Positive OC encounter today...(5-20-2011)

I had been visiting my stepdaughters in MD this past week, to attend one of their college commencements on Monday. (Man, do I HATE MD--if I didn't love my family so much, I would never set foot in that god-forsaken pit...)

Anyway, I made my return trip to NC today, and as you can imagine, as soon as I "crossed the moat" into VA, I took the first VA exit, so I could do the "Potomac Two Step" and put on my trusty Para (in my tan Serpa, OC strong-side) for the drive down I-95 through VA and NC.

I stopped in Thornburg to get a snack at the Dairy Queen, and to top off my gas tank. No issue with any of the businesses, and no comments or even strange looks from the many patrons, travelers, families I encountered while walking through the convenience store next to the DQ (to buy some soda and chips)...

But as I'm walking through the parking lot back to my vehicle, I notice the guy parked next to me (in a BIG pickup truck) is standing on the drivers-side running board, with the door open, looking at me. I give him a friendly smile and a wave, and say "hi". He looks at me with a big grin and says "I didn't know VA was an Open Carry State!"

So I tell him that, in fact, almost EVERY state east of the Mississippi is an OC state, andwe start talking about OC and CC. Turns out, he is from CA (but has a summer home in AZ, and has an AZ CC permit) and has a business delivering large RVs and camping trailers. He had just dropped a trailer off in VA, and was on hi sway to Indiana to pick one up to deliver to "points west". He then tells me "I have my Para in a lock box under my seat", and I turn my hip toward him and say, "I'm carrying a Para too!."

He complimented my custom Para S-14.45, and said it looked REALLY nice with the polished stainless slide and rosewood grips. He said "I never would have thought THAT was a Para--looks REAL nice..."

I gave him a NC OC card, and one of my last VA OC cards, and we shook hands and exchanged names.

What are the chances? Meeting an OC advocate from CA while traveling in VA, and he's a Para owner too?

Times are good...

And they are even better now that I'm out of Maryland. A week with the family was nice (especially the copious "quality time" I got with my granddaughter) but the utter disregard for 2A rights in MD is almost as intolerable as the sheeple who live there.

I actually drove to VA to visit a friend halfway through my stay in MD, just so I could OC for a day...

But I DID CC in our condo the whole time I was there, so NYAH, NYAH, Annapolis... :monkey

You never know when or where Dreamer. If you had been CCing that conversation and exchange of ideas would never have taken place.

Appreciate the good report.

Yeah, that is one of the main reasons I OC.

I have met some REALLY nice people because of OCing...

Back to the guy I met today--he told me he couldn't wait to sell his property in CA and move full-time to AZ. I told him that if he thinks CA is bad, he should try MD for a while...

Then I warned him about driving through MD, and how he needed to unload his pistol before crossing the moat, and put the mags and handgun somewhere "inaccessable" to be 100% legal. He did not seem pleased with the though of that...

And he also commented on my big "Guns Save Lives" and VCDL magnets on my vehicle, and said (about the GSL magnet) "you don't see many of THOSE in California."

I retorted, "I suppose not..." and we both had a chuckle about that...

The only somewhat negative thought that I had about the whole encounter was that it would behoove a man traveling through multiple states to be very aware of all of the state laws before he arrives/crosses the border.

I search and print out everything I can find when going to a new state.
I don't want lack of knowledge to bite me.

Dreamer said:

Then I warned him about driving through MD, and how he needed to unload his pistol before crossing the moat, and put the mags and handgun somewhere "inaccessable" to be 100% legal. He did not seem pleased with the though of that...

t...

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Please correct me if I am wrong but that only applies if "passing through" MD and your stop in Annapolis puts you at risk for major crap in MD....

I grew up there and while I love the bay and parts of Annapolis I would never move back to MD....

Correct me if I'm wrong as well but there is not a CC permit in AZ anymore.

richarcm said:

Correct me if I'm wrong as well but there is not a CC permit in AZ anymore.

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There is no requirement for one, but in order to enjoy "reciprocity" with a state like, say, Virginia, one must carry a CC permit to [legally] do so.

Of course none is needed to OC.

I suspect that even if Virginia was to become a Constitutional Carry state, the permit system would remain for those wishing to maintain a resident permit for reciprocity with other states as we enjoy now.

As I understand it

AZ does not require a permit but still has one mostly used for reciprocity. It is still available.

The Wolfhound said:

AZ does not require a permit but still has one mostly used for reciprocity. It is still available.

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That's what we're shooting for here Wolfhound.
The biggest scream I heard last session wasn't from the anti's, it was from CHiPpers who travel.

The Wolfhound said:

AZ does not require a permit but still has one mostly used for reciprocity. It is still available.

