How bad is Maryland?

[cavman]

There may be a job in Maryland that I am interested in. So how bad is it really?
Coming from Virginia are there shocking differences?

My immediate concerns are:
keeping my guns: pistols and rifles (.30-30, .22)
Keeping/getting new CCW,
plenty of ranges in the Frederick area


thanks,
cavman

 

[geekWithA.45]

Long story short:

Keeping your guns: Probable...

Carry Permit: highly unlikely

Ranges: Available.

http://www.nraila.org/GunLaws/Default.aspx

Edited to add:

Gah. I flubbed that one, MikeH is right, there's no handgun permits I got hungup on the "no transport in a car unless...rule", which directly effects me when traveling to MD.

MD does not appear to have any exemptions for out of staters like me transporting handguns to destinations in state.

 

[MikeH]

Handgun registration in MD is voluntary. No such thing as a handgun permit. However, MD has a roster of approved handguns, and whatever you want to buy or keep has to be on the list. Generally speaking, unless you have one of those Saturday night specials, you should be okay. You can look up the roster at: http://www.mdsp.org/services/handgun.asp

Biggest difference to our neighbor in VA is that you'll have to go through MDSP background check buying handguns and other regulated firearms (military-style semi-autos, etc.), which includes a 7-10 day wait. This denies you the satisfaction of being able to buy a handgun and walk out of the store with it on the same day. Also, you can only buy one regulated firearm every 30 days unless you are a designated collector.

Forget about CCW unless you're on first-name basis with our AG. In such case, would you mind introducing us?

 

[Archangel]

What Mike said is mostly correct. However, the handgun roster only applies to purchases, so anything you already have when you move into the state you can keep. Unless it is an "Assault Pistol," in which case possession is illegal unless you had it (in MD) before the ban.

 

[tenbase]

Personally I'd just relocate further north within the state, and commute across state lines. Frederick is very close to the VA and WVA border. Doesn't help you carry while you're at work, but it beats paying taxes to the MD nanny staters who have almost no regard for the rights of gun owners. Plus you can keep your existing drivers license, vehicle registration etc. Doesn't sound like much, but not having to visit the DMV is a plus, especially when you're already dealing with something as annoying as a move.

My motto is "Why live in MD if you don't have to?"

 

[MikeH]

the handgun roster only applies to purchases, so anything you already have when you move into the state you can keep

Archangel is right. I stand corrected.

One other thing, if you collect C&R, many dealers won't ship handguns to MD C&R holders directly.

 

[pcf]

Between the boost in income tax, home prices (not so shocking coming from Richmond), property taxes, crime, and general attitude of the government towards the sheeple, the change can be shocking. And BGE's 72% rate hike.

My salary is more than twice what I made in Fort Worth, and at the end of the month I have a fourth of the disposable income, live in a smaller home and am surrounded by crime.

Before you chase money or jobs into Maryland, hash out the numbers and make sure that you'll come out ahead. I have met few people that have moved from Virginia to Maryland that think they are better off.

 

[BullfrogKen]

I grew up in Frederick, and fled 7 years ago into PA. Like PCF said, be careful what you're chasing. MD is not business friendly, nor is it especially citizen friendly. Many families are leaving MD and moving into the southern PA counties to have a better living standard.

I do not believe you can import magazines >15 rounds (or is it 10? I don't pay attention to the specific round cound) no matter who you are. What's there can stay, but cannot be transferred to another owner, nor can you legally bring any with you when you move. No one's going to check you when you enter, but be aware.

Ranges in Frederick - one public, weekend hours only, and its under constant threat from closing by its Spring Ridge neighbors - it may be already. There is (was) a private club right next door, extremely long wait list. I know of no others in Frederick, and damn few exist in MD period. Most folks I know join a PA range and make the drive north. Lots of our club roster consists of MD residents, and its located in northern York County.

