Open Carry signed into law SC

[BB57]

That title creates ambiguity. Must have been a sop to the antis. It appears to actually be Open Carry with CWP Act. I'm not itching to open carry, but I'm going to get another opinion to make sure I understand the law. My state solicitor is a neighbor, so I'll verify with him next time I see him.

He's also the squeamish type who would want training as a prerequisite. I think it somewhat likely he is the one who convinced my state senator to insist on training.

BWZ, does the waiving of the fee apply to renewals as well?

That’s my read on the law as well. It begs the question “why?”. If you have a concealed carry permit why would you choose to open carry?

It doesn’t quite pass the smell test and I suspect the long term effect (and probably the intent of some of the legislators who voted for it) will be to cause more businesses to post “no concealable weapons”.

 

[BB57]

A very interesting map

It’s also not entirely accurate, or at least misleading.

For example as of today MD is still a may issue state. It even that’s a stretch. From the MD state police website:

“ 6) Has a good and substantial reason​ to wear, carry, or transport a handgun, such as finding that the permit is necessary as a reasonable precaution against danger.”

To put that in context an acquaintance of mine provided evidence against a suspect and was scheduled to testify. He received death threats from the accused and based on that was granted a concealed carry permit (after he met all the other criteria). The permit was revoked once the trial and sentencing was complete.

Three years later he was advised the convicted felon was soon to be released. He responded that the felon had once again started making death threats (and they were documented) and applied for a concealed carry permit. Despite the documented threats he was told the person was rehabilitated and the permit was denied.

Not a very progressive policy for issuing concealed carry permits, clearly not a “shall issue” policy and for all practical purposes it’s not even a “may issue policy, but rather an almost never issue policy.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

Your "OC with CWP" is a clearer name.

Not that it matters, but after hearing the many student questions answered by the Deputy Sheriff that taught my CWP class, it's clear to me that most people don't instinctively know the parameters for legal use of deadly force. I appreciate the SC minimum training requirement for public carry, as much as DMV testing before drivers licenses are issued.

Renewals seem to be covered, though not explicitly, by item 4:
"(4). SLED may not charge a fee of any kind for a concealable weapon permit."

BUT............YOU HAVE TO HAVE the training (and pass it) before applying for the "free" permit..........Sled doesn't offer the training....You have to get that from a certified instructor(like I was). Our cost back then was $60 per student.

 

[bigwheelzip]

BUT............YOU HAVE TO HAVE the training (and pass it) before applying for the "free" permit..........Sled doesn't offer the training....You have to get that from a certified instructor(like I was). Our cost back then was $60 per student.

The back-office manpower required to process CWPs is now going to become an unrecompensed financial burden on SLED. I hope SLED pushes the CWP expiration timeframe to 10 years as a cost-cutting maneuver.

At my club, the CWP course list price is 125 dollars, before the range membership discount.

 

[BB57]

The back-office manpower required to process CWPs is now going to become an unrecompensed financial burden on SLED. I hope SLED pushes the CWP expiration timeframe to 10 years as a cost-cutting maneuver.

At my club, the CWP course list price is 125 dollars, before the range membership discount.

That’s about the average cost in NC as well. I have seen it as low as $80 with club and NRA discounts.

In NC you can argue that some people open carry because they can’t afford or don’t want to spend the approximately $200 it costs to get a concealed handgun permit once the training cost, application fee, fingerprint fees z(in some counties) and ammo cost for the live fire training are considered. Right now the cost is upwards of $250 given the inflated cost of ammo.

 

[bigwheelzip]

Right now the cost is upwards of $250 given the inflated cost of ammo.

For the SC CWP, that $125 price is all-inclusive, except for ammo which is 25 rounds and can be any caliber.

 

[Heinz]

When I took the SC class last year it was a 50 round course of fire, 10 rounds at each of 5 distances. I do not know if that is a SLED or instructor requirement. I only paid $60

 

[RCL-09]

It’s also not entirely accurate, or at least misleading.

For example as of today MD is still a may issue state. It even that’s a stretch. From the MD state police website:

The map shows Maryland as a "may issue" state.

