What Towns Out West Still Allow Open Carry?

[RonGoode]

My father and I are heading west soon and we thought of hitting some Cowboy Towns of the past. Are there many places left, especially out west where people can still carry open as they could 100 years ago?

[nemesis]

I guess you could try Phoenix.

[Standing Wolf]

All of Colorado except Denver, which seems determined to become the San Francisco of the Rocky Mountains.

[Valkman]

Open carry is legal in Nevada, although I don't know how far you'd get in Reno or Vegas. :)

[armoredman]

Arizona, except for the Indian reservations.

[Zak Smith]

Denver has no legal standing to prohibit open carry in all of Denver. Only specific areas can be posted, and I haven't seen ANY yet.

-z

[SteelyDan]

Just bear in mind that, even if it's perfectly legal, if you walk into a McDonalds in Scottsdale (or wherever) with a hogleg on your hip, you might end up dealing with the local authorities. It's your life, make your own choices, but--for better or worse--this isn't 1880.

[had]

all of az. if you want to see a old cowboy town go see tombstone az. it is southeast of tuscon. if you go to colorado try to see creede co. it is a old mining town at about 9000 ft nice area.

had

[Len_in_Phoenix]

I've actually been to a McDonald's in Scottsdale while openly carrying my Kimber. No trouble, no 'visit from the authorities'....nobody seemed to notice.

I did get exceptionally good service though. :evil:


Len in PHoenix

[Treylis]

Just bear in mind that, even if it's perfectly legal, if you walk into a McDonalds in Scottsdale (or wherever) with a hogleg on your hip, you might end up dealing with the local authorities. It's your life, make your own choices, but--for better or worse--this isn't 1880.

Ditto Len's experience. I've never had any problems openly carrying in Scottsdale or any part of the Phoenix metro area--even the most urban sections. The only irritation is getting the "hey, are you a cop?" questions every now and then.

Plus, the local authorities can do jack-all about it. I wouldn't care if they did come, I'd just quote the Arizona Revised Statutes right at them.

[Treylis]

Just bear in mind that, even if it's perfectly legal, if you walk into a McDonalds in Scottsdale (or wherever) with a hogleg on your hip, you might end up dealing with the local authorities. It's your life, make your own choices, but--for better or worse--this isn't 1880.

Ditto Len's experience. I've never had any problems openly carrying in Scottsdale or any part of the Phoenix metro area--even the most urban sections. The only irritation is getting the "hey, are you a cop?" questions every now and then.

Plus, the local authorities can do jack-all about it. I wouldn't care if they did come, I'd just quote the Arizona Revised Statutes right at them.

[Erich]

Any town in NM is legal for open carry, provided one makes sure to not go into places where carry is forbidden (e.g., school zones, universities, buses, anywhere that sells liquor, etc. ).

You will definitely turn a few heads, though, and I wouldn't recommend it.

[WhoKnowsWho]

I wouldn't care if they did come, I'd just quote the Arizona Revised Statutes right at them.

But if you are disturbing the peace and someone complains, I thought they could ask you to leave immediately or get rid of the piece?

[wqbang]

Washington is open carry, but I myself have not seen anyone carrying openly unless they were a security guard or in a national forest. I wouldn't recommend it in the Puget Sound area at all.

There is some debate about Washington law on open carry. There is no law restricting it specifically.

[wqbang]

Washington is open carry, but I myself have not seen anyone carrying openly unless they were a security guard or in a national forest. I wouldn't recommend it in the Puget Sound area at all.

There is some debate about Washington law on open carry. There is no law restricting it specifically.

[Warhawk]

Kansas is an open carry state, unless there is a local ordinance against it. Or it's a school, govt building, etc.

Wyoming is open carry too, and you actually see open carry in Wyoming.

[Mal H]

Madrid, NM. And they don't care if you have your sidearm with you as well.

;)

[denfoote]

Not just Phoenix, but the whole state of Arizona!!!! :D

[tulsamal]

I _thought_ that you could carry openly in rural areas of Oklahoma but my local deputy sheriff put me face down in the gravel for it anyway. (A whole 100 yards or so from my house.)

I've since read the OK law several times and I _still_ don't really understand if I was breaking any laws or not!!

Wow, that was almost exactly a year ago!

http://www.falfiles.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=80795

Gregg

[Sam]

Mal H,
Last time I went to Madrid, you wouldn't want to enter unless they knew you were packing.

[Mal H]

Sam - yep, you've been to Madrid. :)

Actually, I like the little town. Probably about as free to do whatever you want there as you can get in the US.

[Fatcat]

Oregon allows open carry, though certain towns have passed laws against it (Portland).

