Virginia Gun Owners Forum - VGOF

I was in line at local Pep Boys and noticed the guy in front of me open carrying an M&P. All I will say is this guy did not and will not make a good representative for carrying a firearm. Hopefully he is on this forum and see how his negative tone and reply to the cashier doesn't do any good trying to educate others on firearms. The older cashier asked in a very nice manner if he was a police officer or in the military and wanted to know about his pistol. In a negative smart ass tone he replied " IT'S MY RIGHT AND I WILL EXERCISE THAT RIGHT TO CARRY MY GUN"! "AND YES I AM IN THE MILITARY'! The cashier replied " I hope you never have to use it". He said "YEP, THATS WHAT ITS THERE FOR SO THEY WILL KNOW "!. Sorry but his tone was way off and he could have thought it thru better. Learn to educate someone about the laws and if you dont want the attention then conceal your weapon. JMO!! Rant over. LOL!!!!

Rays197 wrote:I was in line at local Pep Boys and noticed the guy in front of me open carrying an M&P. All I will say is this guy did not and will not make a good representative for carrying a firearm. Hopefully he is on this forum and see how his negative tone and reply to the cashier doesn't do any good trying to educate others on firearms. The older cashier asked in a very nice manner if he was a police officer or in the military and wanted to know about his pistol. In a negative smart ass tone he replied " IT'S MY RIGHT AND I WILL EXERCISE THAT RIGHT TO CARRY MY GUN"! "AND YES I AM IN THE MILITARY'! The cashier replied " I hope you never have to use it". He said "YEP, THATS WHAT ITS THERE FOR SO THEY WILL KNOW "!. Sorry but his tone was way off and he could have thought it thru better. Learn to educate someone about the laws and if you dont want the attention then conceal your weapon. JMO!! Rant over. LOL!!!!

Always important to be curious if your OCing a few people just don't get that sadly.

Unfortunately, I've found that the gun community's biggest enemies seem to come from within. All it takes is idiots like this to tarnish our reputations. For many, it will be the only encounter they have with a member of the gun community, and I daresay it will be a negative experience that will shape their opinion about the rest of us.

On the rare occasion that I OC, I make sure to be polite, and to properly educate people about why I carry (Many people still don't know that they even HAVE this right) That said, I tend to CC most of the time, as I simply don't want the extra attention.

Sorry to hear you had this experience, it seems to be hit or miss these days.

Remember, it's in YOUR power to leave them thinking one of two ways:
or

the cashier was probably asking if he was military or police to give him a discount, not infering that no one else should carry.

I open carry on a regular basis; I rarely get any kind of attention. When I do, it's simple curiosity. And, I live in Williamsburg; hardly a place where such a thing is the norm.

Those of us who are capable of being friendly and polite should open carry more often, in my opinion. If we did, that would decrease the odds of the @$$ hat above being the only member of the gun-owning community that some will ever meet.

We may not be able to re-program that sort of person, but we can certainly be a shining example of what I believe the average gun owner to be; friendly, courteous, responsible, and pleasant people.

skeeterss0 wrote:the cashier was probably asking if he was military or police to give him a discount, not infering that no one else should carry.

no. I was standing right next to said jerk. She had already rung up his transaction. She was asking about his handgun and why he was carrying. His reply was in very bad taste not a good spokesmen for the community.

Jerks like that make more and more retailers put up signs saying no guns! And its just MHO but I do not shop anywhere with those signs! Open carry is legal in Virginia, but if you are not responsible it hurts the rest of us. Myself I never open carry outside of my yard or gun store, it invites the wrong kind of attention for me. MHO

FirstShotVa wrote:Jerks like that make more and more retailers put up signs saying no guns! And its just MHO but I do not shop anywhere with those signs! Open carry is legal in Virginia, but if you are not responsible it hurts the rest of us. Myself I never open carry outside of my yard or gun store, it invites the wrong kind of attention for me. MHO

exactly !!!!!

