MD CCW, is it legal to put pistol in car lock box to enter "gun free zone" store.

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  • ericahls

    Active Member
    Aug 31, 2011
    672
    Elkridge MD
    We all know we can't carry it into (for example) the post office. But I'll bet I'm not the only one not easily fining a definitive answer to the question: does MD law treat a permit holder differently (leaving restrictions out of it for the moment) than a non-permit holder when it comes to leaving a loaded handgun in the vehicle while the owner is outside the vehicle?

    Yes MD law does treat us differently. We are allowed to carry a loaded firearm in our car. MD Criminal Code 4-208 - Public Schools
    (b) A person may not carry or possess a firearm, knife, or deadly weapon of any kind on public school property
     

    CrueChief

    Cocker Dad/RIP Bella
    Apr 3, 2009
    2,999
    Napolis-ish
    What about gun free school zones?

    My understanding of the federal law is that if a person is licensed they may have the gun unloaded and stored in a locked container within the zone.

    However since the law specifies that the restriction zone extends to public lands 1000 from the school property. Does then mean that you have to stop unload and store your gun when driving on a public road near a school within the zone?

    The public roads near schools are still safe to carry as you drive past, the change making it a no-go zone thankfully didn't pass. So for now we are safe, so to speak.
     

    adit

    ReMember
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 20, 2013
    19,495
    DE
    Just carry your fake badge that looks like a real one, on your belt, you will be fine. :rolleyes:

    I never mentioned being asked to leave, these days people do not address those suspected of having a concealed weapon, they would be as stupid as myself. I thought no question was a stupid question but I'll be the village idiot and try to delete the thread.





    ok, looking for fake badges .... :innocent0

    Here you go....

    Rothco_Concealed_weapons_permit_badge_gold_rothco__27776.1504623068.jpg
     

    PharaohF4

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 28, 2010
    2,471
    Considering there is an influx of Marylanders now allowed to carry unrestricted, if they are a business owner, I was considering having a sticky of the laws in MD surrounding CCW. Does anyone have a good base of laws/links to start with?
     

    PapiBarcelona

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 1, 2011
    7,343
    A friend of mine did loss prevention in a corporate retailer in another state.

    Besides the dozens of hilarious stories of catching people he told me had a guy walk in open carry, badge around the neck, and the typical blue " Whatever VFD " T-shirt. One of the LP guys went out to see the the deal was, dude was wearing his Volunteer Firemans badge like a Police Detective off a TV show
     

    rbird7282

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 6, 2012
    18,531
    Columbia
    A friend of mine did loss prevention in a corporate retailer in another state.

    Besides the dozens of hilarious stories of catching people he told me had a guy walk in open carry, badge around the neck, and the typical blue " Whatever VFD " T-shirt. One of the LP guys went out to see the the deal was, dude was wearing his Volunteer Firemans badge like a Police Detective off a TV show



    Lol, that’s a bold strategy Cotton


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     

    MackM

    Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 20, 2018
    86
    The guy below said "Signs in MD do not have the force of law. (Not talking about government buildings here) If it’s discovered you’re carrying you can be asked to leave and if you don’t you can be arrested for trespassing." and I think that is one approach. Just make sure it is COMPLETELY concealed. If you get caught with it by a merchant, just leave.
    Better approach: DO NOT DO BUSINESS THERE. And give him a card that basically says "Because you don't want a defensive gun in here, I won't be in here, nor will anyone I can talk with. YOU are contributing to criminal shootings. That Gun-Free zone sign in your window really says 'Attention Criminals: Nobody in here has a gun, so this is a great place to rob, rape and kill, because NOBODY will be armed.' The wallet cards are available at www.VCDL.org and they say Virginia on them, but they will get the point across.
     

    MackM

    Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 20, 2018
    86
    I asked a US Law Shield attorney that question last week. He said the weapon of a MD W&C permit holder must be on his/her person or within reach. Period. It cannot be left loaded in a car.
    If not on the person, it must be in "transport" configuration: unloaded and in a locked case, as far away from the driver as possible. Ammo must be in a separate container, and not colocated with the gun.
    Virginia law is different and seems to permit the gun to stay loaded and be locked in the vehicle.
    I am not a lawyer. To talk to a good one for free, join US LAW Shield at www.USLAWShield.com Costs about $10/mo. and they defend you in court, without charge, if you must use a weapon of any kind to defend yourself, and are arrested.
     

