Open Carry Get Together/Events in Prince William County

LMS Tactical · Aug 29, 2011

Greetings all,

I am brand new to this form and to open carry in the traditional sense. By that, I mean... as a retired LEO, I have carried both open (while working) and concealed when off duty and or course now that I am retired. Until a few months ago, I had never considered Open Carry as an option, for me as I carry (and teach) concealed. Lately, I have found myself open carrying during dog walks late at night in my neighborhood, for practical/tactical reasons.... and I like it. I also have been watching youtube videos on the subject of open carry and I have learned that this is an important way to exercise and maintain our rights as per the 2nd amendment. Being from Los Angeles California, I know what it is like for people who live in those areas where their rights have been taken away from them. I could lecture on that subject!

Anyway... my main reason for this post is to inquire about any Open Carry activities that take place in Prince William County or Northern Virginia. Do you folks ever get together and if so, how often? Is there a calendar of events? If not.... is there anything planned that a new comer like me would be invited to?

Thanks in advance for the info and if there is a thread for this and I missed it... my apologies.

Stay Safe!

Dutch Uncle · Aug 29, 2011

LMS,
Greetings from OCDO! We have a steady influx of new people on this board, and with your LEO background, I'm sure your input will be useful. It will also be interesting to hear more of what you have to say about the CA civil rights fiasco. Anyway, with regard to your questions: If you look up and down the Virginia page you will at some point see the "OC in NOVA" thread, which is cumulative and has been going on for years here. NOVA is really where our OC activism got most of its start. There is also a regular thread about when and where someone in NOVA is setting up a dinner. Keep and eye out for that, and you will have a "home group" to start going to!

Again, welcome aboard !!

thebigsd · Aug 29, 2011

Welcome to OCDO!!!! Stick around and you will learn a lot!!!!

Like Dutch Uncle said, people post OC events quite frequently. If you don't see one that works for you, start your own. Just pick a time and place, post it here, and see who shows up.

Check out the Virginia Citizens Defense League. It is a great group dedicated to gun rights in VA. If you go to their website you can sign up for VA-ALERT (on the right side of the page) which is a free email system that will keep you informed about everything gun-related going on in the state. The website is http://www.vcdl.org.

The next meeting is on September 15th and encourage you to come!

LMS Tactical · Aug 29, 2011

Dutch Uncle said:
LMS,
Greetings from OCDO! We have a steady influx of new people on this board, and with your LEO background, I'm sure your input will be useful. It will also be interesting to hear more of what you have to say about the CA civil rights fiasco. Anyway, with regard to your questions: If you look up and down the Virginia page you will at some point see the "OC in NOVA" thread, which is cumulative and has been going on for years here. NOVA is really where our OC activism got most of its start. There is also a regular thread about when and where someone in NOVA is setting up a dinner. Keep and eye out for that, and you will have a "home group" to start going to!

Again, welcome aboard !!

Outstanding! Thank you for the response and good info. I will check out OC in NOVA and see what's happening there. In the meantime, i look forward to participating in the forums and too eventually meeting you and the others. Thanks again for the info and the warm welcome. Stay Safe!

LMS Tactical · Aug 29, 2011

thebigsd said:
Welcome to OCDO!!!! Stick around and you will learn a lot!!!!

Like Dutch Uncle said, people post OC events quite frequently. If you don't see one that works for you, start your own. Just pick a time and place, post it here, and see who shows up.

Check out the Virginia Citizens Defense League. It is a great group dedicated to gun rights in VA. If you go to their website you can sign up for VA-ALERT (on the right side of the page) which is a free email system that will keep you informed about everything gun-related going on in the state. The website is http://www.vcdl.org.

The next meeting is on September 15th and encourage you to come!

Good inetl, and I will make use of it. I am on the way over to the VCDL now and will no doubt join. Thank you for the info sir. I appreciate it.

