open carry etiquette?

[Raineyrocks]

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.

When Rick purchased a rifle at Walmart in Maryland the manager was called also to walk my husband out to the car with the rifle.  Oh yeah and Rick couldn't buy bullets at the same time, he had to come back into the store to get bullets.

[margomaps]

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.

Portsmouth probably has more hoplophobes than Manchester as well, despite the much lower population.  What really matters I suppose is the density of hoplophobes, which I certainly believe is higher in Portsmouth.  I would also guess that Portsmouth has far more out-of-state tourists visiting than does Manchester.

[KBCraig]

When Rick purchased a rifle at Walmart in Maryland the manager was called also to walk my husband out to the car with the rifle.  Oh yeah and Rick couldn't buy bullets at the same time, he had to come back into the store to get bullets.

Now that one is a known Wal-Mart national policy, which makes little sense.

My favorite story of that policy was told by someone who stopped at Wal-Mart to buy a rifle on his lunch break. He completed the transaction, and was escorted out by a manager who told him that policy required him to carry the rifle out to the buyer's car and place it in the trunk.

And so that's what they did... the buyer and the manager walked out to the parking lot, where the manager put the rifle in the buyer's trunk. The trunk of his police cruiser, that is, while he and his partner, both in full uniform and wearing their service pistols, stood aside and chuckled at the silliness of it all.

[J’raxis 270145]

When Rick purchased a rifle at Walmart in Maryland the manager was called also to walk my husband out to the car with the rifle.  Oh yeah and Rick couldn't buy bullets at the same time, he had to come back into the store to get bullets.

Now that one is a known Wal-Mart national policy, which makes little sense.

My favorite story of that policy was told by someone who stopped at Wal-Mart to buy a rifle on his lunch break. He completed the transaction, and was escorted out by a manager who told him that policy required him to carry the rifle out to the buyer's car and place it in the trunk.

And so that's what they did... the buyer and the manager walked out to the parking lot, where the manager put the rifle in the buyer's trunk. The trunk of his police cruiser, that is, while he and his partner, both in full uniform and wearing their service pistols, stood aside and chuckled at the silliness of it all.

Good. Why give the cops special treatment? Reminds me of that gun manufacturer who refused to return a bunch of firearms to a California police department after refurbishing them, because, due to California law, they couldn't ship that class of firearm into that state anymore. (Technically, they could've sent the PD back their guns, but the company decided to play it safe; "the law's the law," right?)

[dalebert]

When Rick purchased a rifle at Walmart in Maryland the manager was called also to walk my husband out to the car with the rifle.  Oh yeah and Rick couldn't buy bullets at the same time, he had to come back into the store to get bullets.

We can thank the Terminator movie for that stupid policy.

[Giggan]

When Rick purchased a rifle at Walmart in Maryland the manager was called also to walk my husband out to the car with the rifle.  Oh yeah and Rick couldn't buy bullets at the same time, he had to come back into the store to get bullets.

We can thank the Terminator movie for that stupid policy.

Haha, is that really where the policy came from?

[Raineyrocks]

When Rick purchased a rifle at Walmart in Maryland the manager was called also to walk my husband out to the car with the rifle.  Oh yeah and Rick couldn't buy bullets at the same time, he had to come back into the store to get bullets.

Now that one is a known Wal-Mart national policy, which makes little sense.

My favorite story of that policy was told by someone who stopped at Wal-Mart to buy a rifle on his lunch break. He completed the transaction, and was escorted out by a manager who told him that policy required him to carry the rifle out to the buyer's car and place it in the trunk.

And so that's what they did... the buyer and the manager walked out to the parking lot, where the manager put the rifle in the buyer's trunk. The trunk of his police cruiser, that is, while he and his partner, both in full uniform and wearing their service pistols, stood aside and chuckled at the silliness of it all.

Wow, I'm surprised that the cops didn't ask for a donut for the inconvience,(sp?), (lame attempt at humor)! 

[Raineyrocks]

When Rick purchased a rifle at Walmart in Maryland the manager was called also to walk my husband out to the car with the rifle.  Oh yeah and Rick couldn't buy bullets at the same time, he had to come back into the store to get bullets.

We can thank the Terminator movie for that stupid policy.

Yeah, really! 

[rmodel65]

I OC here in GA almost exclusively, I get stares and double looks etc. The only problem has been from LEOs, they like to ask questions and demand papers with an authority type voice tone in their voice which would lead someone to to believe they are seized. Here in GA we still have the common law right to resist an unlawful arrest. The next time I have an encounter I've decided I will state that I choose not to participate and walk away. IF that doesnt work then I will just keep asking, AM I FREE TO GO, and that i will answer no question without a lawyer

as or acting different, the first few times I was self conscience now its just like a pair of shoes to me.

[anthonybpugh]

Open carry in a bar might not be a good idea, especially if you are planning on doing some drinking. 

[doobie]

Open carry in a bar might not be a good idea, especially if you are planning on doing some drinking. 

Nothing illegal about it though...just don't get so drunk you forget about maintaining retention of it.... some bars may not serve you as well.

[Jared]

so i bought the gun. unfortunately, (long story) i had to buy the gun in maine, at ktp. i LOVE ktp, but i would have liked to support a nh business. aw well. it took about 3 hours to buy the thing - had to wait for the background check to go through, then had to drive over the border to pick it up in nh.

[margomaps]

so i bought the gun. unfortunately, (long story) i had to buy the gun in maine, at ktp. i LOVE ktp, but i would have liked to support a nh business. aw well. it took about 3 hours to buy the thing - had to wait for the background check to go through, then had to drive over the border to pick it up in nh.

So you drove to ME and paid for the gun at KTP, but then had to drive back to NH to pick it up?  What's the deal with that?  I must be missing something that would explain why you didn't just buy it in NH in the first place and save yourself some sales tax.   

[MaineShark]

so i bought the gun. unfortunately, (long story) i had to buy the gun in maine, at ktp. i LOVE ktp, but i would have liked to support a nh business. aw well. it took about 3 hours to buy the thing - had to wait for the background check to go through, then had to drive over the border to pick it up in nh.

So you drove to ME and paid for the gun at KTP, but then had to drive back to NH to pick it up?  What's the deal with that?  I must be missing something that would explain why you didn't just buy it in NH in the first place and save yourself some sales tax.   

Federal law: you can't buy a handgun in another state, unless you have it transferred-in by a Federally-licensed dealer.

So, KTP has a small building in NH, near the Portsmouth circle.  Pick out a gun in their Maine store, and they drive it over to Portsmouth, and actually hand it to you there (where they have a separate, Federally-licensed dealership).

Asinine nonsense, in other words.

Joe

[margomaps]

Federal law: you can't buy a handgun in another state, unless you have it transferred-in by a Federally-licensed dealer.

So, KTP has a small building in NH, near the Portsmouth circle.  Pick out a gun in their Maine store, and they drive it over to Portsmouth, and actually hand it to you there (where they have a separate, Federally-licensed dealership).

Ah, thanks Joe.  I knew about that federal law but had forgotten it.  Asinine indeed!