Florida concealed weapons permit (for non-residents)

[CharlieS]

I know a lot of people (myself included) carry weapons in their RV. I was wondering how many folks have one of these permits from the state of Florida? They WILL issue them to non-residents. They are pretty easy to get and valid in around 30 states. I have had one for about 3 years now.

When you combine this permit with the permit from your home state - you have a large portion of the U.S. covered.

When I got mine, I paid a fee at a local gun show and they gave me a package to mail in and did most of the paperwork for me. I do believe, however, that you can order the forms directly from the state of Florida.

 

[JimE]

Re: Florida concealed weapons permit (for non-residents)

Charlie, thanks for the insight. The wife and I both have a Texas CCL but it sounds like this could enhance our coverage.

 

[USMC]

RE: Florida concealed weapons permit (for non-residents)

Yes Charlie you are correct and if anyone wants to know more about this just access the Florida concealed weapon site below and it will give you all pertinent information on this and also what other states a Florida permit allows you to carry in, I also have a concealed carry license and I'm curious to know actually how many people out there that have this permit actually carry it on there person rather than just in there R.V., I have carried mine on my person but I feel paranoid about it even though I'm legal.

Illinois is my home state and they do not have a concealed carry law, however the Illinois Supreme Court has just made a recent ruling on a case where a person that has an Illinois firearm permit from can carry an unloaded pistol in his glove compartment unloaded, where as before the previous law was challenged as the law read that it had to be in a gun case, the law was challenged and the Illinois Supreme court ruled that a glove compartment or the compartment between the seats constituted a case.

Therefore now the way this ruling is written a person with a valid firearm card from the State of Illinois actually can carry a concealed weapon if it is in a pistol designed fanny pack carry case, even though there is no concealed carry law in place in Illinois per say.

reference sites: http://licgweb.doacs.state.fl.us/weapons/index.html
http://cbs2chicago.com/politics/guns.in.cars.2.1304326.html

 

[CharlieS]

RE: Florida concealed weapons permit (for non-residents)

I almost never carry a weapon on my person. It's either in the console of my truck or in my RV.

 

[SUDS]

RE: Florida concealed weapons permit (for non-residents)

I ALWAYS carry concealed on my person. As the old American Express add said, "don't leave home without it". I don't. I live in Florida in a reasonably safe community but I still carry 100% of the time. How does one determine when one will need a weapon for defense. It does no good to have a weapon unloaded in the glove box or in the nightstand at home when one needs it now. It is much better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. Carried properly, a handgun is safe and good insurance for you and for your family. When yo go out in your car or RV, do you expect to have a flat tire? Probably not but you still carry a spare tire. Do you expect to have an accident? Probably not but you still carry insurance. I don't expect to be assaulted but I still carry a weapon. Just another form of insurance. I have carried for the last three years and nobody knows. In fact, my wife asked me the other day if I "still carried my gun". Even she cannot tell if I have it or not. I urge all law abiding citizens to get the proper training and the proper concealed permit and carry all the time. In the very rare chance that you or your family will need to be protected, you will be ready and able.

This is probably not a popular stance for some people to hear but just watch the news and think about where, why and how innocent people who get hurt or killed by a bad guy could have saved themselves with a weapon. They didn't expect it to happen and most were unprepared. Always be aware of your surroundings and who is around you. Don't let yourselves or your loved ones be a victim. Have some insurance.

Bob

 

[CharlieS]

RE: Florida concealed weapons permit (for non-residents)

I have a friend who claims it is irresponsible to not carry a weapon when you have a permit to do so.

His reasoning is if you encounter a situation where you could save a life with your weapon and you don't have it, then you are remiss.

I don't know if his reasoning is sound or not and Bob your opinion is not unpopular with me, but like USMC I just don't feel comfortable being armed in the grocery store - I guess it is a personal thing.

 

[SUDS]

RE: Florida concealed weapons permit (for non-residents)

Charlie,
I understand that you may feel uncomfortable carrying a weapon. I was at first. As they say, practice makes perfect. The more you carry, the more comfortable you will feel with it. Soon it becomes second nature. Consider this example if you will. You and your wife leave the grocery store with your cart of groceries. You open your truck and are placing your purchases in the back seat. You are busy and distracted. One of the local scumbags sees you and decides you are an easy mark and he wants your truck. He nonchalantly approaches, whacks you from behind and takes your truck. Maybe your wife or one of your kids already has gotten in the truck. This won't deter him from taking it. You have no way to stop him. What happens next? If you are lucky, he stops and lets your family member out. If you are not lucky, well we can only imagine. With a weapon, you could have at least made a reasonable attempt to stop him before he drove off. Maybe he doesn't take your truck but demands your wallet or maybe he goes after the little old grandma parked two cars away instead of you.

