First encounter with police since permit issue - a much different outcome

I have been stopped several times since my CCW permit. They have always been very polite.

FWIW a few years ago when I was trying to buy a CMP M1 Garand I went to the local police station to get finger printed. This was the time period when the BATF was accused of over stepping their authority and the NRA accused them of being Jack Booted Thugs. As was my luck all the patrolmen were out and I got one of the detectives. He asked what I needed finger prints for and I told him it was for the CMP program. He was totally clueless and when I told him I was going to buy an M1 Garand I thought he was going to arrest me. He kept saying what do you need an M1 Garand for? I calmly explained what the CMP program was and that it was in affiliation with the NRA. He then went on another tirade about the NRA. I finally got my prints and paper work and got out of there, but I was really getting worked up. Went home and called the NRA ILA and told them about it. I don't know if that had anything to do with it, but about a month later that detective was no longer with the police department.

Vince
 

I didn't like having to do prints for a CCW permit. Truth is, I don't like having to get permits for a Constitutional right. I decided I wanted the protection of a firearm enough to risk the authorities knowing I had it. But I never heard of having to do prints for a long gun of any description. Is that a specific requirement of CMP or just your state? I looked at their website briefly. Their guns seemed way overpriced for their stated condition.

Your experience with the detective tells me we have 2 distinct classes of police officers. Those like the guys who post here, who fully understand and respect the armed citizen and those that think "we're the only ones who need guns, why do you want one?". The latter is good tyrant material.
 
The paper work and the prints are required by the Fed on a CMP purchase. You say the prices seem high. Have you priced an M1 Garand in a gun shop lately? They are well over $1000 in just about any condition. I paid $425 for my Garand about eight years ago. Several times at the range I have been approached to sell it, the last offer recently was $1500. I got an M1 in good to excellent condition. All CMP firearms have been though refurbishment at a government armory. I can literally drive tacks with my Garand at 100 yards. They are now offering M1 Carbines and I would like to have one of those also.

Vince
 
My take is to politely inform. In TX, we had to and I never had a problem with officers or deputies. Should slow down - :(. Two let me go.

I don't know what kind of day the officer had. I don't know his or her personality characteristics. I don't know about their gun handling.

I don't want to face a gun, if mine is discovered as a surprise. There may be finger on the trigger of the gun pointed at me. The officer could get startled. Or just be nasty. Did you know that just swinging a gun around in a normal movement with finger on the trigger can fire some pulls? Did you know that about a fifth of officers in simulations exercises have their fingers on the trigger and swear they don't? If you are of some ethnicities, furtive movements and facial expressions are more likely to be misinterpreted?

In the abstract that shouldn't happen but I've read the various pro literatures on why a gun goes boom when it shouldn't. I prefer not to be there.

Yes, I have my rights. I am a good guy. Long live the Constitution - but things go wrong. By all that's holy - I don't want to be holey.
 
I'm no expert, & the prices for M1's may be good. But the time I checked awhile back, CMP was getting 200 some dollars & more for rifles like 1903 Springfield & 1917 Enfield. Footnotes even said the rifles may not be in working condition, or something to that effect. I couldn't pay several hundred for something I couldn't use.
 
Here in Texas, I've been told, when you are being pulled over, your plates are run and if you are a CCW holder, it will come up. I'm not sure if this is the case though.

I always carry my license, proof of insurance and CCW in my shirt pocket, day or night and since getting my CCW 9 years ago, have only been stopped twice. Once was because I had no tail lights (I was a deputy and a former inmate had cut my tail light wires), by a Sate Trooper I knew. When he saw it was me, we had a good laugh, I put on the emergency flashers and went home. The second time, was about three years ago, AGAIN because of a light out. This was a city LEO and it was at night. He came to the car and I already had my documents out of my shirt pocket, the interior lights on and the window rolled down with my hands on the wheel. I informed him that I was armed, where my pistols were and all he said was 'can you keep your hands on the wheel, Sir?' I said, "Yes Sir". When he came back, I told him I had an extra light in the truck if he could get me across the road safely to a service station, I'd change it right then. He did, I did, and then he thanked me for my Marine Corps service. I thanked him for his service 'on the job' and that was it. VERY polite and professional.

If it could always be so easy.
 
An off the wall question...

When pulled over and the police officer DOES ask for your weapon "to keep the situation safe for him/her" is it good practice to pop out the magazine and clear the chamber before handing it over or better to just hand it over?

I recently have gotten my CCW and have yet to be pulled over and want to make sure i don't send the cop into a Barny Fife mode.

Thanks
 
Do what he or she says. Don't manipulate the gun in any manner not requested.

If they see you playing with a gun on the way to your car, that will alert them and not to your benefit.
 
about 6 years ago,way before i got my carry permit,i went thru a traffic stop and i had my gun on the passenger seat of the car.when the officer came up to the window i had my hands on the steering wheel and told him i had the gun.he asked me to reach over with my left hand and give it to him,i did.he ran the serial on the gun i know because i heard him on the radio,he had it on speaker.after he ran it he gave it back to me and that was it,he was very professional in the way he handled things.
 
I'd pull my revolver out with 2-3 fingers & hand it to the officer grips first. If using a holster between the seats, I'd pull the holster with the gun & hand it to him that way. Slow & easy, no sudden moves.
 
