Open Carry In PA


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biker116823

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i was informed today that PA is not a open carry state while having a chat at a local firearm store. I'm lost i was always told PA was a open carry state. The man that told me would know very well. Can someone help me sort this out. :help::unsure:
 

Link Removed

or

http://www.usacarry.com/pennsylvania_concealed_carry_permit_information.html

" Open Carry: In Pennsylvania, persons 18 years of age and older whom are not prohibited by law from owning firearms may openly carry a handgun in plain sight with no license except in vehicles, cities of the first class (Philadelphia) and where prohibited specifically by statute."

Looks like he was wrong for the most part, right with the exceptions. From PAOpencarry.org it looks like a LTCF (LICENSE TO CARRY FIREARMS) exempts you from the exceptions, and you are allowed to open carry in first class cities and vehicles. Remember, most misinformation comes from these three sources, not in any particular order:

1. Instructors
2. Police
3. Gun Store Employees

And then spreads like wildfire due to:

1. Anonymous internet users

If you want, go search the pa gov website for the actual statutes or lack of statutes (or wait a few days and I am sure someone will post them here), and drop them on his counter and ask him to read up a bit before spreading false information.

EDIT: Curmudgeon brings up a great point about the license PA residents have.
>>
 
Chen is correct. OC in PA is legal. i am from PA. I would post statutes but if you check out paopencarry.org, youwill see the statutes that say this. Great site.
 
According to the Blair county Sheriff's Office, yes, technically, PA is an open carry state by law. So when they arrest you, it won't be for carrying a weapon, it will be for disturbing the peace. Go get your CCW. It cost me $20 and about 5 minutes...
 
gsrstud:289645 said:
According to the Blair county Sheriff's Office, yes, technically, PA is an open carry state by law. So when they arrest you, it won't be for carrying a weapon, it will be for disturbing the peace. Go get your CCW. It cost me $20 and about 5 minutes...
Click to expand...

MTOakey:289660 said:
"so when they arrest you"...???
Why are they GOING to arrest you for exercising a Lawful Right...
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As is with most violations of rights, there are a lot of people that get "expect" and "accept" mixed up.
 
Cops in pa are pritty good about the gun laws.An i have only ever seen 1guy owpen carry in pa an the cops were giving him crap about it .tellin him to cover it up now or we are takeing the gun .
 
Just like everything with gun control, the powers that be will find a way around the law and Constitution, if it serves their agenda. The federal government can't take away the second amendment, so go after ammo. PA has open carry, then arrest them for disturbing the peace because they have a gun on their hip. It isn't legal, but if the police and judges say it is, then it doesn't really matter what the law says. Unfortunately, that is what our country has become...
 
gsrstud said:
According to the Blair county Sheriff's Office, yes, technically, PA is an open carry state by law. So when they arrest you, it won't be for carrying a weapon, it will be for disturbing the peace. Go get your CCW. It cost me $20 and about 5 minutes...
Click to expand...

I'll be going to Blair County next weekend. I sincerely hope that some idiot with a badge tries to arrest me; I could use a new car.
 
gsrstud:289761 said:
Just like everything with gun control, the powers that be will find a way around the law and Constitution, if it serves their agenda. The federal government can't take away the second amendment, so go after ammo. PA has open carry, then arrest them for disturbing the peace because they have a gun on their hip. It isn't legal, but if the police and judges say it is, then it doesn't really matter what the law says. Unfortunately, that is what our country has become...
Click to expand...

Like i said earlier, which actually referenced another member of this forum, there is a world of difference between expecting the world to be the way it is, and accepting the world the way it is. If in PA that is how they are treating they citizens, they should not accept it, and change it. ASAP.

