concealed or open

[oiler]

HI I am comeing to visit your great state tthis coming week . And i hold a ohio ccw card how ever im not sure how to carry in the car OPEN orCONCEALED I'VE LOOK FOR STATEMENTS CAN'T SEEM TO FIND. THANKS FOR THE HELP

[SomeGuy]

Legally, you can carry it taped to your forehead, or sit on it. TN laws are eons better than Ohios. Enjoy your stay.

PS. Caps lock is over on the left.

[johnharris]

The answer is not clear from the statute unless you know the legislative history.

Here is a link to a state Attorney General opinion on the issue which correctly concludes that concealment is not required in Tennessee. (Sometimes it helps to know how to write the requests in order to direct the response)....

http://www.tennesseefirearms.com/law_re ... 05-154.pdf

[tjbert47]

[MitchSchaft]

[SomeGuy]

Mitch, I do it all the time. Zero problems. The fear of open carry is far over blown.

[MitchSchaft]

But you're ignoring the reason why we are able to "open carry". You used to get in trouble for brandishing if your shirt lifted up too far. They changed the law so that isn't so anymore. It wasn't an invitation to carry openly.

Plus, that's just dangerous. You're giving away the surprise and handing your advantage over to the bad guys.

[SomeGuy]

Again Mitch, what you are saying is hype with no basis in fact.

There is absolutely no evidence that carrying openly gives an advantage to the bad guys, or is dangerous. If you feel it is, by all means carry in a manner you prefer, but you should not confuse your feelings with facts.

As for legislative intent, I disagree. Texas is a concealed only state, but if you accidentally expose you are not committing a crime. They intended for their state to have no open carry, and they wrote laws that made intentionalally carrying an unconcealed gun a crime. While there may have been some legislators who wanted concealed only, the legislation shows no evidence of that to me.

As for an 'invitation' to open carry, the law no more invites me to open than to conceal. It is silent on this issue.

[BamaBoy]

I recently had some work done to my truck at a fast lube place. The manager was openly carrying his automatic. However, I didn't even realize I had noticed it until I had left. Didn't phase me in the least and I have never open carried.

I learned that open carry didn't bother me, but wonder if I would have felt different prior to receiving my handgun permit and read so much about the subject.

I don't open carry just because I think for me it's better than forgetting and entering a place where it may be off limits. Even though it would still be off limits in those places, at least carrying concealed may keep me out of trouble if I forget.

[jim coulter]

To quote someguy-"There is absolutely no evidence that carrying openly gives an advantage to the bad guys, or is dangerous. If you feel it is, by all means carry in a manner you prefer, but you should not confuse your feelings with facts."

I've always had a problem with open carry because there are alot of people in this state that are afraid of guns, (my mother is one of them) and they tend to get upset when they see guns carried openly (especially when their with their children). My mom has no problem with me carrying, but doesn't want to see it. Some people go as far as complaining to law enforcement or their legislators when they see people carrying open. I personally don't feel it helps the pro constitution, pro gun cause to do so. On my corvette and bronco sites there is much debate (ok, little debate-since most are 90% in favor of the constitution and usually one or two liberal yahoo's that are anti gun) about the Virginia Tech incident and what would have happened if just one conceal carry person had been there to shoot back while the a**hole reloaded. I would venture to say that if someone was there carrying open he or she would have been shot first (get the threat out of the way) and then the students would have been shot. With it concealed, you have the element of surprise. I've only met one person before that carried openly and after talking to him it was clear he wanted everyone to see his gun cause he thought it made him "badass" The only impression he gave me was "IDIOT" I'm not saying that everyone that carries open is an idiot (although not that far from it), but do feel they do more harm than good and for no "good" reason I can find. Enlighten me on "good" points of carrying open. The fact that it scares some people, removes the element of surprise and hurts the pro gun cause I feel are good reasons not to carry open. What are the "good" reasons to carry open? Just curious. Oh and it doesn't scare off the bad guys. THEY now have the element of surprise. They come up behind you stick THEIR gun in your back, take YOUR gun and wallet and run off. Now the "bad" guys have one more gun (yours) and your money. Just don't see the "good" of open carry. Would love to hear your "facts" about open carry.

[johnharris]

[Zander]

"That said, I prefer and generally recommend concealment for a variety of other reasons."

So do I...but occasionally carry 'open'. For instance, if stopping to buy gas at a 'pay-at-the-pump' station. Or a quick stop for coffee at one of the local stop-and-robs.

Mostly, I conceal to keep from disturbing the sheeple encountered in public, despite mixed thoughts on positive vs. negative effects.

Not everyone I encounter in West Knoxville grew up in Tennessee.

...Alex

[Hutch45]

[JTravis]

[GGUNSHOP]

There is no legal badge athorized or issued by the dept of safety for carry permits. Also every other legitimate "badge" in this state, as far as Im aware is issued by a dept of some kind.

IMHO, anyone that may see the badge are going to make an assessment that you are a law enforcment officer. Reason being, most reasonable persons would associate a gun and badge with a police officer. Who knows what people will do, wonder how many "badge" wearers have gotten there food spit in... or worse. Fact is you need to keep the firearm concealed, and the last thing you want anyone to think is your a cop.

I have spoken to several different officers with different agencys... they agree concealed weapons badges are not a good idea. It makes you look like a "wanna be". Some have stated they would arrest someone for impersonation if they see them with a handgun and a unathorized badge attached in the proximity to the gun.

The state may prosecute for this offense via one definition under the criminal impersonation statute. A person commits criminal impersonation who pretends to be a law enforcement officer for the purpose of:

• Engaging in an activity that is ordinarily and customarily an activity established by law as a law enforcement activity; and
• Causing another to believe that the person is a law enforcement officer.

Having a gun and badge both visible, would make a reasonable person believe you are indeed the police.



John, whats you opinion on this? I forgot the particular T.C.A location on this.

[johnharris]

Phillip

Both law enforcement and private security wear badges to identify themselves in an official capacity.

I have seen private citizens wear these permit holder badges. While there are arguments that rationalize the decisions, none of them have persuaded me to put one on and look like I am some kind of detective or plain clothes officer. I carry a gun most of the time. I just don't want anyone to see it, to know it or to mistake me for a police officer if THEY want to commit a crime and eliminate a potential threat in advance.

Just my opinion.

[JTravis]

[GGUNSHOP]

also there are particular laws in the TCA that allow both licensed security and sworn law enforcment to wear a badge, there are none for private citizens.

Always keep it concealed in my opinion.