Jason in WI
Regular Member
imported post
Hi everybody. This might be pretty long since I sitting here bored and can't sleep. Since I see a lot of people coming out for the first time and posting about their first open carry experience I figured I'd follow suit with my first post here.
A little background, I stopped by here once every so often from cross posts on AR15.com. Every time I came here I was proud of what you guys were doing but truthfully like a lot of others I was waiting for concealed carry to come. I don't remember what post it was exactly but, I followed a post from Intercepter-Knight and I had a bit of free time and looked around here and then checked out Wisconsincarry.org. I pretty much made up my mind that I should try and help out instead of just waiting for concealed carry to "come". The more I researched the topic it seems most would be happy to just toss open carry under the bus to get concealed passed and that pretty much pissed me off even though I had no intention to open carry.
First thing I had to do was get a side arm. I'm not a big handgun guy and I didn't think you all would like me lugging along the AR to your meetings! Like I said I was waiting for concealed and was going to pick up the latest and greatest subcompact at that time. I researched a bit and decided I need to check out the XD or M&P line. After looking for something used for a couple weeks and coming up with nothing, I went to the fun show and A Springfield XDm-40 caught my eye and felt great. I wanted to shot one first but it felt so right I just ordered one with a stainless slide thinking it would wear better in the holster since I was buying it just to open carry. With side arm in hand I proceeded to order the serpa holster for that little bit of extra security.
Now I must mention I didn't just figure I'd get a gun a carry willy-nilly. I'm comfortable with most any firearm and just because I never owned a handgun definitely doesn't mean I can't use one, I just didn't feel the need to have one in my collection up to this point. I have made the psychological and emotional decision a long time ago to use lethal force to protect myself and my family. I pray (and I'm not even religious) I never have to use any firearm, bat, stick, and or nail-file in anger; but I will if I have to. If I ever have to pull my sidearm on someone it will be the one of the worst days of my life justified or not.
I then became a founding member of Wisconsincarry.org mainly do to their aggressive strategy up to this point. Filing the lawsuit and then opening up to membership was awesome. I hope to become an active member and help anyway I can in the future. I also signed up my girlfriend as a member and I will convert her to a founding member when she "gets" it. She agrees we have the right but, doesn't fully understand why we would want to carry and be subject to the attention and harassment.
As of last week 3/8/2010, I've been carrying my side arm everywhere I go. I admit I cheated and haven't went anywhere by myself but I usually never do.
I've open carried in Farm & Fleet in Oak Creek twice while armed. Once in Gander Mountain, I didn't want to because it seems to easy but, I needed a pistol case and Farm & Fleet was out. I carried into Menard's on 43rd. to pick up some plumbing stuff for my parents house. I kind of felt good about this one as I believe this is where the "Push" for the movement started. I also carry everyday at work! It's a bit of a pain since I work on cars and have to dis-arm a lot so I'm still testing that out. I will open carry at Pick and Save and Woodman's in Oak Creek when we need to go shopping as they are right down the block but so far my girlfriend has been stopping for the little stuff after work on her way home. Mostly I do a lot of my shopping in Farm & Fleet.
I didn't arm myself at Woodman's gas station because I thought that might freak out the attendant so I went holster only, maybe next time. I did go to the Ridge in New Berlin but I thought I seen a no firearm sign there so I left the sidearm at home and wore the holster. Turns out we stopped at that craft store next to Target, Farm & Fleet and Pick and Save. I feel more weird with just a holster then when I'm armed.
I still get that feeling what I'm doing is wrong but I'm sure that will go away. I think most people never notice, the few that have just glanced and kept going, well except one couple that went back and forth in front of the isle as I was reaching up comparing some bags of cat food.
No one told me to pass on the stainless slide! Man, I thought the holster would hide most of it; I was wrong. I think it's going to stand out like a sore thumb when its gets warmer out and I don't where a coat. It's also funny the way my girlfriend panics when she thinks my coat is concealing my sidearm. The best part so far was our first time at Farm & Fleet and I popped the trunk after telling her where the bail money is and I inserted a full Mag of hollow points, She said "Your going to load it?". That was the best, I told her Farm & Fleet has a lot of hammers already and I'd prefer to go "armed" when I'm going armed.
