Regarding Holster/Carry rules in CA

[JGreen83]

Hello all,

I called up to the local range (only one that is open) and asked about a holster. At ranges, they typically don't let you wear holsters if non-LEO, which is fine by me, but it goes me thinking about the laws here in CA regarding holsters, and as I'm looking to buy one, I figured I'd come to ask you, fine folks, first.

Can I wear an inside the waist holster in CA without a concealed carry permit? I suppose that would be considering Open Carry. An instance would be such as I was hiking, or camping and out and about and don't want to have it on outside holster as to raise awareness to it but don't know if I need to have concealed carry to use inside the waist holster. It would at the very least draw off a little attention.

The second question, can I open carry anywhere? I think it's illegal in most places, and that most National Forests don't "let" you have firearms. But are there exceptions to this? Concealed carry pretty much doesn't happen in Santa Clara county where I live, unless you are a big spender and can donate a bunch to the Sheriff's campaign.....

Just basically want to know if I should just save my money and not buy any holster because it sounds like CA doesn't want people using them...

Thanks!

[Librarian]

Hello all,

I called up to the local range (only one that is open) and asked about a holster. At ranges, they typically don't let you wear holsters if non-LEO, which is fine by me, but it goes me thinking about the laws here in CA regarding holsters, and as I'm looking to buy one, I figured I'd come to ask you, fine folks, first.

Can I wear an inside the waist holster in CA without a concealed carry permit? I suppose that would be considering Open Carry. An instance would be such as I was hiking, or camping and out and about and don't want to have it on outside holster as to raise awareness to it but don't know if I need to have concealed carry to use inside the waist holster. It would at the very least draw off a little attention.

The second question, can I open carry anywhere? I think it's illegal in most places, and that most National Forests don't "let" you have firearms. But are there exceptions to this? Concealed carry pretty much doesn't happen in Santa Clara county where I live, unless you are a big spender and can donate a bunch to the Sheriff's campaign.....

Just basically want to know if I should just save my money and not buy any holster because it sounds like CA doesn't want people using them...

Thanks!

You can wear the holster, but generally you can't put a gun in it.

That's less of a smart-aleck answer than it may appear (though, it is that, too!) Empty holsters have been used in protest gatherings, even here in CA.

Pretty much any place 'public' in CA requires a CCW for you to carry a handgun. 'Public' has a wider meaning than one might reason to: court cases have shown that, for criminal purposes, 'public' means any place people can go without opposition (guards) or barriers (fences, gates) - for an example, probably your front yard fits that.

Legal open carry is for your very own property - probably your back yard would qualify - often fenced/gated - and for places where it is legal to hunt; unfortunately, even that is a mess.

You may find these links useful:

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=186457

http://wiki.calgunsfoundation.org/index.php?title=Unlicensed_Concealed_Carry

[Chromed]

[CSACANNONEER]

A handgun OPENLY carried in a BELT holster is NOT concealed under CA law. So, if you can legally open carry, you can carry in an IWB holster that is completely exposed. You know, use a LH holster and clip it to the outside of your belt.

Most public ranges in the ENTIRE COUNTRY do NOT allow ANYONE to draw from a holster without very specific reasons and just being a LEO isn't good enough for most of them. Very few allow anyone to open carry in a holster due to the fact that someone else would see it and assume that it's alright to draw from a holster and shoot.

ALL National Forests in CA allow one to posses a firearm. Some places within the NFs have restrictions on target shooting or hunting but not possessing.

[Librarian]

CA banned unloaded open carry in 2012 - see PC 26350

[CSACANNONEER]

CA banned unloaded open carry in 2012 - see PC 26350

Open carry is still legal in the majority of the geographical are of California, just not where people tend to be.