Author Topic: Transporting long guns in N.C. (Read 5107 times)

Wildbuc · « **on:** March 19, 2009, 02:19:20 PM »

I am a newbie to guns and gun laws, and there is apparently much that I need to know.

Do you folks know what is the best way to transport shotguns or rifles to a shooting range? As I understand it, long guns cannot be concealed or readily accessible. Does this mean you cannot carry a long gun in a gun case and place it on the back seat of your car? Can you legally carry long guns in your trunk? The way the law is written, it seems any time you place a long gun in a gun case or trunk it is then concealed and a violation of law. If you place the gun on the back seat, out of its case, then it might be argured that it is readily accessible. Whether it is loaded or not apparently does not affect matters.

Most of the N.C. regulaltions deal with hand guns, of which I have no interest. It seems long gun information is open to interpretation by law enforcement.

Any info on meeting legal compliance is appreciated.

dustyr · « **Reply #1 on:** March 20, 2009, 01:49:17 AM »

I can see where you are confused $:-\$

1. Contact your local police department, and/or
2. Contact your sheriff department (this would be my first choice since they have primary jurisdiction where I live).
3. Contact the NC State Trooper office nearest you to back up what you were told by one/both of the above.

Here in the Rowan County area, I have never heard of a transport issue where the rifle was placed in a gun case, unloaded, on the back seat of a vehicle.

kitchawan kid · « **Reply #2 on:** March 20, 2009, 02:40:34 AM »

I thought transporting firearms state to state was controled by federal control,if it is locked and unloaded you can take it anywere.

Wildbuc · « **Reply #3 on:** March 20, 2009, 04:49:50 AM »

Thanks very much for your information guys. I just want to avoid trouble. I'll contact local law enforcement and the highway patrol and see what they say. It is a pity a law abiding person can't use legally owned guns without worry.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #4 on:** March 20, 2009, 05:34:56 AM »

I traveled across the stated and Canada . the gun has to be unloaded , in some states the bolt removed or broken down . most states require it stored in a compartment other than the passanger comp. in a truck they allow the case to be locked in the cab if no other compartment is aval. . some states want the ammo seperate others want it locked in a compartment other than with the gun .
I traveled with the gun(s) in a case , in the camper shell covered bed of the truck . The ammo was in boxes in the bed also. In Canada the guns need to be hidden from view in a case and not at hand. Applies to a boat also. Federal law applies if you are passing thru. a state . gun locked in a compartment other than passenger comp. Unless a truck with no other place . Ammo seperated from gun or locked in a PU truck.
confused more ?

kitchawan kid · « **Reply #5 on:** March 20, 2009, 06:09:16 AM »

From what I understand all these laws were made to prevent hunting from cars,of course now it's more for harassment then anything else.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #6 on:** March 20, 2009, 07:59:44 AM »

I have heard also so you couldn't shoot police . bet that comforts the policeman making the stop .

diggler1833 · « **Reply #7 on:** March 20, 2009, 02:48:13 PM »

N.C. is an open carry state. Here is some reading material for you on concealed carry and about 2/3 of the way down some open carry stuff. Hope this helps.

http://www.ncrpa.org/ccwfaq.htm

Wildbuc · « **Reply #8 on:** March 20, 2009, 05:00:42 PM »

Thanks for the link, however, that information deals with handguns and I have absolutely no interest in owning or carrying a handgun. I simply want to transport my rifle and shotgun to a shooting range or hunting area and not be arrested. If I can't find any safe way of doing that, I will simply get rid of my guns.

diggler1833 · « **Reply #9 on:** March 20, 2009, 05:15:39 PM »

Do you really think that there is a legal difference?

kitchawan kid · « **Reply #10 on:** March 21, 2009, 02:14:06 AM »

I guess you are not one of us "Cold dead hands" group.

Wildbuc · « **Reply #11 on:** March 21, 2009, 02:37:03 AM »

About the legal difference between handguns and long guns, yes I assumed there was a difference. When the wording of the law mentions handguns, then I think it applies to handguns and not long guns. Of course, what is common sense often does not apply to interpretations of law.

About the "cold dead hands" comment, I guess that it true. I have wondered whether our gun rights, as well as many of our individual rights, are things of the past. That is a very sad situation, but seems to reflect present reality.

Thanks for your comments guys.

ncsurveyor · « **Reply #12 on:** March 21, 2009, 02:45:18 AM »

Quote from: Wildbuc on March 20, 2009, 05:00:42 PM

Thanks for the link, however, that information deals with handguns and I have absolutely no interest in owning or carrying a handgun. I simply want to transport my rifle and shotgun to a shooting range or hunting area and not be arrested. If I can't find any safe way of doing that, I will simply get rid of my guns.

Good or bad, Attorney General Roy Cooper's ambiguity was designed to give wildlife resource officers and law enforcement the ability to make a judgment call as to whether a gun was capable of being used for hunting/skullduggery from the occupants of the vehicle.

The premise is not to make the gun concealed AND readily accessible. Hanging on a rack in the back window of a truck is not concealed. But a bitter WRA could make the point that you were using it for hunting.

In a trunk, safely away from occupants is definitely not readily accessible, albeit concealed to a nit-picker.

Your next option is to transport in the backseat, in a padlocked hardcase that clearly says "gun" in orange letters so that your average barney fife cannot say he was unaware of a gun accessible to the occupants. The padlock takes away the "readily accessible" component. Always store/transport ammo in a separate area, in a locked can if possible. Under those circumstances, if challenged, its almost certain that a jury of your peers will toss this out.

