Wyoming "Permitless Carry" law

Governor Matt Mead (R) recently signed into law two important self-defense reform bills. Yesterday, March 3, Governor Matt Mead signed Senate File 47, often referred to as “Permitless Carry” legislation. SF 47 was passed by an overwhelming majority in the state Senate and the House. Then today, the Governor signed House Bill 167, “Castle Doctrine” legislation which will strengthen your right to self-defense in your home. Both bills will go into effect on July 1, 2011.

In Wyoming, it is generally legal to carry a firearm openly as long as one is at least 18 years of age and not prohibited from possessing a firearm. However, if the firearm becomes covered with a coat, or if a woman prefers to carry a firearm in her purse, one would need to possess a concealed carry permit. This legislation simply gives people the greatest possible freedom to choose the best method of carry for them, based on attire, gender, and/or physical attributes.

Source

Of course as a Wyoming resident I am absolutely thrilled at this law going into effect the day after tomorrow. I figured with it coming into effect so soon there would be people with thoughts on this.

As of Friday, Wyoming residents will no longer need a Conceal and Carry permit to carry a concealed weapon. Obviously as the state with the lowest population yet the highest per capita gun ownership this would be a good place to start with this little experiment. If it works out (and knowing my state it will) we may just see this go into effect elsewhere.

Do you think this will set a precedent for other states to enact a permitless carry for residents?

Personally I hope laws like these spread like wildfire...

reply to post by DaMod
Wow, seems like freedom is rearing its head there in Wyoming.

Good job!

ETA: I hope the idea catches on in the rest of the states.

O man, i love Wyoming. I want to move to Wyoming! California sucks!

Excellent news from my neighbors to the north. I hope that trickles down to Colorado, but with John Hickenstupid at the helm, I doubt it will. It's nice to see the "shall not be infringed" part of the 2nd Amendment taken seriously.

reply to post by navy_vet_stg3


I agree.. I think the biggest deal here is the fact that this comes at a time where people all but unanimously agree that our rights are being eroded away. I'm glad to see my state giving them back.

Good stuff coming from what Wyoming residents would call the "Most Free state in the Union"

Good to see Wyoming follow suit with Arizona. 2 down, 48 more to go!!

reply to post by Cryptonomicon


Wait Arizona passed this too? I didn't know that..

Thanks for bringing it to my attention.. Tis good news.

reply to post by DaMod

Yeah, for almost a year now. Now if Arizona can just ban SWAT teams....

NH's "permitless carry" bill got shot down by the NRA if you can believe it.

Many states have a form of Bill 167, I have been a CWP holder since I turned 18 and I have changed none of my habits since then. The point of a concealed weapon is that nobody knows you have it the only time it becomes an issue is in interaction with the law. I have been pulled over several times with concealed guns either on my persons and in the vehicle. Before I had the permit and after nothing has changed I notify the officer I am carrying and follow their instructions, for my safety mainly. The only difference now is I present them with a card that says I'm legit by state law.

I guess my question is what does this change I carried before I had a permit and still do and have never been jailed or fine prior to the permit so I really see no difference. In most states the only thing that bars you from getting a permit is felonies and domestics, and in that same case by law you can't even own a gun so this really changes nothing especially in Wyo keep it up though loosen the national gun noose a bit at a time till we can buy freely again.

reply to post by ParanoidAmerican


Well this law is really for Wyo residents to be able to conceal and carry without a permit.. You can still acquire a Wyo CCW if you want to carry out of state and a CCW will still be required of non-residents to conceal and carry. So the biggest change is now the whole population has a CCW if a resident and inside Wyoming..

Originally posted by ParanoidAmerican
I guess my question is what does this change ...

You cant be hassled by a cop if your jacket swings over your openly carried gun making "concealed" and you cant get hassled if your jacket blows over and exposes your "concealed" arm.

The line between concealed and exposed has been used by totalitarian states for a long time to revoke permits, throw around "brandishing" charges and force perfectly peaceful law-abiding people into waiting 5 or more years for their case to be heard by firearms permitting boards to have their right reinstated.

There's got to be a way we can stop this.
If we don't, freedom will spread to other states and then ,before you know it, freedom will be everywhere!!
This is madness and it has to stop.

Armed citizens are going to be everywhere.
What are the police supposed to do, knowing that when they taze an 80 year old grandmother to the ground, the innocent bystandars may be packing heat and willing to defend her?
What about the gangbangers right to rob the good people of Wyoming?
How are they supposed to do that when the citizens are walking around like John friggin Wayne with
a .45 strapped to their hip? Did anyone even think of that?

What if the terrorists sneak into this country and obtain citizenship and then buy a gun?
What if they carry a gun out in the open with NO license and they stroll into a wal-mart and kill everyone?

Ultimately,if we don't stop this, the people at the tippy tippy top of the pyramid will be overthrown and we will secure victory over our oppressors once and for all.We will no longer live as slaves.
What about the rights of all of the people who want to live as slaves to an oppressive regime?
Did anyone even consider them??

Originally posted by thisguyrighthere
NH's "permitless carry" bill got shot down by the NRA if you can believe it.

Did it have a 'bad' rider attached?

Or what?

Arizona passed the same law last year.

I carry *EVERYDAY*, no days off because I dont know when the SHTF

Originally posted by butcherguy

Originally posted by thisguyrighthere
NH's "permitless carry" bill got shot down by the NRA if you can believe it.

Did it have a 'bad' rider attached?

Or what?

It was some nonsense with local NRA reps and affiliates not getting the recognition they wanted out of it so they killed it.

Their rep, Hohenwarter , pushed for some asinine amendment that got adopted then he refused to support the bill because of his amendment.

He forced a poison pill into the bill then fought it dead because of the poison pill.

Political bull taking priority over liberty.

You can read all about it here: www.pgnh.org...

Absolutely disgusting.

Great to hear.
Now, NM, UT, TX and ID, it's your turn.

reply to post by DaMod


I see now it does make a little difference, I guess I just have never had an issue when carrying prior to having the permit.... So now basically no one needs the permit to say carry a rifle in the trunk of a car or in a case or under a coat. I lived in Sheridan for four years awhile back and I don't think most Wyo resident had an issue breaking this law we always had guns behind or under the seat. Has anyone here ever been charged with concealing with out a permit just curious?

Thanks to you and the below for clarifying. I could see the Dakotas following suit in the near feature.

reply to post by thisguyrighthere
Thanks for the link, that's some real BS there.

Makes me wish I could have my life membership money back. I joined about 25 years ago.

Colorado took a shot at this earlier this year and the bill was killed in committee on the senate side after passing the house. I hoped it would make it through, but some parts of this state are turning into California Lite, so it didn't surprise me.



Colorado’s “Permitless Carry” Bill Defeated in Senate Committee