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Open Carry?

RedNeck_Hunter06

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Joined
Apr 9, 2009
Messages
6
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Croswell, Michigan, USA
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i really cant afford the cash to get my cpl and I've been hearing that it is legal in Michigan to open carry with without a cpl. the local law enforcement tell me that it is illegal to do so but everything i've read on here sys you can. what the hell do i do.
 

RedNeck_Hunter06

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Apr 9, 2009
Messages
6
Location
Croswell, Michigan, USA
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i contacted sanilac county sheriffs department and they told me its not illegal but they aren't gonna tell me i can do it. what should i do i don't really want to go ahead and do it and get thrown in jail but i also want to express my right to openly carry
 

springerdave

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Joined
May 16, 2008
Messages
665
Location
Northern lower & Keweenaw area, Michigan, USA
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Welcome, Red. What you do is read, read and re-read Wash, Rinse And Repeat, then read the stories of other Michigan OCers and then find someone close to your area to open carry with at a coffee shop or hamberg shack and OC with your eyes and ears open. Ask questions and then ask them again if you don't understand the answer. Some here may come off as gruff, at times but everyone means well. You will no doubt be nervious at first, but just get "fetched up" and do it. Next, take what you hear from LEOs with a grain of salt and understand that all you hear from them may not be factual. Good luck.springerdave.


ps. use the drop-down to edit your location so that Michigan gets credit for your membership.
 

SQLtables

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Feb 8, 2008
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894
Location
Secretary MOC, Inc. Frankenmuth, , USA
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Basically, what springerdave said. Just read all of the info on this forum about 436 times. then re-read it. Once your comfortable with the law and think you know how you would handle an encounter with an uninformed person, go ahead and start OCing. Baby steps... mcdonalds, gas station. I think the best thing is to go to an OC get-together.

I assume you're in Sanilac County, maybe I'll plan something a little close to your area over the next few weeks.

As for the officers response, I don't like to ask police officers for legal advice. often times they either aren't sure of the law themselves, or give you opinions which are contrary to the law. Yes, you could be arrested for OCing, but if you are careful with what you're doing, any charges would never stick.
 

DanM

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Joined
Jul 11, 2008
Messages
1,928
Location
West Bloomfield, Michigan, USA
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RedNeck_Hunter06 wrote:
i really cant afford the cash to get my cpl and I've been hearing that it is legal in Michigan to open carry with without a cpl. the local law enforcement tell me that it is illegal to do so but everything i've read on here sys you can. what the hell do i do.

It is legal to open carry in Michigan with or without a CPL, but there are differences. Learn the law thoroughly BEFORE you carry. Start reading here: http://opencarry.mywowbb.com/forum30/13328.html

The LEOs who are saying it is illegal arewrong, either knowingly or unknowingly. This willnot prevent you from being harassed or arrested, however if you are open carrying legally there are legal options you will have if you are wrongfully arrested.

Read the stuff at the link above, ask questions here, and make sure you feel comfortable that you know the law and know how to assert your rights when interacting with the police.
 

RedNeck_Hunter06

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Apr 9, 2009
Messages
6
Location
Croswell, Michigan, USA
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hell today i just decided to throw on my cowboy belt with my .357 holster on it without a gun and went to the gas station and just doing that i got alot of dirty looks and questioned. i support gun rights all the way and everything says it legal so why do the law enforcement raise hell about you doing it. i was told by the lexington PD that if they got a call saying that i or anyone else had a gun in open sight on their belt they would procede by getting out of their car with gun drawn.
 

autosurgeon

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Sep 29, 2008
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3,831
Location
Lawrence, Michigan, United States
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My dad OC's a 357 mag 6 inch barrel with ivory grips in a tied down holster... and for those who laugh I pity them as he shoots SAS and can get that baby into action way faster than I can with my auto loader from my fobus holster.
 

RedNeck_Hunter06

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Apr 9, 2009
Messages
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Location
Croswell, Michigan, USA
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i have a GP 100 Ruger shoots .38 special and .357 mag it's blued with black rubber grips. i love that gun people laugh at me cause they say it slow and bulky but i see no problem with it
 

DanM

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Jul 11, 2008
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Location
West Bloomfield, Michigan, USA
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RedNeck_Hunter06 wrote:
i got alot of dirty looks and questioned.

As has been said here before, you have to be careful you're not misinterpreting others' facial features/expressions as "dirty looks". Some people might squint, if the light islow or theirglasses prescription is old,to get a better look at what you have on your hip, and that squinting can look like a "dirty look" when it's really not. And some people, when their face isrelaxed and natural (not smiling), unfortunately look mean or annoyed but they're really not that way.

My suggestion is to assume the above, unless someone is accompanying their facial expression with another form ofCLEARLY negative expression such as flipping the bird at you or insulting you.

What were the questions you received?
 

DanM

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Jul 11, 2008
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Location
West Bloomfield, Michigan, USA
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RedNeck_Hunter06 wrote:
i also recently got kicked out of meijer in port huron for having a buck knife on my belt. Is that right or is it just me or did they just cause an issue for no reason.

I don't know if it's right, if it's just you, or if they caused an issue for no reason until you tell us what was said by the employees and you.

Carry of a knife on a belt may be against their corp policies, I don't know. Your verbal or non-verbalbehavior may have had something to do with it, I don't know. If you want feedback, you haven't provided much information to go on.
 

conservative85

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Aug 16, 2008
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RedNeck_Hunter06 wrote:
i also recently got kicked out of meijer in port huron for having a buck knife on my belt. Is that right or is it just me or did they just cause an issue for no reason.

