List Your Open Carry Experiences Here

The friend I mentioned in an earlier post who hated guns and could recite all the reasons guns are bad that he has heard from the media and anti gunners... but has since changed his mind after I explained how guns save lives by protecting those who carry them and how guns are used for enjoying different types of shooting... and I took him trap shooting, and pistol shooting, and rifle target shooting....

...went with me today as I OC'd at...

Big Boy in Bridgeport where the manager once again said she liked to see me come in...

Cabela's in Saginaw where my friend looked at several pistols and decided he really liked the Walther P22...

Gander Mtn. in Saginaw where my friend looked at several pistols again and decided that he wanted the Walther P22.... and then we looked at some holsters and talked about how he intended to carry .. and which holster he needed when pocket carrying and which holster he needed when he OC'd....

Later we checked some lottery tickets and he said that if he won he would be right back at Cabela's buying that P22............... but neither of us won.

Anti gunners would say that I've lured my friend over to the dark side................. I would say that after a lifetime of believing misdirection, manipulation, and downright lies from anti gunners my friend has finally been exposed to the truth about guns and has seen the light.

OC'd at Walmart's in Greenville. Asked an associate where to find sparklers for the kids, shopped some, etc. no problems. Later, went to Tractor Supply and a garage sale as well, no issues either.

Still here in Ann Arbor.

I took my two dogs to Gallup park here in Ann Arbor. I walked them about 4 miles. Someone had a question about the dogs. Most stated how cute they were. No problems until someone's dog who wanted to start a fight. I passed a couple with 3 small kids. She started getting snotty and overly anxious as I passed partly the oldest about 3 was walking a bit further ahead of them. Right after I passed her, I help out to call for the kid to go back to mom. She did thank me for that.

I have also taken my two rot mutts to the 3 acre dog park on Ann Arbor's south side for many hours. Some of those hours the last two nights. No LEO's no one running. And a lady with a rather well trained mutt, gave me a bit of help with my younger one.

Mom's bullies walked in the 4th of July parade. I would only have the desire to go down there if I could have gotten in the parade with friends from MOC

OC'd in Cedar Springs Goodwill with the wife and daughter. No issues.

I ran into my first OCer yesterday at Tractor Supply in Greenville. Of course I went out of my way to thank him for carrying. Later we chatted outside in the parking lot and it turns out he was just an average guy (an older gentleman), not affiliated with the open carry movement at all. He was carrying one of those Bond Arms .410/45 cal. derringers. Very nice!

Had a great time in Grand Rapids. MOC leadership did not make their own picnic, and Raggs did an excellent job collecting donations then going to the store to pick up the hotdogs and buns and condiments that MOC wasn't able to provide.

After it was done about 8 of us took a walk through the neighborhood, and had overwhelmingly good results with the locals wanting to talk to us, wanting to know more, many of them thanking us, many of them taking videos and pictures, many wanting to be in them with us. Many kids were very enthusiastic as well. It was yet another example of why you have to get out in the public, and not only just relax and eat at a pavilion or restaurant if you want to reach out to people who aren't connected to social networks where they can find out about OCing.

Michigander said:

Had a great time in Grand Rapids. MOC leadership did not make their own picnic, and Raggs did an excellent job collecting donations then going to the store to pick up the hotdogs and buns and condiments that MOC wasn't able to provide.

After it was done about 8 of us took a walk through the neighborhood, and had overwhelmingly good results with the locals wanting to talk to us, wanting to know more, many of them thanking us, many of them taking videos and pictures, many wanting to be in them with us. Many kids were very enthusiastic as well. It was yet another example of why you have to get out in the public, and not only just relax and eat at a pavilion or restaurant if you want to reach out to people who aren't connected to social networks where they can find out about OCing.

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I agree. The most important point of all of this is: "you have to get out in the public". The event was well attended and many who attended were relatively new OCers. There were also some of the more "senior" members of the movement present too; it's always good to see the more experienced available to answer any questions that may come up. Raggs and his wife did a great job managing the event in MOC's leadership absence. All in all, it was a successful OC event.

DrTodd said:

I agree. The most important point of all of this is: "you have to get out in the public". The event was well attended and many who attended were relatively new OCers. There were also some of the more "senior" members of the movement present too; it's always good to see the more experienced available to answer any questions that may come up. Raggs and his wife did a great job managing the event in MOC's leadership absence. All in all, it was a successful OC event.

