Unloaded in vehicle

[Jd2020]

If a person wants to carry a legal-to-own long gun in their car, unloaded, staying within MD borders, it’s legal. This is my understanding. Questions:
-can gun be within reach?
-must gun be cased/enclosed
-can ammo be within reach?

A friend I hunt with has a regular cab Tacoma and seems to leave the farm with shotgun on passenger side of cab and ammo on floor under the leaning gun. He’s unloaded but it’s all within reach and I have wondered if pulled over would he get grief over this? Thanks

 

[JDH146]

Last paragraph under transporting firearms.

https://mdsp.maryland.gov/Organization/Pages/CriminalInvestigationBureau/LicensingDivision/FAQs.aspx

 

[Doco Overboard]

If a person wants to carry a legal-to-own long gun in their car, unloaded, staying within MD borders, it’s legal. This is my understanding. Questions:
-can gun be within reach?
-must gun be cased/enclosed
-can ammo be within reach?

A friend I hunt with has a regular cab Tacoma and seems to leave the farm with shotgun on passenger side of cab and ammo on floor under the leaning gun. He’s unloaded but it’s all within reach and I have wondered if pulled over would he get grief over this? Thanks

I would probably just ask the Sheriff next time you see him in person or keep it on the farm.
You shouldn't get any grief while your on it.

When your out in the big wide world,
Secure your weapon and stow your ammo responsibly.
Some of those Caroline boys might need a shotgun one day.

 

[Jd2020]

Thanks. The MSP cite the federal law that I read as intended to address interstate travel. So I guess they use that law to criminalize long gun access in a vehicle even if you’re staying within state. They don’t cite a MD law.

 

[Jd2020]

Thanks Doco, Queen Anne’s boys actually, I will ask. Can’t store anything at the farm, the structures haven’t been maintained in probably 50 years. Just falling down barn and house ruins. I would like to take a metal detector there sometime.

 

[Doco Overboard]

Thanks Doco, Queen Anne’s boys actually, I will ask. Can’t store anything at the farm, the structures haven’t been maintained in probably 50 years. Just falling down barn and house ruins. I would like to take a metal detector there sometime.

You never know you might have to run over to Delaware to hit an Uncle Willy's for some dip or fuel.

Better to transport every time like your going there whether you expect to or not.

 

[Jd2020]

Thanks

 

[GrimReaper]

Last paragraph under transporting firearms.

https://mdsp.maryland.gov/Organization/Pages/CriminalInvestigationBureau/LicensingDivision/FAQs.aspx

That only applies to interstate travel. Long gun open cary is legal in md wether its on your person or in a vehicle. The only restriction for long guns is that they have to be unloaded while being transported in a vehicle and that is a DNR regulation.

Long guns do NOT have to be cased, inaccessible or have ammo stored in separate compartment while traveling within MD, they just have to be unloaded. There are some exceptions in some localities like baltimore city and I believe pg County where they have restrictions against transporting long guns and open cary. There are also restrictions in school zones and on govt property.

I carry a rifle in my vehicle with a loaded mag sitting right next to it. There are a lot of police officers that do not know this is legal so proceed with caution. Keep it out of view and don't consent to any searches or else at a minimum you may be treated like a criminal and be stuck on the side of the road for a few hours.


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[david0715]

When you say "long guns"...does that include the so called "assault rifle"?

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[JChad12]

When you say "long guns"...does that include the so called "assault rifle"?

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Came in to ask this also

 

[GrimReaper]

When you say "long guns"...does that include the so called "assault rifle"?

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The only issue may be transporting previously regulated long guns that were banned in the firearm "safety" act of 2013. Its not really clear.

I still carry so called assault weapons that are not regulated like HBAR ar15s. I dont carry anything thats regulated/now banned for purchase just to be safe.

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[K-Romulus]

I’m not a MD lawyer, just a guy who has looked into this question. My finding is that localities can regulate transport/carry within 100(?) yards of “places of public assembly” like parks, libraries, schools, you name it if they can slap the PPA label on it. That zone was labeled the “safety zone.”

MoCo dutifully has a law saying that any firearm in that safety zone has to be both unloaded and being transported in a car. Back in the early 2000’s Takoma Park passes a similar law that included sidewalks as a “place of public assembly” in an attempt to ban handguns in its city limits. The MOCo law applies to all firearms.

I have not found any court challenges, like with the MoCo ammo registration law, successful or not, so you should probably look into this question some more in the area you plan to transport the long gun and maybe ask a MD lawyer about it.


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[Mark75H]

There is no legal difference for possession, carry or transport. Actually, there are no “assault rifles” in MD

 

[JDH146]

Grim Reaper correctly pointed out my post is interstate.
Here is an old discussion of Maryland law.
https://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=54444

 

[teratos]

When you say "long guns"...does that include the so called "assault rifle"?

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There is no such thing as an "assault rifle". An AR is a long gun.

 

[Mark75H]

There is no such thing as an "assault rifle". An AR is a long gun.

Beat ya!

 

[teratos]

Beat ya!

Damn you!

 

[Slackdaddy]

The last paragrapg is the MSP answer to:: "Can I legally transport firearms interstate?"

I don't see anything about transporting within the state

Last paragraph under transporting firearms.

https://mdsp.maryland.gov/Organization/Pages/CriminalInvestigationBureau/LicensingDivision/FAQs.aspx

 

[JDH146]

The last paragrapg is the MSP answer to:: "Can I legally transport firearms interstate?"

I don't see anything about transporting within the state

See post 14

 

[lazarus]

Final answer, yes that is legal so long as he doesn’t travel in to Baltimore city or MoCo.

There are, I believe a few other municipalities in MD grandfathered in for their laws on transport/open carry of a long gun.

Basically it means it must be in a case in the trunk. Not sure how that would apply to a pickup. Probably need a bed box.

At any rate, just laying there or even secured to a long gun Mount, but openly visible isn’t the best idea. If you are not a person of color, not likely to get shot for it. On the other hand, might still make an officer real nervous.

And beyond that, unless this is only for to and from that farm without stopping, leaving guns or Ammo in plain sight is a good way to need to buy a new gun and/or Ammo and a replacement side window.