Concealed Carry/Open Carry

[G19man]

If you have a CCW permit are you allowed to carry open also?

[Moviestar]

You can open carry unless there is a law that specifically prohibits you from open carrying, you dont need your ccw permit. or if you city/municipality has laws banning it. I think Breckenridge, Boulder, and Denver ban open carry. But if you open carry you can get charged with things like criminal trespassing, menacing, harassment, ect. (thats what i heard over at RMGO).

Feel free to correct me if im wrong.

[Irving]

You aren't going to be charged with criminal trespassing unless you don't leave an establishment after being asked/told to leave. Similarly, you won't just get a menacing or harassment charge from walking down the street, there is always more to it than that.

[Moviestar]

You aren't going to be charged with criminal trespassing unless you don't leave an establishment after being asked/told to leave. Similarly, you won't just get a menacing or harassment charge from walking down the street, there is always more to it than that.

ive just read of both of those situations happening with open carry, which is why i put them in.

[Irving]

I wouldn't be surprised to have an officer tell me that people were scared and felt menaced, but I'd be surprised to have one actually try to press charges. Depends on the situation though. If you even point at your gun, or say, "I've got a gun." anything like that and it is considered menacing. Like I would advise against getting into a screaming match with a manager at a restaurant (or anyone) while you were open carrying.

[Moviestar]

@ op, it would be a lot easier if you just carried concealed i think. safe your self a potential headache.

[DD977GM2]

@ op, it would be a lot easier if you just carried concealed i think. safe your self a potential headache.

HUGE +1
Save yourself the headache. I was in Bailey when a POS animal control retard saw the gun cases in the bed of my truck and called 911 because I had guns. I was OC and she flipped the fuck out and CHP was cool about the whole thing and realized this chick with animal control was fucking retarded.

[RMGOdirector]

Just to be clear:

Acquiring a permit to carry does NOT relinquish your right to open carry.

So many instructors teach that "if you carry concealed, you must be concealed" is crap. There is no such restriction.

That being said, there are some municipalities that restrict/ban open carry. For that, you can thank the NRA.

SB03-025 (the preemption bill) could have stopped all municipal open carry laws. Instead, it carved out open carry as an exemption to preemption.

I should know -- I was the lobbyist that fought against this (as well as dozens of the NRA's compromises on concealed carry).

[TFOGGER]

Just to be clear:

Acquiring a permit to carry does NOT relinquish your right to open carry.

So many instructors teach that "if you carry concealed, you must be concealed" is crap. There is no such restriction.

That being said, there are some municipalities that restrict/ban open carry. For that, you can thank the NRA.

SB03-025 (the preemption bill) could have stopped all municipal open carry laws. Instead, it carved out open carry as an exemption to preemption.

I should know -- I was the lobbyist that fought against this (as well as dozens of the NRA's compromises on concealed carry).

Welcome to the forum! Concealed/open carry issues come up periodically, and it is good to have someone that knows the law to weigh in and help clarify things!

[DeadElephant]

RMGO
Executive Director
Dudley Brown

What are you doing looking like a newbie?:)

[RMGOdirector]

On this forum, I AM a newbie.

[Elhuero]

yah but he's an UBER newbie

[Lanearas]

But if you open carry you can get charged with things like criminal trespassing, menacing, harassment, ect. (thats what i heard over at RMGO).

Feel free to correct me if im wrong.

I've only been living in CO since June, but OC daily and have had no problems here whatsoever, though I am careful to stay out of Denver itself due to their silly exemption to the state's preemption. OCed for a long time in Vegas before moving here with virtually no problems there either.

[Moviestar]

I've only been living in CO since June, but OC daily and have had no problems here whatsoever, though I am careful to stay out of Denver itself due to their silly exemption to the state's preemption. OCed for a long time in Vegas before moving here with virtually no problems there either.

thats great, but some people have had issues before so it was worth noting.

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

I thought that Denver was the only muni that could ban OC?

[Moviestar]

I thought that Denver was the only muni that could ban OC?

i think breckinridge, and arvada do as well.

see: http://www.rmgo.org/faq/#OpenCarry

[Irving]

Arvada? That is a new one to me.

