▁bear ▁arms ▁in ▁public ▁for ▁self - def ense ▁because ▁by ▁San ▁Diego ' s ▁definition , ▁typical ▁citizens ▁cannot ▁distinguish ▁[ th ems el ves ] ▁from ▁the ▁main stream ▁and ▁receive ▁conce aled ▁carry ▁perm its ( Per uta ▁v . ▁San ▁Diego ▁( 9 th ▁Cir , ▁ 0 2 - 1 3 - 1 4 ) ▁p .   5 4 .). ▁Although ▁prior ▁to ▁January ▁ 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁it ▁was ▁legal ▁to ▁open ly ▁carry ▁an ▁un loaded ▁hand gun ▁in ▁public , ▁in ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁Governor ▁Jerry ▁Brown ▁signed ▁a ▁bill ▁that ▁mod ifies ▁the ▁law ▁on ▁open ly ▁carrying ▁an ▁un loaded ▁fire arm ▁to ▁match ▁the ▁restrictions ▁for ▁open ly ▁carrying ▁a ▁loaded ▁weapon , ▁effectively ▁prohib iting ▁( in ▁all ▁but ▁limited ▁circumstances ) ▁the ▁open ▁carry ▁of ▁fire ar ms ▁whether ▁loaded ▁or ▁un loaded . ▁( Cal . ▁Pen . ▁Code ▁§ § ▁ 2 5 8 5 0 , ▁ 2 6 1 5 5 .) ▁Thus , ▁the ▁court ▁found ▁San ▁Diego ▁County ' s ▁restrict ive ▁policy ▁in ▁combination ▁with ▁California ' s ▁den ial ▁of ▁open ▁carry ▁ultimately ▁resulted ▁in ▁the ▁destruction ▁of ▁the ▁typical ▁law - ab iding , ▁responsible ▁citiz en ' s ▁right ▁to ▁bear ▁arms ▁in ▁any ▁manner ▁in ▁public , ▁thereby ▁viol ating ▁the ▁Second ▁Am end ment ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Constitution . ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁February ▁ 1 3 , ▁