First welcome to the site Red. 2nd the law states as follows.

[font="Arial, Helvetica"]5. Is it illegal to have a knife with a blade over 3 inches in my possession?[/font]

[font="Arial, Helvetica"][font="Arial, Helvetica"]MCL 750.226[/font] No. Michigan law specifies that a person, with intent to use the knife unlawfully against another, shall not go armed with a knife having a blade over 3 inches in length.[/font]

I carry a 5 inch buck in a sheath (sheath does not constitute concealed), most places except in the car. It has to be treated as a person w/a firearm with no cpl license. Any blade over 3" cannot be in your pocket, it has to be open carried. Please research the other blade laws.
 

ghostrider

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Joined
Jul 24, 2007
Messages
1,416
Location
Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA
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conservative85 wrote:
RedNeck_Hunter06 wrote:
i also recently got kicked out of meijer in port huron for having a buck knife on my belt. Is that right or is it just me or did they just cause an issue for no reason.

First welcome to the site Red. 2nd the law states as follows.

[font="Arial, Helvetica"]5. Is it illegal to have a knife with a blade over 3 inches in my possession?[/font]

[font="Arial, Helvetica"][font="Arial, Helvetica"]MCL 750.226[/font] No. Michigan law specifies that a person, with intent to use the knife unlawfully against another, shall not go armed with a knife having a blade over 3 inches in length.[/font]

I carry a 5 inch buck in a sheath (sheath does not constitute concealed), most places except in the car. It has to be treated as a person w/a firearm with no cpl license. Any blade over 3" cannot be in your pocket, it has to be open carried. Please research the other blade laws.
Actualy, that is an (incorrect) interpretation of the law. One cannot carry a concealed weapon in Michigan, but knives can be carried for utility, which is why the law is tied to intent.
750.226 Firearm or dangerous weapon; carrying with unlawful intent.
Sec. 226.
Carrying firearm or dangerous weapon with unlawful intent—Any person who, with intent to use the same unlawfully against the person of another, goes armed with a pistol or other firearm or dagger, dirk, razor, stiletto, or knife having a blade over 3 inches in length, or any other dangerous or deadly weapon or instrument, shall be guilty of a felony, punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than 5 years or by a fine of not more than 2,500 dollars.
It is not against state law to carry a knife in your pocket that is over 3" in length. Some localities may restrict it, but state law does not. OTOH, if your carrying a Case Peanut for the purpose of SD, then you are in violation of the law, which is a five year felony.
750.227 Concealed weapons; carrying; penalty.
Sec. 227.
(1) A person shall not carry a dagger, dirk, stiletto, a double-edged nonfolding stabbing instrument of any length, or any other dangerous weapon, except a hunting knife adapted and carried as such, concealed on or about his or her person, or whether concealed or otherwise in any vehicle operated or occupied by the person, except in his or her dwelling house, place of business or on other land possessed by the person.
(2) A person shall not carry a pistol concealed on or about his or her person, or, whether concealed or otherwise, in a vehicle operated or occupied by the person, except in his or her dwelling house, place of business, or on other land possessed by the person, without a license to carry the pistol as provided by law and if licensed, shall not carry the pistol in a place or manner inconsistent with any restrictions upon such license.
(3) A person who violates this section is guilty of a felony, punishable by imprisonment for not more than 5 years, or by a fine of not more than $2,500.00.


It is legal to carry a blade over 3" in your pocket (providing it complies with local law) in Michigan. You just can't carry it with the intention of using it as a weapon, or with the intent to use it unlawfully against another person.
 

conservative85

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Aug 16, 2008
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First, you all want to put a 5 inch non folding blade in your pocket near the boys you all go right ahead:shock:.

In the mean time I will research further but I am sure I read a MCL on blades and it was clear on folding and straight over 3" in the pocket.
 

ghostrider

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Jul 24, 2007
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1,416
Location
Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA
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conservative85 wrote:
First, you all want to put a 5 inch non folding blade in your pocket near the boys you all go right ahead:shock:.

In the mean time I will research further but I am sure I read a MCL on blades and it was clear on folding and straight over 3" in the pocket.
I used to try to stay in the 3" range myself. Then I experienced the Spyderco Endura. It made me realize that a longer blade was better (for me) for utility because it meant that I didn't have to sharpen it as often, and the greater length gave me more options. I initially thought (because I'd read too much of other people's opinions) that anything more than 3" was too much, and would be awkward for utility. However, once I started using a 4" blade, I realized how wrong I was. It probaly took less than an hours worth of work to get used to the new size, and the longer blade will work longer.

Mind you, That's just me. Everybody has different needs, which is why we have so much variety.
 

Taurus850CIA

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Joined
Jun 15, 2008
Messages
1,072
Location
, Michigan, USA
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conservative85 wrote:
First, you all want to put a 5 inch non folding blade in your pocket near the boys you all go right ahead:shock:.

In the mean time I will research further but I am sure I read a MCL on blades and it was clear on folding and straight over 3" in the pocket.
Have you found it? I've searched for quite a while, and have found nothing on folding knives. I found NONfolding, but only where already quoted above. I also searched Port Huron and Port Huron Twp ordinances, and found nothing that would have warranted being kicked out of Meijer. Sounds like someone probably had a chip on their shoulder.


edit:spelling
 
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