Transporting Firearms Across State Lines

cgbills · July 20, 2008, 01:10 PM

I am going to be driving to Ft. Huachuca and will be there for BOLC 3 for 3 1/2 months. I will be staying off post in a hotel. I wanted to bring me pistol not only to shoot recreationally but also for protection. So my first question is if I want to drive from Indiana to Arizona, is there a legal way to transport my pistol across state lines, maybe with it apart and locked up away from ammo? What about a rifle? Can I transport my rifle or shotgun across state lines legally? This brings me to my next question. If Arizona reciprocates with Indiana on Indiana's CCW license, how would I go about carrying legal if they do? Do I need to contact the state police and get some type of permit? If I cannot legally carry in AZ I will only keep my weapon in the hotel for protection. I have a strong feeling that transporting firearms across state lines is a no go but it cannot hurt to ask. Thanks for the help.

Steeler Fan · July 20, 2008, 03:42 PM

You must follow the laws of the states you are travelling through. That may mean a bit of reasearch, but it would be well worth it. Try not to go through IL if you can help it.

There is the Firearm Owners Protection Act that has the following section:

[edit] "Safe passage" provision
One of the law's provisions was that persons traveling from one state to another for a shooting sports event or any other lawful activity cannot be arrested for a firearms offense in a state that has strict gun control laws if the traveler is just passing through (short stops for food and gas) and the firearms and ammunition are securely locked, unloaded, and not immediately accessible.[2]

An example of this would be that someone driving from Virginia to a competition in Vermont with a locked hard case containing an unloaded handgun and a box of ammunition in the trunk could not be prosecuted in New Jersey or New York City for illegal possession of a handgun provided that they did not stop in New Jersey or New York for an extended period of time.

Hope this Helps

kennybs plbg · July 20, 2008, 03:55 PM

http://www.handgunlaw.us/
Maybe this will help.
kenny b

doug66 · July 20, 2008, 04:58 PM

That is the site our CCW instructor advised.

cgbills · July 20, 2008, 05:27 PM

I just e-mailed all of the states in which I will be traveling through, asking them the proper way for me to transport through their state. Also I calculated travel time if i boxed around IL, it would add 3hr 20min to my already 25hr 20min drive, damn IL. So IL doesn't allow transport of firearms through their state at all?

**JohnKSa** · July 20, 2008, 06:26 PM

They HAVE to allow it, but if you get caught, expect to spend a lot of time and money making them do what they have to do.

nutty ned · July 20, 2008, 07:31 PM

Unload it; put it in a case; lock it; put it in the trunk and don't worry about it.

Lavid2002 · July 20, 2008, 07:37 PM

+1 to nutty ned. Dont have it hanging out, toss a blanked over any cases or such so that if someone passes by your car, they wont see a free firearm. Also, an officer wont bug you about it should you get a ticket. If he asks why you (concealed) it with the blanket, simply say that you didnt want other people knowing you had a firearm in the car : D

KyJim · July 20, 2008, 09:49 PM

Several severely wrong statements in this thread. The federal statute states:

Quote:

Sec. 926A. Interstate transportation of firearms

Notwithstanding any other provision of any law or any rule or regulation of a State or any political subdivision thereof, any person who is not otherwise prohibited by this chapter from transporting, shipping, or receiving a firearm shall be entitled to transport a firearm for any lawful purpose from any place where he may lawfully possess and carry such firearm to any other place where he may lawfully possess and carry such firearm if, during such transportation the firearm is unloaded, and neither the firearm nor any ammunition being transported is readily accessible or is directly accessible from the passenger compartment of such transporting vehicle:Provided, That in the case of a vehicle without a compartment separate from the driver's compartment the firearm or ammunition shall be contained in a locked container other than the glove compartment or console.

http://www.nraila.org/federalfirearms.htm#Sec.%20926A

Unless you have a CCW AND are in a state with reciprocity AND you know that state's law allows it, simply covering up a gun with a blanket, etc. is a very bad idea. It might break that state's laws. If you plan on doing anything other than what the federal statute states, you are going to have to check each state's law's on reciprocity and what each state law allows and/or requires (e.g., notify stopping police officer).

cgbills · July 20, 2008, 10:14 PM

What I am saying is I do not want to carry on the trip to AZ (keep it under lock and key while traveling), but when I get to AZ I want to carry; I e-mailed the AZ highway patrol about this.

I have another question. I drive a Bronco and there is no separation from the cab to a trunk or anything like it. Is the federal statute saying I must keep not only the gun but also the ammo locked up and It must be done so in a separate lock box from the gun?

HDDeluxe · July 21, 2008, 11:28 AM

Arizona has reciprocity with Indiana for your CCW permit. You do not need an additional permit from AZ. Also Arizona is an open carry state. I think you will find Arizona to be very gun friendly compared to many other states. Come on out and enjoy your second ammendment rights.

Alleykat · July 21, 2008, 01:50 PM

How many times have you ever been stopped and had your vehicle searched, during previous trips through IL?

KyJim · July 21, 2008, 07:37 PM

Quote:

is the federal statute saying I must keep not only the gun but also the ammo locked up and It must be done so in a separate lock box from the gun?

No, you have to keep them locked in a separate compartment but they can be together.

Cool Hand · July 23, 2008, 03:05 AM

Generally speaking I think the term used is "inaccesible to occupants of vehicle" in regards to transporting firearms. If your are in the drivers seat, I'd say near the rear fenderwell of the Bronco is inaccesible as long as its in a case of some sort. To be on the safe side you might want to store the ammo in a case near the other fenderwell. This kinda thing makes me glad to live in Tennessee.

