# Illegal to pack a gun on hip? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 24, 2014, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-to-pack-a-gun-on-hip/693924 "2014-07-24T11:48:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-to-pack-a-gun-on-hip/693924/1 "2014-07-24T11:48:08Z")
This is more of a **General Question** except that it’s specifically about Chicago. I heard that one cannot ever walk the streets with a gun on their hip. This is an exposed gun, nothing that is concealed. True/False … what’s up with that? ---
**Author:** ![MikeS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MikeS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeS)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-to-pack-a-gun-on-hip/693924/2 "2014-07-24T12:22:40Z")
It’s not a Chicago thing, it’s an Illinois thing. [Open carry](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_carry_in_the_United_States) is prohibited in Illinois, as it is in a few other states (most notably California and New York.) ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-to-pack-a-gun-on-hip/693924/3 "2014-07-24T12:30:50Z")
One assumes you could carry a gun on your hip provided you wore a coat over it (also assuming you have a concealed carry permit). ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-to-pack-a-gun-on-hip/693924/4 "2014-07-24T13:41:43Z")
Thank you **MikeS** and **Ethilrist** … the link above answers my question. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-to-pack-a-gun-on-hip/693924/5 "2014-07-24T15:24:10Z")
So open carry is banned, but concealed carry is allowed? What is the logic behind that? ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-to-pack-a-gun-on-hip/693924/6 "2014-07-24T15:49:04Z")
Some folks are scared by the sight of a weapon carried by anyone not easily identified as law enforcement. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-to-pack-a-gun-on-hip/693924/7 "2014-07-24T18:08:19Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > So open carry is banned, but concealed carry is allowed? What is the logic behind that? That’s a different article, [concealed carry](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concealed_carry_in_the_United_States) is allowed in Illinois only if the criteria are met and a license issued. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2014, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-to-pack-a-gun-on-hip/693924/8 "2014-07-25T01:56:52Z")
> [@MikeS](#): > > It’s not a Chicago thing, it’s an Illinois thing. [Open carry](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_carry_in_the_United_States) is prohibited in Illinois, as it is in a few other states (most notably California and New York.) Texas too, which surprises a whole lot of people. But really, I chimed in to ask how easy it is to obtain a CHL in Illinois. Not that I’m interested, I just wondered how much if at all, cases like McDonald v Chicago have changed the landscape? ---
**Author:** ![buddy431](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@buddy431](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddy431)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2014, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-to-pack-a-gun-on-hip/693924/9 "2014-07-26T19:54:02Z")
> [@Gray\_Ghost](#): > > Texas too, which surprises a whole lot of people. > > But really, I chimed in to ask how easy it is to obtain a CHL in Illinois. Not that I’m interested, I just wondered how much if at all, cases like McDonald v Chicago have changed the landscape? Well, it’s possible, which it previously wasn’t. Illinois does have pretty stringent requirements compared to many states, you can read about it [here](https://ccl4illinois.com/ccw/public/home.aspx). The process is very new, and there are still kinks being worked out. Recently, there have been a number of lawsuits by people who were denied, without having a reason given, who appear to meet all of the requirements. [http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2014-07-04/news/ct-concealed-carry-rejection-20140706\_1\_michael-thomas-application-illinois-state-police](http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2014-07-04/news/ct-concealed-carry-rejection-20140706_1_michael-thomas-application-illinois-state-police) ---
**Author:** ![buddy431](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@buddy431](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddy431)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2014, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-to-pack-a-gun-on-hip/693924/10 "2014-07-26T19:59:48Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > So open carry is banned, but concealed carry is allowed? What is the logic behind that? Different states do it differently. In many states, such as Arizona, pretty much anyone can carry a gun openly (provided they can legally carry a gun), without any special permit. In some states, like Minnesota, you can carry openly with some sort of license, while some, such as Illinois, prohibit it entirely. All states now have some sort of conceal carry, but all require at least some sort permit and training (how extensive that is varies). In Minnesota, for example, there is no such thing as a “conceal carry permit”, but rather a “permit to carry”, which allows you to carry a gun either concealed or openly. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2014, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-to-pack-a-gun-on-hip/693924/11 "2014-07-26T21:08:50Z")
I’ve seen people carrying a gun cowboy-style in my state (Arizona). ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2014, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-to-pack-a-gun-on-hip/693924/12 "2014-07-27T02:36:21Z")
