VCDL card and we shook hands and then went our separate ways.
It was a cordial meeting, and the first time I've ever met another OCer where it wasn't an OC-specific event. Plus I told him about OCDO, so maybe he'll be on here sometime soon...
Also, I give VERY high marks to Dance's. They are COMPLETELY open carry friendly, have a great selection of firearms (they actually had a .45 Long Cold Schoefeld in their case, which I was practically drooling over), and their ammo selection is VERY well-stocked (although they were all out of CCI MiniMags in .22LR). Their prices may be a little higher than Gander Mountain, but they ALWAYS have what I'm looking for, and the friendliness and helpfulness of the staff is worth the extra few cents on the ammo I buy there. I'll GLADLY support them, because shopping there is always such a pleasure.
* I didn't OC in MD. I always stop before I "cross the moat", and do the "border dance", unloading, and locking up the Para in one box, and the ammo in another, per MD law. I REALLY wish my daughters would move to VA...
I was driving up to MD today* to visit my family, and stopped in at Dance's Sporting Goods in Colonial Heights to see if they had any .45acp FMJ's (for range rounds), and was OCing my Para. While standing at the counter oggling the Todd Jarrett Signature model Para, a younger fellow walked up with his girlfriend, and he was OCing a new RIA 1911. I nodded to him, and said "hey, it's good to see another "open carrier", and turned my hip to show him my Para in the Serpa. He told me he'd just got it, and was looking for a new holster (he had it in a black nylon rig--looked like an Uncle Mikes).
We talked about .45s, and holsters, and training new shooters. We talked about gun laws, and transporting, and concealed carry permits. I told him about OCDO, VCDL, and let him know that there was a REALLY great group of OCers in the Richmond area, and if he got on OCDO, he could find out about a lot of great training, retailers and meetups in the area.
We chatted for a while, and I told him about the "Guns Save Lives" buttons I had, and asked him if they wanted a couple, and they did. So I checked out with my purchase, went out to the car, got some buttons, and came back in the store. He was checking out, and I gave him and his girlfriend the buttons, and some of my "Why I Carry" cards, and some of my "No Guns=No $" cards, and a VCDL card and we shook hands and then went our separate ways.
It was a cordial meeting, and the first time I've ever met another OCer where it wasn't an OC-specific event. Plus I told him about OCDO, so maybe he'll be on here sometime soon...
Also, I give VERY high marks to Dance's. They are COMPLETELY open carry friendly, have a great selection of firearms (they actually had a .45 Long Cold Schoefeld in their case, which I was practically drooling over), and their ammo selection is VERY well-stocked (although they were all out of CCI MiniMags in .22LR). Their prices may be a little higher than Gander Mountain, but they ALWAYS have what I'm looking for, and the friendliness and helpfulness of the staff is worth the extra few cents on the ammo I buy there. I'll GLADLY support them, because shopping there is always such a pleasure.
* I didn't OC in MD. I always stop before I "cross the moat", and do the "border dance", unloading, and locking up the Para in one box, and the ammo in another, per MD law. I REALLY wish my daughters would move to VA...