Interesting open carry story.

steelslaver

steelslaver

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This afternoon the blushing bride and I went to Pizza Hut for lunch. Got seated and as we were sitting down I noticed a guy wearing what looked like a MT HP patch on a blue hoody. Not a HP looking guy, beard and cowboy hat, I also noticed his very over weight companion was wearing camo pants and had some kind of DA auto in a plastic fantastic holster. Montana is open carry, but it is very rarely seen.

Any how, we order and make our way to the salad bar passing right by them. Sit back down and wife makes no comment. I asked her if she had noticed anything about the guys in the booth. No. Take a look she turned for a moment. Still didn't notice. Look at belt level. Still misses it. Now she isn't a stupid person, but I guess not very observing of details.

Anyway later they leave, I notice the guy with HP emblem has "grip bulge". I highly doubt he was ever an HP, but who knows. Semi mall ninjas to me.

Spoke with wife about situation awareness.

But, I found it interesting that here is a guy walking around with an open gun and people could completely miss it. Speaks volumes to me. I know sometimes I print a bit, but hey if people completely miss the obvious whats a minor print now and then in warm weather.

I could really care less if people open carry, but, their outfits kind of made me wonder what was going on in their grey matter.

One thing that often happens around here is walking into a late night or early morning convenience store and finding nobody around. Crime is very low here, they are usually in back doing something oe out a side door taking a smoke break. But, it makes me nervous and I always wonder about walking in on some kind of robbery. I am glad I have a slightly suspicious attitude. Better than being totally oblivious.
 
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Pizza Hut is not the type of eatery one would typically dress for, and My experience is Montana is fairly casual in general.

Stop in most any Star Bucks in Seattle and and that will make you think about today's fashion choices. Good or bad things keep a changing,,, remember Leisure Suits?
 
I don't carry at all but situational awareness was ingrained in me a long time ago.

Being observant has absolutely saved my bacon twice that i know of.

Funny thing is i am more observant when my girlfriend or children are with me than alone.
 
paplinker said:
...situational awareness was ingrained in me a long time ago.
Click to expand...

I think it's probably safe to say that most people don't pay attention to things like that simply because they feel safe and that everything is well and okay.

I think that's another reason why many people don't notice when someone is "printing." They aren't expecting it.

Not too long ago, I noticed a gentleman printing at a function we were attending. I engaged him in casual conversation, exchanged pleasantries, so on and so on. Anyway, during the course of the conversation, he mentioned that he was a detective employed with the local sheriff's department. At that point, I smiled and casually mentioned, "You might want to know that you're printing." He, too, smiled, thanked me and said that very few people would ever pick up on that.

It's been my observation that most of the folks on this forum probably have a higher degree of situational awareness than your average, run-of-the-mill citizen. I don't know why. Probably just the "nature of the beast," I suppose. At least that's what I've picked up on.
 
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Just curious what the guy being very overweight and wearing camouflage pants had to do with it. I'm 6'4" 500 lbs and like camo pants. Doesn't mean I'm not a responsible gun owner. Granted I prefer to conceal but his choice.

Plus it's MT aren't you issued a gun at birth out there?
 
It's funny how some people react. I did a test at work one time, bought a water pistol (red)
painted it black and put it in a holster, strapped it to my belt on my work clothes.
Walked around among my coworkers with a "Crazy face" on.

Not one comment. :eek:

Sweden is a "no carry" country, as in "NO CARRY WHAT SO EVER"
but no one even asked about the "gun" on my belt.
 
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Qball said:
It's funny how some people react. I did a test at work one time, bought a water pistol (red)
painted it black and put it in a holster, strapped it to my belt on my work clothes.
Walked around among my coworkers with a "Crazy face" on.

Not one comment. :eek:

Sweden is a "no carry" country, as in "NO CARRY WHAT SO EVER"
but no one even asked about the "gun" on my belt.
Click to expand...

But I thought I read somewhere, that you CAN buy hand grenades?? But not the kind he's throwing:
File54_zps53f5bdaa.jpg
 
Most people are fairly clueless.

I used to carry a fanny pack pretty regularly. Most internet types will tell you this "screams gun", though they will usually capitalize it for extra obnoxiousness. Its the same thing they say about photographers vests, though they will also throw in its a "shoot me first" vest, also capitalized.

No one notices. I pretty sure you could actually scream "gun"
and "shoot me first" and no one would notice.

Cops and gun forum members might notice. I know I do. But most others are too busy with life or looking at a phone to care.
 
I've found people don't pay attention to anything out side of their own little bubble that extends to the end of their arms .. out side of that you might as well have a brick wall up ..
our minds just don't have the ability to do the recall ..

My wife use to work at a bank and the fed's came in and showed them a movie of a bank robbery and then asked questions .. all 12 people had differing answers on the questionnaire .. and these people were told in advance what they would be tested on ..
 
I realize that I'm going to print at some point and I realize the most people are clueless but the clueless people aren't the ones I'm worried about. It's the ones who know exactly what that bulge on my hip is that I'm worried about.

