Open Carry in Montana

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I am a minor in Montana and I work at an undisclosed place. Now ever since that time I have had many teenagers(who behave like children) come into the work place when it is just me and someone else and attempt to start a fight with me.

Recently I had a large group of more than one dozen of these trouble makers come in and attempt to start a fight with me. There is no way in hell that a small canister of pepper spray would have stopped them.

Another incident I would like to point out is that after being out for less than an hour, I drive up to see the door to the camper open. Now if someone had been in there with a firearm they could have stepped out and shot me right there.

Now being the place I live, crime is extremely high, and I have seen incidents where the police would write citations for a group of people and when the officers left they would start making trouble again.

I cannot walk down the streets of this place in daylight anymore without constantly looking behind me. I think that open carry along with my Surefire E2D and pepper spray would be good defence.

Basically what I want to know is:

1. How to respond to a police officer in the event they stop me and attempt to arrest me because they do not know the open carrylaw.

2. If there is any advice on a specific way to carry it. A level two or three Blackhawk SERPA holsterseems like a good holster in the attempt someone tries to disarm me.

3. How to convince the parents that this is almost a neccesity for my defence.

4. How many magazines do I need? Two seems sufficient. Right now if I were to carry, it would be with either a Glock 19 9mmor a 1911 Clone .45.

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I don't know MT law, but I'd say being a minor, you can't OC to begin with. Most states (all?) you need to be 18 to own a handgun and POSSIBLY to even use a handgun without the approval and supervision of an adult.

To answer your questions, if you are stopped by a LEO, the best advice is to keep your laws regarding Open Carry in your pocket so you don't need to remember them. Some people keep copies they can give the LEOs who don't know anything about it. Most LEOs won't get you on the ground or anything, they'll just stop you and see what's going on.

I can't give advice on a proper holster for this.

If by 'the parents' you mean your own parents, I'd advise you to get them in touch with people who already open carry in your area, specifically because they know what dangers there are and how dangerous it is.

If you're carrying for self defense, I'd suggest 2 magazines at the MOST. One in the weapon, a second spare. Personally, i'd say a single mag. If you get to the second magazine, you're already in over your head.

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UtahJarhead wrote:

I don't know MT law, but I'd say being a minor, you can't OC to begin with. Most states (all?) you need to be 18 to own a handgun and POSSIBLY to even use a handgun without the approval and supervision of an adult.

To answer your questions, if you are stopped by a LEO, the best advice is to keep your laws regarding Open Carry in your pocket so you don't need to remember them. Some people keep copies they can give the LEOs who don't know anything about it. Most LEOs won't get you on the ground or anything, they'll just stop you and see what's going on.

I can't give advice on a proper holster for this.

If by 'the parents' you mean your own parents, I'd advise you to get them in touch with people who already open carry in your area, specifically because they know what dangers there are and how dangerous it is.

If you're carrying for self defense, I'd suggest 2 magazines at the MOST. One in the weapon, a second spare. Personally, i'd say a single mag. If you get to the second magazine, you're already in over your head.

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The age to OC in Montana is 14 per this page: http://opencarry.org/mt.html

I never thought of carrying a copy of it before, but I know I would at least ask the county sheriff if there was a local regulation on OC for a minor.

One of the problems of being in rural Montana is that is alomst impossible to even find someone that OC's. I personally have not met anyone that OC's. Basically this would just be for the workplace. I would not make a habit of carrying it all over placessuch as the grocery store, as I would just be asking for trouble.

Personally I would have to agree with you. Hopefully I will never encounter that much trouble. Hopefully not even when I become a law enforcement officer. I do not want to have to even pull a gun, much less use it, but I would rather have one with me in the event that I needed it for my protection or the protection of others.

Personally I would much rather carry a taser. They will handle 99.99% of situations better than a firearm will.

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i think minors are restricted to long arms only

what part of montana? just curious

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r6-rider wrote:

i think minors are restricted to long arms only

what part of montana? just curious

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Curious as well.

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As I said, I won't disclose where.

At any rate, I think you are right sadly. I seem to remember reading a federal law that states anyone under 18 cannot possess a handgun.

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What you might want to consider, while not a firearm, is probably just as effective for what you're looking for... is Pepper Spray.

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or a big a$$ knife lol

id check more into rifles and shotguns though, if i wasnt so lazy or i planned on going to montana i would check but... i am and im not

consult with local LE to see what they "think" (never go off what LE tells you as far as law goes) if they say they would arrest on site well then your probly going to have trouble even if it is legal and might not be worth the hassle. but if they conclude that having parental consent is enough for them then cock it and lock it and hope for the best.

on a side note, if your 17, just wait cause its really not worth it to deal with a firearm charge as a minor

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Well, next time anyone comes into your place of business and tries to start a fight, immediately call the police and file trespassing charges (after you ask them to leave, of course). When they violate this, they won't be happy.

Also, im curious as to where you live to see the violence rates around the area. If someone broke into your camper and wanted to shoot you when you pulled up, would you being armed change much? Or would they still have stepped out and shot you?

Go to the range, fire some handguns if you haven't done so. Carrying a gun isn't the way you are gonna solve your problems, ESPECIALLY if you happen to shoot someone, then the prosecutor rails on you for using deadly force when you had other non-deadly options (pepper spray, baton etc).

Think about how it would look to the news. Boy was picked on, packs a gun, shoots bully. Even if someone sympathizes, its still not gonna be fun for you. Say goodbye to joining any police force.

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AvianP wrote:

Well, next time anyone comes into your place of business and tries to start a fight, immediately call the police and file trespassing charges (after you ask them to leave, of course). When they violate this, they won't be happy.

Also, im curious as to where you live to see the violence rates around the area. If someone broke into your camper and wanted to shoot you when you pulled up, would you being armed change much? Or would they still have stepped out and shot you?

Go to the range, fire some handguns if you haven't done so. Carrying a gun isn't the way you are gonna solve your problems, ESPECIALLY if you happen to shoot someone, then the prosecutor rails on you for using deadly force when you had other non-deadly options (pepper spray, baton etc).

Think about how it would look to the news. Boy was picked on, packs a gun, shoots bully. Even if someone sympathizes, its still not gonna be fun for you. Say goodbye to joining any police force.

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1. Exactly. They will be downright furious and will vandalize my car, which I could not afford to fix, and they would likely try to jump me when I am walking somewhere. You do not know what these people are like so you should not say something like this, as you have no clue.

2. As I said before, I won't disclose the location. As for being armed, I would have a hell of alot better chances of surviving with a firearm than without in that situation or most others.

3. So you are calling me a trigger-happy punk kid that would draw a firearm on anyone who made me angry? You sound like you are a gun control activist.

On a side note, you apparently do not have any understanding of laws regarding weapons or you would know that here as well as every other state, I believe, does not allow carrying a baton, tire thumper, knife(over a certain blade length), etc.

@NavyLT

Thanks. I wasn't able to find that. At least I have that cleared up now.

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I'm curious as to why these other teensseem to betargeting you?