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OC or Not?

WhiteFeather

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2007
Messages
221
Location
Oley, Pennsylvania, USA
imported post

Gentlemen,

I would like to send a sincere thank youfor all the time and hard work that has been put into this site. It is a vast store of knowledge and a good natured site to help wade through the tough and sometimes unintellegable language of law.

My question derives from my biggest fear. Although after sifting through some of the wonderful information on this site I am beginning to think that it is unbased fear.

I carry a full size 5" inch 1911. I train hard with this sidearm and have learned a great confidence and respect for it. However the one area this gun fails me is a easy concealed carry during those hot summer months. In the summer I most often just wear a T-shirt and shorts. I keep a tight belt on and have a leather holster that offers three positions. I most often keep it in the FBI Cant posistion as I find this to leave the smallest profile and it is easily accessable. I train with this holster and this position. However some shirts cover the pistol and holster proficently and others don't. I often find myself having to wear a shirt too big in order to accomidate my sidearm. This used to bother me because I was told by a friend who recieved his Act-235. That there was no OC in PA unless you were law enforcement. I have written to my County Shariffs office and received no replys. So when does concealed carry become open carry? If 90% of the gun and holster are covered and just the last half inch or so of the holster stick out of the bottum of my shirt is that considered OC? I posess a valid and current CCW so in any event I should be covered. Any thoughts? Again I want to thank the staff and all those involved with this site.
 

rady8um

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2006
Messages
112
Location
Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, USA
imported post

Welcome to the forum. What part of PA are you from?

As far as OC in PA, your friend is wrong. Open carry IS legal. And since you have a LTCF, it is legal in Philadelphia also. Many here will tell you the same thing, and hopefully, will provide a few links with some good info.Check the open carry map here on OCDOand click on PA, the info is accurate.

Ask your friend to show you the law regarding OC is onlyfor LEO's, and he will respond with "well that's whatsome guy told me", I guarantee it.
 

imperialism2024

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2007
Messages
3,047
Location
Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, USA
imported post

rady8um wrote:
Ask your friend to show you the law regarding OC is onlyfor LEO's, and he will respond with "well that's whatsome guy told me", I guarantee it.
Or, "well that's what some LEO told me."

But from what the OP was describing, I think there would be even more trouble from just barely concealing a handgun. IMHO it would look a lot more suspicious if someone is dressed gangsta-style with a handgun poking out than if said person just dressed normally and professionally with the handgun fully visible.
 

WhiteFeather

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2007
Messages
221
Location
Oley, Pennsylvania, USA
imported post

Why thank you!

I live in a small little town called Oley. Its right outside of Reading PA. And yes after read much of this website I think its pretty safe to say he was full of "blank". But I certainly would like to meet some fellow PA gun guys! Do you think I am going to encounter a problem carrying in the fashion I have been? I won't lie I know there is an imprint in some shirts more than others. I'm just so sick of dressing around my sidearm. And I hate being more concerned about it showing than what I am doing.

Here is a pic.

DSCN0255.jpg
 

imperialism2024

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2007
Messages
3,047
Location
Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, USA
imported post

My advice: be proud of your right to carry. You shouldn't have to hide the fact that you choose to exercise your right to protect yourself, your loved ones, and your property.

At any rate, I'm no expert, but I would anticipate that you may even get more trouble if it looks like you're trying to hide your gun. If you have it plainly out in the open, it will at least look like you're meaning to show it.

Personally, while I'm very comfortable around guns, and I have absolutely no problem seeing other people plainly open carrying (hell, that makes me feel more comfortable), I would be a bit on edge if I saw what looks like someone doing a makeshift concealed carry. To me, if you make the choice to carry concealed, you should make sure your gun is never visible (except if the need arises to use it). All or nothing, in my book.

Edited to add: Nice 1911, btw. No reason that beauty shouldn't be open carried!
 

ChinChin

Regular Member
Joined
May 17, 2007
Messages
683
Location
Loudoun County, Virginia, USA
imported post

Where is the line drawn?

Just for myself. . .at about 85 degrees. I tend to CC most of the time as personal choice. However when it's hot and humid and muggy, its a T-shirt, shorts and OC for this guy.
 

blk

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2007
Messages
72
Location
Memphrica, Tennessee, USA
imported post

imperialism2024 wrote:
My advice: be proud of your right to carry. You shouldn't have to hide the fact that you choose to exercise your right to protect yourself, your loved ones, and your property.

Edited to add: Nice 1911, btw. No reason that beauty shouldn't be open carried!
I feel so dirty when I CC. :shock: And, YES, that beautiful 1911 should be out in the open! :monkey
 

Tomahawk

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 1, 2006
Messages
5,117
Location
4 hours south of HankT, ,
imported post

sitedzn wrote:
WhiteFeather wrote:
snip...
Here is a pic.
...snip
hey! that looks just like mine!:D ain't she perty? shoots good too.:celebrate

I got one like thattoo! I took it for it's first OC the day of the Bloomberg Gun Giveaway. Nothing like showing off your new 1911 to Gal Quaeda!

