Firearm Bans & Avoiding Unlawful Carry of a Firearm

  • by Casy Smith
Firearm Bans & Avoiding Unlawful Carry of a Firearm

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The Importance of Lawfully Carrying a Firearm

Daily concealed carry requires discipline and knowledge that the "average joe" doesn't need. A piece of knowledge you should possess is whether your destination has banned the possession of a firearm. While a CCW license permits you to carry in more places than open or Constitutional carry does, it doesn't give you complete reign to conceal a firearm in all situations. 

There are places where concealed carry bans are in effect, and you need to know about these locations before entry to avoid potentially breaking the law. Concealed carriers have a higher level of responsibility than other citizens and must have a thorough knowledge of the law to reflect that. To learn more about these concealed carry prohibited places, keep reading.

*Remember: This is not legal advice. Always consult local law enforcement for more information on firearm carry policies in your area or areas you plan to travel to. Compliance with local laws is essential.*

Concealed Carry Prohibited Places: Most Common Locations

When it comes to where you can and can't have a concealed carry firearm, it comes down to a mix of federal and state laws and private property bans. Some properties have strict laws against firearm possession, which can result in criminal punishment like fines or jail time. Private entities may not be able to enforce as strict of rules as the government but have the right to post bans and contact the authorities if they aren't followed. 

What Locations have Federally Banned the Carrying of Firearms?

Possession of a firearm is considered illegal on all federal property, with a few exceptions. Here are four common locations you should be aware of. Check out this article on federal weapon bans for a more comprehensive list.

Post Offices Prohibit Firearms

Your local postal office is a commonly visited federal site. The site area includes the building and surrounding property, such as a parking lot. You can face criminal charges if you are reported to have a firearm on the property.

Courthouses Do Not Allow Guns

Much like your local post office, courthouses in your city or county are considered federal buildings. Most have a zero-tolerance policy or strict rules limiting individuals who can carry in the building. 

S.2070: Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990

While most firearm-related policies surrounding schools are left up to the states, the Gun-Free School Zones Act is an exception, as it is a federal policy put into action in 1990. This policy put a 1,000-foot barrier around schools for firearm possession. There are a few exceptions, including if you live or visit a private property within the radius. 

Sterile Firearm Areas in Airports

Once you reach the Transportation Security Administration checkpoint for a flight, you shouldn't have firearms on your person, whether you have a CCW license or not. Air travel is extremely strict about firearm transportation. Many airlines will allow you to transport a locked up and unloaded firearm in a checked bag after declaring it. 

Are there Other Locations where Individuals are Prohibited from Carrying a Firearm?

Outside of federal bans, other locations can restrict firearm possession, depending on state rules. Again, this is where local knowledge is essential. We're going to cover three places where you may see restrictions.

Your Work may Prohibit Firearms

The concealed carry policy for your job will vary greatly depending on the nature and setting of your work. It's essential to be cognizant and respectful of your workplace policy. 

The policy may not be your employer's decision, instead being up to a property lease or municipal rules. In many cases, if you work in an office or indoor setting and can't possess a firearm, you are allowed to secure your gun in your vehicle while at work.

Private Businesses may Not Allow Guns

Like carrying at work, a private business' rules are subject to the landlord and business owner's decisions and the local and state government. Some states have requirements for business owners who want to ban guns, like clear signage posted at the entrance of the premises. 

Places of Worship may Prohibit Guns

Places of worship are mostly like private businesses, leaving the policy up to church leadership. However, a few states require permission from leadership before carrying on the premises. 

3 Steps to Prevent Unlawful Carry of a Firearm

Now that we've covered a variety of locations that can have a concealed carry ban, we want to give you a few tips for what you should do to avoid a problematic encounter. 

1. Research Firearm Policies Beforehand.

As you know by now, if you're a concealed carrier, you have a higher level of responsibility than most. Part of that responsibility is knowing if a building or venue allows firearms. Luckily, you can get most of this information without speaking to a single person online by searching for a business's name and firearm policy. If you're traveling to another state, make sure you know their reciprocity rules. 

2. Have a secure storage option available in your vehicle.

If you come to a business or organization that has a strict no-firearm policy, having a place to secure your gun in your car is essential. 

3. Respect the rules.

As the old saying goes, "respect goes both ways." While you may disagree with your employer or a business's decision to ban firearms from the premises, blatantly disregarding the rules will only exacerbate the problem. 

