First time OC today... Not bad at all.

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So I had a bunch of errands to run today around town (Wake Forest area) and I decided that it was a good day to try out OC for the first time since becoming a handgun owner a couple months ago.

I visited Lowe's Home Improvement, Wally World, Ace Hardware & Dunkin' Donuts (what can I say, it was a Saturday morning and those donuts and coffee where just calling out to me :lol: ).

The folks at Lowe's where very nice and I received more respectful nods & "How ya doing?" inquiries than I have ever gotten before. Same thing at Ace Hardware. WW was pretty much business as usual, and DD was too.

While I left the house with a bit of apprehension, I returned feeling quite good. All in all, a very good couple hours around town.

I wanted to post this report and say thank you to the many folks who contribute their time and share their information here as it was a great aid in helping me to be prepared for this first step.

Now I just need to take my CCW class and get my permit.

Thank you all!

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Glad your day went well. If you don't dress like a slob, you will find that you get more of those nods and hellos than you normally would. I think a lot of people figure you're a detective or the like.

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I would highly recommend taking a CCW course. It helps identify when you are able to shoot in self defense, and helps teach some of the law concerning firearms. It's a very good investment, in my opinion.

My CCW course ended up being one on one (pure luck), and he was able to explain a lot of the finer details concerning the law, we were able to play a lot of what-if, and he was also able to help me with holding my gun, and different stances.

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@Anthony

Yeah, I agree. All too often "perception is reality"... if you look undesirable/unkempt then people will not want to be around you even without carrying a gun.

Funny you should say that about being a detective. When I was married to my first wife up in NY, many of her coworkers used to ask her if I was a LEO of some sort, and I didn't even own a handgun. I guess it was just how I dressed and carried myself. I've always been one to cast a wary eye and pay attention to my surroundings ever since I was a teenager. I guess that's what gets picked up on in some cases.


@elixin

I have my CCW class scheduled already and my CBST & belt are on order as well.

It's possible my CCW class may end up with just one or two of us in it as well. That would be nice for me.

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I'm glad to hear everything went so well! Usually if I'm planning on OC'ing for the day, I try to make sure I look respectable. If I'm planning on being a little more casual, then I'll typically just CC.