imported post
Can't compare the two, myself, but Oregon's fairly open.
If you've got the CHL, darned near anything goes (except for the restricted court house, federal security area of airports). Sure, like many places, there are bad apples that flex the LEO muscles where the authority doesn't exist, but that's rare.
Oregon's an open carry state, as well. No laws against open carry, though there are a handful of municipalities that have prohibitions against carrying a loaded firearm. It has state preemption of local laws, which means CHL gets around all the few local variations. Yes, the CHL is "asking permission" for the right, but it is what it is.
Machine guns and other Class 3 items are fairly plentiful, and shooting on public lands is a common thing for many.
No laws against brandishing, though there's the standard statutes on intimidation, assault, which essentially (rationally) require clear intent and action.
As anywhere, if you get your butt in a sling over a firearms charge, it can harm your future ability to legally carry. So, while the national situation is what it is, you've got that basic worry anywhere you go.
In short: so long as your firearm usage is safe and sane, in Oregon you're very unlikely to even get noticed, even by law enforcement. Even in the larger cities where now and then fearful libs can get bent about "dangerous" firearms in their midst. But, it comes to this: both concealed (with CHL) and open carry is legal in Oregon, for every upstanding adult, with a few municipal ordinance hurdles regarding
loaded carry.
Check the basic statutes here:
ORS 166,
ORS 163,
ORS 161,
Municipal ordinances regulating loaded firearms for non-CHL persons,
Pamphlet summary of basic laws related to open carry. Basically, if you're an upstanding adult, feel free to carry openly. If you've got a CHL (must-issue state), feel free to carry concealed nearly anywhere. If you need to defend yourself, just be able to justify it as reasonable. No "Castle" law, and nothing ensuring survivors/estates can't sue you in civil court, so that's a big strike against.
With, say, a Utah non-res CHL, you'll have both Oregon and Washington covered, as well as nearly every other state west of the Mississippi.
If seriously considering, I'd recommend two books: