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I do agree that it will draw unwanted attention but I don't agree that you will be more targeted for crime cuz you are open carrying. If I was a BG, the last person I would want to mess with is a man/woman with a hand cannon strapped to his/her side.
 
I accidentally OC'ed at a gas station. Took my jacket off in the car because it was too warm then forgot I had the gun on, got out to stretch my legs, cleaned the rear window, paid the cash - not one darned person noticed, it took me a couple of minutes before I realized what I'd done.

People are really not very observant - I think they are so used to cell-phones on belts etc that a gun really does not register.
 
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Open carry is illegal in Portland.

Open carry is not illegal in Portland. In the state of Oregon you can open carry anywhere you can normally carry concealed, HOWEVER cities and counties do have the ability to enact regulations that effect this. For example, Portland, Beaverton, Tigard, Oregon City, Salem, and Independence have enacted loaded firearms bans for non permit holders. In order to open carry without a permit, you must do so without any ammunition in the gun, that's the chamber and the magazine, also you may not have ammunition in the magazine when it's out of the gun. You may have bullets, the magazine, and the gun on you being open carried, but they may not interact with each other, thus making it pointless to open carry in those cities without a permit. With a permit, it is fair game.
 
Open carry is not illegal in Portland. In the state of Oregon you can open carry anywhere you can normally carry concealed, HOWEVER cities and counties do have the ability to enact regulations that effect this. For example, Portland, Beaverton, Tigard, Oregon City, Salem, and Independence have enacted loaded firearms bans for non permit holders. In order to open carry without a permit, you must do so without any ammunition in the gun, that's the chamber and the magazine, also you may not have ammunition in the magazine when it's out of the gun. You may have bullets, the magazine, and the gun on you being open carried, but they may not interact with each other, thus making it pointless to open carry in those cities without a permit. With a permit, it is fair game.

That's not quite correct. In Mult Co you can not open carry a loaded gun without a CCP; however, the definition of loaded is a round in the chamber. You can carry a loaded magazine and even have the magazine in the gun. Just no round in the chamber.

EDIT: I was wrong <broken link removed> The law has been updated since I was a Reserve officer.
 
My apologies in advance, I used to think most of your guys that wanted to walk around with a gun in open sight were a little nuts, and trying to get attention...but then, I got to thinking about it...good for them...they are the ones that are ACTIVELY promoting our ability to own a firearm and keep testing the gun laws, so the citizens and law enforcement are comfortable with an armed citizenry.

As a range master, I can tell you with the the lack of ammo, and the increased price... there is MUCH less shooting going on...so having firearms advocates is a good thing..
 
This is my carry rig. It is going to be with ether the Dan Wesson Heritage (shown) or a Government size Colt 1911. I'm leaning toward the Colt because if it gets confiscated then I will still have the better of the 2. :( Got out a little today but had to wear a jacket so the real open carry wont happen until a nicer day. Tomorrow will be Cabelas (with the Dan Wesson) and a Fred Meyer in my area. Probably with the Colt. We shall see and have more to report tomorrow.
 
First item: For those who persistently exhort that open carry will A) make you a "first target" during a crime or B) result in a BG snatching your gun... Please, please, PLEASE provide a couple of news stories where this has happened to an ordinary civilian. (Cops, and others who make a career of confronting violent felons don't count for what should be very obvious reasons.) Given the anti-gun nature of the media for the past several decades, it should be NO problem to track down these kinds of stories. So, any time during, say, the last 30 years. From any state in the Union.

Item 2: Openly carrying isn't about doing it "because you can." It's about taking on the task of being a GOOD, PUBLIC EXAMPLE of a gun owner. Everyone on this board should understand how important that is. This is no easy task, by the way. In order to be a good representative of gun owners, you have to be prepared to meet the slung dung of gun-haters without losing your cool, snapping back in retort, or giving them the verbal/physical response they so richly deserve. This takes more than just being a "nice guy." You also have to be prepared to have your plans for the day ruined because you happened to bump into one of the few cops who insist on hassling/delaying/intimidating you for carrying; or one of the normal cops who, in a professionally diligent response to a MWAG call, want to make contact with you.