    MackM

    Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 20, 2018
    86
    What is likely to happen is a 3rd party will see the gun, or a print, and call the police. If it happens in a store plainly market No-Weapons, when the cops arrive, the store owner can insist you be charged. Better to not go in but step to the door, ask the manager to come to the door, then tell him that the No Weapons sign (point to it) makes his store, and everyone in it, prime targets for criminals. Because nobody in there will have a gun! And tell him you consider his store unsafe and you'll add it to a database of Misguided and Dangerous Businesses, for publishing to everyone you know, so nobody you know, or can talk to, will ever go there.
     

    ironpony

    Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 8, 2013
    7,190
    Davidsonville
    We all know we can't carry it into (for example) the post office. But I'll bet I'm not the only one not easily fining a definitive answer to the question: does MD law treat a permit holder differently (leaving restrictions out of it for the moment) than a non-permit holder when it comes to leaving a loaded handgun in the vehicle while the owner is outside the vehicle?
    Very close, I am thinking unloaded and stored as per current MD transport laws (in an enclosed holster).


    Considering there is an influx of Marylanders now allowed to carry unrestricted, if they are a business owner, I was considering having a sticky of the laws in MD surrounding CCW. Does anyone have a good base of laws/links to start with?
    This would be helpful, I am hearing there are different rules ....


    I asked a US Law Shield attorney that question last week. He said the weapon of a MD W&C permit holder must be on his/her person or within reach. Period. It cannot be left loaded in a car.
    If not on the person, it must be in "transport" configuration: unloaded and in a locked case, as far away from the driver as possible. Ammo must be in a separate container, and not colocated with the gun.
    Virginia law is different and seems to permit the gun to stay loaded and be locked in the vehicle.
    I am not a lawyer. To talk to a good one for free, join US LAW Shield at www.USLAWShield.com Costs about $10/mo. and they defend you in court, without charge, if you must use a weapon of any kind to defend yourself, and are arrested.
    I signed up yesterday, best deal out there if you carry a firearm or a 2 x 4 and in any state for another $2 mo. ? Worried that their info is incorrect.


    I was going to make the same comment, lots of bad advice being handed out.

    He should ask the attorney for a cite.

    Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
    Yes!


    I'll try to restate the question, No "gun free zone signs", my bad.

    Can a MD ccw holder store a pistol in their car under normal MD transport rules.
    Say: During a normal day of carrying you get a chance to jump in public gun friendly pool with some ladies (it could happen) can you store the pistol unloaded, in an enclosed holster, out of sight in your vehicle? Legally?


    The shopping store part of my original question was more of a worst case scenario for not storing the weapon (storage being the question), say, being anywhere in public and someone sees a tape measure one may carry for work on their belt and someone calls the popo "See Something Say Something!", Cops come and well, arrest the person, find there was a firearm that J Q Public allegedly saw. Person who reported this gave description and left in fear (it could happen these days).

    I am told both of these (storage or gun allegedly visible) would lead to becoming a prohibited person?
     

    ironpony

    Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 8, 2013
    7,190
    Davidsonville
    Yeah, day two of my class today and it seems having the ccw opens you up to more possibilities of becoming a prohibited person given simple things that I may currently do legally like stopping for a candy bar. On the fence once again, I prefer to continue enjoying the hobby.
     

    Occam

    Not Even ONE Indictment
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 24, 2018
    20,234
    Montgomery County
    Yeah, day two of my class today and it seems having the ccw opens you up to more possibilities of becoming a prohibited person given simple things that I may currently do legally like stopping for a candy bar. On the fence once again, I prefer to continue enjoying the hobby.

    If you have the permit, you always have the option to leave the piece at home. If you don’t have the permit, your only choice is to do so, or to make your super vulnerable by carrying illegally.

    Once you’ve been doing it (with a permit) for a while, the apprehension reduces enormously.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    If you have a MD Law citation/reference for that information, can you please email it to the folks at https://www.handgunlaw.us/ so they can update their Maryland pdf. (See page 6 of the current document: https://www.handgunlaw.us/states/maryland.pdf)


    (Generally, that website is generally a great concise and current resource to review before carrying anywhere, and answers general questions like these for each state.)





    I can't find the reference now, but there have been prior discussions about the parking lots of post offices also being classified as federal property, so take that into consideration if your question isn't directly answered here.

    Yes, the parking lots of federal buildings, which includes post offices are/considered federal property and guns are banned.
     

    rbird7282

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 6, 2012
    18,531
    Columbia
    Yeah, day two of my class today and it seems having the ccw opens you up to more possibilities of becoming a prohibited person given simple things that I may currently do legally like stopping for a candy bar. On the fence once again, I prefer to continue enjoying the hobby.



    Not illegal to stop for a candy bar


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    Ammo Jon

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 3, 2008
    20,777
    Yeah, day two of my class today and it seems having the ccw opens you up to more possibilities of becoming a prohibited person given simple things that I may currently do legally like stopping for a candy bar. On the fence once again, I prefer to continue enjoying the hobby.

    Know Federal and State laws and you’ll be fine. I use LegalHeat app and USCCA app. I’ll tell you it was nice when I was driving down to Florida stopping at gas stations (2-3 am) to fill up that had working pumps but were otherwise closed and dark to know that I had the ability to defend myself.
     

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