What are you laws about carrying in the US? do you need a permit, must the weapon be concealed, where may you carry it?
Just curious.

EXPRESS,

My best advice : forget to carry any handguns in the US.

Varies from State to State for citizens, have no Idea about rules governing non-citizens...

Mike

In the great state of Texas, we can carry concealed with a permit. There are many of us that do. Have you ever heard the expression "Don't mess with Texas"?

Laws vary from state to state. Some states recognize permits from other states. I'm a resident of IL (no carry permits) and I have a non-resident carry permit for PA, which allows me to carry in states that recognize PA permits, like my neighboring state of IN, but not my home state of IL.

I'm not sure about non citizen carry. Check with the NRA.

Greg

legal in Michigan. It cost me about $200 for all the paper shuffle and the training program.

If states issue permits, they are a may issue or a shall issue system. My home state of Washington is a shall issue state. That means that if someone turns in an application and there are no reasons not to, the state has to issue the permit. California is a may issue state which means that the Sherriff, Mayor, or some other individual has to ok the permit. If said person is anti-gun which is most often the case in these states no issues or very few are made. That is why people like Chuck Norris can get a permit and my friend Andy who taught me the principles of reloading so many years ago couldn't. Good for me he moved up here to Wa. As a non resident you could bring a firearm into the States with the proper paperwork but you could never legally be allowed to carry it. Hope that helps. Slim

Oregon is also a shall issue state. Many of us here carry. Cost is $50 for 3 year permit, training requirements are not excessive (not expensive), but reciprocity in other states is minimal.I am about to take my daughter on a cross-country drive to compete as a member of the Oregon YHEC team in the internatinal event (she is the Oregon State Junior Division Girls Champion) and will have no problem transporting the teams guns, but am entirely baffled about bringing one of my handguns on this trip. I am generally armed, and have no intention of changing this, but some of the states we will cross will not be friendly to my carry permit, and have varying rules regarding where my handgun must be during transport. I guess this situation shows that we are not as progresive here in the US as we like to believe.However, like many people, I recognise that my personal protection is my responsibility-that no one will be there for me if I need protection. So, I will do what I need to, regardless. At least some of us take this attitude, which I regard as typically American. This is how I see things.....Chuck

EXPRESS,

I think the real questions are : what about ATF to pass the customs with a handgun to come in the US?

What about airlines (US and others) allowed to carry a handgun in the plane (luggage hold)?

After these solved each State has its law.

EXPRESS,

You can answer your questions about the different state laws here: Packing.org

Good Hunting,

Bob

Thanks fellas, I just found this thread after having forgotten and lost it.

I must have been a little vauge in my question as I was just curious as to what your laws and the standard "frigmarole" are, I was not intent on come to the US and carrying a handgun.

I remember in South Africa some years ago, that you(WHITE residents I presume) could carry a handgun in public, provided it was CLEARLY VISIBLE. Maybe a deterrent, but I dont think I like the idea all that much. I could be wrong, I was told this by a guy I met there, but interesting all the same.

Thanks for the insights though.

express,
in kentucky where i live you can carry a firearm after getting the class and required permit. it is accecpted in 21 outher states at this moment and guam and the virgen isilands. to get a good idea of the requirements you can go to www.kentuckystatepolice.org/conceal.htm to find the exact requirments. the list gets bigger every couple o founths. i hope this helps

Some states will allow out of state people to get permits. I know Florida does this, I was told all they wanted (besides their course and fee) was a US address. Not that hard to arrange, but the mood stateside being what it is I would be very careful if I chose to go this way. We used to take handguns south for target matches all the time, with no particular hassle. The airlines had to be informed, and one airline would only let the pistols ride up front with the pilot, but the guns always went. I think now you have to apply well in advance, with the appropriate ATF paperwork, and either a hunting licence or an invitation/registration to a match to back it up. Sporting arms fall under the same regs now as well, so the days of driving across the line with the gun in the back of the truck are pretty much gone. - Dan

In Arizona,

You can carry openly in plain sight with no permits or paperwork. If you want to carry concealed, you must get a CCW permit.

Indiana has been a "shall issue" CCW state since Oct. 1, 1973. The "license" is for carrying concealed for personal protection, but in reality it is recognised as covering carrying a handgun concealed or openly. The prevailing custom is to carry concealed as a consideration to others ("out of sight, out of mind") unless out in the country, hunting, plinking, or target shooting.

