Quote Originally Posted by herefishy View Post
Are there laws against openly carried handguns, or is it only concealed? We have one when we travel, but I often wonder if I was driving alone, if it wouldn't be a good idea to just have one up on the dashboard? I'm woefully underinformed, like many people who carry guns, and at least the people with CCW licenses know a little more about them. If I went into the back country I would certainly go armed.
Laws vary from state to state. The best thing to do is to investigate the laws in your state regarding open carry and conceal carry. For example it is illegal to have a loaded weapon in your vehicle in Washington unless you have a concealed weapon permit. And even then it is advisable to unload the weapon for safety reasons. Also in Washington if you are legally engaged in the activity of fishing you can carry a concealed weapon without a permit. However, if you do so and approached by a Fish & Game officer or other law enforcement you need to inform them immediatly that you have a concealed firearm. All of this is different depending on which state you are in.