Constitutional Carry in Oklahoma

Crusader Tactical of Broken Arrow's Andy Shindell and Danny Jones provide news about Constitutional Carry in Oklahoma.

The Oklahoma Constitutional Carry law goes into effect Nov. 1, 2019, and Danny Jones and Andy Shidell of Crusader Tactical in Broken Arrow want gun owners to be ready. Constitutional Carry, which passed the legislature earlier this year and signed by the governor, provides that gun owners do not need a permit or training to own and carry a gun in public.

Here are some of the other provisions of Constitutional Carry:

• a person must be at least a 21-year-old citizen of the United States
• must be a resident of Oklahoma
• cannot be a felon
• gun purchases must go through a federal background check.

A gun owner may not:

• take a gun onto the campus of a school or university (public or private)
• take a gun into any government building, municipal, county, state, or federal and any other building where government officials conduct business
• take a gun into a bar
• take a gun inside any building that posts a “no guns allowed” sign
• be using a prescription drug while carrying a firearm

On the subject of cannabis, now legal in Oklahoma for medical purposes, Danny Jones said the situation is confusing. Federal law does not allow the use of cannabis. Currently, Oklahoma does not allow cardholders for medical marijuana to purchase firearms. “If a customer with a medical marijuana card tries to purchase a gun and does not reveal on the form he must fill out that he is using cannabis products, he might still be able to pass the federal background check and purchase the gun, but still be in violation of the law.”

Jones mentioned that some schools allow teachers to carry guns but only with the permission of a superintendent.

One can take a gun to a state park but not inside any buildings in a state park.

Travel outside of Oklahoma with a gun will require a permit. Oklahoma is a “shall issue state,” which means if a gun owner meets the state’s requirements, the gun owner will get a permit. Some other states are “may issue states,” meaning it is up to the discretion of an official in that state to allow a gun owner a permit. Thirty-two states recognize Oklahoma’s conceal carry permits. Oklahoma recognizes permits from all 50 states. Both Jones and Shidell recommend the website www.gunstocarry.com/oklahoma. They also recommend that all gun owners look into knowing the law as it pertains to the use of firearms. One site they mentioned is www.uslawshield.com.

Although training is not required under the Constitutional Carry law, both Jones and Shidell believe training is still a good idea for new gun owners. Crusader Tactical will offer a training course Saturday, Oct. 26. The course is $60. “It’s an eight-hour course. You have to be able to shoot 50 rounds to prove you can handle a firearm. It’s not a shooting class but a safety class,”  Jones said. After Nov. 1, Crusader Tactical will still offer a safety class every three months. They also offer a ladies-only class.

Danny Jones and Andy Shidell have been friends since their days as students at Oklahoma University. They decided to open the gun shop after retiring from their professions, Andy Shidell from the U.S. Probation Office and Danny Jones from his sand and gravel business. “We don’t make big piles of money, but we meet nice folks and get to do something we enjoy,” said Jones. “We still don’t get to shoot together enough,” added Shidell.

“We have the right to defend ourselves and our families whether it’s with a pistol, shotgun or AR 15. Guns are a tool,” Jones said. “Nothing more, nothing less,” Shidell added.