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TN Open Carry Report

SovereignAxe

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2011
Messages
791
Location
Elizabethton, TN
I would but seeing as they're the gun shop with the biggest selection and best service in the Tri-Cities, and some of the fairest prices, it'd be a hollow threat, as I couldn't bring myself to boycott them.

Recently I've OCed to Advance Auto on N Roan St., Chik-Fil-A in Elizabethton, Menchies in Johnson City and Dollar Tree on Hudson Dr. in Elizabethton.

The closest thing I got to a "look" that I even noticed was in the Dollar Tree. A kid sitting in one of the aisles playing with one of the cheapo toys spotted the Walther and gave me and it a good hard, long look, then went back to playing with the game. That was it.
 
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JFUPhoto45

New member
Joined
Jun 10, 2012
Messages
8
Location
Knoxville, TN
New to the forum

Hi Everybody!
I have been reading the Tennessee threads over the last couple of days, and I decided to register so I could converse with like-minded individuals. I have had my HCP for six years now and have OC'd quite a few times with good results. The majority of my experiences have been in Knoxville and the surrounding communities, but I have also OC'd in MO when visiting family and on annual hunting trips. I just wanted to say "hi" and add my voice to the (apparently) few who carry openly or want to start.
 

SovereignAxe

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2011
Messages
791
Location
Elizabethton, TN
Hi Everybody!
I have been reading the Tennessee threads over the last couple of days, and I decided to register so I could converse with like-minded individuals. I have had my HCP for six years now and have OC'd quite a few times with good results. The majority of my experiences have been in Knoxville and the surrounding communities, but I have also OC'd in MO when visiting family and on annual hunting trips. I just wanted to say "hi" and add my voice to the (apparently) few who carry openly or want to start.

I'm sure more than a few people would appreciate you sharing your knowledge here whenever you get a chance
 

JFUPhoto45

New member
Joined
Jun 10, 2012
Messages
8
Location
Knoxville, TN
I OC'd this evening in Walmart on Walker Springs Rd on the way home from work. I had a customer stop me in the office supply aisle (the 2" metal pinch clips make great cheap target clips) and ask if I worked there. I told him I didn't and he laughed and walked off to find an actual employee. I then made my way to the sporting goods department to grab some .45 and .40 and had a pleasant conversation with the gentleman working the counter. The only people who looked twice at my Glock were the rather disreputable looking men who came up as I was finishing my transaction. They were looking at some airsoft that looked "like the real deal". When they saw the "real deal" on my hip they quickly went on their way. Stopped for gas on the way home and no one noticed or cared I was OCing. Another good outing!
 

Nascar24Glock

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2011
Messages
252
Location
Johnson City, TN
I OC'd this evening in Walmart on Walker Springs Rd on the way home from work. I had a customer stop me in the office supply aisle (the 2" metal pinch clips make great cheap target clips) and ask if I worked there. I told him I didn't and he laughed and walked off to find an actual employee. I then made my way to the sporting goods department to grab some .45 and .40 and had a pleasant conversation with the gentleman working the counter. The only people who looked twice at my Glock were the rather disreputable looking men who came up as I was finishing my transaction. They were looking at some airsoft that looked "like the real deal". When they saw the "real deal" on my hip they quickly went on their way. Stopped for gas on the way home and no one noticed or cared I was OCing. Another good outing!

Sounds like my OC experiences. Most people don't notice; but a few will occasionally notice and give me a "stink eye" look.

By the way, which model of Glock do you carry? Mine's the G27, 4gen, .40 cal.
 

JFUPhoto45

New member
Joined
Jun 10, 2012
Messages
8
Location
Knoxville, TN
Sounds like my OC experiences. Most people don't notice; but a few will occasionally notice and give me a "stink eye" look.

By the way, which model of Glock do you carry? Mine's the G27, 4gen, .40 cal.

My EDC is a Gen 4 G23 in .40, but I also own and sometimes carry a Gen 3 G27 in .40. Both are solid weapons and I have never had an issue with either. When I'm feeling particularly bold I strap on my Kimber Custom II in .45 and watch people's eyes bug out. I'm not a particularly big guy, so I am NOTICABLY strapped when I have that on :)
 

JFUPhoto45

New member
Joined
Jun 10, 2012
Messages
8
Location
Knoxville, TN
OC'd today at Walmart on Clinton Hwy, at noon in the grocery section. Self check out, with a manager on my strong side for a solid five minutes as I scanned my items. Not a peep out of anyone. Stopped at the Bread Box on Middlebrook and went in to get a drink, again with no mention of my carrying. Another good day.
 

