No CCW in Wisconsin, but can you carry a handgun in public unconcealed?

[dxkj21]

Just curious..

[Bad Words]

http://www.packing.org/state/wisconsin/#stateno_ccw

It's always a good idea to verify that this information is up to date.

[Monkeyleg]

It's legal, but you'll be arrested for disturbing the peace.

[dasmi]

http://opencarry.org/wi.html

[dxkj21]

Arrested for disturbing the peace???? That makes no sense...


According to the laws I was linked, it is legal to open carry, but if it is in your car it must be unloaded, no magazine with bullets attached, and empty chamber, on your days... the seat next to you is considered concealed


Can I have a full magazine in the center console as long as it is not in the gun?

[Bad Words]

You should check out the actual law as provided by the WI government, http://www.legis.state.wi.us/statutes/Stat0167.pdf. The dashboard part that both of the earlier links refer to isn't in the WI laws that I can see. It says the gun has to be unloaded and encased.

Nowhere does it address having a loaded magazine in the car that I can find, and it has a definition of "unloaded" in the law that says it means unchambered and empty mag. They also define "encased".

The WI constitution says "The people have the right to keep and bear arms for security, defense, hunting, recreation or any other lawful purpose." which is pretty contradictory to their car law (not to mention the other restrictions).

[Standing Wolf]

Arrested for disturbing the peace???? That makes no sense...

Nobody ever said laws in states dominated by leftist extremists make sense.

[FireBreather01]

The car rule - that being any loaded weapon in a car constitutes illegal concealed carry is set not by law but by case precedent. So even if you have a sign that says - "handgun" with an arrow pointing to it laying on your dash in full view - it's still concealed under WI case law.

God help us - this next attempt at CCW will succeed. I can't tell you guys how frustrating it is to read these forums with all of the stories, situations, and discussions about concealed carry while we in Wiskonsin live in fear, subject to the rule of the ignorant and uninformed. If I ever get a chance to meet our idiot governor face to face, I will certainly enjoy making him look small and foolish while I dismantle every argument he has against CCW.

[mpthole]

It's legal, but you'll be arrested for disturbing the peace. Not that I doubt that it would happen... but I've never seen anyone actually point to a documented case of it. If there is one out there, I'd love to see it!

Part of the reason why noone is walking down Main street carrying openly is that a single person can hardly afford the financial burden of defending themselves if they happen to get arrested; and none of the gun groups are willing to throw any money behind any kind of an open carry effort.

For a time there was a small groundswell of folks that were ready to tackle this thing head-on. [ see (WGO in trouble) (http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=159226) (Defense Walk a Go) (http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=8&f=21&t=201681) ] They were strongly discouraged from doing it. "Just wait for another legislative session - and this time we'll make it happen!" was the common response. IMO, it was due to this negative attitude and what little leadership there was getting caught up in life outside of the gun rights movement (not pointing fingers - I'm as busy as anybody) that the "open-carry walks" fizzled.

Now, as the weather gets colder, I look at open-carry as the "nuclear" option. If the concealed carry bill doesn't get put into law by next spring, I think the only option is to start carrying openly. But before that happens, we'll need to get (*&*&^%(&(*%% organized for once and get people on the same page! :banghead:

Dick - I'm not disparaging you or WCCA, I hope you don't take it that way. As far as I'm concerned, the WCCA is about the only group that's shown some promise over the last couple of years I've lived in this state.

[Support The 2nd]

The Wisconsin Patriots started a County Resolution thing to try and bring "open carry" out in the open. It died, not because they failed, but because the public failed because people in Wisconsin DON'T like open carry and DON'T want it, “If it ain't huntin’, I don’t care.” What's more, those that claim to support it only do so when it's convenient. Once it's time to actually "put up or shut up" so to speak, those claiming to support open carry run and hide.

The county resolutions were the exact ticket. They would have drawn this out in the open, but when NOBODY shows up, or speaks in support, and WON'T even call their county supervisors to task and DEMAND they (supervisor) explain their position.

As inaction, is in and of itself an action, one can only conclude that Wisconsinites are HAPPY with having their gun rights trampled.

Firearms ARE being seized and citizens jailed. Individuals ARE being persecuted simply for displaying pictures of themselves holding forearms, and the NRA and WI-Force stand silent. The NRA doesn't support open carry in Wisconsin, the WGOA now called WI-Force does not support open carry, and BOTH "openly" admit it!

[ilmonster]

Maybe this economy with our governor raising all manner of taxes will get him booted out of office. 94% of the country can't be all wrong.

[Dirtpile]

That was the problem here in Ohio too, until CCW passed a couple years ago. Prior to CCW you could open carry but had to unload and stow your weapon and ammo seperately when getting in your car. No doubt you would at least be harrassed by LEOs if you did carry.
Thankfully they fixed that whole "in a holster (on the person too?) in plain view" for motor vehicles that was in the original language of the bill. Still need a CCW permit to open carry in a vehicle though.

[ArchAngelCD]

I'm sorry your guys in WI have to deal with all of that. It's too bad all the States haven't gone to "Shall Issue" on carry permits.

All I know is, you better try to get it done soon because once Obama gets through spending a few Trillion Dollars on his Socialist experiments I fear he will set his sights on guns and ammo. Hopefully those who are already licensed will be grandfathered.

Good luck...

[5knives]

Got tired of fighting it, left WI moved back here last spring, had my CWP in LT 90 days.

I was living too close to Milwaukee and the scum infesting it anyway.

Air might be a little thinner here, but it's a whole lot cleaner.

So's the politics ... so far! On this side of the hills anyhow.

And the Western Slope is VERY gun friendly, open carry? ... well, if your in the mall at Christmas time, management might ask you to put your pistol in your vehicle as your making the transplant yuppies from Kali and the Tourists nervous, but that's about it!

Regards,
:)