New member, DUMB question about MD gun laws

[Threeband]

Call the Maryland State Police.

They are the best source for the answers to your questions.

...

Actually, I think the police are usually a bad source of information on the law. Whoever you talk to is probably not up on all the complexities, and is just as likely to have misconceptions as anybody else. You might's well ask the Produce Manager at Safeway about the gun laws. The average LEO is not a gun guy, not a lawyer.

The unspoken part is that if you attempt to move to Md on Oct 2 , there will be no possable way to legally bring your evil rifles at all.

I think if new residents can document ownership before October 1, 2013, their guns would still be grandfathered. So if somebody living in Ohio buys an AR this summer and is smart enough to keep the paperwork, he could move here in 2016 and bring his grandfathered AR. I know that was talked about during the sessions, though I'm not sure if it made it into the final bill.

There were a lot of vague promises of that sort made.


Anyway, the old law is still in effect until October 1, so for the OP it's true: registration is entirely voluntary. You don't have to do anything about registering your guns (except machine guns).

You might want to "voluntarily register" one handgun, though. If you're on record as a handgun owner before October 1, you won't have to take the non-existent 4 hour training class to buy another handgun.

Just stop by any State Police Barracks (it's a good idea to call first), leave the unloaded pistol in a case in the car trunk, and go inside and tell the nice Trooper at the desk you want to do a "Voluntary Registration." I think you still have to pay the $10 fee, and it's pay by check, no cash.

The main advantage is to avoid the training class. It does establish your ownership of the gun also, which might have some value. It's a good idea to keep your own records anyway.

Do stock up on soon-to-be-banned guns as a first priority. Handguns are second priority: you can still get them after Oct. 1 (but you'll have to be fingerprinted and buy a $50 license).

Might's well stock up on magazines over 20 rounds too, but that's just a matter of convenience. You can possess and use the larger mags, you just can't buy them here. As it is, we all go out of state to get 30 round magazines as it is, and that won't change, so don't worry too much about magazines.

Are you sure you want to move here?

 

[dblas]

The unspoken part is that if you attempt to move to Md on Oct 2 , there will be no possable way to legally bring your evil rifles at all.

Completely incorrect, he will be permitted to move here after October 1 with his (Regulated/banned) firearms that he owned prior to October. He will be required to register them though at that point, as opposed to not having to register them if he moves into the state before October 1.

 

[AJRB]

Actually, I think the police are usually a bad source of information on the law. Whoever you talk to is probably not up on all the complexities, and is just as likely to have misconceptions as anybody else. You might's well ask the Produce Manager at Safeway about the gun laws. The average LEO is not a gun guy, not a lawyer.







I think if new residents can document ownership before October 1, 2013, their guns would still be grandfathered. So if somebody living in Ohio buys an AR this summer and is smart enough to keep the paperwork, he could move here in 2016 and bring his grandfathered AR. I know that was talked about during the sessions, though I'm not sure if it made it into the final bill.

There were a lot of vague promises of that sort made.


Anyway, the old law is still in effect until October 1, so for the OP it's true: registration is entirely voluntary. You don't have to do anything about registering your guns (except machine guns).

You might want to "voluntarily register" one handgun, though. If you're on record as a handgun owner before October 1, you won't have to take the non-existent 4 hour training class to buy another handgun.

Just stop by any State Police Barracks (it's a good idea to call first), leave the unloaded pistol in a case in the car trunk, and go inside and tell the nice Trooper at the desk you want to do a "Voluntary Registration." I think you still have to pay the $10 fee, and it's pay by check, no cash.

The main advantage is to avoid the training class. It does establish your ownership of the gun also, which might have some value. It's a good idea to keep your own records anyway.

Do stock up on soon-to-be-banned guns as a first priority. Handguns are second priority: you can still get them after Oct. 1 (but you'll have to be fingerprinted and buy a $50 license).

Might's well stock up on magazines over 20 rounds too, but that's just a matter of convenience. You can possess and use the larger mags, you just can't buy them here. As it is, we all go out of state to get 30 round magazines as it is, and that won't change, so don't worry too much about magazines.

Are you sure you want to move here?

I have been told by a couple attorneys in the past, police officers in training, they are not taught LAW attorneys are taught Law in LAW SCHOOL. If you have a question in regard to the LAW, speak with an attorney. Would you go to your local barber for an oil change?

 

[abean4187]

I have been told by a couple attorneys in the past, police officers in training, they are not taught LAW attorneys are taught Law in LAW SCHOOL. If you have a question in regard to the LAW, speak with an attorney. Would you go to your local barber for an oil change?

While true it is sad. You would expect those that enforce the laws to actually know them.

