Open Carry of Handguns in South Carolina

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    The South Carolina State Legislature and South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford
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We hold that all citizens who may lawfully purchase a handgun be allowed to carry openly in public in the State of South Carolina except for those places prohibited by law. We also call for state preemption of all handgun laws concerning open carry in South Carolina.

1. Every individual has the right and responsibility to defend their self against unjustified threats of death or serious bodily injury.

2. The Constitution of the United States guarantees the right of individuals to keep and bear arms.

3. Criminals are not deterred by rules, regulations or laws forbidding the possession of weapons. A man bent on mass murder will not be stopped by a rule forbidding him to have a gun.

4. It is well known that the requirement to conceal a handgun for the purpose of protecting self, friends, and family can be difficult especially in South Carolina with our extreme heat since a person will usually have to wear a jacket to properly conceal a handgun and to avoid "printing.

5. The requirement to conceal a handgun can make it difficult to draw the weapon should the life of the carrier or the life of someone else be in danger.

6. A criminal will not open carry a weapon because he does not want to draw attention to himself. We believe that a citizen openly carrying a handgun lawfully will be a deterrent for crime.

7. Ten states including Arizona, Alaska, Idaho, Kentucky, Montana, New Mexico, South Dakota, Virginia, Vermont, and Wyoming all allow open carry of handguns without a license. Twelve states including Connecticut, Indiana, Iowa, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Utah, and Tennessee allow open carry of handguns with a license. In fact, South Carolina is one of only SIX states in the entire United States that completely bans open carry of handguns in public.

8. In these states, Open Carry is very common and it does not alarm law enforcement or other citizens.

For the foregoing reasons, we residents of the State of South Carolina affirm and assert that all citizens who may lawfully purchase a handgun be allowed to carry openly in public in the State of South Carolina except for those places prohibited by law. We also call for state preemption of all handgun laws concerning open carry in South Carolina.


4659 Signatures

  • Mark G
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
  • James B
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
  • Roger C
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Additional Comments.
    • We need this for a safer south carolina!!!!
  • Leslie R
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Additional Comments.
    • open carry is safer than concealed as it will deter criminal behaviors.
  • John R P
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Additional Comments.
    • Also a CCW Permit holder and supporter of Mark's.
  • David A B
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
  • Manny D
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
  • Christy L
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
  • Frances B
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
  • Donald S
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Additional Comments.
    • Stationed here in the Air Force
  • James R Burks I
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
  • Christopher W
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
  • Michael D
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Additional Comments.
    • CWP holder
  • Roger W
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
  • Dennis A
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
  • Pat L
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
  • John L P
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
  • Jennifer M L
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
  • William C. C
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
  • Norman C
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Additional Comments.
    • I am a Resident of VA, Open Carry is legal here. I 2nd open carry for SC!
  • Jeremiah L
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Additional Comments.
    • United States Marine Corps, 2 combat tours to iraq , now at parris island
  • Jason N
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
  • Lewis L H
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
  • Travis S
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
  • Blake M
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Additional Comments.
    • I have not yet turned 21 yet, so despite being an Eagle Scout and all around responsible citizen and "Good Guy," the closest I can come to taking responsibility for my own safety in public is to carry my pocket knife (which I've carried almost every day since graduating high school). Something should really be done in regards to this serious agist violation of citizen's rights.
  • D G J
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
  • Matt G
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
  • Rebecca D
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Additional Comments.
    • I hope to be a legal owner of a hand gun. PA law is much different, and I have just recently moved to S.C.
  • Wesley W
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Additional Comments.
    • We should be allowed to keep and bear arms in SC
  • Matthew S
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Additional Comments.
    • In favor of open carry
  • Charles H
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
  • Kyle B
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
  • Billy B
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
  • Mark B
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
  • Betty B
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
  • Barbra G M
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
  • George B K
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
  • Michelle L. B
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
  • Justin C
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Additional Comments.
    • В
  • Chris N
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
  • Tony D
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
  • Craig S
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Additional Comments.
    • Grassroots Gun Rights speaks for me!
  • C.A. L
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Additional Comments.
    • Do the right thing governor
  • David M
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Additional Comments.
    • I am an out-of-state home owner of SC. !!
  • Jack P
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
  • harry lewis wolfe j
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
  • Glenn W J
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Additional Comments.
    • I have a concealed weapons permit and I do carry
  • MICHAEL M
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Additional Comments.
    • keep cwp requirements for concealed or open carry
  • Michael A. Licate J
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
  • Desiree N
    • Are you a resident of the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you registered to vote in the State of South Carolina?
    • No
    • Are you a legal handgun owner in the State of South Carolina?
    • No