Road trip: AZ to OR via CA

[WayneConrad]

On short notice I am taking a road trip from Arizona to Oregon, via California, for a one-week, round-trip visit.

I carry a 3.5" folder
I carry a Leatherman with a 2-1/4" blade
I would like to bring a sidearm for bedstand use in California and Oregon
I will not be carrying in California or Oregon
I will be making an overnight stay in a motel in California

Being an Arizona homebody, I have no clue on what I need to do to safely pass through California on my way to Oregon and back, and whether or not my knives are a problem in either state. I just don't get out that often. Can you please help?

 

[ArmedBear]

California has a magazine size limit of 10 rounds, though it might be okay to pass through with it. I'd be careful with that.

Look here: http://ag.ca.gov/firearms/

If you have the gun in the car, it has to be unloaded (no round in chamber, no magazine in gun), and in the trunk or a "locked container" if it's in the passenger compartment. That can be almost anything, like a gun rug with the zipper locked with a small luggage lock, just not the glovebox or console.

California law allows anyone not prohibited from having a firearm to have a loaded gun, open or concealed, on any private property legally occupied by the individual carrying, e.g. hotel room, campsite, house, apartment, etc. unless otherwise prohibited. "Otherwise prohibited" would mean something like campsites in National Parks or State Parks, where loaded firearms are prohibited across the board. So, a loaded nightstand gun in your hotel room is perfectly legal here.

The knives are not a problem in CA.

 

[CWL]

Keep your guns and ammo separately locked in the trunk of your car when travelling on the roadways. Do not keep them loaded. Do not even keep loaded mazagines in the trunk of your car as this is construed as a loaded firearm. Hotels may have "No guns" policy, but I simply wouldn't ask or advertise.

Any length folding knife is legal to carry in CA.

DO NOT bring magazines holding more than 10-rounds capacity into CA. CA bans all importation of them within CA with no exceptions (except for LEOs).

 

[eliphalet]

Drive up 95 to Reno then 395 in into Oregon instead. Eliminates a lot of Ca. with planning no stay over in Ca. that way.

 

[Regolith]

My suggestion: Go through Nevada.

 

[Ed Ames]

Guns and ammo seperate (different boxes), guns in the trunk or a locked case, and since FOPA is basically as or more strict than CA requirements nobody is going to give you grief so long as you follow that.... but avoiding >10rd mags is definitely wise.

Once you are at anything you are using as a home (hotel, tent, parked RV... anything) you can have whatever gun(s) you want loaded and ready to go. The Deadly Force laws are reasonable (can use to protect 3rd parties from violent crimes e.g. robbery/rape) though the prosecutors vary. You won't get zapped for carrying the cased/unloaded gun to/from hotel rooms/tents and your car either. CA isn't the east coast.

Conventional (vs. butterfly/disguised) folding knives are no problem. I carried a fairly large assisted opening (most people can't tell from automatic) knife and the only LEO who noticed thought it was a nice knife.

 

[hawk84]

fwiw
you can carry openly as long as the firearm is not loaded(no mag in gun no round in chamber) you can have a loaded magazine on the other hip this does not constitute a loaded gun by the definition of the law. THere is only a law agaisnt concealed carry, and carrying a loaded weapon. Concealed carry specifically states that "firearms carried openly in belt holsters are not concealed within the meaning of this section"



for more info, check out opencarry.org there is a california section that is quite informative

this is posted there
http://www.paul.net/guns/CaliforniaOpenCarry.pdf

 

[hawk84]

also note(i don't ahve the code citation handy) that there is no such thing as illegal concealed carry when "going directly to or coming directly from any lawful camping activity" to have the firearm for lawful self defense at that campsite

its listed in 12026 as one of the exemptions to 12025

 

[ReadyontheRight]

From experience - do NOT drive more than the posted speed limit in rural Nevada. Very high fines and very bored cops.

 

[TAB]

pretty much what every one else said. also while its not illegal to have a load mag in your car( in a seprate container) I would recomend that you not have a loaded mag in your car. Lots of LEO out there don't know the states gun laws( hell even people working at the DOJ don't know the state gun laws)

you should be fine with just a hang gun, but don't bring a "evil black rifle"

 

[Ed Ames]

you should be fine with just a hang gun, but don't
bring a "evil black rifle"

Or if you do, follow FOPA on that item ABSOLUTELY. Don't stop for anything not absolutely required.

 

[TAB]

Or if you do, follow FOPA on that item ABSOLUTELY. Don't stop for anything not absolutely required.

Its not worth the risk, the chances of you running into a LEO that does not know what FOPA is pretty high. You might be legally right in bringing it in, but do you really want to spend a few days in jail proving your right?

 

[mpmarty]

Come in through Winnemucca Nevada and go north through town into Oregon. you will miss nearly all of California and come into Lakeview Oregon. From there you can go anywhere in Oregon, west to I-5 for Eugene - Portland or southwest to Medford - Grants Pass, continue due North for Bend, Pendleton etc. It is a very nice drive, my wife and I do it every year going to Farmington New Mexico from Roseburg Oregon and don't worry about the speed limits in Nevada if you stay away from the area around Lost Wages. Come in a bit east through Empire and or Elko to hit I-80 and then come west to Winnemucca. Don't go into Reno or any part of Clark or Washoe county, that's where the hungry cops hang out. The wife and I travel this every spring and have done so every year since 1992 and we are on a BMW 1150RT and work real hard to pass everything on the road at maximum warp. Never had a second look from a cop. Once you hit Oregon, slow down. Way down to like 55 to 60 or you're bear bait.

 

[WayneConrad]

Thank you, all, for the links and advice. Cleaning the car today, I found a long forgotten 16-round mag buried deep in the center console.

Off to go get some blankets and a few other cold-weather things to add to the trunk's contingency gear. Take care.

 

[billwiese]

Do not rely on FOPA '86 protections.

That helps as a defense but as seen in NY & NJ things still escalate before this becomes useful. Over time, I have faith that this will be helpful nationwide and thank the NRA for getting this thru.

If going thru CA,

• do NOT travel with hicap mags (those holding over 10rds);
• do not transport AWs (this includes semiauto pistols w/threaded bbls);
• keep handguns locked & unloaded

Bill Wiese
San Jose CA