The pitfalls of open carry

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Coinneach

Staff Alumnus
Last Saturday (yeah, I'm a lazy sod), I took a break from working at the gun shop and strolled over to the Dunkin across the street. I was carrying my Springfield V10 in a nice Galco forward-cant high-ride belt holster on my right side, and a mag pouch on the left. My clothing consisted of a grey polo shirt, khakis, and loafers.

I opened the door and entered the blessed coolness of Donut Valhalla. As I approached the counter, I took stock of those present:

1 (one) little old lady at the near end of the counter, in total Condition White,
1 (one) little old man with the bushiest beard in existence, sitting two seats down,
1 (one) youngish man with long stringy hair, a beat-to-hell face and BDU jacket, and the requisite streetwise smirk,
1 (one) Asian woman behind the counter.

I noted the youngish man as a potential threat and opened my mouth to ask for a LARGE Coke.

"Are you with the Eff Bee Eye?" quavered on the air to my right. I turned to see the little old man staring at me in abject terror.

I looked him in the eye and said "What in THE hell makes you think I'm a Federal employee of any flavor?"

He looked at the gun.

I :rolleyes:ed at him and said, "No." Firmly.

Then the hoodlum(?) spoke up.

"Man, that's a peashooter!" he said, grinning insanely. Yes, I've seen insane grins; they're hard to mistake.

"A peashooter?" I responded, calmly. "It's a .45. You call that a peashooter?"

"Yeah," he sniggered. "I like the .357 Magnum. .45 sucks."

:rolleyes: redux. I dismissed him and turned once again to the lady behind the counter.

"I no like gun. They scare me."

(blink)

"Ma'am, if a robber walked in here right now, would you be more afraid of his gun, or mine?"

"Well..."

"Yeah, that's what I thought. Large Coke, please."

She hustled to do it, I paid, collected my change, glanced around at my questioners, and left. I don't think I'll be going back to that store, at least without my fellow instructors carrying open as well.

Life among the sheep.
 
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Futo Inu

New member
Coin, you rock. You know, whenever I see someone out & about open carrying who does NOT look like public LEO (bounty hunter, private eye, etc.), the ONLY thing that concerns me is retention. Unlike public LEOS, some of these yahoos carry openly with a non-retention-system concealment type holster. What worries me is some thug or psycho walking up behind them, pulling the gun out, and shooting up the place. In fact, I tell a friend of mine who works as an armed security guard (who is a former public PD LEO, mind you, so he should know better) that he's out of his cotton-pickin' mind to work his nightclub gigs with his Glock 21 in one of those Glock sport-combat holster (no retention strap), AND (get this) a .380 just dropped into his back jeans pocket - no holster or anything. If you open carry, PLEASE use a retention holster ('less you're big and mean enough looking to deter any grab attempts, like Coin. ;) )
 
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Oleg Volk

Staff Alumnus
Some fine day I will move to a place with open carry. Glock 17, 21 or SW686+ openly, a .38 2" or P11 concealed. Not that I'd need that on a daily basis, but I am sure my mood would improve...and I get to start conversations.
 
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USP45

New member
[Hoodlum] -- "Man, that's a peashooter."

"Yeah, and you look like a pea."

:D



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~USP

"[Even if there would be] few tears shed if and when the Second Amendment is held to guarantee nothing more than the state National Guard, this would simply show that the Founders were right when they feared that some future generation might wish to abandon liberties that they considered essential, and so sought to protect those liberties in a Bill of Rights. We may tolerate the abridgement of property rights and the elimination of a right to bear arms; but we should not pretend that these are not reductions of rights." -- Justice Scalia 1998
 
C

Coinneach

Staff Alumnus
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by USP45:
[Hoodlum] -- "Man, that's a peashooter."

"Yeah, and you look like a pea."
[/quote]

BWAHAHAHAHA!!! :D :D :D
 
H

Hueco

New member
...perhaps because of his brain-size he had the word "pea" already cued up.

WTG man! Guns always tend to be good conversation starters, don't they? :D


Hueco
 
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Miss Demeanors

New member
Reading this story I could visualize the entire thing :D I picture saloon swing doors, the guy with a piece of straw in his mouth, and the Asain lady with feathers in her hair. (Some imagination eh?)

At least you get to carry out there, if I had done that here in Chicago, everyone would drop to the floor and the police would be there in minutes. "Yep that little 5'5 lady is going to kill us all we are doomed!" LOL Either that or the sheeple yelling "Down with the NRA" :rolleyes:

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Sandys' Homepage
RKBA forums
We are as one as we all are the same fighting for one cause -Metallica
 
R

RWK

New member
Coin and others,

Maybe you can explain something to me concerning lawful "open carry"?

I normally CCW (legally), although Virginia has an open carry law (roughly, a handgun can be carried unconcealed in most locations and situations) on the books. In several prior TFL threads, however, I have been advised to be certain my concealment is effective, because the local police have arrested "open carriers" for non-weapons offenses such as disturbing the peace.

Therefore, my question is simple: If one carries openly in accordance with the local and state statutes and other citizens are upset by this, can the individually be successfully prosecuted for disturbing the peace or other "good order and discipline" offenses?

Thanks.

[This message has been edited by RWK (edited July 07, 2000).]
 
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Dennis Olson

New member
...if I had done that here in Chicago, everyone would drop to the floor and the police would be there in minutes.

