Owning a pistol without a conceal carry license

mr_Goodbomb · #1 08-19-2009, 09:29 PM

I'm looking to purchase a firearm legally. I own a shotgun, no restrictions or permits required, but I'd like a handgun to keep in my home and take to the range/private residences that will allow me to shoot there.

I live in a college town, so the local police department are a little uncooperative with basically everything. I have read to contact your local police department for a conceal carry, but I suspect that they won't be very helpful, and I also suspect that such a permit will cost more than the firearms I can afford.

Without such a license, how can you keep and own a handgun? Between taking it from the store and your home, your home and the range, etc, how is this manageable? I suspect keeping a firearm on the seat, even if that's the legal way to do it, is a terrible idea. The police in the area are VERY well known for random traffic stops without reason, and for searches without warrants (they've been known to tell you "you can let us or you can wait til we get in contact with the magistrate and get a warrant, and if you make us do that, we WILL find something"), so carrying it in plain sight or hidden without a permit both seem like bad ideas.

So how can I manage this? I live in West Virginia.

#2 08-19-2009, 09:42 PM

I suggest before you think about buying a pistol become aware of all the handgun laws in your state. For instance here if Texas a civilian who can legally own a handgun can carry that handgun in there own vehicle cocked and locked any where as long as I (a law enforcement officer) can not see it.

mr_Goodbomb · #3 08-19-2009, 10:03 PM

I get conflicting information. I get stopped fairly often (not for speeding, just because the officers around here have nothing to do), and they always ask if I have firearms or knives in my vehicle. If I had a license, or it was legal to carry them and they were in my name, I don't know why this would be an issue. I do short films fairly often, so I've got props, as well, and I always get heckled for my prop weapons (none of which fire, most are plastic). Is this just scare tactics, or?..

Gunmaster45 · #4 08-20-2009, 12:00 AM

If you carry a handgun in your car, don't do what people say is the "right" thing to do and leave it sitting in the passenger seat (Cops are very quickly threatened by this). Put it in the glove compartment, or under your seat. If you are pulled over by a cop, calmly and politely tell the officer you have a legal firearm concealed in your vehicle. NEVER, EVER keep it loaded in the car.

And you can get a pistol permit without getting a carry permit. This just means you can't carry it on your waiste as a sidearm. Transporting it in the car is a moot point.

k9870 · #5 08-20-2009, 12:14 AM

Open carry, keep it unloaded in "luggage" etc.

Gunmaster45 · #6 08-20-2009, 12:18 AM

What's the rules on carrying a gun while traveling on a plane? Are you allowed to bring it with you at all, or no? If you can, do they just put it in the lower bay where it can't be accessed? I'd assume they wouldn't allow it for carry-on, since that makes a terrorist's job all too easy.

I can only imagine how many government censors I've alarmed by my word usage.

JUST TO BE CLEAR, I'M NOT A TERRORIST.

Hopefully that will be a safe precaution.

MoviePropMaster2008 · #7 08-20-2009, 01:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr_Goodbomb

I'm looking to purchase a firearm legally. I own a shotgun, no restrictions or permits required, but I'd like a handgun to keep in my home and take to the range/private residences that will allow me to shoot there.

I live in a college town, so the local police department are a little uncooperative with basically everything. I have read to contact your local police department for a conceal carry, but I suspect that they won't be very helpful, and I also suspect that such a permit will cost more than the firearms I can afford.

Without such a license, how can you keep and own a handgun? Between taking it from the store and your home, your home and the range, etc, how is this manageable? I suspect keeping a firearm on the seat, even if that's the legal way to do it, is a terrible idea. The police in the area are VERY well known for random traffic stops without reason, and for searches without warrants (they've been known to tell you "you can let us or you can wait til we get in contact with the magistrate and get a warrant, and if you make us do that, we WILL find something"), so carrying it in plain sight or hidden without a permit both seem like bad ideas.

So how can I manage this? I live in West Virginia.

You're mistaking KEEPING and OWNING a handgun with CONCEALED CARRY OF A LOADED HANDGUN which is completely different. Unless you live in a turdhole like New York City or Washington DC, you can OWN a handgun if you are over the age of 21 (without adult supervision, whereas a younger person must have adult supervision of some sort, depending on the state). You need no PERMIT nor LICENSE nor permission to OWN a handgun. You pass some sort of background check and fill out a form 4473 (plus any local or state form), but that's it.

Also in West Virginia, you don't ask the local cops. Only the SHERIFF of your county can issue a concealed carry permit.

Go to http://www.wvcdl.org/.

Don't listen to people giving you advice based on THEIR own states of residence. It does NOT help you one bit.

mr_Goodbomb · #8 08-20-2009, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoviePropMaster2008

You're mistaking KEEPING and OWNING a handgun with CONCEALED CARRY OF A LOADED HANDGUN which is completely different. Unless you live in a turdhole like New York City or Washington DC, you can OWN a handgun if you are over the age of 21 (without adult supervision, whereas a younger person must have adult supervision of some sort, depending on the state). You need no PERMIT nor LICENSE nor permission to OWN a handgun. You pass some sort of background check and fill out a form 4473 (plus any local or state form), but that's it.

Also in West Virginia, you don't ask the local cops. Only the SHERIFF of your county can issue a concealed carry permit.

Go to http://www.wvcdl.org/.

Don't listen to people giving you advice based on THEIR own states of residence. It does NOT help you one bit.

I have always heard that going anywhere but your own home (including your car) with a weapon unloaded in your possession is illegal without some sort of permit. Is this correct?

Nyles · #9 08-20-2009, 11:08 PM

I very much doubt that. I'm not from your state, or even country, but any gun law has to differentiate between transporting and carrying a gun. Otherwise you could never take it to the range. Our laws are (generally) stricter than yours and carry is for all intents and purposes illegal, but transport is another matter entirely.

MoviePropMaster2008 · #10 08-21-2009, 12:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr_Goodbomb

I have always heard that going anywhere but your own home (including your car) with a weapon unloaded in your possession is illegal without some sort of permit. Is this correct?

Okay. What LIBERALS have you been listening to ? You live in WEST VIRGINIA!!!!!! That's considered a gun FRIENDLY state and massively more friendly than California, Hawaii, Maryland, New Jersey, Illinois or New York. In fact I have NEVER heard the name WEST VIRGINIA mentioned when talking about the states with the worst gun control!

Hell, I looked up WV Laws on the web. and NO it is NOT correct. Hell, that isn't the case in MY own state of California, so now way in hell it's the case in West Virginia.

Read up on your state laws. It's easy.