Legal Gun Storage Options for your Home

    While concealed carry rules may vary, your need for a dependable place to store your weapons at home doesn't. If you don't have a storage option that's secure and quickly accessible, you should check out our selection of concealment flags and decor today.

    Have questions about our products? Visit our contact page to get in touch with a qualified team member. 

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    Hanging instructions for the Patriot Wall Shelf

    Factors to consider befor you start

    Installing a Patriot wall shelf can be a very simple project but there are several factors that you need to understand. our shelves have been designed to work with standard pine 2X4 construction that was 16" on center. Because they were designed around the 16" on center pine 2X4 framed walls that is the process for our instructions. Installing the shelves on amy other type of wall is done at your risk. Liberty Home Concealment does not advise you to attempt installing your shelf onto amy other type of wall.

    Understanding what is beneath your walls

    Anytime you are doing work or attaching something to a wall it is wise to have a solid grasp of what lies beneath the surface of your walls. If you are not comfortable with the task of hanging a shelf on your wall perhaps it would be wise to hire a licensed, bonded, and insured contractor to install the shelf on the wall for you. There are many factors that you should consider prior to beginning yur shelf installation. SAFETY is the first and top priority.

    Safety First

    As a consurmer of Liberty Home Concealment, it is a safe assumption that you are a gun owner. Liberty Home Concealment sincerely hopes that you have a great grasp of the concept of SAFETY FIRST. The installation of our shelves requires several steps and we highly recommend that you have a friend help you with the installation. This is very important as the size and moving parts of the shelves can make the installation very cumbersome and potentially dangerous for a single person to accomplish by themselves. So please, we urge you to get some help. Secondly, proper tools that are in good serviceable condition are a must. Please use your tools in a manner consistent with the manufacturers intended use. Using proper tools can make the installation quick, simple and enjoyable. But most importantly, SAFE. So, save yourself the trouble and use the proper tools.

    CAUTION!!

    Failure to follow and comply with these instructions could result in INJURY and even DEATH!

    Tools that should be considered for a safe proper installation

    Stud finder, Tape measure, Pencil, Level, Electric screw driver, and Safety glasses.

    Step 1

    Confirm your desired wall has adequate support by finding the studs with the stud finder. Also, remove the foam insert until later instruction. Mark your stud locations and transfer those measurement onto your shelf. Drill pilot holes through shelf in marked locations. We recommend using a 1/8" or 3/16" bit for the pilot hole. A hole too big will allow the screw to pull right through the back of the shelf. That would be bad. And unnecessary. Please use the proper drill bit. Depending on your wall you should be able to locate at least two studs to anchor your shelf into for maximum strength. Some walls may even allow for three studs to be anchored into. The shelf MUST use at LEAST (2) pine 2X4 studs and the shelf bracket's to fully support the finished loaded weight.

    Step 2

    With the help of a friend, and using a level and your original measurements hold the shelf in its desired location and transfer the pilot hole locations to the wall. You should be using a minimum of two studs for this step. Each stud receiving (3) screw locations. Two internally, and the other two in the brackets on top. For now, only focus on marking the internal locations. Mark the four internal screw holes. Make sure to hold your shelf nice and level for this step or yur final installation will be crooked.

    Step 3

    With the help of a friend, hold the shelf into its' mounting location. Line up the holes in the shelf with the marks in your wall and your wall anchors, and install the six long wood screws into the wall. Four into two different studs, and two into the wall anchors.

    Step 4

    Installing the shelf brackets to the TOP of your shelf. At this point your shelf is attatched to the wall but it is not ready for any weight. Please DO NOT ADD ANY WEIGHT until you have firmly mounted and anchored your brackets into the top. Have your friend help you support the weight of the shelf until you can get the brackets tightly mounted to the desired location on your wall studs. Again, use two studs. Do not add weight to your shelf either inside, or on top, until both brackets are fully installed. Using the supplied 3/4" screws attach brackets to the top of the shelf and 2 of the longer screws for the stud attachment.

    Step 5

    Unlocking your shelf. Use your magnetic key to locate and unlock the bottom of the shelf. Do this while the shelf is open so you can see what is going on. You may even want ot make two small marks on the bottom of the shelf if it helps you to locate the pickup. It will take a little practice to find the location of the magnetic pick up but you will find it. Make sure you aren't inadvertently trying to unlock the gas damper. Once the location of the lock pickup is located, the magnet will hold itself in place. However, the shelf will not fully disengage the locks until you release the pressure on the locks by lifting the shelf slightly upward with a simple squeeze of your hands. Once you hear the audible clicks of the locks disengaging you can slowly open the shelf allowing the gas damper to lower the shelf to its resting stop.