Joepev:289729 said:
Cops in pa are pritty good about the gun laws.An i have only ever seen 1guy owpen carry in pa an the cops were giving him crap about it .tellin him to cover it up now or we are takeing the gun .
Click to expand...

apparently the cops in PA are not good with laws if that's how they treat their law abiding citizens.....
 
gsrstud said:
According to the Blair county Sheriff's Office, yes, technically, PA is an open carry state by law. So when they arrest you, it won't be for carrying a weapon, it will be for disturbing the peace. Go get your CCW. It cost me $20 and about 5 minutes...
Click to expand...

I see lots of open carry no prob. Having said that I have heard that some have has small probs but I think it was because there were more then just a few OCing together.
 
I've been OCing for almost 3 1/2 years, throughout PA, but mostly the south-central counties. I go everywhere I can legally. My wife works at a 24-hour establishment that area cops frequent. I'm in there almost every evening, along with City, State, County, even Sheriff's Deputies. Strange how I've never been cited for any crime. In fact, we always have very nice conversations.

Hell, the York Quick Response Team (QRT), York's version of SWAT, practices at my range along with my US Congressman Todd Platts. This ain't California!

There is NO "disturbing the peace" law or crime in PA, but there is a Disorderly Conduct. You might think someone would be aware of that distinction if they truly knew the law. It is also Oppression under Color of Authority to cite someone for D.O. simply because of OC. If anyone reads the requirements for D.O. they would see that.

ALL LEOs in PA go through a yearly MPOETC training (Municipal Police Officers' Education and Training Commission). A couple years ago OC was covered and ALL LEOs were required to attend and pass or they would lose their certifications. A fair amount of time was spent on the legality of OC, so it should be no surprise to anyone.

While it's true just about anyone can be hassled at just about any time, for just about any thing, there are remedies for LEO misconduct, as Mark Fiorino just found out. He *was* charged, acquitted, and later sued the Philly PD, winning a $25,000 Judgement. Not a settlement, a judgement. As far as the legality of OC is concerned, it's safe to say the word is out. It has been for some time actually.

Lastly, there is no law to cite showing that OC is legal. In PA the law is silent on OC, so one would have a tough time citing anything. The exception to that might be Philly which basically says that OC requires a PA LTCF (License To Carry Friearms).

Biker116823, there are far better sources of information regarding firearms laws and the 2A in general than your local gun store. This forum, as well as these...

Link Removed

and

Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association

and even

OpenCarry.org - A Right Unexercised is a Right Lost! ...
.
 
Curmudgeon:289887 said:
Please look on your license and find "ccp" or the word "conceal" anywhere. ;)

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk
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Edited my response to reflect the correct terminology of the PA handgun laws. Very important indeed.
 
biker116823 said:
i was informed today that PA is not a open carry state while having a chat at a local firearm store. I'm lost i was always told PA was a open carry state. The man that told me would know very well. Can someone help me sort this out. :help::unsure:
Click to expand...

yes, you may open carry in PA without a license everywhere except in your vehicle, anywhere carrying in any fashion is illegal and in Philly. However, go down to your county sheriff for $20 get your CC permit and you can also open carry in your car and Philly. Yes, I said that correctly... if you get your CONCEALED carry permit you get to OPEN carry in more places.
 
wolf_fire said:
yes, you may open carry in PA without a license everywhere except in your vehicle, anywhere carrying in any fashion is illegal and in Philly. However, go down to your county sheriff for $20 get your CC permit and you can also open carry in your car and Philly. Yes, I said that correctly... if you get your CONCEALED carry permit you get to OPEN carry in more places.
Click to expand...

Except... there no such thing as a concealed carry permit in Pennsylvania. It is a License To Carry Firearms, or LTCF. The word "concealed" does not appear anywhere on it. ;)

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
 
Curmudgeon said:
Except... there no such thing as a concealed carry permit in Pennsylvania. It is a License To Carry Firearms, or LTCF. The word "concealed" does not appear anywhere on it. ;)

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...

See, even I have fallen into that stupid trap of calling our "license to carry firearms" a "concealed carry permit". Thank you for correcting me.
 
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