andrewstorm
member
oopsi.
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Transporting Handguns Across State Lines VA-MD?
- Thread starter dspur15
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andrewstorm
member
across state lines
I'm no lawyer,but to be on the safe side of the law i would write a letter to the state police in both jurisdictions,inquiring,as to the legality of your proposed transportation of said firearms,If you get a go ahead letter back keep it with your guns for the duration of the trip,most police well versed with what the general consensus on transporting across state lines,but a few may be un familiar with current laws,or you can get an pre 1899 antique,(some are very shootable) as they are exempt for all practical purposes under fed law ,google pre 1899 F A Q,there's good info on that page.also I always lock my gun cases and make sure my guns are unloaded, and 3 steps have to be gone thru in order to make the guns operational,sometimes i pull the cylinders and stow them separately,any officer that stops me,can plainly see that im in compliance with almost any states laws,since im not a felon,and have no criminal record and not breaking any other laws you should be ok,but a letter will shure make you feel better
I'm no lawyer,but to be on the safe side of the law i would write a letter to the state police in both jurisdictions,inquiring,as to the legality of your proposed transportation of said firearms,If you get a go ahead letter back keep it with your guns for the duration of the trip,most police well versed with what the general consensus on transporting across state lines,but a few may be un familiar with current laws,or you can get an pre 1899 antique,(some are very shootable) as they are exempt for all practical purposes under fed law ,google pre 1899 F A Q,there's good info on that page.
also I always lock my gun cases and make sure my guns are unloaded, and 3 steps have to be gone thru in order to make the guns operational,sometimes i pull the cylinders and stow them separately,any officer that stops me,can plainly see that im in compliance with almost any states laws,since im not a felon,and have no criminal record and not breaking any other laws you should be ok,but a letter will shure make you feel better
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kingpin008
Member
I wish people would stop suggesting using the police as the yardstick of whether something is legal or not. The police are NOT legal experts, and are under no legal obligation to provide you with the relevant statutes. A letter from them (should they see fit to send you one) absolving you of guilt should you follow X rules is generally worth the paper it's printed on. It holds no legal weight, and will not save you in court should you unwittingly violate the law.
The actual, real-life laws are accessible by anyone with an internet connection and unlike the local PD, are 100% accurate. If you really feel the need to have an intermediary explain them to you, hire a lawyer or write to the state AG. They're specifically trained to deal directly with the law.
Also, the suggestion to get a pre-1899 gun for transport is poor advice, since while they may not be Federally classified as firearms on a Federal level, you'd be hard pressed to find a cop in the nation that wouldn't consider it a firearm and treat you acordingly if they found you transporting it in a manner not in accordance with their state law. You can argue that the Feds don't consider it a firearm all you want, waiting for your lawyer in the county jail.
The actual, real-life laws are accessible by anyone with an internet connection and unlike the local PD, are 100% accurate. If you really feel the need to have an intermediary explain them to you, hire a lawyer or write to the state AG. They're specifically trained to deal directly with the law.
Also, the suggestion to get a pre-1899 gun for transport is poor advice, since while they may not be Federally classified as firearms on a Federal level, you'd be hard pressed to find a cop in the nation that wouldn't consider it a firearm and treat you acordingly if they found you transporting it in a manner not in accordance with their state law. You can argue that the Feds don't consider it a firearm all you want, waiting for your lawyer in the county jail.
Sam1911
Moderator Emeritus
Kingpin has a very good point that is often overlooked. The laws that exempt antique weapons from firearms rules tend to apply to purchase, shipping, possession, etc. An antique may not be a "firearm" under federal law, and yet may still be a "deadly weapon" under state law. Tread cautiously with that.
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