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Open Carry in Allentown

John Pierce

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I am in Allentown right now which for those of you who don't know is very near the New Jersey border and am staying at the hotel right next to Dorney Park, so I am open carrying around a gaggle of New York and New Jersey people. The looks on their faces is priceless.

Today, I helped a friend who lives here build a porch and we went to Home Depot to pick up the material. While there, I went into the tool crib to buy a driver set and the tool area manager walked up and asked if I was carrying a .40 or a 9.

We got into a conversation and it turns out that he has a PA concealed carry permit but was unaware of the open carry status of PA. I educated him and invited him to stop by here. He said he would.

I also open carried into the Buca Italian restaurant at the Lehigh Valley Mall

And finally, I open carried in the Cold Stone Creamery (God I love that stuff!) and WaWa on Hamilton Blvd.
 

350T5

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I live in Allentown and have a concealed carry permit. I also didn't know I could open carry other than in my car. I have actually been searching for information on this, and found your post here on this forum. This is interesting news to me.
 

SP101

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jpierce wrote:
I am in Allentown right now which for those of you who don't know is very near the New Jersey border and am staying at the hotel right next to Dorney Park, so I am open carrying around a gaggle of New York and New Jersey people. The looks on their faces is priceless.

Today, I helped a friend who lives here build a porch and we went to Home Depot to pick up the material. While there, I went into the tool crib to buy a driver set and the tool area manager walked up and asked if I was carrying a .40 or a 9.

We got into a conversation and it turns out that he has a PA concealed carry permit but was unaware of the open carry status of PA. I educated him and invited him to stop by here. He said he would.

I also open carried into the Buca Italian restaurant at the Lehigh Valley Mall

And finally, I open carried in the Cold Stone Creamery (God I love that stuff!) and WaWa on Hamilton Blvd.
I missed this post back when you wrote it, but if you get up this way again, drop me a PM and maybe we could have an OClunch or something. I don't ever see anyone around here OC'ing. It's time people get informed.:)
 

Secrettrance

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Living in Northampton, recently ran across this website and am thrilled to find this out. I've always said to friends of mine that there should be open carry and here it is!!! I'd pretty much gather that since the number of people who OC are so low that anyone you see in a-town or the area will be someone from here. So if you see a mid 20's spiked hair guy with a glock23 .40 on his hip feel free. I will absolutely be OCing as soon as I replace this holster with a snap lock one. To the founder(s) of these sites about OC-ing. THANK YOU!
 

imperialism2024

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Secrettrance wrote:
Living in Northampton, recently ran across this website and am thrilled to find this out. I've always said to friends of mine that there should be open carry and here it is!!! I'd pretty much gather that since the number of people who OC are so low that anyone you see in a-town or the area will be someone from here. So if you see a mid 20's spiked hair guy with a glock23 .40 on his hip feel free. I will absolutely be OCing as soon as I replace this holster with a snap lock one. To the founder(s) of these sites about OC-ing. THANK YOU!
Nice! I live in Catasauqua and work in Coplay, so I'll probably run into you at some point. As soon as I'm deemed responsible enough by the state of Pennsylvania to carry a handgun beyond walking distance of my house (when I turn 21), I'll be OCing my Ruger Redhawk .44 Magnum...
 

Mike

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gnbrotz wrote:
You can legally open carry in PA if you're 18 or over.
Right, on foot, but in Philly, in vehicles, and during declared emergencies, you need a PA LTCF or some officially accepted CHP to OC; further exception - "any" state's CHP OK for car carry.
 

gnbrotz

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Mike wrote:
gnbrotz wrote:
You can legally open carry in PA if you're 18 or over.
Right, on foot, but in Philly, in vehicles, and during declared emergencies, you need a PA LTCF or some officially accepted CHP to OC; further exception - "any" state's CHP OK for car carry.

All correct. If these 'fine print' items are followed, imperialism2024 need not wait until his 21st birthday to begin OCing
 

imperialism2024

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gnbrotz wrote:
Mike wrote:
gnbrotz wrote:
You can legally open carry in PA if you're 18 or over.
Right, on foot, but in Philly, in vehicles, and during declared emergencies, you need a PA LTCF or some officially accepted CHP to OC; further exception - "any" state's CHP OK for car carry.

All correct. If these 'fine print' items are followed, imperialism2024 need not wait until his 21st birthday to begin OCing
That's what I thought, until it was brought to my attention that in PA, there is no legal basis for transporting a handgun in a car except for going to/from a target range, gunsmith, etc, even if it is unloaded. 99% of where I travel is beyond a reasonable walking distance, and I pretty much don't need to carry a handgun for that other 1%, or at least don't need it enough to risk harassment by LEOs. So, for example, if I go somewhere in center city Allentown, where a handgun is necessary for some degree of personal security, and I proceed to OC, an LEO who spots me but knows he/she can't arrest me for open carry may observe my going to my car and proceeding to illegally transport my handgun. Not to mention that it doesn't seem like a good idea to be constantly handling and loading and unloading a revolver out of my car every single time I transition from car to walking. And on top of convenience, of course, is that fact that I would be committing a gun crime.

Sure, I could go through the trouble of getting a non-resident permit from a freer state, but that would generally involve my having to take an "official" handgun safety class to prove that I'm capable of not accidentally shooting people due to stupidity. That, in and of itself, is not too large of a burden, but unfortunately I work a full time job and attend classes at night as a full time college student as well, leaving no time to take such a class. Even then, with an out of state non-resident permit, I still would not be able to carry a handgun in Philadelphia, without a doubt the single most important place to need a handgun; and, I would have to worry about the Pennsylvania State Police arresting me due to their interpretation of carry laws in PA, which are vague enough regarding non-resident permits that I very realistically could be found guilty of violating them, depending on the judge and my public defender.

