Is it legal to have an unloaded shotgun in the trunk of my vehicle in MD

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  • teratos

    My hair is amazing
    MDS Supporter
    Patriot Picket
    Jan 22, 2009
    59,775
    Bel Air
    honda53s said:
    A certain member on here, not mentioning names told me it was legal to have an AR in a carrying case in the trunk on my car with a loaded mag in the mag pouch holder. I am calling BS on that. I believe you can carry a loaded mag but arent you suppose to have it the farthest way possible like a glove box or something?

    I think that is OK. They just have to be separate. I do not recall ever reading they had to be any distance apart.
     

    Redneck

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 29, 2007
    7,547
    Sparrows Point
    You guys say avoid schools and government buildings right? How the hell do you not pass a school, post office, or anything else that prohibits firearms every day? The main drag through my area passes 2 schools. If I were to keep a gun in my truck I'd have to detour them every day? Is the law you cannot "stop and stay" within 100 yards or you can't even pass by it within that distance?
     

    smores

    Creepy-Ass Cracker
    Feb 27, 2007
    13,493
    Falls Church
    I'm pretty sure in PG county it is illegal to have a firearm in the car unless it follows these:

    -It is not in the front seat (or row)
    -You are transporting it to or from a range to or from your home
    -You are transporting it to a range or you home from where you purchased it
    -You are transporting it to or from a gunsmith

    At least that is what I have been told, I am not a lawyer and so I cannot offer any legal counsel, but I do know that you do not have to consent to a search of your car when a police officer stops you unless he can see something inside your car that looks like a rifle (dangerous language I know) so if you have to keep it in the car; the trunk is the safest place.

    Wait. I AM a gunsmith, therefore am exempt to all transportation requirements. I am surprised I never realized this before...
     

    bigangrysob

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    Mar 19, 2013
    1,059
    Cow County
    I'm pretty sure in PG county it is illegal to have a firearm in the car unless it follows these:

    -It is not in the front seat (or row)
    -You are transporting it to or from a range to or from your home
    -You are transporting it to a range or you home from where you purchased it
    -You are transporting it to or from a gunsmith

    At least that is what I have been told, I am not a lawyer and so I cannot offer any legal counsel, but I do know that you do not have to consent to a search of your car when a police officer stops you unless he can see something inside your car that looks like a rifle (dangerous language I know) so if you have to keep it in the car; the trunk is the safest place.
    Then its pointless... who has time to hop out open trunk, remove, load, rack, aim, fire, while taking lead??
     

    montoya32

    Ultimate Member
    Patriot Picket
    Jun 16, 2010
    11,311
    Harford Co
    I think Inigoes has a good handle on the pre-85 laws that escaped preemption. You need to watch out for those when carrying a long gun in a vehicle. Generally speaking I believe general long gun carry in a vehicle in MD is legal as long as the long gun is unloaded. I know of no casing or locking requirement for long guns, DNR statutes just say it must be unloaded.

    If you watch the new training video from MPTC you need in order to buy a regulated firearm they will tell you in there that any regulated long gun has to be transported in a locked case. This is simply not true and apparently invented.

    I am not a lawyer, my opinions only.

    Not being ignorant, but when did DNR start making laws for those not in wildlife areas of the state?
     

    Threeband

    The M1 Does My Talking
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 30, 2006
    25,234
    Carroll County
    If people really, really must revive tired old threads, it should be for a good reason, not to make silly, pointless jokes. There are plenty of current threads where you can do that.


    With that said, it is my understanding that the Gun Free School Zone Act does not apply to people driving through the school zone.
     

    bigangrysob

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    Mar 19, 2013
    1,059
    Cow County
    BOOM! GO FABS!

    And really... the heat that u could get. Not to mention... my job could take me to DC, PG, Baltimore city literally at any given time.
     

    Redcobra

    Senior Shooter
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 10, 2010
    6,425
    Near the Chesapeake Bay
    A related question. If I am carrying a cased shotgun in the trunk of my car, and am stopped for speeding and the officer asks if I have any firearms...
    I answer truthfully and say "yes", and he says "can I see it, or can I search the trunk", and I say "no".... isn't saying I have one probable cause to search?

    I ask because as I said earlier, I go to the trap range about 5 days a week and usually keep my cased guns (plural) and several flats of shotshells in the trunk, along with pouches, glasses, etc., for weeks at a time. (I also may have as many as 1000 empty hulls in there if I have been scavaging for reload supplies)
     

    BondJamesBond

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    Nov 2, 2009
    5,001
    This is somewhat of a repost, so apologies for being redundant.

    Put simply, I would like to know if it is legal to have an unregulated unloaded shotgun (in a soft case) in the trunk of my vehicle in Maryland (I live in Baltimore County). If so, I also plan to store the rounds in the trunk.

    Thank you in advance for concise answers/insights.

    BTW, do you carry an unloaded long gun in your vehicle most of the time?


    Depends on where you go. If you are parked in a Baltimore County garage run by the revenue authority, then NO.
     

    fabsroman

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 14, 2009
    35,852
    Winfield/Taylorsville in Carroll
    A related question. If I am carrying a cased shotgun in the trunk of my car, and am stopped for speeding and the officer asks if I have any firearms...
    I answer truthfully and say "yes", and he says "can I see it, or can I search the trunk", and I say "no".... isn't saying I have one probable cause to search?

    I ask because as I said earlier, I go to the trap range about 5 days a week and usually keep my cased guns (plural) and several flats of shotshells in the trunk, along with pouches, glasses, etc., for weeks at a time. (I also may have as many as 1000 empty hulls in there if I have been scavaging for reload supplies)

    I think I would answer that with "Not a single firearm in the passenger area of the vehicle" or I would refuse to answer the question. I would have to do some research as to whether either of those answers, or even telling an officer that I have a firearm in the trunk gives the officer probable cause to search the trunk. I don't know the answer off the top of my head.

    I used to shoot a ton of clays and had several clay guns and tons of ammo in the trunk of my vehicles. Heck, half the time I go hunting my shotgun and ammo for it area in the back seat of my truck. If you are legal, why would you even care how you answer that question. I honestly think I would tell the officer that I have a firearm in the vehicle before he/she even asks and I would tell them the type of firearm it happens to be.
     

    amoebicmagician

    Samopal Goblin
    Dec 26, 2012
    4,174
    Columbia, MD
    I've been told by LEOs that as long as it is unloaded in the trunk you're okay, but the rules are not the same for handguns.

    I guess you could still say that other places in the car are "secure" but frankly, I'd just rather do what the police have told me is safe to do.
     

    tindraz

    Member
    Oct 25, 2012
    54
    Forest Hill
    My gut tells me the right thing to do would be to tell the officer 1st thing. But I am sure I wouldn't out of fear that it would turn into a huge ordeal.
     

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