Here in FLA we are not required to inform LE during a traffic stop. It does NOT show when the drivers license is run and as far as LE has stated to me the 2 licensing divisions are connected by computer. No link. With the privacy acts the state of Florida has removed the licensee's address from the license. Just the name and license number is now all that is on it. Two LE have stated its good practice to inform LE in a traffic stop that you carrying. One officer explained that during a stop the driver leaned over to reach into the glove compartment, at that time the butt of a revolver became exposed. the next thing as told to me was the driver was down on the ground at gun point being cuffed. After explaining the driver showed a CCW and all was made good. Case and point, telling the officer before hand would have avoided the above situation.
If memory serves me right didn't the NRA do battle over the linking of CCW info and making it part of public knowledge base?
I know the magnetic strip on "my" drivers license only has my name and address on it.
 
Heck I have a POCKET knife in my glove box, last time I was pulled over I made sure to let the LEO know it was there before I went for my information. he was understanding, better safe than sorry. The wrong officer could as easily shoot first and ask questions later, they are very VERY isolated incidents but they have happened.
 
After he got over the dog bark I would have probably said "and how may I help you this morning/afternoon officer?"

I did that to a NC (Im from Mi) officer on a 'drivers license' check. He responded "License" with kind of a drawl.. It took me a couple secs to figure out
What did he say?" all was good.

I understand they are really DUI checks under the guise of license check. I had wife and two grandkids in the back seat-in kid seats.
 
The trick of the whole encounter was honesty. As a person that calls Arkansas home and living in Oklahoma, good old honesty goes a long way. You are instructed here to present your CCW with your Drivers Lic./State ID when asked for ID by any LEO. Honesty also was more than likely why the officer only issued a warning.

I spend a lot of time on I-40 and other hwy's in OK and AR. And have done so most of my life. Heck I remember when there was no I-40. And when everybody carried a gun and didn't have to have a permit. :) Rule of thumb,,, be a butt in Arkansas and you will get shot. Be a butt in Oklahoma and you get beat up real bad then shot. Be nice and all's fine.

Oklahoma is harder on there rouge troopers than Arkansas. In Arkansas a Trooper has God Status. Drove up on a Trooper shooting on hwy 412 a few years ago just inside Arkansas. A locally known mentally slow man was gunned down by a Ar. Trooper because he would not show his hands. He was laying on the ground scared to death. Nothing ever happened to the fine Gent. And the same day NW Ar. LEO's gunned down a Armed Robber after he threw his pistol down. Officers chasing him saw the dude throw his pistol down in a Wal-Mart parking lot and shoppers leaving the store where yelling at the cops " here's his gun ". He ran through the Wal-Mart and officers surrounding the store gunned him down as he burst out one of the back doors of the Wal-Mart. That was his only firearm much less weapon. Nothing ever happened to that shooter either.

Be cool in the Ar. or you could be dead real fast! My best friend's step dad is a now retired Ar. Trooper. And he had a real bad rep.

Honesty pay's in Arkansas. LOLOLOL Early one Sunday morning in Ft. Smith many years ago I went and washed my car. It was a 1969 Chrysler Newport. Plane Jane looking on the outside and ate up with Hemi Power under the hood. I decided to take 540 home and blow dry the car off. As luck would have it as I passed the Trooper Office there was a Trooper getting on the onramp heading my way. His junk Chevy was so slow I had time to stop my sled and was setting on the trunk waiting for him. And him was the first black Trooper ever in Ar. And he had a real bad rep. He asked me what I was doing driving that fast on his hwy so early in the morning. I told him I had just washed it and was blow drying it. I swear he turned pale and his DI hat was shaking on his head. He asked if I had any guns, bombs or dead body's in that giant trunk. I told him there was a loaded .357 Dan Wesson in the car. < The good old days in free America. He went and ran my lic. came back and chewed on my butt and then wanted to know what was under the hood. NO TICKET. :D

But,,, If had gave him some cock and bull story and got smart ass with him like many had done with him being black. He would have at the least pistol whipped me with my own gun if not shot me with it. They like to let you go or call the undertaker back home.
 
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@ anyone from Arkansas, they state troopers really pull you guys over for only 9 over the limit?

I lived in Florida for 7 years, the troopers typically left you alone if you were going less than 10-15 over the limit though I have herd stories of 5MPH pull overs in the Tampa/Clearwater area.
Here in Illinois(where I live now) Troopers typically do not bug you as long as you keep it within 15MPH of the speed limit(on the major highways)
 
Quoted for truth

You get what you give.

Usually -show respect- you get that back.

How true. Although I was not carrying at the time I was pulled over for speeding, about 8 over, I was guilty and in a hurry. Long story made very short the LEO asked me for my licence etc, etc...I told the officer that in the red duffel next to me was a Spring Field 1911 .45, with ammunition.
He asked if it was loaded, I said no. He asked to look, I said sure thing. Where was I coming from he asked, the local club, range, he knew where that was.

He looked in the duffel, left it on the hood of his squad, returned handed me the duffel back along with my licence etc...and a warning.

He made a point to thank me for my honesty and being upfront with him.

Here in Iowa we are transitioning to a "shall issue" state, I like it. But I also am aware of the job these men and women do protecting us, I respect them.

It is indeed a two way street.

JMO, many have others.
 
Arkansas Response

Arkansas law requires the concealed handgun license be given to an officer whenever the officer requests identification. Simply put – if you are asked for identification, you must provide the CHCL license with the identification.
Contrary to a previous post, since I moved to Arkansas in 1993 all of my "encounters" with LEO's have ranged from professional to pleasant. I haven’t been pistol whipped or shot. I’m always polite (it pays huge dividends to be polite as it can reduce a speeding ticket down to a “no seat belt” citation).
 
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