Open carry and what you should know before you do it

[headcase]

Thanks guys.

[Malanthor]

Thanks for the info. this is a great post. I just need to get a digital voice recorder just in case.



+rep sent

[nailer]

I should have read this a couple days ago. Everyone who carries or may carry must read these posts. I am overwhelmed by the knowledge and advice here. Thanks and great posts!

[normanvin]

Originally Posted by nailer

I should have read this a couple days ago. Everyone who carries or may carry must read these posts. I am overwhelmed by the knowledge and advice here. Thanks and great posts!

Glad to see your looking at past threads.

[headcase]

Added some example links of different types of encounters to show what you can expect in different situations....

[nailer]

Can any business, store, office,etc., have a no gun policy? Does this policy have to be posted?

[Statkowski]

Can any business, store, office, etc., have a no gun policy?

They can have whatever policy they want (as long as it doesn't violate any laws). After all, it's their property.

Does this policy have to be posted?

It certainly would help if the policy was CLEARLY posted.

[headcase]

Originally Posted by nailer

Can any business, store, office,etc., have a no gun policy? Does this policy have to be posted?

To expand on Statkowski's answer a little, their policy, if they have one, does not have to be posted.

Whether posting a no guns sign effectively qualifies as having given an actual communication to someone is debatable. In practice, the owner or agent of private property that is open to the public, such as a store, will have to verbally communicate their desire that you not do whatever it is you are doing, unless it is obviously illegal, before you will be charged with defiant trespass. In most cases you will be approached and informed that you either have to change your behavior or leave. This applies to both OC and CC. Whether or not they post, if you are informed that what you are doing is not acceptable to them, you must comply or leave. If you return engaging in the same behavior that you were informed was unacceptable, you can be arrested for defiant trespass without being further notified.

The bottom line is that your right to bear arms ends on private propery, and you are a guest on that property, subject to their terms of use. Respect private property owners wishes, the same as you would expect your rules to be respected on your property. IANAL

[headcase]

Added voice recorder link and holster link...

[lildobe]

Originally Posted by headcase

5.) The 2009 MPOETC update pages that relate to OC. Print this and ALWAYS carry it with you when you OC. As lil'dobe pointed out in another thread, it is pretty hard for a cop to tell you it is illegal to OC when his own training manual is put under his nose. Reserve the Gun rights flyers for curious people.(Thanks lil'dobe!)

Yay! I made it into a stickie!

Thanks Headcase I'm glad you liked my suggestion - you might want to add, that if you are grilled as to "where you got this [the MPOTEC Training manual]" that people should respond that it was received through a Pennsylvania Open Records request to the PSP's Right to Know unit.

That sounds a lot better then "Duh, I downloaded it from a gun rights website..."