Well, that is the whole thing. In the absence of a metal detector, you can pretty much “CCW” anywhere you want. That is the whole middle “C”. You really aren’t “sneaking” anything your are permitted to conceal.
But do you have a permit? Difference between a short talk and a free ride to the local constabulary.
Like driving without a license. It’s all good till you get stopped.
On a federal basis, post offices and federal government buildings are off-limits. Federal courthouses are off-limits due to federal laws, but state, county and magisterial courts are subject to state regulations. In my state, you can walk in the door carrying, but you have to notify upon entrance and all county courthouses have lockers where you can deposit your firearm. The magisterial court near me has a sign on the door notifying that you can’t bring a firearm into the building.
Banks (and bars) are a state-by-state thing. In my state, you can legally carry in a bank and in a bar. On a state-oriented firearm forum, many posters write about carrying both CC and OC in banks without incident. I myself have carried in bars many times.
I appreciate all the info, guys. I’m still searching for something, here, but I’m not sure what.
CCL holders: do you feel the laws right now are about right? What changes, if any, would you like to see?
Do you ever open carry? If so, is there a difference in how safe you personally feel?
What are the common arguments used against concealed carry? Are they actually separate from pure gun control arguments (i.e. no one should carry at all)?
As to the OP’s original question, you have OC proponents, CC proponents, people who think both are dandy and people who think both are horrendous. There is no single factual answer. Personally, I do not OC, because I don’t want hassled by anti-gun people or uninformed cops. But I fully support those who do OC, because a) I support their 2nd Amendment right to do so, and their willingness to make a public stand; b) I think seeing regular people carrying guns in a non-criminal way perhaps removes some of the fear that some people have about guns; and c) it’s none of my business. But for me, I don’t want the attention that carrying open might bring.
IMO, gun laws are far too complex and varied from state to state. Imagine if your drivers license was only good in your state and you couldn’t drive across the border. Or if your state allowed you to get a drivers license in a reasonable manner, but the adjacent state required you to be fingerprinted and pay $100 a year and take a state driving test every few years. I live in PA and have six bordering states. I can only legally carry in two neighboring states. The other four (NY, NJ, DE and MD) are so anti-gun that there is a near-zero chance of getting a carry permit.
I never open carry. When I go into bad neighborhoods, I don’t think I’d feel safer open carrying, but I do (or would) feel safer carrying concealed.
Not many that I can think of. I suppose there is a legitimate concern about people becoming inebriated while carrying a gun. But that should be addressed exactly like drunk driving. Owning and driving a car to a bar isn’t against the law. Getting drunk and driving is. You should be able to carry into a bar, so long as you don’t get drunk. Having a beer or two is fine, just as it is for getting into your car, so long as you are not drunk. Otherwise, anybody who hasn’t already proven they shouldn’t be armed (convicted violent criminals, for example) should be allowed to carry a gun, and it’s nobody else’s business or concern.
Minnesota permit holder here. Law in MN allows you to carry a weapon with a permit. Concealed or not is irrelevant under the law. I prefer to conceal carry mostly because the class I took recommended concealment over open carry for several reasons. Now how factual/realistic these reasons are is another matter entirely. This is just what I was taught.
With firearms there is the local law and there is the local culture (two very different things). MN has some rather conservative gun laws compared to many states, but tends to lean more liberal culturally (though this has apparently shifted some recently). This is particularly true in the MSP metro area. Lots of “liberals” around. One thing you don’t want when carrying a weapon is unnecessary attention. Don’t want someone hitting the panic button and calling law enforcement or making a scene in a grocery store or something.
I may not be breaking any law at all, but I don’t want that kind of attention. I would rather avoid having to speak with law enforcement, them running my license, running my permit etc. Even if the other person is totally in the wrong and I’m 100% in the right. At the very least it’s a waste of my time. I just don’t need the hassle. Plus unless I’m in a public space, the business owner has every right to ask me to leave for simply being part of a disturbance of some sort.
Open carrying sort of gives potential assailants or whatever extra information (not sure if that’s the correct word). I’m personally not too worried about this, but this is something that was addressed in the class. Concealment means you get a certain element of surprise in some situations.
Someone already mentioned the possibility of someone attempting to take your weapon. Most open carry supports I’ve talked with will tell you to always use a retention holster when open carrying. A retention holster is a type of holster that prevents (or makes it more difficult) just yanking the gun out. There’s usually a type of switch or certain angle to allow the weapon to be unholstered. Law enforcement officers use retention holsters (from what I’m told).
Those are the main points I can recall. As to the pro side of open carry:
Faster draw. You can draw your weapon more quickly since you don’t have to pull up a shirt or open a coat or pull up a pant leg or something.
It’s a lot more comfortable than concealing usually. Concealed carry is not all that comfortable. Having your weapon strapped on your belt outside your pants is probably the most comfortable way to carry, regardless of the size of the weapon.
And, some people just want to make a statement. You have probably heard of “carry groups” or some such that gather and all open carry to make a point. We’re here. We’re armed… something something that rhymes…
[QUOTE=DaphneBlack]
CCL holders: do you feel the laws right now are about right? What changes, if any, would you like to see?
Do you ever open carry? If so, is there a difference in how safe you personally feel?
[/QUOTE]
I agree with most of what Orwell said.
It is frustrating having to deal with the mosaic of laws across the country. Orwell from Pennsylvania can’t carry in Delaware, but I from Ohio can. My birth state of Maryland, which I visit often, will never allow me to carry unless a national reciprocity is imposed federally. While I would like that result for me, I’m not totally comfortable with the means.
The only situation in which I open carry is when I am hiking in remote areas. It’s more comfortable, and I’m unlikely to freak anyone out.
I’m not sure about that: open carry in a bar does seem like a problem if the holster isn’t a retention holster. The chance of someone taking your weapon there seems too high for comfort.
I went to a high school which had a few armed guards. They weren’t very intimidating per se, but it made an impression! I never felt unsafe in my school. Even though –
A few years before I attended, a student brought a gun to school in his backpack* and dropped it in the lunchroom. It went off and shot another student in the chest. Luckily, he survived.
This incident caused a whole hella freakouts and plans were instituted to put metal detectors at all entrances. This didn’t happen until after I had graduated though, and there were no gun incidents while I was there.
I’m not sure what this anecdote says, really. I guess I am just conflicted.
Sure. I like my battle lines simple. You’re carrying, then you’re a bad guy. Now, it’s like a free fire zone. Concealed carry may be a good guy with a gun, might be a bad guy that’s gonna shoot shit up. Same with open carry. YMMV
This is a link to the best essay I’ve seen on the pro side of open carry: The Open Carry Argument | USA Carry - Concealed Carry Forum