Stay Safe

Tess · Aug 30, 2011

LMS Tactical said:
Greetings all,

I am brand new to this form and to open carry in the traditional sense. By that, I mean... as a retired LEO, I have carried both open (while working) and concealed when off duty and or course now that I am retired. Until a few months ago, I had never considered Open Carry as an option, for me as I carry (and teach) concealed. Lately, I have found myself open carrying during dog walks late at night in my neighborhood, for practical/tactical reasons.... and I like it. I also have been watching youtube videos on the subject of open carry and I have learned that this is an important way to exercise and maintain our rights as per the 2nd amendment. Being from Los Angeles California, I know what it is like for people who live in those areas where their rights have been taken away from them. I could lecture on that subject!

Anyway... my main reason for this post is to inquire about any Open Carry activities that take place in Prince William County or Northern Virginia. Do you folks ever get together and if so, how often? Is there a calendar of events? If not.... is there anything planned that a new comer like me would be invited to?

Thanks in advance for the info and if there is a thread for this and I missed it... my apologies.

Stay Safe!

We've had a few in Prince William County - most in the eastern part of the county, but some in Manassas area.

Another option for you is to pick a place and time, post it here with a note that you've done so, and invite others to join you. I've found it's usually best to plan 2-3 weeks out, and refresh the thread from time to time. Still you run the risk you're the only one who shows (it's happened to me and others), but it won't be because no one wants to meet you, but because life gets in the way.

I've been away from the get-togethers for several months due to medical issues, but hope to start joining them again very very soon. Hope to meet you in the near future. Welcome to OCDO.

LMS Tactical · Aug 30, 2011

Tess said:
We've had a few in Prince William County - most in the eastern part of the county, but some in Manassas area.

Another option for you is to pick a place and time, post it here with a note that you've done so, and invite others to join you. I've found it's usually best to plan 2-3 weeks out, and refresh the thread from time to time. Still you run the risk you're the only one who shows (it's happened to me and others), but it won't be because no one wants to meet you, but because life gets in the way.

I've been away from the get-togethers for several months due to medical issues, but hope to start joining them again very very soon. Hope to meet you in the near future. Welcome to OCDO.

That sounds like good advice and I do appreciate it. As strange as it sounds... I am gonna have to read up on the OC laws before doing that, so I don't end up in trouble. I am still not clear on restrictions in terms of where in Virginia people who OC can NOT go. I will read up on it and when I feel comfortable with it will do as you suggest. I hope that you will be there when it goes down. I would love to meet you as well as anyone else reading this post. Stay safe.

SouthernBoy · Aug 30, 2011

Welcome aboard, we're happy to have you with us. In which part of the county do you reside? I may be able to help you along a little bit with this as I am also retired.

Dutch Uncle · Aug 30, 2011

LMS, with regard to "OC laws" you will find that we don't have any. The closest to it is Art. I, Sec. 13 of our commonwealth constitution, which protects our right to keep and BEAR arms. The only carry laws that the state imposes are those regarding the privelege to get a concealed carry license. CC is the privelege controlled by the state and OC is the constitutional right to carry arms in public. Simple when you think of it like that.

You can OC just about anywhere in the commmonwealth, except courts, jails, schools, churches during a service (though that has been evolving lately) and federal buildings. Someone can complete this if I have left anything out, but you can carry anywhere in public as well as into stores, banks, pharmacies, pawn shops, big-box outlets etc. In such privately owned places, the management can decide they don't want OC in their establishment. If so, they will ask you to leave. You don't break any law unless you refuse to leave, in which case they can call the police and have you charged with tresspass. There are relatively few such places anymore. Largely because of our concerted and persistant efforts, you can now OC just about anywhere, and expect nothing but an occasional remark about what kind of firearm you are carrying. All this may be a bit hard to believe since you came here from CA, but you will find that VA is a very traditional American state where rights are taken seriously. Many of us go to the General Assembly Building in Richmond to lobby our legislators on lobby day (Martin Luther King Day), while most of us are carrying openly or concealed. Quite a few of the legislators do the same. No problem at all, and pretty cool when you think about it.

Anyway, browse around here a bit and you will find some interesting stuff.

