Going hiking in NH; permit hasn't arrived yet. Sooo...

[scatter]

Let me clarify. I'm taking my OWB holster and will use that while on the trails. But for walking around the hotel lobby, restaurant, parking lot at the top of Mt. Washington, etc etc I would rather not have the gun exposed--just my preference. That's why I was asking about how NH defines "unloaded." As I suspected, it's not clear. So I'll go prepared for OC or CC and make up my mind when I get there.

Thanks to those of you who offered useful information and advice.

You need to stop carrying a gun then. You've already defeated yourself.

Why are you even carrying a pistol in MA? How much training time have you put into mastering a handgun?

My guess is nowhere near enough.

Not that it's relevant to my question Jose, but I grew up with guns, had weapons training in the military, three NRA classes in the past year and planning a fourth this fall, and usually get to the range at least once a month. I probably don't meet your minimum proficiency requirement, but I'm satisfied with my progress and am trying to get better. I'm familiar with guns; it's the carrying in public part that's somewhat new to me.

 

[bigmanfugitive]

Ok since we are on this oc in nh subject, can anyone clarify for me if you have to be licensed in another state to oc as a non nh resident? For instance my gf has applied for her ma ltc and has not received it yet. We are going on vacation to the white mountains. I have my non res p&r permit as well as an unrestricted ma ltc, can she oc?

 

[mark056]

I guess spending a lot of time living in Arizona where open carry was the only legal option at the time, has colored my thinking somewhat, but respectfully I think you are really going to great lengths here with regard to carrying. Hiking and other outdoor activities in the woods, field etc. is one place where I would have no hesitation to open carry. When you find yourself going into a populated area, simply unload your gun and conceal it, maybe put it in a locked pistol case or something and secure it in the trunk of your car. Inconvenient, yes...but not overly so.

There is no harm in asking the question, but rather than get really legalistic and turning this into "how many angels can dance on the head of a pin" type of discussion, why not simply use the good sense that you have, and allow yourself to be a little inconvenienced by securing your firearm in populated areas (if you are concerned about drawing attention to yourself) and open carry when you are out in the woods.

 

[hpm]

Ok since we are on this oc in nh subject, can anyone clarify for me if you have to be licensed in another state to oc as a non nh resident? For instance my gf has applied for her ma ltc and has not received it yet. We are going on vacation to the white mountains. I have my non res p&r permit as well as an unrestricted ma ltc, can she oc?

Yes she can - a license from another state has nothing to do with OC laws in NH.

 

[Boghog1]

Call the State Police and see if you can pick up your permit on your way up to the mountain

 

[mousegunfan]

I guess spending a lot of time living in Arizona where open carry was the only legal option at the time, has colored my thinking somewhat, but respectfully I think you are really going to great lengths here with regard to carrying. Hiking and other outdoor activities in the woods, field etc. is one place where I would have no hesitation to open carry. When you find yourself going into a populated area, simply unload your gun and conceal it, maybe put it in a locked pistol case or something and secure it in the trunk of your car. Inconvenient, yes...but not overly so.

There is no harm in asking the question, but rather than get really legalistic and turning this into "how many angels can dance on the head of a pin" type of discussion, why not simply use the good sense that you have, and allow yourself to be a little inconvenienced by securing your firearm in populated areas (if you are concerned about drawing attention to yourself) and open carry when you are out in the woods.

Good advice, stop worrying and have fun on your anniversary.

 

[Len-2A Training]

Call the State Police and see if you can pick up your permit on your way up to the mountain

I had to do this for my ME permit, but that was after 3 months post-applying!

Worth a shot with NH, so this is good advice. The worst that they can say is "No". [The folks you deal with in NH and ME are actually very nice and helpful . . . it's not like MA, not at all!]

 

[lancecolonel]

I had to do this for my ME permit, but that was after 3 months post-applying!

Worth a shot with NH, so this is good advice. The worst that they can say is "No". [The folks you deal with in NH and ME are actually very nice and helpful . . . it's not like MA, not at all!]

true this. i have been pleasantly surprised every time i call a n.h. or me. state agency. they are actually friendly and knowledgable, even when you badger them with all kinds of questions. (trust me)

 

[LKB3rd]

Just OC. I've done it in rural areas of both NH and VT and never even had anyone look twice at the gun.

I did it in Hanover, including a trip to the Dartmouth bookstore, sat and read a book with coffee, and no one even noticed as far as I could tell. If they did, they didn't care. Hiking, you're good to go open carrying. It's definitely a better option that the ccw unloaded idea.

 

[Brin747]

Hell, I've gone grocery shopping in Concord with a S&W 642 openly carried and never got a second glance. Break free of the bondage of MA thinking and live free for a little while.

 

[Brin747]

For that matter, I went to an FSP event in Nashua where Judge Napolitano spoke. There was enough hardware being open carried to overthrow a third world country and nobody flinched.