[Moviestar]

thats what it says over at RMGO, I trust them.

[Irving]

I saw it, just new info to me.

[cowboykjohnson]

don't be surprised if someone calls the cops thinking its illegal to open carry, then you get to deal with that before you get to go where ever your headed. Sounds like alot of hassle if you can legally conceal carry.

[michael_aos]

I have a CCW, but I've dabbled with Open Carry here in Colorado Springs in the past.

No real issues, but frankly it just "feels" funny. I had several people ask "why are you carrying a gun" and "are you a cop?".

In Wal-Mart, the guy behind the Sporting Goods counter was aghast at my Browning Hi Power being carried cocked-and-locked. Didn't make too big a deal out of it, although I noticed a lot of "code XX on isle YY" as I was making my way toward the exit after purchasing a couple of WWB 100rd value-packs of 9mm.

On another occasion we were going camping and stopped at a Wal-Mart on the way out of town for ice. My wife went in, while I verified the security of the items on the cargo-rack. Parking-lot security noticed my open-carry as I was climbing on top of the vehicle and stopped. Identified himself as an off-duty CSPD and informed me I would not be allowed to open-carry inside Wal-Mart (Wal-Mart policy). He claimed as off-duty CSPD he wasn't permitted to open-carry inside Wal-Mart either.

Very pleasant and no hassle otherwise.

[michael_aos]

I very much wish more people would open-carry. I've been in Colorado Springs nice 1993 and I've never once since anyone open-carry outside of hunting.

Uber ninja tactical concerns aside, I'm just not comfortable being a trend-setter. But if more people would start open carrying, I'd sure jump on the bandwagon.

[Irving]

I've open carried one time in a Chipotle in Thornton. One of the kids running the counter brought it to the attention of an off duty cop that happened to be eating there as well. Otherwise, no one said anything. The cop talked to me, but told me I was doing nothing wrong and he wasn't discouraging me. Just wanted to let me know to expect contact with law enforcement everywhere I went. He was about my age. I told him I appreciated his attitude and how he handled the situation.

[MuzzleFlash]

Saw a guy open carrying at the Chipolte in Arvada (64th & Ward) back in September or October. No one made anything of it. He was in a golf shirt and slacks, no badge or police logos of any kind. He was in front of me in line and was still there when I left after eating. I gave him a thumbs up on the way out.

I would be perfectly happy to see people openly armed like Anna here (http://files.uzitalk.com/reference/pages/uzigirls3.htm). OK, maybe with a tad better trigger discipline :)

[Lanearas]

Certainly if you're not comfortable open carrying, then carry concealed (assuming you have a permit), or don't carry at all. It's a personal choice no matter how you look at it. I do take issue with folks warning against open carry claiming you will be constantly hassled. I think that is more the exception than the rule.

Whether one agrees with it or not there is a tremendous increase recently in the open carry movement, and such warnings only serve to mask the reality of open carry: It is just as much a part of our second amendment rights as any other issue, and "a right unexercised is a right lost." Discouraging someone from open carrying where it's currently legal (in my opinion) is essentially advocating the denial of that person's rights.

Do some folks get hassled? Of course it happens. Anyone that OCs should be prepared for it, but again, it's not as common as some would have you believe.

[crashmcwhly]

I dunno...tough not to criticize it. I can't fault the LEOs for making contact, especially after the tragic loss of the four officers in that coffee shop. I know, I know...what criminal walks around with his sidearm exposed. Now if every patron in that coffee shop was openly carrying, the perp may have second guessed himself or certainly not have made it out after the horrific event. But unfortunately, we live in the land of sheep and "us", the sheepdogs, are routinely scolded by the "landowners", the police/government, while the wolves are free to pick and choose. Too many people (the majority) stick their heads in the sand and that scares me more than any two-bit thug out there.

[Irving]

I dunno...tough not to criticize it. I can't fault the LEOs for making contact, especially after the tragic loss of the four officers in that coffee shop. I know, I know...what criminal walks around with his sidearm exposed. Now if every patron in that coffee shop was openly carrying, the perp may have second guessed himself or certainly not have made it out after the horrific event.

Tsk Tsk.

[LeJerk]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0b6UJsfTAnA