Getting Pulled over after a range trip and you got a Trunk full of guns

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I was stopped once years ago when I had a S&W Mod 19 sitting on the seat next to me, in its nice blue box. If I remember correctly my license plates had just expired and I hadn't gotten them renewed because I had to some work done on the car first. I explained the situation to the officer and he wrote me a ticket which he told me all I would have to do was take it to the nearest state police office with the info that I had pass the required inspection and had my new plates. Never said a thing about the Smith even though it was in plain sight.
 
VA requires that guns in a car be in plain sight, visible
to an officer approaching the car. Laws against concealed carry.

TN requires that guns in a car be cased, unloaded, locked
in the trunk. Laws against going armed.

Makes driving from TN to a range in VA fun.

Hunting and target shooting being recognized in both
states as legitimate reasons to have a gun in a car,
most cops here do not get antsy unless you lie to them.

Being calm, respectful and honest works wonders with the
majority of cop-citizen interactions.
 
Odd pullover....

Leaving a rifle club range set up in a nearby regional park, got pulled over by a pair of park cops just outside the exit!:rolleyes: Nice young guys, looked to be clueless & bored....."Do you have any firearms in your vehicle?" (DOH! - What a question to ask someone leaving a Range! = "Yeah, been shooting BP!"
"What's BP?:rolleyes:"
"BLACK POWDER"
"Oh, uhhh are they loaded?"
"NO!"
They were about to ask the next question when another car left the exit road and they went off to 'check' their guns...:scrutiny:
I drove off while they were busy and got out of sight before breaking out my then new celphone and calling the rangemaster's office to inform him of the situation at the gate & to tell everyone on the line to be careful about how they stored & transported their firearms.:(
On a later visit, I asked the Rangemaster about the 'incident' = he said a call to the Lieutenant at the park Police office "settled" the matter - once and for all.:D
 
I don't think that you will get any hassle whatsoever,if you are pulled over by the cops,for a stop and search.Police officers,have boring days that they want to liven up,so they probably randomly stop and search people.Providing that you have the right paperwork and licenses,where permitted,there isn't a problem.The problem lies,when there is no paperwork and licenses,then you are taken down to the station,where they will sort it out further,or sort you out.

British shooters in the US,have been stopped and searched before and their details checked.I have met some shooters,who were checked by the police,over there.


Over here and probably in some states too,you can face a jail sentence if you don't display the correct paperwork and licenses,when asked to.At least cops over there, use the range too,for refresher shooting courses and for their own recreation-which can generate a level of sympathy and understanding,to you.C019 are more sympathetic towards shooters,than the unarmed lot,over here.
 
I was stopped recently on the way back from the range w/ a few guns in the car. The vehicle I was in was ID'd in a drive -by & I met general discription of shooter. I sat there for a while as they verified I had just come from the range & my papers were in order.
 
I was stopped by an Arizona DPS officer once, coming back from shooting in the desert north of Phoenix. I was about 18-19 at the time and had a back seat full of long guns, including an AK.

The officer was far more concerned about me going 70 in a 55 than he was about my guns.
 
I got pulled over for speeding by a SGT from DPS in Arizona. I answered the question "Do you have any weapons in the car?" with a "Why yes I do." I had several unloaded pistols in a back pack. I planned on hitting the shop after work to strip and clean them in the parts scrubber. The SGT didn't accept my explanation as to why I had so many handguns with me. I got cuffed, stuffed and brought to a substation where I was turned over to an officer who ran all of the serial numbers on the guns. My car was towed and impounded. I was finally released in about an hour with a speeding ticket and an towing fee for my car. It might have happened because it was soon after 9/11 or maybe I didn't do enough boot licking to satisfy this particular SGT. Please don't interpret that statment as anti-law enforcement. Any grievance that I had was with the man and not the uniform.
 
I got stopped for speeding the very day I had purchased my Ruger Vaquero,so instead of getting a ticket , I had two deputy sheriffs fondle my new purchase, check the paperwork and after a friendly conversation about guns, let me go on my merry way without a ticket.I'm pretty sure if that pistol hadn't been there I would have gotten the ticket and been out at least $100.
 
I was stopped on the shoulder of I-90 in South Dakota changing a RR tire on my pickup years ago.

I had my S&W 25-2 laying on the tailgate in an unzipped gun rug. You know, where it was handy in case somebody I didn't want to spend time with stopped while was broke down.

A state trooper pulled up behind me as I was loosening the lug nuts. He came walking up with a pair of leather gloves in his hand. He stopped at the tailgate and lifted up one side of the gun rug so he could see my pistol. He said "Nice gun."

Then he put on his gloves and helped me change the tire. Never said another word about my pistol.
 