I would not move back into MD unless I had serious health problems, had to sell our house, and move in with relatives for care. I'd move one of them in with me if they got sick before I moved closer to them. I would not take a job in MD.

This year I faced a choice of being laid off, or relocate into MD. I took the lay-off; so I'm not speaking lightly or theoretically.

 

[MikeH]

I do not believe you can import magazines >15 rounds (or is it 10? I don't pay attention to the specific round cound) no matter who you are. What's there can stay, but cannot be transferred to another owner, nor can you legally bring any with you when you move. No one's going to check you when you enter, but be aware.

"After June 1, 1994, it is unlawful to sell, offer for sale, purchase, receive, or transfer any detachable firearm magazine (except a tube magazine for a .22) that will hold more than 20 rounds. Possession is not prohibited."

I don't think there is a restriction on bringing hi-cap mags into MD when one moves. That should still fall under the category of possession.

 

[BullfrogKen]

cavman,

Rather than take internet advice from us, go to www.mdsp.org and find out the facts for yourself. I take import to mean import - crossing the state line period, and unless there exists an exception for previously owned magazines, import includes bringing into the state items in a personal move.

One other law that took effect after I moved: you must now take a MD safety course to purchase a handgun. Its explained on the MD State Police website.

 

[cavman]

Appreciations

Thanks for all the opinions and suggestions and anecdotes.

have a great day
cavman

 

[Rabid Rabbit]

So much wrong information in such short answers.

In addition to the MD state police site also hit http://www.mdgunsafety.com/ . Despite it being a .com site it is run by MD. Look up the required safety class if you buy a "regulated firearm" meaning a pistol or EBR.

There are a couple private ranges, I don't know about public ranges though. There is the Thurmont Sportsman and Conservation Club north of Frederick. I also belong to the www.BCCIWLA.org in Poolesville.

Just make it eaiser and just move to VA, WV or PA and stay out of MD, you would be better off.

For a good summery of the laws go to packing.org and go to the MD information site and on the right hand side is a list of useful websites.

For the weird mag law you cannot transfer (buy, give, barter etc...) a mag larger than 20 rounds. However there is nothing limiting possession and many people head over to VA to buy the 30 rnd mags and bring them back and that is legal.

If you are in the habit of buying multiple handguns or EBRs in a 30 day period go to a dealer and ask for the collector status form. It costs nothing and in 10-20 days you get a letter saying you are not subject to the 1 handgun a month law.

 

[carlrodd]

+1 to whovever said move north. i have friends that live just outside DC, and friends that live in cecil county. the laws may be the same state-wide, but the way people live and think varies tremendously throughout the state...and there is something to be said for that. generally speaking, life in maryland on the delmarva peninsula is worlds apart from life ANYWHERE near the beltway or Baldimer'(eeek). there are also plenty of places and plenty of room to shoot on the peninsula.

an interesting aside.....i observed, while watching the special features on the new 'day of the dead', that the map on the news broadcast that showed in red dots the places that had been 'infected', never showed a single dot in delaware. as a matter of fact, i think the whole delmarva peninsula was zombie free.

 

[haole_boySS]

The limit for magazine capactiy in MD is 20. I know this because 1) i bought a new XD9 last July and it came with 2-16 rd mags. 2) I can't buy a 30 rd mag for my AR in MD. 20 is the max.

 

[pcf]

For "High Capacity" (having 21 or more round capacity) magazines, MDSP and the MD AG, have more or less, turned a blind eye to people who purchase them out of state. Whether or not it becomes an issue in the future will depend greatly on the next Governor and AG. If you have high capacity magazines, keep receipts or other records proving that they were obtained in accordance with Maryland law.

The issue you need to be aware of, is that the use a "High Capacity" magazine in a felony or any crime of violence carries a minimum 5 year prison sentence. (Under the "Assault Pistol" section of the Maryland Code)

"High Capacity" Magazines are fine for the range 20's or less for everything else.