> [@buddy431](#): > > All states now have some sort of conceal carry, but all require at least some sort permit and training That’s not correct. 12.5% of all U.S. states allow concealed [carry](http://my.opencarry.org/?page_id=164) in public with no permit or training required. ---
**Author:** ![buddy431](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@buddy431](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddy431)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2014, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-to-pack-a-gun-on-hip/693924/13 "2014-07-27T03:15:16Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > That’s not correct. 12.5% of all U.S. states allow concealed [carry](http://my.opencarry.org/?page_id=164) in public with no permit or training required. My mistake. Where do you get the 12.5% figure? That would be 6.25 out of 50 states, which I find hard to believe. From that diagram you linked I see 5: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, and Wyoming, which is 10%. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2014, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-to-pack-a-gun-on-hip/693924/14 "2014-07-27T06:03:10Z")
> [@buddy431](#): > > My mistake. Where do you get the 12.5% figure? That would be 6.25 out of 50 states, which I find hard to believe. From that diagram you linked I see 5: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, and Wyoming, which is 10%. You forgot Vermont. And I mistyped. ---
**Author:** ![kinoons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a698b9/32.png) [@kinoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kinoons)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2014, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-to-pack-a-gun-on-hip/693924/15 "2014-07-27T22:08:52Z")
And just to add to the fun, there are some states that allow for open carry of firearms with no permitting or training requirements. Nevada would be one such example. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-to-pack-a-gun-on-hip/693924/16 "2014-07-28T02:25:24Z")
> [@kinoons](#): > > And just to add to the fun, there are some states that allow for open carry of firearms with no permitting or training requirements. Nevada would be one such example. Yeah, but that doesn’t mean people won’t mess with you or ask stupid questions or make demands they have no right to make. And then there are know it all cops. Over the years I repeatedly warned other law enforcement officers that OC was legal in Wisconsin and not disorderly conduct. Some refused to listen and lost law suites over it. This happened enough that the state actually changed the disorderly conduct law to read that openly carrying a firearm was specifically not DC. Can’t say I didn’t tell them so. ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-to-pack-a-gun-on-hip/693924/17 "2014-08-04T21:04:51Z")
> [@Gray\_Ghost](#): > > Texas too, which surprises a whole lot of people. > > But really, I chimed in to ask how easy it is to obtain a CHL in Illinois. Not that I’m interested, I just wondered how much if at all, cases like McDonald v Chicago have changed the landscape? McDonald v Chicago wasn’t about concealed carry - it was about incorporating the 2nd against the states, which at the SCOTUS level currently encompasses the home. In Chicago, currently Moore vs. Madigan controls, and there are permits being issued. I’d have to dig to find the exact number, but it’s not yet Texas. ---
**Author:** ![danf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5daacb/32.png) [@danf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danf)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2014, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-to-pack-a-gun-on-hip/693924/18 "2014-08-13T21:02:11Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > Yeah, but that doesn’t mean people won’t mess with you or ask stupid questions or make demands they have no right to make. And then there are know it all cops. > > Over the years I repeatedly warned other law enforcement officers that OC was legal in Wisconsin and not disorderly conduct. Some refused to listen and lost law suites over it. > This happened enough that the state actually changed the disorderly conduct law to read that openly carrying a firearm was specifically not DC. Can’t say I didn’t tell them so. I get what you mean by “know it all cops” and I agree with you. At the same time, they can be awfully wiley and carrying a gun can put you in a corner if you aren’t following ALL laws as in this WV, a traditionally gun friendly state, [case](http://suhrelawchicago.com/the-probable-cause-loophole-police-will-exploit/). Hard to argue against a cops nose and who knows what else in Illinois. I only know this about guns: if you incorporate them in your daily life then you better be a straight edger. Carrying is a lifestyle change for many, it isn’t no monkey business.