 

[mark056]

I did it in Hanover, including a trip to the Dartmouth bookstore, sat and read a book with coffee, and no one even noticed as far as I could tell. If they did, they didn't care. Hiking, you're good to go open carrying. It's definitely a better option that the ccw unloaded idea.

Not everyone had the same experience you did in a NH Bookstore. This, from 2004:

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=147930

 

[drgrant]

Not everyone had the same experience you did in a NH Bookstore. This, from 2004:

Mark, that's one I remember, but it's effectively ancient history at this point WRT open carry in Manchester. With all the exposure they've had to it now, I doubt they would go full retard like that. IIRC, it might also have occured before Ayotte issued an opinion on it.

That story is also a prime example of why carrying a gun while being oblivious to your surroundings is a bad idea. If a LEO was able to take the gun away from him, some bad guy could have done it just as easily. It's also an example of why SOB carry 110% sucks.

ETA: There's also some hidden wisdom there, too... Book stores are nearly all staffed by moonbats. The number of people who have gotten full retard reactions from B&N, Borders, etc, clerks when buying gun books is probably higher
than the median. It's probably not a good idea to OC into places that are likely staffed by moonbats and expect
nothing to happen.

-Mike

 

[dcmdon]

2004 with respect to open carry is like 1855 with respect to slavery. Irrelevant.

 

[MichaelJR]

Just wear it on your hip, there should only be one concern on your mind....make sure you wear your nice hardware. No sense in showing off unless you've got your shine on proper. You don't see an 86 corsica at a car meet do you? Hell no. You have a two tone sig, wear it. Custom 1911? Oh hell yeah dust that safe queen off. Chrome or blued single action hand cannon? I hope you have leather for it, cause it's getting worn today. Does this p229 in the ostrich holster match my dark jeans or light jeans? You guessed it....the dark ones man, the dark ones.

Stop worrying, rock and roll. If the yuppies start pissing granola and smashing their faces off their ipads , tell them to go pound sand and read the constitution.

 

[scatter]

2004 with respect to open carry is like 1855 with respect to slavery. Irrelevant.

Looks like it happened again in 2008: http://www.nhliberty.org/forum/index.php?topic=813.msg5459#msg5459

Like I said, I'm going flexible. If my permit gets here before we leave, or I can stop by and pick it up on the way, great. If not, fine. Either way I'll go prepared to OC and will do it wherever I'm comfortable doing it. If I'm not comfortable I'll either lock the gun in the car or keep my own counsel about the definition of "unloaded" when concealed.

Now if I can only remember what the right gift is for the 23nd anniversary. Hmm...a new gun?

 

[Boghog1]

Not everyone had the same experience you did in a NH Bookstore. This, from 2004:

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=147930

After reading through that thread ( I could only make it 4 pages) I now know why NES is the best firearms forum. holy cow there are a lot of fudds out there

 

[Jose]

can anyone clarify for me if you have to be licensed in another state to oc as a non nh resident?

For the millionth time NO

I have my non res p&r permit as well as an unrestricted ma ltc

All that is irrelevant to what she can or cannot do

 

[dcmdon]

Like I said, I'm going flexible. If my permit gets here before we leave, or I can stop by and pick it up on the way, great. If not, fine. Either way I'll go prepared to OC and will do it wherever I'm comfortable doing it. If I'm not comfortable I'll either lock the gun in the car or keep my own counsel about the definition of "unloaded" when concealed.

Sounds like a good way to go.

Funny story - I was up at the IDPA they used to have at the Pioneer Valley Sportsman's club several years ago. A group of us finished up and decided to go out to dinner. I have a big ethical problem with storing a handgun in a car (not trying to start an argument, its just my ethos. ), so I decided to OC into the restaurant we were going to. I had not yet gotten a NH concealed carry permit.

Several of the guys I was with decided that was a good idea too. So in we went to a small pizza place in Dunbarton, a SW suburb of Concord. 5 guys all sweaty and dusty, with gun oriented T shirts went in. . . and nobody even noticed.

I think the key here is to be exceedingly polite when OCing a gun. Thats just me. Eventually our waitress made the standard joke about, how she would feel sorry any bad guy who burst through the door and tried to rob the place. We agreed. (With us was a guy named Brent Perucker, a Grand Master revolver shooter.)

Either way, the story was extraordinary in how ordinary it was.

Don

 

[dcmdon]

Looks like it happened again in 2008: http://www.nhliberty.org/forum/index.php?topic=813.msg5459#msg5459

Still ancient history in the world of OC. Go to Youtube and look up Dave Ridley. All of their OC activities in NH started in 08. Now, nobody bothers them.

In CT, we are blessed with some very savvy , aggressive gun rights people.

Ed Perutta, of Perutta vs. San Diego fame, is also a resident of CT. That man really knows his way around a FOIA request.
He has exposed all kinds of embarrassing and inconvenient communications within the CT DPS as well as within minicipal PDs.

We've got several civil suits going in CT against PDs that have either arrested or detained OCers. If any one of them yields a six figure judgement there will be a tremendous effect on the PDs as far as how they treat OCers.

