[Spring Hillian]

Is Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming all "Gunshine" states also? They all have "shall issue" concealed weapons laws. What makes FL special?

Originally Posted by BNBR

They don't call it the Gunshine State for nothing. Carrying a concealed weapon has everything to do with whether you want to or not, and not whether you "can" or not. (Obviously barring criminal/mental health issues).

And note that Florida has the best CCW in the country. With our CCW, you can carry concealed, legally, in 36 States.

States Recognizing Florida License / Related Information / Concealed Weapon License / Licensing / Divisions & Offices / Home - Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services

[BNBR]

Originally Posted by Spring Hillian

Is Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming all "Gunshine" states also? They all have "shall issue" concealed weapons laws. What makes FL special?

Florida has the best reciprocity. I believe Utah is next. For example, with a New Mexico license, you can carry in 25 States. With Florida, 36.

p.s. - It's been probably 10 years since I even looked at reciprocity comparisons. Florida may not be the best any more, but it's still very well accepted.

[BNBR]

Originally Posted by Restrain

Compared to Texas, still very anti-gunner. The 'stand your ground' law puts all the cards in the Prosecutor's hands as you have to prove you were in the right. In Texas, the prosecutor has the burden of proof. And Texas is now open-carry.

Still has a way to go.

Florida has open carry if you are camping, hunting or fishing. I'm a big gun-rights guy, but I actually don't widely support open carry. I have no problem with a reasonable middle-ground by requiring weapons be concealed.

[Spring Hillian]

Originally Posted by BNBR

Florida has the best reciprocity. I believe Utah is next. For example, with a New Mexico license, you can carry in 25 States. With Florida, 36.

p.s. - It's been probably 10 years since I even looked at reciprocity comparisons. Florida may not be the best any more, but it's still very well accepted.

Reciprocity - gotcha.

[Majami]

Originally Posted by Restrain

Compared to Texas, still very anti-gunner. The 'stand your ground' law puts all the cards in the Prosecutor's hands as you have to prove you were in the right. In Texas, the prosecutor has the burden of proof. And Texas is now open-carry.

Still has a way to go.

Florida was the first state to pass SYG, and when Texas followed suit, it was a weakened version of Florida's. If they expended it good, I'm a big fan of SYG laws.

As for open carry, it used to be the case that it was illegal in Texas. Good on them passing that.

I'm always in favor of open carry as I believe only open carry reduces conflicts. If someone has a concealed gun, it's not going to prevent some dumb/drunk idiot from picking a fight with him and then getting killed. If the person has an open gun, I doubt the same would happen. Open carry also reduces the public's aversion to guns.

[GrouperK]

Originally Posted by BNBR

Florida has open carry if you are camping, hunting or fishing. I'm a big gun-rights guy, but I actually don't widely support open carry. I have no problem with a reasonable middle-ground by requiring weapons be concealed.

Also on your way to and from, iirc.

[BNBR]

Originally Posted by Majami

I'm always in favor of open carry as I believe only open carry reduces conflicts. If someone has a concealed gun, it's not going to prevent some dumb/drunk idiot from picking a fight with him and then getting killed. If the person has an open gun, I doubt the same would happen. Open carry also reduces the public's aversion to guns.

I've thought about this one quite a bit. I like the idea of open carry, and very much like the idea based on your last sentence about reducing the public's aversion to weapons. I just don't necessarily like the idea for South Florida. I could see it feeling more normal in other areas. Cultural differences.

I also respect both sides and felt that concealed carry was a reasonable compromise.

Ultimately, open carry has shown to be a total non-issue. Very few actually do it and nobody seems to care much when they do. I personally would prefer to conceal as I feel it gives you an upper hand.

[Majami]

Originally Posted by BNBR

I've thought about this one quite a bit. I like the idea of open carry, and very much like the idea based on your last sentence about reducing the public's aversion to weapons. I just don't necessarily like the idea for South Florida. I could see it feeling more normal in other areas. Cultural differences.

I also respect both sides and felt that concealed carry was a reasonable compromise.

Ultimately, open carry has shown to be a total non-issue. Very few actually do it and nobody seems to care much when they do. I personally would prefer to conceal as I feel it gives you an upper hand.

Open carry, even where it's legal, is demonized and tends to very quickly get the police called. So it's still widely unpopular. But I think open carry leads to a decrease in crime, leads to a decrease in victimization.

Concealed carry allows for you to defend yourself, but it does nothing to deter an attack. The outcome of which is if you're successful - leads to the death of the perp, which i won't shed any tears over but it could have been avoided. And if you're not successful, then it can even lead to your death if the perp gets your gun.

So between OC and CC, I prefer OC. But there needs to be a drastic change in society for it to become accepted.

[BNBR]

Originally Posted by Majami

Open carry, even where it's legal, is demonized and tends to very quickly get the police called. So it's still widely unpopular. But I think open carry leads to a decrease in crime, leads to a decrease in victimization.

Concealed carry allows for you to defend yourself, but it does nothing to deter an attack. The outcome of which is if you're successful - leads to the death of the perp, which i won't shed any tears over but it could have been avoided. And if you're not successful, then it can even lead to your death if the perp gets your gun.

So between OC and CC, I prefer OC. But there needs to be a drastic change in society for it to become accepted.

With open carry, if someone is attacking, they immediately know what you are capable of. You become a target, quickly. For instance, a bank robbery. I don't want robbers running in the door to see me as an armed threat. Open carry would better deter less violent crimes, which is good. An unarmed person isn't going to pick a fight with someone open carrying. I can see positives and negatives with both.

I don't see society going in the direction of open carry being more accepted. I think, in general, society is getting more and more liberal. At least over here. Overseas where socialism is failing, it's moving back to the right.

If posed with a choice, I would support open carry over banning it.

[BNBR]

Originally Posted by GrouperK

Also on your way to and from, iirc.

Forgot about that part. I guess you could carry one of those little fold up fishing poles on you. The pocket fishing poles. Lol. Then you could always claim to be on your way to a fishing expedition, and thus legally open carrying. It won't be me to test that one, though

Do they define "hunting"? I'm always hunting for something.....