I Lost My Virginity (Again) . . .

[Loon160T]

As a daily reader of Linoge's Walls of the City blog, I have kept up with his open carry experiences in and around Knox County. Since I had an invite to go to the Walden Ridge range to meet a high-power shooter, I decided to try a little social experiment, I decided to OPEN CARRY today. Got up this morning, pulled on a pair of 5.11 Tactical Pro shorts with a dark blue t-shirt tucked in, tucked my SA XDm 40 in its Crossbreed Supertuck IWB holster and off we went.

First stop was at a hillbilly Wal-Mart (you know: gas, cafe, and groceries under the same roof out in the middle of no where) for a biscuit and a drink. Several folks at the place and no one seemed to panic. Dropped the wife off at her job and took off to Wal-Mart (a real one) to get some targets for the range. Had to walk nearly to the back of the store and back and again no one seemed to notice or care that I was armed.

Next stop was the range were I met three high-powered rifle shooters (didn't ask permission to post their names so I ain't gonna). Got a chance to try out a Savage Arms 110 BA in .300 Win Mag. It's a sweet shooter with very little recoil.

The Coffee County Sheriff's Department was qualifying on the pistol range and once they finished, the sheriff came over to see what was going BOOM on the rifle range. He brought out his .308 and all the while never gave me another look even though my sidearm was in plain sight to whole time.

Once the range cleared off, my brother and I did a little pistol work until it was time for me to pick up the wife from work (half-day shift). We stopped in Winchester for lunch at the local steak house (does not serve beer or alcohol) and again no one seemed to pay me any particular attention.

My father-in-law and another friend are in the hospital so our next stop was to see how they were doing. I did disarm there since it is posted. Once we left the building, we were talking to a friend in the parking lot when my wife finally noticed my empty holster. I think it was the first time she really noticed that I was carrying open today. We all got a laugh at that.

All in all, no panic in the streets, no damage to anything other than the targets at the range and no one really seemed to care if they did notice my sidearm.

[Guest TargetShooter84]

Wow....

I do definitely notice when someone is OC....

[Guest G-Pa Glynn]

I noticed but didn't say anything, but that is because I know you. The guy frome the Sheriff's Department was not the Sheriff, like I thought , but their training officer. Was a good time and the Savage was a sweet shooter!! I didn't get out of there untill after 1, because of all the conversation.

[BBill_TN]

Glad you guys had a good day. Thanks for posting the report. One of these days I will make it to the range with you guys hopefully.

Good call on the posting at the hospital; with the new carry law I guess the ghostbusters sign is supposed to be valid. Oh well. Maybe that can change next year.

[daddyo]

Wow....

I do definitely notice when someone is OC....

Apparently, I'm not going to the right places. I NEVER get to see anyone OCing...

[Guest drv2fst]

Hey read the sign. It clearly states "no handguns" on that part of the range. There is a handgun clearly on display in the photo.

Waldens, i a great range. I go there often. Very friendly folks.

Did you expect anyone to think twice about OC at an outdoor gun range???

Love 5.11 gear also. Good choice.

[Guest friesepferd]

Wow....

I do definitely notice when someone is OC....

rofl... how do u know when u dont see them?

every OCer I have ever seen I have seen too

Its very common for people to 1) not notice or 2) notice and not care.

I both laugh at the people tho say the carried and nobody saw them, and laugh at the people who say the always spot them.

As it turns out, there are few people that are both going to spot you and care.

personally I conceal, but I have OCed before and do now and again. pretty much have the same experience as everyone else.

[Guest friesepferd]

on a similar note: i generally find that if I am keeping an eye out of OC and CCers, I find them, and quite readily. If I am not, then I never see them.

Much like watching for satellites in the sky. If you know what you are looking for, and you look, it wont take long at all before you find one. But if you are casually walking outside at night, its very rare that one will pop out at you.

[DaveTN]

I don’t open carry, but I do at Terry’s place…. It doesn’t count. Who doesn’t open carry at the range?

Was the rifle side dry… no standing water?

[Loon160T]

Hey read the sign. It clearly states "no handguns" on that part of the range. There is a handgun clearly on display in the photo.

Waldens, i a great range. I go there often. Very friendly folks.

Did you expect anyone to think twice about OC at an outdoor gun range???

Love 5.11 gear also. Good choice.

Didn't really expect any comments or issues at the range. I saw the sign but didn't fire anything but the rifle on that side of the berm.

[Loon160T]

I don’t open carry, but I do at Terry’s place…. It doesn’t count. Who doesn’t open carry at the range?

Was the rifle side dry… no standing water?

There were a few puddles in the parking area and may be one or two down range. I don't recall any thing significant though.

[Guest Linoge]

As a daily reader of Linoge's Walls of the City blog, I have kept up with his open carry experiences in and around Knox County. Since I had an invite to go to the Walden Ridge range to meet a high-power shooter, I decided to try a little social experiment, I decided to OPEN CARRY today. Got up this morning, pulled on a pair of 5.11 Tactical Pro shorts with a dark blue t-shirt tucked in, tucked my SA XDm 40 in its Crossbreed Supertuck IWB holster and off we went.

Thanks for putting this up, Loon! Like I said over my way, if open carry ends up working for you, great, and if it does not, great - just carry, either way. And, as you found out, and are spreading here, the sight of an average American citizen going out and about on his daily business with a firearm visible on his hip does not result in mass panic, rending of clothes and gnashing of teeth, or "man with a gun" calls to the police (at least that are responded to). Interesting, huh?

Still, I will be sure to let people know about any rending and gnashing I come across...

[Loon160T]

Thanks, Linoge. I've always been self-conscious when concealed carrying since I've only being carrying for about a year now. Strange thing about yesterday though was that I was less nervous since I wasn't trying to hide anything.

[Guest FHTMcrt]

Once we left the building, we were talking to a friend in the parking lot when my wife finally noticed my empty holster.

Nothing says "I'm unarmed." like an empty holster...

[Guest crotalus01]

More people notice than you would think, its just that most of them either assume you are LEO or just dont care. Watch peopes eyes when you are OCing and dealing with them, they will inevitably glance at your gun at some point.

I both OC and conceal depending on a variety of things including the temperature, where I am going, what I am wearing, and what I am carrying. I have gotten a lot more negative attention from poor concealment than I ever have from OC (my Ruger P90 is just too damn big to conceal properly)...