What states allow open carry?
Asked by: Jamaal Casper II | Last update: April 21, 2026Score: 4.9/5 (31 votes)
Most U.S. states allow some form of open carry, with many (around 30+) permitting it without a permit, often called "constitutional carry," while some states have stricter permit requirements or outright prohibitions on openly carrying handguns or long guns, so laws vary significantly by location and firearm type. States like Alabama, Arizona, Texas, and Florida (since 2025) generally allow permitless open carry, whereas California, Florida (historically), Illinois, New York, and D.C. have restrictions or bans.
What US states are open carry?
Most U.S. states allow some form of open carry, with many falling under "constitutional carry" (permitless carry), while some require permits, and only a few like California, Illinois, and New York generally prohibit it, though specifics vary by state and locality, so always know your local laws. States like Alaska, Arizona, and Texas are known for permitless open carry, but regulations differ on loaded vs. unloaded, handgun vs. long gun, and restrictions in certain areas.
What is the most gun-friendly state?
There isn't one single "most" gun-friendly state, as rankings vary, but New Hampshire, West Virginia, Montana, Arkansas, and South Dakota consistently appear at the top for having permissive gun laws, permitless carry, no sales tax on firearms, and strong "stand your ground" protections, with New Hampshire often leading due to its "Live Free or Die" stance and Constitutional Carry. States like Mississippi and Missouri also have very lenient laws, while California and New Jersey have the strictest.
What state is the least gun friendly?
The 10 States With the Strictest Gun Laws
- New York.
- Connecticut.
- Hawaii.
- New Jersey.
- Maryland.
- Massachusetts.
- Washington.
- Colorado.
What is the least armed state in the US?
Rates of Gun Ownership by State
Wyoming has the highest rate of gun ownership, with an estimated 66 firearms per 100 residents. Massachusetts and New Jersey share the lowest rate at 14.7 firearms for every 100 residents. The state-level ownership may be lower due to data restraints.
Which States Are Open Carry For Firearms? - SecurityFirstCorp.com
Can I carry in all 50 states?
Following the Supreme Court's NYSRPA v. Bruen (2022) decision, all states in the United States were required to allow for concealed carry of a handgun either permitlessly or with a permit, although the difficulty in obtaining a permit varies per jurisdiction.
Does open carry make you a target?
The Risk of Targeting
One of the biggest drawbacks of open carry is that it can make you a target. For example, suppose you are sitting down and having lunch with your family at a restaurant. Suddenly, armed robbers barge in with guns drawn and demand cash from the register.
What four states don't allow open carry?
Currently, 46 states allow open carry in some form. The remaining four states — California, Florida, Illinois and New York (plus Washington D.C.) — generally prohibit it.
Can I bring my gun to any state?
Under the Firearms Owners' Protection Act (FOPA), federal law permits you to transport a firearm for lawful purposes from any place where you may legally possess it to any other place you may legally possess it, as long as the firearm is unloaded and locked in a hard-sided container.
Do I need to disclose if I'm carrying?
In the hard duty to inform states, you have to inform an officer that you are armed without being asked. In some states, a person is only required to disclose that they are carrying if asked by a police officer but otherwise don't have to.
Where are guns completely banned?
In some countries, including Cambodia, Eritrea, and the Solomon Islands, private ownership of firearms by civilians is completely prohibited. There may be exceptions for private security companies, militias and paramilitary groups.
What is Mexican carry?
Mexican carry, also known as "loose carry" or "pocket carry," is the dangerous practice of carrying a handgun inside the waistband without a holster, often in the appendix (front) position, to avoid detection or when holsters are unavailable, but it risks accidental discharge due to lack of trigger protection and poor retention. The term originates from 19th-century Mexican civilians defying gun laws by tucking weapons into their pants to hide them from authorities, only retrieving them when needed, according to this Guns and Ammo article and this LAS Concealment article.
Can I open carry at Walmart?
