First Time OCing and a Question

[Scandiacus]

Well, I finally bit the bullet and OC'd my Glock 27 for the first time yesterday - it felt slightly awkward to be carrying openly.  I noticed a neighbor staring briefly while I loaded up the car to head off and visit my parents for the long weekend, but he didn't say anything.  Along the way I stopped at Gander Mountain in Novi to pick up some 12 gauge shells to test fire my grandpa's old shotgun which I just inherited - I wanted Gander Mountain to be my first "on foot" OC'ing experience away from home since it's basically guaranteed to be a positive experience and would help me get over my nerves.  A woman who was also browsing the ammo aisles discreetly pointed out my gun to her boyfriend standing next to her, to which he replied, "Nice!"  Nobody else paid any attention to my gun, which I was thankful for.  I later stopped at a rest area along I-94 to take of some business and only saw one person there who held the door for me into the men's room but didn't say anything - he was on the opposite side of me from my gun so I doubt if he even saw it.

Only other person I saw that evening while carrying was my mother when she welcomed me upon my arrival - my family is extremely comfortable with guns and she's thinking of getting her CPL, so she obviously didn't give my gun a second thought. 

All in all a positive (if brief) first OC experience.  I still have some nerves about OC'ing in public, but I suspect that will get better with time.  Any recommendations for places that are good for newbie OCers to carry and get more comfortable with having a visible weapon in public?

[part deux]

Walmart, sams club, Home Depot.

[TheQ]

Walmart, sams club

...assuming you have a CPL.

[gryphon]

Congrats on your first OC.  I felt somewhat self-conscious my first time, too, but I was surprised by how quickly that went away.  After five or six times it became normal for me, and I suspect your self-consciousness will fade soon as well.

Most places you probably patronize regularly are going to be good places: Meijer, Home Depot, gas stations, restaurants.  But like Q said, you need a CPL to carry in places with liquor licenses, which are most grocery stores, gas stations, and restaurants, so keep that in mind.

[Scandiacus]

Thanks for the responses.  I do have a CPL, so no worries there.

[linux203]

Public parks are a good place to OC.  They are all preempted by MCL 123.1102. 

[SD40VE]

walking around a downtown area in most places. meijer has never given me an issue, big boy is another one.