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peter nap said:

That's what we're shooting for here Wolfhound.
The biggest scream I heard last session wasn't from the anti's, it was from CHiPpers who travel.

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Didn't they get the memo or did they just not bother to read it.

AZ's permit also gives perks (hey that sounds familiar)...one of these perks has to do with restaurants that serve alcohol.

nova said:

AZ's permit also gives perks (hey that sounds familiar)...one of these perks has to do with restaurants that serve alcohol.

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The AZ legislature didn't start off with the intent for that perk. The original legislation had no provision that left out unlicensed OCers, however the NRA stuck its nose in and lobbied the legislature very heavily to restrict the wording to permittees carrying concealed only and unfortunately the legislature gave in. It wasn't until a year after the restaurant law changed that Arizona then managed to get "Constitutional Carry". The NRA's supported wording left a LOT of Arizonan's hopping mad, because the legislature had started with a good bill. Unfortunately the law hasn't been changed yet, but Jan Brewer has recently turned a bit hostile toward good firearm related bills.

jmelvin said:

The AZ legislature didn't start off with the intent for that perk. The original legislation had no provision that left out unlicensed OCers, however the NRA stuck its nose in and lobbied the legislature very heavily to restrict the wording to permittees carrying concealed only and unfortunately the legislature gave in. It wasn't until a year after the restaurant law changed that Arizona then managed to get "Constitutional Carry". The NRA's supported wording left a LOT of Arizonan's hopping mad, because the legislature had started with a good bill. Unfortunately the law hasn't been changed yet, but Jan Brewer has recently turned a bit hostile toward good firearm related bills.

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Yep!
There has been a lot of talk about secession in Az because of the gun bills and related things. I doubt that will ever happen but it just goes to show there are idiots everywhere.

peter nap said:

There has been a lot of talk about secession in Az because of the gun bills and related things. I doubt that will ever happen but it just goes to show there are idiots everywhere.

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Wait... they want to secede because of PERMISSIVE statutes?

Or am I reading you way out of context?

wylde007 said:

Wait... they want to secede because of PERMISSIVE statutes?

Or am I reading you way out of context?

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Yep!
Az has liberals too and the talk has been about splitting AZ just like WV split from Va.

I have no idea who posted this on this subversive board..or how I even saw it

I've been trying to give Northern Va to Mary Land or DC for years. They already call themselves, NOVA. They could change it to NOTVA, very easily.

It would be much easier if they just got fed up with the REAL Virginia, and formed their own state.

Liberals in southern Arizona seek to form new state
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/liberals-southern-arizona-seek-form-state-130257516.html

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peter nap said:

I have no idea who posted this on this subversive board..or how I even saw it

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Suuuuuuuuuure ya don't!

Ric in Richmond said:

Please correct me if I am wrong but that only applies if "passing through" MD and your stop in Annapolis puts you at risk for major crap in MD....

I grew up there and while I love the bay and parts of Annapolis I would never move back to MD....

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If you are traveling THROUGH MD, you need to follow FOPA (federal) transport laws, which say the gun needs to be unloaded and inaccessible.

However, under FOPA, you can make "incidental stops" like for fuel, potty breaks, or meals, and still be legal. But stopping to go to a tourist attraction, or for an overnight stay, or shopping, or visiting other "non-approved locations" would violate FOPA, as well as MD Statute.

If you are making a stop that is NOT at an "approved location" per MD Statute, then there is NO WAY to legally transport a firearm in MD unless you have a MD carry permit.

The only exception is if you have property or own a business in MD--then you can legally transport a firearm from points outside the state to that property/business, and back out.

But just carrying a gun around in your car--in ANY configuration--even if unloaded and locked up in the trunk--is flatly illegal per MD statute (unless you have a MD permit, like Senator Babs Mikulski...)

Wait a minute.

Dreamer said:

...

But just carrying a gun around in your car--in ANY configuration--even if unloaded and locked up in the trunk--is flatly illegal per MD statute (unless you have a MD permit, like Senator Babs Mikulski...)

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Mikulski has a permit???? Hypocritical (O). Just like Schumer and Feinstein.
That just chaps my (o) !!!

AtackDuck said:

Mikulski has a permit???? Hypocritical (O). Just like Schumer and Feinstein.
That just chaps my (o) !!!

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And Jane Fonda, and Sly Stallone (who has a CA permit, but attends Brady fundraisers), Pinch Sulzberger (New York Times anti-gun editor), etc. etc.

Diane Feinstein's husband Richard Blum is an FFL arms dealer, and an importer/wholesaler of Chinese-made arms. He is also a top exec with URS, one of the largest Defense Contractors in the US. One of the main reasons Sen. Diane was so pro-Iraq war was because her husband's URS stock options stood to make a TREMENDOUS profit from involvement in the war...