Open carry in Maryland

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  • Brychan

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 24, 2009
    8,391
    Baltimore
    Yesterday I went to Rite Aid on Northern Parkway to pick up a Rx and get my flu shot. The gentleman in line in front of me wearing work clothes and a holstered Glock on his side. It did my heart good that no one paid the slightest attention to it, or even commented.
     

    danb

    dont be a dumbass
    Feb 24, 2013
    22,704
    google is your friend, I am not.
    Open carry of a pistol is not legal without a W&C permit.

    Whomever it was has a W&C and is likely current or retired law enforcement of some sort, because those are the vast majority of W&C permit holders.

    Open carry of a rifle is also not legal in certain places. It's more like a legend that open carry is legal. There are a lot of asterisks.
     

    welder516

    Deplorable Welder
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 8, 2013
    27,310
    Underground Bunker
    Open carry of a pistol is not legal without a W&C permit.

    Whomever it was has a W&C and is likely current or retired law enforcement of some sort, because those are the vast majority of W&C permit holders.

    Open carry of a rifle is also not legal in certain places. It's more like a legend that open carry is legal. There are a lot of asterisks.

    I am not sure what you said by how you said it , it is either legal or not . In one case you say it's legal then in another breath you say it is a legend .

    I just heard there is not a statute against it , but one would for sure have to go thru a legal process after an arrest and loss of permit .
     

    Brychan

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 24, 2009
    8,391
    Baltimore
    I was thinking he might have a business owner with no restrictions, maybe some sort of repair shop. The only scary thing was he was a lefty :).
     

    danb

    dont be a dumbass
    Feb 24, 2013
    22,704
    google is your friend, I am not.
    I am not sure what you said by how you said it , it is either legal or not . In one case you say it's legal then in another breath you say it is a legend .

    I just heard there is not a statute against it , but one would for sure have to go thru a legal process after an arrest and loss of permit .

    Maryland does not ban open carry of long guns. Maryland does ban the open and concealed carry of handguns, having a permit is an exception.

    However Baltimore City, and quite a few other counties ban open and concealed carry of long guns. You have to look at the specific county ordinances, but basically its illegal to open carry rifles the places you might need it, like Baltimore City or Montgomery County. Rural Howard County, Frederick, western MD, etc you are gtg with a rifle or shotgun and I do it all the time. Central MD in the urban area, mostly not.

    Its a "legend" because the AG in Wollard famously told the court "Maryland does not ban open carry of rifles." He left out the part where many counties/cities do ban it. Rest assured its 100% illegal in Baltimore City.
     

    Woody

    Active Member
    Oct 27, 2017
    107
    I was thinking he might have a business owner with no restrictions, maybe some sort of repair shop. The only scary thing was he was a lefty :).

    I don't know that I've seen open carry in MD on someone who wasn't an obvious law enforcement officer of some kind...glad to hear it actually!

    I have never seriously considered openly carrying, even though the MD permit makes no distinction between open and concealed carry.

    I'm happy to keep mine tucked away somewhere, but I don't concern myself with printing, or if someone might have seen the shoulder strap, or whatever. I haven't had an issue so far, but I have no interest in legal hassles... Making a point legally costs a lot more time and resources than I've got.
     

    welder516

    Deplorable Welder
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 8, 2013
    27,310
    Underground Bunker
    There is some benefit in keeping us business owners intimidated , i OC at my place of business from time to time . But i have never thought about doing past my property line in Maryland .

    To be honest with the climate of the liberals and the way they lie it frightens me they would accuse me of something . They are sick and twisted people .
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,680
    Maryland does not ban open carry of long guns. Maryland does ban the open and concealed carry of handguns, having a permit is an exception.

    However Baltimore City, and quite a few other counties ban open and concealed carry of long guns. You have to look at the specific county ordinances, but basically its illegal to open carry rifles the places you might need it, like Baltimore City or Montgomery County. Rural Howard County, Frederick, western MD, etc you are gtg with a rifle or shotgun and I do it all the time. Central MD in the urban area, mostly not.

    Its a "legend" because the AG in Wollard famously told the court "Maryland does not ban open carry of rifles." He left out the part where many counties/cities do ban it. Rest assured its 100% illegal in Baltimore City.