Even though we have the right to OC, I see very few in my area that do it responsibly. I shudder when I see a guy with a 45 hanging low on his hip with this "fear me" look on his face.
It sends a bad message and invites too much attention IMO.
I'd rather be a gomer pyle type with a "surprise surprise surprise" if ever needed than to invite the new age criminals to try and figure a way to get my weapon.
If they don't see it, I don't have it.

sigster wrote:I'd rather be a gomer pyle type with a "surprise surprise surprise"

LMAO NICE

Lol. I work at Pep Boys sadly and see these guys ALL the time. Most of them aren't military or police, they just have a need to feel "superior" by open carrying. We ask most of the time because at most of our locations there are signs on the doors that say weapons are restricted on the premises. I just quietly enjoy having my conceal and carry and mind my own business.

It is people like this that ruin it for everyone that has "Common sense". Unfortunately this guy doesn't and he is brandishing a weapon. Scary.

I liken Open Carrying to underage drinking. We all had a blast because we couldn't but we did. When we were legal, after a while it lost its appeal because we could. Every time we did it, we acted like idiots and did dumb things. Liquid courage went a long way. After a while of good practice, it wasn't such a big thing. We handle ourselves better and are open to other opinions. The courage is still there only rationale takes over. Then its no biggie, just something we do.

BigRiverGunServices wrote:It is people like this that ruin it for everyone that has "Common sense". Unfortunately this guy doesn't and he is brandishing a weapon. Scary.

Stretching the definition of brandishing is not a good idea, either.

Never seen an OC'er in the Roanoke vicinity (outside of a VCDL shindig).

Is it more common in certain areas in Virginia?

Kreutz wrote:Never seen an OC'er in the Roanoke vicinity (outside of a VCDL shindig).

Is it more common in certain areas in Virginia?

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Open carry is not even all THAT common out here in the wild and wooly Southwest. However, I'd say it is the subject of much less comment or adverse reaction when someone does it. Concealed carry is VERY common, though; and I've long suspected that more than half of those who carry concealed out here might be doing so without a permit because they have always done so.

I will open carry on occasion, but I haven't seen it done much here around Roanoke or Lynchburg. Usually a Glock 19 or 26 in a SERPA. Now, if you head to a flea market, then you'll usually see it. I was in a local Wal-Mart about three weeks ago and saw a guy in his early twenties walking around sporting goods with his girlfriend. The guy was walking around like he thought he was Wyatt Earp. Putting off this "I'm a real badass" vibe. Only when he got closer did I notice he was open carrying. A Hi-Point in an open-top nylon holster that was almost pulling his pants off. No form of retention whatsoever.

DrinaCorps wrote:I will open carry on occasion, but I haven't seen it done much here around Roanoke or Lynchburg. Usually a Glock 19 or 26 in a SERPA. Now, if you head to a flea market, then you'll usually see it. I was in a local Wal-Mart about three weeks ago and saw a guy in his early twenties walking around sporting goods with his girlfriend. The guy was walking around like he thought he was Wyatt Earp. Putting off this "I'm a real badass" vibe. Only when he got closer did I notice he was open carrying. A Hi-Point in an open-top nylon holster that was almost pulling his pants off. No form of retention whatsoever.

Had to laugh at this, I have a hi-point (hey, its actually a decent gun in that it goes bang when I want it to and generally where I want it to) and keep it in the glove box as the thing can easily double as a nut cracker, club, hammer, brick, or anchor.

Never knew people carried the damned things, and his pants were falling down too, thats funny as hell.

Plus the open top holster is a real "good " secure way to carry openly/// Have seen a few of these clowns out there and the punk attitude definitely doesn;t do us any favors as a group that tries to maintain a possitive public image.

What i have found, and i'm sure id take flack for it, is that a good portion of the open carry community does so just to argue and/or preach. They got the whole "look at me i'm carrying a gun" attitude and its annoying. I conceal because out of sight out of mind, i don't get any odd looks or need to explain myself. A lot of the open carriers just wait for people to come up to them so they can praise their rights and frankly they end up just looking like idiots.

Its the same as the religious people who preach to others everywhere they go. If you know that the country isn't ready for it and it makes people uneasy then just leave it be. Let a life altering event happen to them that will maybe change their minds. Until then I will keep it covered.

I actually spent about an hour watching youtube this weekend (bored out of my mind) of open carriers having altercations and then they go posting the video trying to prove they were in the right when in fact all people involved looked like morons.