July 20, 2008, 01:10 PM	#1
cgbills Senior Member Join Date: December 9, 2006 Location: Central Indiana Posts: 274	Transporting Firearms Across State Lines I am going to be driving to Ft. Huachuca and will be there for BOLC 3 for 3 1/2 months. I will be staying off post in a hotel. I wanted to bring me pistol not only to shoot recreationally but also for protection. So my first question is if I want to drive from Indiana to Arizona, is there a legal way to transport my pistol across state lines, maybe with it apart and locked up away from ammo? What about a rifle? Can I transport my rifle or shotgun across state lines legally? This brings me to my next question. If Arizona reciprocates with Indiana on Indiana's CCW license, how would I go about carrying legal if they do? Do I need to contact the state police and get some type of permit? If I cannot legally carry in AZ I will only keep my weapon in the hotel for protection. I have a strong feeling that transporting firearms across state lines is a no go but it cannot hurt to ask. Thanks for the help. __________________ "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing" - Edmund Burke

July 20, 2008, 03:42 PM	#2
Steeler Fan Senior Member Join Date: May 18, 2008 Location: Somewhere south of the Mason-Dixon line Posts: 106	You must follow the laws of the states you are travelling through. That may mean a bit of reasearch, but it would be well worth it. Try not to go through IL if you can help it. There is the Firearm Owners Protection Act that has the following section: [edit] "Safe passage" provision One of the law's provisions was that persons traveling from one state to another for a shooting sports event or any other lawful activity cannot be arrested for a firearms offense in a state that has strict gun control laws if the traveler is just passing through (short stops for food and gas) and the firearms and ammunition are securely locked, unloaded, and not immediately accessible.[2] An example of this would be that someone driving from Virginia to a competition in Vermont with a locked hard case containing an unloaded handgun and a box of ammunition in the trunk could not be prosecuted in New Jersey or New York City for illegal possession of a handgun provided that they did not stop in New Jersey or New York for an extended period of time. Hope this Helps __________________ You can teach the ignorant, you can't fix stupid.

July 20, 2008, 03:55 PM	#3
kennybs plbg Senior Member Join Date: May 27, 2004 Location: Hemet, Ca. Posts: 524	http://www.handgunlaw.us/ Maybe this will help. kenny b Last edited by kennybs plbg; July 20, 2008 at 04:01 PM. Reason: link

July 20, 2008, 04:58 PM	#4
doug66 Senior Member Join Date: June 1, 2008 Location: Kansas Posts: 116	Good info Kenny That is the site our CCW instructor advised.

July 20, 2008, 05:27 PM	#5
cgbills Senior Member Join Date: December 9, 2006 Location: Central Indiana Posts: 274	I just e-mailed all of the states in which I will be traveling through, asking them the proper way for me to transport through their state. Also I calculated travel time if i boxed around IL, it would add 3hr 20min to my already 25hr 20min drive, damn IL. So IL doesn't allow transport of firearms through their state at all? __________________ "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing" - Edmund Burke

July 20, 2008, 06:26 PM	#6
JohnKSa Staff Join Date: February 12, 2001 Location: DFW Area Posts: 24,994	They HAVE to allow it, but if you get caught, expect to spend a lot of time and money making them do what they have to do. __________________ Do you know about the TEXAS State Rifle Association?

July 20, 2008, 07:31 PM	#7
nutty ned Senior Member Join Date: November 26, 2006 Posts: 765	Unload it; put it in a case; lock it; put it in the trunk and don't worry about it.

July 20, 2008, 07:37 PM	#8
Lavid2002 Senior Member Join Date: April 6, 2007 Posts: 2,568	+1 to nutty ned. Dont have it hanging out, toss a blanked over any cases or such so that if someone passes by your car, they wont see a free firearm. Also, an officer wont bug you about it should you get a ticket. If he asks why you (concealed) it with the blanket, simply say that you didnt want other people knowing you had a firearm in the car : D __________________ Math>Grammar

July 20, 2008, 10:14 PM	#10
cgbills Senior Member Join Date: December 9, 2006 Location: Central Indiana Posts: 274	What I am saying is I do not want to carry on the trip to AZ (keep it under lock and key while traveling), but when I get to AZ I want to carry; I e-mailed the AZ highway patrol about this. I have another question. I drive a Bronco and there is no separation from the cab to a trunk or anything like it. Is the federal statute saying I must keep not only the gun but also the ammo locked up and It must be done so in a separate lock box from the gun? __________________ "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing" - Edmund Burke

July 21, 2008, 11:28 AM	#11
HDDeluxe Member Join Date: March 22, 2008 Location: Yuma, Arizona Posts: 90	Arizona has reciprocity with Indiana for your CCW permit. You do not need an additional permit from AZ. Also Arizona is an open carry state. I think you will find Arizona to be very gun friendly compared to many other states. Come on out and enjoy your second ammendment rights.

July 21, 2008, 01:50 PM	#12
Alleykat Junior member Join Date: July 26, 2007 Posts: 3,668	How many times have you ever been stopped and had your vehicle searched, during previous trips through IL?

July 23, 2008, 03:05 AM	#14
Cool Hand Member Join Date: July 9, 2008 Posts: 16	don't give 'em a reason to pull you over and no one will know Generally speaking I think the term used is "inaccesible to occupants of vehicle" in regards to transporting firearms. If your are in the drivers seat, I'd say near the rear fenderwell of the Bronco is inaccesible as long as its in a case of some sort. To be on the safe side you might want to store the ammo in a case near the other fenderwell. This kinda thing makes me glad to live in Tennessee.