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Newbie Question

daWeasel

New member
Joined
Nov 6, 2012
Messages
1
Location
Hugo
Not wanting to sift through a ton of posts, I am a Minnesota resident have no felony convictions, and I am wondering if I can open carry or am I required to ha a ccw permit to do so? Thanks for putting up with my newbishness.
 

Grapeshot

Legendary Warrior
Joined
May 21, 2006
Messages
35,317
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Valhalla
Not wanting to sift through a ton of posts, I am a Minnesota resident have no felony convictions, and I am wondering if I can open carry or am I required to ha a ccw permit to do so? Thanks for putting up with my newbishness.

Welcome to OCDO - have moved your question to the Minnesota sub-forum because it is state specific.

Short answer though is that a permit is requred to OC there. Others will be along to fill in the blanks.
 
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Fuller Malarkey

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2010
Messages
1,020
Location
The Cadre
Hello daWeasel, glad you found this place. Lots of good, well thought out information here. As far as carrying in Minnesota, Grapeshot is right...permit required.

Some info:

https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/bca/bca-divisions/administrative/pages/permit-to-carry-faq.aspx

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=624.714

http://mn.gov/elicense/licenses/licensedetail.jsp?URI=tcm:29-3109&CT_URI=tcm:27-117-32

http://www.leg.state.mn.us/lrl/issues/issues.aspx?issue=firearmcarry


I'm relatively new to Minnesota carry myself [Virginia resident, where open carry is a right of citizenship]. I have Virginia, Florida and Utah permits, Utah covering me in Minnesota. I travel fairly extensively, and am familiar with carry regulations in a number of states. Minnesota is draconian in my opinion.

Minnesota is one of six states that does not have the right to bear arms in it's constitution.

Incidents like this seem to have the support of the "gun community", as few have spoke out against this kind of activity:

http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2012/06/23/mpls-man-police-beat-me-for-gun-despite-my-permit/

From "Gunthorp"

Unfortunately, open carry invites misunderstanding and has caused legal expense and incarceration delays before a judge can dismiss any wrongdoing. There may be better ways to fund the purchase of more guns than trying to hit the jackpot with a civil liberty suit against the authorities.

http://www.gunthorp.com/carry_in_mn.htm

The Minnesota forums more closely resemble Vince of Sham Wow fame infomercials for mandatory training programs you need in order to get a permit to carry. Sometimes the training program sharks school, other times they stalk solo, bagging potential seat fillers for their next dog and pony show. Caveat emptor. Little help as far as support or fellowship, and more encouragement to enroll in the next training program.

Much lip service to open carry, little in the way of support. It's safe to say the consensus is "open carry at your own risk". I had a deputy sheriff DEMAND [MNguntalk.com] I go open carry in areas where police are known to attack open carriers. He claims to be one of the "trainers". No one challenged his position, so I conclude the majority support this position.

Open carry seems to be written off in Minnesota as a bad tactical decision. The bad guy will know you are carrying. They seem to believe once you strap on an open carried firearm, all situation awareness is swept from your brain, and you are left addled and defenseless by the act of exposing your firearm.

I contend you cannot draw your firearm to engage in a protective defense of yourself, and maintain any "element of surprise", or have the element of surprise be very meaningful. The threat you are drawing to meet had better be apparent, indicating that the "element of surprise" is as moot as the color of your socks in the situation. To the contrary, an open carried firearm may of provided the deterrent the bad guy needed to choose another target, negating your need to defend yourself at all. Minnesota has a "duty to retreat" position. I'd rather bad guys wonder about my definition of "far enough", than be pushed into a corner and fumble for a concealed weapon AFTER all other options have been exhausted. A lot of bad guys don't back down from a hand full of T-shirt when it's presented to them. Just my opinion.

Again, welcome, and if you are interested in open carry here in the land of the wind chill factor, I'd enjoy some discussion.
 

davidmcbeth

Banned
Joined
Jan 14, 2012
Messages
16,167
Location
earth's crust
Welcome to OCDO - have moved your question to the Minnesota sub-forum because it is state specific.

Short answer though is that a permit is requred to OC there. Others will be along to fill in the blanks.

A shout out Welcome to the newbie .... if he wants to OC w/o a permit, get on that phone and start lobbying for it. I agree it should not require a permit under our federal constitution but I would not recommend you violate a law (although one could file a case in federal court w/o violating the law though in this case) just to test it.

Keep the Faith!
 
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boombutton

New member
Joined
Aug 25, 2012
Messages
7
Location
MN
The Minnesota permit is a "Permit to carry a pistol" concealed or open... Welcome to the boards.. If you want to get your Permit Smart Security in Hastings MN is a great choice..
 
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