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Open carry in NH, a question I have been wondering about.

Oldarmy

Oldarmy

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I've read plenty of threads about open carry on here over the years but have never seen anything about the question I have. If one were to want to open carry in lets say the winter months when heavy clothes are worn just how much of the gun would need to be visible to not be considered concealed by law. Not planing to do it I've just been curious about this. I mean would you have to wear a big ol gun belt over your winter coat. [smile]
 
I had been wondering the same thing. Maybe I should wander on down to the police station and turn in the concealed carry form one of these days (although the whole idea of having to get permission offends me).

I presume if I have the permit, I can open carry then cover it up with a jacket temporarily, then be open carrying again when I remove/unzip jacket without any issue?
 
With the permit you can carry however you want. I see where youre coming from about not getting the permit but its nice to be able to carry loaded in your car. As for what needs to be showing, im guessing it has to be plainly visible and recognizable as a gun.
 
I don't think there's been any case law on "percentage of gun" that needs to be concealed in order to be well, concealed. Does it mean you can't have a full, barrel-length holster? Who knows.

I don't think you're going to ruffle any feathers.

The real problem comes when you enter a vehicle. You're gonna want the P/R license.
 
My neighbor was hassled by a cop for having his shirt over the grip of a handgun. He did not get arrested.

I doubt a cop would give any hassle about a holster- if it was tried I'd expect such an action to be laughed out of court.

Clothing falls into a grey area where an officer who was looking for a reason to break your balls could arrest you. For $10, a license is cheap compared to lawyer fees and aggravation.
 
I practice "casual carry" 95% of the time, in other words I don't give a damm if my shirt flys open or if my sidearm is partly exposed. I've stepped out of my truck to fill my gas tank with my shirt flipped back, open (and partially open) carried walking in to the pizza place, convience store and supermarket and twice walked right past a town cop without being hassled'

In more other words, just act like it's the most normal thing in the world, keep your hand offa the gun and act like you own the place. Granted it tooke me awhile to develop that attidude but then I did live in Massachusetts for 19 years.
 
Thanks for all the input. Like I said I always wondered about this and never really saw it discussed from this angle. When I googled the question it was the same result. Did not seem to be any hard and fast rules to lean on. In the warm weather it seems to be straight forward but in a winter coat not so simple. The gun belt over the coat would seem to cover your ass but one would look like a fool. I know the license is cheap. I also shot black powder arms in Ma. for years because asking some gov. appointed hack for his permission and needing to have a sit down to explain why I chose to exercise my right doesn't sit well with me. Even here in NH I have to meet with a guy who don't know me from Adam and supply 2 references. I just moved here and don't know two people who know me from a hole in the wall. The reference thing to me is BS, who is going to list someone who would bad mouth them in the first place. I know, they almost never call the references anyway, then why have them in the first place? Just more circus hoops for us to jump through to entertain some hack. A right is a right. I don't need a permit to speak or to vote or to walk down the street. I moved here to escape that BS. I agree I'll probably bend and get my permission slip but I don't like it. If I can walk into a store and buy a gun and walk out with it I should be able to carry it without further scrutiny. Just my two cents !
 
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If you have the P/R license your ass is covered. I wouldn't even carry in NH without it, because at some point or another you would find yourself in a motor vehicle breaking the law without it.

As a resident, not paying the $10 to save yourself from a criminal record = effing stupid.

BTW, you can provide references from (wherever) it doesn't matter. They don't have to be locals.

The PD HAS TO issue your permit within 14 days. Period, unless it has a statutory reason to deny you. You can put santa claus in as a reference and there is nothing they can do about it.

-Mike
 
What Mike said, x100.

As I said, the clothes thing is a grey area, if a cop is looking for a reason to to give you some grief, then you "accidentally" concealing a weapon is an easy thing for him to use.

Him saying "That weapon is partially concealed, I'm gonna arrest you" and you being able to answer "Screw you, I've got a permit" when it's as easy to get as it is here is a no brainer.
 
Twigg said:
I practice "casual carry" 95% of the time, in other words I don't give a damm if my shirt flys open or if my sidearm is partly exposed. I've stepped out of my truck to fill my gas tank with my shirt flipped back, open (and partially open) carried walking in to the pizza place, convience store and supermarket and twice walked right past a town cop without being hassled'

In more other words, just act like it's the most normal thing in the world, keep your hand offa the gun and act like you own the place. Granted it tooke me awhile to develop that attidude but then I did live in Massachusetts for 19 years.
Click to expand...

That's exactly how I carry almost all the time. I "conceal" it, but at times it ends up being open carryied at times from my shirt pulling over the grip, or from printing etc.. I like the term casual carry.
 
Oldarmy said:
Thanks for all the input. Like I said I always wondered about this and never really saw it discussed from this angle. When I googled the question it was the same result. Did not seem to be any hard and fast rules to lean on. In the warm weather it seems to be straight forward but in a winter coat not so simple. The gun belt over the coat would seem to cover your ass but one would look like a fool. I know the license is cheap. I also shot black powder arms in Ma. for years because asking some gov. appointed hack for his permission and needing to have a sit down to explain why I chose to exercise my right doesn't sit well with me. Even here in NH I have to meet with a guy who don't know me from Adam and supply 2 references. I just moved here and don't know two people who know me from a hole in the wall. The reference thing to me is BS, who is going to list someone who would bad mouth them in the first place. I know, they almost never call the references anyway, then why have them in the first place? Just more circus hoops for us to jump through to entertain some hack. A right is a right. I don't need a permit to speak or to vote or to walk down the street. I moved here to escape that BS. I agree I'll probably bend and get my permission slip but I don't like it. If I can walk into a store and buy a gun and walk out with it I should be able to carry it without further scrutiny. Just my two cents !
Click to expand...

