Oc in highlands ranch, douglas county?

Can you oc in douglas county? I've been lookin around and cant find anything saying yay or nay.

M1911s said:

Can you oc in douglas county? I've been lookin around and cant find anything saying yay or nay.

Click to expand...

Howdy Amigo!
I've never had a problem with Douglas County. I've carried in Highlands Ranch, Parker and Castle Rock. No problems whatsoever.
The Douglas County Sheriff is very pro citizen carry. He is trying to be the sheriff who issues the most CCW permits in the state of Colorado.
He recognizes that having legally armed citizens is a helpful deterrent to crime.

The only jurisdiction where you should not open carry.... ever.... is Denver City/County.
Lakewood is questionable at this time as well, but that is a specific issue. I don't believe that OC there, for the most part, is a problem.

Blessings,
M-Taliesin

Thanks for the info M-Taliesin. Now I don't have a holster at the moment would tucking it in the wast band w/ the grip out and shirt tucked behind it be good enough? Also I don't have my ccw permit can I carry loaded?

M1911s said:

Thanks for the info M-Taliesin. Now I don't have a holster at the moment would tucking it in the wast band w/ the grip out and shirt tucked behind it be good enough? Also I don't have my ccw permit can I carry loaded?

Click to expand...

I would highly recommend waiting until you get a holster that can properly hold your gun. I am sure M will back me up on this. Sticking it your waistband is a bad choice because the gun could shift or even slip down into your pants. In addition you will want to have something covering the trigger guard. Perception wise, a gun in a waistband without a holster is kind of synonymous with being a criminal. If you want some help picking out a holster PM me and I will give you some good suggestions. Good luck!!

thebigsd said:

I would highly recommend waiting until you get a holster that can properly hold your gun. I am sure M will back me up on this. Sticking it your waistband is a bad choice because the gun could shift or even slip down into your pants. In addition you will want to have something covering the trigger guard. Perception wise, a gun in a waistband without a holster is kind of synonymous with being a criminal. If you want some help picking out a holster PM me and I will give you some good suggestions. Good luck!!

Click to expand...

Agreed. Get an Uncle Mikes for under 20 bucks and you're far safer. Save up for a good one.

M1911s said:

Thanks for the info M-Taliesin. Now I don't have a holster at the moment would tucking it in the wast band w/ the grip out and shirt tucked behind it be good enough? Also I don't have my ccw permit can I carry loaded?

Click to expand...

Howdy Pardner!
I'll chime in with BigSD! NO! Carrying without a holster is not the thing to do. You can get a cheapie holster at Bass Pro Shop or many other outlets and spend around $20 bucks to get one. I would not suggest nor encourage carrying without a holster.

Carrying a firearm is a really big responsibility. A responsible gun owner will handle his gun responsibly, and carry it responsibly. That means secured in a proper holster.

You did not mention the type of weapon you have, but assume from your handle it might be a 1911. Imagine, if you will, carrying the pistol in your waistband. You walk into a restaurant and as you take a seat, it drops to the floor. At this point, it may accidentally discharge. If that round ends up in the body of the mait're de, you've not only lost your appetite for the expected meal, but probably end up with a negligent homicide rap in the bargain.

As for carrying your firearm loaded, it would be pointless to carry it otherwise. My handguns are all loaded. The biggest excuse heard after an accidental shooting is "I didn't know the gun was loaded!" That excuse doesn't work around my house, because every gun we have is loaded and everybody knows it. It is loaded when stowed away, it is loaded when holstered on my hip, and it is loaded as I go about my day. That includes one in the tube along with a fully loaded mag. But that's all the more reason to get yourself a reasonable holster for your sidearm. You do not need a CCW to carry your weapon loaded, but for more reasons than I have space for here, get that thing into a holster if you plan to carry.

Holsters are not required by law, but wisdom would dictate that you should handle your weapon at all times in a responsible manner, and that includes carrying responsibly. Responsible carry means having the handgun secured in a holster when carried.

Another factor is that most holsters will have some sort of retention device. Either a Kydex holster is molded to hug your handgun to prevent it from easily falling out or being grabbed by someone else, or a strap/snap affair to secure the weapon in the holster. Most of mine have at least level 1 retention, and some have level 2 retention. But just as I won't leave home without my sidearm, I won't leave it unholstered either.

Spring for a holster! It's the right thing to do. The handgun is a tool, used for defensive purpose to save your life. The holster is also a tool, and can save your handgun and possibly prevent a negligent discharge. As stated elsewhere, you need to carry in such a manner as the trigger can't be pulled by accident, and a good holster will cover the trigger guard to prevent anything from putting pressure against the trigger to cause unwanted or unexpected discharge of the weapon.

Remember, every slug that exits the barrel is one you are personally responsible for. If it hits an innocent bystander, you are liable for any harm caused, upto and including their death. We carry a deadly weapon, and hope we never need to use it in our own defense, because it means our own life is on the line. We accept the responsibility for defending our own life, if the chips are down. But we do so with responsibility being our primary forcus when we walk out the door with a gun at our side.

Blessings,
M-Taliesin

thebigsd said:

I would highly recommend waiting until you get a holster that can properly hold your gun. I am sure M will back me up on this.

Click to expand...

Howdy BigSD!
You are right on the money with my backing you up on that one! For all the reasons you cite and many others besides, I believe that carrying a handgun without a holster is foolish and unsafe. I hope I never see any of our OC folks carrying without a realiable holster to secure their firearm. You done good in your response, and I applaud your willingness to help a newbie get the right gear to go with the gun.

Since I got my custom made rigs (three of them), I hardly use store bought holsters now, but got pretty darn good and servicable holsters for my various handguns at about $20 bucks apiece. It is a small investment to secure a firearm, and much less costly than an accidental discharge.

Blessings,
M-Taliesin

You can get a cheap, but effective holster here for just a few bucks: Cheaperthandirt. Use the Holster Wizard to find all matches to your firearm, then select one with at least a thumb break for retention purposes.

since9 said:

then select one with at least a thumb break for retention purposes.

Click to expand...

And practice, practice, practice drawing. Oh, and +1 on a holster.

Thanks for all the help and info guys much appreciated

Kingfish said:

And practice, practice, practice drawing.

Click to expand...

Unloaded, of course. Nothing like an accidental discharge within city limits to get your criminal history record on a roll.

If you feel the need to dry fire as a part of your drawing exercise, buy and use snap caps. They're fairly cheap, will help save your firing pin, and installing them will provide for an extra safeguard with respect to ensuring your firearm is unloaded.