when carrying a gun

[flip]

So what do you guys think? When you are concealing a gun and you get pulled over do you let them know that you are carrying or not. It seems like a double egged sword you may get a rookie and he freaks out pulls you out of the car. I don

 

[lethe]

only if they ask you. i know some people will tell the officer even if they dont ask.

 

[k2blazen]

only if they ask you. i know some people will tell the officer even if they dont ask.

agree^^^

They usually don't like the clip in it or a round in the chamber pisses them off,If they do ask.

Alaska you have to tell them right away your carrying:mad:

 

[Jaydog]

Nope, if you don't tell them they won't know, unless they are going to see it, like if it's in the glove box, otherwise no.

 

[messix]

when you hand them your d/l hand the cwp with it.

 

[flip]

when you hand them your d/l hand the cwp with it.

This is what i was thinking. When they run your name dont they see you have a cwp.
So there is no law saying you have to tell them. I guss it would be discression if they are going to see it best just give them a heads up.

 

[CHOP SHOP]

do you have a permit?

If not I would keep it unloaded and locked up.

If you have a permit, keep the firearm on your person. You permit is worthless if your are not "concealing" it on your person.

The only time you can legally have a concealed firearm with no permit is in your home or place of bizz.

If you have a permit, then dont tell unless asked.

Cops dont volunteer info to you, why would you tell him anymore than needed?

A cop will only tell you whats the bare minimum needed to comply with the law. Why would you offer him more that he offers you?

 

[CHOP SHOP]

I just dont want to get my id out and him see the gun on my waist and freak.

When they run your name dont they see you have a cwp.

So there is no law saying you have to tell them.

If he can see you firearm on your side then its an open carry sidearm not a CONCEALED firearm.

No law saying you have to TELL them. If they ask, you MUST answer truthfully. If they dont ask, you dont need to tell.

You are not on a CWP list available to him in his car.

 

[MarcW]

I always give the cop my CWP with my drivers license, since I always carry. Ends up with a warning, without him checking anything out 5/5 of the last pull overs.

But then again I am articulate, respectful, and concise. :flipoff:

When I got my CWP, in the book it says to always present your permit if you're stopped for a traffic violation. Might as well. Im not hiding anything.

 

[messix]

just imagine your self as a cop...... having to deal with scum and dirtbags all the time, wouldn't you like to know that the subject your dealing with has a legally concealed weapon, and no surprises and no drama. he might ask you to place to weapon in sight for the time being.

cops want to go home to thier families too.

 

[ain'tstuckjustresting]

I always give the cop my CWP with my drivers license, since I always carry. Ends up with a warning, without him checking anything out 5/5 of the last pull overs.

But then again I am articulate, respectful, and concise. :flipoff:

This works. I've handed my permit over during a traffic stop many times. Usually they ask if you're carrying. I follow what ever procedure they give for handing over the weapon. Almost always the officer relaxes and will start to bull**** about guns because he knows your not a douche. Never ended up with a ticket in these stops.:awesomework:

 

[slednecks1124]

I have only been pulled over once since I've had my CWP, I opted to let the officer now I have my permit and that I was carrying at the time. To me I feel that it saves the hassel, i'm sure that if they were to realize that you were carrying and you did not let them know they will want to search the rest of the vehicle because they may feel like you are trying to hide something.

Police officers must approach any vehicle with caution because of all the idiots these days, I'm sure that they will kind of put their guard down and be alot more respectful if you are kind enough to let them know hassle free.:awesomework:

 

[pokey]

Yep always tell them :awesomework:. Could save a ton of grief if they see it and you didnt tell them up front. If your legal then you have nothing to hide anyway.

 

[Glenn]

Don't get pulled over?

Hmmmmmmm. Yeah, that works for me.

 

[Poohbair]

I have been pulled over twice while packing....


Both times I have handed the cop my permit w/ my license and insurance..

Both times I have been asked if I was packing, I said yes... both times they looked at my permit, my license, and handed me back my info and told me to slow down...

 

[Binder]

So there is no law saying you have to tell them.

In Washington currently you do not have to inform the officer you are carrying unless you are asked. You do have to show the permit if asked.

