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First experience open carrying

importinvasion

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2011
Messages
71
Location
greensboro
Well folks, I've owned rifles and shotguns my whole life. After relocating to NC from a very restrictive state, I figured I would apply ASAP and get my PPP. Picked it up today, and purchased my first handgun, a G23. Don't know if this qualifies as an oc experience, but I had to step out of my building into the main area of my living complex to meet a girl that I had never met before. She lost her cat, and I had spotted it, so I was trying to show her the place it had last been seen. Well to my surprise, she was completely unbothered by the fact that I had my glock in a serpa on my right hip. She was definately aware of it, but didn't seem bothered or even scared by it. I gotta admit that I am still a lil shaky about the whole open carry thing, but I think I will slowly get over it. Overall it was a positive experience, even though most gun stores in my neighborhood seem to be dead set against open carry. :confused:Why is that?
 

DocWalker

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 6, 2008
Messages
1,922
Location
Mountain Home, Idaho, USA
Well folks, I've owned rifles and shotguns my whole life. After relocating to NC from a very restrictive state, I figured I would apply ASAP and get my PPP. Picked it up today, and purchased my first handgun, a G23. Don't know if this qualifies as an oc experience, but I had to step out of my building into the main area of my living complex to meet a girl that I had never met before. She lost her cat, and I had spotted it, so I was trying to show her the place it had last been seen. Well to my surprise, she was completely unbothered by the fact that I had my glock in a serpa on my right hip. She was definately aware of it, but didn't seem bothered or even scared by it. I gotta admit that I am still a lil shaky about the whole open carry thing, but I think I will slowly get over it. Overall it was a positive experience, even though most gun stores in my neighborhood seem to be dead set against open carry. :confused:Why is that?

Just glad you didn't offer to help get her cat out of a tree....lol

As for feeling a little wierd; it is because you have been taught only cops are allowed to carry guns. You will soon feel the other way, that if you don't have it you will feel naked. I give you two weeks a month tops of open carry and you won't want to go check your mail without it...lol
 

importinvasion

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2011
Messages
71
Location
greensboro
Thank you, glad to be here. I do have a question, and sorry if it has been posted before. I've been searching and cant seem to get the right answer. I know that carrying on my hip is not considered in plain view once I sit in my vehicle due to the console, seatbelts, etc.. I drive a jeep wrangler, that does not have a trunk, so where would the best place be? People seem to say that the passenger seat is a good place, but what happens if that seat is occupied? Can I put it on the back seat? MY back windows have factory tint, so is that considered "plainview". I'm more than a lil confused with regards to the best way to carry in my Jeep. Anybody that can help? Really appreciate it. :banana:
 

aosailor

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 10, 2009
Messages
228
Location
Hampton, AR
Thank you, glad to be here. I do have a question, and sorry if it has been posted before. I've been searching and cant seem to get the right answer. I know that carrying on my hip is not considered in plain view once I sit in my vehicle due to the console, seatbelts, etc.. I drive a jeep wrangler, that does not have a trunk, so where would the best place be? People seem to say that the passenger seat is a good place, but what happens if that seat is occupied? Can I put it on the back seat? MY back windows have factory tint, so is that considered "plainview". I'm more than a lil confused with regards to the best way to carry in my Jeep. Anybody that can help? Really appreciate it. :banana:

"I know that carrying on my hip is not considered in plain view once I sit in my vehicle due to the console, seatbelts, etc." Says who? I always keep my gun on my hip, never had a problem before. I've yet to hear of anybody being charged for CCW while driving because the console covered the gun. And I've had plenty of experiences talking to cops out of my car window
 

importinvasion

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2011
Messages
71
Location
greensboro
So your saying I can keep on my hip without it being concealed. Then why so many posts about keeping on seat. I'm confused, sorry.
 

dmatting

Regular Member
Joined
May 25, 2011
Messages
445
Location
Durham, NC
So your saying I can keep on my hip without it being concealed. Then why so many posts about keeping on seat. I'm confused, sorry.

I would be cautious with that. If you have your handgun in its holster on your hip, I would say that it would be up to the officer as to whether they think that the gun is concealed or not. Since you have no idea what the officer's views on this will be, I would say you have, at best, a 50-50 chance as to whether that particular officer will agree that it is not concealed. If they think it is concealed, then you lose.

The state does not really help in this matter. All that they say is that if you have a handgun in your vehicle and you do not have a concealed handgun permit, then it better not be concealed. If it is concealed, then the question is about accessibility. If an officer feels that your hip holstered gun is concealed, then it is accessible and you are now on the wrong side of the law.

