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Open Carry experience thread.

azcdlfred

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2006
Messages
901
Location
Tucson, Arizona, USA
Thanks AZCDL ...I suspect my brothers and sisters there had something to do with my library's sudden compliance with the law. :D
We'll take full credit :dude:

However, in reality, but there was no direct action on AzCDL's part that got your local library to comply. We're wearing them down with preemption law but some cities still ignore the law.

And most of those pinch-faced librarian types, who have no problem with vagrants masturbating in the children's section of the library while watching kiddie porn on the Internet, believe that guns are Eeeeevvvviilll.

Fred
 

MAC702

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jul 31, 2011
Messages
6,331
Location
Nevada
Took the old man into Kingman today. We both openly carried 1911 sidearms to Napa Auto Parts and In-N-Out Burger. Didn't even get the stares from any Californians at the burger joint. Open carry is boring in Arizona, as it should be.
 

Rusty Young Man

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2013
Messages
1,548
Location
Árida Zona
OCed a bit around the eastern side of Tucson and about a kilometer (trying to make the metric system a "thing" now) from the UA campus this weekend. No issues, just one or two stares (kids seem to notice the most, as other people have pointed out).
Just wish I didn't have to deal with being sick (recovering, but still crumby).
All's good, all's great.
 
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FreeInAZ

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 15, 2012
Messages
2,508
Location
Secret Bunker
OCed a bit around the eastern side of Tucson and about a kilometer (trying to make the metric system a "thing" now) from the UA campus this weekend. No issues, just one or two stares (kids seem to notice the most, as other people have pointed out).
Just wish I didn't have to deal with being sick (recovering, but still crumby).
All's good, all's great.

Be well young defender of freedom. :thumbup:

I have OCed around lately and noticed more stares....however, I think their looking at the leg brace & cane vs.the 45... :(

FYI - Rusty...don't get old...it's all down hill after 30, health wise that is (or at least for me). :what:
 

Rusty Young Man

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2013
Messages
1,548
Location
Árida Zona
Be well young defender of freedom. :thumbup:

I have OCed around lately and noticed more stares....however, I think their looking at the leg brace & cane vs.the 45... :(

FYI - Rusty...don't get old...it's all down hill after 30, health wise that is (or at least for me). :what:

Thanks for the pick-me-up!:)

Sorry to hear about your leg.:( Hope you get better soon. I'd suggest some R&R, but you might take that to mean going to the range, and we don't want you prolonging your recovery time.;)
 

FreeInAZ

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 15, 2012
Messages
2,508
Location
Secret Bunker
Saw a unicorn today! Was much farther south into phoenix than I usually get with the family shopping. Stopped at dollar tree to pick up some odds and ends. Low & behold what do I see- another OCer...(not that big of a deal - I know). However, I strike up a brief conversation, turns out this young man & his lady friend were visiting from..TEXAS! So he went out of his way to OC. What is a right here in AZ is a criminal offense in TX.

All was well as always & OC caused no panic of any of the near by lawful citizens. Just as it should be. :D
 
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Bucko

New member
Joined
Jan 20, 2014
Messages
36
Location
Tucson
Had to share

As I often do, I stop for a bagel at least 2 or 3 times a week at Einstein Bagels in the morning before work. As I always do, I open carry my double gun shoulder rig on the way to work. The young lady behind the counter, as she took my money, remarked to me, "I feel safer with you around". I said "Thank You".

Rule No 1: Always Carry, Openly.
 

Javelina

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 13, 2014
Messages
125
Location
East Valley
OC'ed for the first time Monday

Hey whats going on everyone, first just wanted to say thank you all for your stories. I came across this website looking for other stories and hoping to see where exactly I could carry as I am in the Phoenix area. Anyways my first open carry was this last Monday when I met with a buddy of mine at the Starbucks on 43rd Ave and Thunderbird about 7pm. No problems at all which was good, I didn't feel like anyone was staring or anything. There was one LEO who stopped to use the restroom and got some coffee before he took off. Also there was another OC'er who came in to get his coffee and left. The only person that I felt was looking at me was the 2nd person I saw OC, I kept noticing him staring at me like he was curious and didn't mind talking to him he was just across the store and never approached. I like OC I just need to get use to having it on my when I am driving since I have it on my right side.
 

MAC702

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jul 31, 2011
Messages
6,331
Location
Nevada
Welcome Javelina! I don't often make it to the central part of the state, but it's good to know you and others are keeping it up in the metro areas!
 