Tess · Aug 30, 2011

LMS Tactical said:
That sounds like good advice and I do appreciate it. As strange as it sounds... I am gonna have to read up on the OC laws before doing that, so I don't end up in trouble. I am still not clear on restrictions in terms of where in Virginia people who OC can NOT go. I will read up on it and when I feel comfortable with it will do as you suggest. I hope that you will be there when it goes down. I would love to meet you as well as anyone else reading this post. Stay safe.

Then we'll have to do a get-together soon, so we can give you some VCDL carry cards and some of Ed's "open carry" cards for quick reference.

thebigsd · Aug 30, 2011

LMS,

Check your PMs.

LMS Tactical · Aug 31, 2011

SouthernBoy said:
Welcome aboard, we're happy to have you with us. In which part of the county do you reside? I may be able to help you along a little bit with this as I am also retired.

Thanks... I live in Woodbridge.

LMS Tactical · Aug 31, 2011

Dutch Uncle said:
All this may be a bit hard to believe since you came here from CA, but you will find that VA is a very traditional American state where rights are taken seriously.

Yes... it really is hard to believe and I am reading this with my mouth opened as in... "Wow!" Thank you for taking the time to provide that info to me. As I indicated.... I am an instructor but have only focused on Concealed carry. The open carry thing is Bigtime new to me. Last night, my wife and I walked our dog all wround our neighborhood and I open carried. It feels great to be free to do such a normal thing as be able to deffend my loved ones and myself. Thanks again.

LMS Tactical · Aug 31, 2011

Tess said:
Then we'll have to do a get-together soon, so we can give you some VCDL carry cards and some of Ed's "open carry" cards for quick reference.

Roger that. Looking forward to it.... thanks

LMS Tactical · Aug 31, 2011

thebigsd said:
LMS,

Check your PMs.

Enroute now.

Dutch Uncle · Aug 31, 2011

LMS,
To get an idea of what often happens with OC in VA check out the "OC in Hampton Roads" section, and look up 6L6GC's thread from 11:22 last night. I've had some similar experiences of late, and you will soon as well.

user · Sep 1, 2011

So, where's a good spot that's sort of in-between Gainesville and Woodbridge where we can get something decent to eat at a reasonable price?

I like El Rey Tolteca, on Sudley Rd. in Manassas, and they've hosted one such gathering before (the owner of the restaurant is a gun owner); but that's not what I'd call convenient to Woodbridge.

Blk97F150 · Sep 1, 2011

user said:
So, where's a good spot that's sort of in-between Gainesville and Woodbridge where we can get something decent to eat at a reasonable price?

I like El Rey Tolteca, on Sudley Rd. in Manassas, and they've hosted one such gathering before (the owner of the restaurant is a gun owner); but that's not what I'd call convenient to Woodbridge.

I don't know their stance on OC/firearms... but there is a Virginia BBQ in the shopping center at the corner of Liberia Ave and Prince William Pkwy.

http://www.virginiabbq.com/vabbq_manassas.htm

Of course there is always Tony's Pizza.... :uhoh:

SouthernBoy · Sep 1, 2011

Blk97F150 said:
I don't know their stance on OC/firearms... but there is a Virginia BBQ in the shopping center at the corner of Liberia Ave and Prince William Pkwy.

http://www.virginiabbq.com/vabbq_manassas.htm

Of course there is always Tony's Pizza.... :uhoh:

The Virginia BBQ sounds like a winner and the location is good for folks on both ends of the county. This one gets my vote.

LMS Tactical · Sep 2, 2011

Let's Do It

SouthernBoy said:
The Virginia BBQ sounds like a winner and the location is good for folks on both ends of the county. This one gets my vote.

Greetigs.

Today, the BigSD and I met and Open Carried in Woodbridge without incident. We took a look at the firearms section of Dick's Sporting Goods then we had a great lunch at Famous Dave's at 2430 prince William Parkway. Good food and good conversation.

I will be gone for the weekend and he will be gone most of next week. I suggest that we select a date the week after and put it out here in the forums and try and get a large group. I am on the way out now but if that sounds agreeable, maybe you can list it here in a new post.

In any case... I will contact you when I return on Monday. Until then........ stay safe.

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