new member, open carry question

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hey guys, i have a question



do you all carry printed out information showing that it IS legal to open carry with an unloaded gun without a permit?

and should I carry that information incase a police officer doesnt agree with me?

where can i print out where it says that it IS LEGAL to open carry without a permit?

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Some do, most don't. I personally carry a copy of BobCav's wonderful pamphlet here: http://opencarry.mywowbb.com/forum61/3356.html in my car glove compartment just in case I want to hand a copy to a uninformed cop after an encounter, or to a inquisitive person who's thinking about it. Unfortunately nothing like this has been made for Utah yet, but you could find all of the pertinent laws at sites like handgunlaws.us and packing.org and of course opencarry.org's main page. What you really want to do is find the state code #'s and look that up yourself to make sure they're all current.

Most of your encounters will be a test of your confidence, and knowledge in the laws itself, because if a LEO wants to give you a hard time, no sheet of paper will be sufficient, but a confident attitude and a calm, professional demeanor might be enough to make your case of your completely legal activities.

Good luck, and welcome to the board, you've found a wonderful community of people who are willing to help.

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thanks man! this is gonna be fun! id be so afraid of the cop makin me nervous just cause of his questioning and stuff ya know?

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b1ack5mith wrote:

thanks man! this is gonna be fun! id be so afraid of the cop makin me nervous just cause of his questioning and stuff ya know?

Click to expand...

The great thing is your first LEO encounter doesn't have to be your "first"... read the various forums for what people have done wrong and right, and you'll get a good feel for how to act and how not to lose your cool or get scared. Remember they're there to enforce laws, not make them up on the spot, so if you're legally oc/cc'ing, don't fret, while you may be temporarily harassed/detained/whatever, the long term benefit for you and others is increased public awareness, and hopefully increasingly pleasant LEO encounters.

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thanks man! i just keep playing this scenario back in my mind where im in the back of his car, and hes like "sorry" and im like "GIMME MY GUN BACK!" lmao!

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hey guys, i was diggin around in the "Utah Codes" yet i couldnt find where it says that it is okay to open carry a weapon as long as its two actions from firing, can someone show me where?

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You can OC in that condition without any permit.

With a concealed carry permit, you may open carry a loaded handgun.

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thanks



have you ever encountered an officer while you were OCing? and what did you say when you did?

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As far as keeping the law on your person, probably not a bad idea, but as far as the police, most of them won't take it for what its printed on.

I have been encountered by an LEO once, and I was at a fountain pop machine, he asked where I was going that I needed a gun (not that it was his business to begin with) I told him East Chicago, he then told me that he would have had a machine gun to go there, nothing negative, nice enough guy.

Leo229, provides some good information on this stuff too.

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ooo cool! well ive been thinkin what id say to an officer if he asked why im packing... id probably say "i have a right to carry a firearm, and to defend myself and others"

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b1ack5mith wrote:

ooo cool! well ive been thinkin what id say to an officer if he asked why im packing... id probably say "i have a right to carry a firearm, and to defend myself and others"

Click to expand...

When I get asked why I carry it, I just say, "Self defense". That's all. Then I wait for any follow-on questions, which usually go something like:

Are you expecting trouble? (No, but I don't expect to wreck my car, either, yet I wear a seatbelt.)

Don't you think that might scare people? (Maybe, maybe not. It shouldn't, as I'm not brandishing itor threatening anyone with it.)

What if someone feels threatened by it? (What if they feel threatened by the sight of a bunch of motorcycles in the parking lot? What if they are scared of a Led Zeppelin T-shirt? What if they are scared of my ugly face? I'm not going to stop living my life freely because someone else might feel threatened.)

Well, I don't think you should carry! (You're entitled to your opinion, of course. Have a nice day.)

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DUDE u made me smile! oh man im usin your stuff (plajorism rules haha!) thanks brother