Open Carry in CT? First I ever heard.

[rattletrap1970]

In Public

The permit to carry handguns allows people to carry them openly or concealed, but mature judgment, says the Board of Firearm Permit Examiners, dictates that (1) “every effort should be made to ensure that no gun is exposed to view or carried in any manner that would tend to alarm people who see it. . . [and] (2) no handgun should be carried unless carrying the gun at the time and place involved is prudent and proper in the circumstances. ”

OK, First they say it is legal to open carry, then they say you shouldn't do it. That's like saying having a drivers license allows you to drive, but you shouldn't do it. I was always led to believe that you could not carry openly in CT. I've lived here my entire life and have had my carry permit for 23 years and never heard this. Has anyone open carried and not had an issue? How many have tried and hear crap about it?

For example, according to the board, handguns should not be carried:

1. into a bar or other place where alcohol is being consumed;

2. in any situation involving stress such as an argument;

3. after consuming alcohol or any drugs other than those legally prescribed; or

4. in any building, residential or commercial, whose owner prohibits handguns

 

[FiremanBob]

I don't see any advantage in open carry. It's like advertising to the BG that he should take you out first. As Sun Tzu said, surprise is a great force multiplier.

 

[buketduder]

I have open carried in CT..all that "mature judgement" crap and "handguns should not be carried" crap holds no weight (It has been removed from their website). Only the law does. Your permit allows you to carry openly or concealed. Most people will not notice or don't care.

I see an advantage to it. In the summer its a lot easier to carry openly then conceal on a hot day.

 

[rattletrap1970]

Well, no offense meant, really. But that wasn't my question. Although I'm glad you are Sun Tsu fan also (I keep a copy of "The Art of War" in my iPhone). I was more concerned with the ambiguous nature of the statements from OLR Report. I just thought it ODD because all of my life I have always heard the permit was to carry concealed. I also don't believe that makes the BG target you first. Most crimes are crimes of opportunity and if the BG thinks he might get his head blown off he might pick a softer target.

I'm still just awestruck about the open carry thing. It's like finding out for the first time in your life you could have been doing something all along.... Huh.

 

[dynotime]

Go to the CCDL web site. This is a Group that addresses a lot of questions you might have on open carry in Connecticut.
There Web site is www.ccdl.us Also go to www opencarry.org This is a great site for all open carry question in all states. Good luck and enjoy.

 

[Cabinetman]

Some states pistol permits REQUIRE concealed carry. In Connecticut, however, not ONE WORD about concealed carry is present. Not one. However, like the old adage “what you don't use you lose", we 'lost' our ability to open carry because it became unfashionable and after a while, because of societal constraints, it disappeard and not because of laws. It's 'unpopular' to open carry anywhere in New England. The huddled masses just aren't used to seeing it unlike in areas out west where it is still practiced. Even there, however, you won't see open carry in areas like Dallas but further out in the burbs or countryside.

There is an attempt by the current legislature to add the term 'concealed carry' part of the current law but nothing concrete has happened yet. If you do conceal carry and you "expose" your handgun by accident or imprint so that it's obvious you are carrying, you will be subjected to someone calling the local LEOs for a chat and you could be subjected to a fine for 'disturbing the peace' or some crap like that. Dealing with that mess will consume a lot of your time and cause you a world of crap. The BOE can say what they want but it's not the law. However, it might as well be anymore. Too bad, too.

Rome
NRA pistol and rifle instructor.

 

[dynotime]

Rome this subject is growing with the People in Connecticut and I see a lot of people on the Connecticut Gun law thread's will get together and have a protest rally and all carry open to prove the point in front of the TV cams. I for one will not carry open as I like knowing that I am the only one that knows I have my gun on me.

 

[rattletrap1970]

Well carrying concealed is generally the norm, but, if its actually LEGAL and you are imprinting or your gun shows. I don't understand how you can be arrested for doing nothing ILLEGAL. It just doesn't make sense. That's like giving me a ticket for sitting on a park bench and humming along to my iphone. I would think that you SHOULD be able to simply show the LEO's you Carry Permit and they say "Have a nice day." According to the letter of the law. Since when does fashion dictate legality?

 

[Racenet]

It's 'unpopular' to open carry anywhere in New England.

That is nonsense and a false statement. Open carry is very much the "norm" in northern NH.

