Darn federal gov't!

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Venus Pax
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Darn federal gov't!

#1

Post by Venus Pax »

I've only had my CHL for about two weeks, but am already quite comfortable with carrying everywhere.
Well, I had to go to the post office the other day to get stamps. I had to park my car in another parking lot, put my gun in my glove box, and walk through the mosquito infested grass to the post office! Luckily not many people were out, so I didn't feel too at-risk. It was early, so I mostly ran into elderly folk, a group with which I have had mostly positive experiences.
The idea just irks me. I hated leaving my gun in my car just to buy stamps. And since its the post office, its not like I can take my business elsewhere.
I think I'll just start buying stamps online. :mad:
"If a man breaks in your house, he ain't there for iced tea." Mom & Dad.

The NRA & TSRA are a bargain; they're much cheaper than the cold, dead hands experience.

GrannyGlock
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#2

Post by GrannyGlock »

My grocery store sells stamps, but also serves as an early voting place so will have to be aware of when that is happening. If the plastic is ever issued :banghead:

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Venus Pax
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#3

Post by Venus Pax »

Granny, have you contacted CHL office?
You need to contact them & see what's up. When I contacted them, they got my license out to me.
(Just be nice.)
"If a man breaks in your house, he ain't there for iced tea." Mom & Dad.

The NRA & TSRA are a bargain; they're much cheaper than the cold, dead hands experience.

isa268
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#4

Post by isa268 »

http://www.thegunzone.com/rkba/rtc-usps.html

you CAN carry into the post office in the state of Texas. i do it all the time.
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nitrogen
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#5

Post by nitrogen »

isa268 wrote:http://www.thegunzone.com/rkba/rtc-usps.html

you CAN carry into the post office in the state of Texas. i do it all the time.
You can carry into a bar, or a school, too.
just don't get caught. You'll be arrested and can argue the case in court.
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isa268
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#6

Post by isa268 »

there is no reason why you'd be arrested if you walked into the post office right now with a 1911 in your waistband as long as you have your CHL in Texas.


post offices are not on the forbidden list. they'd have to post a legal 30.06 sign.
SW1911SC, SW642, M&P Shield 9mm, Caracal F, SuperNova Tactical, M&P22, SKS, AR15, Tavor, Winchester .22lr.

"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
--Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759

RedRaider
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#7

Post by RedRaider »

isa268 wrote:there is no reason why you'd be arrested if you walked into the post office right now with a 1911 in your waistband as long as you have your CHL in Texas.


post offices are not on the forbidden list. they'd have to post a legal 30.06 sign.
Isn't the post office thing a federal law?
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nitrogen
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#8

Post by nitrogen »

RedRaider wrote:
isa268 wrote:there is no reason why you'd be arrested if you walked into the post office right now with a 1911 in your waistband as long as you have your CHL in Texas.


post offices are not on the forbidden list. they'd have to post a legal 30.06 sign.
Isn't the post office thing a federal law?
That's my understanding. Besides I personally would not want to tempt fate. The law hasn't stopped the federal government from doing things in the past.

Unless I see a published interpritation from Attourney General Alberto Gonzales stating this fact, I won't risk it.
Last edited by nitrogen on Wed Jun 07, 2006 3:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
.השואה... לעולם לא עוד
Holocaust... Never Again.
Some people create their own storms and get upset when it rains.
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Diode
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#9

Post by Diode »

isa268 wrote:there is no reason why you'd be arrested if you walked into the post office right now with a 1911 in your waistband as long as you have your CHL in Texas.


post offices are not on the forbidden list. they'd have to post a legal 30.06 sign.
Here we go again, :) Post Office is Federal Property thus we are subject to their rules. Somewhere there is a Fed. law on firearms in their buildings.
FWIW My CHL instructor (Most won't even try ot sort out Federal Laws) said we can carry in the area where the mal boxes are but not in the sectioned off area where the tellers are. So I think the rule of thumb is just don't carry there. ( I am not a lawyer nor does my opinion count I just wanted to butt in) :patriot:

isa268
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#10

Post by isa268 »

Isn't the post office thing a federal law?
yes.

from http://www.thegunzone.com/rkba/rtc-usps.html
Title 18, United States Code, Sec. 930. - Possession of firearms and dangerous weapons in Federal facilities

A. Except as provided in subsection (d), whoever knowingly possesses or causes to be present a firearm or other dangerous weapon in a Federal facility (other than a Federal court facility), or attempts to do so, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both.

Subsection (a) shall not apply to -


d. the lawful carrying of firearms or other dangerous weapons in a Federal facility incident to hunting or other lawful purposes.
SW1911SC, SW642, M&P Shield 9mm, Caracal F, SuperNova Tactical, M&P22, SKS, AR15, Tavor, Winchester .22lr.