I typically don't open carry and I have my own reasons; but I certainly encourage anyone who wants to openly carry in a legal, responsible, polite, and self-controlled manner.

Tattoo: best of luck to you; definitely keep us posted. Tacoma is a place that desperately needs a good example of an armed citizen.
 
Sometimes what is legal isn't always right. I never cared much for in your face politics no matter what side was doing it. Too me it's not a big deal to cover the gun up, it respects the feelings of others, it doesn't keep me from carrying a firearm, and it doesn't add to the public sentiment about poor opinions of gun owners. We all pick our hill to die on, this is simply not one I am interested in pursuing. Flame me if you want, I have heard all the reasons and I don't agree. I just don't see the advantage to have to justify myself at every public venue because of I want to force the issue. Enjoy.
 
That's not quite correct. In Mult Co you can not open carry a loaded gun without a CCP; however, the definition of loaded is a round in the chamber. You can carry a loaded magazine and even have the magazine in the gun. Just no round in the chamber.

EDIT: I was wrong <broken link removed> The law has been updated since I was a Reserve officer.

Ya I know in some places it's like that, and I know it used to be like that, but now they made it more difficult. Just make sure you have your CHL and you're fine tho.
 
Sometimes what is legal isn't always right. I never cared much for in your face politics no matter what side was doing it. Too me it's not a big deal to cover the gun up, it respects the feelings of others, it doesn't keep me from carrying a firearm, and it doesn't add to the public sentiment about poor opinions of gun owners. We all pick our hill to die on, this is simply not one I am interested in pursuing. Flame me if you want, I have heard all the reasons and I don't agree. I just don't see the advantage to have to justify myself at every public venue because of I want to force the issue. Enjoy.

I'm also not a fan of "in your face" politics. I don't appreciate being screamed at or verbally/physically intimidated by advocates or protestors, even if I already agree with their position.

However, openly carrying a firearm is akin to openly carrying a Bible. Neither of these are confrontational or forced and, if you believe in what you're openly carrying, you should be prepared to act as a good example of a believer and perhaps answer several questions. If you aren't prepared to do this (for whatever reason), then yes, cover it up.
 
My concern with open carry would be if one got involved in an argument with another (any situation such as traffic accident, being bumped into at the mall, you or clerk argue about being short changed) most who carry when confronting a potential hostile blade themselves. The armed side drops back while the weak side is forward. Tactically sound for weapon retention before the shooting starts. Some might confuse this shift in posture with an implied threat. In the eyes of the law a threat can be considered valid if the person making the threat has the means (your gun) and the person has the perceived fear they are going to die or suffer serious bodily harm at your hands.
The outcome of confrontation like that might be decided be 12 people that are too stupid to get out of jury duty!
I do not like those odds.

Also, there are most likely LEOs that are ignorant of the open carry law.

Bruce.
 
I carry my permit along with a copy of Washington state law on the matter of Open Carrying a hand gun. I am not one to loose my cool. I am polite and thoughtful of others. I will present myself in a way that I hope will be beneficial to the firearm community. If my presents some where will cause too much stress or controversy then I will leave, no fighting to get a point across. This will be done with a level head. I will not be confrontational. I want to get it across to people that the good guys can carry weapons responsibly. Not all guns and the people that own and carry them are bad. I go to the same places that I have gone to for years. A lot of the people there know me. It will be interesting to see there reaction to me with an open carry hand gun. I think most of them will smile and go home with a good story about the nice guy that carried a gun to there store. Don't worry guys. I want this to go smoothly. If no one tries, then nothing will change. :)
Dave
 
tattoo I know what you are doing is legal, I was not trying to discourage you. I am a fanatical supporter of the 2nd Amendment and truly believe that no one should be required to carry a firearm concealed only with a license or barred from open carry.
As a trade off I would like to see much, much, much, and much longer sentences for robbers, rapists, and killers. If the prisons are over crowded we could always bring back hangings at the county level.

Bruce.
 
My concern with open carry would be if one got involved in an argument with another (any situation such as traffic accident, being bumped into at the mall, you or clerk argue about being short changed) most who carry when confronting a potential hostile blade themselves.

