Open carry question...

[dustjunky2000]

Hey there all! I'm the new guy around here. Cant wait to be posting regularly with you all!

I wasn't sure where else to post this question, but you peeps always seem to give good answers.
I was reviewing our states' firearm laws and realized that the open carry of rifles and shotguns isn't mentioned anywhere. So does that mean if I want to carry my Mosin Nagant down the street; loaded and on my shoulder, I can? Because now I want to. Also, I know I sound like a troublemaker, but that's because I am. The only way to preserve the recognition of rights is to exercise them.

What do you guys think? Feedback people!!

 

[Lars]

Is it legal? Yes. Are you likely to be hassled by Law Enforcement? Yes.

Do I personally think this is the best way to improve gun ownership relations with the people who write the laws, no.

Welcome to INGO

 

[SMiller]

Yes you can carry a long gun as you please. Don't go and get to carried away...

 

[zoglog]

You can wait to do that at our next open carry walk. It will have a better result and you will meet fellow INGO members.

 

[esrice]

If you don't find any laws prohibiting it, then yes, it is legal.

How folks apply this legal activity is up to the responsible gun owner.

Welcome to INGO!

 

[groovatron]

Legal?...yes....recomended?....no

Depending how you did it and where you did it, LE can always charge you with something like disturbing the peace or the like. May not seem like a big deal but can be more of a hassle than its worth....if you are really interested in walking around with a rifle, I agree with zoglog, come out to an INGO open carry walk....welcome!

 

[dustjunky2000]

You can wait to do that at our next open carry walk. It will have a better result and you will meet fellow INGO members.

I am SO there! Let me know when and where! Hey that rhymes!

Thanks for the welcome everybody!! Gun owners always seem to be the most welcoming towards newbies.

I posted this question on IndyStar as well. I recognize the hassle I may be putting myself out there for, but not exercising your rights is exactly why people get hassled for exercising them. More people should do it just because it's a reminder that we are free to do it. Is it troublemaking if it's your right? Cops and nervous ninnys can hassle me all they want. I'm a responsible gun owner, and I won't shy away from exercising my rights just so someone doesn't wet themselves because they saw an evil gun.

What about freedom of speech? Yeah, some people get hassled for what they say, but since people say controversial things all the time, virtually EVERYONE realizes that they're allowed to say it. Rights are like muscles, the less you use them, the harder it becomes to use them. What do you think?


Okay, I'm calm now.

Yes you can carry a long gun as you please. Don't go and get to carried away...

Carried away how? Like don't rob a bank? Or like don't carry my rifle in public?

 

[samot]

something contriversial on this particular forum,.
"just because you can doesnt mean you should "
here, read this https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...f_defense/67222-tn_state_park_oc_trouble.html
May give you an idea of what could(probably will) happen if you decide to walk down the street legally carrying your mosin nagant!!

 

[Comp]

Be prepared for some soccer mommy to call it an assault rifle when she makes a man with a gun call to the cops. Soccer moms in mini vans get ya every time.

 

[TheLoneRaider]

You can wait to do that at our next open carry walk. It will have a better result and you will meet fellow INGO members.

When and where is it?

 

[dustjunky2000]

something contriversial on this particular forum,.
"just because you can doesnt mean you should "
here, read this https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...f_defense/67222-tn_state_park_oc_trouble.html
May give you an idea of what could(probably will) happen if you decide to walk down the street legally carrying your mosin nagant!!

I don't see that story as a cautionary tale. Because of what he did, the news ran a story reminding everyone in the state of their rights. Bravo!

Also, remember that a LOT of people who were pro-free speech said that Larry Flynt was 'taking things too far', and 'abusing his rights'. However, because of him and his magazine, we have greater freedom of speech today. This guy may have not won any friends, but he definitely did a service to everyone in his state. Next time the police see someone in that park with a gun, they will remember that it's legal to carry weapons there, and maybe they won't be waving shotguns in peoples' faces for exercising their rights.

Be prepared for some soccer mommy to call it an assault rifle when she makes a man with a gun call to the cops. Soccer moms in mini vans get ya every time.

Yeah they do. The typical soccer mom uber-liberal, screaming about how her kids are in danger. Gotta love Americans. Even the ignorant ones.

 

[Lars]

Or the fairly new law making it legal for him to have carried in that state park, will be repealed due to public outrage at what he did.


On an INGO procedural note. Please consider using the "multi" button which is directly to the right of the "quote" button if you're going to quote multiple people in reply rather than replying in 5 separate posts. Thanks

 

[dustjunky2000]

If you don't find any laws prohibiting it, then yes, it is legal.

How folks apply this legal activity is up to the responsible gun owner.

Welcome to INGO!

That's what I wanted to know. Thanks for the confirmation. And thanks again for the welcome! MODS=GODS Do not incur the wrath of the banhammer.

Or the fairly new law making it legal for him to have carried in that state park, will be repealed due to public outrage at what he did.


On an INGO procedural note. Please consider using the "multi" button which is directly to the right of the "quote" button if you're going to quote multiple people in reply rather than replying in 5 separate posts. Thanks

Will do. Sorry guys, I'm kinda rusty on the forum procedures.

But with that attitude, we might as well look at it in the same light as any other freedom. 'We better not exercise it, or people will get mad and take it away.' Don't get me wrong, I do see your point. However, if we don't vigorously exercise them, don't they disappear? I dunno. Your post gives me pause. Need time to chew on that one.

 

[Lars]

Openly carrying a 1911 in a belt holster, while dressed like an upstanding member of society is far less likely to be sensationalized than openly carrying an AR-15 slung over your shoulder, while wearing some third world military fatigues.

That's all I'm saying. One says, I'm doing nothing wrong, I'm responsible, This is my right.

The other says, at least to a lot of people. "I'm a Freaking Nut Job Whacko who might go on a rampant shooting spree at any moment."

Perception is a VERY powerful thing.

 

[kingnereli]

Will do. Sorry guys, I'm kinda rusty on the forum procedures.

But with that attitude, we might as well look at it in the same light as any other freedom. 'We better not exercise it, or people will get mad and take it away.' Don't get me wrong, I do see your point. However, if we don't vigorously exercise them, don't they disappear? I dunno. Your post gives me pause. Need time to chew on that one.

The real question is if you can do the same kind of thing without looking like an anti-government extremist. I applaud this kind of overt display of gun rights yet I do think there is a right and a wrong way of doing it. The TN guy is a good example. What good did the camo and "combat boots" do his cause?

Couldn't he have presented himself and his purposes better with a tie on or at least in a manner of dress that would make him appear normal?

Those are the questions to consider; not if this is a good idea. It is. It just needs to be done right. That guy should have dressed better and had at least 30 friends with him as well.

 

[dustjunky2000]

The real question is if you can do the same kind of thing without looking like an anti-government extremist. I applaud this kind of overt display of gun rights yet I do think there is a right and a wrong way of doing it. The TN guy is a good example. What good did the camo and "combat boots" do his cause?

Couldn't he have presented himself and his purposes better with a tie on or at least in a manner of dress that would make him appear normal?

Those are the questions to consider; not if this is a good idea. It is. It just needs to be done right. That guy should have dressed better and had at least 30 friends with him as well.

Openly carrying a 1911 in a belt holster, while dressed like an upstanding member of society is far less likely to be sensationalized than openly carrying an AR-15 slung over your shoulder, while wearing some third world military fatigues.

That's all I'm saying. One says, I'm doing nothing wrong, I'm responsible, This is my right.

The other says, at least to a lot of people. "I'm a Freaking Nut Job Whacko who might go on a rampant shooting spree at any moment."

Perception is a VERY powerful thing.

