Did people ever open carry guns in LA or San Francisco? (Montclair: 2013, fingerprinting)

[New Horizons]

All this gun stuff has gotten me reading alot. Tonight I learned about the Milford Act of 1967, which banned openly carrying (not concealed) guns in CA. But prior to that law being passed, was this practice something you'd ever see in a big CA city (I'm thinking LA here)? By 1966, LA was already huge and developed, and the Sunset Strip was emerging as a premiere nightlife location. But I just can't imagine some dude walking past the Troubadour with a holstered pistol.
Old-timers of CA, please share. Thanks

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Yes

[AlongTheI-5]

California had open carry before Ronald Reagan came along.

[New Horizons]

Has anyone actually witnessed a person (other than a cop) carry loaded weapon in San Francisco or LA? As mentioned open-carry was legal up to Governor Reagan. Yet I can't find any historical photos of people open carrying guns in either of these cities.

I'm just curious is all. I'm a big fan of California and it's history.

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Originally Posted by New Horizons

Has anyone actually witnessed a person (other than a cop) carry loaded weapon in San Francisco or LA? As mentioned open-carry was legal up to Governor Reagan. Yet I can't find any historical photos of people open carrying guns in either of these cities.

I'm just curious is all. I'm a big fan of California and it's history.

Until a couple of years ago unloaded open was legal. I've always rode my bicycle at 3-4 am. You meet very interesting people at that time of day.

But yes, open carry was legal and while not common in beach areas it was further inland.

[Electrician4you]

It was not very common in big counties (LA OC SD), until a bunch of people decided "to exercise their rights" and the governor and legislative arm took a giant fist and squashed them. I get why they were protesting, but I think they were going about it the wrong way. I personally DGAF if someone wants to open carry. The problem was a bunch of people decided to carry AR 15s, pistols, rifles etc to protest. Cops were called by citizens because it wasn't a common sight. So it became a big deal. At least in big cities. Mostly because a CCW is hard to get in some counties in So Cal people were protesting. I think a CCW should be a simple walk in with your gun safety and a CCW training course completed paperwork and that's that. You f up its your azz that's gonna fry.
I've seen guys OC on motorcycles , in some restaurants etc. never cared much. The thing is those aren't the guys that start unloading. It's the guy who thinks the world wronged him in dime way and he's going to show everyone how wrong they are. Usually with the sound of bullets. Those people just don't function correctly.

[18Montclair]

I dont recall seeing that and I think it would make me highly uncomfortable.

Mind you, Im not against law abiding citizens with no felony and have passed extensive background checks having guns in their homes or on their person but concealed( iffy on the concealed carry tho)

[New Horizons]

Originally Posted by 18Montclair

I dont recall seeing that and I think it would make me highly uncomfortable.

Mind you, Im not against law abiding citizens with no felony and have passed extensive background checks having guns in their homes or on their person but concealed( iffy on the concealed carry tho)

You'd think that in all those years leading up to Reagan, a few people would have exercised this right. But I did some good searching and
I can't find one photo of anybody open carrying a gun in LA.

Yet here in AZ where it is legal, people exercise this freedom. I also get an uneasy feeling when I see regular civilians carrying guns. So now when I have to go to Walmart or Harbor Freight for something, I don't look or talk with anyone. I just focus on finding what I need and getting out quickly.

[Zippyman]

Originally Posted by New Horizons

You'd think that in all those years leading up to Reagan, a few people would have exercised this right. But I did some good searching and
I can't find one photo of anybody open carrying a gun in LA.

Yet here in AZ where it is legal, people exercise this freedom. I also get an uneasy feeling when I see regular civilians carrying guns. So now when I have to go to Walmart or Harbor Freight for something, I don't look or talk with anyone. I just focus on finding what I need and getting out quickly.

Why would you be "uneasy" around "civilians" carrying guns? I'd point out first that cops are "civilians", and secondly, that those with a ccw permit go through the same FBI fingerprinting & background checks that cops, and doctors, and real-estate agents & bankers & schoolteachers go through.

Unfortunately in this country, there's no way to get a "certified good-guy" card, or I'd have one myself, having been fingerprinted & background-checked literally like ten times in the past six years for various professional licenses.

I'd also like to point out that the alternative to "allowing" this freedom has consequences - in my old state, because ccw permits were only handed out to friends of the local sheriff & the ways the laws were written, it was basically effectively illegal to take a gun to the range to practice. Putting a gun in your trunk was "concealing" it, and leaving it out on the seat was also illegal.

In my mind - If you hate guns, the only thing scarier than having 300 million of them in this country would be having 300 million guns that no one has ever practiced with.

There's a pic in the link below showing the black panthers with guns at the California legislature in 1967.

The Panthers Were Right and Reagan Was Wrong on Gun Control | The Beacon

[Jay100]

I've seen lots of people with guns in LA but just not open carry.

In other parts of CA, in the 70s and 80s, I do remember seeing people display rifles in their car windows. Haven't seen it in ages, though.