 

[Biggfoot44]

As a general rule , LEOs don't know, or particularily care about "the law" per se. They know and follow Dept policies , general orders , and memos. Not bashing , just saying. I've had Dept Instructor teach dept policies that are word for word from SCOTUS decisions , and they have no idea where it came from, as far as they knew it was written by the PD Legal Dept.

 

[drking2]

Let me fix this for you "New member, question about MD DUMB gun laws "

 

[AJRB]

While true it is sad. You would expect those that enforce the laws to actually know them.

Many do know quite a bit, I have extended family in the dept. I'm sure with experience on the job comes more knowledge of the laws themselves over time. The job of enforcing and protecting is just that, a job in itself, regardless of the laws. Having to know all the details of law an attorney must know, would be overload. Hence the two different professions.

 

[Pinecone]

The unspoken part is that if you attempt to move to Md on Oct 2 , there will be no possable way to legally bring your evil rifles at all.

WRONG.

You can bring them in as long as they were purchased before Oct 1, but you will need to register them.

If they were purchased after Oct 1, then they cannot be brought into the state.

 

[Pinecone]

I think if new residents can document ownership before October 1, 2013, their guns would still be grandfathered. So if somebody living in Ohio buys an AR this summer and is smart enough to keep the paperwork, he could move here in 2016 and bring his grandfathered AR. I know that was talked about during the sessions, though I'm not sure if it made it into the final bill.

There were a lot of vague promises of that sort made.

1) You do not need to document this. The state will need to prove that you bought it after Oct 1 if they want to take you to court.

2) No vague promises, it is written into the bill. But, IIRC, if you move into the state after Oct 1, you may need to register them.

 

[kbarrett220]

he can bring a banned gun into the State after 1 October only if he has orders assigning him here from the Military or was in the Military and is holds residency in Maryland. That weapon must be registered with the Maryland State Police

 

[Pinecone]

I don't think so. The military exemption is for firearms that are used within the scope of their duties or are carried to/from their duty location only.

Basically, they made it legal from them to actually have firearms the US military gives them.

 

[dr_baer]

There are no dumb questions, only dumb MD gun laws.

I was thinking the same!!!

 

[Bafflingbs]

I second that. You have my deepest condolences for moving to MD.

The link below will take you to a MD legislative site that provides a good overview (in understandable language) about what the 1 OCT law (SB281) covers.

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2013RS/fnotes/bil_0001/sb0281.pdf

Come on now, it's not that bad. If you forget all the welfare recipients, illegal aliens, stupid ass Governor, MIKE MILLER, the rain tax, the gas tax, the dream act, the pleather ah of demorats, ridiculous gun laws, cost of living in general and finally, some of the worst traffic in the nation, it's a great place to live. At least until retirement(6 years 2 months and 19 days).

 

[mhemling33]

if you move here atleast you can say our next president is from your state.....

I personally think it is bullcrap that a person from the neighboring state (which I live less then 10 min away from) has to even worry about not being able to bring their already LEGALLY OWNED personal property with them. Stuff like this makes you really see how bad maryland has become and where it is heading.

I am not sure if what others were saying about you can bring it if you had bought it before 10/1/13..... but if it was true imagine how pissed off people will be in a couple of years from now when they have to move to MD for some unfortunate circumstance and they can't bring their newly purchased firearms with them

 

[spclopr8tr]

if you move here atleast you can say our next president is from your state.....

I personally think it is bullcrap that a person from the neighboring state (which I live less then 10 min away from) has to even worry about not being able to bring their already LEGALLY OWNED personal property with them. Stuff like this makes you really see how bad maryland has become and where it is heading.

I am not sure if what others were saying about you can bring it if you had bought it before 10/1/13..... but if it was true imagine how pissed off people will be in a couple of years from now when they have to move to MD for some unfortunate circumstance and they can't bring their newly purchased firearms with them

PALEEZ people, research what the law says:
Moving into the State
A person who moves into the State with the intent of residency must register all regulated firearms with DSP within 90 days of establishing residency, using application forms prepared and provided by DSP. The bill requires that an application for registration under this provision must contain (1) the make, model, manufacturer’s serial number, caliber, type, barrel length, finish, and country of origin of each regulated firearm and (2) the firearm applicant’s name, address, Social Security number, place and date of birth, height, weight, race, eye and hair color, signature, driver’s or photographic identification Soundex number, and occupation. The total registration fee is $15, regardless of the number of firearms registered. The registration data is not open to public inspection.

It says nothing about military. It says "a person". If the person is military on orders, and does not intend to establish MD residency, there is no requirement to register. If on the other hand a military person is either already a resident of MD or intends to establish residency (drivers license, register to vote), then the above requirement applies after 1 OCT 13.