CAn you open carry after being licensed to carry concealed?

[Bond815]

Hi,
I'm new here so please forgive me if this has been addressed before.
I recently attended a concealed carry class where a municipal police officer spoke to the group regarding the laws for carrying a firearm. He told us that if you have a concealed weapons permit then you can no longer carry open. I can't find any reference to this in the PA laws relating to firearms. I've read in some threads here that people carry both open and concealed. Can anybody refer me to a section in the law that addresses this? Thanks.

[jdlv4_0]

YES, you can still open carry. You can't find a law regarding that stipulation because.....there isn't one.

Edited to add:

Also, please note that it's a LICENSE TO CARRY A FIREARM, not a concealed weapons permit.

[MrUgly]

The instructor was in error. Your PA LtCF allows you to carry concealed, it doesn't not make it a requirement. You are free to open carry anywhere other than prohibited places, and in a car. You must have your LtCF to open carry in a vehicle.

Could you let us know which municipality made this statement? I think a flier would be in order.

[Bond815]

I'm not positive, but I think he was with the Lititz (Lancaster County) department.

[Emptymag]

That's like having the person who give your driver's exam telling you that now that you have a "driver's" license, you may not be a passenger in a vehicle.



Welcome to the forum Bond815!

[Bond815]

Good analogy! I'll have to remember that one.

Imagine a cop that doesn't know the law. I wonder what else he's wrong about?

[Pa. Patriot]

Indeed, Welcome!

Also check out the "sticky" at the top of the forum:

http://www.pafoa.org/forum/concealed...carry-you.html

[Bond815]

Yes, thanks I already have one printed!

[lexnaturalis]

//Never mind... I see I responded to a VERY old post. My fault.

[wolfecom]

First, let me apologize for posting to what looks like an old thread that has not been active in a while. I joined this message board as it was the first one returned off a Google search for “PA Open Carry with Permit”. The reason I Googled this is a bit of a long story, but goes as follows:

I was OC this past weekend as it was a beautiful weekend here. Normally I CC as I do not want to deal with any hassle from LEOs or other people. Now I have never been hassled, if anything people ask me questions and it gives me an opportunity to share information on carrying a gun. (As a side note, I am also a NRA instructor and safety officer) Anyway, I stopped by a buddy’s house who also has his LTC and he was shocked that I was OC. He told me that it was illegal to OC. I explained to him that PA law states anyone who is legally allowed to own a firearm in PA is legally allowed to OC. He then told me that he has a friend who is a LEO and he had informed him that it is in fact illegal and if he sees anyone with a gun he always ask if they have a LTC and if so he will arrest them. I told him that was wrong and the LEO has no right to arrest someone with a LTC simply for OC based off PA laws. He later called me that night to say he spoke with his LEO friend and was told by him that I was wrong, it was illegal, and that if he ever saw me OC he would arrest me and charge me for anything he could. So my next thought was to call the local sheriff’s office since they are the ones that issue the LTC. Let me start by saying that the officer I dealt with was very friendly and courteous. I explained to him why I was calling and said I wanted to get their view on this since they issue the LTC. He stated that it is in fact illegal to OC once you have been issued a CCP. I informed him that PA does not issue a CCP but a LTC and that neither it nor the PA law says it is illegal to OC once you have been issued a LTC. (I was trying to be as respectful as I could) He said that he did not know the exact law where it is stated but he knew it was there. I told him I have read through the entire law multiple times and it is stated nowhere that it is illegal. I questioned why it would be ok for anyone to OC, but after going through a background check I no longer had a right to OC. He stated that the purpose of the LTC is so you can CC so that is why that is all you can do with it. In the process he must have did some research because he came back and stated that in 6109 it states “A license to carry a firearm shall be for the purpose of carrying a firearm concealed on or about one's person or in a vehicle throughout this Commonwealth.” He said that clearly states that you are required to CC if you have a LTC since it says “shall be”. I responded and told him nowhere does it say you must only CC but that the LTC was so that you could CC as well. He stated that I was trying to take advantage of a loophole in the law and that if I had a good lawyer I may be able to get off with that defense. He said that 6109 also states “A license to carry firearms may be revoked by the issuing authority for good cause.” And that while I may get off they would revoke my license and I would never be granted a new one. He then asked why I would want to OC since I have a LTC. I explained that I would prefer not to have to wear a jacket or extra layer just to cover my firearm. His response to this was that maybe I should not carry then. I explained that the reason I carry was to protect the lives of my wife and children. Finally he stated that while he understood how I was interpreting the law, that is not how they interpret it, nor how they enforce it. He said that if I get caught OC and the officer finds I have a LTC, I will be arrested and will lose my gun and license. At this point I figured it was no point going any further, but simply thanked him for his time. I told him while I did not think that that interpretation of the law was accurate, since they were the ones who issued the LTC, I would follow their interpretation. Now, my question is, does anyone know who at a state level I could contact and pose this same question? Since the OC/CC is a state law and not a local county law, I would like to see how the state responds. I have downloaded the flier on this site, but would really like to have something official from PA.

Again, sorry for posting to an old thread, and for such a long post. And thank you in advance for any information or follow-ups.