Borders and Shotguns ...

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Autolite

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I live in Alberta. Lets say I want to travel to Ontario via the United States, but I want to take my Remington 870 along with me (the return trip will be across northern Ontario where I never go without my 870). Who do I need to contact in the U.S. for a 'permit' to drive through the states with my Remington???
 
Better stick to the 401. I've never heard of a permit to transport a weapon although there may be an avenue to pursue if you were to be legally hunting.

Go to BC instead. There's fewer Liberals.
 
Wow, great question. (I only wish that I had an answer.)

Most US states would allow a US citizen to carry a shotgun in a vehicle without any special "permit" (some might require it to be unloaded, cased, and in the trunk) but I don't know whether a non-citizen would be allowed to do the same, not to mention the difficulties of crossing from Canada to the US and then back to Canada.
 
I would suggest a careful reading of the Firearms Owners Protection Act (FOPA). It provides for interstate transport of firearms. I don't recall anything that limits it to U.S. citizens or residents. If you're coming from Canada and going to Canada, you're clearly "in transit" going through whatever states you traverse, and that is the focus of the FOPA. Seems like it would be no different than driving from California to New York -- the FOPA would apply in all states in between.

However, I am not a lawyer, so I suggest you read the law yourself.

http://www.hardylaw.net/FOPA.html

Just remember that for the purposes of this law, traveling through MEANS "traveling through." If you hop off the Interstate to have dinner with Uncle Bob whom you haven't seen in 35 years, you are no longer in transit through Uncle Bob's state -- you are now IN Uncle Bob's state and the FOPA does not apply.
 
http://www.atf.gov/firearms/form6nia/index.htm

You may need to buy a (US) state hunting license or show an invitation/registration to a formal shooting competition, unless I'm reading the info incorrectly (which I probably am) since I can't find anything specifically about "In Transit" unless it's being from Canada going thru DFW airport en route to South America hunting, yada yada.

Drive safe, remember, the US is full of hobgoblin types and we have this perpetual war on terror, drugs and crime thing going on ;)
 
Thanks for your replies ...

I've been going back and forth from western Canada to Ontario at least once a year for many years. I quit traveling through the U.S. several years ago because of the gun laws and the general hassles with border crossings. I was looking forward for the opportunity to travel through the northwest and midwest U.S. again, but judging from your responces, it sounds like it is perhaps best to keep it 'north of 49' again this year. Thanks for the input ...
 
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