I'm I being too paranoid. I live in PA and I do not have a CW permit. When I go to the shooting range I carry in my duffel bag bullets, eye and ear protection, and a small lockable pistol box for my pistol and clips. I always keep the the pistol box locked until I'm read to shoot. I have one group of people saying that I do not have to keep the box locked and tecnically I could keep the pistol with the bullets in the same bag (which don't sound right and would just scratch up the pistol anyway), The other group say that I should keep the locked pistol box out for all the world to see, and use the duffel for the bullets and gear since the bullets and the gun should not be in the same bag, regardless if it is in locked box, seperate from the bullets. I always did this with my long guns, but honestly there are not too many duffel bags that can carry both a locked rifle case and bullets anyway. Meanwhile everyone with a CW permit shrugs their shoulders and say this is why I have a permit to carry. Can anyone give me a straight answer?? Am I doing anything illegal???
Carrying of weapons without CW permit
- Thread starter Mikeyboy
- Start date
Plenty of information found here, including:
PA's car/gun law summary.
PA's carrying with out a permit/license law summary.
PA's car/gun law summary.
PA's carrying with out a permit/license law summary.
Boss Spearman
New member
"Any person who carries a firearm in any vehicle or any person who carries a firearm concealed on or about his person, except in his place of abode or fixed place of business, without a valid and lawfully issued license under this chapter commits a felony of the third degree."
Which is a double-edged sword, because how would one transport a firearm to their place of business, or to their abode without a license?
Which is a double-edged sword, because how would one transport a firearm to their place of business, or to their abode without a license?
Boss Spearman
New member
My mistake, I did not read the exceptions. That makes much more sense.
Thanks guys, I guess both sides are right, I'm going to and from a pistol range so the exemption applies. To be safe, I'll keep the pistol case exposed, even though it is still concealed, you kind of get the idea what is inside anyway. It will be in a seperate container from the bullets even though the bullets are in a box (container)??? Better yet I will duct tape my gun to my forehead, carrying a light up sign saying Man with Gun, Don't Be Alarmed, Just Going to Gun Range. This is why I never wanted to be a laywer. No wonder so many people get a CW permit.
TheBluesMan
Moderator Emeritus
It is relatively easy to get a PA permit and quite inexpensive too. Is there a reason you don't want to get one?
Hang on while I zip up my Nomex undies... There!
I used to carry all the time with no permit and no intent to get one. I just think it's self-defeating to timidly petition the government for permission to carry the means of defense. Eventually, as luck would have it, my shirt rode up and the next thing I knew I was looking at several police officers pointing Glocks at me.
Nothing much came of the incident except they kept my gun. Now I've bought another one and I only carry occasionally. I'm also a whole lot more careful about the clothes I wear and how they fit. I still have no intention of asking for a CCW.
I used to carry all the time with no permit and no intent to get one. I just think it's self-defeating to timidly petition the government for permission to carry the means of defense. Eventually, as luck would have it, my shirt rode up and the next thing I knew I was looking at several police officers pointing Glocks at me.
Nothing much came of the incident except they kept my gun. Now I've bought another one and I only carry occasionally. I'm also a whole lot more careful about the clothes I wear and how they fit. I still have no intention of asking for a CCW.
Wow, man. You are livin' the Word! 
Not many here, including myself, have the balls to really do that. That is in up to your neck in the doctrinaire belief in the Second Amendment, and while I respect it, it's a scary proposition to actually live by it, given an understand of the possible repercussions.
You have my respect!
-blackmind
Not many here, including myself, have the balls to really do that. That is in up to your neck in the doctrinaire belief in the Second Amendment, and while I respect it, it's a scary proposition to actually live by it, given an understand of the possible repercussions.
You have my respect!
-blackmind
American4guns
New member
i lived in Pa and got a concealed carry in about a week.it was 19 bucks .filled out the form at the sheriffs dept of my county.you can not carry a loaded weapon in our car if you dot have a CCW ,you have to keep ammo and fire arm stored seperately while in transit.Now i'm back in NJ and i could'nt get a carry permit even if i was God.Grrrrr jersey sucks.and all i have is 10 round mags for my ar without the collapsable stock or the baynet lug and removable bird cage lol
jburtonpdx
New member
I wonder if this would meet the Ohio "plain sight" rule while in a car?
Here's the problem I see.
And understand I used to carry on occassion and had no permit.
Everyone points out in my state (S.C.) the penalty for carrying in the wrong place with a permit is much worse than with out.... this is true...except.
What if you have to use the gun? No body wants to, most of us pray we never will, but...if you do.
