open carry etiquette?

[KBCraig]

Then you have a place like Jared Galleria in Concord (though all stores have the sigmn) that prohibits firearms in the store and in the parking lot.

I've never been to a Jared, but I understand that's their policy nationwide.

[KBCraig]

I'm not sure if it's true but I heard some time back Wally world but banning the carry of all weapons in their stores never stopped me from carrying my knives though. And right after they announced it parking lot theft jumped I was even almost accosted though spotted it and stopped it.

Wal-Mart has never had such a policy. Their national policy has always been to observe the state laws where the store is located. Open carry gets mixed reaction, and they do allow individual store managers some latitude to ask people to conceal or leave if it's creating a stir. Sometimes store management has to be educated, though -- getting them on the phone with district management to actually read the policy usually does the trick.

[Giggan]

I know someone who was asked to leave the Concord Wal Mart for open carry. I haven't open carried there myself.

One time I went into Jared while I was CC'ing, and a friend of mine had a small knife on his belt, which the guy asked for at the door. I of course didn't say anything, but goes to show how insecure that sort of security really is. I didn't notice signs or anything myself.

A friend of mine who's a cop open carried there and they confronted him, but left him alone after he flashed his badge.

[William]

I can't think of anywhere you shouldn't I wouldn't carry. Certainly no as far as offending someone goes. If a private business owner doesn't like my being armed, I want to know about it so I can stop doing business with him.

i don't know..maybe it's just because i never see anyone open carrying around here (portsmouth/dover area). are there city ordinances i should be worried about breaking? i mean, do you guys bring your guns into bars? the mall? walmart? the grocery store?

Yes, yes and yes.

[41mag]

I know someone who was asked to leave the Concord Wal Mart for open carry. I haven't open carried there myself.

I've open carried there with no problems though.   

[MaineShark]

No matter where you open carry, be prepared for stares (almost certainly)...

I haven't found that to be the case, actually.  Oh, there's always someone who notices and stares, but the majority don't even seem to notice the gun.  Part of it is being used to seeing cops carrying*, and with cell phones and PDA's and such being so common, folks tend to ignore black bulges on others' belts.

The only verbal response I've ever had to open carry was some women who were visiting from Mass for the first presidential debate in Manchester who, upon noticing that I and Ridley were carrying, exclaimed "that's so cool! we need to move here!"

Joe

*all-time favorite exchange overheard by a friend who was carrying: "Hey, that guy over there has a gun..." "oh, don't worry; it's in a holster, not tucked in his waistband, so he must be a cop"

[Jared]

No matter where

*all-time favorite exchange overheard by a friend who was carrying: "Hey, that guy over there has a gun..." "oh, don't worry; it's in a holster, not tucked in his waistband, so he must be a cop"

lol

[Porcupine_in_MA]

I've gotten a couple of stares, but over-all no problems. Joe's right I think, it's that most assume you're a cop if they notice at all.

[margomaps]

No matter where you open carry, be prepared for stares (almost certainly)...

I haven't found that to be the case, actually.  Oh, there's always someone who notices and stares...

I said that one should expect stares.  You said that a) in your experience this isn't the case, and b) there's always someone who notices and stares.

You're agreeing and disagreeing with me simultaneously!   

You must have thought that I meant "be prepared for stares from (everyone / a majority of people / lots of people)", but I did not mean that.

[MaineShark]

No matter where you open carry, be prepared for stares (almost certainly)...

I haven't found that to be the case, actually.  Oh, there's always someone who notices and stares...

I said that one should expect stares.  You said that a) in your experience this isn't the case, and b) there's always someone who notices and stares.

You're agreeing and disagreeing with me simultaneously!   

You must have thought that I meant "be prepared for stares from (everyone / a majority of people / lots of people)", but I did not mean that.

Nah, I just wasn't clear.  If you carry often enough, statistics say that someone will stare at you.  But you might go days without any stares at all.