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Thanks for the kind words Michigander and DrTodd. Other than receiving minor negative feedback about people leaving the park for a stroll and what they were carrying it was a good time.

Raggs said:

Other than receiving minor negative feedback about people leaving the park for a stroll and what they were carrying.

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There will always be anti open carry people out there who think their word is law and that they therefor control public space and the actions of individuals. But they don't, so no sense in worrying about it. Unless of course they try and turn it into a law...

I on the other hand went to a nice local mexican restaurant rather than the chipotle I used to go to occasionally. There, I didn't encounter any such antis.

There is video footage as well, but it might be just outside of the forum rules. Certainly worth watching though. PM me if you want a link.

I saw a random OC'er at the rest area in Clarkston.

Open carried at Meijer on west main in Kalamazoo and was just asked to leave. No introduction from the individual who asked me to leave the premises. Left, and immediately called the corporate Line and am awaiting the store directors phone call tomorrow morning regarding the situation.

Has anyone ever had problems with Meijer before? I've open carried there many times in the past, along with a few days ago.

Glock214 said:

Open carried at Meijer on west main in Kalamazoo and was just asked to leave. No introduction from the individual who asked me to leave the premises. Left, and immediately called the corporate Line and am awaiting the store directors phone call tomorrow morning regarding the situation.

Has anyone ever had problems with Meijer before? I've open carried there many times in the past, along with a few days ago.

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Makes me wonder if it was loss prevention or a manager.

Glock214 said:

Open carried at Meijer on west main in Kalamazoo and was just asked to leave. No introduction from the individual who asked me to leave the premises. Left, and immediately called the corporate Line and am awaiting the store directors phone call tomorrow morning regarding the situation.

Has anyone ever had problems with Meijer before? I've open carried there many times in the past, along with a few days ago.

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That Meijer is out of my my way but I have oc'ed there a handful of times with no problems. (Were you wearing camo?)

Glock214 said:

Open carried at Meijer on west main in Kalamazoo and was just asked to leave. No introduction from the individual who asked me to leave the premises. Left, and immediately called the corporate Line and am awaiting the store directors phone call tomorrow morning regarding the situation.

Has anyone ever had problems with Meijer before? I've open carried there many times in the past, along with a few days ago.

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very interesting. were they even wearing anything identifying them as a meijer employee? i would have at least paused long enough to get their name to ensure that i could let corporate know who had kicked me out. otherwise it could have just been some random, crazy citizen. in my experience though, meijer corporate won't get you anywhere. last time i talked to them (several years ago) they said individual stores can make their own gun policies.

smellslikemichigan said:

very interesting. were they even wearing anything identifying them as a meijer employee? i would have at least paused long enough to get their name to ensure that i could let corporate know who had kicked me out. otherwise it could have just been some random, crazy citizen. in my experience though, meijer corporate won't get you anywhere. last time i talked to them (several years ago) they said individual stores can make their own gun policies.

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I wonder what the person would have said if you asked to see their Employee ID. I have also wondered if while leaving that dshoplifting alarm went off and you kept going what would they do. Personally I have not had an issue with Meijers.

Update on Meijer situation:
Received a call from store director Marsha Keefer and was told that Meijer follows state law, and open carry of a firearm is ok. So long as they do not have complaints from other guests. And at that point they would simply request it be concealed or left out in the vehicle.
The store director apologized for how I was treated in her store, and appreciated the feed back on this incident.

So glad that I can now go back and finish my shopping.

Also, the director is a CPL holder as well, and supports gun rights.

Carry on!
Glock214

Glock214 said:

Update on Meijer situation:
Received a call from store director Marsha Keefer and was told that Meijer follows state law, and open carry of a firearm is ok. So long as they do not have complaints from other guests. And at that point they would simply request it be concealed or left out in the vehicle.
The store director apologized for how I was treated in her store, and appreciated the feed back on this incident.

So glad that I can now go back and finish my shopping.

Also, the director is a CPL holder as well, and supports gun rights.

Carry on!
Glock214

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So if one guest complains, you're asked to forego your rights. If you counter-complain that they are offending you by being discriminatory bigots, I doubt it would have similar effect. What makes that one guest's feelings/morals/etc. more valuable than another guest's [yours] feelings/morals/etc. ?

OC at John Ball Zoo! No drama.