Effect of easier carry laws?

I don't know how easy it was to find a class for CCW in WY. Its a pretty low density state in terms of population. There also was not a lot of crime. Not sure I ever met anyone there who did not own a gun though. First day of hunting season is an official state holiday.

Gun ownership has had this mythical/mystical criminality to it for a few decades now. The average non-gun owner actually believes guns need to be registered, or that you have to have a license, or whatever myth that resides in their minds.

One time, a salesman of mine brought his Kimber to work to show me. He and I were in my office and I was checking it out when another salesman, who has never had anything to do with any gun, ever in his life, walked in. He took one look at me holding a 1911, he froze, pointed and said, "Is that illegal!?!".

Relaxing and/or removing controls from this liberty, and doing it wide open to the public eye, makes the average citizen think. They think that maybe, just maybe they too could enjoy some fruit from liberty's tree.

The Wyoming law was an amendment to the CCW law. The same requirements need to be met to legally carry a concealed gun as those required for the permit.

Only difference is no fees, no finger prints, etc.,no reciprocity with other states, no in state sale of a gun without a records check, and nothing to present to a LEO showing you are one of the good guys.

I think it's worth while to go ahead and get the permit.

As much as I hate to disagree with the well spoken Iggy, I think the carry at will (?) is an excellent option for those of us who chose not to carry full time.

Iggy, have you gotten tired of that old M-27 31/2" yet?

CoRoMo said:

Gun ownership has had this mythical/mystical criminality to it for a few decades now. The average non-gun owner actually believes guns need to be registered, or that you have to have a license, or whatever myth that resides in their minds.

Click to expand...

I would not limit that statement to non-gun owners. Many gun owners believe what the Brady Campaign feeds them as well.

(Utah has tabled this legislation too.) Here's what will happen. There will be a slight upturn in the number of people who carry for a short time after the change. After that, they will revert to what they were before. Those of us who want to carry have done so for years. Everyone who has kept a Glock in their sock drawer for years, and never gotten around to getting their permit will try it for a week, realize that it is uncomfortable, and decide it's no big deal and put it back in the drawer.

I should probably admit that it will be difficult, if not impossible to track these changes.

I think it's worth while to go ahead and get the permit.

Click to expand...

As long as I continue to travel to and through states who require a permit to CC, I agree. If those states would go Constitutional, then I could let my permit expire and I wouldn't think twice about it.

I agree completely with what mljdeckard said. I think that is exactly what will happen. Also, don't forget, without a permit the Federal Gun Free School Zone law applies (completely worthless, but it does apply).

I would not limit that statement to non-gun owners. Many gun owners believe what the Brady Campaign feeds them as well.

Click to expand...

I agree. Especially talking with different people from different states.

I'm new to the CC permit idea. Growing up with guns in the house all my life, it never occurred to me that the government would regulate our gun rights. How does CC work if you travel from state to state? I imagine you would have to have a permit for each state? Do you think that there will ever be a federal CC law?

MidwestHunting said:

I'm new to the CC permit idea. Growing up with guns in the house all my life, it never occurred to me that the government would regulate our gun rights. How does CC work if you travel from state to state? I imagine you would have to have a permit for each state? Do you think that there will ever be a federal CC law?

Click to expand...

You have to look up and see which states honor the CC permit that you have:
http://www.handgunlaw.us/documents/USReciprocity.pdf

I don't think there will ever be a Federal CC law.

In states that do not honor your CC permit, depending on state laws, open carry may be legal, or in most cases, some form of unloaded transportation of your handgun is legal.

oldbear said:

As much as I hate to disagree with the well spoken Iggy, I think the carry at will (?) is an excellent option for those of us who chose not to carry full time.

Iggy, have you gotten tired of that old M-27 31/2" yet?

Click to expand...

How could anyone ever get tired of such a beautiful piece of engineering, craftsmanship, and sheer artistry in carbon steel?
In fact I would hesitate to use it for EDC because if you had to use it you would never see it again.

It got me thinking about how much a change in the law effects gun sales, people carrying on person/ in vehicle. I'm pretty sure that WY's permit to carry wasn't overly difficult to get before. Why not take the steps, but now that nothing needs to be done...start carrying?

Click to expand...

It might give a slight bump in gun sales, mostly from non-gun folks that didn't know the procedure to obtain a carry permit, or even that there IS a permit. There are still a lot of people that think suppressors and full autos are illegal or require some sort of license.
The internet is changing that.
In Wyoming however, I would imagine the gun per-capita rate is much higher so it may not affect sales at all as most folks that have any inclination to own a handgun probably do.

Old bear,

I have no argument with anyone carrying concealed legally. I did it for years before the permit thing came up in Wyoming. When they instituted a permit requirement I got one.

Matter of filling out the forms and getting printed. I warn't no virgin there so I had no qualms about it.

The residual side benefits of having a permit as stated before are the only reason I will continue to get the permit.

If I want to buy a gun from an FFL, we fill out the 4473, I hand him my permit. He looks it over, hands it back, and hands me the gun.

If all the states come to a point of mutual reciprocity without a permit, then there would be no need for one.

Re the 27's, No, I haven't gotten tired of either one of them