Posted: 5/31/2006 5:36:48 PM EDT
| I am relocating to AZ very soon. How many of you have CCW or not? Is it worth the trouble to get a CCW or just carry my handgun openly? I read as long as the weapon is in a holster and 3" is visable it is considered open carry. Your replies will either make me get a CCW or not. I'm moving from NY so open carry is illegal here. |
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I've got a CCW and wouldn't do without it. In the rural areas you can carry open and it's no big deal, it's not that uncommon and you won't stand out that much. But open carry in a city area like Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa, Tempe, where's it's very uncommon to see anyone but uniformed cops carrying and you'll get more attention than you probably want. You'll get fingers pointed at you and hear whispers "Oh my God, he's got a gun!", you'll be asked to leave certain stores and you'll be shadowed by security when you go into malls. People will ask you "Are you a cop or something?" and when you say no, they'll say "Is it legal for you to be carrying a gun?". Believe it or not, most city dwellers in AZ don't realize it's legal to carry a gun openly. Little old ladies will read you the riot act for carrying around a gun and soccor moms will report you to everyone and everyone they can reach with the 6 million cell phone minutes they get, and use, each month. I've seen all of this crap, and heard it all, when I'm with friends that carry openly. Will it happen every time you carry openly? No, of course not, but it happens all to often for my liking. |
I totally agree with everything 3rdpig said above! When I first came to Arizona from Massachusetts 12 years ago and started to open carry, I got all that unwanted attention to the fact I had a gun. As soon as I could I got my CCW... Now it makes things so much easier. If you think about it, the mere presence of a firearm in certain situations/scenarios can escalate the tension of the people around you involved in any type of altercation. If your the only one that knows it's there if you need it, then in my opinion everyone's better off. Secretly though...sometimes I wish it was still like the old west and virtually everyone carried a side arm openly.  -John 
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We just had one of these threads... www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=8&f=13&t=232460 I posted in that thread why I carry in either method, they both have advantages and disadvantages. Figure out what works best for you. The CCW is useful even if you open carry to avoid NICS checks when you buy firearms, and to always be in the clear regardless of how you're carrying, what is "open" is usually up to an arresting officer's discretion. You can also carry out of state then, AZ has reciprocity with or is recognized by an increasing number of other states. |
OH THE HORROR!
Why patronize stores that don't tolerate/accept our carry rights?
Most malls have no weapons signs posted anyway...
THE AGONY OF HAVING TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR FELLOW HUMAN BEINGS!?
Yeah why bother taking the opportunity to educate them to the contrary...
Now those are new ones... While you're at it don't dare wear a gun shirt in public. Don't have any gun stickers on your car. And make sure you sneak your rifle cases into your car so your neighbors have no idea you own guns. Hide from the world and lurk in the shadows like some kind of sexual deviant...be ashamed of your behavior and only talk about on underground internet boards like this with others of similar prurient interest. You might just offend someone or worse yet, be inconvenienced if people know you own or carry guns. |
+1 on Sinistralriflemans last 2 posts. I OPEN carry in MESA, GILBERT, CHANDLER never once have i had anyone say anything derogatory, or point at me and whisper, infact its been the complete opposite, ive had 2 yes TWO compliments!! I have also seen others carrying. I say get the CCW, no NICS check and it also gives you a choice. the one thing that i make sure I do when i carry open is look and dress clean. I am shaved, wearing normal nice clothes. Imho it gives a better perception of firearms owners to people who do not know. It also makes people more likely to ask questions which I am totally willing to answer and spread the gospel. |
Damnit, why am I always being dragged into these things?!?!
I open carry and look like a fat, hairy creep, but that's because I'm a fat, hairy creep. No one seems to mind though. |
Doesn't bother me at all, I'm just relating what I've seen.
I patronize who and what I please, it's called "living in America".
Really? Somehow I've failed to notice a single one. I guess it's a good thing my weapon is concealed.
Another repressed comedian, great, just what I needed after a long day. Listen funny man, I deal with my fellow human beings all day long, what I do NOT want to do is have to explain myself to liberal fucktards when I'm trying to eat my lunch or shop for a new BBQ. Maybe in your role as comedian you enjoy that, but I do not. Mind your own damn business.
If I took the time to try to educate every liberal fucktard I ran into in Scottsdale on a daily basis I'd be too busy to earn a living. If that's your gig then go for it, but don't expect me to live MY life by YOUR standards. Run your own fucking life and I'll run mine, how does that sound?
Really? I guess you can just consider it new material. No charge.
