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Traveling through WY from CA to Denver, CO

ntnwwnet

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2008
Messages
36
Location
California, USA
Hi all.

My fiancé and I are planning a road trip from our place in the SF bay area to visit her family in Denver, Colorado. I'd like to OC (and/or CC) my P99 and was looking into the different laws for the states we'll be passing through.

Our intended route takes us through Nevada, Utah and part of Wyoming before we get into Colorado. We're planning on spending a night in Salt Lake City each way, but I don't think that changes anything as far as OC/CC is concerned.

Here's what I've gathered:

Notes:
The standard prohibited areas of courthouses, public office, schools, etc. apply in all 4 states.
I don't hold any concealed carry permits in any of the states. No time go get one, either.

Wyoming:
CC: Residents can CC without a permit (as long as they qualify for a permit). Non-residents need a permit from a state that WY honors.
OC: Allowed. Can be loaded (loaded magazine with round in the chamber).

Am I generally correct in what I've been able to figure out?

Thanks!
 

MatieA

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2009
Messages
400
Location
Egbert, Wyoming, USA
You are correct about OC in Wyoming. There are 0 laws regulating OC in Wyoming, so just be wary of the federal anti-zones that you mentioned and you're good. And actually you can OC into public offices, except in the Capitol building. If you stay out of Courthouses, Post Offices, Schools, and the State Capitol Building. you'll be good in Wyoming.
 
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ntnwwnet

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2008
Messages
36
Location
California, USA
A follow-up question: Do my spare magazines (2, carried in a holster on my weak side) need to be openly carried as well, or can I conceal them under my shirt?
 

Nascar24Glock

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2011
Messages
252
Location
Johnson City, TN
Hi all.

My fiancé and I are planning a road trip from our place in the SF bay area to visit her family in Denver, Colorado. I'd like to OC (and/or CC) my P99 and was looking into the different laws for the states we'll be passing through.

Our intended route takes us through Nevada, Utah and part of Wyoming before we get into Colorado. We're planning on spending a night in Salt Lake City each way, but I don't think that changes anything as far as OC/CC is concerned.

Here's what I've gathered:

Notes:
The standard prohibited areas of courthouses, public office, schools, etc. apply in all 4 states.
I don't hold any concealed carry permits in any of the states. No time go get one, either.

Wyoming:
CC: Residents can CC without a permit (as long as they qualify for a permit). Non-residents need a permit from a state that WY honors.
OC: Allowed. Can be loaded (loaded magazine with round in the chamber).

Am I generally correct in what I've been able to figure out?

Thanks!

You are correct. Really, as long as the gun is openly carried (on foot or in the car), you don't have to worry about Wyoming. You need to be more concerned with Nevada, Utah, Colorado, and your own California.

I'll start with California. There are many restrictions on open carry there (as I understand CA law, open carry is not even allowed anymore in incorporated areas at all, subject to exceptions that probably won't apply to you; and it MAY be allowed in non-incorporated areas that haven't banned it). Personally, I would recommend you err on the safe side and carry your gun in a locked gun case and your ammunition in a separate locked case (put both in your car's trunk, if it has one) until you cross over into Nevada.

Now, let's look at Nevada. Generally, open carry on foot is legal without a permit. If you need to pass through North Las Vegas, do some research first or try to avoid it. As for open carrying in the car, it needs to be clearly visible. I would personally recommend you carry it on the dashboard (for safety reasons, don't put a round in the chamber if you don't have some sort of dashboard holster to secure it). If you carry it in a side holster and your seat belt covers it, a police officer might interpret that as carrying concealed without a permit (which, as I understand it, is a FELONY in NV).

Now, let's look at Utah. Based on OC.org's carry map, you can carry in your car however you wish (concealed or open, loaded or not). If you're on foot, it must be openly carried UNLOADED as defined by Utah law. This means that your gun must be 2 mechanical actions from firing. Since you mentioned spare magazines, I'll assume you're using a semi-automatic. You can have a loaded magazine in the gun; but you can't have a round in the chamber.

Finally, let's look at Colorado. Generally, you can open carry without a permit both on-foot and in the car. However, Denver has a local ordinance against unlicensed open carry that is NOT pre-empted by state law (I'm not sure; but they may have also banned licensed OC too). Therefore, you will not be able to OC while in Denver.****

As for permits, you could try to get New Hampshire's permit which will let you carry concealed in Utah and Wyoming. Beware that it will NOT be recognized in Nevada because NH doesn't require training and issues to age 18-20; NV requires a permit to mandate training and be issued only to 21+. It also won't be recognized in Colorado because CO requires you to be a resident of the state with the recognized permit and for the resident state to recognize CO's permit. Assuming you are a resident of California and can get a CA permit (good luck in some counties :banghead:), CO still won't recognize it since CA doesn't recognize CO. So, since CO doesn't accept non-resident permits, you are completely out of luck as far as getting a permit that will be recognized in CO.

*****Slight correction. Check a couple of the other posts you have made. According to others, carrying concealed in a vehicle in CO is fine without a permit. Just make sure it STAYS CONCEALED in your car while in Denver.

And, standard disclaimer: I am not a lawyer; and none of this should be construed as legal advice. I accept no responsibility or liability for any actions that any person may or may not take.
 
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