[Texas Bob]

Well it's "official", Daddy's darling finished college and will be living in Baltimore MD for the next year starting Labor Day weekend. She was wondering if she has to "jump" thru any special hoops to have a pistol in her apt. She keeps it(S&W mod 67 .38spl) loaded but inside a "quick access" safe so she wouldn't be arming a buglar, but could reach it in an emergency. Also, does MD. require any kind of "permit" for a lady to ccw pepper spray. Thanks in advance for you replys.

[Norton]

AFAIK, she can't live in Baltimore City with a handgun. She'll have to be in Baltimore County or Anne Arundel County in order to be close to the city line without actually being in the city limits.

No special hoops that I am aware of. I believe that any firearm lawfully obtained in another state is OK for ownership in MD. Registration is voluntary (ha ha ha ha ha, yea, let me run right to Jessup for that one) so she should be OK aside from actual jurisdiction of residence. When I inherited a .22 pistol from FIL the State Police told me that I was not required to register it.

Tell her to look us up when she gets here....we have a fairly active membership that gets together for shoots and social activities.

[Norton]

AFAIK, she can't live in Baltimore City with a handgun. She'll have to be in Baltimore County or Anne Arundel County in order to be close to the city line without actually being in the city limits.

No special hoops that I am aware of. I believe that any firearm lawfully obtained in another state is OK for ownership in MD. Registration is voluntary (ha ha ha ha ha, yea, let me run right to Jessup for that one) so she should be OK aside from actual jurisdiction of residence. When I inherited a .22 pistol from FIL the State Police told me that I was not required to register it.

Tell her to look us up when she gets here....we have a fairly active membership that gets together for shoots and social activities.

[Kharn]

Norton:
You sure on that one?
My freshman English prof (4 years ago) kept a .357 in her night stand and she lived in Baltimore.

Kharn

[Harry Tuttle]

Baltimore is a big area, and parts of it are really really sketchy

[Gray Peterson]

Not true. It is not illegal to keep a handgun in your home in Baltimore City. Blatant falsehood, and probably being confused with DC.

[JohnBT]

The last I heard you could own a handgun in Balmer. In 1998 they were working on a handgun lock law.

John
Proud graduate of P.S. 246 (Beechfield Elem.), 1962.

[chaim]

As already covered it is pretty easy to bring guns in when you move. If it was bought legally there is nothing to do. You can choose to register it with the state police (go to a local barracks and fill out the same form you fill out for the state police background check when you buy handguns here), but it is not required. Last I checked (about 2 years ago) all guns that are legal in the rest of MD are legal in Baltimore (I don't know if that can change or if we have state pre-emption of local gun laws here). Because the state form when buying guns has a check box if you live in Baltimore City it is commonly assumed that they are illegal there and the sale will be turned down (I used to think that myself), however I was assured that the check box was simply for "demographic data" or something like that.

No permit is needed for pepper spray or "pocket knives". You didn't ask about knives, but if she may carry one you need to look up the law. No knives meant as weapons may be carried. A pocket knife (that includes all folders up to a certain length, I think it is 4" or 4 1/2") is legal, no fixed blades are legal unless you are hunting though. But as I said, pepper spray is perfectly fine.

[0007]

Suggest she NOT live in Baltimore. Lots of nice small town close enough to commute to Baltimore. Bowie is nice as are lots of others.

[Norton]

Mea Culpa on the city limits thing.....not confusing it with DC but I had the definite notion that it was not permitted. So....is it illiegal to transport through the city limits?

Well, I learned something today:D

Anyway......don't live in Baltimore anyway.....

[MikeK]

confusing it with DC but I had the definite notion that it was not permitted. So....is it illiegal to transport through the city limits?

of DC? - Federal law permits you to transport anywhere in the country - locked in a case, unloaded - as long as it is legal in your departure and arrival locations. With all the terror alert stuff and lack of knowledge of gun laws by some LEO's I would take the beltway instead. When the NRA was headquartered in DC they also had their range in the building. A few co-workers from MD and VA used to bring guns in for bullseye shooting.

Marland state law has a preemption provision. No local or county gun laws. The only good gun law in MD.

Although there are a few nice areas (read expensive) and some older ethnic neighborhoods in Baltimore, another vote for living outside the city.

Associated Gun Clubs of Baltimore has a nice outdoor range about 10 miles West/Southwest of Baltimore in Mariotsville. Rifle, pistol and trap. A number of THR folks shoot at On Target, an indoor range south of Baltimore near Ft. Meade. Continental Arms, another indoor range is also nearby.

Have her look us up when she gets settled. The legislative session begins in January.

[K-Romulus]

we discussed it and other laws in this thread:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=97465


But the bottom lines for your questions are:

1) Should be good to go in Bal'mer

2) CCW pepper spray is no-permit-necessary, and OK as long as not needlessly waving it around (then it's a "felony")

3) Pocket FOLDING knives are OK (no blade length issue AFAIK, as long as they fold, thus staying within the legal definition of a "penknife").

[Spot77]

Another reason NOT to live in Baltimore: TAXES.

I bought my first home in 1995 in Baltimore City for $40,000

Paid $1200 a year in taxes.

In 1998 I moved to Anne Arundel County; not a full two minutes from Baltimore City. Paid $104,000 for my house. Annual taxes: STILL $1200.

There's lots of gun shops within 5 minutes of my house. Tell her to look in Brooklyn Park or Glen Burnie for safe and affordable housing.


Did I mention there's LOTS of gunshops nearby?:evil:

The legislative session begins in January.

Yup, all THR members and their families are required by law to write, fax and email Delegates and Senators, and to attend at least one day of hearings on gun bills.:D