    Concealment Picture Frame Installation Instructions

    Consider What is Beneath Your Walls

    Anytime you are doing work or attaching something to a wall it is wise to have a solid grasp of what lies beneath the surface of your walls. If you are not comfortable with the task of cutting a hole in a wall perhaps it would be wise to hire a licensed, bonded, and insured contractor to install this item in the wall for you. There are many factors that you should consider prior to beginning your shelf installation. SAFETY is the first and top priority. CAUTION!! Failure to follow and comply with these instructions could result in INJURY or even DEATH!!

    Recommended Tools

    These tools are not required to install your Liberty Home Concealment picture freame however they will help with the installation process. Stud Finder, tape measure, level, pencil, jigsaw, circular saw, keyhole saw, Sawzall, drill/driver, inspection mirror, flashlight and a second set of hands to help with marking your wall before cutting. These products were designed to work with "standard" 2X4 construction that was framed on 16" centers.

    Step 1

    Acquire all the tools to complete the job. Do not forget about proper personal protective gear.

    Step 2

    Confirm that your wall space is empty!! Failure to do so could result in serious injury or even death!

    Step 3

    Clean your work area around your desired install location. Cover any furniture with a tarp, drop cloth, or painter's plastic to aid in quick easy cleanup.

    Step 4

    Use a stud finder to locate the space between two studs. Confirm that you have 14.5" between the two stud edges before marking and cutting your walls.

    Step 5

    The back box of your picture frame is the size you need to make your hole. Hold picture frame tight against the wall and use your level to ensure frame is sitting level against the wall. On smaller sized picture frames such as 5"X7" and 8"X10" you will fasten to both studs. While holding the picture frame tight against the wall while checking for level and trace around the outside perimeter of the picture frames back box.

    Step 6

    Before cutting the entire wall opening Liberty Home Concealment recommends that you cut a small hole within the area that wil become the full-size hole. This is done to check and confirm your wall is truly clear of obstructions inside the wall such as electrical wiring plumbing. It's much easier to patch a small hole vs repairing a large hole because you got ahead of yourself. Do not skip this step!!

    Step 7

    Once you are sure that there are no obstacles inside your cut area, cut the full rectangle that you have marked previously. Remove drywall cutout away from the wall.

    Step 8

    Slide your new insert/picture frame into the hole you just cut.

    Step 9

    Use the supplied screws to fasten to the stud or studs that run up the sides of the rear of the box. On smaller frames box will only fasten to the stud you biased your hole towards.

    Picture Installation

    1. Lay frame face down on soft surface such as a towel or blanket. 2. Hold firmly and slide picture frame in to the open position. 3. Remove four metal picture retainer clips, if clips are tight use a flat bladed screw driver to wiggle free. 4. Remove wood backer noard and lay picture onto glass. Making sure of proper orientation. 5. Reinstall backer board and 4 retaining clips. 6. Slide picture frame closed and enjoy!

    Wall maunting instructions for Freedom Series Coat Rack

    Recommendation

    Liberty Home Concealmemt does not recommend the use of hollow wall anchors to mount larger items on your walls. While anchors may provide sufficient holding capability, Liberty Home Concealment recommends attaching directly to the studs located inside your wall to ensure the most secure level of attachment.

    Step 1

    Choose the desired location of the item you are wanting to mount your coat rack.

    Step 2

    Once you have your ideal location use a stud finder to locate 2 studs in your wall that will support your coat rack. Mark the location of each stud's center with a pencil. Use a nail to confirm stud has been located.

    Step 3

    Hold product against wall and use level to make sure it is even. Use a friend to help hold level while transferring stud location marks to inside of product to be mounted. Tip: Remember the adage "Measure twice cut once." That same rule applies when making holes in your walls.

    Step 4

    Check that product is plumb and level before securing. Once proper placement is achieve fasten first screw through product and into stud. Re check for level and attach second screw into next stud.

    Step 5

    Step back and admire your handy work. Now get started filling your piece of concealment furniture with all the items you are wanting to keep stored securely out of sight. ENJOY!!

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