Someone seeing your ccw in public

[caddy527]

I recently got my CCP and joined up here to learn the ins and outs. Fantastic info here and great group of people. I have read some interesting stuff online about people getting screwed when their CCW is spotted by someone in a public place. Particularly if said person contacts police. I don't know if these incidents were in Pa. or not. Ant info on how careful you have to be about concealment would be appreciated.

[evilfij]

If you have a LTCF you can be as lax on concealment as you want because open carry is legal everywhere in the state with a LTCF (and everywhere but Philly without a LTCF).

While if you "print" or show and someone calls the cops they may ask you see your LTCF, you are doing nothing illegal by not concealing it 100%.

[normanvin]

If you have a LTCF you can be as lax on concealment as you want because open carry is legal everywhere in the state with a LTCF (and everywhere but Philly without a LTCF).

While if you "print" or show and someone calls the cops they may ask you see your LTCF, you are doing nothing illegal by not concealing it 100%.

More or less what he said.

[JCWohlschlag]

I recently got my CCP…

Not to be annoying, but you might want to start calling it by its proper name: license to carry a firearm… LTCF. I can almost guarantee you that some forum member will correct you every single time you call it by the wrong name.

… and joined up here to learn the ins and outs. Fantastic info here and great group of people. I have read some interesting stuff online about people getting screwed when their CCW is spotted by someone in a public place. Particularly if said person contacts police. I don't know if these incidents were in Pa. or not. Ant info on how careful you have to be about concealment would be appreciated.

The fact of the matter is that if someone is able to identify what you are carrying as a firearm, then (for that moment) it is not concealed. Since the open carry of a firearm is legal in Pennsylvania, there is nothing wrong with printing or accidentally exposing your firearm. You may be asked by law enforcement to show them your license to carry if their attention is drawn to it (by either a witness calling in or their own observation), but even that request can only lawfully be a request, barring any other circumstances that would actually make them suspicious that “a crime is afoot.”

Read around the different threads in the forum, and you will find cases where law enforcement went too far and some where law enforcement did exactly what they were supposed to do. It really is just a crap-shoot. Best person to rely on knowing where the limits are supposed to be is yourself, so be sure to check out all of the sticky threads, especially the flyer, and be intent on absorbing the vast amounts of knowledge that is stored here.

[headcase]

You don't have a concealed carry permit. You have a License To Carry Firearms. It allows you to carry a firearm concealed, or in a vehicle, or during a declared state of emergency, or in a city of the first class(Philadelphia). You do not need a LTCF at all, to openly carry a firearm, except in Philadelphia. There is no legal problem with printing.


I recommend reading the U.F.A. It is the law on firearms in this Commonwealth.

Next, read this chock full of published info brochure It will explain a great deal...

Next, read this thread It contains another wealth of information

Congrats on your LTCF! Welcome to the carry club

[LittleRedToyota]

I don't know if these incidents were in Pa. or not.

probably not in PA.

in some states, open carrying is illegal. in some states, even printing is illegal.

in those states, you would have a problem.

thankfully, PA has none of those BS laws...open carry is legal here, and, thus, printing is a complete non-issue.

[normanvin]

You don't have a concealed carry permit. You have a License To Carry Firearms. It allows you to carry a firearm concealed, or in a vehicle, or during a declared state of emergency, or in a city of the first class(Philadelphia). You do not need a LTCF at all, to openly carry a firearm, except in Philadelphia. There is no legal problem with printing.

Again what he said..

[Ja86son]

Some people may make a big deal of it(if they notice) but most people wouldnt notice unless you stepped on their foot and said hey i've got a gun. most people just don't care about anything but themself. or they see what they wanna see...(that was just a cell phone holster etc.) but there are some of the general public who are always watching everyone just because they have nothing better to do. Just remember its legal and you are doing nothing wrong. I used to get uptight about being noticed, but anymore, i just like to screw with people in wal-mart and what not if i notice them staring. seems like little kids are the only ones to ever notice. I guess it would be inconveinent to have the cops called on you. but in the end i think the other person will look like an ass.

[caddy527]

Well that was quick - This Forum is great. I will refer to my LTCF as such from this point forward. Thanks for all the advice and Headcase for the links.

[indianjack]

Well that was quick - This Forum is great. I will refer to my LTCF as such from this point forward. Thanks for all the advice and Headcase for the links.

Good idea we have several linguistic police on this forum.