Handgun in plain sight while driving?

Sixer said:
Wait... so you think it's a BAD idea to have your CCW concealed? Not sure I follow.
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Not necessarily. I believe it is usually better to wear your sidearm openly, where legal to do so, of course.

The specific quote that I took exception to was:
"Never, ever have an exposed sidearm if you are CCW legal, for both tactical and legal reasons. It's a bad practice all around."

All we are going to do, though, is start the open carry verses concealed carry discussion again. :D
 
Not necessarily. I believe it is usually better to wear your sidearm openly, where legal to do so, of course.
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I see... I have no problem with open carry, it is legal here in Missouri. Of course the laws get a bit foggy when it comes to what city or municipality you might be in.

Either way, all I was suggesting was that it's probably a good idea to keep the weapon concealed when possible IF you have a CCW permit. It would have sucked had the girl at the drive-thru spotted my gun, flipped out, and called the police.

I honestly doubt that I would have gotten in any real trouble. Still, I would have had to stay there and wait for the cops (I suppose that would be the best way to handle it)... my sandwich would have gotten cold... just a general waste of time.

With that possibility in mind I will probably keep my CCW concealed, even if not required by law, next time I swing by Subway :)
 
In North Carolina if you do NOT have a Concealed Carry Permit then you must have it in plane view, either in the front passenger seat or on the dash. Other wise it must be inaccessible such as in a case and/or locked in the glove department or trunk. I believe you can have it either/or if you have a Concealed Permit.
 
VA is open Carry .... if you don't have a CCW then you HAVE To have it open and visible at all times.

Without a CCW it is not allowed to be anywhere else ( but visible in plain site ) unless it's in a locked container ( Trunk , or locked glovebox ) and inaccessible to passengers/driver.


The following Bills are waiting on government signature in VA :

Retired LE Auto Carry conceal without needing a license :

http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?101+ful+HB1092


Would prevent localities from forcing gun sellers from reporting ( auto registering ? ) guns purchased

http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?101+ful+HB109

Originally was to allow them to carry in unlocked compartment but now has been changed to "locked" ( again )

http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?101+ful+HB885

Will allow Carry Conceal in restaurants that serve alcohol provided you are not drinking :

http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?101+ful+HB505H1



DAMN I love NRA updates in Email. !!
 
I OC more than conealed in Colorado. Whats wrong with open carry? It lets it be mighty handy. I've had it freak out the girl at the drive through by being on the seat beside me who said whats that for your not going to rob me are you? I just gave her a real bored look and said no, thats for bad guys. You're not a badguy are ya? and she laughed.

One time OC defused a situation I had. I took an aquaintance down to a gas station that he had used their tow truck service and then ditched them or something? So I rode him down to pay 1/2 to them and they thought they were going to seize possession of my truck for the remaining balance. They surrounded my truck as soon as we drove on the lot. They had chains and sticks and one came up to drivers side and started to put his arm in in an effort to take the keys...until he seen my Bulldog laying on the dash and retreated quickly telling his partners that he has a gun and you better back off. For some reason 1/2 payment was fine suddenly:D viva le open carry
 
Never, ever have an exposed sidearm if you are CCW legal, for both tactical and legal reasons. It's a bad practice all around.
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Never??? Quite to the contrary, I find many situations where open carry is ideal. Like Edward, who posted above me, I've diffused s situation or two by having a handgun visible on my hip.

I carry openly at least as much as I conceal, and in hot weather (I'm in Az) even moreso. In colder weather, a jacket makes concealment pretty natural.

And speaking of "never", I "never" conceal in the field. Big hanguns for field use pretty much dictate open carry for me, and a "little" handgun won't do the job I need when I'm hunting or woods bummin'.

There are a few places that I habitually carry concealed; banks, Wool-Mart and other sheeple gatherings, and so forth. For the most part though, I've been open carrying since before CCW began as a new trend in the early 90's, and it still works just as well.

After 25-30 years of open carry, and having been CCW legal for 15 of those, it just doesn't much matter any more one way or the other. It's just another tool, like a cell phone or Leatherman tool that I wear in case I need it. Whether anyone else can see it or not doesn't matter much to me most places I go.

In the end, it's just another way to carry something that might be needed somewhere along the way.
 
open carry

Open carry equals......shoot me first.

In AL, loaded handgun in a vehicle, concealed or visible, requires permit, which are still readily granted by local SO's.

Expect to be challenged/questioned by an officer (how strongly depends on his gung ho factor) if you have a weapon visible if stopped.

I am opposed to any weapon loose in a vehicle, wedged, hanging or otherwise.
We forget things, like leaving your blaster in the truck when you dismount, and things go wrong, like in a collision/MVA, etc and then....where'd the darn thing go. (FBI proved that in Miami, over 20 yrs ago)

On your person, in a holster, maybe a pocket, concealed. Open carry OK for the boonies, on the property, at the farm, etc.
 
Just because we have a right to do a certain thing does not mean it is always appropriate to do it. I would no more carry openly in public than I would read Playboy magazine in church.

Open carry where there is no compelling reason to do so draws unnecessary attention and creates excitement among the majority of citizens who are not sophisticated about the use of weapons. Responsible carry means discrete carry.
 
Here, even though Alabama is supposedly an open carry state, local ordinances prohibit open carry and in an automobile a handgun is not supposed to be seen, and long guns are supposed to be unloaded.
 
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