A caveat about the "open carry" trend.

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bogie

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Guys, this seems to be a fashionable thing to do, as of late... Maybe someone's been writing a bunch of stories in the gun rags. Whatever.

RESEARCH YOUR STATE'S LAWS BEFORE YOU DO THIS.

RESEARCH YOUR COUNTY'S LAWS BEFORE YOU DO THIS.

RESEARCH YOUR CITY'S LAWS BEFORE YOU DO THIS.

RESEARCH THE ATTITUDE OF YOUR LOCAL COPS BEFORE YOU DO THIS.

Not after.

And don't just ask some doofus on the interwebz, who seems to know everything. He doesn't. Check with your state government web site, etc...
 
Yes do a lot of research beforehand. Always the smart course of action.


As far as researching the attitude of people, obviously if it is not commonly done even if legal, then something new and foriegn is going to upset some.

I think that is the point, not to upset, but to get people used to something they are not and as a result reduce seeing people with firearms walking around to something normal, a right that you expect to see excercised on occasion.

Exposing people not used to open carry is going to upset some.
If nobody does it because it might upset some, it will not get done, and nobody will notice when the right is removed.
It never becomes an acceptable right people stand up for even where legal if nobody breaks the ice.

It is much easier to keep a place an open carry place than to try to make it one after that right is removed.
Calm people with firearms can walk around, and it educates people. When it is already outlawed then people have fears of rapid rises in shootouts in the streets at the mere thought of legalizing open carry, and it is a much larger challenge.
 
Just as a warning to those wishing to research their local, county, and state laws regarding open carry: The vast majority of locations where open carry is legal, there are simply NO LAWS that govern open carry. So don't hold your breath while looking for a statute that specifically covers it. Be on the lookout for statutes that govern "carrying concealed on or about one's person," which may sound inhibiting but does not, in fact, say anything about open carry.
 
www,opencarry.org has a fairly comprehensive listing of state laws. Also forums with discussions on open carry experiences from all 50 states. The fact is many LEOs are woefully ignorant of what the law allows, I would NEVER ask a LEO about open carry. I would also never ask for permission from a LEO - rights do not require permission.
 
Check out the law, yes; ask cops for permission to exercise our civil rights, never.
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Around here, you can get arrested because the holster supposedly "conceals" the firearm. Finding out about stuff like this isn't asking permission, it's weighing the pros-cons of the situation.

The best strategy is to slowly encroach from more rural areas. we could get people to start doing it in Defiance and such, slowly having people from O'Fallon, then St. Peters and St. Charles start open carrying, and eventually into the city. As the semi-rural and progressively more suburban areas get used to it, resistance farther in would crumble, and you'd eventually be able to carry on Main Street.
 
Sidenote on Missouri open carry:

Around here, you can get arrested because the holster supposedly "conceals" the firearm. Finding out about stuff like this isn't asking permission, it's weighing the pros-cons of the situation.
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As an amateur holstermaker, I can assure you that it's possible to have a holster that conceals zero percent of the gun. Do it in Kydex, have it "grip" the gun under the triggerguard and on top of the frame without covering anything, plus a "hook" on the bottom that goes up inside the barrel. The draw would be fast as hell, to boot :).
 
"grip" the gun under the triggerguard and on top of the frame without covering anything, plus a "hook" on the bottom that goes up inside the barrel.
Click to expand...

Lots of things sticking out to catch the trigger when being holstered or if an offcenter downard motion is made that does not align just right.
Plus if the firearm was discharged in the holster the barrel would likely explode like a small grenade due to the obstruction.

Interesting idea though, and I can see it functioning as designed.
 
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I have no reason to think the cops where I live are unfriendly to OC but it will be a cold day in hell before I ask for permission. I welcome the opportunity to be a test case.
 
I didn't say "ask permission." I said "RESEARCH THE ATTITUDE."

Big difference, folks...

Now, here's the second thing...

If you guess wrong, the nice officer is probably going to arrest you.

You may eventually get exonerated.

Maybe.

You may eventually get your gun back.

Maybe.

You -will- make a lawyer's sports car dealer VERY happy.
 
Oh man, I would love it if an officer around here decided to run me in for carrying an exposed firearm. $$$!

It'll never happen though. I can't even imagine how it could.
 
I have to question the notion that most LEOs don't know the law pertaining to open carry. In my limited experience most cops are well informed on most matters in which they are likely to be involved. In any event, just about every LEO carries a state criminal law handbook in the car with them for reference.

