List your Open Carry Experiences here.

[JoeCar]

Open carried into VG's of Fenton. Picked up a few items to make Texas Chili. Perfect for this past few days weather. No comments from the public or long stares.

[CV67PAT]

Got tossed out of a business for my very first time.

Thursday at American Jewelry and Loan in Detroit on Greenfield and 8 Mile.

Mexican carry, as usual, of my 1911A1.

Les Gold: How can I help u you today?
CV67PAT: I"d like to see about making a piece of custom jewelry from this gold.
Security: He's got a gun. We have a sign that says "No Firearms" at the door. You'll have to take it out to your car.
CV67PAT: I'm sorry I didn't see it. I don't want to just take it out.
Les Gold: You're not gonna rob me. Are you?
CV67PAT: No. I wouldn't do that.
Les Gold: It's alright then. You can stay.
Security: But it's out in the open.
Les Gold: It's right out in the open?
Security: Yes. Right there.
Les Gold:You can stay if you cover it up.
CV67PAT: I don't do that.
Les Gold: They you're going to have to leave, if you won't cover it up. Unless you're a cop. Are you a cop?
CV67PAT: No I'm not. And, I'm not going to cover it up.
Les Gold: Then I'm sorry. You're going to have to leave.
CV67PAT: OK.
Les Gold: Thank you.
CV67PAT: You're welcome.

I really wanted to start screaming: "I'm not leaving mother******!!! I comesed herez to gets me mys jewels and I ain'ts leavinz till I gets it. Hey what you looking at you big motherf******?!?!?!?" Get uz f******g hands off me motherf*****. Don'ts you be touchin meez!!! I aint's leavin till I gets my chit motherf*****!!! Put me down motherf****!!! I ain'ts leavin. You's mothref****** trys toi rob me!!! This place is a rob ree  motherf******!!!

But since there was a full production filming for a TV show, I decided not to.

[onnie0047@gmail.com]

I went in that place last year during the winter, not one person would wait on me
guess I was not URBAN enough!!!, Im just an old fat white boy!

[kryptonian]

last night 10:30pm driving home in the pouring rain at night i went to make a left turn at a traffic light and when a gap appeared i turned only to see a car with NO LIGHTS on almost t-bone me. we both swerved and amazingly wasnt hit and was observed by an oakland county deputy patrol car. he immediately pulled her over. i turned around to see who it was and saw him discussing it with an older woman driver. while walking back to his car she drove away clearly released by the deputy. i was stunned. i got out OC of course and asked the deputy what was up..she almost hit me and you saw it. he clearly saw my weapon and appeared uneasy. he said, "it's ok she's going home now". i said, "she almost hit me - i thought you might need a witness for something". he said, "no thanks. she's gone".
he was pointed westward and i turned around and continued on home east bound and made the left turn going north again to go home. about a mile later i looked in my rear view to see the same patrol unit behind me. every business driveway or residential street i passed i was sure was the oppurtunity he was looking for to stop me. i could hear the keys typing in his car knowing i was getting ran. got to my street and pulled in and no stop.
my theory - shift change. i could have been holding a human head in my hand and he probably wouldn't care. the sheriff's substation is about a mile past my house so i assume he was heading there after fueling up.

[ascalia]

I've been open-carrying for awhile now--I'm 36, and people in Bloomfield Twp. where I frequent know that I openly carry and have no problem with it. At first I just got "looks," but nobody said anything. Only TWICE did I have a BK manager call the police, who are obligated to respond, and when the officer arrived, she asked "why do you have a weapon, sir? May I see your I.D.?" So, I showed her my I.D., informed her I had a CCW on my person (as is also an obligation by law) and presented it, and then she told me to "sit tight "  as she ran me through LEIN in her patrol car. When I came back clean, the officer left me with "have a good day" and went to the manager and explained that open carry is legal in Michigan. The manager said "I have the right to refuse service," and the officer responded with "yes, but he's perfectly within the law--though I'd prefer he carry concealed myself." 
So, I finished my meal and have since returned to the BK without incident.

The second time was when I ate at a local Deli and an older woman asked "are you the police?"  I responded with "no" and simply kept eating. She persisted with "then why carry a gun? Isn't that illegal?" Instead of reading her the "litany," I simply explained that OC is legal in Michigan, and in lieu of the fact that a wealthy person less than a mile away was held at gunpoint in his driveway for his watch last week (to which she was SHOCKED), I decided to be proactive. She responded with "wow" (I think about her naivety about the violent incident) and we both took our time finishing our meals.

