Virginia Gun Owners Forum - VGOF

I have a VA CCW and will be driving through Maryland enroute to West VA. What do I need to do with my handgun while traveling through MD

Q. Can I legally transport firearms interstate? (From the MD State Police)
A. Yes, under Title 18, Section 926A, of the United States Code, a person who is not prohibited from possessing, transporting, shipping, or receiving a firearm shall be entitled to transport a firearm for any lawful purpose from any place where he may lawfully possess and carry such firearm to any place where he may lawfully possess and carry such firearm if, during such transportation the firearm is unloaded, neither the firearm nor any ammunition being transported is readily accessible or is directly accessible from the passenger compartment. In the case the vehicle does not have a compartment separate from the driver's compartment the firearm or ammunition shall be contained in a locked compartment other than the glove compartment or console.

http://www.handgunlaw.us/states/maryland.pdf

Thanks, for your reply. Wonder if they have a pull off at the MD line to move to handgun.

Yes, but on the VA side, before entering Md.

gregj wrote:Yes, but on the VA side, before entering Md.

Be careful, it can sneak up on you and they might not be a place to pull over.

Do you have to remove the rounds from the magazine or can you leave the mag loaded?

burns wrote:Do you have to remove the rounds from the magazine or can you leave the mag loaded?

Err on the side of caution. I had to drive through NJ and MD (two states that love to lock up gun owners) to get to VA from NY and just to cover all bases I actually took the bolt out of the rifle I was moving and locked that up with the unloaded magazine in the glove box locked.

Also from Handgunaw.us, MD state section...

"AG Opinion (See AG Opinion Above on Loaded Mags in Vehicles) states that it is legal to have in a
vehicle a loaded magazine that is not inserted into the firearm but is separate from the firearm."

I would keep the magazines and ammo well separate from the firearm just to be sure. MD LEOs have a reputation of being anti gun with respect to ordinary citizens.

Made it through maryland and back with out incident. Thanks for help.

Hey guys I know this section is kinda old but I was wondering if you guys could help me too. I'm going to be heading up into Pennsylvania next month on my motorcycle and I have to pass through Maryland. I'm trying to figure out how to legally carry my pistol across Maryland without running into trouble. I tried calling the Maryland state police to ask advice on how to transport my firearm across the state and the officer I spoke with was very hateful and arrogant. He told me "citizens have no business carrying or possessing a firearm." I told him I have no plans of staying in his state I simply wanted to pass through on the interstate. Anyway the officer was completely useless, so much for SERVE and protect right? How should I transport my pistol as I go through Maryland? Do you guys think putting it under the seat of the bike would be justified as a locked container? The seat can only come off with the key to the bike and it is completely contained when the seat is on the bike. The officer I spoke with would not say if that was good enough or not. He told me I was "trying to find loop holes in the law."

Thanks!

Freelance, i don't know where you live or your destination in PA, but since you can get to PA from VA on interstate without going through MD, it is worth considering. Otherwise you are gambling.

Welcome to VGOF, FreelanceEMT!

Your upcoming travels through MD will be a risky one for sure, if you plan on carrying a firearm. Since I don't know anything about your bike, I have to ask if it has saddle bags?. A locked container placed inside a saddle bag MAY meet the definition of "secure" under MD law.

But as you found out from Officer Helpful, even that's a crap shoot. Hopefully someone will respond soon that has more direct knowledge than I do.

Good luck on your trip, and be careful out there.

FreelanceEMT wrote:Hey guys I know this section is kinda old but I was wondering if you guys could help me too. I'm going to be heading up into Pennsylvania next month on my motorcycle and I have to pass through Maryland. I'm trying to figure out how to legally carry my pistol across Maryland without running into trouble. I tried calling the Maryland state police to ask advice on how to transport my firearm across the state and the officer I spoke with was very hateful and arrogant. He told me "citizens have no business carrying or possessing a firearm." I told him I have no plans of staying in his state I simply wanted to pass through on the interstate. Anyway the officer was completely useless, so much for SERVE and protect right? How should I transport my pistol as I go through Maryland? Do you guys think putting it under the seat of the bike would be justified as a locked container? The seat can only come off with the key to the bike and it is completely contained when the seat is on the bike. The officer I spoke with would not say if that was good enough or not. He told me I was "trying to find loop holes in the law."

Thanks!

MD won't like it one bit and if they find you have it, even legally, expect to be harassed. I suggest you don't stop in MD for any reason. Fill up in PA/VA, eat, whatever. Don't speed...don't do anything which might get you pulled over.

Federal transport laws will protect you legally if you follow them, but that won't stop a LEO from ruining your day and pushing the limits of legality to do it. Here's a good link: http://www.nraila.org/gunlaws/federal/read.aspx?id=59

OakRidgeStars wrote:Since I don't know anything about your bike, I have to ask if it has saddle bags?. A locked container placed inside a saddle bag MAY meet the definition of "secure" under MD law.

Some saddle bags lock which would be even better (mine do). It should be Federal law which supersedes MDs IIRC.

My saddle bags are a strong cloth sadly, but I do have a lock box I can place the pistol in. I could then place that in my saddle bag but I have a feeling that is not good enough. I don't plan on stopping in MD so I wouldn't think I would have any trouble. But I like to stay in the law and make sure I have no problems.

Sadly I have to go through MD to get into PA. To go around MD would take alot more time and be WAY out of my way.

To stay within Federal law, a lockable, inaccessible container, holding your unloaded firearm, should be sufficient. Storing the mags and ammo in a seperate (preferably lockable) container would be optimum. Just because your saddlebags are cloth shouldn't matter, if the firearm is locked up within it.

When I travel to NH, I have things in lock boxes all over the place - storage compartments, roof-top bin, lockboxes, etc. - it would take me 30 minutes to produce a loaded firearm. I figure since I travel through a number of anti- states, that's the safest way.

Riana wrote:When I travel to NH, I have things in lock boxes all over the place - storage compartments, roof-top bin, lockboxes, etc. - it would take me 30 minutes to produce a loaded firearm. I figure since I travel through a number of anti- states, that's the safest way.

That sounds especially safe for the criminals, but then that's the way the anti's like it.

Here's a thought. If you stop to stretch or answer to mother nature, you are no longer "passing through".

As long as you don't grow roots or buy a house a piss call is OK and won;t be construed as anything else

A lawyer pointed out this technicality.
I live in VA. Do you know how hard it is to travel one end to the other without going through a National Forest or Park? Same principle.
Have a good trip.