Quoted: NC Gun law:
6. GOING ARMED TO THE TERROR OF THE PEOPLE By common law in North Carolina, it is unlawful for a person to arm himself with any unusual and dangerous weapon, for the purpose of terrifying others, and go about on public highways in a manner to cause terror to others. The N.C. Supreme Court has said that any gun is an unusual and dangerous weapon for purposes of this offense. Therefore persons are cautioned as to the areas they frequent with firearms.
Use discretion where you carry, I wanted to organize an open carry "gathering" but after reviewing this I realize the purpose would be in conflict with the law.
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Ok, but if you did a group gathering where we all open carried, our intentions aren't to terrify and scare people, so I don't know if we'd get busted on that terror of the people bullshit or not. If we're all just out there being peaceable citizens, with our pistols in holsters, and acting like, decent, respectable people, then there should not be a problem. But, if we're out there, acting a fool, running at / toward people while armed, flailing guns around etc etc...then ok, that's terror to the public in my book.
And in regards to the main post, I've open carried here in Charlotte numerous times. Everyone from police officers and dealers at my local gunstore have told me it's perfectly ok to do so. I haven't done so since I've obtained my concealed carry permit, but I still have that option.
ETA : Forgot to add my experiences with open carry. Generally, no one has said a thing to me while I've open carried. Hell, 50% of the time they DONT EVEN SEE IT. And it's on my hip, plain sight. I was at a local drug store, at which I used to work, getting some digital prints made. Most of the prints had pictures of my firearms I was sending to my father back out in Oklahoma. She was all "ew guns are scary" and all that nonsense, and she had said something, about if I ever take it anywhere, and I said, "yeah, it's right here on my hip" She didn't even know it was there until I said that, even though it was in plain sight, and I was standing right in front of her.
On another occasion, while waiting in a line, a woman asked, "is that a real gun?" sigh. No, I just carry around a BB gun lady. But I of course didn't say that, I just said yeah, and explained the law a little to her, and she was cool about it all.
The one thing I don't like about it, is like many have said, you DO lose the element of surprise. I open carried into one of our walmarts, and I had a large group of kids, probably about 16-18 years of age near me. One of them noticed it while I was standing by my friend, and he pointed, and a chain reaction, all of them started looking and saying shit to themselves. Then, they'd start walking really close to me, behind me and such. I put my arm over the weapon so it would make it a little more difficult for one of them to grab it, because you never know. I don't like that aspect of open carry. This is another reason why I prefer concealed carry now.
If you do open carry, just know your surroundings, and be safe.
Hope this helps.