 

[06RubiLJ]

I carry, have a permit and have no problem letting a cop know I'm carrying. They usually ask where the fire arm is, ask to see the permit and politely ask I keep my hands in plain sight. Another thing, I encourage everyone to get their concealed carry permit. The 2nd Amendment guarantees your right to keep and bear arms, use it or loose it.

 

[trailyota]

Honesty goes a long way, especially if you’re legit up front. If you don’t disclose it you might get a different reaction if they see it on their own w/o the disclosure.

 

[preacherman]

I took a CWP class in Washington "for good measure", and in that class the instructor an off duty officer said that he prefers that CWP holders follow this process.

1. have license, registration, CWP ready, and window down when the officer makes it to your window.

2. Always tell the officer that you have a CWP (it will come up when he runs your DL anyways and shows him that you intent to comply)

3. At the time of informing the officer you should tell him where it is located. BTW technically a weapon in a vehicle is a concealed weapon; Washington's Open Carry laws don't include inside a vehicle, As soon as you get in the car the weapon is a concealed weapon.

4. keep your hands in sight preferably on the steering wheel the whole time that the officer is at your window. ( the officer will feel safer and will usualy be more than friendly.)

Most officers have no problem with a concealed handgun. I have be pulled over a handful of times (only one of which before I was 21, and I have carried a handgun since I was 21) I have never had a ticket.

Most of the time the officer will thank you for your courtesy.

BTW it is an odd way for people in your car to find out that you carry ;-)

 

[Ty.]

BTW technically a weapon in a vehicle is a concealed weapon; Washington's Open Carry laws don't include inside a vehicle, As soon as you get in the car the weapon is a concealed weapon.

However, those without a CWP can still carry in their car, it just has to be unloaded.

 

[Clark]

Since I carry right next to my wallet, i always tell them i have a pistol, right next to my wallet, would you still like me to get my id? This way i don't end up dead from a trigger happy rookie, when he spots me "reaching for my gun"

Never had trouble, just "thanks" for not suprising them.

However, it's your decision weather or not you want them to know. If i had the gun under the seat, then i might not mention it. Just don't suprise them with it.

 

[preacherman]

Correct Ty, but don't forget that the state of Washington defines a loaded mag/clip as a loaded weapon. Had a buddy get nabbed on that over a loaded AR15 Mag. Dumbest part was he didn't even have the gun. When he was puled over the officer saw the mag on the floorboard, reccognized it as a mag from a long gun, and the rest is history. Moral of the story when you unload, unload everything.

I wonder on a revolver, would those speed rings be considered loaded mags?

 

[Ty.]

Hmmm, what about up hunting? I never unloaded the magazines. Just took them out of the rifle.

 

[preacherman]

I know Ty, that is what I did until my buddy had this happen, now I unload the mag. I can't imagine that if you were up in the sticks some sheriff, or Game officer would really give you too much trouble over that, but I can't really grasp why that law exsists in the first place?

 

[84Toyota4x4]

As someone who has worked in law enforcement as an active patrol officer, if someone told me that they had one, I didnt want them reaching for it or touching it in any shape or form; I simply wanted their hands visible.

I always collected the information, then upon discovering the permit or hearing a statement, I responded by saying something along the lines of "without moving your hands towards the weapon, where is it currently located?". I never asked if it was with them, just where it was. Once I knew, things would go from there. You would be surprised how many times someone would try and show you its on their hip by reaching to lift their shirt, or that its in the glove box by trying to open it...Ugh.

Anyway, I then simply asked that they stayed in the vehicle with their hands on the steering wheel and their seat belt on and told them I would be back with them shortly - then again, I said this part to everyone so I had justification for what could happen if they got out of the vehicle and **** hit the fan (because I had already told them to stay in the car).