Without a weapon, you are at best on equal terms with the coward. Maybe there is more than one of them. Then you are immediately at a great disadvantage. Most of these cowards do not care if they hurt you or anyone else. Their only goal is to take what they want whether it is your car, wallet, your money or your life. I have retired from working in a State Prison in Florida. I was around these cowards every day for years. I know how it is for them and how they think. I went hands on with them many times when fights broke out. Inside the fences, I was unarmed. All I had was my radio and my fighting skills. Outside, I am never unarmed. I am tired of fighting with that type of person. I am too old to be rolling around on the ground. Besides, it takes a lot longer to heal now. The best way to win a fight if necessary is to have the advantage. Your weapon gives you just that. I know from experience that these types of people are cowards unless they have the advantage. If they see that you can or will win they will, in most cases, run away and look fore someone else to attack.

There was a case recently in a Burger King that a man walked in with a handgun and slowly and methodically shot 12 people there. I guarantee if someone there was armed, he would not have had 12 kills to his record. At least not if I was there.

I understand your reluctance to carry. I respect you for your decision. All I am saying is to consider carefully your decision not to carry and do what your heart and your head tells you. You are right, "IT IS A PERSONAL THING.

Sorry I got carried away here. But for me this is an important issue. Merry Christmas to all.

Bob

 

[USMC]

RE: Florida concealed weapons permit (for non-residents)

I agree with you both on everything, it is an awesome responsibility to carry a concealed weapon and no when to use it and when not to use it, for instance lets say you are in the local 7-11 and it is being robbed at gun point and you feel there life is being threatened and the cashier hands the robber the money from the cash register and he turns to go out just as you have got in position to fire your weapon and he then turns and walks out, if you shoot and kill him as he is leaving with this scenario the law does not consider this person a threat to your immediate surroundings since he was leaving with out hurting anyone, in a hypothetical situation such as this, if you would have shot and killed this person you could and most likely be charged with murder and end up in a worst situation than if you had not acted.

It is just not the fact that you are qualified to carry a concealed weapon and have a permit you also need to know the laws just as if you were a policeman or law enforcement person.

One thing that I think bothers me when I carry a concealed weapon is running into a policeman in a situation where he is over zealous and trigger happy and shoots you before he assesses the complete situation., when he determines you are carrying a fire arm.
There is a video available on the internet that shows one the proper procedure one should take in the event he is stopped in his vehicle or out side the vehicle by law enforcement, I will look around and see if I can find it and post the site at a later date.

I did a quick search and located the video of a police stop of a person carrying a concealed weapon.LINK

 

[LEN]

Re: Florida concealed weapons permit (for non-residents)

I was stopped once in a like situation as above. Pulled over by a lady state police and before I could say I had the concealed she asked me and I said yes but it was in a case under the seat loaded but no round in the chamber. When we were done I asked how the hell she knew and she said she saw(this was a Ruger target 22) casings in the dash that I had eject while at the gravel pit many days before. No problem but she did return it with the mag MT and the rounds in a plastic baggie.
For the Florida permit do you have to get there to obtain the permit or can you do it by mail someway???

LEN

 

[CharlieS]

Re: Florida concealed weapons permit (for non-residents)

Len

You can do the whole thing by mail. As I recall, the most difficult part was getting the fingerprints - they have to be done by your local police department.

 

[LEN]

Re: Florida concealed weapons permit (for non-residents)

We will have to check into this for next year's travels, too late this year to complete before we leave and I'm covered for where we go this winter.

LEN

 

[USMC]

Re: Florida concealed weapons permit (for non-residents)

Len,
If you decide you want to get a concealed carry permit go to the site above that I posted it gives you the address to order the package on line and even if you are leaving soon I would suggest that you go ahead and get the application to fill it out, you can stop any where on the road and have your fingerprints taken.

The reason I say go ahead and do it now is because there is a long waiting list and more than likely if you fill out the paper work now you will probably be back home before it comes through.

Oh! on an after thought if you were ever in the military and have your dd-214 form you can send a copy with your application and by doing this you will not have to go to a gun class to get certified.