As it is, Perutta's FOIA activity has revealed internal memos guiding officers of the State Police as well as other local PDs reminding officers that the presence of an exposed handgun, in a holster does not warrant an arrest or even a detention. (No RAS)

I'm getting long winded here, but I believe that a lot of this freedom comes from the fact that we have a truly independent Board of Firearms Permit Examiners. They review any case where a Pistol Permit is pulled. They are VERY fair. In fact I might say they tend to favor the citizen, just as the constitution intends. This is a great thorn in the side of the DPS. We are not beholden to some local CLEO with a bug up his ass about handguns.

Sorry for the rant. But my wife and I just found out that we will NOT be making a job related move to MA and I'm very relieved.

Don

 

[Boghog1]

So did you call or did you OC?

 

[Terminator03]

Still ancient history in the world of OC. Go to Youtube and look up Dave Ridley. All of their OC activities in NH started in 08. Now, nobody bothers them.

In CT, we are blessed with some very savvy , aggressive gun rights people.

Ed Perutta, of Perutta vs. San Diego fame, is also a resident of CT. That man really knows his way around a FOIA request.
He has exposed all kinds of embarrassing and inconvenient communications within the CT DPS as well as within minicipal PDs.

We've got several civil suits going in CT against PDs that have either arrested or detained OCers. If any one of them yields a six figure judgement there will be a tremendous effect on the PDs as far as how they treat OCers.

As it is, Perutta's FOIA activity has revealed internal memos guiding officers of the State Police as well as other local PDs reminding officers that the presence of an exposed handgun, in a holster does not warrant an arrest or even a detention. (No RAS)

I'm getting long winded here, but I believe that a lot of this freedom comes from the fact that we have a truly independent Board of Firearms Permit Examiners. They review any case where a Pistol Permit is pulled. They are VERY fair. In fact I might say they tend to favor the citizen, just as the constitution intends. This is a great thorn in the side of the DPS. We are not beholden to some local CLEO with a bug up his ass about handguns.

Sorry for the rant. But my wife and I just found out that we will NOT be making a job related move to MA and I'm very relieved.

Don

Don, excellent post! It did make me think of a question, though. I know that as a MA resident I would need a non-res permit to CCW in CT, but do you still need a permit to OC as well? I believe you do, but figured I would ask anyway, since you seem to know the CT laws very well.

 

[dcmdon]

Yes you will need a Non resident to bring a handgun to CT with very few exceptions. The exceptions that matter most to most people are: 1) orgainzed shooting event 2) formal instruction

The bottom line in CT is:
1) without a pistol permit you really can't do anything.
2) with a pistol permit you can do pretty much everything. (no prohibitions that really matter other than primary and secondary schools. Bars, restaurants, churches, state and town offices all ok)

Don

 

[scatter]

So did you call or did you OC?

I OC'd. We got away late and didn't have time to stop; needed to get up there and get on the trails. Wound up getting caught in a downpour on the way back to the car anyway. Didn't see another soul the whole day so the OC was a non-issue.

Next day we drove to the top of Mt. Washington on the way home--39 degrees, 81 mph winds and fog. Made me wonder, how the hell do you OC with a rain coat on??

 

[caboose84]

I OC'd. We got away late and didn't have time to stop; needed to get up there and get on the trails. Wound up getting caught in a downpour on the way back to the car anyway. Didn't see another soul the whole day so the OC was a non-issue.

Next day we drove to the top of Mt. Washington on the way home--39 degrees, 81 mph winds and fog. Made me wonder, how the hell do you OC with a rain coat on??

If it's not fully exposed it can be considered concealed... depending on how much grief a cop feels like giving you, could be a bad thing.

 

[Racenet]

Next day we drove to the top of Mt. Washington on the way home--39 degrees, 81 mph winds and fog. Made me wonder, how the hell do you OC with a rain coat on??

You don't. Or, strap it to your leg.

 

[mark056]

I OC'd. We got away late and didn't have time to stop; needed to get up there and get on the trails. Wound up getting caught in a downpour on the way back to the car anyway. Didn't see another soul the whole day so the OC was a non-issue.

Next day we drove to the top of Mt. Washington on the way home--39 degrees, 81 mph winds and fog. Made me wonder, how the hell do you OC with a rain coat on??

You simply wear it on the outside of your raincoat, and oil it and wipe it down very well when you go home. I would really recommend two things for open carry in the field: 1. a pistol belt that does not double as your primary belt, ensuring that it is a size or two larger than what you normally wear to go over jackets and raincoats 2. Consider a shoulder rig. There are some that are made esp for open carry.

 

[joeendris]

New Hampshire honors Utah ccw permit

.....pletty of corrections shortly after. No need for me to repeat.

 

[joeendris]

If you're going to do that you might as well just leave the gun at home and put a rock in your holster. Or get a can of OC or bear spray instead. (cooking spices are totally unregulated in NH).

-Mike

It was grown before 1993....am I still OK?


Here's lookin' at you, Martha