[Jin]

Hello everyone,

I've been educating myself through this forum for months now and decided to post a few questions for some opinions.

I'm a 25 year old non-felon who is on the fence about getting a GFL. For one, I don't think I'll be carrying outside of work. I don't like the horror stories of people being pestered by LEO's because they were carrying. I literally look 17 years old so I'm sure I will attract far more attention because of this. I'm in a very rural area so I don't think I'll have as much issues as I would in Atlanta.

I work in a liquor store (Package store as they call it in the south). It is owned formally by my father, brother, and me on our license. It is a rather large store (12,000 sq. feet) and obviously it is larger due to the traffic we get through here. I feel safer carrying a firearm with so much money under one roof so I recently bought a Sig P250 under the guidance of a friend who believes that a DAO trigger would be ideal for someone who isn't as proficient with a firearm as most of you are.

Here are a few questions and topics I'd like opinions on :

1) I see the laws concerning being able to carry in your place of business without a license. Does this mean concealed, open or both? Does the weapon have to be separated from the magazine? What about back and forth from work to home?
2) How do you feel about carrying at work? I understand some customers will feel eerie about it. 90% of the customers know my face and know I work here but I'm afraid of the picture I'm portraying with a firearm.
3) My father claims that having a firearm would likely make those who have intentions of robbing the place more likely to enter the establishment firing. My view is that it would hinder a robbery due to the fact that word travels fast and robbers usually want the easy buck. Your thoughts?


Thanks for your time. I look forward to learning as much as I can from you all.

 

[dcannon1]

You can carry in your home, car, or place of business without a GWL. Loaded, unloaded, concealed or openly.

I'd still say get your GWL though. Never know when you might change your mind about carrying outside the business. You can carry concealed if you're concerned about LE bothering you.

 

[Jin]

You can carry in your home, car, or place of business without a GWL. Loaded, unloaded, concealed or openly.

I'd still say get your GWL though. Never know when you might change your mind about carrying outside the business. You can carry concealed if you're concerned about LE bothering you.

Just wanted to reiterate, I can have the gun loaded, on my hip as long as I'm in my car?

 

[Priest]

Even though you are fine carrying at your business and in your own personal car... I would get the license because you never know what kind of hastle you might get from an under educated LEO. You also never know if you would end up having to catch a ride with someone else, or want to go to lunch, but not want to leave your weapon unattended.

You may carry in any manner you choose in your home, vehicle, business, or on your property. There is no requirement for any condition when it comes to loaded, holstered, etc.

I do carry while working, but i dont deal with the general pubic often... when I do, I generally conceal. If I worked in a Liquor shop... Id be OC all day.

 

[Priest]

You can carry in your home, car, or place of business without a GWL. Loaded, unloaded, concealed or openly.

I'd still say get your GWL though. Never know when you might change your mind about carrying outside the business. You can carry concealed if you're concerned about LE bothering you.

Just wanted to reiterate, I can have the gun loaded, on my hip as long as I'm in my car?

as long as it is your car...

 

[AzB]

You are legal in your home, car, and at work even without a gwl. I would go ahead and get the gwl anyway, that way you're prepared for carrying anywhere should the need or desire come up. It's a convenience too, so you have to disarm and rearm every time you run an errand.

As far as cc vs oc, it's a very personal decision. For me the benefits of cc outweigh the benefits of oc, but thankfully we are free to choose here in Ga.

Az

 

[Jin]

Another question,

My brother owns another liquor store. If I don't have my GFL, can I carry when I work at his location. I am not tied to that location (in the paperwork sense) and am not listed as an owner.

Can I CC at his place of business if he allows me to do so?

 

[gunsmoker]

I think the caselaw (from many, many years ago) indicates that if your employer expects you to use or carry a gun on the job, you don't need a permit anywhere on the employer's property.

That would indicate that as long as your family "bosses" at this family-run business are aware of your gun and they approve of it, you're good to go.

Personally, I'd get the GFL so that you can use that as part of the answer if somebody asks you "why are you carrying a gun" or "isn't it illegal to carry a gun"?

