Florida
Concealed Weapons License to Open Carry
The Florida House Criminal Justice Subcommittee voted 8-4 to support the measure (HB 163) for the 2016 legislative session to allow Florida Concealed Weapons License to allow Open Carry .
HB 163: Weapons and Firearms (Concealed Weapons License)
“Weapons and Firearms; Provides for construction of statutes that implicate right to bear arms or engage in self-defense; specifies that law enforcement officer may arrest person for unlicensed carrying of concealed weapon only upon probable cause that such violation is being committed; provides that person licensed to carry concealed weapon may also openly carry such firearm or weapon; provides liability for person or entity who infringes on specified rights; provides exception; provides that certain persons & entities have no immunity; revises legislative findings concerning possession & carrying of weapons & firearms; revises provisions concerning construction of provisions.”
Will this lower the crime rates when criminals know that a possible target is now armed? Every American citizen has a right to bear arms to protect themselves and their families, especially in a time when crime and terrorism is increasing and Law Enforcement budgets are being cut yearly.
Does Open Carry help make citizens more of a hard target to the criminals over Concealed Weapons License? In my opinion, Yes. Criminals seek easy targets of opportunity, they prey on the weak and vulnerable. If citizens are carrying open, this will make criminals second guess their target and move to the next available soft target. Just like a home, will the criminals break into the house with high fencing, good lighting, cameras and an alarm system or will they go after the house with easy access and no security measures?
In my opinion, too many citizens in Florida who have Concealed Weapons License have little to no training on a firearm. The State of Florida does not require any set curriculum or test to obtain a Florida Concealed Weapons “W” License. You can pretty much go to the gun range shoot 1 round and obtain the certificate for the license. Does this make you feel safer when many people licensed barley know how to use this tool? Have you ever been to a public gun range? I felt safer working in Iraq then I do walking into a public gun range and shooting with untrained people who are very unsafe with a firearm, imagine them carrying on the Streets of Florida. Now you have people who will pull a firearm out over a verbal conflict or even road rage and claim they were in fear of their life. The State should have a minimum 4 hours of Concealed Weapons License training and a test prior to a citizen being approved for a W License. I believe in the 2nd Amendment, but when this Law was created in 1791 most Americans carried guns and used them as a tool to hunt and survive. Training and firearms education is the key for a safer environment if citizens decide to carry a firearm for their protection.
Do you know how to draw from your holster? Most Concealed Weapons License holders do not and risk the chances of having a negligent discharge, possibly shooting themselves like the former NY Giants player who shot himself in the leg.
Proper training, we provide the Statewide Firearms Training Course for armed security and private investigators, this is a 3 day course that teaches firearms safety, marksmanship, loading & unloading, drawing from the holster, malfunctions and a live fire qualification. We actually have customers who have no interest in working in the security field but want to work on their marksmanship skills, so they choose this 3 day course. Shooting is a sport, you have to learn the proper fundamentals to become a better marksman. Firearms safety is a must! If you cannot recite the 4 safety rules then you should probably not own or carry a firearm until you learn them. Everyone claims to be a great shooter until we add a little stress in their life, shooting paper targets is not the same as shooting live targets, but scenario based training can help improve your skills during a possible encounter building your muscle memory. Shooting is a perishable skill so it takes time and practice to be a skilled shooter. To learn more about our firearms training programs and private 1 on 1 firearms training, contact us today 561-515-0093.
