Introduction and Question... is it legal to open carry with one in the chamber?

Greetings All,

My name is Brandon and I live in Fredericksburg. I am a former Marine and gun lover. I have been carrying concealed for a few months now since I got my permit but just recently (my own fault) discovered that open carry is legal. My question is, is it legal to open carry with one in the chamber? The only statute I've seen says it's illegal to carry a loaded semi-auto pistol with more than a 20 round clip. The wording may not be exact in my description but that's the gist of it.

Anyways, just wanted to introduce myself and say that in reading through the posts so far, I have already learned a great deal and I look forward to joining in future discussions.

By chance, are there any members in the Fredericksburg/Stafford/Quantico area on here and if so, are there any group meetings/shoots?

Thanks again,

Brandon

Hello Brandon!
Welcome to the site.

1. This gets asked way too often and the search engine sucks, but is your friend:lol:

2. The prohibition against high cap mags, etc is only for certain areas and doesn't apply to CHP holders.

3. One in the chamber is perfectly legal anywhere you can legally carry.

4. Can't help with NOVA members.

Thanks Peter,

I appreciate the info and actually located the answer shortly after posting my question...so my apologies for that.

Great to know it's ok...I know other states like California limit open carry to unloaded with empty mag which is ridiculous.

Thanks again.

Welcome.



VCDL meeting in Annandale January 10th

The monthly membership meeting in Annandale will be held on Tuesday, January 10th, 2012 at the Mason Government Center.

Mason District Governmental Center
6507 Columbia Pike
Annandale, VA 22003

The meeting will be called to order at 8 PM and run until 9:30 PM. Fellowship starts at 7:30 PM.

We will be discussing the January 16 Lobby Day agenda, and the bills VCDL is working on for the upcoming legislative session.

The meeting is open to the public, so bring friends, family, and co-workers.

Afterward we will adjourn to a local restaurant for continued fellowship.

Directions to the meeting can be found at:

http://www.vcdl.org/meetings.html


Open, Concealed (w/permit) and or no carry is allowed.






If you can't make it that far north there is this:
http://forum.opencarry.org/forums/s...es-1-10-12-Pancho-Villa&p=1677877#post1677877

Welcome to OCDO, Brandon.

Glad to see your question was resolved so quickly.

Can you make the OC dinner in Culpepper on the 10th? http://forum.opencarry.org/forums/s...-in-Culpeper-7-30PM-Tues-1-10-12-Pancho-Villa It's a chance to meet some folks near you.

Folks from F'burg just do not seem to have gotten in to the notion of meeting for dinner/lunch/breakfast/coffe or the heck of it. I know you are the FNG here, but "If you post it they will come" has been pretty much the mantra around here forever. Find a place that is OC-friendly, has some room, and invite folks to show up. Expect to be alone the first time but be happy to see anybody that shows. Post an after-event report and set up another one.

And I notice nobody has invited you to Lobby Day. Let me fix that - Come on down! Monday, Jan. 16th, at the General Assembly Building in Richmond. Check the Virginia forum for carpooling or bus availability - or to start your own. There is a breakfast scheduled beforehand - look for that thread, too.

stay safe.

PS - how did you become a "former Marine"? I've got a story about how I did so I'd like to hear yours.

Welcome Brandon.

The specific reference to magazine limits can be found here. It is one of our strange laws that benefits no one.
Second the motion on Lobby Day and starting a greet n' meet in the F'burg area.

Meanwhile, sign up for the free Va-Alert to keep current on what is happening in Virginia.

Thank you for your service.

Welcome Brandon!

Thank you for your service!

As a former Marine, I would have expected you to use correct nomenclature. Perhaps I am mistaken and you are indeed carrying a clip-fed firearm. {Don't use the "W" word around here, some NRA-types get excited about that} If this is correct, do you carry a "broom-handle" Mauser or a modified M-1 Garand of some sort?

My dad was a Marine for 32 years and he can STILL outshoot me with a rifle. He started out carrying a BAR, spent most of his career flying CH-46's and ended up behind a desk at LFTC Little Creek.

