FL Goes OC

The ban on open carry in FL was struck down, so we are now officially OC state as of Sept 25th. I’m not a fan personally, but agree with the court that bans on OC are unconstitutional and thus I support OC. I appreciate having the option at least, didn’t bother when I lived in OC states other than hiking in the woods and such:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2025/09/10/florida-open-carry-ban-guns-ruled-unconstitutional-appeals-court/86076269007/

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I like the idea of open carry while in the woods. Not so much in the urban setting. Too many idiots open carry in the cities that make all gun owners look bad.

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I still prefer to carry like Crockett in FL!! :sunglasses:

Kidding aside, I agree with robbins290. I’ll open carry very rarely in town. And usually with the option to pull my shirt over the pistol if I’m going in a store or something.

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https://www.ctionnewsjax.com/news/local/florida-sheriffs-cease-enforcement-open-carry-ban-after-appeals-court-decision/RFMRSKJXGFECBIWPZUBRZC7RNM/

“The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office addressed the ruling, but stopped short of declaring non-enforcement. “As more information becomes available, we will provide further updates to educate our community on the subject,” wrote the agency.”

Columbia County was the SO where 2 deputies kidnapped a blind man to express their opposition to 2A rights.

https://youtu.be/k5yNlwCQpO0?si=-Vy-5AQEmj-t2xrb

Now I’ll see the occasional retiree with gun in a big leather holster on his hip. Don’t care.

The problem is going to be when commies demonstrate / block roads they and thier friends will be carrying rifles and shotguns like they have in other states.

Open carry has seemed to empower Leftists, not regular people and / Conservatives.

I’ll be outgunned and the cops will be outgunned when / if they show up. They’ll arrest drivers or others who “harrass / challenge” the armed demonstrators, instead of the demonstrators, to “keep the peace.”

We’ll see next year. I hope I’m wrong.

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This,
I just took the Wife sightseeing and we stopped at the Grocery on the way home, pretty simple basic stuff.
Unitl you take the temperature of the Nation
Button up short sleeve shirt over a Wife Beater hides it pretty well.

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I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating.

Yes, open carry is essentially a “shoot me first” flag if shit goes sideways. Carrying a slung AR into Wal-Mart is a dick move and a negative in terms of getting our message out, “those guys” are dumb asses.

All that said, I do selectively OC from time to time. I just think there is value in showing the uneducated general public that a gun can travel into and out of a store, business, or bank without consequence. Just to counter the left’s narrative that “guns=danger”. When I do I usually choose a relatively non-threatening revolver or my compact 1911. I think the classic look of wood and steel is less fear inducing to the gun phobes.

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I have no plans to OC.

But i will be a little less concerned about printing, maybe.

I do wonder if ill still have a role for some of my smaller handguns, or PDW’s.

The legislature will need to draw up specifics.

There’s nothing in FL law noting the difference between a gun on your waist, slung across your chest, or in your hands at a low-ready.

There will need to be.

I don’t know that new legislation is needed. It seems to work out in most states that allow open carry. (Recognize your Constitutional right that is). There is s pretty fine line between carrying at low ready and “brandishing”, but I haven’t heard of any miscarriages of justice about it. Anyone got examples to the contrary?

Oddly enough Utah has Constitutional concealed carry but whether by quirk of law or intent (???) you need a CCW to open carry.

Sounds like there needs to be severe criminal penalties for violations.

https://floridapolitics.com/archives/755981-not-so-fast-pinellas-sheriff-warns-that-open-carry-is-not-yet-legal-in-florida-despite-court-ruling/

He could be correct. May only apply to the 1st District.

Would the legislature (both houses) and governor have to pass a bill to change the constitutional language? Or can a committee simply alter it due to the courts decision?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_First_District_Court_of_Appeal

I wouldn’t count on it mattering.

Kentucky has always been an open carry state.

I have mentioned here before, a large reason for the push for concealed carry here largely came about due to several LE agencies(particularly those within Fayette and Jefferson counties) harassing and arresting open carriers. Those same agencies opposed concealed carry with one of the reasons they gave(in addition to the boiler plate “blood in the streets”) was they liked to know who was armed which they had made obvious the reason they wanted to know.

James Madison Audits doing a video showing Florida folks not flaking out and voicing support for the ruling, although he indicated his belief the Port Orange cop would have screwed with someone not packing a camera.

https://youtu.be/Aw5EnLqu6RY?si=51lnFLnGlvMnI2r8

It’s causing chaos and confusion.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/27/florida-open-carry-gun-ruling-chaos-and-confusion

Sounds like the Florida.gov could mitigate the chaos and confusion by applying severe criminal and civil penalties to anyone trying to use their authority to deprive anyone of their right to be armed.

Also, looking at Okaloosa

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_of_Roger_Fortson

https://www.fox10tv.com/2024/03/20/attorney-victim-fired-upon-okaloosa-county-patrol-suv-announces-lawsuit/

It is rather apparent not every le needs to be armed as part of their job, so nixing any and all le special priveleges could go a long way towards curtailing all the chaos and confusion.

There’s only confusion because they want there to be confusion in hopes bad things happen, which then allows more gun control. I’m not a fan or proponent of OC but that’s the reality of it. They may need to further clarify for the derpa derps with no common sense, but most understand that where it was illegal to carry concealed, it’s illegal to OC in the same places. It’s not rocket science. The next debate is, should they be illegal at all?

“Gun free zone” locations that draw crazies like flies, a bar if you’re not drinking (like picking up your GF after work, etc) and so forth. Me, those are more important than OC to me. I only support OC because the word “concealed” appears no place in the 2A, but as an issue, low on my priority list of 2A Rights denied.

I support pushing for(at a minimum) that anywhere(and in any fashion)that a cop and/or any other special snowflake can be armed, .gov should not have any say in preventing private citizens.

In Kentucky, current and retired cops, judges, and prosecutors are specially priveleged to go armed anywhere in the state(other than a detention facility) making it clear the powers that be do not recognize any sort of private property rights in general.

https://law.justia.com/codes/kentucky/chapter-527/section-527-020/

I live in Port Orange. Overall a great city to live in although it is starting to get crowded and has lost that small city feel but no where near an Orlando suburb feel. Police presence is good and all the ones I’ve run into have been cool. Great to see no one cared.

Foreshadowing unless Florida LE get brought to heel.

Alabama LE too.

https://youtu.be/O5JwWf_Q5qA?si=sCVmm8rYCIyrBXvm

That officer is an idiot and knew he effed up, but doubled down on his stupidity to try and save face. Idiots are everywhere, unfortunately, in every profession an they get weeded out eventually.

He will probably be made fun of by fellow officers for a long time. I know at my job, we don’t forget anything, and you better have thick skin or its going to be a miserable time.