To be honest I wasn't intending on wearing my fatigues and boots. I was thinking I do have a $2000 Ralph Lauren pinstripe that is just begging me to be taken back out of the closet. I haven't worn it since the beginning of the summer. Besides, if I have to be on the news, I'd prefer to be looking sharp.
As for having other people with me, anybody wanna go with?

I see both sides here. But, do we have to get dressed up when we say something rude, practicing our First Amendment? I don't think so. So why should we have to go out of our way to look overly nice when we carry firearms?

The only question I have for you is, where do you plan on carrying your rifle? Just to go for a walk? Or to go shopping or see a movie? I can't see very many businesses letting you into their private place of business when you're carrying a rifle. I understand where you're coming from, completely. It is a right to keep and bear arms. I'm just wondering where you plan on carrying this type of firearm, out of curiosity.

I think I might go for a walk around Indy, and maybe hand out some fliers or something. Not sure yet. I just hatched this idea, so some refinement may yet be in order. Maybe I'll visit a gun store on my walk. In any event, I'll likely wait for spring. It's friggin cold out there right now.

 

[lashicoN]

I see both sides here. But, do we have to get dressed up when we say something rude, practicing our First Amendment? I don't think so. So why should we have to go out of our way to look overly nice when we carry firearms?

The only question I have for you is, where do you plan on carrying your rifle? Just to go for a walk? Or to go shopping or see a movie? I can't see very many businesses letting you into their private place of business when you're carrying a rifle. I understand where you're coming from, completely. It is a right to keep and bear arms. I'm just wondering where you plan on carrying this type of firearm, out of curiosity.

 

[Beau]

The real question is if you can do the same kind of thing without looking like an anti-government extremist. I applaud this kind of overt display of gun rights yet I do think there is a right and a wrong way of doing it. The TN guy is a good example. What good did the camo and "combat boots" do his cause?

Couldn't he have presented himself and his purposes better with a tie on or at least in a manner of dress that would make him appear normal?

Those are the questions to consider; not if this is a good idea. It is. It just needs to be done right. That guy should have dressed better and had at least 30 friends with him as well.

Because most people wear ties while trail walking through a park? I think in this situation dressed to impress would have caused me more of a concern. If I saw a guy walking a trail wearing a suit and tie with a firearm on a sling I would be WTF? He must be planning to die he's already wearing his coffin clothes.

He was dressed for the activity he was partaking in. And to say that we need 30+ people backing us up while exercising our rights is nonsense in my opinion.

 

[zoglog]

I do not know when the next walk will be. We have only had one this past fall. We passed out flyers and had a pretty good crowd! Savageeagle set up the first and would be the go to guy for organizing a second walk. We took great care making sure everyone had their LTCH and that ALL rifles were unloaded. Handguns could be carried however felt comfortable.
The second walk is on hold mainly due to the weather and simply a lack of time. We do need to have another one. Maybe after the ar build party and the 1500?

 

[mk2ja]

I do not know when the next walk will be. We have only had one this past fall. We passed out flyers and had a pretty good crowd! Savageeagle set up the first and would be the go to guy for organizing a second walk. We took great care making sure everyone had their LTCH and that ALL rifles were unloaded. Handguns could be carried however felt comfortable.

Oh you were there? I had only been on INGO for a couple months when we had that walk, so keeping track of people and their usernames, with which I was still generally unfamiliar, was quite a task.

The second walk is on hold mainly due to the weather and simply a lack of time. We do need to have another one. Maybe after the ar build party and the 1500?

Definitely need to do another. Now I have a rifle I can take! Only owned 1 firearm at the time, but I've made some progress of late

@OP: I have a few photos from said OC Walk here: INGunOwners - mk2ja's Album: Open Carry Educational Walk in Indianapolis - 26 Sept 09. There's a link to the planning thread in that album, too. There was a lot of good discussion about the merits of holding such a Walk (education potential vs backlash risk), the etiquette we decided to follow, and the paperwork that we handed out.


All for now...
Caleb