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Travelling from Texas

tx-skydiver

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2010
Messages
48
Location
Dallas, TX
Hi

I will be travelling through your state and know that CO is an open carry state...however I also know there are now new laws passed that have restricted you.

Is the practice still generally accepted there? If I open carry can I expect to be harassed? Anything of note to know before I try it?

Thank you
 

SteveInCO

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May 3, 2013
Messages
297
Location
El Paso County, Colorado
None of the new laws affected open carry. There is a ban on transfer or purchase of >15 round magazines (and new shotgun restrictions) and a ban on private sales without a background check.

Open Carry is legal almost everywhere. The BIG exception is the actual City of Denver.

It's not customary though; it's rather unusual to see someone actually doing it. It's probably more common in Colorado Springs than elsewhere in the big cities; I've been spotting someone at least once a month of late.
 

tx-skydiver

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Dec 2, 2010
Messages
48
Location
Dallas, TX
Thank you for the response. I knew Denver was a no-go which is very sad. Our route will take us on the loop around Denver. I don;t think the loop is within the city limits, though, correct? I just wanted to be sure that if we go to get gas or food we will not be messed with. I have my Texas CHL.
 

SteveInCO

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297
Location
El Paso County, Colorado
Thank you for the response. I knew Denver was a no-go which is very sad. Our route will take us on the loop around Denver. I don;t think the loop is within the city limits, though, correct? I just wanted to be sure that if we go to get gas or food we will not be messed with. I have my Texas CHL.

470 is not within Denver with one exception, but except for the southwest quadrant it's a very expensive toll road (and doesn't go all the way around either, there's no connection between I-70 west of Denver and US-36). Not sure which direction you are going, or which part you are thinking of taking.

The exception is 470 cuts through Denver at Pena Boulevard; don't exit there.

OKAY the stuff that follows, I am MUCH LESS confident of.

I think you are OK in your car even inside Denver if you get pulled over, given a valid permit, which you have as there is reciprocity. (I am not sure, you may not even need a permit for in car carry even in Denver. That situation hasn't even potentially applied to me since 1995. But I can't untangle the legal verbiage because it all hangs on the phrases lawfully carrying and lawfully possessing... and I don't know what that actually means in Denver. The law is saying if you are allowed to lawfully carry, you are allowed to carry. Well DUH.) Hopefully someone with more knowledge of Denver car carry can untangle this.

Even if my suspicion is correct and you can OC in your car in Denver (either because of your permit or because the state prempted Denver), I don't know what you should do if you have the gun OC on your person, get pulled over in Denver, then are asked to get out of your car.
 
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SteveInCO

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May 3, 2013
Messages
297
Location
El Paso County, Colorado
That's the quadrant that cuts across Pena boulevard, and is part of the toll road. Your license plate will be photographed and you will be billed for the toll, which is in the neighborhood of ten dollars for that segment (that's a guesstimate).

I know I have seen a map of denver city limits set up in Google but I cannot find it now. It would answer all questions. But there is this which is close enough for our purposes. http://www.denverrelocation.com/DenverColoMaps.html. Your route is the road in green.


I know you shouldn't get off of 470 at Pena Boulevard though, without leaving your gun in the car at the very least, or covering up (which is an option for you). (I'd gas up on I-70 somewhere before even getting to 470, if that looks like a potential issue.)

You may find this of academic interest though it mostly doesn't pertain to you: http://forum.opencarry.org/forums/showthread.php?115044-Visiting-Denver-Area
 

tx-skydiver

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Dec 2, 2010
Messages
48
Location
Dallas, TX
That's the quadrant that cuts across Pena boulevard, and is part of the toll road. Your license plate will be photographed and you will be billed for the toll, which is in the neighborhood of ten dollars for that segment (that's a guesstimate).

I know I have seen a map of denver city limits set up in Google but I cannot find it now. It would answer all questions. But there is this which is close enough for our purposes. http://www.denverrelocation.com/DenverColoMaps.html. Your route is the road in green.


I know you shouldn't get off of 470 at Pena Boulevard though, without leaving your gun in the car at the very least, or covering up (which is an option for you). (I'd gas up on I-70 somewhere before even getting to 470, if that looks like a potential issue.)

You may find this of academic interest though it mostly doesn't pertain to you: http://forum.opencarry.org/forums/showthread.php?115044-Visiting-Denver-Area

Thank you very much for the information. I appreciate your help.

I wonder how they can bill out of state plates...especially a rental RV.
 

SteveInCO

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May 3, 2013
Messages
297
Location
El Paso County, Colorado
Thank you very much for the information. I appreciate your help.

I wonder how they can bill out of state plates...especially a rental RV.

I'd read your rental agreement. You may be required not to travel toll roads like this, or agree to reimburse them for the bill when they get it (the rental place wouldn't be too happy getting the bill). Other than that I have no idea how it would be handled.

If you do have to avoid C-470 then you get to travel through Denver on I-70, then I-270 to I-25. If you avoid rush hour, traffic should be manageable. I don't see much of an issue with your weapons even if you do get hit with a traffic stop; it being an RV you can simply keep them in the back or something while in Denver city limits (I am not even sure that's necessary to be honest; I keep hoping someone who understands guns-in-vehicle-in-Denver stops by); this does not render you less safe since you don't have to have them on your person until you get out of the vehicle and you can walk to them and retrieve them before exiting.

You have a CCW permit if, despite planning, you have to stop in Denver (and you certainly know how to CC and have the gear for it, being from Texas where it's the only way to go), and if you don't stop in Denver then there should be no issue. Meanwhile OC all you want on your other stops.

Beware: do NOT have a round in the chamber for long guns in any vehicle! That's a big-time no no and they have the legal power to inspect them if they see 'em.
 
