Naive question of the day:

What are US regulations for carrying a concealed weapon? I'm in Kelowna British Columbia Canada and it's a no-go here.

Federal laws state that you can't leave a gun loaded in your home as far as I know.

Things suuuuuure seem different across the border.

Originally Posted by b-diddy

Naive question of the day:

What are US regulations for carrying a concealed weapon?

They vary from state to state. There are no issue, may issue, and shall issue states. No issue, no CCW, period. May issue, they can issue, but they probably won't. Shall issue, unless the state can provide a good reason why you can't carry (felon, mental illness, etc.) you can get a CCW. Places you can carry vary by state as well. Check out http://www.handgunlaw.us/ and it will give you a good idea of what the different state's rules are.

Originally Posted by Todd

They vary from state to state. There are no issue, may issue, and shall issue states. No issue, no CCW, period. May issue, they can issue, but they probably won't. Shall issue, unless the state can provide a good reason why you can't carry (felon, mental illness, etc.) you can get a CCW. Places you can carry vary by state as well. Check out http://www.handgunlaw.us/ and it will give you a good idea of what the different state's rules are.

Great Link! Thanks!

What's involved in getting a license to carry?

Testing? Breathalizer? Flipping a coin? Or just submitting a form and waiting (like you would for a library card)?

What are the punishments for folks that carry without having a license in place? American sentences in court are a whole lot stronger for most crimes than up here but I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around the concept of putting my piece on my hip and going to the grocery store.

Does it have to be completely concealed or can it be in a holster.

So many questions...

Originally Posted by b-diddy

Great Link! Thanks!

No problem.

Originally Posted by b-diddy

What's involved in getting a license to carry?

I can only speak for NC, since all the states vary. Here we take an 8 hour course covering basic, basic firearm safety and the laws governing using deadly force. Then you take a test. Additionally you have a shooting qualification. If you pass both the test and the qual, you get a certificate. You take the certificate to the sheriff's office, turn in you cert, a set of fingerprints, your application, and your money. Then wait, wait, wait. They have 90 days here to decide. During that time they are conducting all the background checks on you. Provided you're not a criminal, as NC is a shall issue state, you get your permit. It's valid for 5 years. Then all you need to do is pay the renewal fee.

Originally Posted by b-diddy

What are the punishments for folks that carry without having a license in place?

Couldn't tell ya, since I've never even thought of carrying without a license, so I've never looked it up. But I'm sure, like every other answer I have for you, I bet it varies by state.

Originally Posted by b-diddy

Does it have to be completely concealed or can it be in a holster.

Again, varies by state. If the state has open carry, you can carry it on your hip. If there is no open carry, you need to have it concealed.

Originally Posted by Todd

No problem.



I can only speak for NC, since all the states vary. Here we take an 8 hour course covering basic, basic firearm safety and the laws governing using deadly force. Then you take a test. Additionally you have a shooting qualification. If you pass both the test and the qual, you get a certificate. You take the certificate to the sheriff's office, turn in you cert, a set of fingerprints, your application, and your money. Then wait, wait, wait. They have 90 days here to decide. During that time they are conducting all the background checks on you. Provided you're not a criminal, as NC is a shall issue state, you get your permit. It's valid for 5 years. Then all you need to do is pay the renewal fee.

Couldn't tell ya, since I've never even thought of carrying without a license, so I've never looked it up. But I'm sure, like every other answer I have for you, I bet it varies by state.

Again, varies by state. If the state has open carry, you can carry it on your hip. If there is no open carry, you need to have it concealed.

Thanks for all the info Todd. Reminds me of the Arrogant Worms Song, "Wouldn't it be great if everybody had a gun". (You should all DL it for a good laugh!)


I want to do some research and see what's involved in bringing guns back from across the line. I'm off to Vegas in a couple of weeks for my Stag party and American prices are a LOT better than what we've got here. Any Canadians on this forum who have bought from "the other side of the tracks"?

1 in the chamber at all times

Condition 1 all the time. In my home, in my car, everywhere. I don't want to wish I'd have had enough time to draw, pull the slide to the rear, aim and fire...or worse, forget to pull the slide to the rear. Plus, the gun is always loaded, so if you can remember how to clear,,,and don't have booger hook issues, then no NDs.

Also, very astute points on the set backs. I avoid that by never unloading my gun. I change mags every week, but the slide stays forward and never has to chamber another round unless I take my carrier to the boom boom room.

How do you Carry your XD?

In my hands, with the front and rear sights alligned with my dominant eye.

Why, you carry with yer toes?

Not carrying yet, going to the class next week. Will carry with one in the pipe when I leave the house. At home it's full mag, empty chamber. My XD is within reach when I am asleep and I'm sure my dogs will give me enough of a heads up to get one chambered.

