Virginia Gun Owners Forum - VGOF

I'm not brand new to this forum, but I hadn't been on in a while and forgot my logon (or I was deleted as a member for being AWOL).

Nonetheless, I have a question to ask you all in regards to staying in a hotel with firearms. I've shipped all my long guns (did I mention I'm moving to Washington State?) already, but have kept my handguns and will travel across country (five long days with a beagle pup) with them and several thousand rounds of assorted ammunition. Am I asking for trouble? I remember reading somewhere that when you are in a hotel, it is considered your domicile and you are allowed to have your guns with you.

Anyone have any good information out there? What about personal experiences?

Sam

You will want to check the law for each state that you're traveling through, and particularly the ones where you're stopping. Things that would be fine in one state could be considered a felony in another. The NRA has a guide on interstate transport of firearms here: http://www.nraila.org/gun-laws/articles ... ation.aspx
Aside from the excitement of travel, hope your journey is uneventful.

Thanks...I'll definitely look up the link. I'm avoiding Chicago like the plague...it might add 30 minutes to my trip, but there is nothing there that I lost and I wouldn't want the hassle they give to gun owners.

For 2-3 pistols, I find that my console vault
http://www.consolevault.com/
works well, and I don't worry about leaving a firearm in the vehicle. I often do that when visiting my daughter who has two small children to avoid bringing a pistol into her house. Console Vault also has a security briefcase (one of which I also bought) and a gun transporter.

I also once transported some of my firearms by buying a steel under-body toolbox such as this:
http://www.easternmarine.com/Black-Stee ... Toolboxes/
and loading it into the back of my SUV so I could have additional security during my move. I worried mostly about what might have happened if I had an accident and was injured or otherwise unable to look after my stuff, and that seemed like a good way to have some protection from prying eyes and sticky fingers in an emergency. Of course, that would be tough to take into and out of a hotel room unless you had a dolly of some sort; which would probably attract too much attention.

Beyond that, I would caution you that whatever the law in a given state may be about possession of a gun in a hotel room, hotel rooms are NOT secure. There are several people in any hotel who can have access your room and just about anything in it; and there are others who may gain unauthorized access just by having a pass key or card, or access to the room management system.

Good point about the security of the handguns during the trip. By the way...I'm hauling a total of 4 handguns (.32, 9mm, .45, .45) and a few thousand rounds of ammunition since the movers would not take ammunition.

I lean on the side of paranoid and will be keeping them in my direct possession as much as possible and will not leave them behind in the hotel room...which means eating a lot of fast food instead of going into restaurants.

I'm actually in a minivan (gasp)...my Dodge Ram got totaled a couple months ago (long story and a lot of cursing on my part towards the driver who got cited. The minivan I purchased is a Dodge Grand Caravan which has really cool storage in the floorboards. I'll be traveling with the guns in a couple of locked boxes that will be tethered by cable to the seats.

I'll be keeping one handgun accessible in a locking box that will also be tethered. The magazines will be loaded but separate from the handgun in another location.

I'm even going as far as printing all the legal information I can for each state I'll pass through so I can have it at the ready in case of any issues.

As long as I can get through MD, I figure I'm home free (joke)....

I was just in Washington state a few hours ago. I left VA to get to WA out through the western tip, by going through Wytheville. Never touched MD or DC.

Having seen Washington state, I'm not too sure that I dig it. I rather like sunshine, and summertime, and the state seems to be lacking both.

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I would also use any trigger locks etc. you have, as an added definition of " locked up," since you don't have a real trunk.

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Good point on using trigger locks...anything I can do above and beyond to satisfy a peace officer's need is a good thing. Don't give them additional need to question the storage and things should be good.

All good point's...thanks...anything that makes the old grey matter work helps me make sure that I'm good to go.

I'm still going to stay a member of this forum...it's always been a good source of information and comradery.