Carrying a cane or stick in Florida

[tuts40]

Actually, I think it is a poor assumption to make. Firstly, it is a defeatist attitude. One is generally better off with a weapon than without. I think a more accurate statement would be that a cane might be taken away. As with most things in life, some training is required but given that training, I think a person would stand a very good chance of defending against even someone younger and stronger than themselves. Why? From what I've seen, heard, read, not many in the U.S. have any knowledge of stick fighting. So, a thug is likely to attack using nothing more than his native strength and speed. This ignorance will work against the mugger as it will against the defender. With a modicum, of training however, that equation is easily tipped in favor of the defender.

Another thought is that while the attacker is focusing on my cane, he opens himself up for other means of defense. It does not take years of training to gain this level of competence. The keys are focused training and motivation.

Good thoughts there, thank you! We all have opinions and can call another's opinion any number of things, but I'm glad we have a place we can openly express them.

[Hamilton Felix]

Not certain at this time, but I believe:
A cartridge cane or pen gun would be AOW.
But a percussion cane gun, say. 36 cap & ball, would be legal.
I may be out of date on this, but I think it works the same way
that cap & ball rifles and revolvers are not "guns" under GCA68.

[Dragonbreath]

[QUOTE=Hamilton Felix; - a percussion cane gun, say. 36 cap & ball, would be legal.
.[/QUOTE]

Sorry, but in Florida (as per my original post), ANY firearm is a deadly weapon and is illegal to carry without a CCW license. On a practical level, if a Florida cop or state trooper finds you with a cane-gun or sword-cane, they're gonna look for any excuse to confiscate the weapon and/or take you in, CCW or not, because it's gonna set their mental BadGuy radar off. Anyhow, I was trying to keep on-topic, which was to discuss the use of canes or sticks as a potentially useful "Less-Lethal-Weapon", not to discuss how to sneak in swords or guns.

Personally, I have a CCW and carry one of my pistols, concealed, every time I go out. But I also carry either a cane or an escrima stick, in plain sight, and I know how to use them. 90% of the time I'm "exposed to the public", I have a cane or stick IN MY HAND, in position and ready to use. No drawing or getting into position needed. Any would-be mugger or strong-arm robber is going to notice my situation-awareness and readiness, and if he has desire for self-preservation, he's going to take the less-risky path and decide to keep walking and look for an easier victim. And if I have to leave my pistol behind to go into a federal building or bar, etc., I still have my (completely legal) cane or stick. I'm obeying the law, but keeping an edge over being unarmed, and that was the point of my post.

[G50AE]

I may be out of date on this, but I think it works the same way
that cap & ball rifles and revolvers are not "guns" under GCA68.

NFA'34 Rules, not GCA'68. But you are correct the AOW status does apply to cane guns, so $200 transfer tax and NFA registration similar to a suppressor or full-auto weapon. Not worth the hastle, IMHO.

[Nightmare45]

In my original post, I mentioned carrying a cane or stick as a defensive tool. In Florida it is ILLEGAL to carry a sword-cane or pistol-cane, and if caught doing so, you go directly to jail and you WILL get a stiff fine and possible jail time. So I'm NOT talking about concealing a different weapon within a cane. I'm talking about using a good solid cane or stick as a weapon in it's own right, and as a deterrent to keep the BGs looking for someone else to bother.

This is only a cane has traveled on aircraft and other means of transport no issue