Piazza wrote:Greetings all. As I said in the intro thread, I'm moving to DE from NJ soon and have questions about OC/CC/general firearms. NJ is incredibly strict and with things changing regarding gun laws so often it's hard to keep up with them, so if there is somewhere better to look up information, feel free to redirect me. I will try to keep this from being too long and painful to read.
For most of the gun laws in DE look to the actual code. It's really not that long. It starts at 1441 (concealed carry) to 1461.
http://delcode.delaware.gov/title11/c00 ... ndex.shtml
I realize that OC is legal by the lack of a law stating it to be unlawful. obviously, there are places you can't carry, but I can look those up and won't ask that now. Many of the threads I have read about people's first OC trips were started several years ago. Has it become more common in the last few years or is it still a very small percentage that do OC? As a young guy (24), I fear that I may be viewed more as a threat, opposed to a law abiding citizen looking out for my safety and potentially those immediately around me. Any merit, or am I over thinking it?
Delaware itself has very few restrictions on where you can't carry. By far the feds have more restrictions in this state.
The idea of CC is something I'm interested in, but how difficult is it to get approved? NJ is also a 'May Issue' state, but it's nearly impossible unless you receive death threats on a regular basis (exaggeration, but hopefully you get my point). It seems like a lot of people on here have/plan to get/or are in process of getting CC, does everyone have jobs or extenuating circumstances that get the approval or is it not too bad if you have a clean background?
Most folks have had little issue with getting a CCDW. Though it's a may issue state it's up to the AG to be able to show just cause as to why you are denied. Costs a bit and takes a while but many of us have gone through it and come out with the license.
Any weird firearm laws I need to look into? In NJ I had to have my XDm40 magazines blocked because they were considered 'high capacity'. Is there anything like that here, or can I buy some new magazines that aren't modified.
There's no restriction on magazine capacity. They tried passing that bill last year but it didn't have the votes. That and the grassroots organizations of this state flooded all the meetings dealing with restricting our gun rights. Can't own full auto firearms, but really not much more as far as what you can own or carry. You can literally put in a 100 round drum magazine into your gun if they make one and still be legal.
I appreciate everyone's advice. I look forward to contributing a bit here.
Hope that answers some of your questions. Like other have said the first few times OCing you feel different and that the gun sticks out and draws too much attention. After a while that goes away. Far too many people are just too wrapped up in themselves to even notice. Those that do will wrongly assume you have the gun because it's part of your job. Just explain that you're nobody special and just exercising your rights and out to protect yourself and your family with the best tools you have.
There have been a couple instances of run ins with over zealous police trying to make up reasons to detain and arrest you illegally. But as time has gone on this has become far less of a problem. By now I'd assume every police agency in DE has made their members aware that OC is legal and not a reason to detain. If stopped just ask them if you're being detain and if you're free to go.
As always, be polite with everyone that asks about OC. This does far more good then anything else.
For being a blue state we're actually far more gun friendly then most states. Folks are not running in fear or calling the cops every time they see a gun.
"The human race divides politically into those who want people to be controlled and those who have no such desire." - Robert A. Heinlein
What a shame that we have the two major political parties that believe the former.
What a shame that we have the two major political parties that believe the former.
