Wal-mart Carry.

I know at least in my area and forums there have many many conflicting questions with carrying in Wal-Mart. I sent Wal-Mart an email and got this in response I hope it helps:


Thank you for your message.

Dear Jacob,

In regards to your inquiry:

* There is no policy against customers carrying their handgun in our stores as long as he/she is legally permitted by their state to carry the handgun.

* As a private property owner, Walmart has the authority to ask customers to remove their handgun or leave the store on a case-by-case basis if customers or Walmart associates express concerns about the handgun.

Thank you,

Wal-Mart Customer Care




For further correspondence regarding this issue, please reply to this email.


----Your Original Comments Were----

Can I have the official Wal-mart Policy on open carry and conceal carry. Most I have heard is The store will follow state law. If it's legal to carry a firearm in that state then its not against company policies to carry in the store. However some stores are telling customers that its a company wide ban on all firearms.
This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and
intended solely for the individual or entity to whom they are
addressed. If you have received this email in error destroy it
immediately.

*** Walmart
Confidential ***

I haven't had any problem open carrying in walmart, but that is here in Colorado.

I read stories once and a while and have been kicked out once or twice my self. Also a few troll posters saying they "work for walmart" and they REALLY KNOW! ;-)

Kloutier said:

I read stories once and a while and have been kicked out once or twice my self. Also a few troll posters saying they "work for walmart" and they REALLY KNOW! ;-)

Click to expand...

They hate their job and wanna take it out on us :-(

strife1013 said:

I haven't had any problem open carrying in walmart, but that is here in Colorado.

Click to expand...

My only issue was with an individual who works in my local store. He's a former LEO, and told me if I didn't concealed carry, I could be arrested for DC. I thought that was absurd (it is, and our county sheriff backed me up, saying I'd never be arrested on DC simply for open carry).

But I sent a brief letter to Wal-Mart Customer Service in Bentonville, AR, and received the exact same reply as reported by the OP, with only one exception: My copy of Wal-Mart's letter of response did not contain this clause:

It appears to be a new addition.

Kloutier said:

I know at least in my area and forums there have many many conflicting questions with carrying in Wal-Mart. I sent Wal-Mart an email and got this in response I hope it helps:


Thank you for your message.

Dear Jacob,

In regards to your inquiry:

* There is no policy against customers carrying their handgun in our stores as long as he/she is legally permitted by their state to carry the handgun.

* As a private property owner, Walmart has the authority to ask customers to remove their handgun or leave the store on a case-by-case basis if customers or Walmart associates express concerns about the handgun.
Thank you,

Wal-Mart Customer Care




For further correspondence regarding this issue, please reply to this email.


----Your Original Comments Were----

Can I have the official Wal-mart Policy on open carry and conceal carry. Most I have heard is The store will follow state law. If it's legal to carry a firearm in that state then its not against company policies to carry in the store. However some stores are telling customers that its a company wide ban on all firearms.
This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and
intended solely for the individual or entity to whom they are
addressed. If you have received this email in error destroy it
immediately.

*** Walmart
Confidential ***

Click to expand...

And there it is. WM's magic double-talk.
That information says WM gives it's associates the "authority" to ask you to disarm and/or leave the store if that associate is concerned about the firearm....even though WM says it has no policy against carry. They are leaving it up to the "individual associate" to make decisions that corporate and management should be making. Bad idea.

What's that mean? When you walk in the door and are greeted by an associate, that person can feel personally concerned that you are carrying a firearm due to his or her personal anti-gun position and tell you to disarm or leave....AND call the po-po to file a report based on that personal anti-gun position and fear.

They keep up their magical double-talk and someone is going to get brave and just sue their butts off.

REALteach4u said:

And there it is. WM's magic double-talk.
That information says WM gives it's associates the "authority" to ask you to disarm and/or leave the store if that associate is concerned about the firearm....even though WM says it has no policy against carry. They are leaving it up to the "individual associate" to make decisions that corporate and management should be making. Bad idea.

What's that mean? When you walk in the door and are greeted by an associate, that person can feel personally concerned that you are carrying a firearm due to his or her personal anti-gun position and tell you to disarm or leave....AND call the po-po to file a report based on that personal anti-gun position and fear.

They keep up their magical double-talk and someone is going to get brave and just sue their butts off.

Click to expand...

It is not double-talk. They are not giving OCers carte blanche. If you get into an argument with someone, they will ask you to leave. Target has this same policy. During my recent stop, the police tried to get me trespassed. After the manager called corporate, he told the officers, "No, I can't do that." (I have it on tape.) He went on to explain that if there was a scene, he would be free to ask me to leave.

Likewise, I spoke with the district manager of Wal-Mart in the Montgomery area after one of our ALOC members was booted from the Atlanta Hwy store by a rogue AM. He assured me that Wal-Mart's policy allows OC and the member should not have been asked to leave (much less the way he was asked). However, he also pointed out that, if a situation arose, Wal-Mart reserved the right to defuse it by asking an involved armed person to leave.

These stores have the right policy. They need an out that will allow them to ask anyone (OCing or not) to leave if they believe he presents a problem. If a manager oversteps his authority, leave and elevate the issue. That is how we did it in Montgomery. The DM is sympathetic, welcomes OC, and addressed the AM's actions with her. As long as this is not a recurring event, I don't see a problem. Organizations screw up. What is important is that it doesn't happen a lot and that the management structure is properly reactive and proactive in trying to minimize mistakes.

At this point in time, Wal-Mart and Target are, IMO, as welcoming as they need be for all LAC, OC or no.

Well-said, eye95.