Open Carry with Good Reaction

[combatmedicoif]

I have always concealed carry. I really don't believe open carry is better or worse. I think it is all preference. I never wanted to hassle with looks, or cops that weren't well educated on the law or civilians not educated on the law for that matter. But I just got back from Iraq, where everyone had a sidearm on or rifle slung at all times. We had alot of contract civilians who were packing. So when I got back a few weeks ago I decided the heck with it. This is my right that I fight for. So I started of like everyone and went to Walmart. I just got my new Springfield XD 40 Subcompact. As I was walking around I told my friend who was with me "Noone is even looking at it. I guess I was worried for nothing" Well 5 minutes later a younger gentleman is following me around for several aisles and finally approaches me asking if I am an off duty cop. I tell him "No, Washington is open carry. He does a fist pump and thanks me for my time and left pretty happy. I was approached several minutes later by an older gentleman asking the same thing, "Was I a cop". My answer was the same and he said he didn't know Washington was open carry. He thanked me for packing and that he felt much safer knowing good people were armed. So there it is. I may still conceal, but I will also open carry alot more. Just my two cents.

[Cotillion]

I prefer open carry now simply because its more comfortable. A gun tends to fit better outside of your pants and its not cheap buying bigger waist clothes to fit a holster

[ryan]

1st of all, thanks for serving our Country. Second, thanks for helping educate. I am not from one of the many states where open carry is allowed, but I do educate as much as possible when the chance does arise.

[golddigger14s]

Thank you for serving. Yes here in WA I've been OC'ing for over two years with no issue. For you, and anyone else in WA we are having a New Years day get together shoot at the "Pit" in Capitol Forest. All size weapons from .22 to .50 cal welcome. You can go to waguns.org other events for info.
SFC retired (21 years).

[Cotillion]

Here's my take on open carry now that I started carrying OC exclusively. People that get hassled for OC are most likely drawing attention to themselves somehow. They walk around with rifles or other attention grabbing gimmicks then cry to YouTube when the cops show up to do their jobs. I'm 29, I got the "Seattle look", and I open carry. I have nothing but good reactions from all different walks of life so far. I love it. Now I don't have to compromise caliber size for comfort

[NavyLCDR]

People that get hassled for OC are most likely drawing attention to themselves somehow. They walk around with rifles or other attention grabbing gimmicks then cry to YouTube when the cops show up to do their jobs.

Many times, however, the cops go beyond doing their jobs. Some people, even on this very forum, will claim that the mere act of openly carrying a handgun in a holster on the belt is "most likely drawing attention to themselves somehow. They walk around with their guns showing or other attention grabbing gimmicks then cry to YouTube when the cops show up to do their jobs."

[Cotillion]

People that get hassled for OC are most likely drawing attention to themselves somehow. They walk around with rifles or other attention grabbing gimmicks then cry to YouTube when the cops show up to do their jobs.

Many times, however, the cops go beyond doing their jobs. Some people, even on this very forum, will claim that the mere act of openly carrying a handgun in a holster on the belt is "most likely drawing attention to themselves somehow. They walk around with their guns showing or other attention grabbing gimmicks then cry to YouTube when the cops show up to do their jobs."

I can agree with that. I also think location has a lot to do with it. My response stemmed from a few idiots in my town who draw to much negative attention to OC, when in reality southern Oregon is very gun friendly but if they keep shoving it down these peoples throats it will end up like Portland.

I can imagine cops in larger cities and areas ignoring the laws. Like I said I bet it mostly comes down to location. I OC because its ok to do here but I think if it was a hassle I'd cover it up, legal or not. It's just not worth the argument to me.

[NavyLCDR]

I OC because its ok to do here but I think if it was a hassle I'd cover it up, legal or not. It's just not worth the argument to me.

Is this the America we want to live in? We will alter our desired legal behavior so that we won't be hassled by law enforcement? Most likely, illegally hassled in violation of the 4th Amendment?

[SouthernBoy]

Here is something I posted on another website which is relevant to this discussion. Thought you folks might enjoy reading it.

==============================================

Well in 16 1/2 years of carrying on a regular basis, with the past 4 1/2 years being overwhelmingly open carry, I had a first-time experience around 11:45 this morning.

I was in Wegman's just west of Gainesville on route 29, looking for something I couldn't find in some other stores. As I was paying at a register, a man in a uniform walked up to me and said, "Excuse me sir. We received a call about a suspicious person with a gun." I was both shocked and thought he was kidding (I had not determined initially that he was a county officer). I patted him with my open left hand on his upper arm and said, "You're kidding", then saw the county patch on his jacket.

The whole time he was smiling so I did think he was kidding and maybe knew me. He then asked if I normally open carried to which I responded that I do both but mostly open carry because I have osteoarthritis in both knees. Then we (he, myself, and the cashier (an older man) joked about showing ID's for beer purchases (I was buying some wine along with something else). He asked where I lived (not an address, just a general area) and I told him, we bid each other good day and Merry Christmas, and he left. He never asked for an ID, was as pleasant as can be, smiled the entire time, and for some reason I got the very distinct impression that he didn't really want to approach me but felt he'd do the minimum just so he could report back. And the minimum was all he did.

I guess I'm not totally surprised knowing what kind of people frequent Wegman's. There seems to be a higher percentage of folks from out of state; Maryland, New York, and New Jersey seem to be the most common out-of-staters (I take notice of license plates when I go there). Plus the demographics of their customers are more to the left I would wager. And the place was packed this morning.

But this was a first for me. I would have loved to have know if the person making the report was an out-of-stater or someone not native to Virginia.


(a forum member asked) "As big as Wegmans is, how'd he know it was you they called about? What were you doing - or reported as doing - that was suspicious?"

(my response) Don't have a clue. I was wearing a grey light jacket and jeans. I was wandering the store looking for something and the place was packed. Knowing the kind and type of people who patronize Wegman's makes me believe it was likely an out-of-stater or someone who moved here from someplace else. Of course, I don't know this to be fact.

It was pretty clear to me that the officer would much rather not have approached me. My guess is when he saw me he probably thought, "Yeah, real suspicious. Ok, I'm going to get this over quickly". It was almost as though he was embarrassed for having approached me. The time spent mentioning my sidearm was less than a minute at best with perhaps not more than three or four sentences. Then the three of us kidding a little bit and I went on my way. The officer thanked me for speaking with him (I got the impression that he knew I didn't have to do that). Really, I do think he thought it was pretty petty and ridiculous to approach me once he saw me.


The pat on the arm was the sort of thing one might do if an old friend came up to you unexpectedly and you, turning to see him, patted his arm as a friendly gesture. That is what I did. Also, I don't know if the officer had observed me prior to my reaching the checkout counter but if he did, he waited until then. I was in the wine section and there was no one else in line at either of the counters, so I suspect the officer probably felt this would be the least embarrassing point to approach me. The only other person around was the older checkout man. To a casual observer, it would have appeared that the three of us were having a pleasant conversation with a bit of humor thrown in.

I really did get the impression that the officer did not want to bother me or probably not even approach me. The mention of the call and my sidearm took perhaps three or four sentences at best and less than a minute and then the conversation was off to something else.

The officer left before I had completed my purchase, perhaps by about 15 to 30 seconds. When I was leaving I noticed him talking to a citizen and it later occurred to me that maybe that was the person who called in the complaint. Don't know that for a fact.

[NavyLCDR]

"Excuse me sir. We received a call about a suspicious person with a gun."

Well, sir, if I see a suspicious person with a gun, I'll be sure to call you immediately! :-)