If I'm carrying concealed it's because I don't want you to know I'm carrying a gun. It's not even so much the "shut me first" thing it's the I don't want you in my business
 
steelslaver said:
I could really care less if people open carry, but, their outfits kind of made me wonder what was going on in their grey matter.
Click to expand...

This is something I learned working two years in a gun store: you can't judge a book by the cover.

Two customers come to mind. One, a white guy with purple hair, a nose ring, the big hoops in his earlobes, earrings. I showed a half dozen different handguns. I don't remember what he bought, a Glock I believe, but it was a substantial purchase. We didn't have to do a background check because he had a Georgia Firearms License. He has become a repeat customer, and he is knowledgeable about handguns.

The other one is a black guy with dreadlocks, and other "thuggish" features. Again, I treated him with the respect due any customer. He wound up putting a couple of handguns totaling around $1K on layaway. I figured we wouldn't see him again. Turns out that he has an excellent job with a trucking firm, and also holds a GWL. He picked up those guns. He has made several more purchases.

Another customer, older and sort of sloppy looking, turned out to be a retired PD Officer from a nearby city. He had been "winner" in a couple of shootouts with armed robbers back in the 70s. I verified this from newspaper archives.

Your two guys might very well have been mall ninjas, but they also may have been the real deal.

As the baseball player said, you can sum it up in three words: "You never can tell." ;-)
 
I never carry openly. I know it may seem I am knocking those who wear tactical clothes camo pants military style boots etc. but I am not. Couldn't care less..but a higher percentaage of them are looked at skeptically by many people. Doing gun shows selling reloading items and supplies lets me interact with all sorts of people. When I see people open carrying 9 out of 10 times it is the tacticoolly dressed. Saw 2 the other day in Mickey D's. Now this is locally mind you. People in Wy are a bit different. That's why I live here. Nobody including the police get upset seeing a gun. Sometimes a tourist may look a bit askance. Two ladies from Canada asked me one time in the checkout line in Wally World if I had seen the fellow in front of me had a gun on his belt. I said well...yeah. I then explained that it was legal and that probably 4 or 5 out of 10 also carried concealed. They were amazed that there were no shootouts on the streets of Cody every day. Then they asked if I carried a gun also. I told them sometimes but my wife always carries. Told 'em she was a better shot than me! As far as odd questions from tourists though...I had one foreign lady who asked what time they let the animals out in Yellowstone. She wanted to be there when they did so she could see a wolf...I was, to be very honest, blown away by the question. I tried to explain..but don't know if she actually believed me.
 
I have a small (50 yards) range in my back yard and have shot there for 25+ years. The neighbors all are aware of it and don't mind.

In the last couple of years when I shoot the police get calls from up on the hill across the valley. Upscale homes were built there and the owners seem to be people escaping from the city (Pittsburgh). Whenever they hear gunfire they assume it's a drive by shooting so they call the cops.

The police are very nice about it as I am breaking no laws or local ordinances. Now I call them first and advise them that I will be shooting.

As to carry I never open carry, when I carry I don't want anyone to know that I would shoot back.

digiroc
 
I walked into the local Burger King last fall and noticed a cute gal carrying an infant and an M&P. It looked like her sweatshirt could have rode up exposing her sidearm. So I made eye contact with a smile and asked if she knew she was "showing". She replied with a smile, "Yeah, I know." I simply replied, "OK, just making sure."

Interesting encounter. Minnesota permits just say PERMIT TO CARRY A PISTOL.
 
Skeet 028 said:
I never carry openly. I know it may seem I am knocking those who wear tactical clothes camo pants military style boots etc. but I am not. Couldn't care less..but a higher percentaage of them are looked at skeptically by many people. Doing gun shows selling reloading items and supplies lets me interact with all sorts of people. When I see people open carrying 9 out of 10 times it is the tacticoolly dressed. Saw 2 the other day in Mickey D's. Now this is locally mind you. People in Wy are a bit different. That's why I live here. Nobody including the police get upset seeing a gun. Sometimes a tourist may look a bit askance. Two ladies from Canada asked me one time in the checkout line in Wally World if I had seen the fellow in front of me had a gun on his belt. I said well...yeah. I then explained that it was legal and that probably 4 or 5 out of 10 also carried concealed. They were amazed that there were no shootouts on the streets of Cody every day. Then they asked if I carried a gun also. I told them sometimes but my wife always carries. Told 'em she was a better shot than me! As far as odd questions from tourists though...I had one foreign lady who asked what time they let the animals out in Yellowstone. She wanted to be there when they did so she could see a wolf...I was, to be very honest, blown away by the question. I tried to explain..but don't know if she actually believed me.
Click to expand...


It has been my observation that a great many open carry folks are wanna be somethings. Wanna be cops, wanna be military, wanna be super agent man, etc. No, not all of them . . . not most . . . but a great many. I just don't get the "I can carry my AR15 strapped over my shoulder into Walmart because it's my by God given right" attitude.

The policy for our officers when off duty is to carry concealed because we teach that open carry puts you at a tactical disadvantage.

Just stating my opinion, not trying to disrespect anyone.
 
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