I love the straight-8 sights on it.
 

SP101

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Apr 11, 2007
Messages
231
Location
somewhere, Pennsylvania, USA
imported post

Hi Whitefeather, we are practically neighbors. I am in NewSmithsville, Kutztown area. I bought my JohnDeere garden tractor at Pikeville Equipment and also did construction on the King's grocery store there.

I agree that OC would be less shocking to sheeple than just seeing the barrel hanging below a shirt.

That is a nice piece you have there and it does deserve to be out in plain view for all to admire.

Welcome to the forum also.:)
 

Pa. Patriot

State Researcher
Joined
May 4, 2007
Messages
1,441
Location
Just a "wannabe" in Mtn. Top, Pennsylvania, USA
imported post

Hey, WELCOME!:monkey

Sorry I missed this thread :)

As others have pointed out, concealed is concealed. As for what is considered open I believe (I know, I should "know") that PA is a state that follows the unwritten rule (since it's not in the statutes what "concealed" is)
that open would be when the gun is recognizable as a gun to the casual observer.
What does that mean... well, it's obviously open to interpretation.
I agree with either conceal it (completely and well) or carry it completely open (no IWB holsters)
Then there should be no "gray area".

Again, WELCOME!
Don't hide your rights or your gun (criminals hide theirs) when appropriate of course ;)

Oh, and check oout paopencarry.org
Work in progress but I have a good bit of content up now.
 

WhiteFeather

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2007
Messages
221
Location
Oley, Pennsylvania, USA
imported post

open would be when the gun is recognizable as a gun to the casual observer.
You could not be more right when you said things are "Undefined". My neighbor for the longest time thought it was a cell phone. Then I walked out one day to get the mail and I didn't really notice it wasn't covered.

Ha I shop at kings once a week!

Since were being honest... I must admit that I am a little scared to OC. I'm afraid of some old lady screaming at the top of her lungs and a mob erupting and so on. Yesterday I went to Wal-Mart and had my usual set up. Not a word. Went to the Wawa down the road to Mac out some money and I decided now or never. Tucked my shirt in and walked inside the store. I caught one of the clerks attention right off the bat but I got my money a shake and some gum. Had a chat about the how nice the weather was in comparison to the day before and walked out. Other than being watched nothing happened.

To quote a special man. "(I) have taken a small step into a bigger world."

Thank you all. :celebrate
 

imperialism2024

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2007
Messages
3,047
Location
Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, USA
imported post

WhiteFeather wrote:
open would be when the gun is recognizable as a gun to the casual observer.
You could not be more right when you said things are "Undefined". My neighbor for the longest time thought it was a cell phone. Then I walked out one day to get the mail and I didn't really notice it wasn't covered.

Ha I shop at kings once a week!

Since were being honest... I must admit that I am a little scared to OC. I'm afraid of some old lady screaming at the top of her lungs and a mob erupting and so on. Yesterday I went to Wal-Mart and had my usual set up. Not a word. Went to the Wawa down the road to Mac out some money and I decided now or never. Tucked my shirt in and walked inside the store. I caught one of the clerks attention right off the bat but I got my money a shake and some gum. Had a chat about the how nice the weather was in comparison to the day before and walked out. Other than being watched nothing happened.

To quote a special man. "(I) have taken a small step into a bigger world."

Thank you all. :celebrate

Congrats!
 

dng

State Researcher
Joined
May 25, 2007
Messages
1,290
Location
, , USA
imported post

WhiteFeather wrote:
open would be when the gun is recognizable as a gun to the casual observer.
You could not be more right when you said things are "Undefined". My neighbor for the longest time thought it was a cell phone. Then I walked out one day to get the mail and I didn't really notice it wasn't covered.

Ha I shop at kings once a week!

Since were being honest... I must admit that I am a little scared to OC. I'm afraid of some old lady screaming at the top of her lungs and a mob erupting and so on. Yesterday I went to Wal-Mart and had my usual set up. Not a word. Went to the Wawa down the road to Mac out some money and I decided now or never. Tucked my shirt in and walked inside the store. I caught one of the clerks attention right off the bat but I got my money a shake and some gum. Had a chat about the how nice the weather was in comparison to the day before and walked out. Other than being watched nothing happened.

To quote a special man. "(I) have taken a small step into a bigger world."

Thank you all. :celebrate
Great report, glad you're OCing! Another person to help educate the uneducated about guns! (Primer is excited too!:monkeyBut that's only because he like bananas and he's getting ready to eat Mr. Banana :what:)
 
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