People here are increasingly the target of violent crime because we're "sandwiched" between Pontiac and Southfield (much poorer communities, lots of drugs and "gang-bangers"), I OC just about everywhere now.

Tony

[Christian Patriot]

  Good morning ascalia...I'm glad that both your situations turned out well. Just a quick note to a couple of facts friend. First, the police are not obligated to resond. Federal courts have ruled that the police are under no obligation to protect the public. Second, unless your wepon is concealed, you had no obligation to present ID or CPL or even have it on you for that matter. You voluntarily gave up your rights! Hey... We all handle our situations the way we see fit at the moment at hand, and you handled it just fine. I'm simply pointing out a few facts... You definatly handled it correctly if you did not want to make a bigger scene. Good job Sir and carry on.

Daniel 

[JoeCar]

+1, The initials CCW (to the police) represents a felony activity to them (concealed carry weapon). So, you don't want to admit to that moniker. Use of CPL (concealed pistol license) is the proper term for referring to open/concealed carry activity.

[JoeCar]

Open carried on my motorcycle through Linden and Fenton. Nice day to be cruising. Earlier I stopped in on the Occupy Wallstreet Flint group campsite. One young man was open carrying a black Beretta 9mm. I didn't chat with him as he was setting up his tent with an apple stuck in his mouth.

[Super Trucker]

+1, The initials CCW (to the police) represents a felony activity to them (concealed carry weapon). So, you don't want to admit to that moniker. Use of CPL (concealed pistol license) is the proper term for referring to open/concealed carry activity.

You forgot to also correct him on the part about it not being a law to inform if you are not carrying  CONCEALED, and also since he wasn't concealed he didn't have to provide ID or CPL either.

[PaulC]

Called in sick today..  OC'ed dropping son off at his school, then Kroger, then Romeo Flooring, Home Depot, Son's school again, Texas Roadhouse and then Halloween Bazaar. My gun is pretty much always on my hip OC style unless I am at work, sleeping, or watching my son play hockey at Suburban.

I have not had any encounters to speak of in the past two months. A few wide eyes thats it.

[JoeCar]

Open carried to my local Charter Communications. They have a sign in their window. "No weapons allowed." So, I opened the door and stuck my head in and asked the girl if I could get a receipt for my modem that I was returning. She says "Yes, if you'll bring it to me." I said "What about your sign?" She says "Are you carrying a weapon?" I said, "Yes I am." She says "I won't tell if you don't." I said "OK." I'm guessing the sign wasn't her idea. If she was going to be adamant, I was going to ask her to step out on the sidewalk to do our transaction. But, everything went well.

[northofnowhere]

     I was doing a similar transaction at my local Charter office and made a very open scene about how to properly unload and secure your firearm in a crowded parking lot.  After conducting my business I asked for the best place to send complaints in letter format.  The woman was very friendly ans asked about what.  i explained my problem.  She, a very nice elderly lady, explained her problems with the policy as well.  She isn't even allowed to carry her pistol or rifle in her car and has to drive well out of her way to get it before going to the range weekly after work.

     Horrible policy, horrible concept, great experience.

[JoeCar]

Open carried into VG's for my .69 cent extra large doughnut (all varieties) and free coffee. Move over Tim Horton's...

[Christian Patriot]

Went to Meijer in Owosso/Corunna tonight with my wife, Daughter and foster son. We walked by the greeter (looked to be about 70) and she said nothing to me. We were shopping for vitamins and I seen her peak around the end of the isle... we went down another isle and I seen her looking down our isle again and here she comes... She stroled on up and made small talk about the baby, then she asks "whats that for (pointing at my shiny .45 1911 Dan Wesson)? I told her it was for self protection. She said "you can carry it right out in the open like that"? I said yes, it is perfectly leagal to open carry in Michigan, in fact you dont even need a license to carry a handgun in Michigan, you only need a license to conceal it. She was quite suprised but looked to be greatly releaved. She said "sorry to bother you". I told her that I was glad that she came to talk to me and I was happy to answer any questions she may have. We talked for a few more minutes and she went back to her post. We finished our shopping (about 3/4 of an hour) with no problems... Lots of fun!
Daniel

[Christian Patriot]

I was at my Grandmothers house today burning leaves and a couple (in their 50's) walked by and said "We were at the Knights of Columbus for a party and thought this looked like a nice neiborhood and decided to go for a walk. We get one block down the street and come across you with a gun on your hip." I laughed and said it is a relatively safe city but there have been several breakins lately. They said " Should we pay you to walk with us?" I said that that was up to them... It was kina comical...