 

[Twinsen]

Open carry and concealed carry both being legal should mean that you should be clear of any "brandishing" unless you unholster. I mean, it doesn't mean that, because they'll lie to get you if they want you, but it should. And any freedom should be taken with a smile. There's no reason to go splitting up over this issue.

I do think it's funny that our masters in CT have kept us in line over open carry even better than the ones in CA. It's been a decent movement there for a few years, and it's unheard of here. Somebody needs to get this going here.

 

[KBCraig]

I don't see any advantage in open carry. It's like advertising to the BG that he should take you out first.

It's more like advertising to the BG that he should conduct his business somewhere else.

BGs know the odds are overwhelmingly in their favor that they won't encounter armed resistance in a public place. When they see someone who is armed, that immediately throws their assumptions out the window.

As Sun Tzu said, surprise is a great force multiplier.

As I've said, there is no such thing as defensive surprise. If find yourself in a position to use your gun defensively, you are the one who has been surprised.

 

[Eye5600]

As a practical matter, if you open carry in a major CT city, someone is going to say "look! look! he's got a gun.", some cop is going to come along and, at best, tell you to conceal, or take you down to the station for a discussion about getting people upset, or at worst, give you a ticket for disturbing the peace. It's one of those things that are legal but not permitted.

 

[Cabinetman]

Racenet, I don't doubt that in some place in NH, open carry isn't an issue. However, I'm aware of some incidents in the Southern part (Keene area) where open-carry fellas have been harassed by the local LEOs publicly. One fella was in a Barnes and Noble, reached up for a book exposing the butt of his revolver and found himself surrounded by the police and escorted from the store. Doesn't sound like it's open carry everywhere. As a kid here in CT, I remember seeing fellas open carry with snubnose revolvers on their belts and no one raised an eyebrow. That was, of course back in the day when kids took their rifles to school and put them in their lockers for after school plinking. And, no, I'm not over 60 either!

I'd love to see the day when open carry was once again not an eyebrow raiser but right now it is and unless you're prepared to deal with the hassle of all of that it's best to just CC like I do daily.

Rome

 

[Racenet]

<sigh>

What happens in Keene, stays in Keene. You can not and should not look at what happens there as the norm. That place is far from the norm. What some people do there is far from the norm. Right, wrong or indifferent.

But, one big thing you must always keep in mind. A right not exercised, is a right lost.

 

[dcmdon]

I understand both perspectives.

If I'm carrying to protect myself or my family out in public, my gun will be concealed. Like someone said, there is advantage in knowing that you are the only one who knows you are armed.

Conversely, I WHOLEHEARTEDLY support those who carry openly. I'll join the group when I know it won't cost me my pistol permit. It means too much to me to risk getting it yanked at this point in my life.

Like I've said in other situations, when my girls are grown up and out of the house, I'll do all the "likely to get arrested" protests. But for now I'll sit on the sidelines.

I think the board of firearm examiners needs to make some kind of clear policy declaration that they will not be yanking pistol permits if you are arrested for breach of peace or some other pointless charge.

Actually, now that I'm thinking about it, I'm willing to get arrested. I'm not willing to put my pistol permit at risk.

Don

 

[CTccBoy]

Maybe something along the lines of an "empty holster day" would be a better way to get the ball rolling on this?

 

[Twinsen]

It's all legal to do, it's just up to whoever is ready to go do it first and spend some time in lockup and maybe get his gun back in a few months.

 

[buketduder]

I think people need to realize more and more people are OC'ing everyday in CT...just this last weekend I was all around East Windsor/Enfield OC'ing...not a word from anyone....Again..they don't want lawsuits...the CT AG's office made it clear in Federal Court OC is NOT AGAINST THE LAW...Glastonbury'c Chief said in his Deposition CT IS AN OPEN CARRY STATE......You might be asked for your permit or to leave PP..but I don't think any CT Police Dept would arrest an OC'er

 

[dcmdon]

It's all legal to do, it's just up to whoever is ready to go do it first and spend some time in lockup and maybe get his gun back in a few months.

You nailed it. While its legal, its not without risk.

 

[buketduder]

I think the only risk here is losing our rights for some unproven notion that you will somehow lose your permit/gun for simply OC a handgun....It happened once..and The Judge/Federal Courts have set it Straight...

