Rack-N-Roll
New member
Apologies ahead of time for a long post
Been a long time resident of Texas, Army type, only recently pulled the trigger on ETS and took up the parents on an offer of a free roof overhead while I get back on my feet and get a job sorted out around Denver. Texas being not exactly open-carry friendly, I've been used to a '03 Dodge Ram being my holster of choice up 'till this point.
Well, having moved to Colorado and it being my new home for the forseeable future, I decided it was high time that I started the process to get my concealed carry permit. Living in Killeen for as long as I had, I was constantly cursing myself for not having a CHL in that ghetto, I wasn't about to put it off anymore. As soon as a job was secured, CHL was priority one.
Then I got an idea, "wonder if this state is any different from Texas for open carry?" I recalled running into OC.org a long time ago when I did my original research of Texas OC laws, so I hit it back up. A look at the map shows CO in the orange, OC Friendly, but with stipulations? Glance at the verbage of the law, that's Greek to me, so I bounce over to this section of the forums and do some reading and research.
Good to go except Denver and Federal buildings, sounds fair enough, I needed to get some shopping done for a computer desk today, so I decided to give it a go.
STI Spartan .45 strapped firmly into some Galco gunleather, I tucked a spare into my back pocket and hopped into the truck with the girl. I reckon she's calmer than I am about this point!
Pulled up to the local Thornton Super Target, hopped out and went inside, nobody around the front door to hassle me, we beelined for the back of the store to assess their meager selection of computer desks. No bueno. Headed back the way we came and stopped off in the clock section to get some ideas for home decor, I banter with one of the employees there, caught a glimpse at my piece from her but otherwise she acted normally. I relax a bit as we make our way back up front.
Come out of the isle back onto the main cash register line, another employee glances my way from a few isles down and speaks rather urgently into a radio, I'm pretty sure I'm about to get thrown out, but we stop off at the Starbucks up front, order our coffees, and saunter outside without further issue. Sidearm is weighing my belt down quite a bit and causing it to dig into my left hip, but "it's supposed to be comforting, not comfortable." We hop in the truck and head across the parking lot to Staples.
Stroll through the door to Staples and don't get a second glance, about 30 minutes of shopping nets us a desk and desired chairs, I have to flag down an employee to get another box from the back, no sweat, I get help from two employees and the cashier and not a second glance at my obviously armed person all around, goods get loaded up in the Dodge and the employee helping me is more concerned about me cutting my hands on the straps around the box than he is my weapon, thanked him for his kindness, closed up and went home without an issue. I'll call that a positive experience for my first time OCing. Now I just need to get my hands on a more comfortable holster as well as mag carrier.
Anyway, thanks for a great resource of information and anecdotal evidence to support this awesome habit.
Been a long time resident of Texas, Army type, only recently pulled the trigger on ETS and took up the parents on an offer of a free roof overhead while I get back on my feet and get a job sorted out around Denver. Texas being not exactly open-carry friendly, I've been used to a '03 Dodge Ram being my holster of choice up 'till this point.
Well, having moved to Colorado and it being my new home for the forseeable future, I decided it was high time that I started the process to get my concealed carry permit. Living in Killeen for as long as I had, I was constantly cursing myself for not having a CHL in that ghetto, I wasn't about to put it off anymore. As soon as a job was secured, CHL was priority one.
Then I got an idea, "wonder if this state is any different from Texas for open carry?" I recalled running into OC.org a long time ago when I did my original research of Texas OC laws, so I hit it back up. A look at the map shows CO in the orange, OC Friendly, but with stipulations? Glance at the verbage of the law, that's Greek to me, so I bounce over to this section of the forums and do some reading and research.
Good to go except Denver and Federal buildings, sounds fair enough, I needed to get some shopping done for a computer desk today, so I decided to give it a go.
STI Spartan .45 strapped firmly into some Galco gunleather, I tucked a spare into my back pocket and hopped into the truck with the girl. I reckon she's calmer than I am about this point!
Pulled up to the local Thornton Super Target, hopped out and went inside, nobody around the front door to hassle me, we beelined for the back of the store to assess their meager selection of computer desks. No bueno. Headed back the way we came and stopped off in the clock section to get some ideas for home decor, I banter with one of the employees there, caught a glimpse at my piece from her but otherwise she acted normally. I relax a bit as we make our way back up front.
Come out of the isle back onto the main cash register line, another employee glances my way from a few isles down and speaks rather urgently into a radio, I'm pretty sure I'm about to get thrown out, but we stop off at the Starbucks up front, order our coffees, and saunter outside without further issue. Sidearm is weighing my belt down quite a bit and causing it to dig into my left hip, but "it's supposed to be comforting, not comfortable." We hop in the truck and head across the parking lot to Staples.
Stroll through the door to Staples and don't get a second glance, about 30 minutes of shopping nets us a desk and desired chairs, I have to flag down an employee to get another box from the back, no sweat, I get help from two employees and the cashier and not a second glance at my obviously armed person all around, goods get loaded up in the Dodge and the employee helping me is more concerned about me cutting my hands on the straps around the box than he is my weapon, thanked him for his kindness, closed up and went home without an issue. I'll call that a positive experience for my first time OCing. Now I just need to get my hands on a more comfortable holster as well as mag carrier.
Anyway, thanks for a great resource of information and anecdotal evidence to support this awesome habit.