SovereignAxe

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2011
Messages
791
Location
Elizabethton, TN
OCed to Plaza Liquor (nexto to Libation Station) on N Roan, Wal-Mart on N Roan, and Crazy Tomato to pick up a pizza. FYI, I've pretty much decided that Crazy Tomato has the best pizza in town. Followed closely by Scratch Brick Oven and Johnny Brusco's.

Anyway, I had my first encounter with someone asking about my the gun at Wal-Mart. I was in the customer service line over some quarters the vending machine stole from me. I wouldn't have bothered but my fiancee was having woman problems and was dehydrated on a hot Tennessee day. So anyway, I'm in line and a woman gets in line behind me. After a minute or two she asked what kind of gun it was and I told her "a Walther" thinking she may not be familiar, but if she was she might ask the model. She then said "what's that" and just told her "it's a German gun."

She then asked me if it was legal to carry it around like that and I said yes, the state doesn't describe any particular way to carry and that I find openly the most comfortable. She said she lives in Erwin and that that wouldn't go over so well over there. I laughed and commented that Erwin is a very different place. I didn't say it, but I accepted that challenge, so now I need to make it over to Erwin to OC :banana:

I eventually found out from her that she was from Florida, so that may have something to do with her unfamiliarity with OC.
 

Nascar24Glock

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2011
Messages
252
Location
Johnson City, TN
I eventually found out from her that she was from Florida, so that may have something to do with her unfamiliarity with OC.

I'd say that had a lot to do with it, plus the fact that she chose to visit a state where OC is legal but has no legal advantage over CC in that both require a permit (unlike 5 out of 8 of our neighboring states :banghead:).

Anyway, yesterday, I OC'ed while eating lunch in the Chick-fil-A on East Stone Drive. No issues to report. I even had an auxillary police officer come in and stand in the ordering line about 10 feet away from me. Either he didn't notice or didn't care.
 

JFUPhoto45

New member
Joined
Jun 10, 2012
Messages
8
Location
Knoxville, TN
Well, today was the first time I have been mistaken for a LEO while carrying. When I came out of work this evening, my battery was completely dead. I called my girlfriend to come help me jump start my Jeep, then headed to Walmart to buy a new battery (it was time anyway, mine was almost five years old). When I get to the check out, the guy ringing me up asks if the battery is for a Crown Vic, to which I reply in the negative. I tell him it's for a Jeep and there is a slight puzzled expression on his face. He then asks if I work for the KPD and I say nope, have a nice day. I walked out and he was still scratching his head :)
 

Nascar24Glock

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2011
Messages
252
Location
Johnson City, TN
She then asked me if it was legal to carry it around like that and I said yes, the state doesn't describe any particular way to carry and that I find openly the most comfortable. She said she lives in Erwin and that that wouldn't go over so well over there. I laughed and commented that Erwin is a very different place. I didn't say it, but I accepted that challenge, so now I need to make it over to Erwin to OC :banana:

Hmmmmm, sounds like she told you this

IRWIN TN OC 2.jpg

Well, I say

IRWIN TN OC 1.jpg

Sorry, couldn't resist :lol:
 
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Grapeshot

Legendary Warrior
Joined
May 21, 2006
Messages
35,317
Location
Valhalla
Oops, I guess I assumed it had the same spelling as Irwin Tools Co. Well, you know what they say when you assume :lol:

That is exactly way I show decided preference to the word "presume" - it get's the same mileage without smoking up the exhaust. :p
 

JFUPhoto45

New member
Joined
Jun 10, 2012
Messages
8
Location
Knoxville, TN
OC'd to Old Fashioned Upholstery on Central, Holston Hills Country Club, and Panera Bread on North Peters Rd on Tuesday. OC'd to Walmart on Walker Springs today. No issues to report.
 

SovereignAxe

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2011
Messages
791
Location
Elizabethton, TN
Yesterday OCed to Amigo's on People's St. I sat strong side out at our booth and I may have seen someone across the dining room checking it out, but I couldn't say for sure. Other than that, nothing.

Today I OCed to my parents' house where I finally got to shoot my recently acquired Mosin-Nagant 91/30. When I showed it to my dad he got that look that told me he wanted to shoot it too, so that's where I went. That was SO MUCH FUN. The recoil wasn't anywhere near as bad as I'd been told, and shooting at 2 liters filled with water at about 50 yards it seemed accurate enough. 10 rounds of steel cored bullets got that barrel BLAZING hot though.
 

SovereignAxe

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2011
Messages
791
Location
Elizabethton, TN
Recently I've OCed to Wal-Mart, Which Which, Petsmart and Plaza Liquor with no issue.

I talked to my brother who's started open carrying and he's said he gets people striking up conversation all the time. I don't know what I'm doing wrong (or right lol).
 
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