[SteelyDan]

Madrid, New Mexico, huh? Sounds like the kind of town I might have liked if I hadn't made just about every important life choice in an opposite direction. The town folks would probably crush me (actually, probably not), but at least I'd feel like I was living. This professional suburban thing just wears at your soul... Madrid is now on my radar screen, and I'll bet a nickle I check it out in the next 4 years.

For those who have successfully done the open carry thing in Scottsdale or elsewhere in AZ, more power to you, and I stand partially corrected. Nonetheless, I can't shake the feeling that if I tried it there would probably be three squad cars showing up within 10 minutes. Glad to hear I'm probably wrong.

[sabre]

While I generally carry concealed in the city these days, I often carry openly in the more remote areas of Arizona. I have never had anyone (including LEO's with which I have conversed while out & about) make any comment about my sidearm. FWIW, I have seen folks carrying here in our local WalMart (just outside of Phoenix) a couple of times in the last few months and nobody seemed to care. That said, I don't see as much openly carried hardware here in town as I did 10 or 15 years ago, so I suppose Phoenix is getting more "metropolitan :(" Get out of the PHX metro area, however, and you really won't raise an eyebrow with the pistol on your hip:)

Bill

[Erich]

Nowadays Madrid is full of Santa Fe folks who would just choke if they saw a gun that wasn't being carried by someone in either a blue uniform or a blue helmet.

It was getting that way when I moved here in '88, and it's full-on that way now. "Do your own thing" as long as it's what we'd approve of. :fire: Well, at least the times I've been through, anyway . . . I suppose it's possible that there are some regular folks still there.

(Sorry for being such a grouch. :) )

[Sistema1927]

Anywhere in Catron County, New Mexico.

I was deer hunting there last year, and my buddy (who lives there) and myself stopped at the general store to get a few supplies. I was going to unstrap my side arm, but he told me to continue to wear it, especially since there were no liquor sales in town.

While inside, he introduced me to the local deputy sheriff, who commended me for not being a scoff law. Catron County has an ordinance that REQUIRES every able bodied male to be armed.

[bendable]

bumper sticker:
are you prepared for the amount of attention you are attracting?

[Mal H]

Erich, I think you're probably right and it's sad. The last time I was there, a lot of artsy folks had moved in. Prior to that, the nearest thing to authority was an old German Police dog that would lie in the middle of the road. So, SteelyDan, be sure to check it out real-time if you decide to make a move. Actually, Erich's city, Albuquerque is a pretty good selection as big cities go. It's got its problems, but what city doesn't? Madrid is about 30 to 35 miles NE of there. Nonetheless, I still like that part of NM. The weather is one of the better kept secrets. Sure it gets a little hot, but not unpleasant, nights are comfortable, winters are cold but mild.

[Sam]

Madrid and Golden were both pretty free wheeling places. Now the Santa Fe (read relocated Kali refugees) have move in.
ABQ isn't a bad place but hell you can't legally fire a weapon anywhere in the Peoples Republik of Bernallio except at the range.
Can't shoot jacks for dogfood out on the west mesa no more.

Sam

[Vern Humphrey]

Quote:
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Kansas is an open carry state, unless there is a local ordinance against it. Or it's a school, govt building, etc.
-----------------------------------

And there was a similar comment about Colorado.

Now, I'm from Arkansas, and I drive through a bit of Missouri (where I can carry on my Arkansas permit), then clear across Kansas, and beyond Denver every elk season.

Are you guys saying that I can simply switch to open carry at the Missouri line, and be legal?

[tulsamal]

Are you guys saying that I can simply switch to open carry at the Missouri line, and be legal?

Now you are starting to get me worried! I live in the very NE corner of OK and end up in Missouri once a month or so. I've been using my OK CCW there since the Missouri CCW law went into effect. I hope you aren't saying there is something wrong with that?!

(I'm off to packing.org to check!)

Gregg

[tulsamal]

It looks to me like OK and MO still works both ways. The Arkansas situation is weird but works in your favor. It looks like MO honors the Arkansas permit but AR doesn't honor the MO permit?! Anyway, why wouldn't you just continue to be concealed through MO? Am I missing something?

http://www.packing.org/state/index.jsp/missouri

Gregg

Sorry, I just reread your post. You are actually just worried about Kansas! You already said you could carry in MO. I was getting worried I had been doing something illegal.

I don't know a thing about the law in Kansas but I know they aren't very humorous about guns up there. Even if open carry was OK walking down some rural road, I doubt it is OK while driving a vehicle. (And it would be even dicier for an out of state resident.)

[Vern Humphrey]

Quote:
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I doubt it is OK while driving a vehicle. (And it would be even dicier for an out of state resident.)
---------------------------------

That's what I'm afraid of. What's wrong with those people in Kansas? To quote me sainted Irish mither, "Don't they know they could walk better if they'd pull that corncob out?"