    Baltimore city, Montgomery county and a couple of towns. They are grandfathered in. There is no long gun OC ban anywhere else, including the urban parts of Howard. That said, OCing a long gun in most of Maryland that isn't rural is probably going to get you talking to the cops. Then again, in MOST states, OCing a long gun in an urban or suburban area is likely to result in a police interaction.

    OCing a handgun most places where it is legal and not commifornication land won't have much an eye batted.
     

    danb

    dont be a dumbass
    Feb 24, 2013
    22,704
    google is your friend, I am not.
    Baltimore city, Montgomery county and a couple of towns. They are grandfathered in. There is no long gun OC ban anywhere else, including the urban parts of Howard. That said, OCing a long gun in most of Maryland that isn't rural is probably going to get you talking to the cops. Then again, in MOST states, OCing a long gun in an urban or suburban area is likely to result in a police interaction.

    OCing a handgun most places where it is legal and not commifornication land won't have much an eye batted.

    Right, but for example in PG county you have to worry about the no loaded weapons within 1000 feet of "of any home or residence, other than his own, or any school or school grounds (private or public), church or church grounds, places of public assembly, public parks and playgrounds within the County" rule. (see muni code 14-140).

    Technically its not a "ban", but 1000 feet away from any home or residence other than your own is a de facto ban in the suburban/urban area.

    OTOH, while PG county includes possession, Baltimore County only prohibits discharge (17-2-101). So you are probably gtg in BC. One really must look up the ordinances of each place to which you are traveling to know all the things you cannot do with a loaded long gun.
     

    cowboy321

    Active Member
    Apr 21, 2009
    554
    Yesterday I went to Rite Aid on Northern Parkway to pick up a Rx and get my flu shot. The gentleman in line in front of me wearing work clothes and a holstered Glock on his side. It did my heart good that no one paid the slightest attention to it, or even commented.

    I have heard that part of the lecture is that a handgun must be concealed if you get a carry permit. Md does not want guys with holsters walking in public. Makes a lot of moms, etc nervous. Different if at your home or business. Or in
    W VA!
     

    danb

    dont be a dumbass
    Feb 24, 2013
    22,704
    google is your friend, I am not.
    I think a lot of people come out if those courses confusing what the instructor said people "should" do as a good idea, vs what they "must" do legally. Some instructors push concealed merely because Battered Gun Owner Syndrome. There are a lot of other reasons (like tactics) to conceal. I am personally a proponent of gun normalization. The reality is that the odds of one getting attacked randomly are low, even lower open carrying. Predators look for easy prey. So if you are able, wear it loud and proud.
     

    Brychan

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 24, 2009
    8,391
    Baltimore
    Back when I took my Utah permit class, the instructor from IOTA said that the Maryland permit did not state open vs concealed. Further he stated that he would open carry some of the time. I don't know what they teach now for Md, as I don't stand a chance in Hades of getting one at this time.
     

    Straightshooter

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 28, 2010
    5,015
    Baltimore County
    Back when I took my Utah permit class, the instructor from IOTA said that the Maryland permit did not state open vs concealed. Further he stated that he would open carry some of the time. I don't know what they teach now for Md, as I don't stand a chance in Hades of getting one at this time.
    This is the correct answer. A few years ago, Tim Montoya sent a letter to Delain Brady, who was head of the Licensing Division at the time, asking if open carry was prohibited. Her response was that MD law doent specify the manner in which you may carry BUT, if you choose to open carry, you should be prepared to show you carry permit to LEO if reported by a concerned citizen.

    Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
     

    Woody

    Active Member
    Oct 27, 2017
    107
    I have heard that part of the lecture is that a handgun must be concealed if you get a carry permit. Md does not want guys with holsters walking in public. Makes a lot of moms, etc nervous. Different if at your home or business. Or in
    W VA!

    I didn't get that lecture.
     

    ras_oscar

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 23, 2014
    1,666
    Maryland does not ban open carry of long guns. Maryland does ban the open and concealed carry of handguns, having a permit is an exception.

    However Baltimore City, and quite a few other counties ban open and concealed carry of long guns.

    Why doesn't MD state pre-emption nullify city and county laws? I thought they were still on the books but unenforceable?
     

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