I think there's a significant danger of running across an uninformed LEO who might think he has the right to arrest you for carrying without a license even at this place of business, when you can't prove it's "your" business with your name being on the business license, building occupancy permit, alcohol sales license, etc.

So I'd get the GFL just to save trouble, knowing that without it you might end up "beating the rap" but not "beating the ride" from some misinformed cop.

 

[EJR914]

My only question is how do you get from your "place of business" to your "car" without breaking the law?

During the transition to your car and to your place of business, could it be construed that you are breaking the law by not having a GWL on your person? I don't know.

I would consider getting your GWL as well. After all, criminals do not just strike at your place of business or home. Criminals are everywhere.

Edit: Welcome Jin! :righton:

 

[Fallschirmjäger]

My only question is how do you get from your "place of business" to your "car" without breaking the law?:

Same way you get from the gun store to your car if you don't have a GWL, you transport instead of carry. Of course, that's just another reason to Get a GWL; so you don't have to use a transportation case.

 

[EJR914]

My only question is how do you get from your "place of business" to your "car" without breaking the law?:

Same way you get from the gun store to your car if you don't have a GWL, you transport instead of carry. Of course, that's just another reason to Get a GWL; so you don't have to use a transportation case.

Good point.

 

[Jin]

My only question is how do you get from your "place of business" to your "car" without breaking the law?

During the transition to your car and to your place of business, could it be construed that you are breaking the law by not having a GWL on your person? I don't know.

I would consider getting your GWL as well. After all, criminals do not just strike at your place of business or home. Criminals are everywhere.

Edit: Welcome Jin! :righton:

Would the parking lot extend as property? I'm not asking that question in a smart-ass way, its a genuine question.

Thanks for the welcome.

Everyone seems to agree to get the GFL so I will do that. I was on the fence because I just didn't want a reason to take it into public, therefore, attracting attention to me.

Thanks everyone for the responses. It was just the reinforcement I needed.

 

[JeF4y]

For one, I don't think I'll be carrying outside of work. I don't like the horror stories of people being pestered by LEO's because they were carrying. I literally look 17 years old so I'm sure I will attract far more attention because of this. I'm in a very rural area so I don't think I'll have as much issues as I would in Atlanta.

Concealed carry is your friend... A gun on the hip draws attention. One properly concealed goes unnoticed.

 

[seereus]

Why would one carry a firearm at work, but not any other time?

OP go get your GWL.

 

[ookoshi]

Would the parking lot extend as property? I'm not asking that question in a smart-ass way, its a genuine question.

Assuming the owner of the store owns or leases the land the parking lot is on, then yes.

Everyone seems to agree to get the GFL so I will do that. I was on the fence because I just didn't want a reason to take it into public, therefore, attracting attention to me.

Just remember, carrying a firearm and having a GWL is about options and choice. Carrying a firearm doesn't force you to use it if you are in a situation where you don't feel safe. You carry it so you can choose to defend yourself if you feel your life is threatened.

If you get a GWL, nothing forces you to carry in public. It gives you the option to do so if a situation comes up where it feels necessary (and yes, there are a lot of us here on GPDO that feels that it's necessary all the time, but everyone can make that choice for themselves).

Don't ever feel forced to do anything different because you are armed. Realizing that you always have a choice is what freedom is all about.

Same with OC vs CC. There are advantages to both. There are dozens of threads that are either about that topic, or eventually devolved into that topic. At the end of the day, decide for yourself what is best for you.

 

[TimBob]

OK, here's my dos centavos:

Just like everyone else has said, go get the GWL! The beauty is Georgia is that once you have that you can carry openly or concealed... your choice!

If you want to carry openly at work, do so. Or conceal. Your choice! And, if you are carrying openly at work and go out for lunch and don't want to draw attention to yourself, throw on jacket or windbreaker. In summer, throw on a shirt with a long shirttail or a fishing vest/shirt!

There's one other thing you need to do... and that is get some training with your weapon! You need to get to know your weapon! Ask around, find out who shoots... and go to the range and practice. As for formal instruction, search this board. There are always classing popping up... sign up!

