I went to Clarabella's in Owatonna Friday AM. I was open carrying my 329NG which is fairly noticeable. A sign on the door said that firearms must be cased except for permit holders, or something to that effect. So I walked in OC.

I browsed around the gun counter, It was early and they were not at all busy. I walked into the gun library and talked to an employee there. Several people saw me OC and no one said anything.

I walked back to the front of the store to use the mens room and upon exiting, the "greeter" saw the firearm and said I needed to cover it. I said OK and pulled my t-shirt out over it.

I don't object to their having a policy but I think it should be posted that OC is not permitted and it should be enforced by all employees if it truly their policy. Or maybe this one employee had his own opinion on the matter, I don't know. I didn't make an issue of it, nor do I regret not doing so. I just wish the policy would be clearly stated, legal or not I probably don't know, but at least we should know what to expect. I OC at Gouger Mt all the time.

I went there to see if they didn't have all the supplies I need, and the trip was well served since they had no primers, powder, or brass that I needed. Well there was 1 cannister of Power Pistol but I left it. I DID get some tumbling media, a .44 Lee FCD, and some .44 snap caps.

I don't disagree with the way you handled the situation at all and I think it's perfectly fine to go with the flow and comply with the request.

However, had it been me, I probably would have complied with the request and then wandered over to another employee say, at the gun counter (out of sight and earhot of the greeter), and asked if the manager had a few minutes to speak with me. If so, I would have explained the situation that unfolded exactly as you have here and then ask if that is the actual store policy or perhaps just that employee misunderstanding the policy. If it turns out that the employee's response was not consistent with the store policy; I might ask that the manager have someone simply let the greeter know that OC is perfectly fine in the store. If the actual intent of the policy is that they want permit holders to conceal and not OC so be it. I would thank him for clarifying the issue for me. I might ask him to have the sign reworded to let permit holders know that they while they are welcome to carry in the store, the store would prefer/requires them to conceal their firearm. I agree with you, I would want to know ahead of time what their store policy is before/while entering the store. I could then make a decision right there whether I want to simply conceal or whether I want to just go elsewhere. The policy should be enforced the same by all employees. I am sure there are those that will say why rock the boat and have them change the sign so you must conceal. That way you can just go in and OC and if you don't run into anyone who tells you otherwise you're fine. I guess I would rather get the clarification and know the stores intent right off the bat.

As far as the legality of the request to conceal your fire arm, I would think they could ask you to do whatever they want it's their store. If you don't want to comply with said request, you simply leave. I would think they could ask you to put on a blue hat with a propeller on top while shopping in their store but that doesn't mean you have to. INAL and all that but I would assume that if they ask you to conceal and you refuse their next step would be to ask you to leave the store (which they can do for whatever reason they want, pretty much). If you refuse that request then the legal part comes in and they call the police.

I agree with your statement. I probably would have sought clarification from the store manager, but I was pressed for time (bad excuse-I wnated to get to BV range by 10 AM) and just decided to comply and leave it at that.

I concur, It sounded like an employee with his own idea, or operating under old management information.

Sounds like one of the better excuses to me!

Yeah, I wanted to make sure that the new extended firing pin in my 329 NG worked. I had been getting light strikes and FTF's with the stock FP for some reason. Yes it works, but I hear that the C&S FP is not the best choice. I have ordered 2 spares from APEX which is reputed to be a better product. I don't know. Anyway, I have spares...

The little .44 really barks with my mag loads and is great fun to shoot!

I discovered also that my Springfield EMP does not like my reloaded 1x fired police range brass. Even though resized there are some FTE's that I don't get with factory ammo or handloaded virgin brass. I test the reloads by seeing how each round fits in the barrel (removed from frame). Some stick even though I'd expect the resizing to be uniform. Some of the brass is +P so maybe that has a different spec.

Anyway, I like the EMP and have no issue with using factory ammo or reloads from virgin brass. Of course virgin brass, as well as other things virgin is hard to find.

The problem is that the brass is not being resized completely. Use a Lee Factory Crimp die to again resize the brass after the bullet is seated. (The die also crimps the round at the same time.) A normal resizing die does not resize all the way to the extraction groove on the case. This is especially true when brass from a Glock ("police range brass") is used. Brass from a Glock has a small bulge at the very bottom that does not get resized completely with a normal resizing die. EMP's have a very tight chamber.

The Lee Factory Crimp die cured all my problems with reloads in my EMP. I do not let anyone shoot their reloads in my EMP's.

I actually do vaguely recall their sign saying (at least at the Rogers location) that all firearms and bows must be cased and unloaded, checked at Customer Service, and that CPL/CWL holders just need to keep concealed. I think Sportsmans Warehouse in Coon Rapids was the same way.

I forget the exact wording. But the gist was 'just conceal it guys, plzkthx.'

Hmm, I don't recall their signs saying anything about concealed. There was the wording "this does not apply to concealed carry permit holders", or something like that. Then again, it's been a few months since I've been there.

I don't remember if I've ever OC'ed there, but I OC at Gander in EP regularly (similar wording on their sign).

-Mark

Who are these concealed carry permit holders of which you speak??

I have been using the Lee FCD with the 9mm (and all my other reloads as well). I'll check the die adjustment. Maybe I don't have it set low enough. I don't get a lot of FTE's but I wish it were none. Maybe my EMP has an especially tight chamber. At least something in my house does.

Mythical creatures, who exist in another state outside of MN. Although there are some in MN who insist that we have such creatures here as well...I call them "un-readers of the law".

-Mark