Need info from Virginians concerning CC

[wbwanzer]

Hello folks. I'll be visiting your wonderful state this weekend and have a legal question concering carrying and transporting in Virginia. (I know. I shouldn't get my legal advice from folks on the internet. But I generally have a hard time finding and understanding state laws, at least here in Maryland. I think they are written to be confusing) Anyway, I live in the People's Republic of Maryland and have a Utah Non-redident carry permit, which as far as I know, is recognized by Virginia. My question is, while driving in Virginia, should the handgun (Ruger SR9c) be on my person, in sight in the car, or hidden in the car? And if I am stopped by the police for some reason, am I required to inform them of the weapon?

My wife and I will be going on Sunday to Graves Mountain Lodge for the mid day meal which is fried chicken. (I never met fried chicken that I didn't like ). After lunch we are heading over to Luray for two nights. Probably going up on the Skyline Drive on MOnday for some hiking and sightseeing. That is where I am really interested in carrying. As you could probably guess, being from Maryland I am not very experienced at carrying at all.

Thanks for any help that you folks can give.

 

[blahpony]

Here is a good link for info - http://handgunlaw.us/.

You can carry in your car and in state parks. You don't have to inform an officer that you're carrying. There's lots more info on that site.

 

[beatledog7]

http://www.usacarry.com/virginia_concealed_carry_permit_information.html

More good information.

 

[AethelstanAegen]

Your Utah non-resident permit is valid in VA. There's no requirement to notify (though you can if you want to). As to where the gun should be in the car, any of those options are fine. If the cop asks, just let them know where it is (but don't reach for it to show them or something). IIRC, concealed carry is allowed in Skyline National Park but I'd strongly recommend you double check that on their website. Welcome to VA, I think you'll find it much more welcoming than Maryland (Maryland's laws are so firearms confused, I just refuse to cross the Potomac anymore).

 

[JohnBT]

While guns are legal in Shenandoah National Park - if you are - there are some buildings in the park that have signs prohibiting guns.

www.nps.gov/shen/parkmgmt/lawsandpolicies.htm

And don't speed.

All the food I've had at Graves Mountain has been good family style cooking. I'm partial to the fried trout, but I've never turned down the chicken. Their jams and jellies are good too, and I can buy those locally.

 

[wbwanzer]

JohnBT - I love the food at Graves. I've been going there off and on for 42 years. My girls think of it as a second home, although they are grown and don't get there much nowdays.

 

[basicblur]

...while driving in Virginia, should the handgun (Ruger SR9c) be on my person, in sight in the car, or hidden in the car?

Assuming your Utah non-resident permit is recognized (can't help you with that), I prefer to keep it hidden just so I don't freak out a cop that walks up and sees it, but there's no legal reason I know of that all three you methods you quoted would not be legal.
VA does have OC.

...if I am stopped by the police for some reason, am I required to inform them of the weapon?

VA is NOT a "must inform" state.
Do what you want, but I usually just hand them my CHP on top of my DL and don't say a word ('specially not the word GUN!).
I know you don't have to inform, but I usually do as a courtesy, which will end the first time I run across a cop that gives me attitude for carrying / owning a gun.
I tend to notify as I live on the NC line, which does require you notify.
I just do so as a matter of habit in case I forget which state I'm in.

Probably going up on the Skyline Drive on MOnday for some hiking and sightseeing. That is where I am really interested in carrying. As you could probably guess, being from Maryland I am not very experienced at carrying at all.

I've not heard heard of any changes, so AFAIK, you can carry on Skyline Drive, but you CANNOT carry into buildings, etc. I'd also be careful 'bout what they consider a "building". If I remember correctly, Wolf Trap officials tried to claim the outside amphitheater was a "building" - don't remember how that one turned out?

Anywho - VCDL does a great job staying on top of things - visit their site, particularly the VA Concealed Carry link @ http://www.vcdl.org/chp

At the very bottom of the page, you can download a PDF of a VCDL Carry Card, and on the back is a cheat sheet on where you can carry.

If you happen to stop by a VA gun shop that someone from VCDL has "adopted" you can pick up a heavier stock version of said card (just look for the VCDL display).

Enjoy the Skyline Drive - I used to spend many hours there on a motorcycle.

 

[basicblur]

Don't know how familiar you are with Skyline Drive, but from memory:
1. Skyland has a nice restaurant in the lodge. I think it's Skyland that also has horse rides, etc. I once took a one-hour group ride as I can't remember that I've ever been on a horse?
2. Big Meadows has a more casual restaurant (fast food, etc) - I think they may have a nicer dining room in the lodge, but I've never been inside.
3. Big Meadows does have a nice visitor center - lots of displays, films, etc.

Unless it's changed, an outside vendor (Aramark?) ran all the restaurants, etc inside the park, but I always had good food, and usually reasonably priced.

'Course, you can't carry your gun inside the park buildings.

 

[paramedic70002]

BTW VA got rid of that silly "no guns in restaurants/bars" law. There are very few places you can't carry in VA. Courthouse, jail, secure areas of police stations, K-12 school property (must have VA permit and stay in car) AKA the "drop off your kid" law, arguably posted private property. There is great debate, unsettled in law, whether a gunbuster sign is a trespassing sign as described in VA law. In such a case, CC is the uniform to avoid any unpleasantness.

 

[basicblur]

BTW VA got rid of that silly "no guns in restaurants/bars" law.

To be more precise, they got rid of the no CC in restaurants that serve alcohol.
Before getting rid of the law, you could (and I did) OC when in a few of my favorite restaurants - I had to remove my jacket before entering the premises in order to go from CC to OC in order to satisfy the law (and I don't drink).

There is great debate, unsettled in law, whether a gunbuster sign is a trespassing sign as described in VA law.

News to me - unless something has changed (and it only takes one politician to "make" something a debate), "no guns" signs in VA do not carry the weight of law (government buildings, etc aside). If you were caught carrying, they could ask you to leave - if you did not leave, then they could have you arrested for trespassing, but it was not a weapons violation.

 

[AethelstanAegen]

if you did not leave, then they could have you arrested for trespassing, but it was not a weapons violation.

That was my understanding as well.

 

[basicblur]

That was my understanding as well.

I (and I'm sure you) would like to hear more details of this "great debate" on whether "no guns" signs carry the weight of law.

 

[AethelstanAegen]

I (and I'm sure you) would like to hear more details of this "great debate" on whether "no guns" signs carry the weight of law.

Most definitely. I've only ever heard that if they notice and ask you to leave, and you don't your guilty of trespassing. This would be true if you refused to leave any private property after being asked for any reason.