Module 3 - Laws and Legal Liability

TRANSPORTATION BY MOTOR VEHICLE

In most states, personally owned firearms may be transported legally if they are unloaded, cased, and locked in the automobile trunk. As an additional precaution, firearms may be disassembled and separated from the ammunition. The exceptions to this rule deal mainly with interstate transportation of handguns. The myriad and conflicting legal requirements for firearm transportation through the states make caution the key factor for travelers. If you travel with a trailer or camp er that is hauled by an automobile, it is advisable to transport the firearms unloaded, cased, and locked in the automobile trunk. If your vehicle is of the type in which driving and living spaces are not separated, the problem b ecomes one of access, I f the firearm, handgun., rifle or shotgun is carried on or about the person, or placed in the camper, where it is readily accessible to the driver or any passenger, state and local laws dealing with concealed carrying of firearms may come into play. it is suggested therefore that the firearm be transported unloaded, cased, and placed in a locked rear compartment of the camper or mobile home, inaccessible to the driver or passenger. Once you reach your destination, the state or, in some areas, municipal law, may control the ownership, possession, and transportation of your firearms . NOTE, Generally, when a mobile home is readily mobile, when one can simply start its engine or the engine of its towing vehicle and drive away even if it is capable of being used as a home a mobile home is considered a vehicle. If a mobile home is not mobile, i.e., it does not have an engine, or is not attached to a touring vehicle, and is on blocks, permanently connected to utilities, it is considered a house, not a vehicle. Transporting a firearm on public transportation: bus, train, subway or aircraft-is regulated both by applicable local, state, and federal law, as well as any specific requirements of the transportation company or authority. If you are transporting the firearm within the boundaries of a state and have a state-issued concealed carry permit, you might be able to transport your gun on any mode of public transportation. You should always check with the transportation company regarding the transportation of weapons. When transporting a firearm across state lines via public transportation, the firearm usually must be unloaded and locked in an approved case, and you must give the carrier written notice that a firearm or ammunition is being transported. This is also the procedure for transporting a firearm aboard any commercial airline. Other restrictions and procedures (such as a special check-in procedure) may also apply.