Question about MD gun laws

[nico]

Can I buy a gun in VA and bring it back to MD?

I was thinking about going to a gun show at the Dulles Expo Center this weekend (in Virginia). When I mentioned it to my dad and asked if he wanted to go, he pointed out that I couldn't buy a gun there. Generally I'm more informed about gun laws than my dad is, mainly due to the time I spend on here, so this surprised me. I'm certain that if you buy a gun in MD you can take it back to PA or VA. Does it not work the other way around? I wasn't really planning on buying anything other than a few magazines for my 10/22 or maybe miscelaneous accessories that catch my attention. But, if I saw a great deal on a gun, could I buy it?

btw, are any MD/VA THR'ers going?

 

[Norton]

I went to the last Dulles show in August. IIRC....there were signs posted at the entrance that said something to the effect of that if a dealer was licensed in Virginia, you could purchase long guns to be taken back to MD, PA, WV.

I viewed this with some suspicion as I thought that MD law prohibited purchase of long guns in contiguous states, though I think this is OK in most states. Maybe the MD law only refers to regulated long arms.

You could call the licensing division of MD State Police at Jessup and see what they say.....or you could go through the pain of calling our esteemed Attorney General Curran.....

 

[Harry Tuttle]

ajoining state long arm purchases are fine in MD:

Rifles and Shotguns
481A. Purchase from licensed dealer in adjoining
state. It shall be lawful for any Maryland
resident to purchase a rifle or shotgun from a
federally licensed gun dealer in an adjoining
state provided the purchaser is eligible to purchase
a rifle or shotgun under the laws of such
state.

you might also want to parse this:

(b) Prohibited. A person may not manufac -
ture, 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.

 

[Norton]

Hmmm....thanks Harry for clearing that up.

Does this mean that regulated rifle purchases are OK in Virginia for MD residents? Would this then fall under the voluntary registration requirements?

VA prices are usually much lower and I'm over that way quite often.

 

[anapex]

Any long gun that isn't a MD regulated long gun should be fine. If you decide to actually call in to the AGs office call AAG Bowen instead of Curran, much much more gun friendly.

On a side note though I think the VA thing is a VA law, take this as it is but I remember seeing a sign at Bass Pro saying something to the effect that if you lived in PA,DE, WV you could buy a long gun in MD but you weren't allowed if you lived in VA. I usually only worry about MD laws though so take it with a grain of salt.

 

[Jim K]

No. That section of the MD law applies only to rifles and shotguns that are NOT regulated firearms. You can buy a bolt action rifle or a pump shotgun out of state, and bring it to MD. You cannot bring in a handgun or regulated firearm (a so-called "assault rifle"). Those must be sent to a MD STATE-licensed regulated firearms dealer in MD (not just an FFL holder).

"Assault handguns", like TEC 9's, cannot be brought into MD by anyone, since they cannot be owned unless registered before a certain date, now past.

You can bring magazines over 20 rounds into MD, but cannot transfer them to anyone, not even a dealer, within the state. You can send or take them out of the state for sale.

HTH

Jim

 

[nico]

Thanks for the info guys. The odds of me actually buying a gun are slim to none. Like I said, I'm mostly only going to look and maybe pick up some accessories.

 

[Harry Tuttle]

(c) Sale by regulated firearms dealer. No
regulated firearms dealer shall sell, rent, or
transfer any regulated firearm until after seven
days shall have elapsed from the time an application
to purchase or transfer shall have been
executed by the prospective purchaser or trans -
feree, in triplicate, and the original copy is forwarded
by the prospective seller or transferor to
the Secretary.

ar15 HBARs are not regulated firearms...
and assault weapons are only defined by name not by features

(r) "Regulated firearm" means:
(1) Any handgun as defined in this section; or
(2) Any assault weapon as defined in this
section.
(s) "Regulated firearms dealer" means any
person who possesses a valid Maryland regulated
firearms dealers license issued by the
Secretary.

