Why should you get a CCW Permit if you don't legally have to?
Currently These 36 states will allow you to legally carry a loaded, concealed pistol on your person IF you have a valid Missouri Concealed Carry Permit:
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont.
So including Missouri, you can legally carry in 37 states.
Without a permit, with a few exceptions, you'll be able to carry only in Missouri.
A little known Illinois law allows you to carry a loaded concealed pistol WITHIN YOUR VEHICLE ONLY if you have a valid concealed carry permit issued by your home state ONLY.
Without a valid permit, you would be committing an Illinois State felony if you carried a loaded pistol, or even an unloaded pistol that is readily accessible to you, in your vehicle.
The Federal Gun Free School Zones Act prohibits possession of a firearm within 1000 feet of any school. No exceptions, unless you have a valid Concealed Carry Permit issued by the state in which the school is situated. If you do, you are granted an exemption in as far as you would be allowed to carry within that 1000 feet, and you may keep a gun locked up in your car within that 1000 feet, but not go inside.
If you have a permit, and you accidentally carry your pistol into one of the 17 places specifically listed in law as being off limits, you must first be asked to leave, if you refuse to do so (What kind of an idiot would do that?) You can only be cited (A ticket) and given a fine of up to $100 for the first offense. Even the second and third offense only mean a larger fine, and the loss of your concealed carry permit for a given amount of time. You can't go to jail for it. But, if you get caught carrying into one of these places without a permit, you are committing a crime, A Class B Misdemeanor – with a possible punishment of up to six months in jail, and a fine up to $500.
Having a permit gives an officer that you may interact with during a traffic stop a realization that you have undergone an FBI background check, and will be less likely treat you poorly because you have a gun in your possession.
If you ever are unfortunately forced to use your gun, it will show a Prosecuting Attorney, and a jury, that you were properly informed, and less likely to have used poor judgement in using your gun to defend yourself.
You are less likely to be found negligent in either a criminal, or civil trial.
Your insurance company will more likely back you up, if you are properly trained.
Any one of these reasons should be reason enough to take the time, effort, and expense to qualify for, and get, a Missouri Concealed Carry Permit.
The real bottom line is: The average cost of a CCW Permit class is $100 (That's what Fisher Arms charges) and the actual cost of a permit is limited by law to cost no more than $100, so for $200, you get peace of mind for at least the next 5 years that you will not be imprisoned for absentmindedly carrying your pistol into anywhere where you may not legally do so. It happens all the time, carrying your pistol becomes part of your life, you will not always notice that the building you are about to enter is off limits. If you get caught in one of these places, and you have a permit, you're out a maximum of $300 (If you've been caught 3 times), and you could loose your carry privileges for a maximum of 3 years. If you get caught in that same place without a permit, you risk giving everything you own to your new best friend, your lawyer, and while you are in jail, your loss of income might force your family to live with whoever is nice enough to take them in.
Currently These 36 states will allow you to legally carry a loaded, concealed pistol on your person IF you have a valid Missouri Concealed Carry Permit:
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont.
So including Missouri, you can legally carry in 37 states.
Without a permit, with a few exceptions, you'll be able to carry only in Missouri.
A little known Illinois law allows you to carry a loaded concealed pistol WITHIN YOUR VEHICLE ONLY if you have a valid concealed carry permit issued by your home state ONLY.
Without a valid permit, you would be committing an Illinois State felony if you carried a loaded pistol, or even an unloaded pistol that is readily accessible to you, in your vehicle.
The Federal Gun Free School Zones Act prohibits possession of a firearm within 1000 feet of any school. No exceptions, unless you have a valid Concealed Carry Permit issued by the state in which the school is situated. If you do, you are granted an exemption in as far as you would be allowed to carry within that 1000 feet, and you may keep a gun locked up in your car within that 1000 feet, but not go inside.
If you have a permit, and you accidentally carry your pistol into one of the 17 places specifically listed in law as being off limits, you must first be asked to leave, if you refuse to do so (What kind of an idiot would do that?) You can only be cited (A ticket) and given a fine of up to $100 for the first offense. Even the second and third offense only mean a larger fine, and the loss of your concealed carry permit for a given amount of time. You can't go to jail for it. But, if you get caught carrying into one of these places without a permit, you are committing a crime, A Class B Misdemeanor – with a possible punishment of up to six months in jail, and a fine up to $500.
Having a permit gives an officer that you may interact with during a traffic stop a realization that you have undergone an FBI background check, and will be less likely treat you poorly because you have a gun in your possession.
If you ever are unfortunately forced to use your gun, it will show a Prosecuting Attorney, and a jury, that you were properly informed, and less likely to have used poor judgement in using your gun to defend yourself.
You are less likely to be found negligent in either a criminal, or civil trial.
Your insurance company will more likely back you up, if you are properly trained.
Any one of these reasons should be reason enough to take the time, effort, and expense to qualify for, and get, a Missouri Concealed Carry Permit.
The real bottom line is: The average cost of a CCW Permit class is $100 (That's what Fisher Arms charges) and the actual cost of a permit is limited by law to cost no more than $100, so for $200, you get peace of mind for at least the next 5 years that you will not be imprisoned for absentmindedly carrying your pistol into anywhere where you may not legally do so. It happens all the time, carrying your pistol becomes part of your life, you will not always notice that the building you are about to enter is off limits. If you get caught in one of these places, and you have a permit, you're out a maximum of $300 (If you've been caught 3 times), and you could loose your carry privileges for a maximum of 3 years. If you get caught in that same place without a permit, you risk giving everything you own to your new best friend, your lawyer, and while you are in jail, your loss of income might force your family to live with whoever is nice enough to take them in.