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New to open carry

guambra2001

Newbie
Joined
Feb 11, 2015
Messages
8
Location
Colorado Springs, CO
A little update, received my serpa holster level 2, I've open carried my shield and since it's such a slim gun it didn't seem that people took notice. Definotely felt aware if not a little paranoid but it got "normal" after a couple of hours. I assume the more I carry, the easier it will be. I've been carrying "open" for my job and tbh I don't even notice my M9 strapped to my right leg, it's just part of what I do.
 

Wstar425

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2014
Messages
570
Location
Tomahawk and Abbotsford, Wi.
I'm usually well-attuned in noticing when people notice my firearm. Some people notice right away. For others, it takes a few seconds, a few minutes, and occasionally not at all.

The reactions on their faces reflect thoughts ranging from, "Hmm" (common) to "Interesting," (uncommon) "Oh. A gun," (rare) and "Oh! A GUN!" (extremely rare)

Despite thousands of such interactions, most have been indifferent and some have been wary, but no one has ever freaked out. I've had a dozen polite inquiries, and only two people have said anything negative about firearms. One said, "I'll have you know, I don't like guns," to which I replied, "Well, I don't like criminals," and we both laughed.

Most people notice. Most people don't care.

Nicely stated, my experiences are similar. You can tell many times exactly when people notice. I suppose there are some people that notice and show no change, so I put them in the "did not notice" column.

I suspect this is different somewhat from state to state. In Wisconsin, I've asked people where they are from, and the vast majority of people with reactions that I talk to are from Illinois up here on vacation. Even then it has not happened to have someone real distressed. I was talking to one man about my firearm while his wife? Was quickly ushering the kids back to the car. I asked him if that was because of my firearm? He said probably, but he continued to talk to me for some time. I expect he got an earful when he got back to the car! Probably not a convert that day.
 

Firearms Iinstuctor

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2011
Messages
3,428
Location
northern wis
Nicely stated, my experiences are similar. You can tell many times exactly when people notice. I suppose there are some people that notice and show no change, so I put them in the "did not notice" column.

I suspect this is different somewhat from state to state. In Wisconsin, I've asked people where they are from, and the vast majority of people with reactions that I talk to are from Illinois up here on vacation. Even then it has not happened to have someone real distressed. I was talking to one man about my firearm while his wife? Was quickly ushering the kids back to the car. I asked him if that was because of my firearm? He said probably, but he continued to talk to me for some time. I expect he got an earful when he got back to the car! Probably not a convert that day.

Who knows what effects a polite conversation well have in the future. I see such encounters on the positive side.
 
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