FreeInAZ

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 15, 2012
Messages
2,508
Location
Secret Bunker
Hey whats going on everyone, first just wanted to say thank you all for your stories. I came across this website looking for other stories and hoping to see where exactly I could carry as I am in the Phoenix area. Anyways my first open carry was this last Monday when I met with a buddy of mine at the Starbucks on 43rd Ave and Thunderbird about 7pm. No problems at all which was good, I didn't feel like anyone was staring or anything. There was one LEO who stopped to use the restroom and got some coffee before he took off. Also there was another OC'er who came in to get his coffee and left. The only person that I felt was looking at me was the 2nd person I saw OC, I kept noticing him staring at me like he was curious and didn't mind talking to him he was just across the store and never approached. I like OC I just need to get use to having it on my when I am driving since I have it on my right side.

Hey Javelina - if you can make it there's a casual OC get together at the park in front of the state house next Wednesday 3/19/2014 from 3pm to 6pm. When I first started OCing, it was always easier to do so with a group of like minded people. Many of which shared really good info with me on OC / carry options & styles / even legal aspects.
 
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Javelina

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 13, 2014
Messages
125
Location
East Valley
Sweet, thanks guys.

Hey guys thanks for the warm welcomes and input. FreeInAZ I totally would however I'm not off work till 530pm and work in Scottsdale :( I do hope to make it to other OC events as you said to meet with like minded people. Did that whole lunch/dinner thing with Rusty ever take place? On topic - I should be able to OC the majority of places I go to and will let everyone know my experience. Thanks! :banana:
 

FreeInAZ

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 15, 2012
Messages
2,508
Location
Secret Bunker
Sadly, nope we didn't manage to get a gathering together after the COA hearing (see Korwin v city of Phoenix) . Rusty is usually in Tucson as I understand it. It will be good to put a face with the name next Wednesday. :cool:
 

Rusty Young Man

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2013
Messages
1,548
Location
Árida Zona
Hey whats going on everyone, first just wanted to say thank you all for your stories. I came across this website looking for other stories and hoping to see where exactly I could carry as I am in the Phoenix area. Anyways my first open carry was this last Monday when I met with a buddy of mine at the Starbucks on 43rd Ave and Thunderbird about 7pm. No problems at all which was good, I didn't feel like anyone was staring or anything. There was one LEO who stopped to use the restroom and got some coffee before he took off. Also there was another OC'er who came in to get his coffee and left. The only person that I felt was looking at me was the 2nd person I saw OC, I kept noticing him staring at me like he was curious and didn't mind talking to him he was just across the store and never approached. I like OC I just need to get use to having it on my when I am driving since I have it on my right side.

Welcome to OC and the forum Javelina!:)
Two unicorns on your first day, that's really something. And now that first-timer jitters are out of the way, you'll notice that OC becomes second-nature and YOUR demeanor will show it, thereby calming the fears of most people you'll encounter.

Sorry you can't make it Wednesday.:( Let's try to set something up in the way of an OC lunch. Maybe not next week, but something during the summer is sure to work (I'm free after the 15th of May when the semester ends:D). I'm down here in Tucson attending the U of A, and part of an ultra-secret movement to defend Freedom in this part of the state.:p

A clue about my appearance: I have a sun-kissed complexion and almost-shoulder length hair; I definitely don't look like a concave/convex sheet of vibranium.:p I'll also go out on a limb and assume FreeInAZ isn't a talking rattlesnake with personal subtitles.:lol:
 
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Rusty Young Man

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2013
Messages
1,548
Location
Árida Zona
OCed up in the Show Low area this past weekend while visiting some friends of the famiily and had no negative encounters, save for one stink eye by what I assume is a transplant from one of the slave states.
Got a few compliments for it (one good one from an older lady: "Open Carry. I love a man who Open Carries"; definitely one of the more positive reactions;)), and it also started up a few conversations about guns, the 2nd Amendment, and Freedom.

I did have one encounter with a police officer though. It involved me disarming and him handling and looking over my handgun:uhoh:... because we ended up talking guns, training, and having an impromptu show-and-tell.:p Just to clarify, no serial numbers were checked, he never removed the little tab I have covering my serial number, and he never so much as asked for (or received) ID or other papers.

He's a friend of the family and a supporter of the 2nd Amendment as well as armed LACs. He'd never really gotten into shooting or firearms beyond hunting and self defense of the home (so really just shotguns and bolt-action rifles) until he got into law enforcement, but he now has more of an interest, as well as being required to train and all.

