Best Practices for CCW in the DC area?

[TCinVA]

Crimony. I thought that DC baloney got struck down by SCOTUS.

Heller was about DC's ban on the ownership of a handgun. It overturned the ban...but did not overhaul all of DC's gun laws. It's now possible to get a permit to purchase a firearm as a DC resident. It does nothing, however, to address the laws prohibiting carry or possession by anyone else.

How bad are the knife laws of those places?

While I'm not an expert on DC law, I would imagine the laws on carrying a concealed knife are no friendlier than the laws on carrying a firearm. In general DC, like so many other crime-ridden cesspools, has decided that honest people shouldn't be able to defend themselves. Thus if you don't have to be in DC, I'd avoid it like the plague.

[JConn]

Thus if you don't have to be in DC, I'd avoid it like the plague.

This, a thousand times this.

[JHC]

Worse than I thought for sure. I thought that when the ban on possession was struck down, mere possession such as provided for unloaded and secured in the trunk etc would be possible. That is an outrage.

[MechEng]

Best practice for the DC area would be carry where you legally can and don't carry where you can't. It really depends on where you live in relation to what locations you choose to frequent or where you have to work. Like LittleLebowski said there are plenty of things to do in VA so you don’t have to go in to DC or MD. It’s all about your choices, what risks you feel comfortable making and questions only you can answer based on your daily routine.

Do you drive home and arm yourself before running errands after work or just go unarmed? Would it depend on whether your commute is 5 minutes or 45 minutes to and from work? Are you comfortable locking your handgun in your car, in some kind of lock box, while it’s parked at work? …or at a public parking garage? Some people aren’t comfortable doing that but it will be your only option if you want to be armed most of the time.

What do I do? I live in VA, work on a military base and my commute is about 45 minutes so NO carrying for me until I get home. I get up early, make it to work by 06:00 and get to leave work at 14:45 so I have time to run home, get my handgun and run errands. For those times when I may need to lock up the handgun in my truck, I’ve installed a heavy lock box like this one http://www.consolevault.us/tacoma-diversion-safe.php.
It’s pricy but built like the proverbial “Brick Shithouse” and would take a major effort to break into. The casual “break window and rummage through your car” type thief wouldn’t have the equipment necessary to crack it.

We all long for the day when/if concealed carry reciprocity goes nationwide. I don’t ever see it happening though.

[fuse]

If you're leo or .mil, no problem.

Really? LEO seems likely. But military?

I am active duty military, and if I could get an MD carry permit I would strongly consider moving to Maryland, what with the vastly cheaper home prices.

[Chefdog]

Really? LEO seems likely. But military?

I am active duty military, and if I could get an MD carry permit I would strongly consider moving to Maryland, what with the vastly cheaper home prices.

I could very well be wrong, it's been a while since I read over the pertinent information. And I'd rather have a smaller house in Virginia any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

[fuse]

I could very well be wrong, it's been a while since I read over the pertinent information. And I'd rather have a smaller house in Virginia any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

Me too. But I would not care for the epic 2 hour commute to DC vs. 30 minutes via Maryland.

I currently live in Nova, well inside the beltway. My place is small and old.

[ChrisG]

Thanks all for the input. I didn't realize the laws were that restrictive. Somehow I assumed that having lived in California I had experienced the worst of US gun laws. Unfortunately, weekly commutes into DC are unavoidable for me. I guess I'll have to sterilize my truck for ammo lest a stray 22lr rolling around the floorboards turn me into a felon.

[JConn]

Constantly has me a little paranoid...