I've open carried the past two days......

[ESD]

.....without incident. I am CPL,CHL,CCW,or whatever you want to call it? But I have been throwing around the idea of open carrying more here in Ohio with the recent changes in our vehicle and restaurant carry laws.

I took the wife to a town within 15 miles of our house for dinner. The restaurant was non-alcoholic. A mom-n-pop type place. I dressed casual, and carried openly on my hip, with my retention holster. Ordered, ate, and left without incident.

So, I stepped it up a notch this evening. We went to Walmart and picked up some ship-to-store items my wife bought for Christmas gifts. Walked casually all over the store. No dirty looks, no one seemed to notice, or give off that they had noticed a gun in a holster, on my hip?

From there, we picked up a few groceries at a Kroger's Food Store. Again, no incidents, and we had a few interactions with other customers and store employees, and not a word was mentioned about me carrying a firearm out in the open.

Something that I did notice about myself while carrying openly on my hip....I tend to keep a certain amount of distance between myself and others? I think it's that idea of someone trying to unarm me, that makes my awareness crank up a notch? It's not really a feeling of paranoia, but rather just a heightened awareness.

I actually felt alot more comfortable carrying like this, vs. trying to conceal a firearm all the time. Maybe it's because I'm kind of heavy, and those IWB holsters just aren't comfortable for me, or that I don't feel like fighting with my clothing to get to my firearm? Probably a bit of both? But I will continue to carry openly, and see how long it takes before I have my first LE encounter. I'll give an update when I do, and give a report on how that goes.

[ti02]

I'm in tacoma wa. WA os an open carry state and I tried it quite a few times. I definitely agree that OC is a lot more comfortable. I much prefer a paddle SERPA to any IWB. My only issues are: don't want my hand to brush the gun when i walk for fear of some hippy calling the cops saying I'm brandishing... don't like my gun behind me.... crossdraw is the only viable option that is comfortable, kesps my gun out of my hands way when I'm walking and in front of me. Crossdraw also allows for acces when sitting down. OC is a lot better tban concealing from the carriers point of view. I CC now because I got tired of standing in line with my wife and 2yo son at walmart hearing people around me saying things like "omg does he have a gun?" "Is he allowed to do that?" "Do you think he's a cop?" "Should we let someone know he has a gun?" Sad thing is that's the only place anyone seemed to care... starbucks totally ok. Subway no problem. Any fast food joint home depot lowes radio shack and all the restaurants we webt to still no problem. Walmart seemed to be the place where I guess It was most boticeable or maybe the patrons are just scared of guns. The comment that got under my kin the most was hearing ""look at that a*hole."

I still have my catch all line ready if someone confronts me with any question of why I carry. Simply: "Its the American way."

After hearing a comment every time I went out the last 3 times I started to cc to avoid the comments. Maybe now that I have an XD9SC I could OC again. My USP Tactical .45 (and vortex muzzle break) might have just been intimidating. Then again how intimidating could i possibly be when I'm holding my sons diaper bag and baby blue blanket? Or pushing his stroller... or carrying him on my shoulders... or making rediculous faces at him to make him laugh (to give an idea of what I was doing while others made comments.)

Is there anything that can be done to people "brandishing" their mouth?

[Tucker's Mom]

Is there anything that can be done to people "brandishing" their mouth?

Leather needle and thread?

[Keykutter]

I CC now because I got tired of standing in line with my wife and 2yo son at walmart hearing people around me saying things like "omg does he have a gun?" "Is he allowed to do that?" "Do you think he's a cop?" "Should we let someone know he has a gun?" Sad thing is that's the only place anyone seemed to care... starbucks totally ok. Subway no problem. Any fast food joint home depot lowes radio shack and all the restaurants we webt to still no problem. Walmart seemed to be the place where I guess It was most boticeable or maybe the patrons are just scared of guns. The comment that got under my kin the most was hearing ""look at that a*hole."

I still have my catch all line ready if someone confronts me with any question of why I carry. Simply: "Its the American way."

You should just do what Navy does and show them your CW badge and your latest reciept from Holiday Inn Express. :):):) Be pro active. :):)

KK

[Rich_S]

You should just do what Navy does and show them your CW badge and your latest reciept from Holiday Inn Express. :):):) Be pro active. :):)

KK

^^ LMAO

At any rate it's certainly interesting to see the differences in open carry culture from around the country. Here it's perfectly legal to OC but you wouldn't last five minutes before a SWAT team had you on the ground. Case in point: Burlington Mall evacuated after umbrella mistaken for gun

[Chief1297]

Leather needle and thread?

Heavy duty stapler is faster...jus sayin

[Chief1297]

I hear by open carrying, you will be targeted first and/or have your gun taken off of you...just so you know. As far as the assXXX comment, I would have had to ask them to repeat what they said. Most of the time they will say "nothing". You want to act like a moron, i will call you on it. Other comments I would usually let slide or use it to start a conversation as I am normally a friendly guy.

[NavyLCDR]

I hear by open carrying, you will be targeted first and/or have your gun taken off of you...just so you know.

They probably just have extremely lazy criminals where they live. They must be lazy where I live, too. Believe it or not, to some criminals it is just too much bother to hassle the guy with the gun. It's so much easier for them to hassle the remaining 99.5% of those that don't appear to be carrying one. Criminals these days seem to have no work ethic at all - always looking to take the quick and easy way out. I remember when I was a kid the criminals would have to disarm two or three citizens to get what they wanted, and walk 3 miles in the snow in bare feet up hill both ways to do it, too!

Now, those guys that think concealed is the only way to carry a gun. They have ethics. They will gladly seek out the guy they can see carrying the gun and let him know how messed up he is.

[Cotillion]

At least you were smart enough to use a retention holster, thanks!

[mississippi21]

Ive open carried for over a year, Ive yet to have a Leo encounter or been shot, or attacked for my gun.