The second encounter with an LEO was at a Burger King where I mistook a plain-clothes LEO for an armed LAC (he carried pretty much the same set-up as I do, wore clothes I've seen at the AZCDL luncheon, his SUV had tiny "K9" stickers, and had no other markings). I gave him the link to this site (OpenCarry.org), and told him he could speak to other like-minded citizens. Hopefully, it leads to some constructive discourse. My apologies if I screwed up.:(
 

Javelina

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 13, 2014
Messages
125
Location
East Valley
Open Carried a bit this weekend. First was at the Fry's down the street with no problems at all and then at Honey Bear's BBQ on Central Ave. It was cool I ran into another "unicorn" (If I'm using the term correctly for another individual who open carries.) Anyways we ended up talking for a bit, he was carrying a 1911 and I had my trusty Glock 22. I told him how I had heard of multiple people carrying a 1911 and that I'm gonna look at getting an XD 04 next. Only real neutral experience I had was with my step-dad when I told him I was gonna come over to my parents house after work and he said that I should lock the gun in the car so my little brothers don't get a hold of it, however after reassuring him that my Blackhawk Serpa holster makes sure that my gun doesn't come out unless I want it to, he was good with it. The last thing he said was "Just make sure not to take it out" and I told him "I don't take it out unless I'm gonna use it". Looking at doing some more OC ASAP, I feel 10x better carrying now then I did my first time, I know its been such a short period but I feel much more confident then I did the first time. Oh and Rusty Young Man: Sounds good, I'm actually a Criminal Justice Major out here at Glendale Community College.
 

MAC702

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jul 31, 2011
Messages
6,331
Location
Nevada
...It was cool I ran into another "unicorn" (If I'm using the term correctly for another individual who open carries.)...

The term was started on this board by the members in Virginia, where it was practically unheard of to see another individual openly carrying that did not learn about it from this website which was pioneering the reintroduction of openly carrying firearms in Virginia and several other similar states.

I don't use the term myself because open carry, although not very common, never actually went away in states like ours. This website has still helped to make it even more popular, though.
 

Rusty Young Man

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2013
Messages
1,548
Location
Árida Zona
SNIP...The last thing he said was "Just make sure not to take it out" and I told him "I don't take it out unless I'm gonna use it". Looking at doing some more OC ASAP, I feel 10x better carrying now then I did my first time, I know its been such a short period but I feel much more confident then I did the first time. Oh and Rusty Young Man: Sounds good, I'm actually a Criminal Justice Major out here at Glendale Community College.

Don't know if it's done out of ignorance (indoctrination) or as an insult, but that particular phrase crops out a bit. Either way, you handled it truthfully and politely. Well done.:) Glad you feel more at ease now. I'd recommend you still carry a voice or A/V recorder when you OC (antis have been known to make politicians look honest:p).

I should have done something like Criminal Justice or something to do with law. Realizing pretty late that Biochemistry is nowhere near being a passion of mine. Funny how I seem to be the last one to figure out what my passion might be.:lol:

@MAC702: thanks for the etymology lesson! I guess the term may be more fitting to that area instead of the Four Corners area.:(

OT: I OCed around Tempe and Mesa the other day while running some errands, and I had a funny event at a gas station. As I'm walking out, an African-American man walks in, and as I walk away I notice he walks out quickly without spending enough time inside to buy anything or even ask for directions (I doubt he asked for what time it was, seeing as he had a watch on). He gets back into his car with his two buddies and they drive off. Might not be anything, but this is the first time I've seen such a quick turnaround.
 
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Rusty Young Man

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2013
Messages
1,548
Location
Árida Zona
OCed around Mesa today while taking my cousin's son along. No issues or stink eye to speak of, and he doesn't even notice (stare, or pay attention to) my holstered 1911. Same with the other two: no real issues, but still some curiosity. They got to hold it the other day (unloaded, slide back, etc.) and only the oldest daughter seemed to shy away from it (she's the one with the most school indoctrination). They seem to understand now that it doesn't do anything by itself, that I carry to protect them as well, and that it is only a tool. I count that as another win.

Took a female cousin shooting for the first time. She had A BLAST :)p) and was doing the loading and all with my 1911 by the 3rd magazine. After the jitters, she's actually pretty good and might outshoot me in a few sessions (the lady in the next lane didn't believe my cousin was a newbie).
One more family member sees the light.:cool:
Only three to go.:lol:
 
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