TN requires that guns in a car be cased, unloaded, locked
in the trunk. Laws against going armed.
Click to expand...

I just got my carry permit in TN and was told that I could go armed in my car?
 
I lived in Northern San Diego for many years. I often went up to Anza to shoot for a weekend. I'd take off with a couple of rifles and several pistols and as much ammo as I could stuff into the rig. I would get stoped by the Sheriff's deputies almost every time, often more than once. They would always want to see the guns and BS for while about shooting.

Perhaps the fact that I had the rifles in scabbards strapped to the sides of the motorcycle had something to do with it. Ya think? ;)

Pops
 
Begold,
That is correct. If you have a valid carry permit you can carry in your car loaded.

I stopped along I24 early one morning, the trailer I was pulling had a piece of siding that wouldn't stay down so I was giving it an additude adjustment. Well I'm a big fella and my polo shirt just don't "cover" well if 1'm working so this trooper pulls up, asked if everything was ok. Never mentioned my sidearm, told me to have a nice day and drove off.

I was stopped for speeding in Clveland TN. Handed my DL and carry permit to the county deputy. All he said was "did you know you were doing 68 in a 45?" I told him no I did not reliaze it and was sorry. Figured I'd just bought me a $150 to $200.00 ticket (If I was lucky). He cam back gave me my dl and carry permit back, stuck the ticket book in my face and asked me to sign a warning ticket. No mention of the firearm, no problems. and no ticket.
 
Just play it cool and you're fine. The worst thing to do is volunteer or blurt out information the police don't need.
 
Quote:
TN requires that guns in a car be cased, unloaded, locked
in the trunk. Laws against going armed.

I just got my carry permit in TN and was told that I could go armed in my car?
Click to expand...

Carrying a handgun with handgun carry permit (preferably concealed) for defense is OK. Otherwise, carrying anything with intention of use as
a weapon of offense or defense is still going armed. When I travel by
car to my uncle's property, my .45 is in its holster, my carry permit is
in my wallet and any rifles or shotguns are in the trunk, cased, unloaded
with the ammo in a seperate container as prescribed by law.
 
My how times have changed. About 20 years ago while on the way back from my MIL's farm, I was stopped at 11pm at a Police roadblock about 4 miles out of town. On the front seat of our station wagon between me and my wife was a Mini-14 (20 rd mag in well but not chambered) and a M1 carbine. 2 kids in the backseat and in the far back were 7 other assorted handguns and rifles not cased or locked. Two Officers approached the car and shined lights over the entire interior. The one the drivers side said to me, Sorry for the trouble sir, have a nice night. And waved me on through.

RH
 
I was pulled over on the way to Grandma's on Thanksgiving Day when I was 16. I had few rifles and a few hundred rounds right behind the driver's seat in my extended cab truck. I also had targets and hunting clothes. It wasn't a big deal. I got of with a warning in an area famous for giving tickets for 1mph over the limit.

Most cops don't want trouble any more than you do.
 
I had a pistol turn up missing and had to do a report on it. About a week later I replaced the pistol and later ran into the officer and the Chief (small dept) at the local c-store.

He asked me about the pistol and told him I had the replacement in the truck and to come on out and take a look. The 3 of us were still BS'ing in the parking lot 10 minutes later when they got a call.
 
You should ask yourself why you would expect to be stopped anyway.
Click to expand...

This is about as inane as "If you're not doing anything wrong, you have nothing to worry about."

Ask the 200+ men released from prison on DNA evidence.
 
Got pulled over a couple years ago and had several long guns on the front seat of my pickup. Trooper asked if I was going hunting. I said I was, and he told me 'good luck'. No ticket. Texas DPS always seems to be cool.
 
I don't know about you but, when i have a trunk full of guns, i make it a point to drink a beer whilst speeding down the hwy weaving in and out of traffic without signaling.


j/k. Don't get yourself all worked up over nothing. You're coming home from the range...you're SUPPOSED to have guns in the trunk.
 
This has been a good read with an overwhelming tone that the police really don't seem to mind firearms as many threads offer to the contrary.

I've never been pulled over with a car load of guns just yet. A few times my neighbor and I have headed to the range with the entire back of the pickup full of firearms, muntions and targets to the point that we both look at each other and say, "Did we really need to bring this much stuff?" Of course, I respond, "What does "need" have to do with it, this is a hobby."

I have noticed the police do like to frequent the gravel pit we shoot at in the Browns Camp area. (oregon, tillamook state forest) They seem to make laps and swing by every hour or so. We were there over 4 hours one trip, the cop started getting that, "are you guys still here" look. The time I was wearing my tie dye shirt got a real funny look too. That one's burned into my head pretty good.
 
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