Open Carry of Firearms
Motivated by our desire to create a safe environment in our stores and clubs, we request that customers no longer openly carry firearms into Walmart or Sam's Club locations in states where open carry is permitted – unless they are authorized law enforcement.
Why is open carry dumb?
Research shows that the presence of a visible gun makes people more aggressive. Allowing guns to be carried openly in public also makes it very difficult to distinguish between the “good guys” and the “bad guys” during an active shooter incident. States should prohibit guns from being carried openly in public.
What is the freest gun state?
There isn't one single "freest" gun state, as rankings vary, but New Hampshire, Wyoming, Arizona, Montana, South Dakota, and Arkansas consistently rank among the most gun-friendly due to permitless carry, minimal taxes on firearms, strong self-defense laws, and general pro-2A policies, with states like Wyoming having high gun ownership and New Hampshire being a top choice for its low regulation and tax-free status.
What is the hardest state to get a gun license?
The hardest states to get a gun license often include California, New York, New Jersey, Illinois, Hawaii, and Massachusetts, due to strict permit-to-purchase requirements, comprehensive background checks, mandatory training/interviews, waiting periods, and local police discretion, with California often cited as the strictest overall for its broad regulations. These states have extensive laws covering everything from firearm types to safe storage and training, making the process lengthy and selective, especially for concealed carry permits.
Where in the US are guns not allowed?
Federally designated areas where weapons are banned, even with a permit: Federal Courthouses* Federal Buildings* Any Building Owned, Leased or Rented by the Federal Government — This includes buildings in national forests which are property of the federal government.
What is the 9 minute rule at Walmart?
The Walmart 9-minute rule is an unwritten policy allowing associates to clock in up to 9 minutes early or 9 minutes late, and clock out up to 9 minutes early or late, without incurring a point under the attendance system, though this is often store-dependent and can be inconsistently applied, leading to confusion or disciplinary action if managers disapprove. While it's meant to cover minor timing issues, some managers treat it as only for emergencies or don't enforce it, making it a confusing, unofficial perk that can still get you in trouble, especially with unauthorized extra work time.
Can I open carry at Home Depot?
Home Depot said that it will act in accordance with federal and state regulations. “We follow all federal and state regulations everywhere we operate,” the home improvement store said. “We allow customers to conceal carry and open carry where permissible by local laws.”
Can I open carry at CVS?
For this reason, we prefer that customers not openly carry firearms into our stores." There's nothing more important than the safety of our customers & employees.
What is Israeli carry?
What Is “Israeli Carry”? The Israeli method teaches carrying a semi-automatic pistol with no round in the chamber. Draw, rack, fire. The training focuses heavily on speed-racking during the draw stroke—burned into muscle memory through endless reps.
Do Chinese police carry guns?
Their police forces commonly adopt a philosophy of policing by consent. In China, police also do not carry guns on standard patrol. A survey conducted in Great Britain in 2004 found that 47% of citizens supported arming all police while 48% were opposed to the idea.
Why do Mexicans like .38 super?
Apart from its popularity in shooting sports, the . 38 Super +P is one of the most popular pistol cartridges in Latin America due to local restrictions on civilian ownership of firearms chambered for military cartridges, such as 9mm Parabellum and . 45 ACP.
What is the most gun-friendly country?
There isn't one single "most gun friendly" country, but the United States has the highest civilian gun ownership and very permissive laws in many states, while Switzerland is known for its strong gun culture tied to militia service and relatively liberal ownership rules for certain firearms after background checks, and countries like Yemen also have extremely non-restrictive laws, though often with different cultural contexts. Other nations with high ownership or liberal access include Canada, Finland, and Serbia, often linked to hunting or defense traditions.
Is the black tip 30 06 legal?
30-06 black tip (M2 AP) ammunition is generally legal for civilians federally, but its legality is highly restricted or banned in several states (like CA, CT, IL, MA, NY) due to being classified as armor-piercing (AP) ammunition, requiring specific licensing and checking local/state laws before purchase or possession, as federal law allows AP ammo for rifles but prohibits handgun AP ammo for civilians.