Open carry training memo for LEO dept's in PA [final draft]

[poorman]

I've never heard that you cant wear it on your hip, in fact thats the only place I've heard that its good to wear for open carry, provided that nothing is covering it up.

if you are right, then how are we to open carrry then, drop legs?

[Skuggi]

umm... whoever told ya that is wrong, when I'm OCing it's always on my Hip, I would like to get a shoulder holster too one of these days.

[XD45]

i think he ment you cant wear it on your hip in a car.....

[poorman]

ok, i can see how he could have meant it that way, no problem then.

[Steve in PA]

Well.........one of the exceptions to needing a license to carry is this one;

(b) Exceptions- The provisions of subsection (a) shall NOT apply to:

(4) Any person engaged in target shooting with a firearm, if susch persons are at or going to or from their places of assembly or target practice and if, while going to or from their places of assembly or target practice, the firearm is not loaded.

According to this exception, if a person does not have a LTC he can carry a firearm (handgun) in any vehicle as long as it is not loaded. The need for a LTC as mentioned in subsection (a) only applies if the firearm (handgun) is loaded.

[Skuggi]

yea, i'm bad at my forum posts a lot, 80% of my posts I have to edit after reading them when they're posted, I never notice before hand.

[1911ShooterTJ]

poorman & Skuggi:

Yes, I meant that carrying on your hip while in your car is still considered "concealed". Sorry for the confusion!

Basically, you can't carry it on your hip in your car without a LTCF even though it's in open view. I believe even having it on your dashboard for the world to see is still considered "concealed" since it is inside your vehicle by state law. I'm not sure if what Steve said applies to in car carry? But in either case, without a LCTF, it better not be loaded!

[Steve in PA]

Please read the section I posted above. Having a handgun on your dashboard is NOT considered concealed, nor is it illegal to wear it on your hip if you do not have a LTC and the handgun is UNLOADED.

If you do not have a LTC you can wear the empty handgun on your hip. How could it not apply to the vehicle when the section states being at, going to or from the place of target practice?

[1911ShooterTJ]

Steve, thanks for the clarification.

§6106. Firearms not to be carried without a license.

(a) Offense defined.*

(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), any person who carries a firearm in any vehicle or any person who carries a firearm concealed on or about his person, except in his place of abode or fixed place of business, without a valid and lawfully issued license under this chapter commits a felony of the third degree.

I think this is part of where my confusion comes from. So it isn't considered "concealed", but it is still illegal (third degree felony) even if sitting on the dashboard (if it's loaded) correct?

Basically what I'm trying to say is, if you're under 21 and open carrying, be careful in situations where you must get into your car! When open carrying, you're firearm is loaded (I hope ), and so getting into your car with it loaded is then illegal (Steve please correct me if I'm wrong).

I take it this would require unloading your gun somehow (outside the car?)? And then either reholstering the unloaded gun, or placing the unloaded gun somewhere else (case, dashboard , etc.). I would just hate to have to drop my mag and rack the slide in the parking lot. It might scare the Sheeple

[Steve in PA]

In order to have a "loaded" firearm (handgun) in a vehicle, you must have a LTC.

If you have a LTC, you can have the loaded firearm on you, on your dash, on your seat, in your glove box, under your seat, etc.

If you do NOT have a LTC, either because you aren't old enough to have one or you choose not to have one you cannot have a loaded firearm on you inside the vehicle, nor can the firearm by loaded while it is in the vehicle. It doesn't matter where the unloaded firearm is, just that it is unloaded.

While double checking my info (because I want to make sure I'm 100% correct) I noticed there is a change in the wording of exception (4).

It used to be written that the firearm must be unloaded and the firearm and ammo needed to be in seperate containers. However this is the was the law is written now;

(4) any persons engaged in target shooting with a firearm, if such persons are at or are going to or from their places of assembly or target practice and if, while going to or from their places of assembly or target practice, the firearm is not loaded.

Notice, the need for being carried in seperate containers has been removed. I checked both my current 2007 version and last years (2006) and the wording is the same in both. I threw out my 2005 version, so I can't check and see of thats when the section was changed.