Relevant Maryland Code:

§ 4-305. Detachable magazines - Prohibited.

(b) Prohibited.- A person may not manufacture, sell, offer for sale, purchase, receive, or transfer a detachable magazine that has a capacity of more than 20 rounds of ammunition for a firearm.

§ 4-306. Penalties.
(b) Use in a felony or crime of violence.-
(1) A person who uses an assault pistol, or a magazine that has a capacity of more than 20 rounds of ammunition, in the commission of a felony or a crime of violence as defined in § 5-101 of the Public Safety Article is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction, in addition to any other sentence imposed for the felony or crime of violence, shall be sentenced under this subsection.

(2) (i) For a first violation, the person shall be sentenced to imprisonment for not less than 5 years and not exceeding 20 years.

(iv) Except as otherwise provided in § 4-305 of the Correctional Services Article, the person is not eligible for parole in less than 5 years.

 

[allmons]

It's not really any of my business, but why in the

world would any gun man or woman want to live in a State with such stupid, arbitrary firearm restictions?

NO job is that good. I would have to move.

( Shakes head ) I just don't understand why people pay taxes to a State that violates their rights and treats them like second class citizens.

 

[TonkinTwentyMil]

With some rural exceptions, my friends there indicate that MD is pretty much like most other northeast states where the Liberal/Pacifist-Elitist/NannyState political culture is dominant.

That means that (a) the gun laws are marginal-to-hostile (see the Brady bunch state "grades") and (b) "outing" yourself as a gun owner OR 2A rights activist may well beget social opprobrium AND professional (employer) discrimination. Hence, the Constitutional right to "free speech" is about as existant there as conservatives are welcomed at Harvard or the N.Y. TIMES. The "punish your enemies" games are insidious and deeply woven into the entire regional fabric.

Pro-2A states generally support gun owners. In the "anti" states like MD, they are often punished in both overt and subtle ways. Beware.

 

[Slimjim]

Its perfectly legal to bring MAgs into md, if you go out of state and buy them, They become your property, no lawsagainst posessing them.

 

[American By Blood]

tenbase's comment about living in West Virginia and working in Maryland was excellent.

An acquaintance of mine does just that. He has his law office in a beautiful old brick building in downtown Frederick but lives a stone's throw across the border in WV. If a similar option is available to you, by all means take it. MD is a gorgeous state with rolling hills, lush fields, and plenty of trees. Having one of our driver's licenses is the kiss of death for your Second Amendment rights, though.

The CCW issue is still a sticking point with that arrangement because MD refuses to recognize WV's permits (or FL's, or UT's, etc). On the way to and from work you'll have the privilege of being disarmed.

As other posters have pointed out in this thread, there will be a degree of culture shock. Rates of gun ownership are higher in the Frederick area than in Baltimore, but it's very much connected to a white working class identity (city folk often dismiss Frederick as "Fredneck"). There isn't the widespread middle class tradition of shooting in MD that helps to mainstream gun culture in places like VA or AZ. Affluent people in MD seem especially vulnerable to the trap of faking intelligence through affecting NPR/PBS liberalism. They gleefully pay far higher taxes than anyone should have to for the sake of subsidizing Baltimore's downbred layabouts, addicts, and criminals.

 

[45Badger]

Move to southern PA. It's only a few minutes from Frederick.

 

[Norton]

Most of the important information regarding laws and the state of the 2nd amendment have been pretty well outlined by previous posters.

However, I'm going to take a different tack on whether you should move here or not.

I WANT you to move here and fight back with us. If every gun owner baiils out to WV, VA and PA there will be no one here to fight the gun grabbers. The same is true of CA, NJ, MA and NY.

What happens here and in those states very often determines the outcome of gun legislation in the rest of the country and if we don't hold the line here it will spread.

How long does anyone think NoVA and SoPA will remain free territory as long as folks are moving there from MD? It's not just gun owners, you know....and we all know that the nanny state gun grabbing mentality is a disease that spreads where ever it gains a foothold.

