Open Carry Issues In Virginia???

I live in the state of Virginia, Fairfax County. I currently have the SA XD .40 Standard. I would like to open carry, but I have always heard that people who do obviously draw attention to themselves and get into altercations with law enforcement. I do not yet have my concealed pistol license, but I do plan on getting it. Has anyone had any issues with this? Does law enforcement harass most people who open carry? And if/when they do confront you, what is your rebuttal to them? I plan on getting the SA XD .40 Sub-Compact as well. The Standard is a little big, and can be difficult to conceal.

opencarry.org is your go to site for specific info on virginia open carry.

here in oregon i open 24/7 with a sig p6 in a slide on my hip.... no way to pretend its not there.

i have never had an "altercation" with LEOs. i was the subject of a MWAG call once but the responding officer realized it was nothing by the way i was sitting on a bench, consuming a diet coke and not waving the pistol around.

all other interactions with the police have been in passing and unofficial.

in oregon the police cant stop you, question you, inspect your weapon or even ask for ID without a reasonable articulable suspicion of a crime (RAS). also the mere presence of your firearm is not a cause for disturbing the peace AND there is no brandishing law, so removing my firearm from a jacket pocket and placing it in my hip holster is not going to cause me problems.

99% of my interactions with the public is positive but occasionally i run into the gun haters who are "afraid" of my gun but not so afraid that they dont approach me and debate me for 20 min.

when i must, i assure the concerned party that i carry because its my right, its legal, and its for the protection of my loved ones and myself. when pushed, i tell them america is a wonderful place, and we both have rights, i have the right to carry and they have the right to not like it. then i walk away

I am a native and live in Western Prince William County. I travel to Fairfax frequently and have OC'd there many, many times and I have been OC'ing on a regular basis for over five years. I have never had a negative encounter with an LEO and only one with a civilian. That was at a McDonald's three years ago. He said he was a retired LEO but judging from his accent, he was not from Virginia. Probably someplace up in the northeast.

You should have no problems OC'ing in Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William, and even none in Falls Church, Arlington, and Alexandria. The police in these locations have been pretty well educated as to the laws in our state.