If you are carrying concealed with out a permit then you are already committing a crime.. possibly a felony. If someone dies as a result of you committing a felony... guess what that leads too? It's called Felony Murder. One D.A. with a lets make the papers mentality can cause you a whole world of trouble. I agree that you should not have to register with the goverment to carry a pistol...but then, If my shirt rides up I would much rather be showing those cops my permit than having to be worried about more than my shirt riding up down at the county jail.
Sorry, couldn't help myself.
And understand I used to carry on occassion and had no permit.
Everyone points out in my state (S.C.) the penalty for carrying in the wrong place with a permit is much worse than with out.... this is true...except.
What if you have to use the gun? No body wants to, most of us pray we never will, but...if you do.
If you are carrying concealed with out a permit then you are already committing a crime.. possibly a felony. If someone dies as a result of you committing a felony... guess what that leads too? It's called Felony Murder. One D.A. with a lets make the papers mentality can cause you a whole world of trouble. I agree that you should not have to register with the goverment to carry a pistol...but then, If my shirt rides up I would much rather be showing those cops my permit than having to be worried about more than my shirt riding up down at the county jail.
Sorry, couldn't help myself.
Doesn't work that way, I don't think. If you're in possession of thousands in stolen property and you have to defend yourself with a legal gun, the fact that there's an unrelated felony will not convert the self defense shooting into murder. I think the only way to lose the right to self defense is if the altercation leading to the shooting is caused by the other crime.
Some states have safe harbor laws that prevent you from being dinged for illegal ccw if you have to use the gun in self defense.
I dunno.
The problem with carrying without a permit in a state that has a permit provision is that it leaves a lot of leeway in the interpretation of intent and culpability. If there is a legal means of engaging in an activity, and you choose an illegal means to engage in that same activity, it can cast doubt on your good intentions. As we are quick to say, criminals ignore the law. If any person does the same, what's that make them?
The problem with carrying without a permit in a state that has a permit provision is that it leaves a lot of leeway in the interpretation of intent and culpability. If there is a legal means of engaging in an activity, and you choose an illegal means to engage in that same activity, it can cast doubt on your good intentions. As we are quick to say, criminals ignore the law. If any person does the same, what's that make them?
Sendec, most of us are criminals already-- we just haven't been formally charged and convicted of whatever law we've inadvertently broken. Besides, if I remember my history correctly, all those dead white guys who signed the Declaration of Independence were considered criminals by the Crown. On a somewaht more modern note, Rosa Parks was a criminal too. Look at what all those "criminals" did for us.
Claire Wolfe has an essay out which does a pretty good job of defining criminals and outlaws. If you haven't read it I suggest you do so.
Claire Wolfe has an essay out which does a pretty good job of defining criminals and outlaws. If you haven't read it I suggest you do so.
I have read it. I was unimpressed.
People can rationalize anything. The argument that "everybody does it" loses credence after grade school. You do the crime, be prepared for the consequences. You do the crime when you dont have to because there are legal means of doing the same thing, be prepared for the consequences.
And most people are'nt criminals anyway, and I bet a fair number of people resent the inference. After all, arent these the "sheeple" we hold in such low regard?
People can rationalize anything. The argument that "everybody does it" loses credence after grade school. You do the crime, be prepared for the consequences. You do the crime when you dont have to because there are legal means of doing the same thing, be prepared for the consequences.
And most people are'nt criminals anyway, and I bet a fair number of people resent the inference. After all, arent these the "sheeple" we hold in such low regard?
Who are you kidding? Everyone is a criminal. People jaywalk, occasionally (or not-so-occasionally) forget to use a turn signal, speed, cheat a little on taxes, fudge prescriptions, smoke a little pot...
They're sitting out there waiting to give you their freedom. Are you going to take it? Are you man enough to take it?
They're sitting out there waiting to give you their freedom. Are you going to take it? Are you man enough to take it?
Before ohio added the current ccw laws it was not that huge a deal to be caught carrying a concealed gun.
When they added ccw they made the punishment for carrying without a permit a bit worse.
I don't have the specifics because I am too lazy to go look them up since that will cause me to start cussing my elected goofball representatives.
Glad you posted oldphart, my grand dad carried before his state even thought about legal ccw and I have found many from his generation have that attitude. I am always glad to see some folks do as they wish rather than as they are instructed to do by others who feel they can instruct on certain subjects that should just be left alone.
When they added ccw they made the punishment for carrying without a permit a bit worse.
I don't have the specifics because I am too lazy to go look them up since that will cause me to start cussing my elected goofball representatives.
Glad you posted oldphart, my grand dad carried before his state even thought about legal ccw and I have found many from his generation have that attitude. I am always glad to see some folks do as they wish rather than as they are instructed to do by others who feel they can instruct on certain subjects that should just be left alone.