Joe

[margomaps]

Nah, I just wasn't clear.  If you carry often enough, statistics say that someone will stare at you.  But you might go days without any stares at all.

Ah, I see.  Well, I'll hazard a guess that more people are staring at you when your back is turned than you might realize.  It wouldn't surprise me if many who are surprised/afraid to see an armed (non-police) person are also afraid to make eye contact or even let you know they're aware of your presence.

[Recumbent ReCycler]

I've open carried in a variety of locations, and have had few problems because of it.  Being nicely dressed couldn't hurt.  I've been approached by a couple cops while I was open carrying.  I saw them out of the corner of my eye as they were trying to sneak up on me.  I pretended not to see them until they were about 10 feet away, then I turned toward them and greeted them with a friendly smile and a polite greeting.  I think that caught them off guard.  I was wearing a nice shirt and slacks.  They asked if I was "on the job".  I told them that I wasn't.  They told me that they had gotten a few reports of people being scared at the sight of me with a gun on my belt.  I commented that we were in NH and that there is no law against carrying a pistol openly.  One of them said something along the lines of "but it's making people nervous".  I asked if they would prefer that I conceal the pistol.  They didn't answer that question.  They just repeated the comment about people being nervous around a gun.  I relocated the pistol under my shirt so that it wasn't visible anymore and they left me alone after that.  I have been harassed in the past by a couple Manchester cops because I was carrying more than one pistol.  They suggested that there is no legitimate reason for someone to carry more than one pistol.  After detaining me for about 45 minutes, they let me go.
I've never had a problem while wearing a pistol in Wal-Mart.  I used to work for Wal-Mart, and know that their policy was to not allow employees to possess firearms on the property, but there was no policy prohibiting or even discouraging customers from carrying.  When I carried a rifle into a Wal-Mart in Louisiana, I was asked to wait at the entrance for a manager.  When the manager arrived, I told her that I wanted to bring my rifle to the sporting goods department to see which scopes would fit it so that I could select the best scope that would fit.  The manager carried the rifle to the sporting goods department (while talking about how beautiful she thought it was), then handed it back to me when we got there.  After I selected and purchased a scope, I handed the rifle back to her and she carried it to the entrance and handed it back to me.  
IIRC, I think the Fox Run Mall has a sign that says that no weapons are allowed there, so I never open carried there.

[MaineShark]

Nah, I just wasn't clear.  If you carry often enough, statistics say that someone will stare at you.  But you might go days without any stares at all.

Ah, I see.  Well, I'll hazard a guess that more people are staring at you when your back is turned than you might realize.  It wouldn't surprise me if many who are surprised/afraid to see an armed (non-police) person are also afraid to make eye contact or even let you know they're aware of your presence.

If they're staring at my back, then I don't have to be prepared to be stared-at

I think you've giving more credit for subtlety to the average individual on the street.  Particularly hoplophobes - phobics are generally not known for their cunning ability to hide their fear.

Joe

[margomaps]

If they're staring at my back, then I don't have to be prepared to be stared-at

I think you've giving more credit for subtlety to the average individual on the street.  Particularly hoplophobes - phobics are generally not known for their cunning ability to hide their fear.

*shrug*  Stares will happen -- we've both already gone on record stating this is the case.  While the exact number of stares is up for debate, my point was simply to give Jared some idea of the kinds of things that will likely happen to him when he's open carrying on the Seacoast.  Especially in Portsmouth, which undoubtedly has many more hoplophobes than Northwood.

[MaineShark]

Especially in Portsmouth, which undoubtedly has many more hoplophobes than Northwood.

Most of my open-carry is in Manchvegas.  Northwood isn't exactly a walking town, so I'm usually wearing a vest simply because I cannot stand to have a wallet and keys in my pants pockets, so I need something to carry them in.  I wear layers whether or not I'm armed, so when I'm open-carrying, it's generally because I've gone out of my way to do so.

Joe