TexasCHLforum.com

Open carried this weekend in Fairfax Virginia. I went to the National Firearms Museum in Fairfax, Virginia @ NRA HQ. I open carried in Fairfax, Virginia and nobody batted an eyelash. That's how it should be everywhere....

If you are taking a long road trip, be sure to check out the gun and knife laws in the states you will pass through: http://www.handgunlaw.us/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Be real careful, especially of the knife laws, because Texas allows pocket folding knives of 5.5 inches blade or less but other states are less permissive. Other states usually only allow knives of 3-3.5 inches or less. I would suggest that you get a 3 inch or less Swiss Army knife for utility use and not carry a lock blade for defense. This would make sure that you'd stay legal in all jurisdictions. For defense in gun banned areas I suggest that you carry a big Mag Lite. This is legal in all jurisdictions.

On the upside, some other states are more permissive than Texas with regard to manner of gun carriage. For example, Tennessee and Virginia allow open carry. I open carried in Fairfax, Virginia with no problems.

P.S. I am speaking in generalities, not specifics. For example, if you are hunting in Texas, you may carry a knife larger than 5.5 inches. However, generally, you're limited to carrying a folding knife 5.5 inches or less in Texas.

drjoker wrote:Open carried this weekend in Fairfax Virginia. I went to the National Firearms Museum in Fairfax, Virginia @ NRA HQ. I open carried in Fairfax, Virginia and nobody batted an eyelash.

That as always been my experience in VA both while I lived there and every time I visit. I had my CHP the majority of the time as well, so I carried every way from out there on the belt fully exposed, to covered slightly with a shirt, to fully concealed. Nice to have choices!

drjoker wrote:Open carried this weekend in Fairfax Virginia. I went to the National Firearms Museum in Fairfax, Virginia @ NRA HQ. I open carried in Fairfax, Virginia and nobody batted an eyelash. That's how it should be everywhere....

If you are taking a long road trip, be sure to check out the gun and knife laws in the states you will pass through: http://www.handgunlaw.us/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Be real careful, especially of the knife laws, because Texas allows pocket folding knives of 5.5 inches blade or less but other states are less permissive. Other states usually only allow knives of 3-3.5 inches or less. I would suggest that you get a 3 inch or less Swiss Army knife for utility use and not carry a lock blade for defense. This would make sure that you'd stay legal in all jurisdictions. For defense in gun banned areas I suggest that you carry a big Mag Lite. This is legal in all jurisdictions.

On the upside, some other states are more permissive than Texas with regard to manner of gun carriage. For example, Tennessee and Virginia allow open carry. I open carried in Fairfax, Virginia with no problems.

P.S. I am speaking in generalities, not specifics. For example, if you are hunting in Texas, you may carry a knife larger than 5.5 inches. However, generally, you're limited to carrying a folding knife 5.5 inches or less in Texas.

Your OC of choice was what and did your other family members OC also?

As I was driving through West Virginia, I noted the laws do not recognize our license but you can carry openly.
Maryland was unloaded in the trunk, Virginia recognizes our license OR you can carry openly. Kentucky recognizes our CHL.

drjoker wrote:Open carried this weekend in Fairfax Virginia. I went to the National Firearms Museum in Fairfax, Virginia @ NRA HQ.

If you liked that musuem and ever get the chance, go to the Cody Musuem in Cody, Wyoming.

drjoker wrote: P.S. I am speaking in generalities, not specifics. For example, if you are hunting in Texas, you may carry a knife larger than 5.5 inches. However, generally, you're limited to carrying a folding knife 5.5 inches or less in Texas.

Be advised that it does not have to be a folder. You can carry a fixed blade 5.5" or less.

Gringop

steveincowtown wrote: That as always been my experience in VA both while I lived there and every time I visit. I had my CHP the majority of the time as well, so I carried every way from out there on the belt fully exposed, to covered slightly with a shirt, to fully concealed. Nice to have choices!

That sounds great! I don't think I would ever really be too into "open carry" but a "relaxed" carry would be nice. Something where maybe it was just mostly out of site but didn't have to be totally hidden. Covered slightly with a shirt would be perfect for me.

knotquiteawake wrote:

steveincowtown wrote: That as always been my experience in VA both while I lived there and every time I visit. I had my CHP the majority of the time as well, so I carried every way from out there on the belt fully exposed, to covered slightly with a shirt, to fully concealed. Nice to have choices!

That sounds great! I don't think I would ever really be too into "open carry" but a "relaxed" carry would be nice. Something where maybe it was just mostly out of site but didn't have to be totally hidden. Covered slightly with a shirt would be perfect for me.

This is why I like to have the option for open carry for CHLers. 2013 we should see that in law,

gringop wrote:

drjoker wrote: P.S. I am speaking in generalities, not specifics. For example, if you are hunting in Texas, you may carry a knife larger than 5.5 inches. However, generally, you're limited to carrying a folding knife 5.5 inches or less in Texas.

Be advised that it does not have to be a folder. You can carry a fixed blade 5.5" or less.

Gringop

The law states that you may not have a Bowie knife, but it leaves the definition of a Bowie knife vague. One thing's for certain, a Bowie knife is fixed blade knife, not a folder. Like I said, I just stated what is generally safe in the law, but I did not go into any specifics. What you stated is something very specific in the law that could be argued in court with the verdict being vague. I am trying to help the newbies with an easy generality that will be useful and true in all situations while you are trying to confuse the matter. Please refrain from doing so. Thank you.

P.S. Again, if you are traveling through many states, be sure that your gun and magazine are legal (some states have high capacity magazine limits). Also, some states limit how many guns you may carry, too. After you make sure your guns are legal, be sure to make sure that your knife is legal. If you don't want to waste the time, then a safe bet would be that a small 3 inch blade Swiss Army knife that doesn't have a lock blade feature will be legal because such a knife is clearly a utility knife and cannot be used as a weapon. The only jurisdiction that I can think of where even such a knife would be banned would be an airport, a courthouse, or a schools with their "zero tolerance" policies. Stay safe and have fun on your road trips!

I open carried in New Mexico last month! No body bothered me, but in may have been because most of my time there was at the Founders Ranch shooting range!