WTF??? Are you off your meds or just a fucking idiot? Don't wear a gun? Don't put stickers on your car? Hide my guns?. Listen asshole, I'm 48 years old, been riding HD's since I was 18 and carrying a gun on an everyday basis since I was 21, I've done shit in public that dweebs like you only see in movies and I've never been ashamed of a single damn thing. Does that sound to you like someone who's worried about what other people think? I don't give a flying fuck what other people think and you're at the top of that list, but the man asked my opinion and I related to him some observations I've made. Just because I don't give a rats ass what other people think means I want police attention or security guards following me around or liberal fucktards reporting me left and right. |
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3rdpig your post sounded overly "doom and gloom" hence my sarcasm including the last paragraph. If only the members of the AR15.com Arizona Hometown forum open carried on a daily basis, it would be enough to make it not an uncommon occurrence. I view gun rights as a cultural war, not simply a political one...the farther we're driven "into the closet" because of what public perception might be, the more we loose. |
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SR, my post may have seemed doom and gloom to you, but they just reflect the realities I've seen in about 28 years of carrying a gun. Do you honestly think people strutting through Walmart with a sixgun on their hip is promoting gun rights? Hell, maybe it is, I'll be damned if I understand the world we live in anymore. In this day and age the sheep have their sheepdogs in the police, I don't want a chrome plated pistol on my hip to make the cops form a line in front of me when the SHTF. I have nothing against the police, but I understand that since I'm NOT a sheep the average cop is NOT my defender, and while he may not be against me he's NOT on my side. He's there to protect the soccor moms, not me. Didn't NOLA teach us that? It sure reinforced my notion of whether the police have a need to know that I carry. I also don't want any bad guys deciding I need to be dealt with first. I like my guns concealed and I like them in a nice, non reflective black color. If I ever have to use one I want it out, used, and concealed again as fast as possible. Then I'm going to say "Where did that shot come from?" or "Over there, he's got a gun!". Then when everyone's running around in circles, screaming and yelling, I can slip quietly to one side and call the cops and give them my side of the story. I pray there's someone there carrying openly to absorb the attention of the sheep while I call the police. Hell, I've got a Tshirt that says "Born in a mountain, raised in a cave, Harley's and fucking are all I crave". I'm not ashamed of it, but I don't wear it to church either. There's a time and a place for everything, there's a time and a place for carrying gun openly and a time and place that it's best concealed. It's up to each of us to make that distinction and not tear the other guy down. It's also up to each of us to support gun rights in our own way. I do it with my money, my time and my votes. And I do it by trying to get as many interested people involved in the shooting sports that I can, but I won't waste my time on those who's minds are already made up against owning guns. I'm sure you do these things too, if you also think open carry is supporting gun rights I won't argue with you, more power to you, but it's not for me. Sorry if that disappoints you, but that's the way it is. No fear or shame on my part, just coping with realities. Sorry also about the tone of my response to your post, I saw it as a personal attack and I know only one way to respond to that, and that's by attacking back. I apoligize for that, for after all, aren't we really both on the same side? |
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I open carry and don’t have to any problems, but I do live in a smaller town. Even on my infrequent trips to Tucson or Mesa I usually open carry. If people don’t like it screw them, I’m not breaking any law. If a store don’t what me in with my pistols, I don’t want to do business with them. I do recommend getting a CCW or at least attending the class though, especially being from another state. It’s a great opportunity to get smart on Az gun laws quickly, pick the instructors brain and not hear some BS from someone from work or your neighborhood. I was told a few years back before the State had CCW that I could carry openly any place but in a bar, a bank or a business that was posted. This is incorrect, you are not allowed to carry in any place that serves alcohol. That’s right, even restaurants that sell a few bottles of beer like the local Denny’s. I brook the law on a few occasions even though I wasn’t drinking while carrying. I’ve been in the Army the past 22 years and have had to live in three other states beside Az and a few foreign countries, I strongly recommend getting good training on the local laws as soon as possible. The gun laws here are pretty simple. I’ve got a few friends that do stupid stuff because of their ignorance of the laws or maybe they still like to do things the way they did it back east, like keeping their ammo locked in the trunks and using trigger locks. I tell them they don’t need to but some still do. Muscle memory I suppose. Good luck on the move, what part of AZ will you be living in. |
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I live in Scottsdale and carry all the time. Fuck em. The sheep are more uncomfortable than me and that suits me just fine. I've actually met some cool people who struck up conversations about guns because I was carrying. I'm not forcing people to get used to me or to accept what I do. I just open carry because I want to and it is perfectly legal. And to all the whiners that complain about "tactical advantage" and "gun grabs" - HAHAHAHAHA 
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I was thinkin more along the lines of standing at the "welcome to Arizona" sign on I-10 wearing guns n stuff. Probly get cited for "dusturbing the peace" as the californians all dial 911. |
| When I orinally posted the topic of carrying concealed as to open carry I received many good points. The last few assholes and their stupid comments makes me wonder about the intelligence of gun-toting individuals in Arizona and the ones I should keep clear of. I've got to get away from this site and stop lowering my standards. |
Maybe WE don't want anyone that isn't smart enough to look around ON THE FIRST PAGE for threads that answer their very questions about CCW/open carry.  There is some light hearted, on-going humor towards ALL the posts of "I'm moving to AZ......" in our forum, if you don't get it, maybe you should stay away. I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt, since i'm sure you've never seen a post saying "I'm moving to NY.........." So maybe this is new to you.I think you've maybe hurt some feelings, so don't expect Markm TO ROLL OUT THE RED CARPET ON I-40 now---see what being "Mr. Sensitive" gets ya'  GO NOW!!! NO ARIZONA FOR YOU!!! |
After the welcome sign there should be a sign that reads, “ This is Arizona! Our laws are different than were you came from”. Assholes that call the cops on honest citizens that are carrying should be charged with harassment, stupidity isn’t illegal. They are wasting the police’s time and my tax money with their ignorance. |
3" visible? is that of the gun or the holster? |
The laws don't specify an exact length but it says if your holster is visible then it's technically not concealed carry, but people reccomend at least 3" to be "safe" about it legally. |
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How about an "OPEN CARRY DAY" Once or twice (or even more) a month. I agree about the hidden, non-advertising deterrent, but..... With all the recent imports from CALI, and other non-gun friendly states, we should start to acclimatize the sheeple by letting them see weapons being openly carried now and then. As for carrying in a mall, if you go thru a MALL entrance, they may have a "NO WEAPONS" sign up, but....IF you enter thru one of the Department stores, i.e., SEARS, they usually don't have any signs...... Remember, opinions are like assholes..... |