This is where placing the gun on the seat or on the dash board comes in. I know that some will carry in their holster and if stopped, they will remove it and either put it on the seat or put it on the dash prior to the officer coming up the the car. Others have devised holster retention rigs that keep the gun secured and accessible but also out in the open. Others just keep the gun on the seat (but that is problematic with sudden stops or accidents).

I am not a lawyer so take the above for what it is worth. I would also suggest reading the following from the NC Attorney General (specifically the part on Transporting Weapons on page 20)...

http://www.ncdoj.com/getdoc/32344299-a2a7-4ae5-99fd-9018262f64ac/2007-NC-Firearms-gun-Laws.aspx
 

importinvasion

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2011
Messages
71
Location
greensboro
Well I just had an idea, what if I were to fashion a serpa holster to the dash in my jeep. That way I could unholster my firearm, and reholster it in the dash mounted setup. Would that be a safer, better option?
 

DocWalker

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 6, 2008
Messages
1,922
Location
Mountain Home, Idaho, USA
Well I just had an idea, what if I were to fashion a serpa holster to the dash in my jeep. That way I could unholster my firearm, and reholster it in the dash mounted setup. Would that be a safer, better option?

I think you just came up with a great idea, you should start producing them and selling them. Pistol holsters for your vehicles dash, like scaberds for horses or 4 wheelers this could be the next big thing for people that travel and want their pistol handy. They may be in a state the requires you to have it visiable or they just don't want to have it poking them in the side while traveling.

You could make a million, run with it.
 

dmatting

Regular Member
Joined
May 25, 2011
Messages
445
Location
Durham, NC
Well I just had an idea, what if I were to fashion a serpa holster to the dash in my jeep. That way I could unholster my firearm, and reholster it in the dash mounted setup. Would that be a safer, better option?

You could certainly do that. In fact, you could get the quick release system for the serpa and transfer the holstered handgun from the hip to the mount on the dash. My whole problem with trying to get a holster rig in my truck is doing so without screw holes or the like. If I ever want to sell, I don't want that getting in the way.
 

billv

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2010
Messages
84
Location
Houston now, Asheville soon
I think you just came up with a great idea, you should start producing them and selling them. Pistol holsters for your vehicles dash, like scaberds for horses or 4 wheelers this could be the next big thing for people that travel and want their pistol handy. They may be in a state the requires you to have it visiable or they just don't want to have it poking them in the side while traveling.

You could make a million, run with it.

Blackhawk already beat you to it if you got a Serpa holster - http://www.amazon.com/BLACKHAWK-SERPA-Quick-Disconnect-Female/dp/B002E6P8T6/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1321395356&sr=8-6

You can put one of the female adapters on your dashboard. Check this video on vehicle carry that shows one in action - http://video.personaldefensenetwork.com/video/Carrying-Firearms-in-a-Vehicle;PDN-Original-Videos
 

aosailor

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 10, 2009
Messages
228
Location
Hampton, AR
Can anybody show or knows about a time where a citizen was charged with ccw while OCing on their hip in a car? I've never heard of it happening, Its never happened to me and I've spoken with aprox. 20-25 LEOs through my car window within the past 5 yrs. pretty much I just say "officer I'm OCing a firearm on my hip." Never has a cop even mentioned the possibility that I may be concealing.
 

dmatting

Regular Member
Joined
May 25, 2011
Messages
445
Location
Durham, NC
Can anybody show or knows about a time where a citizen was charged with ccw while OCing on their hip in a car? I've never heard of it happening, Its never happened to me and I've spoken with aprox. 20-25 LEOs through my car window within the past 5 yrs. pretty much I just say "officer I'm OCing a firearm on my hip." Never has a cop even mentioned the possibility that I may be concealing.

I cannot cite any. I may be too conservative on this point and there may be no danger of being considered concealing when you have your handgun holstered on your hip while in your vehicle. The way the laws are written, though, leave me to view it as I do. I would love to have more clarity on this point - perhaps a firm definition of concealing while in a vehicle would be good, but nothing like that exists as far as I know.

If you were out of your vehicle and approached by a LEO - would you feel compelled to announce to them that you are open carrying a firearm on your hip? I would suspect that you would not as the pistol would be visible and notification would not be necessary, nor would it be required. So, since you are OCing while in your vehicle, why do you feel compelled to inform the officer that you are carrying?

I just see this as a very gray area and I see it as being based on the perception of the LEO, which leaves it way too loose and open to wide interpretation.
 
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