How The CCW Permit Was Derived

[FirstFlight]

I read this story many years ago and don't know how factual it is, but it sounds logical. If anyone can add to this, or knows of a different scenario, let us know.

Starting back in the days before this country was created, and then continuing after, people carried a gun open carry. It was considered ungentlemanly to carry concealed. Only the pimps and the riverboat gamblers carried concealed. In fact in most areas, because of these feelings, it was against the law to carry concealed. Open carry continued up into the days of the industrial revolution, where big citys grew along with the populations. At that time, professional men such as doctors, business men and engineers, walking down the big city streets began to feel a little to much like cowboys, packing guns around open carry. They felt it beneath their dignity to pack that way. They would go to their local Sheriff or Police Chief and ask him for a letter they could carry with them, giving permission to carry concealed, just in case someone commented about it. Thats the way it all started. Has anyone heard differently? If so, fill us in.

[Lady Di]

FirstFlight,

The question in your post intrigued me enough to go searching for the answer. I discovered an interesting research article on the subject that I found to be very enlightening. It may not provide all the answers re: the origin of how the CCW permit was derived, but some of the facts are indeed interesting. I've provided the link for anyone interested in learning more.

http://www.claytoncramer.com/concealed.pdf

[DAN]

Good stuff, Kinda give you a perspective.
Years ago while going through some training we had a 1 hour class on firearms laws.

The instructors view about concealed carry permits was that during the 1920s, due to the organized crime crackdown, some of the states created concealed carry laws so that they could pin one more thing on a bad guy if he was carrying concealed. That led to the good old boy system of who you knew could get you a letter or permit to carry and not get into trouble.

That was about the same time full auto and short gun laws started to come along.

It is amazing how we create laws to cut back on potential crime yet the law abiding citizen takes the impact.

Example: 10 rd magazine maximum for Calif guns. What real difference does 2 rds make? Only the law abiding citizen will know! Not the bad guy.

Dan

[VegasGeorge]

Good find, Lady Di. I went into this fellow's website, and found the list of his other scholarly articles, many of which are very interesting.

http://www.claytoncramer.com/journals.htm

I am particularly intrigued by the connection between gun control measures and racist policies.

[FirstFlight]

Thanks Lady Di, Dan and Vegas George. I bet a book could be written about the history of the CCW permit, its reasons, state by state and incident by incident. It would take a lot of digging though!

Wasn't the 14th amendment written dealing with rights (including gun ownership)of the Constitution that the blacks were denied when they were "set free"? Showing that all the amendments were written for individuals, and not a group (militia). Its been along time since I studied history. I think I will look that up!