Nothing under the states current laws will allow you to transport safely IF a LEO has a serious attitude problem, but it will probably get straightened out in the court, or with the DA if it comes to that.

If you don't like it, contact your representatives and ask for a remedy. I have. But for the record, I haven't had a problem with LEO or WRC.

If you decide to sell your guns, let me know. $:-\$

But don't decide to sell.

Wildbuc · « **Reply #13 on:** March 21, 2009, 07:37:08 AM »

I think I will have a conference with proper authorities and ask them how to proceed. That should make things clear enough. End of story.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #14 on:** March 23, 2009, 05:01:33 AM »

wildbuc , you have helped me understand how this country is in the state of decline of personal freedom it is .

Wildbuc · « **Reply #15 on:** March 23, 2009, 05:33:36 AM »

Thought I would give you folks an update. Today I talked with Highway Patrol and local Police Dept. officers. Both persons said that the best way to transport guns in this area of NC is in your trunk. That way, they are not readily accessible and not a threat to children. When asked about where to store ammo, the highway patrolman said it didn't matter. I mentioned that I have an SUV that does not have a trunk. The police officer said to store it in the rear compartment. Being in a gun case was okay. Altogether, this was reassuring.

Shootall, we do have a serious decline in individual freedoms in this country, but unlike many gun owners, I don't feel the police are to blame. They are simply doing their jobs to enforce existing laws. Many are gun owners themselves, and like to go hunting, etc.

The blame lies partly with lawmakers, who often do not understand constitutional principles, and have only a vague notion of American history. Part of the blame goes to the media, which seems to encourage hysterical reactions in the populace, in order to make money at the expense of intellectual integrity. And finally, the blame rests on parents and the educational system, which often do not teach basic American values and constitutional principles, but rather teach history as a memorization of facts and trivia.

Off my soap box now. I hope this thread has been helpful. I encourage anyone unsure of existing gun laws to seek reliable information and follow those policies/laws to the letter.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #16 on:** March 23, 2009, 05:55:38 AM »

i never blamed the police . but to bow down make no sense ether

45-70.gov · « **Reply #17 on:** March 23, 2009, 06:08:28 AM »

Quote from: Wildbuc on March 20, 2009, 05:00:42 PM

Thanks for the link, however, that information deals with handguns and I have absolutely no interest in owning or carrying a handgun. I simply want to transport my rifle and shotgun to a shooting range or hunting area and not be arrested. If I can't find any safe way of doing that, I will simply get rid of my guns.

WELL IT LOOKS LIKE THEIR PLAN IS WORKING

when i was 19 this cop talked to me about the 45 in the back of my belt at a bar
he said ''those laws are just there if we want you....don't give us a reason to want you and you'll be ok''

but we lived in a different country then

be nice and don't flaunt it you will be ok unless in new england

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #18 on:** March 23, 2009, 06:09:29 AM »

or maryland

kitchawan kid · « **Reply #19 on:** March 23, 2009, 06:26:33 AM »

Yes,it is funny the Bill Of Rights only applies in some parts of the country.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #20 on:** March 23, 2009, 06:43:14 AM »

Many laws have not been tested in court . Take the sawed off shotgun ( bbl. under 18 inches ) . In Va. you can have one with a federal transfer stamp. If you had one but did not cross state lines would a federal law stand up in court ? maybe maybe not but it has never been tested .
In some places if you are found transporting a weapon or in some cases large sums of money the police confiscate it . with weapons it is often more cost effective to buy a new one as the cost to go to court is more than the gun . DON"T THINK THE POLICE DON"T KNOW THIS . And yes they follow instruction from the politicans .

45-70.gov · « **Reply #21 on:** March 23, 2009, 04:07:41 PM »

yep here in floida they quite often seize large sums and even small sums of money

based solely on how the money is stored or carried

no drugs or other crime involved

just more cash than they think you should have

mostly velusia county but others too

mostly south bound lanes with cash not the north bound lanes with the drugs
back in the hayday of miami drug smuggleing

i even had a family member got 10 seized laundering some overseas money
he went to court and got it back tho
but why can they even do this in america.. older .bushes war on drugs

charles p · « **Reply #22 on:** March 23, 2009, 05:03:44 PM »

In my opinion, you can transport an unloaded long gun about anywhere you want in NC except on refuges where they must be disassembled. You can keep it on the seat or put it in a rack, the trunk, or anywhere you like. Concealed or open, will not matter. Lived here for 62 years and never had a problem transporting a shotgun or rifle. Never been stopped or searched. Just use common sense. Don't start shinning a light across fields, etc.

45-70.gov · « **Reply #23 on:** March 23, 2009, 05:12:42 PM »

i forgot to mention
when i went to high school in north carolina
during hunting season ther were a few rifles in the window racks
in a few trucks in the student parking lot

but we lived in a different country then

i hunted in pisgua national forest last year

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #24 on:** March 24, 2009, 02:18:12 AM »

In some places an NRA sticker is enough to get searched , like crossing into Canada . Last time i went hunting up there they checked my lic. and found out i had a CC permit then they wanted a list of handguns i owned . At that point i told them one for work . The wife didn't know it but i gave her the few others i had for 2 weeks then took um back on my return . In Va. a orange/camo hat is enough to get you pulled sometimes when hunting season is in .

kitchawan kid · « **Reply #25 on:** March 24, 2009, 02:27:24 AM »

Yes,the same people upset with profiling don't seem to mind when it's us.