I will also say that anytime someone has informed me they have one, I conducted my traffic stops differently most of the time depending on the violation. For speeding or other minor traffic violations, I typically ran drivers information from the rear passenger side of the vehicle without returning to my patrol car so I could more easily watch the person in the vehicle through the rear windshield. I also didn't write tickets 99% of the time because (in my opinion), it was an officer safety issue. I didn't want to sit in my car (or stand at their trunk) with my nose in the paperwork and look up to see a person with a gun pointed at me, or worse being shot at when I wasn't looking. When writing tickets I was taught to keep the clipboard near the 12 o'clock position on the steering wheel on the airbag so you are more likely to catch movements in your peripheral vision, and to look up frequently, but it doesn't always work.

Writing a ticket for someone speeding 7 MPH over the limit just wasn't potentially worth my life in my opinion - it had nothing to do with someone with a permit being "cooler" than someone who didnt. Just some thoughts from someone who has been on the other side of things I guess :awesomework:

~T.J.

 

[preacherman]

T.J. Thank you for your input, it is good to get that point of view.

As a point of reference as you were saying about the writing of tickets; I never would assume that it would be due to us being "cooler." Personally I have only once been pulled over for anything other than what you might call a courtesy call, you know tail light out etc.

 

[84Toyota4x4]

Hmmm, what about up hunting? I never unloaded the magazines. Just took them out of the rifle.

Per RCW 9.41.060 concealed permit laws (from RCW 9.41.050), do not apply to:

"Any person engaging in a lawful outdoor recreational activity such as hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, or horseback riding, only if, considering all of the attendant circumstances, including but not limited to whether the person has a valid hunting or fishing license, it is reasonable to conclude that the person is participating in lawful outdoor activities or is traveling to or from a legitimate outdoor recreation area;"

HOWEVER

RCW 77.15.460 also states:

"A person is guilty of unlawful possession of a loaded firearm in a motor vehicle if:

(a) The person carries, transports, conveys, possesses, or controls a rifle or shotgun in or on a motor vehicle; and

(b) The rifle or shotgun contains shells or cartridges in the magazine or chamber, or is a muzzle-loading firearm that is loaded and capped or primed."

and also:
(5) For purposes of this section, a firearm shall not be considered loaded if the detachable clip or magazine is not inserted in or attached to the firearm.

This can cause confusion for some officers, and honestly (unfortunately) a permit solves this problem. I'm not a lawyer, but my interpretation of this conflict is if you WERENT out hunting, and were simply hauling around a loaded weapon. We arent trained as lawyers unfortunately, and its up to the interpretation of the officer. The court is where you prove who is right.

~T.J.

 

[CHOP SHOP]

BTW technically a weapon in a vehicle is a concealed weapon; Washington's Open Carry laws don't include inside a vehicle, As soon as you get in the car the weapon is a concealed weapon.;-)

I dont believe this to be accurate. It is not legal to have a shotgun or riffle on a "gun rack" in the back window of a truck anymore like the good ol days.

By your reasoning that would be a concealed weapon cuz its in the vehicle with you.

:scratchhead:

 

[84Toyota4x4]

I dont believe this to be accurate. It is not legal to have a shotgun or riffle on a "gun rack" in the back window of a truck anymore like the good ol days.

By your reasoning that would be a concealed weapon cuz its in the vehicle with you.

:scratchhead:

Correct for pistols anyway. The weapon must be concealed from view per RCW 9.41.050:

"A person at least eighteen years of age who is in possession of an unloaded pistol shall not leave the unloaded pistol in a vehicle unless the unloaded pistol is locked within the vehicle and concealed from view from outside the vehicle"

Washington is interesting because they switch around verbiage for pistols and rifles between RCWs. Its a lot of interpretation.

For instance, there is no law that says unloaded rifles specifically must be concealed to my knowledge and as far as I know racks are legal because they may fall under the open carry statute - so long as they are unloaded and do not violate RCW 77.15.460.

~T.J.

 

[preacherman]

Chop Shop, I am not sure where you are at with this? Yes, you can have a shotgun or rifle in your gunrack, they just cannot be loaded. Besides, those are long guns, and CWP doesn't cover those.
What I was refering to is the fact that this is an open carry state. Meaning that you could strap your old sixgun to your hip and walk down the street legally (CWP or no). But you, wearing that sixgun, get into your car and now you are concealing a weapon, and will need a CWP to be legal.

There isn't a license that I am aware that will allow the loaded long gun?