"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
--Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759

1TallTXn
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#11

Post by 1TallTXn »

isa268 wrote:
Isn't the post office thing a federal law?
yes.

from http://www.thegunzone.com/rkba/rtc-usps.html
Title 18, United States Code, Sec. 930. - Possession of firearms and dangerous weapons in Federal facilities

A. Except as provided in subsection (d), whoever knowingly possesses or causes to be present a firearm or other dangerous weapon in a Federal facility (other than a Federal court facility), or attempts to do so, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both.

Subsection (a) shall not apply to -


d. the lawful carrying of firearms or other dangerous weapons in a Federal facility incident to hunting or other lawful purposes.
That, to me, says that I *CAN* carry in the post office. but i'm no lawyer.

<goes to look up the code>
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#12

Post by Paladin »

nitrogen wrote:
RedRaider wrote:
isa268 wrote:there is no reason why you'd be arrested if you walked into the post office right now with a 1911 in your waistband as long as you have your CHL in Texas.


post offices are not on the forbidden list. they'd have to post a legal 30.06 sign.
Isn't the post office thing a federal law?
That's my understanding. Besides I personally would not want to tempt fate. The law hasn't stopped the federal government from doing things in the past.

Unless I see a published interpritation from Attourney General Alberto Gonzales stating this fact, I won't risk it.
+1

The Federal Government may or may not believe it is legal and I don't want to be the test case.
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1TallTXn
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#13

Post by 1TallTXn »

I didn't find any Govt. Sponsored site that lists the laws.

I did find what appears to be the US Code at Cornell Law School.

Here's where I pulled the code from: http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html ... -000-.html
(a) Except as provided in subsection (d), whoever knowingly possesses or causes to be present a firearm or other dangerous weapon in a Federal facility (other than a Federal court facility), or attempts to do so, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both.

(b) Whoever, with intent that a firearm or other dangerous weapon be used in the commission of a crime, knowingly possesses or causes to be present such firearm or dangerous weapon in a Federal facility, or attempts to do so, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.

(c) A person who kills any person in the course of a violation of subsection (a) or (b), or in the course of an attack on a Federal facility involving the use of a firearm or other dangerous weapon, or attempts or conspires to do such an act, shall be punished as provided in sections 1111, 1112, 1113, and 1117.

(d) Subsection (a) shall not apply to—
(1) the lawful performance of official duties by an officer, agent, or employee of the United States, a State, or a political subdivision thereof, who is authorized by law to engage in or supervise the prevention, detection, investigation, or prosecution of any violation of law;

(2) the possession of a firearm or other dangerous weapon by a Federal official or a member of the Armed Forces if such possession is authorized by law; or

(3) the lawful carrying of firearms or other dangerous weapons in a Federal facility incident to hunting or other lawful purposes.

(e)
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), whoever knowingly possesses or causes to be present a firearm in a Federal court facility, or attempts to do so, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 2 years, or both.

(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to conduct which is described in paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (d).

(f) Nothing in this section limits the power of a court of the United States to punish for contempt or to promulgate rules or orders regulating, restricting, or prohibiting the possession of weapons within any building housing such court or any of its proceedings, or upon any grounds appurtenant to such building.

(g) As used in this section:
(1) The term “Federal facility� means a building or part thereof owned or leased by the Federal Government, where Federal employees are regularly present for the purpose of performing their official duties.

(2) The term “dangerous weapon� means a weapon, device, instrument, material, or substance, animate or inanimate, that is used for, or is readily capable of, causing death or serious bodily injury, except that such term does not include a pocket knife with a blade of less than 21/2 inches in length.

(3) The term “Federal court facility� means the courtroom, judges’ chambers, witness rooms, jury deliberation rooms, attorney conference rooms, prisoner holding cells, offices of the court clerks, the United States attorney, and the United States marshal, probation and parole offices, and adjoining corridors of any court of the United States.

(h) Notice of the provisions of subsections (a) and (b) shall be posted conspicuously at each public entrance to each Federal facility, and notice of subsection (e) shall be posted conspicuously at each public entrance to each Federal court facility, and no person shall be convicted of an offense under subsection (a) or (e) with respect to a Federal facility if such notice is not so posted at such facility, unless such person had actual notice of subsection (a) or (e), as the case may be.
That to me says I can carry on federal property, Assuming that I'm legally doing so.

I love the little catch in part F "we can do what we want if we catch you" :roll:

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#14

Post by KBCraig »

Without getting into the "inside the post office" debate, I will point out that 18 USC 930 clearly defines "federal facilities" as buildings, or parts thereof. There is no parking lot restriction.

Also worth noting is that the law can only be applied in federal buildings where notice is clearly posted at the entrance.

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#15

Post by txinvestigator »

As I have written here before; I am no attorney, but I read the laws and do the best I can to follow to the letter. I don't read the law to suit me, but I try to read to the middle.

In reading the law I believe I am perfectly legal to carry into a US Post Office. The only way that anyone will know I am carrying is if I am involved in a deadly force encounter. In that case, assuming I survive, I believe I will have the law on my side.
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