Yes Miss D, and if you'd been a BG, YOUR work would've been done in about 30 seconds. So that would leave (roughly) 3:30 for your getaway, after killing everyone in the place and stealing the cash.

KY, where I'm on assignment right now, is an open carry state. You are leagally able to carry a LOADED handgun everywhere except gov't buildings and bars. I talked to the county sheriff's office about it, and about their CCW licensing. We shot the breeze for a few minutes, and asked him about reciprocity between northern KY (where I am), and Ohio, just across the river. His response: "Oh God no, WE don't even go over there!"

Nuf said about Ohio.
 
C

Coinneach

Staff Alumnus
Like Erik said, it depends (ah, the eternal phrase of the Gun Culture).

Colorado Springs is very gun-friendly. Open carriers are rarely hassled, and when I've had to deal with cops, they've always been apologetic. Sorta like "Hey, nice pistol! Um, some do-gooder called us and said there was a skinhead-looking guy with a gun. Just so you know." "OK, thanks," and I go about my business.

Open carry is specifically mentioned in the county ordinance (positively). Oleg and Sandy, if you two ever make it out here, you'll see stuff you won't believe. No FOIDs, gun shops with Evil! Assault! Weapons! on the shelf*, no waiting periods as long as NICS/CBI is up. And one of the lowest violent crime rates in the country.

*My shop has, for example, an HK91, a Springfield SAR8, a Century L1A1, a Norinco M1A, a pre-ban SKS with all the toys, a couple of ARs, and a Thompson that I've been drooooooling over. :)
 
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hube1236

New member
Coin,

If you are a 'springster, and work in a gun shop, which one, maybe I need to start buying and lusting after guns in your neck of the woods. BTW, Greetings from Pikes Peak and Nevada.

[This message has been edited by hube1236 (edited July 06, 2000).]
 
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Steve Smith

New member
OK, Coinneach, you're telling me that I've known you for over a year, we both instruct at the same place (a gun shop right across the street from a Dunkin' Donuts) and I DON"T KNOW YOU??!!!! What a riot!!! Betcha can't tell who I am! (Of course, I don't know you either. I'm gonna check out your posts and see if I can figure it out. BTW, I've carried in there openly as well, but I had a few other instructore along...I just got looks.

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Frontsight!
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Why is everybody all boud up about the AK-47? YEAH, I GOT ONE, WHAT'S IT TO YA?!
 
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hube1236

New member
Okay,

Both of you Frontsight and Coineach, where are you guys loc'ed? I shoot at Rampart and Dragonman's. I work DT. Are you guys interested in shooting with a novice with only ONE gun
 
C

Coinneach

Staff Alumnus
Frontsight... ssmith... um... hrmm...

OK, I give. I know you're not Big Dave, Amy, J, Doug, Rex, Pat, Marvin, or Paul. 'fess up!

Hube, I wouldn't go to Rampart on a dare. Not even a triple-dog-dare. And Dragonman is on my Sierra List. I shoot at Cactus Flats in Penrose. You can find me there most Sundays.
 
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Steve Smith

New member
Are you working at the store now? If so, I know exactly who you are. I'm the FNG around the instructor's realm...am I helping? I thought you always carried a snubbie blued and ported Taurus... YOU'RE not Paul, Sue, Brenda (not with you weighing 200# and 5'10"), Big Dave, or Marvin, but YOU might be Pat, if he weighs that much. Especially if you're a computer geek. Here's another hint, I'm about 5'7 and 175#...with a beard.

Hube, I wouldn't go to Rampart or Dragon either...I take that back. I go to Rampart every once in a while to pick up brass...but not to shoot. I mainly shoot at Izaak Walton's
 
C

Coinneach

Staff Alumnus
I'm not at Paradise right this minute, no. Sue took the 'puter home, so no net.access.

I sometimes carry a Taurus Ti, but more normally it's a Springfield. Pat is about 30 years older and 70 pounds lighter than me. I'm the guy with the shiny head, dark beard, and meanass scowl, usually behind the counter waxing rhapsodic on the Browning 10-gauge and SIG rifles... and steering people away from the Jennings down in the bottom of the pistol case. ;)

5-7, 175, beard... I'm lost. He'p me out here.
 
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riddleofsteel

New member
here in the south (N.C.) we have always had open carry. there is no law preventing you from walking in any public place (except government offices or schools) with an exposed gun. no permit required. but thanks to the Klan activities of the late 1800's/early 1900's we do have a law that restricts carrying a firearm in "terror" of the public. so as long as no one complains it will probably be OK. however if the sheep bleat to loudly you may be asked to leave or be escorted out and away from the area. thank God for CCW.

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Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what is for lunch.
Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the outcome of the vote.
Let he that hath no sword sell his garment and buy one. Luke 22-36
They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night. Song of Solomon 3-8
The man that can keep his head and aims carefully when the situation has gone bad and lead is flying usually wins the fight.
 
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Steve Smith

New member
AAAAGH! You're a moderator, you're supposed to close a thread when it goes haywire like this. Anyway, I have no idea who you are. You don't have an extremely heavy interest in black powder, do you? Do you actually work at Paradise? I know we all wind up behind the counter from time to time. Pat's 30 years older than you, huh? That would make you 30-35 or so...I'm just a tad younger than that, you're bald at thirty, huh? That certainly doesn't ring any bells, unless you think that Pat is as old as dirt! Dangit!


Hube, sure, as long as I get to shoot my AK! I have really gotten to like it.

[This message has been edited by Frontsight! (edited July 06, 2000).]
 
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