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tx-skydiver

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2010
Messages
48
Location
Dallas, TX
I'd read your rental agreement. You may be required not to travel toll roads like this, or agree to reimburse them for the bill when they get it (the rental place wouldn't be too happy getting the bill). Other than that I have no idea how it would be handled.

If you do have to avoid C-470 then you get to travel through Denver on I-70, then I-270 to I-25. If you avoid rush hour, traffic should be manageable. I don't see much of an issue with your weapons even if you do get hit with a traffic stop; it being an RV you can simply keep them in the back or something. (Do NOT have a round in the chamber for long guns!!!!!) You have a CCW permit if you have to stop in Denver (and you certainly know how to CC and have the gear for it, being from Texas where it's the only way to go), and if you don't stop in Denver then OC away on your other stops.

Will have to find out about the tolls. I miss toll booths. Thanks again.
 

PikesPeakMtnMan

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Oct 16, 2008
Messages
425
Location
Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
With regards to guns in vehicles, Denver is no different from the rest of the state. No permit whatsoever is required to carry in your car (or whatever your mode of transportation is) but if you get out and you are in the Denver city limits you will have to have a permit*. If you get out and you are not in Denver city limits then you do not need a permit if you are OCing. Denver city limits and Denver County are exactly identical and the actual boundaries are wonky...if I were travelling through I would give the entire area a wide berth if at all possible. The rest of the cities in the Metro area know that OC is entirely legal but a few don't really like it.

My advice is to make sure you're fed and fueled up prior to reaching Denver and then just cruise right through...coming from the south I'd make Castle Rock the "point of no return" for gas and food.

*There is wording in the laws to the effect of that you MIGHT be legal to OC in Denver territory if you happen to have to stop while you are just passing through. My opinion is that because it's Denver, it is not worth the risk and even though I live only an hour south and I have a permit I still avoid it like the plague. I'm not sure what the actual law is or says....maybe I'll try and find it and I'll post it if I do.
 

SteveInCO

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May 3, 2013
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297
Location
El Paso County, Colorado
but if you get out and you are in the Denver city limits you will have to have a permit*

This of course means "if you get out carrying your firearm", not that you need a permit for a gun you leave behind in your car. (But who would do such a thing anyway? Well, actually, I often leave the gun in the car since work is a "[lawfully carried] gun free zone".) You will need a permit if you get out with your firearm, because you will need to CC, because it's the City and Cesspit of Denver. [Or is that the Cesspit and County of Denver?] (Unless you want to experiment with the italicized note PikesPeakMtnMan wrote.)

Thanks PikesPeakMtnMan, for updating the both of us on gun-in-car carry in Denver. I think I was partially confused by my recollections of how messy the car situation used to be before the state pre-empted a bunch of stuff (but not OC, dangit).

I'll repeat again that if you have a long gun in your vehicle the chamber must be empty; that's not Denver dip$#!ttery, that's Colorado wide. The police do have the authority to check the firearm if they see one in your vehicle. (Our friend from Texas never mentioned long arms, but personally, if I were in an RV I'd have a shotgun and/or semiauto rifle with me for those RV campgrounds--but that's me.)

I hope you have a good trip. Stay save, and stay armed!
 

tx-skydiver

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Dec 2, 2010
Messages
48
Location
Dallas, TX
I generally don't tale long guns with me but that is probably a good idea to have my Mossberg 500 with me when I travel by RV. Great idea. I will keep one out of the chamber.

Good to know that I can actually stop in Denver while following the rules but I will not because I do not want to financially reward them with my business. I'd rather give my money to a more gun friendly city/county.
 

SteveInCO

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Joined
May 3, 2013
Messages
297
Location
El Paso County, Colorado
I generally don't tale long guns with me but that is probably a good idea to have my Mossberg 500 with me when I travel by RV. Great idea. I will keep one out of the chamber.

Good to know that I can actually stop in Denver while following the rules but I will not because I do not want to financially reward them with my business. I'd rather give my money to a more gun friendly city/county.

As I thought about it I realized a semiauto rifle was probably overkill (and overpenetrative) for a park full of mobile tornado bait, and decided in your shoes my Mossberg 590 would be coming with, not any of the rifles.

As for your attitude towards Denver I concur. You should see me dealing with Illinois--gas up in Missouri or Indiana and punch through to the other side of the stinking place without stopping... except I WILL happily use a rest stop if need be, it costs them money. Unfortunately I sometimes have to go to Illinois (Chicago area no less!) for several days and it's hard not to spend money there under those circumstances.
 

SteveInCO

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May 3, 2013
Messages
297
Location
El Paso County, Colorado
Oh I just spotted this:

http://www.zipmap.net/Colorado/Denver_County.htm . Turn off the zip codes by clicking on Map near the upper right and zoom in.

If you end up avoiding the toll road because of your rental contract, only a small part of I-70 and 270 will be areas where you might be tempted to hold your breath because it's Denver air. In fact once you are done merging onto 270 you can probably breathe again.

And even if coming from the south taking 225 then 70 to 225 will allow you to avoid large parts of the Cesspit And County of Denver.

Just in case you have a flat or something.
 

SteveInCO

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Joined
May 3, 2013
Messages
297
Location
El Paso County, Colorado
Just checking here:
I-40 and I-25 meet in a different state that is south of us.

Do you mean that you will be traveling straight through on I-25?

I guessed he meant I-70, especially since he stated he'd drive the NE part of 470 (not the whole eastern half). I-70 used to be US-40 and is sometimes marked with the 40 in a white shield on maps (though CDOT doesn't sign it that way). Knowing that, I figured he may have just read that symbol.

But it is hazardous to hazard a guess, so please let us know.
 
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