This is a valid concern. And anyone temperamental enough to let a disagreement get to this point shouldn't be carrying at all (in my opinion) much less openly carrying. I've been in traffic accidents, I've been bumped into, I've been shortchanged, I've lost a parking space that should rightfully have been mine, I've been dissatisfied with the quality of service in a retail establishment, I've been cut off on the highway, I've been approached by enthusiastic panhandlers... on and on. I've always conducted myself politely and have never been unable to defuse a situation before it became an argument.

When carrying, you have to treat life as if you were the lowly cashier at a department store. Customers come in with all kinds of complaints and ALL of those complaints have NOTHING to do with you. As the lowly cashier you don't decide where the compay orders its merchandise from, you don't set the prices in the store, you don't establish store policy on returns/exchanges, you don't set the hours, blah blah blah... but you have to stand there and maintain a polite professional demeanor while the irate customer rails at you as if all these things were under your control.

Many have had some type of customer service job at some point in life and I think most people understand what I'm getting at: Self-control. There's nothing complex or tricky about backing out of a situation that's heating up. If a person is too egotistical to keep a cool head during a verbal altercation, then that person has no business carrying and is a disaster waiting to happen.
 
I agree JumpWing. When I was younger and just out of the Marines I had a guy pull out in front of me and had to slam on the breaks to keep from hitting him. Like any red blooded American driving a large American pick-up having almost hit very small foreign pick-up I gave him the bird and honked. The guy stuck his arm out the window pointing to the right for me to pull over. Having my 1911 on my hip and my turn being to the left I though it best to ignore him and continue on with my business. I arrived at my destination and began to unload my truck and all of sudden this little truck comes to a screeching stop in front of me. A guy a head taller then me and probably 20 years older gets out of the truck and starts to go off on me about driving aggressive. I start to tell him that he pulled out in front of me and I almost hit him, then a strong wind lifts my shirt tail (no BS) and exposes my 1911 on my hip and the guy looks down at it and starts backing out of the yard and all I say to the guy is try to have a better day as he gets in his truck and drives off.

Bruce.
 
Just don't open carry in Beaverton, OR. One of the very first times that I ever OCs, paying for gas without putting on a coat, somebody called Beaverton police.

The officer called me, then continued to tell me that they sent 8 cars to that location. Yes, 8 cars. Luckily, I was halfway to the range at that point, which was why I had the handgun on me in that holster in the first place.

This is no joke, but I will still OC if I ever feel like it again.
 
It is interesting that in the states that push open carry, like VA, the folks in opencarry.com join together and go to restaurants and have meetings.

This has the effect of retraining the public that all folks that carry guns are not gang-bangers like they see on TV each night. It totally desensitizes them to the anti-gun behavior. And....the police learn that open carry is a right and its OK, after first flipping out in all the small and large cites that think they can limit gun carry.

Its a positive movement in this country and I for one like it. I am not comfortable participating at this stage of my life but sure support the people that have the courage to do so. Kudos to the open carry ground breakers. Its a very mild form of protest directed at the radicals that scream "ITS A GUN!"
 
Dave, please be sure to report back on the reactions of the other shoppers and store management. I would be interested in hearing this. You might consider having a buddy shadow you from a short distance to also observe how others are reacting. You would also have a witness if you are tackled by LEO.

I have asked my non gun owning coworkers how they would react. Not one of them knew that it was legal to open carry if you had a CHL here in Oregon. Every one of them said they would be very uncomfortable and even scared if they saw this. Most said they would leave the area especially if their children were with them. Many said they would call 911.

I have never open carried and don't intend to. But hey, each to their own. I look forward to hearing about your experience with open carry.
Thanks, Gary.
 
This is my carry rig. It is going to be with ether the Dan Wesson Heritage (shown) or a Government size Colt 1911. I'm leaning toward the Colt because if it gets confiscated then I will still have the better of the 2. :( Got out a little today but had to wear a jacket so the real open carry wont happen until a nicer day. Tomorrow will be Cabelas (with the Dan Wesson) and a Fred Meyer in my area. Probably with the Colt. We shall see and have more to report tomorrow.

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That is awfully nice rig to risk being confiscated.
 

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