I'm an old-fashioned kinda Puddle Pirate... I started carrying a 1911 when they issued them to us in the early 80's and then used a slightly modified one for competition. They "screwed the pooch" when we switched over to the Beretta 92F IMHO (In My Humble Opinion). I was an ordnance-type, so I had the wonderful pleasure (insert extreme sarcasm here) of converting about 500 92F's to 92FS configuration. It only took about 5 minutes per gun.

Sorry... I've wandered a bit OT (Off Topic) here. Welcome to OCDO. Make plans to join us on the 16th at Lobby Day. It is an amazing opportunity to talk to other Second Amendment Supporters {including LEO's, government workers, other military members <active, reserve and retired>}. We wander the halls of the Virginia "Seat of Power" {Where our elected representatives have their offices and gather together to meet once in a while} and "Lobby" {entreat, beseech, conjure, beg, implore, petition and plead) with them to support our Second Amendment rights and any legislation that comes up in support of our God-Given Rights (According to Thomas Jefferson and a few others :~D ). Breakfast @ 0630 is a good start to the day. We aren't a hard group to spot. Many of us are long-haired, hippie-lookin' Rubenesque retirees {LHHLRR's}, but don't let our appearances fool you. Many are retired doctors, lawyers and military with over 20 years' service.

I've used up enough bits and bytes for one post. Welcome to OCDO. Talk to ED and get some cards to share with others and start conversations with others interested in Virginia's OC laws. Spend some time reading up on Virginia gun laws and make darn sure you know them. Carrying a digital recording device is highly recommended. Your mileage may vary.

There is a wealth of knowledge here, but as with any Internet forum, opinions are like ( ) * ( ).
Everyone has one and most of them smell funny.

Mike

Thank you all for the feedback and welcoming words. To answer your questions...

1) I would have loved to attend the dinner on the 10th but unfortunately, I work a swing shift in NOVA so I can't make it on weekdays. Count me in on a weekend though. I will also be out of town on the 16th for Lobby Day but I am certainly interested in future meetings for those as well.

2) I use former Marine as it is the accepted nomenclature for a non-retired (20+ years) Marine who is no longer active duty. No such things as Ex-Marines I served 5 years (2002-07) at Camp Pendleton with 4 tours to Iraq in that time. After that, I figured I might as well get paid for going over seas so I got out, became a contractor and did another 27 months in the sand box. I think I got it all out of my system now so I'll be sticking around for the forseeable future. My wife is still active duty though and is currently stationed in NC.

3) @MSC 45ACP...you are correct. I incorrectly used the term clip. My current carry is a Glock 36 (Sub-Compact .45) but I'm currently in the market for others. I had never even held a gun until the Marine Corps and wouldn't you know it, I was actually pretty good at shooting. 4th award Rifle Expert and I became familiar with the 249 and 240 on a pretty intimate basis as well.

Appreciate the welcome and to the others here that have served as well, thank you!

brlong23 said:

The only statute I've seen says it's illegal to carry a loaded semi-auto pistol with more than a 20 round clip.

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Welcome to the forum! We try to educate here in any way that we can.

VApatriot said:

Welcome to the forum! We try to educate here in any way that we can.

Attached Thumbnails

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Congratulations: You have just won the coveted "Cite of the Month" award!

Note all monthly winners are automatically eligible for the "Cite of the Year"

PM sent.

Who was that from?

OP?

Me thinks I've misplaced my marbles again...

VApatriot said:

Welcome to the forum! We try to educate here in any way that we can.

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What's especially funny to me is that there's a picture of a clip (a paper clip), above the picture!

Welcome to OCDO. I live in north Stafford county off of rte 610 when I am back home and not overseas. There are several members of OCDO who live in the Quantico, Stafford, Frednecksburg area. Some of them more active on the board than others. As to get togethers, we have done a few in the past, but they are a rare thing. As some others have said, post a thread about a breakfast or other get together with the time/place and people will show up.

Also, I'm retired USMC and I'm not aware that "former" designated any particular group. As far as I'm concerned, if you weren't booted out with a BCD or worse, you are still a Marine in my book. The only qualifier would be "no longer on active duty".

Again, welcome, perhaps we can do a breakfast when I return next May and before I head off to Islamabad next July.

Grapeshot said:

Congratulations: You have just won the coveted "Cite of the Month" award!

Note all monthly winners are automatically eligible for the "Cite of the Year"

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I'm so honored! I've never won anything on the Internet before.