Not sure where you got that. There is no requirement to "sit down to explain" anything to anyone. It's simply a form. You turn it in with $10. Nothing more can be required. No interviews, no additional forms, nada.

Second, it's three references, not two. There's not requirement they be local, or NH residents, or non-family. The only requirement is they have a name and an address. You're saying you don't know three people anywhere who have names and addresses?

The NH Pistol and Revolver License is one of the easiest to get anywhere, and in light of the merciless shit our MA brothers and sisters have to go through, it's certainly a strange thing to bitch about how onerous it is.
 
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Just one more point to add, "they almost never call them anyway".. They actually NEVER call them because they are not allowed by state law to even ask for their phone numbers. Like the other guys have said, you hand them 10 bucks and the form and within 2 weeks they hand you a piece of tissue that makes you "legal" to carry anyway you damn please. There's no interviews or any of that b.s.
 
ScottS said:
Not sure where you got that. There is no requirement to "sit down to explain" anything to anyone. It's simply a form. You turn it in with $10. Nothing more can be required. No interviews, no additional forms, nada.

Second, it's three references, not two. There's not requirement they be local, or NH residents, or non-family. The only requirement is they have a name and an address. You're saying you don't know three people anywhere who have names and addresses?

The NH Pistol and Revolver License is one of the easiest to get anywhere, and in light of the merciless shit our MA brothers and sisters have to go through, it's certainly a strange thing to bitch about how onerous it is.
Click to expand...

The references aren't even required, they can't deny you for not supplying them.
 
ScottS said:
Not sure where you got that. There is no requirement to "sit down to explain" anything to anyone. It's simply a form. You turn it in with $10. Nothing more can be required. No interviews, no additional forms, nada.

Second, it's three references, not two. There's not requirement they be local, or NH residents, or non-family. The only requirement is they have a name and an address. You're saying you don't know three people anywhere who have names and addresses?

The NH Pistol and Revolver License is one of the easiest to get anywhere, and in light of the merciless shit our MA brothers and sisters have to go through, it's certainly a strange thing to bitch about how onerous it is.
Click to expand...

Pistol permit applications can be obtained from the Town Hall or you may download the form at www.nh.gov/safety/nhsp/plupr.html.
There is a fee of $10.00 which must be paid at the ******* Police Department.
Please remember that you must pickup your permit at the Police department and (meet with the Chief of Police prior to the permit being issued.)
I left out the dept. in question but it appears from this off their web site I'm correct in what I said. Not saying it's onerous just don't like it. If I decide I want to carry I will relent but I don't want to sit with a person who does not know me and answer any questions about why I chose to exercise my rights. It's the principal of the thing nothing more. I can afford ten bucks. If I can enter a store pass a nation wide background check and walk out with a gun I don't see why I need to get permission from a stranger to carry it, that's all. I did assume the references would have to live in the state and stand corrected. I'm not intending to argue the issue as it is what it is just voicing my opinion on the subject. It's all good.
 
Oldarmy said:
Pistol permit applications can be obtained from the Town Hall or you may download the form at www.nh.gov/safety/nhsp/plupr.html.
There is a fee of $10.00 which must be paid at the ******* Police Department.
Please remember that you must pickup your permit at the Police department and (meet with the Chief of Police prior to the permit being issued.)
I left out the dept. in question but it appears from this off their web site I'm correct in what I said. Not saying it's onerous just don't like it. If I decide I want to carry I will relent but I don't want to sit with a person who does not know me and answer any questions about why I chose to exercise my rights. It's the principal of the thing nothing more. I can afford ten bucks. If I can enter a store pass a nation wide background check and walk out with a gun I don't see why I need to get permission from a stranger to carry it, that's all. I did assume the references would have to live in the state and stand corrected. I'm not intending to argue the issue as it is what it is just voicing my opinion on the subject. It's all good.
Click to expand...

There's no meeting with the chief either. My wife only ever met the secretary, I met the seargent because I went on a weekend and the secretary was out.

The RSA's roughly translate to "give your pd $10 and an app, receive permit in 14 days unless you have a record". Anything beyond this the court will back you up on.
 
I paid after my permit was ready, only took 2 days. Didn't meet anyone but, I think, the secretary.
That's why I moved up here from mass. Well one of the reasons, lol
 
Oldarmy said:
Please remember that you must pickup your permit at the Police department and (meet with the Chief of Police prior to the permit being issued.)
I left out the dept. in question but it appears from this off their web site I'm correct in what I said.
Click to expand...


Why not put out the name of the town so the rest of us know what towns are breaking state law and making up their own laws they cannot legally enforce? Its god to know which towns are going to act like that and which ones aren't these days.
 
After a quick look around the web of towns in the Conval area it appears the town in question happens to sit at the northern junction of Rt 31 and Rt 202 if anyone else in interested. I will post a link to the town pd's page with this false information if the OP doesn't mind.
 

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