But, at the end of the day, it's less than 13 months until I can get a Pennsylvania LTCF, and I will happily avoid everywhere but the safest, most rural areas of the Lehigh Valley, carrying my big, well sharpened, yet legal folding knife that I carry for utility purposes; if I happen to get in a situation where self defense is needed, surely I can use my work tool as a makeshift defense weapon, if that's the only thing around. However, you can hopefully see what I feel that PA should be listed on the front page as a "licensed carry" state, as it is impossible, for the most part, to legally OC a handgun with no license whatsoever.
 

Mike

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imperialism2024 wrote:
That's what I thought, until it was brought to my attention that in PA, there is no legal basis for transporting a handgun in a car except for going to/from a target range, gunsmith, etc, even if it is unloaded.
There is a ban on "carry" in a vehicle, not "transport."
 

imperialism2024

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Mike wrote:
imperialism2024 wrote:
That's what I thought, until it was brought to my attention that in PA, there is no legal basis for transporting a handgun in a car except for going to/from a target range, gunsmith, etc, even if it is unloaded.
There is a ban on "carry" in a vehicle, not "transport."
So, then, what is required in order to "transport" a handgun in a car? That's basically what I was asking in http://opencarry.mywowbb.com/forum46/4245.html but couldn't really get a clear answer. Would it be kosher to "transport" a handgun in its factory plastic case under the front seat, with ammo in the glove box or arm rest (it's a sealed compartment in my car)? I haven't found anything that points to that. And while I understand that if there isn't a law against an action, it's legal, I'd like to see a PA legal definition of "carry", for the peace of mind that "carry" isn't a vague term that could refer to having the firearm easily accessible. :?
 

Mike

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imperialism2024 wrote:
So, then, what is required in order to "transport" a handgun in a car?
I think the better question is what does the word "carry" mean? Absent a court ruling defining "carry" to include all forms of "transportation," then the usual meaning of the word "carry" should apply.

If you do not have a LTCF or CHP from "any" state, then in PA, you should not have the handgun on your person or within reach by any stretch of imagination - unloaded and locked in the trunk should be clearly "not carried" it seems to me.
 

imperialism2024

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Mike wrote:
imperialism2024 wrote:
So, then, what is required in order to "transport" a handgun in a car?
I think the better question is what does the word "carry" mean? Absent a court ruling defining "carry" to include all forms of "transportation," then the usual meaning of the word "carry" should apply.

If you do not have a LTCF or CHP from "any" state, then in PA, you should not have the handgun on your person or within reach by any stretch of imagination - unloaded and locked in the trunk should be clearly "not carried" it seems to me.
Hmpf, I just took a look at the UFA again...

§ 6106. Firearms not to be carried without a license. (a) Offense defined.--Any person who carries a firearm in any vehicle or any person who carries a firearm concealed on or about his person, except in his place of abode or fixed place of business, without a valid and lawfully issued license under this chapter commits a felony of the third degree.
(b) Exceptions.--The provisions of subsection (a) shall not apply to:
8) Any person while carrying a firearm unloaded and in a secure wrapper from the place of purchase to his home or place of business, or to a place of repair or back to his home or place of business, or in moving from one place of abode or business to another or from his home to a vacation or recreational home or dwelling or back, or to recover stolen property under section 6111.1(b)(4) (relating to Pennsylvania State Police) or to a location to which the person has been directed to surrender firearms under 23 Pa.C.S. § 6108 (relating to relief) or back upon return of the surrendered firearm.
So it seems that, if I'm transporting a gun in order to OC, I would be moving from a place of abode to a place of business, or from one place of business to another. So, to comply with the law, it would just need to be unloaded and in a "secure wrapper". Or am I wrong in this line of thinking?
 

Mike

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imperialism2024 wrote:
Mike wrote:
imperialism2024 wrote:
So, then, what is required in order to "transport" a handgun in a car?
I think the better question is what does the word "carry" mean? Absent a court ruling defining "carry" to include all forms of "transportation," then the usual meaning of the word "carry" should apply.

If you do not have a LTCF or CHP from "any" state, then in PA, you should not have the handgun on your person or within reach by any stretch of imagination - unloaded and locked in the trunk should be clearly "not carried" it seems to me.
Hmpf, I just took a look at the UFA again...

§ 6106. Firearms not to be carried without a license. (a) Offense defined.--Any person who carries a firearm in any vehicle or any person who carries a firearm concealed on or about his person, except in his place of abode or fixed place of business, without a valid and lawfully issued license under this chapter commits a felony of the third degree.
(b) Exceptions.--The provisions of subsection (a) shall not apply to:

8) Any person while carrying a firearm unloaded and in a secure wrapper from the place of purchase to his home or place of business, or to a place of repair or back to his home or place of business, or in moving from one place of abode or business to another or from his home to a vacation or recreational home or dwelling or back, or to recover stolen property under section 6111.1(b)(4) (relating to Pennsylvania State Police) or to a location to which the person has been directed to surrender firearms under 23 Pa.C.S. § 6108 (relating to relief) or back upon return of the surrendered firearm.
So it seems that, if I'm transporting a gun in order to OC, I would be moving from a place of abode to a place of business, or from one place of business to another. So, to comply with the law, it would just need to be unloaded and in a "secure wrapper". Or am I wrong in this line of thinking?
The exception applies to "carry," not transportation. There is no prohibition on transportation.
 

jsmithxd

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OC in the Reading area frequently with the warmer weather we've been having with no problems whatsoever.
 
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