shanebelanger
Accomplished Advocate
imported post
So a little background information, i've been open carrying for about 2 weeks and i'm nineteen years old. I have been looking around this forum for quite some time, talked to some LEO's (both state and local) and they all have the same reaction, it's fine, it's legal, go for it. I've slowly gotten my dad into carrying open as well, i've concealed since I was 18 and could get my ccw permit, we took the course together and we never leave home without it, if it is at all possible (hard with school).
I Have only gotten a couple stares, only one confrontation. One more than i'd like... I was open carrying in my last stop for the day, a small grocery about 2 miles from my home. I had already been to wal-mart and had just forgotten a few groceries so I swung in for what was going to be about a five minute stop. I walked in got a cart and proceeded to get my groceries. I was picking up the last thing on my list when the store manager/owner walked up to me and asked " what are you doing?" Of course I didn't think much of it I had never been confronted like this before so I kind of dumbly said "shopping"? Not thinking that he was confronting me about carrying. He then pointed to my HK USP Compact in .357 sig in a fobus paddle and said "do you carry that everywhere you go?" I replied "yes" then he asked "why"? I was kind of still in shock that I was being confronted about my decision to OC and was trying to be as absolutely polite and respectful as I could be as I always am (especially while carrying). I softly and as non-confrontational as I could be said "it's my right". He didn't hear me very well and asked what I said so I repeated it again stating that it is my right. He kind of nodded and said "do you have a permit?" I stated that I didn't need one to open carry but yes, I did have a permit to conceal a firearm. He then proceeded to tell me that I could not carry into businesses and I said Maine is an anomalous open carry state and that I can conceal (with my permit) or open carry in any business unless they have a sign posted outside the door (or federal, school you know the usual) and that I was sorry if there was a sign, I simply didn't see it. He nodded looking surprised that I knew what I was talking about Realizing now that I was not a bad person he said well, i'm sorry but with only two people working what your doing is making people nervous. I felt like saying so? all the murders going on recently when only one person was working?? thats better? what if they had been carrying, or a person in the store? Needless to say I said you don't have anything to worry about sir but what would you like me to do? He asked me to go put it in my vehicle and come back in without it. I said ok, I can do that. So I walked out, put it in the glove box, locked the vehicle, walked back in and he apologized again stating that he carries everywhere he goes as well which seems odd? And I definitely couldn't see any printing if he was? But by his initial reaction this was simply a lie to get me on good terms with him. I stated that seeing as it's right there nothing would happen and it's simply for my protection and that it is my right to carry it. He nodded and apologized again. I took my cart, put everything back item by item and gently placed the cart back where it belonged, looked at him told him to have a nice day and he said you do the same. I then went to the grocery store down the street, carrying again and got my groceries. All in all I think he has a lot more respect for me, as well as open carrying. I don't think he'll bother the next person that OC's in there! All in all what do you guys think? What did I do wrong, what did I do right? Opinions? Sorry for the length but I felt it necessary so you could critique my actions or in-actions.
Thanks,
Shane Belanger
So a little background information, i've been open carrying for about 2 weeks and i'm nineteen years old. I have been looking around this forum for quite some time, talked to some LEO's (both state and local) and they all have the same reaction, it's fine, it's legal, go for it. I've slowly gotten my dad into carrying open as well, i've concealed since I was 18 and could get my ccw permit, we took the course together and we never leave home without it, if it is at all possible (hard with school).
I Have only gotten a couple stares, only one confrontation. One more than i'd like... I was open carrying in my last stop for the day, a small grocery about 2 miles from my home. I had already been to wal-mart and had just forgotten a few groceries so I swung in for what was going to be about a five minute stop. I walked in got a cart and proceeded to get my groceries. I was picking up the last thing on my list when the store manager/owner walked up to me and asked " what are you doing?" Of course I didn't think much of it I had never been confronted like this before so I kind of dumbly said "shopping"? Not thinking that he was confronting me about carrying. He then pointed to my HK USP Compact in .357 sig in a fobus paddle and said "do you carry that everywhere you go?" I replied "yes" then he asked "why"? I was kind of still in shock that I was being confronted about my decision to OC and was trying to be as absolutely polite and respectful as I could be as I always am (especially while carrying). I softly and as non-confrontational as I could be said "it's my right". He didn't hear me very well and asked what I said so I repeated it again stating that it is my right. He kind of nodded and said "do you have a permit?" I stated that I didn't need one to open carry but yes, I did have a permit to conceal a firearm. He then proceeded to tell me that I could not carry into businesses and I said Maine is an anomalous open carry state and that I can conceal (with my permit) or open carry in any business unless they have a sign posted outside the door (or federal, school you know the usual) and that I was sorry if there was a sign, I simply didn't see it. He nodded looking surprised that I knew what I was talking about Realizing now that I was not a bad person he said well, i'm sorry but with only two people working what your doing is making people nervous. I felt like saying so? all the murders going on recently when only one person was working?? thats better? what if they had been carrying, or a person in the store? Needless to say I said you don't have anything to worry about sir but what would you like me to do? He asked me to go put it in my vehicle and come back in without it. I said ok, I can do that. So I walked out, put it in the glove box, locked the vehicle, walked back in and he apologized again stating that he carries everywhere he goes as well which seems odd? And I definitely couldn't see any printing if he was? But by his initial reaction this was simply a lie to get me on good terms with him. I stated that seeing as it's right there nothing would happen and it's simply for my protection and that it is my right to carry it. He nodded and apologized again. I took my cart, put everything back item by item and gently placed the cart back where it belonged, looked at him told him to have a nice day and he said you do the same. I then went to the grocery store down the street, carrying again and got my groceries. All in all I think he has a lot more respect for me, as well as open carrying. I don't think he'll bother the next person that OC's in there! All in all what do you guys think? What did I do wrong, what did I do right? Opinions? Sorry for the length but I felt it necessary so you could critique my actions or in-actions.
Thanks,
Shane Belanger