Question about Florida gun laws

[Bottom Gun]

I have to go over to Ft Walton Beach to work a contract for a few months or maybe more. I'm planning to take a few guns with me including one of my evil black rifles in hopes of finding a place to shoot.
I have a valid Arizona CCW which I understand will allow me to carry in Florida.

I checked the NRA-ILA site and the laws seem fairly straight forward except for some obscure reference to magazines over 20 rd capacity.

Are there any unusual laws in Florida I need to be aware of?

Thanks for your help,

Ken

 

[ctdonath]

Make that two. Gainesville FL might be home for a year.

 

[Gray Peterson]

1) No open carry unless you're on your own curtilage (property).

2) The 20 round thing only applies if you're committing a violent crime. It's a sentence enhancement.

3) Carry is not allowed at National Forests.

 

[Bottom Gun]

Thanks for the good info.

That National Forest restriction is quite different from what we have here.

Is that NF restriction just for open carry or does it apply to CCW as well?

 

[beerslurpy]

Applies to all sorts of carry. For all intents and purposes florida is a no-open-carry state. Something to do with tourists from blue states. National forests sillyness is a federal law anyway I think.

And yeah, there is pretty much no other restriction that I can think of. No going into the usual places (liquor serving portion of a bar, police station, legislature, airport, etc) but otherwise no issues with where you can carry. I have never seen a business post a "no guns" or "no concealed carry" sign.

 

[Gray Peterson]

Applies to all sorts of carry. For all intents and purposes florida is a no-open-carry state. Something to do with tourists from blue states. National forests sillyness is a federal law anyway I think.

s. 790.053, the open carry prohibition, only applies to firearms and electric weapons that fire a dart.

The "federal law" is a national park regulation. Doesn't apply to natural forests. The National Forest provision is a state law in s. 790.11. Old law that's been there since the 1920's, you can't carry unless you recieve a permit from the counties where the forest land is, and I guarantee you most of the county commissioners won't give you one. It's a throwback to the old issuance of carry permits. It should be repealed.

 

[Bottom Gun]

You can carry anywhere in the National Forests here. Here along the border these days, you just about have to carry something.

They also allow target shooting in these National Forests which I particularly enjoy but some of the local slobs are doing their best to get get that changed by turning certain areas into trash dumps with shot up appliances, vehicles and just about every kind of trash you can think of.
The forst people have already started to close a few small areas to shooting and I'm afraid many more will follow if these irresponsible shooters don't stop what they have been doing.

 

[beerslurpy]

Yeah but if youre in florida and you open carry, you will get in trouble even if you were open carrying inside a federal park inside florida.

If I am wrong, then that is kind of cool, but also kind of confusing and inconsistent.

 

[Bottom Gun]

You're probably right about that. Each National Forest here can make its own specific regs.

 

[Fenrik]

In the Ocala National Forest you can only carry during hunting season. I'm not sure if you are required to have a hunting license though... Also concealed carry is out, even in your vehicle.

Basically if you're in a national forest in Fl and you aren't hunting, best leave to guns at home. Because the first question out of a LEO's mouth if they stop you will be "do you have any guns in the car?"

I know first hand :banghead:

 

[Bottom Gun]

Is there much state or BLM land there?

If so, are you allowed to shoot on it?

 

[fb]

I just returned from Ft. Walton about two weeks ago. You better take some sun tan lotion along! Gettting warm down there.
Dont go to the Ft. Walton police and ask any questions about gun laws, they either dont know the right answer or dont want you to carry. Instead go to the sherrifs dept. At least that was my experience.
I was there for about three months and carrried erywhere except bars, no problems at all. Good Luck and dont forget that suntan lotion!

 

[Hkmp5sd]

Get your info straight from the source:

Division of Licensing - Concealed Weapon or Firearm Program - Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

The following is a list of places where you are restricted from carrying a weapon or firearm even if you have a license. Please note that this is a simplified list. The places marked by an asterisk (*) may have exceptions or additional restrictions. See Section 790.06 (12), Florida Statutes for a complete listing.

any place of nuisance as defined in s. 823.05
any police, sheriff, or highway patrol station
any detention facility, prison, or jail; any courthouse
any courtroom*
any polling place
any meeting of the governing body of a county, public school district, municipality, or special district
any meeting of the Legislature or a committee thereof
any school, college, or professional athletic event not related to firearms
any school administration building
any portion of an establishment licensed to dispense alcoholic beverages for consumption*
any elementary or secondary school facility
any area technical center
any college or university facility*
inside the passenger terminal and sterile area of any airport*
any place where the carrying of firearms is prohibited by federal law