Originally Posted by spacedoggy

If you don't carry with one in the chamber, why carry at all. You will never know if and when and what and how many. When I did carry one of my XD's, had three at one time, I would lock the slide back, drop a round in, close the slide and load a full magazine. Why do I drop one in like I do? Good question. To save the life of my bullet and I believe it's a safer way. A few days back this guy at my range empty his pistol so he could shoot range rounds and I saw that his round was pushed in half way. He did not see a problem until I explain pressure to him and he had a very good chance of killing himself. It was a 40. He now load like I do.

Good point because carrying a gun around without it being 'cocked and locked' is like carrying around a really expensive paper weight.

All my guns are loaded and ready to go. If I have an ND from mishandling one of them, I probably don't deserve to own a gun in the first place. It's not that hard to keep your finger off the trigger.

I've learned that I MIGHT have time to take the safety off - let alone chamber a round.

"Cocked, locked, ready to rock!"

I'm glad you mentioned Para. I like the idea of that Light Dual Action trigger as opposed to cocked and locked, seems like a good compromise and the trigger pull feels pretty good (dry fired in the store, that is).

How-ev-ah, the XD's and XDM are sweet guns so I don't know what to get. That XD 9mm compact really caught my eye yesterday.

Doesn't seem to be much reported about the Paras around here. I'd be curious to hear from anyone who could report Springfield vs. Para from their experiences.

One in the chamber which means it is ready to use. I can't understand why anyone would carry any other way.

always 1 in the pipe.

I heard XD's SUCK! j/k

Originally Posted by BigMatt

I heard XD's SUCK! j/k

Don't believe everything you hear!!

Originally Posted by BigMatt

I heard XD's SUCK! j/k

Hey pass me one o' those before they're all gone..
It's close enough to Friday.
I gotta bottle opener somewhere. Lemme look.

Originally Posted by babs

Hey pass me one o' those before they're all gone..
It's close enough to Friday.
I gotta bottle opener somewhere. Lemme look.

mine is loaded at all times like someone else said why carry if its not locked and loaded, just remember might not be enough time to rack the slide !!!!!!!!!

If you really want to know, go to a range that has a tactical training class.
See if your idea of an empty pipe is a good idea. The range I go to has Tactical Tuesdays, you go through about 175 rounds in 35 minutes. You need at least two mags and a speed loader.
There is no time to reload, the instructor goes trough a series of drills and when you leave, you know you have been through some serious training.

The first time I took the class we did hostage shooting, you need to take out the hostage taker in the forehead, at around 10 yards.5 shots in 3 seconds. No rounds in the hostage, no flyers, all = lawsuit.

Now you go into "shoot no shoot" drills. The instructor sets the targets on edge and if it faces you you shoot, if it turns away from you you don't shoot, all the while the range officers are yelling just the opposite in your ear.

A quick reload and into a carjacking scenario, shooting from a sitting position. Quick reload and go into a charging intruder scenario, unload your clip into the target before it gets to you from 10 yards out. You may think that's far but it's not. All in all you come away with new perspective on what you need to train for during your range time. I go whenever I can, just to see if I have gotten better.

Remember any holes outside of the silhouette is a lawsuit. That is the kicker, you are getting yelled at all the while you try to keep your composure and shoot in the target where the instructor wants the hits.

They also have lights out Thursday nights. 1 hour before close they turn out the lights so you can practice with your night sights & flashlight or lasers. Perfect for low light underground garage scenario.

Regarding my XD...

I carry one in the chamber:

At home, on the roam, I carry one in the chamber while on the can, I carry one in the chamber in the van, I carry one in the chamber while out and about and always while eating out (like at restaurants you pervs), I carry one in the chamber at movies and while carrying out my daily duties. I carry one in the chamber while running, I carry one in the chamber while working, I've even been known to carry one in the chamber while napping....


The only time my gun is empty (Yes I consider an empty chamber to be an empty gun) is while it's not in use in the safe.

If it's not ready to go at a moments notice, it's useless.

Originally Posted by VAMarine

Regarding my XD...

I carry one in the chamber:

At home, on the roam, I carry one in the chamber while on the can, I carry one in the chamber in the van, I carry one in the chamber while out and about and always while eating out (like at restaurants you pervs), I carry one in the chamber at movies and while carrying out my daily duties. I carry one in the chamber while running, I carry one in the chamber while working, I've even been known to carry one in the chamber while napping....


The only time my gun is empty (Yes I consider an empty chamber to be an empty gun) is while it's not in use in the safe.

If it's not ready to go at a moments notice, it's useless.

this is true for me as well...
HOWEVER ... one time I needed a "BANG" and all I got was a "click"

that will never happen again !

Originally Posted by VAMarine

Regarding my XD...

I carry one in the chamber:

At home, on the roam, I carry one in the chamber while on the can, I carry one in the chamber in the van, I carry one in the chamber while out and about and always while eating out (like at restaurants you pervs), I carry one in the chamber at movies and while carrying out my daily duties. I carry one in the chamber while running, I carry one in the chamber while working, I've even been known to carry one in the chamber while napping....


The only time my gun is empty (Yes I consider an empty chamber to be an empty gun) is while it's not in use in the safe.

If it's not ready to go at a moments notice, it's useless.

What he said.