 

[bigwheelzip]

When I took the SC class last year it was a 50 round course of fire, 10 rounds at each of 5 distances. I do not know if that is a SLED or instructor requirement. I only paid $60

From the new law:
(iv) the actual firing of the handgun in the presence of the instructor, provided that a minimum of twenty-five rounds must be fired;

 

[Magnum629]

Walmart in Surfside beach, SC already is ahead of the game with signs on their door saying no open carry weapons. I currently reside in Virginia where open carry is legal. Here in the Winchester area you will see signs on some businesses stating no open carry allowed within. My family and I will be moving to South Carolina in a few months in Horry County. I will likely go for a concealed carry permit and go that route. My Ruger GP100 3 inch .357 will be adequate for the task. South Carolina is a great state in every respect. I look forward to saying adios to Virginia.

 

[BB57]

Walmart in Surfside beach, SC already is ahead of the game with signs on their door saying no open carry weapons. I currently reside in Virginia where open carry is legal. Here in the Winchester area you will see signs on some businesses stating no open carry allowed within. My family and I will be moving to South Carolina in a few months in Horry County. I will likely go for a concealed carry permit and go that route. My Ruger GP100 3 inch .357 will be adequate for the task. South Carolina is a great state in every respect. I look forward to saying adios to Virginia.

I don’t miss VA at all. As the northern VA counties continue to take over the state just keeps getting worse.

 

[transit]

...You need to understand that, unlike NC, the SC law makes no distinction between posting against open or concealed carry. If a business owner wants to prohibit open carry the only legal option is to use the prescribed legal language banning carry of “concealable” weapons which bans both. I suspect that language was added to get it to pass and that was based on the idea that it will inevitably restrict concealed carry in many more businesses.

In short business owners in SC will not have the flexibility of business owners in NC. That’s a big mistake and it’ll be a long term negative for concealed carry permit holders in SC.

Seems like what also needs to be understood is that the business owner is the one who would be making the complaint.

It doesn't matter what the state language is.

If the business owner doesn't call the police, or support a complaint made by a whiner who does, there is no complaint.

If a business owner prefers that people don't open carry in his business, he can post the state language.

If someone concealed carries in his business, but he doesn't make an issue of it, then it is not an issue.

The state language has nothing to do with what the business owner chooses to do with his business.

He is the complainant. Or he is not.

 

[Gamecock]

10-4, transit. I lived outside Richmond for 16 years. I rarely saw anyone open carry, even though it was legal.

I remember walking down a main street in Richmond, may have been Main Street, with my Remington 1100 going to a gunsmith's store for service. In South Carolina, that is illegal. When you buy a gun, you have to have it wrapped up when you leave the store. In ~85 days, if you have a CWP, you can carry it to your car without wrapping it up.

SC businesses are unlikely to just put signs up. It will be reactionary if they do.

 

[steelslaver]

South Carolina is NOT a "shall-issue" state. SC has a rather complex set of gun laws.

Although SC does require a level of training it is not a MAY ISSUE state. If you fulfill the training requirements and are not a prohibited person your state laws sure make it appear to be shall issue.

 

[Gamecock]

Not that it matters, but after hearing the many student questions answered by the Deputy Sheriff that taught my CWP class, it's clear to me that most people don't instinctively know the parameters for legal use of deadly force.

So? We can't have freedom because someone might make a mistake? Where is this actually happening? 15 states have permitless concealed carry; 20 have permitless open carry. Where's the problem?

 

[Gamecock]

So you cannot sit in front of your computer screen and presume to know what the SC laws were or are without having read them. I am not sure of all the new law says yet and I have read it twice.

I gave up trying to read 3094, I was getting a headache.

 

[handejector]

Gov. Henry McMaster has signed open carry into law in South Carolina.
-permit is still required
-$50 permit fee is now waived

Law goes into effect in 90 days to allow time to "educate" law enforcement, etc. There has been discussion elsewhere on the forum that the SC legislature passed the bill, but no prior mention of it being signed into law.
More details:

https://www.thestate.com/news/politics-government/article251471048.html

Now you know.
This is not a forum for the old debate/argument about OC vs CC and/or the rising crime rate

We're done here.