If you open carry you might attract a LEO who wants to conduct a "sniff" test or ask you some general question to determine if you are sober and rational.

Important Note: if that does happen, DO NOT use that opportunity to demonstrate your pistol twirling skills.:neener:
 
If you guess wrong, the nice officer is probably going to arrest you.

You may eventually get exonerated.

Maybe.

You may eventually get your gun back.

Maybe.

You -will- make a lawyer's sports car dealer VERY happy.
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It doesn't have to be illegal for all that to be true; it just has to be something that the officer doesn't approve of.
 
Bogie gives good advice.

I agree that it is important to exercise our rights in order not to lose them, but it's also important to be smart about it.

The spectacle of a gun rights advocate being carted off in cuffs doesn't help us too much.
 
Ohio open carry

A few years back the Ohio Supreme court upheld a constitutional challenge against the concealed weapons ban because they ruled that the citizens of Ohio had the right to openly carry firearms.

This lead to the infamous open carry marches.

The Open carry marches educated the public, the police and I guess it motivated Gov Taft to finally sign a CCW bill that he had been stalling for 8 years.

If Heller is incorporated and if open carry becomes a constitutional right it probably will be important to mount a mass public education campaign like they did in Ohio in every state.

The issue I have with open carry is that it draws unneeded attention.

Open carry is fine in say Arizona, but may cause problems in urban areas like say Chicago or New York.

Still, if open carry is forced on the states, I probably go to San Francisco on a weekend to take a open carry stroll, especially in the Castro district.

While I have no problem with people carrying guns, I do have concerns with incompetent people carrying guns.

Fortunately, the track record for the gun community has been exceptional.


Nicki
 
Open carry is fine in say Arizona, but may cause problems in urban areas like say Chicago or New York.
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Phoenix is plenty urban, and I open carry in Seattle city center and Seattle metro area a LOT. No problems at all.

Open carry is the linchpin to gain shall-issue concealed carry in California. I know that a lot of folk in California are saying "if you keep doing that they'll pass a law banning all unloaded open carry". GOOD. I hope they do, because it'll put the amended PC12031 right into the crosshairs of a flat out ban on carry, similar to New York.
 
Around here, you can get arrested because the holster supposedly "conceals" the firearm. Finding out about stuff like this isn't asking permission, it's weighing the pros-cons of the situation.
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So with a concealed carry permit you could simply carry it in an open belt holster and not be arrested for brandishing?

Sounds like the DA needs confronting and asked to clarify what exactly is meant by "concealed" and what is meant by "open" or "unconcealed". You can not try and say that a pistol in a generic thumb break belt holster is "concealed", and in the same jurisdiction charge the same person carrying the same way with a concealed permit with "failure to conceal". It's one way or the other.
 
RESEARCH YOUR STATE'S LAWS BEFORE YOU DO THIS.
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well, OC is legal in PA.

RESEARCH YOUR COUNTY'S LAWS BEFORE YOU DO THIS.

RESEARCH YOUR CITY'S LAWS BEFORE YOU DO THIS.
Click to expand...

the laws of any county or municipality do not go above state/commonwealth law. so, whatever any local laws might be, OC is still legal.

RESEARCH THE ATTITUDE OF YOUR LOCAL COPS BEFORE YOU DO THIS.
Click to expand...

that's easy; most cops don't like it. there, i saved everyone from having to do the research.

don't ever, EVER, ask a cop for his opinion, or advice, or permission, when it comes to your rights, or defending yourself. that's a little too european for my tastes...
 
and, if you wanted to ask anyone, asking a cop isn't the right approach. Ask the DA's office. They're the ones who hold the power to charge you or not.
 
Guys, this seems to be a fashionable thing to do, as of late... Maybe someone's been writing a bunch of stories in the gun rags. Whatever.

RESEARCH YOUR STATE'S LAWS BEFORE YOU DO THIS.

RESEARCH YOUR COUNTY'S LAWS BEFORE YOU DO THIS.

RESEARCH YOUR CITY'S LAWS BEFORE YOU DO THIS.

RESEARCH THE ATTITUDE OF YOUR LOCAL COPS BEFORE YOU DO THIS.

Not after.

And don't just ask some doofus on the interwebz, who seems to know everything. He doesn't. Check with your state government web site, etc...
Click to expand...

Or move to Arizona.
 
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