Concealed Carry an air pistol?

[Ndnp88]

Is it Legal to do this? please explain the law in details if you don't mind.
The reason is I need a to be able to defense myself while in public and getting a ccw permit where I live is near impossible...
From my own experience, I know air pistol is quite lethal (not fatally) and can effectively stop multiple attackers.

[CSACANNONEER]

Pepper spray will be more effective.

[Ndnp88]

Straight up from experience let me tell you how dangerous the air pistol is:

When I was about 10 my friend and I were riding ATVs. We pulled into the garage and his older brother was there and incredibly angry because we borrowed his ATV. He grabbed a Crossman classic which is a .177 cal air rifle. He only pumped it twice (10 is max @ 755 fps). He then aimed it at my friend (his younger brother) and said a few curse words and shot him. He was about 10 yards from him.

He shot him in the chest. It looked like as if someone dropped a single drop from eye dropper containing red dye on his shirt. He screamed and yelled. When is mom came out she was horrified. They took him to the hospital. The BB (copper head .177 ball) was lodged in the fatty tissue of his chest near his lungs. They were not able to remove the BB during the first operation. All I know it took another operation to finally remove the BB almost a week later. Now imagine what that BB might have done at a higher FPS.

[echoThreeOneSix]

wow. what an insightful response...

i believe there are some laws banning the carry or brandishing of replica weapons and such. i would guess it is not legal because of the closeness in appearance to a real pistol.

i was interested in try to CCW some airsoft guns just to get a feel for the style of carry that would best suit me without actually purchasing different guns but after reading a little bit I decided against it. i'll try to find the actual text of the law.

[Ndnp88]

Pepper spray will be more effective.

pepper spray is good but you need to be close for it to be effective, and it does not have the intimidating factor of a "gun".

[echoThreeOneSix]

also, even if it were legal you may experience loss of air if it's a CO2 canister or seal failure on a GBB airsoft pistol... not too sure though. just a thought.

[bigdawg86]

pepper spray is good but you need to be close for it to be effective, and it does not have the intimidating factor of a "gun".

The fact of the matter is that if you are looking to intimidate with your "gun", you are getting it for the wrong reasons. The only way that gun comes out is if you are in a situation where you have already mentally committed to pull the trigger need be. You do not carry a gun to intimidate. Yes that may be a byproduct, but at that point you are probably in pretty deep.

[echoThreeOneSix]

The fact of the matter is that if you are looking to intimidate with your "gun", you are getting it for the wrong reasons. The only way that gun comes out is if you are in a situation where you have already mentally committed to pull the trigger need be. You do not carry a gun to intimidate. Yes that may be a byproduct, but at that point you are probably in pretty deep.

well, you can still commit to pulling the trigger it would just be a metal BB instead of a bullet. like he said you can still cause pretty good damage with a BB gun.

either way i don't think his reasoning is really what's in question. the OP asked if it was legal to carry, not if we think it's a good idea or not.

[P5Ret]

Two things come to mind here, 1 you need to look up the meaning of the word lethal, and 2 many municipalities consider air guns to be firearms when it relates to firing one inside city limits. So I can only imagine how much fun you will experience carrying one concealed. Check your local city or county ordinances.

Relating a story of a 10 year old who got shot with a BB isn't really the same thing. Your not going to produce the same result when you shoot an adult with developed muscle tissue with the the air gun. In short bad idea, that is not going to produce anywhere near the results you think. It may get you killed by someone who has a real gun or knife however.

[Librarian]

Legal to carry?

It is not a firearm, so in most places, yes.

Also, in many places, illegal to discharge - just picking on Concord because I live here:

9.05.110 Discharge of weapons.

It shall be unlawful for any person to discharge any firearm, gun, rifle, or other gun or device discharging, by the use of powder, air, or springs, any bullet or shot of any kind or any sling or slingshot in the city, except in shooting galleries and on pistol and rifle ranges, the location of which has been approved by the city; provided, however, that this section shall not apply to police officers acting within the scope of their official duties or to persons acting in the necessary defense of their persons or property.

Misdemeanor, at worst, because infractions and misdemeanors are what below-the-Legislature are empowered to create.

And 'display' is illegal -

20170

(Exceptions)First two violations are infractions, then misdemeanor.

That appears to cover the legality question.

I'll leave the wisdom to another day.

[CSACANNONEER]

Straight up from experience let me tell you how dangerous the air pistol is:

When I was about 10 my friend and I were riding ATVs. We pulled into the garage and his older brother was there and incredibly angry because we borrowed his ATV. He grabbed a Crossman classic which is a .177 cal air rifle. He only pumped it twice (10 is max @ 755 fps). He then aimed it at my friend (his younger brother) and said a few curse words and shot him. He was about 10 yards from him.

He shot him in the chest. It looked like as if someone dropped a single drop from eye dropper containing red dye on his shirt. He screamed and yelled. When is mom came out she was horrified. They took him to the hospital. The BB (copper head .177 ball) was lodged in the fatty tissue of his chest near his lungs. They were not able to remove the BB during the first operation. All I know it took another operation to finally remove the BB almost a week later. Now imagine what that BB might have done at a higher FPS.

Sure, air guns can be lethal. Ever hear of "the golden BB shot"? However, carrying an air gun for self defense against another human is the stupidest idea in the world. You pull an airgun on me as an attacker and that now will give me the legal right to use lethal force to defend myself. You will now be legally considered the aggressor and the criminal.

pepper spray is good but you need to be close for it to be effective, and it does not have the intimidating factor of a "gun".

OK, you want an "intimidation factor". That's great. Remind me to NEVER approve any CCW course work or qualifications for you. You are far too immature and irresponsible to carry a weapon for SD. Sorry, that's my professional opinion of you and it won't change for at least ten years or until you graduate high school and move out of your parent's home, whichever is longer.

[echoThreeOneSix]

lol... damn you OP for asking a question, therefore i'm going to personally attack you and claim that you should never handle anything dangerous.

he was asking a legal question guys, chill out.

[Ndnp88]

lol... damn you OP for asking a question, therefore i'm going to personally attack you and claim that you should never handle anything dangerous.

he was asking a legal question guys, chill out.

Thank you for understanding. I was just trying to look at the legal side of thing. And some of these posts make it sound like I want to carry a "fake" gun to shoot up a mall...

I cannot risk carry with no permit since I have a family to support. Me ending up in jail is just as bad as if I'm death.

My intention is to deter an attacker, I'm not running around waving my "fake" pistol in public like some of these posts implying...

[echoThreeOneSix]

If you pull an air gun on someone and anyone sees it, you are going to jail, period.

i think at this point he's already being threatened or is under attack. i think that was the point of the OP, would he face legal charges if he was being attacked and pulled out an air pistol and shot the attacker (as well as if he was just carrying it).

[StuckInTheP.R.O.Ca]

i think at this point he's already being threatened or is under attack. i think that was the point of the OP, would he face legal charges if he was being attacked and pulled out an air pistol and shot the attacker (as well as if he was just carrying it).

I think thats what he is talking about also and I think some are trying to make this into something it probably isn't.