I'll tell ya all what... I love OCing...The conversations, the occasional reactions, and the pride I feel for exercising our rights... It feels great!

[PaulC]

OC'd at both Kroger's in Macomb Twp, Hollywood Market in Shelby TWP, ACE Hardware, the car wash.... Locked her up when I went to Suburban Ice Arena.. (one of the few places I won't OC).

[JoeCar]

Open carried at Tom's Coney in Flint with Daniel/family, Jerry Brewer/son, and George Ettinger. We had a good time talking about everything. Daniel inspired me to take the next  challenge in my oc adventure. I walked into Lake Fenton high school to vote. The high schoolers were already gone and there were just people and administrators/teachers floating around. My wife and I watched especially for shocked looks, or anything else...but NOTHING! This is getting too easy. I hope that I was able to inform others that what I was doing (exercising a Right) was also theirs to have.

[Warchild]

Good for you Joe. It gets easier as you get more comfortable and confident with carrying.
Nice to meet you and look forward to doing it again.
Jerry

[Biggrrizzley]

On April 24, 2011, Easter Sunday morning, I noticed that a Detroit Police car was behind me following me turn by turn.  I pulled into the Citco Gas Station at Six Mile and Schaefer, (as I always do coming from work), I got out and walked to the rear of my vehicle to get my money from my jacket; closed down the back hatch and then when I was walking towards the front of the vehicle, the officers pulled behind my vehicle; got out and walked towards me.  They stopped and asked me to come towards them; they asked me did I have a CCW; they repeatedly asked did I have a CCW; I kept replying no I have a CPL license.  I asked them do I need one, what is this about.  Their response was “Put your hands on the vehicle”. (The police vehicle)  As I was placing my hands on the vehicle, one officer then grabbed me by the back of my shirt and placed me onto the vehicle.  They then disarmed me (two pistols). 
Next they asked for my CPL and driver’s license.  They ran my information and while they were running the information they were telling me how I was wrong to open carry, I don’t know the law, and continued with this verbal badgering.
After about thirty minutes of this treatment, they received an answer back from running my information.  One office walked back with a big smile on his face and asked his partner, “Do you want to tell him or me?  That’s when I was told my CPL was suspended and they were confiscating my firearms.  I requested that they give me their cards, but both officers said they did not have any. The officers left without giving me their names.  I wrote down their license plates number from the police car.  I did not receive any tickets or paper work stating they took weapons from me.
I then got in my vehicle and drove home; then I went to the police station and the officers were there.  Officer Clark came out and spoke with me.  He said he had taken my cell number at the scene and after he wrote up his report and spoke with the investigator he would contact me. 
 

I left the police station and went home.  I called a friend who advised me to go back and request my weapons because I was correct that they did not follow the procedure for a suspended CPL who had not been notified that the license was suspended.  I went back to the police station; waited to speak with Officer Clark again.  When Officer Clark and his partner approached me in the station, they placed me under arrest; charged me with carrying a concealed weapon in a motor vehicle and locked me up in jail. During this time of supposed suspension my license has been ran during a traffic stop while carrying a concealed weapon on my person by a city other than Detroit. I have also purchased firearms during this time and not one time have I been denied or told of any suspension until this incident. Also as I was released an officer working the front desk area made snide remarks one of which was “we’ll see you next week”!!  These are in my opinion one reason police officers have such a poor reputation in the community.

Arrested 04/24/11 @ approximately 11:45 am
Released 04/25/11 @ approximately 11:00 am
Firearms released 04/27/11
Ammo released 05/02/11
Attained property release from 12th precinct for my CPL 05/02/11
CPL  returned by property officer @ 1300 Beaubien 05/03/11

[TheQ]

Arrested 04/24/11 @ approximately 11:45 am
Released 04/25/11 @ approximately 11:00 am
Firearms released 04/27/11
Ammo released 05/02/11
Attained property release from 12th precinct for my CPL 05/02/11
CPL  returned by property officer @ 1300 Beaubien 05/03/11

Did you ever validate with the gun board that your CPL indeed had been suspended? If so, did you ask them why you weren't notified?

If so and the cops lied to you or were incorrect you may have a strong civil case, especially since you were locked up over night!