Ohio travel gun laws

[kovach63]

I've started recently give this some thought as my wife and I live on the opposite side of the state of our parents. When traveling to visit them I often take firearms to shoot as they both have ranges set up at their house to shoot. I don't have a CCW or any plan on getting one but I want to make sure that I'm legal when I'm driving with my firearms. Does anyone know what the laws state as far as carrying firearms with ammo in a vehicle? Sometimes we drive a truck with an extended cab so I don't know if it's legal for me to have all of the firearms behind the seat or if they need to be in the bed. Any help would be appreciated as we're planning on taking another cross state trip this weekend to see the in-laws.

 

[turkeytoes]

The best place to start would be www.packing.org and go to Ohio's state page. There is generally a wealth of information there.

Thanks,

Mike

 

[Will5A1]

Kovach,

Keep the guns (unloaded) in a locked case/container and you'll be fine. Just be sure to keep the ammo separate from the guns, i.e. don't throw a pistol in a range bag along with your ammo. If you are using your car rather than the truck put the ammo and guns in the trunk.

You can go to the Ohio Attorney Generals website (don't have the link anymore, I think it is linked at packing.org) for the information.

Please consider gettting your OHL, we need more numbers and the law regarding plain sight in a vehicle gets a whole lot better March 14 if you have your carry license.

 

[ssr]

And don't have any loaded magazines.

 

[FieroCDSP]

Locked and separate are what I've always been told. I have a mid-engine two-seater (guess which one from the Screen name), and it's always fun to travel with more than one rifle. The range-bag goes in the trunk if I'm only going pistols, with the ammo cans up front in plain sight. With more than one rifle, if I can't fit the cases in the back (soft cases with cable-locks in actions help on space) they go up front and the ammo in the back. I've only been stopped once with the guns in the car. The rifle was in the trunk and the ammo in a bag on the front seat. Cop asked me where I was going to and from; I told him was coming from the range and that the rifle is locked down in the trunk and the ammo was up front. He said thanks for letting him know, told me something about my e-brake cable hanging down in the back, and let me go. It was a weekend and I had swerved a bit while reaching for my phone on the seat, so maybe he thought I was drunk. Regardless, no ticket, no foul.

 

[LubeckTech]

I'm not sure what the current laws are so check the packing.org link in the above post. If I remember correctly there were some specific rules like in plain sight with action open or in a gun case and ammunition stored seperatly from gun. I currently live in WV and shoot in Ohio several times a week in the Marietta area. What I do is carry guns in gun cases and ammunition in a locked range box in the rear of my Explorer which is close to legal but I know, shoot with and work with most of the area LEOs so generally even if a traffic stop occurs the officer and I shoot the bull for a little bit and go about our business. Be very careful in the Columbus area as they have some magazine/"assualt weapon" bans that while are pre-empted by a recently passed state law they will probably still try to enforce as they don't care what the state says until they are defeated in court which would cost you several thousand dollars. Best thing to do is call Ohio State Partol and explain your stiuation and wish to comploy with the law.

 

[kovach63]

Thanks for all the help. I'll check out the website. I had a hard time finding anything online when I was looking earlier.

 

[Molon Labe]

Guns should be unloaded. If the action can be opened, open it.

Just be sure to keep the ammo separate from the guns

Certainly the gun must be unloaded. But can you point me to the section in the ORC - or a state court ruling - that says ammo must be "separate" from the gun when being transported in a vehicle? If not, then your statement is false.

And don't have any loaded magazines.

Can you point me to the section in the ORC - or a state court ruling - that says loaded magazines are illegal to transport in a vehicle? If not, then your statement is false.

 

[Will5A1]

Okay, Molon Labe, reading R.C. 2923.16, ammunition transportation in a motorized vehicle is not addressed. I would suggest that a prudent person keep the firearms separate from ammunition. In the trunk if possible. Just my suggestion, and I'm sure the OP now has the information he needs to comply with Ohio law.

 

[Molon Labe]

I would suggest that a prudent person keep the firearms separate from ammunition.

Why? For what purpose?

 

[Will5A1]

When not in use keeping the ammo separate from the guns is a common safety and security practice that makes sense to me, you are of course free to transport, store and handle your ammo and arms as you see fit.

When I travel anywhere, to the range, hunting, whatever, I keep the guns and ammo in separate containers locked in the trunk; this is in accordance with my understanding of the FOPA safe travel provisions. I feel it is a good habit to get into, be your travel inter or intra state, but you are of course to free to do otherwise.

The revolver I carry is always loaded but it always under my control, either on me or in a locked container when I need to enter a no-gun zone.

 

[Molon Labe]

I see absolutely no point in it. So I don't do it. But you're certainly free to do what you want.

 

[GRIZ22]

The Firearms Owners Protection Act protects you during your trip to and from. Even states with very restrictive gun laws like NJ have recognized this. The NJ State Police have it on their website (NJSP.org under firearms).

To carry them behind the front seat of your truck they must be unloaded and locked in cases or have some type of trigger/action lock on the firearm in the case. Ammo should be in a separate container and it'd be a good idea to have this locked too.

 

[Henry Bowman]

Molon: I do not have the citations at hand, but am aware of Ohio case law finding that an empty firearm with ammunition "close at hand" to be "loaded." Yes, it is stupid. But blame our elected judges (mainly the state Supreme Court), not lawyers.

Judges are human and have fallen prey to wanting to bend the law to put away a bad guy now instead of standing on Contitutional principles for the good of tomorrow.

 

[LubeckTech]

Ok folks hree's the poop which you can find at (no www.) http://onlinedocs.andersonpublishing.com Ohio Revised Code section 2923.16 basically states(please check me on this!!) that you may NOT transport a loaded firearm in a motor vehicle without a CCW licence. You MAY transport an unloaded firearm in one of 4 described ways including in your passenger compartment. There is no mention of ammunitiion so while the statute does not prohibit having ammo with the gun it also does not define the term "loaded" except as to muzzleloaders which are defined as unloaded when uncapped. The way I understand the law you could have a firearm in a range bag with a box of ammo in the bag under your seat and not be in violation of the statute as written. BUT a zealous cop and prosecutor could convince a judge that you are an evildoer who was intent on hurting someone and because there is nothing in the statute defining a "loaded" centerfire gun the judge could rule the gun to be loaded because the ammunition was in close proxomity of the firearm. Plus by not seperating the weaopn and ammunition no matter where you carry it you could run afoul of some city or county ordinance they could try to stick you with. Just because a local law is not enforcable due to state law does not mean they won't charge you with it in the hopes you will plead guilty to make it go away.

 

[Molon Labe]

Molon: I do not have the citations at hand, but am aware of Ohio case law finding that an empty firearm with ammunition "close at hand" to be "loaded."

Would love to read it.