 

[dcmdon]

Thats not entirely true. There are still plenty of LEOs out there who don't know anything about this. Until it is known by LEOs, there is still some risk.
I don't know if you are familiar with the Board of Firearms examiners, but they yank your permit based on the arrest, not the conviction.

You are then left to argue your case in front of them. While I'm confident based on Goldberg anyone arrested would succeed, you are left without a permit for some period of time.
As a father of 2 young girls, I am not willing to be that person.

So regardless of what you say, there IS some risk. The risk is a temporary loss of your pistol permit.

 

[buketduder]

I understand..its your choice....I carry the appropriate documentation with me when I OC and am 100% confident around my area (East Windsor, Enfield) that I will have no issues.

 

[Lignum Vitea]

I open carried today while shopping in the Cabela's store in East Hartford. Had my M&P in a IWB holster no one said a word only a young female clerk gave a second glance.

 

[buketduder]

Good for you! Cabelas is def open carry friendly!

 

[dcmdon]

Thats great. Keep educating people.

 

[sbhaven]

Thats not entirely true. There are still plenty of LEOs out there who don't know anything about this. Until it is known by LEOs, there is still some risk.
I don't know if you are familiar with the Board of Firearms examiners, but they yank your permit based on the arrest, not the conviction.

You are then left to argue your case in front of them. While I'm confident based on Goldberg anyone arrested would succeed, you are left without a permit for some period of time.
As a father of 2 young girls, I am not willing to be that person.

So regardless of what you say, there IS some risk. The risk is a temporary loss of your pistol permit.

The Board of Firearms Permit Examiners does not revoke permits they review appeals made by people who have had their permit denied or who's permits were revoked. And can order the reinstatement of a denied or revoked permit.

It is the Commissioner of Public Safety who revokes the CT Pistol Permit and can do so for "cause" or if a person has been convicted of any felony or misdemeanor as detailed in subsection B of Section 29-28.

One other thing to remember is that if you are arrested the LEO will probably confiscate your firearm and, quite possibly, that LEO department may destroy it rather than return it. I think I read somewhere, but I could be wrong on this, that in the Goldberg case his firearm was not returned and was destroyed.

It appears though that since the Goldberg case there hasn't been any arrests of those who OC and were going about their business which is good news.

 

[dcmdon]

I was arrested for a minor offense in college and had my permit pulled. It may have been the Commissioner of Public safety. I do know I had to go to the BFE to get my permit back.

What you fail to include in your last post is that "cause" can merely be the suspicion that you are not a "suitable person". I was arrested for something that would not have statutorily prevented me from gettting a pistol permit.

I was told by the BFE that they would review whether based on my apparent lack of judgement displayed as a cause for the arrest, they would be reviewing is I was a the type of person they wanted to have a pistol permit.

So again, you do NOT have to have been convicted of ANYTHING. An arrest is enough to yank your permit. Even if you are eventually found innocent, you have another battle with the BFE. Its not as clean cut as you describe.

In the end, I did get all of my guns back. I was on my way back home to my apartment in New Haven from shooting .22s and trap at the Branford Gun Club. A cop saw the shotgun in my backseat and called in other officers for a full felony stop. It was great fun. But I had not broken any laws.

Oh well. Live and learn.

 

[dcmdon]

Open carry has arrived.

HOLY CRAP

CHECK OUT THE FRONT PAGE OF THE COURANT.

This is now public knowledge.

 

[sbhaven]

The Courant article is an interesting one. A few of the comments though are .

I am not surprised that New Haven PD would "investigate" further if they saw a shotgun on the back seat of a car considering how many shootings happen here. Its why I put mine in a case then into the car trunk, and then lock the trunk, when going to a range. Unfortunately LEO's here in New Haven tend to react negatively to anyone possessing a firearm. Heck they even questioned me during a interview for the pistol permit about why I "needed" or "wanted" a gun, and they went on to ask how many and what kind I had. Got the distinct feeling they didn't want anyone to have firearms. I even asked them at the time about carrying a handgun and they claimed it had to be concealed.

It may surprise some people that there actually is a state statue (Sec53-205) that deals with long guns in vehicles (and snowmobiles). Basically says no loaded long guns in vehicles or on snowmobiles.

 

[Twinsen]

"What can we get him for?" Goldberg, 32, says one of the officers asked his colleagues.

JBT in action! Hey look, a citizen. Better arrest him ASAP! Get him for Standing While Breathing with Intent to Live Peacefully.