(d) "Assault weapon" means any of the following
specific firearms or their copies regardless
of which company produced and manufac -
tured that firearm:

(15) Colt AR-15, CAR-15, and all imitations
except Colt AR-15 Sporter H-BAR rifle;

so a robinson M-96 is not on the list:

(1) American Arms Spectre DA semiautomatic
carbine;
(2) AK-47 in all forms;
(3) Algimec AGM-1 type semi-auto;
(4) AR 100 type semi-auto;
(5) AR 180 type semi-auto;
(6) Argentine L.S.R. semi-auto;
(7) Australian Automatic Arms SAR type
semi-auto;
(8) Auto-Ordnance Thompson M1 and 1927
semi-automatics;
(9) Barrett light .50 cal. semi-auto;
(10) Beretta AR70 type semi-auto;
(11) Bushmaster semi-auto rifle;
(12) Calico models M-100 and M-900;
(13) CIS SR 88 type semi-auto;
(14) Claridge HI TEC C-9 carbines;
(15) Colt AR-15, CAR-15, and all imitations
except Colt AR-15 Sporter H-BAR rifle;
(16) Daewoo MAX 1 and MAX 2, aka AR 100, 110C,
K-1, and K-2;
(17) Dragunov Chinese made semi-auto;
(18) Famas semi-auto (.223 caliber);
(19) Feather AT-9 semi-auto;
(20) FN LAR and FN FAL assault rifle;
(21) FNC semi-auto type carbine;
(22) F.I.E./Franchi LAW 12 and SPAS 12
assault shotgun;
(23) Steyr-AUG-SA semi-auto;
(24) Galil models AR and ARM semi-auto;
(25) Heckler and Koch HK-91 A3, HK-93 A2,
HK-94 A2 and A3;
(26) Holmes model 88 shotgun;
(27) Avtomat Kalashnikov semiautomatic rifle
in any format;
(28) Manchester Arms "Commando" MK-45,
MK-9;
(29) Mandell TAC-1 semi-auto carbine;
(30) Mossberg model 500 Bullpup assault
shotgun;
(31) Sterling Mark 6;
(32) P.A.W.S. carbine;
(33) Ruger mini-14 folding stock model (.223
caliber);
(34) SIG 550/551 assault rifle (.223 caliber);
(35) SKS with detac hable magazine;
(36) AP-74 commando type semi-auto;
(37) Springfield Armory BM-59, SAR-48, G3,
SAR-3, M-21 sniper rifle, M1A, excluding the M1
Garand;
(38) Street sweeper assault type shotgun;
(39) Striker 12 assault shotgun in all formats;
(40) Unique F11 semi-auto type;
(41) Daewoo USAS 12 semi-auto shotgun;
(42) UZI 9mm carbine or rifle;
(43) Valmet M-76 and M-78 semi-auto;
(44) Weaver Arms "Nighthawk" semi-auto
carbine; or
(45) Wilkinson Arms 9mm semi-auto "Terry".

 

[Norton]

Ah...you have to love MD law. The AR15 is a regulated firearm unless it's an HBAR. So, you can buy an HBAR as an unregulated firearm then go out and buy a different upper with no paperwork and put it on your lower and presto-chango.....

I suspected that regulated firearms were a no no for VA purchase, but it's always worth asking just to be sure. You never know when a good deal may present itself.

 

[nico]

What differentiates an AR15 HBAR from other ARs?

 

[Harry Tuttle]

What i heard was a VA or PA dealer is only responsible for following his own state's laws

His state law says its OK to sell a rifle to an ajoining state resident

an Ar15 is a rifle in VA

Here is an HBAR (heavy barrel) compared to a lighter weight profiled barrel

if you buy the rifle with the HBAR barrel, you can take it home that day

if you buy the gun with the lighter weight patrolmans profile
you must wait 7 days to pick it up at the shop

 

[nico]

wow, talk about complete ignorance. So basically, a heavy barrelled AR (which is what I'd want) isn't an assault weapon, but with a lighter weight barrel it is

 

[Jayman]

Sounds like you need to buy an Armalite AR-10 instead.

 

[Amish_Bill]

What would be the technicalities of an out of state owner bringing a firearm to a MD dealer for transfer to a MD resident?

(with all those screwy regs I guess it's better to ask)

 

[Cliff]

Nico,
I'll be there this weekend, both days. Look for the CAFE' tables.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/C-A-F-E/