As much as I detest living here, it's where I am until 2019 when the wife retires from the military. I am going to continue fighting until then and i hope that you will join us.

 

[Hawk]

It seemed worse than it was when I was there. Internet kinda new, didn't know that Dave the shotgun guru was there.

Ever paid a recursive algorithm? That's when you finish your federal tax return, start your Maryland return then notice they interconnect, that's when you find out Montgomery county and possibly Rockville have their own set of taxes each reliant on the one before.

I found a tax dude and just gave him all my money and took out several bank loans. Worked pretty well.

Receptionist where I worked freaked when a CDNN catalog showed up. Thought I was going to jail for sure that time.

The Aloha in Gaithersburg takes a lot of the sting out, if Mary's still dancing there (it's "G" rated, settle down). They closed James III on Montrose (or Rockville Pike?) and that killed a lot of my motivation for going back to visit.

If you miss your exit coming from Frederick to Rockville, you wind up in Virginia. After driving the length of Texas, that'll come as a shock. A parking spot for your car will run a bit higher than a 1 bedroom apartment in north Texas.

Rockville aspires to be D.C.: my informal guess is that 45% of the general working population is employed by the government. I let the registration lapse on my car, got a ticket, took a bus to work the next day, and watched while 3 different cops at 3 different times cruised the parking lot to make sure I didn't drive before covering the paperwork: spooky.

But now that I know it's shotgun Mecca, I'd probably look forward to it provided I could leave before April 15. Very pretty. Nice people, reasonable climate.

 

[Live Free Or Die]

Norton, I commend your fighting spirit. It's the hard work of people like you that has probably prevented MD from having even worse gun legislation passed.

However, I must ask: if your wife was retiring next year instead of in 2019, would you stay in MD and suffer the anti-freedom atmosphere and continue fighting? Or would you seek safe haven in another state with more tolerable gun laws?

I really can't fault someone for choosing to live in PA or WV if they work nearby in MD. It's true that we need all the help we can get here in MD, but if someone feels that life's too short to put up with the kind of tyranny MD dishes out, I can totally understand that.

 

[JohnBT]

I used to like that part of MD.

Re: "Rockville aspires to be D.C"

Used to want to be Bethesda or Potomac instead of a little sleepy county seat; Gaithersburg was farm central and the prom queen rode a tractor<joke>; and there was still open undeveloped land between all of them.

By the time I finished high school there were already people moving to Frederick and commuting back to D.C. daily. Now you say the people in Frederick are moving to PA? It's all so sad, the price of progress I suppose.

Oh well, I like the older parts of Richmond. The burbs here remind me of Rockville Pike.

John
Richard Montgomery H.S. Class of '68

 

[Live Free Or Die]

Rockville aspires to be D.C.: my informal guess is that 45% of the general working population is employed by the government. I let the registration lapse on my car, got a ticket, took a bus to work the next day, and watched while 3 different cops at 3 different times cruised the parking lot to make sure I didn't drive before covering the paperwork: spooky.

A common occurrence around Columbia: Police cars patrol apartment parking lots, looking for out of state plates. At certain intervals (monthly?), they pull over cars leaving the parking lot with out-of-state plates, asking how long you've lived there. If the answer is more than 60 days, you'll be issued a significant ticket ($100+ IIRC) on the spot for not having MD plates yet. It's a creepy revenue raising tactic, and a waste of time considering there is plenty of property crime in the area to deal with.

Today as I was driving through a residential neighborhood near my home, I came across a police officer who was standing in the middle of the street. He was peering into each car as it slowed approaching a stop sign. At first I had no idea what he was doing, but then it dawned on me: he was checking to make sure everyone was wearing a seatbelt. I remember reading in the local paper recently about a "crackdown" on people who violate the seatbelt law. "Nanny state" really is an apt term for Maryland, and for the most part the people who live here seem to be very pleased about it.