Long guns are not licensed in any respect: however, expect an inquiry if carrying one down the street....

Pre-1899 antiques and non-cartridge replicas are exempt from the CCW requirements. However, if used to commit a crime of violence, they still are considered deadly weapons due to the way they're used.

Indiana possibly was the first state to harken back to the "full faith and Credit" clause of the U.S. Constitution by stating flatly that the CCWs issued by other states OR FOREIGN COUNTRIES would be honored according to their terms as long as the bearers are not residents of Indiana. Once a resident, it is expected the person will avail himself of the right to obtain an Indiana CCW. Today, Federal law is highly restrictive toward foreigners and Indiana's stance may not provide the protection originally intended....

A CCW is NOT necessary when carrying a handgun in one's home, on one's property, or in one's place of business.

Gun registration is explicitly forbidden in the State of Indiana.

Although the commercial gunsale transfer law was modified to conform more conveniently to the Federal "Brady" law and regulations, otherwise there's been relatively few modifications to the 1973 reforms. Of these few, the most objectionable was when --at the ignorant or lazy instigation of NRA-ILA-- Indiana's constitutional pre-emption structure was modified when a so-called "pre-emption law" was passed: the legislature enabled localities to ban firearms from government-owned properties. This since has been the basis of bans on CCW carrying in many public buildings, etc. However, not all localities have exrcised this power.....

Paladin

WHAT ARE THE CARRY LAWS HERE IN IOWA? DO YOU HAVE TO RENEW PERMITS EACH YEAR ? AT WHAT COST?

A 357 MAG CAN BE YOUR BEST FRIEND.

Tasco 74,
Iowa allows concealed carry, but it is at the discretion of the county sheriff.
The Polk county sheriff will issue permits to anyone that passes the tests and background check. The tests comprise a written test and a shooting test, you shoot each distance twice: 6 rounds at 5 yards in 6 seconds, 6 rounds at 7 yards in 8 seconds, 6 rounds at 15 yards in 15 seconds and 6 rounds at 25 yards in 20 seconds. You must score 75% or better to pass. A permit is good for 1 year and you have to re-test evry 2nd year. Cost of permit is $11.00.
Code of Iowa states that you have to be 18 years old to get a permit to carry, but must be 21 years old to get a permit to buy.

Virginia is a shall issue state. In my county, it costs $15 for 5 years. Takes 3-6 weeks to get the permit.

Open carry is legal in VA and I do so about 60% of the time. In the more urban areas this wouldn't be such a good idea as the police will harass you. I've gotten some funny looks while walking around the grocery store with my Ruger on my hip.

As for non-citizens, I have no idea. Packing.org and the NRA website would be great places to start.

In Vermont you can carry concealed without a permit. Of course that's because you don't need it in Vermont.

In New York where you need it, carrying a handgun will land you in prison for 5-10 years. In contrast, robbing and beating someone in New York would put you in jail for 6 months.

Basically all the restrictions of the feds apply to every state. Every state then can make additional laws on top of that. To make it worse, individual cities can apply even more restrictive laws. Don't get the idea that the states are able to decide their own firearms laws and regulations (unless they are more restrictive than federal laws).
Anyone know of any other constitutional rights that can be nickel and dimed the hell out of like this?
What about other countries? Is all that stuff they say about the U.S. having more freedom true?

Well, speaking for Canada, yes the US has more firearms freedom. This has mosly come about in the last 20 years. Before that, if you wanted to own whatever (pistols, machine guns, cannons, etc) it was all the same. You got a permit (which was easy to get) and went and bought whatever you want. Now, they're trying to register everything (a 1 billion dollar boondoggle, so far) and the laws are much more restrictive. If you didn't own a machine gun or short barreled handgun, or a 32 or 25 caliber handgun before, now you never will. Most of this courtesy of a woman named Wendy Kukier and her band of fascists. (Who get payed by the government, she's turned it into a six figure salary permanent job). She started all this crap because back in the eighties a lunatic Arab who hated women went into the university in Montreal and shot 14 women or so. (He applied to the local police to get his FAC, Firearms Access Certificate, and they just sort of missed the previous convictions and the stays in the mental hospitals when they ran his background check. OOPS!) A horrible tragedy, to be sure, but Wendy and her ilk have decided that we shooters are to blame. Anyway, every year it gets a little tougher, and less and less young people are interested, so basically they're phasing us out of society. Soon it will be no firearms, period. - Dan