Ok, that's one man's opinion...

And welcome to Georgia Packing!

 

[dcannon1]

Why would one carry a firearm at work, but not any other time?

OP go get your GWL.

Odds game. For some people it's not worth the potential extra hassle to carry all the time. However in a high risk environment (for example running the cash register at a liquor store) the hassle is minimal and the chances of needing a firearm greater. Lot's of business owners carry just at work, or keep a gun behind the counter, but not on their person other times.

 

[gunsmoker]

Idellett v. State, 14 Ga. App. 501 (1914)

Syllabus by the Court

The phrase "place of business," as used in the act of 1910 regulating the carrying of pistols (Acts 1910, p. 134), as related to a farm laborer, ex vi termini includes the specific portion of a farm or plantation where one employs his time and makes his living, and it includes the whole farm or plantation, if he is employed to work and does work, when so directed, in any and every part of it. If one's business is farming, his place of business is not confined to houses, but may be in the field, the woodland, the meadow, or at any other place on the farm where his business of farming requires his presence.

**************************

There is a collection of firearms-related caselaw within the "GUN LAWS" tab at the top of every page at this website.

 

[jlcnuke]

Hello everyone,

I' I don't like the horror stories of people being pestered by LEO's because they were carrying. I literally look 17 years old so I'm sure I will attract far more attention because of this. I'm in a very rural area so I don't think I'll have as much issues as I would in Atlanta.
I feel safer carrying a firearm with so much money under one roof so I recently bought a Sig P250 under the guidance of a friend who believes that a DAO trigger would be ideal for someone who isn't as proficient with a firearm as most of you are.

Here are a few questions and topics I'd like opinions on :

1) I see the laws concerning being able to carry in your place of business without a license. Does this mean concealed, open or both? Does the weapon have to be separated from the magazine? What about back and forth from work to home?
2) How do you feel about carrying at work? I understand some customers will feel eerie about it. 90% of the customers know my face and know I work here but I'm afraid of the picture I'm portraying with a firearm.
3) My father claims that having a firearm would likely make those who have intentions of robbing the place more likely to enter the establishment firing. My view is that it would hinder a robbery due to the fact that word travels fast and robbers usually want the easy buck. Your thoughts?

Thanks for your time. I look forward to learning as much as I can from you all.

For the bold- I wish you had asked here first instead of consulting your "friend" for a choice of firearm. DAO is traditionally less accurate than single action with shooters who are not proficient with the weapon in question. They generally have a longer trigger pull which translates directly toward reduced accuracy without a lot of practice (due to finger pull causing the aim to get off and anticipation of the shot, causing the shot to hit low, generally). Either way, get plenty of practice and regular practice with any firearm you choose and are comfortable with and you shouldn't have any problem should you need to use it.

1. Back and forth to work is tricky without understanding the laws and specific situations. If you are carrying and are not in your car or property or property belonging to your business then you need a license. This can be difficult if you can't park on company property for some reason or go somewhere as previously mentioned. Safest just to get your GWL and know where you can't carry legally with it.
2. At work, I always conceal when carrying. It's not about what others think, for me, so much as avoiding any hassles from those that don't agree with me on what the second amendment means.
3. Both points are valid. If a robber chooses to rob your store knowing through word of mouth that the/an employee(s) of the store carries a firearm then they are probably more likely to shoot just to be safe but a robber that doesn't know is probably more likely to walk away before robbing the store if they see the weapon. A concealed firearm that others do now know you have reduces the chances of preemptive shooting but makes it take (very slightly) longer to deploy the weapon should the need arise.

 

[Phil1979]

Not trying at all to be picking on you, but what's to be on the fence about getting a GWL? I mean, is there a downside? It's not like the card will make you carry your gun outside of work if you don't want to. :lol:

I carry everywhere I legally can, as criminals don't make appointments. Your gun might be handy to save your life someday when and where you least expect it. Listen to wisdom and always, always be prepared. It may not just be your life you save, but that of a loved one, or a fellow citizen.