Hi everybody. This might be pretty long since I sitting here bored and can't sleep. Since I see a lot of people coming out for the first time and posting about their first open carry experience I figured I'd follow suit with my first post here.
A little background, I stopped by here once every so often from cross posts on AR15.com. Every time I came here I was proud of what you guys were doing but truthfully like a lot of others I was waiting for concealed carry to come. I don't remember what post it was exactly but, I followed a post from Intercepter-Knight and I had a bit of free time and looked around here and then checked out Wisconsincarry.org. I pretty much made up my mind that I should try and help out instead of just waiting for concealed carry to "come". The more I researched the topic it seems most would be happy to just toss open carry under the bus to get concealed passed and that pretty much pissed me off even though I had no intention to open carry.
First thing I had to do was get a side arm. I'm not a big handgun guy and I didn't think you all would like me lugging along the AR to your meetings! Like I said I was waiting for concealed and was going to pick up the latest and greatest subcompact at that time. I researched a bit and decided I need to check out the XD or M&P line. After looking for something used for a couple weeks and coming up with nothing, I went to the fun show and A Springfield XDm-40 caught my eye and felt great. I wanted to shot one first but it felt so right I just ordered one with a stainless slide thinking it would wear better in the holster since I was buying it just to open carry. With side arm in hand I proceeded to order the serpa holster for that little bit of extra security.
Now I must mention I didn't just figure I'd get a gun a carry willy-nilly. I'm comfortable with most any firearm and just because I never owned a handgun definitely doesn't mean I can't use one, I just didn't feel the need to have one in my collection up to this point. I have made the psychological and emotional decision a long time ago to use lethal force to protect myself and my family. I pray (and I'm not even religious) I never have to use any firearm, bat, stick, and or nail-file in anger; but I will if I have to. If I ever have to pull my sidearm on someone it will be the one of the worst days of my life justified or not.
I then became a founding member of Wisconsincarry.org mainly do to their aggressive strategy up to this point. Filing the lawsuit and then opening up to membership was awesome. I hope to become an active member and help anyway I can in the future. I also signed up my girlfriend as a member and I will convert her to a founding member when she "gets" it. She agrees we have the right but, doesn't fully understand why we would want to carry and be subject to the attention and harassment.
As of last week 3/8/2010, I've been carrying my side arm everywhere I go. I admit I cheated and haven't went anywhere by myself but I usually never do.
I've open carried in Farm & Fleet in Oak Creek twice while armed. Once in Gander Mountain, I didn't want to because it seems to easy but, I needed a pistol case and Farm & Fleet was out. I carried into Menard's on 43rd. to pick up some plumbing stuff for my parents house. I kind of felt good about this one as I believe this is where the "Push" for the movement started. I also carry everyday at work! It's a bit of a pain since I work on cars and have to dis-arm a lot so I'm still testing that out. I will open carry at Pick and Save and Woodman's in Oak Creek when we need to go shopping as they are right down the block but so far my girlfriend has been stopping for the little stuff after work on her way home. Mostly I do a lot of my shopping in Farm & Fleet.
I didn't arm myself at Woodman's gas station because I thought that might freak out the attendant so I went holster only, maybe next time. I did go to the Ridge in New Berlin but I thought I seen a no firearm sign there so I left the sidearm at home and wore the holster. Turns out we stopped at that craft store next to Target, Farm & Fleet and Pick and Save. I feel more weird with just a holster then when I'm armed.
I still get that feeling what I'm doing is wrong but I'm sure that will go away. I think most people never notice, the few that have just glanced and kept going, well except one couple that went back and forth in front of the isle as I was reaching up comparing some bags of cat food.
No one told me to pass on the stainless slide! Man, I thought the holster would hide most of it; I was wrong. I think it's going to stand out like a sore thumb when its gets warmer out and I don't where a coat. It's also funny the way my girlfriend panics when she thinks my coat is concealing my sidearm. The best part so far was our first time at Farm & Fleet and I popped the trunk after telling her where the bail money is and I inserted a full Mag of hollow points, She said "Your going to load it?". That was the best, I told her Farm & Fleet has a lot of hammers already and I'd prefer to go "armed" when I'm going armed.