[auldpharght]

"My father and I are heading west soon and we thought of hitting some Cowboy Towns of the past. Are there many places left, especially out west where people can still carry open as they could 100 years ago?"

Where the hell are you from, Ron? Do you also want to see wagon trains, teepees, train robbers and cattle drives? You're going to be VERY disappointed.

Auldpharght in
Oklahoma

[Warhawk]

I escaped from Kansas about a year and a half ago.

There is some great hunting and fishing there, that's about it. They recently elected a female Dimokrat for Governor, so don't expect the gun laws to get better any time soon.

[ExtremeDooty]

If you're looking for adventure, it's legal to open carry in Michigan. Take a stroll through Detroit with a hogleg and Cowboy hat. It's not the wild west, but I bet you'll get plenty of action.

[Logistar]

I think I know where you are coming from Mr. Ron E. Goode. I was in Deadwood SD last week. All these guys were running around playing poker in the middle of the street with gunfire (blanks I think :scrutiny: ) erupting again and again.

- Made me wish I'd brought a revolver, strapped it on and walked through town. I saw no one open carrying except the "actors" though. I had a 9mm concealed.

Hmmm... those guys WERE actors weren't they? :what:

[Dienekes]

I would find another way to soak up the ambiance and "feel Western". I could carry openly 24/7/365--but just exactly what are we trying to prove here?

There are just enough people around of all sorts to take notice of an openly carried piece to complicate your life. Better to be discreet and go about your business. Make your personal statements in ways that don't involve deadly weapons.

As for the wannabe gunslingers running around in cowboy costume and firing blanks in the air, it's embarassing as hell. I hung up my Kilgores about age 10. One of these days Murphy will get a live round into a gun and it'll be Katy bar the door.

[Ankeny]

Dienekes:

You don't need a live round for things to go South in a hurry. I was standing right next to one of the cowboy actors in Laramie back in the early 1970's when one of his actor friends decided to shoot a blank at him from about five feet away. The stuffing from the blank blew all over the guy's intestines and some of it even managed to get into his stomach. He was darned lucky to survive.

The guys running around shooting at each other at Jubilee Days, Frontier Days, etc. need a swift kick in the ass. I agree the gunhandling and disregard for safety is indeed "embarrassing".

[ExtremeDooty]

There was an actor several years ago that thought it would be funny to shoot himself in the head with a blank on the set. He died. I've forgotten his name already, but he was an up and coming action star.

[Mal H]

Several actors have been killed with blanks. A couple that come to mind are Brandon Lee and Jon-Erik Hexum.

[ExtremeDooty]

Hexum was the one I was thinking of, can't believe I forgot about Brandon Lee. What a shame. I wonder if this kind of stupidity or carelessness comes from spending too much time in make believe worlds required of actors.

OTOH....After listening to some of them talk, a lot of the Hollywood crowd are obviously morons to begin with.

[Sam]

To quote one of my favorite authors:

"think of it as evolution in action"


Sam

[krept]

I see some people carrying openly from time to time out here. The funny thing is, a lot of people don't notice (unless they are in very close proximity) because they are pretty much walking around oblivious to everyone else.

Have never seen anyone that notices freak out over it. Some just stare a little more. IMO appearance has a lot to do with it. If you dress like a thug, expect stares... slacks and tucked in shirt and people most likely think LE.


BTW... IIRC Brandon was killed by a bullet. Some weird thing about a bullet from a dummy cartridge lodged in the cylinder of a set revolver that was then forced out at a later time by a blank with enough force to do him in.

[mrstang01]

From Snopes.com

Brandon Lee (died 31 March 1993)

A stunt gone wrong during the filming of The Crow cost the son of Bruce Lee his life. A blank fired from a .44 magnum revolver felled him. He died hours later in hospital. The metal tip of one of the dummy bullets had somehow pulled loose from its brass casing. When the dummies were unloaded and replaced with blanks, the metal tip remained behind in the gun's cylinder. As soon as the blank went off, its explosive force propelled the dummy tip through the gun barrel -- and into Lee's body.

FMI, here's a more complete link:
http://www.snopes.com/movies/actors/brandlee.htm

[Treylis]

But if you are disturbing the peace and someone complains, I thought they could ask you to leave immediately or get rid of the piece?

Haha, I wouldn't be "disturbing the peace" by just wearing a holstered handgun. If I'm walking around waving it about in the air... well, that's brandishing. You can't be charged with such nonsense here. I've walked by literally hundreds and hundreds of cops... I nod, say hello, they nod back, and never even say anything. A number of them don't even seem to notice, or they look when I'm not looking at them. Your mileage may vary depending on how you're dressed.

If I'm in a private establishment, they can ask me to leave, yes, but then again, they can ask me to leave for any reason whatsoever. The gun is immaterial, it's just plain trespassing regardless of the circumstances if I refuse and want to stick around.