Carrying on the water. with LTC/A(target).

[billmelater]

Hi, or ahoy, avast, whatever,
I spend a lot of time on the Merrimack between Lowell/Nashua. I don't know if this is federal waters or not, considering the dams between me and the ocean, or if it even matters for this question.
The river gets cleaner and more crowded every year, and over the years I've twice been threatened by seemingly inebriated gentlemen (read drunk a**h***s). Since I'm on a pontoon boat, somebody could probably, depending on how many empties they've tossed in the river, jump onto my boat, or any little beach I've laid claim to.
Are firearms laws the same, or different on the water (navigable waterway,
maybe)? I once heard of a guy facing piracy charges after a fight between two boats on the river in Tyngsboro, but don't know how true it was.

Sorry about the rambling.

 

[Len-2A Training]

On rivers, you are on "inland waters" and I would expect MA and NH state laws to be in effect. Ergo if a restricted permit, no loaded guns in MA. NH NR permit would be no problem in NH waters.

I am not an expert on gun laws on waterways, so my words above are conservative and unlikely to get you in trouble. If you want to do otherwise check carefully on the laws for waterways.

 

[JimB]

my guess

Your class A is restricted to target??? then you can carry an unloaded
and locked gun in your trunk etc. to the range. I am guessing not on your
boat.

As Len mentioned check the waterway laws.

JimB

 

[Cross-X]

Time to get to work on your de-fuse, de-escalate, avoid and retreat skills!

 

[Scrivener]

If you have an LTC restricted to "Target," you have no business carrying it on a boat - unless your range has a dock....

 

[Garys]

I missed the part where the OP talked about the type of permit he holds. That aside, Cross-X is correct as far as "de-fuse, de-escalate, avoid and retreat skills".

While the gene pool might thank you for eliminating these nitwits, I doubt that either the Commonwealth or the State of New Hampshire would be as grateful.

Gary

 

[Cross-X]

I missed the part where the OP talked about the type of permit he holds...
Gary

Gary, take a look at the title to the thread. Hidden in plain sight.

 

[Garys]

Gary, take a look at the title to the thread. Hidden in plain sight.

Oh THAT! I suppose if he claimed that he LIVED on the pontoon boat...

Gary

 

[billmelater]

I was thinking that if I had permission from a landowner with frontage on the river, it might be legal to go there for target shooting via boat. Not shooting from the boat over water, but up on land.
Or must I shoot only at a licensed range?

Just wondering out loud.
Bill

 

[KMaurer]

Well, if the river is navigable into another state or to the ocean, then he might be transporting it to another state where he doesn't need a license to carry openly.

Ken

 

[TOM-P]

Keep the gun at home before you get in trouble.... Or try to upgrade to an ALP/ no restrictions

 

[Xak]

If the jerk bugging you is on a pontoon boat a sharp knife and a faster engine could be all you need (lol)!

 

[Cross-X]

Don't worry about a thing: I'm sure Brent will give you the necessary bail money!

 

[N.E. CHARTERS]

You are REQUIRED by Law to carry signal device. No Licence needed.

I like the 25mm myself. You can by or make the insert sleave to adapt it to shoot the less expensive 12 GA flares.

I have only had to use it on one or two occations and have found that it did not even need to be fired to work properly.

Be careful with the flares. They are white hot phospurous and can cause burns. Always use with adult supervision. Do not light and hold in hand. Do not ignite and place in pocket. Do not use around flamables. Follow manufactures guidelines encourages equipment owners to follow manufacturer's guidelines on assembly, maintenance & careRead and understand all safety precautions and operating instructions provided by equipment manufacturers prior to using



Always evaluate delivery rate on mock-up test area while using specific batch of equipment selected for project, and be certain mock-up meets with the approval of specifier prior to beginning project. standards can only be attained when application is proper Observe all warning statements relating to both Read label prior to using equipment.

well: All I know is that you can buy them in most boating stores, Wally World or Catalog Mail Orderwith no licence needed.


I also carry hand held flares and recommend to all hunters that they have them in their day pack. They are light and may save your life.

I carry the White Phospruous Road Saftey Flare in my truck and they sure come in handy when your stuck on a lonsome highyway in the middle of the night working on your broken vechical. Be sure to have a dozzen as they only last 10 min. That why the call them 15 min Road Flares.

 

[Scrivener]

You are REQUIRED by Law to [a] carry signal device. No Licence [sic] needed.

I like the 25mm myself. You can by [sic] or make the insert sleave [sic] to adapt it to shoot the less expensive 12 GA flares.

I have only had to use it on one or two occations [sic] and have found that it did not even need to be fired to work properly.

Someone has seen Hitchcock's Lifeboat.....

I understand that these are popular in New Zealand where people are not allowed to carry pistols.

 

[RKG]

The question of state jurisdiction over the navigable waters is quite complex. At the risk of over simplifying (which for present purposes I believe to be minimal): if the waters in question are on the inland side of the COLREGS line, then the laws of the state within which the waters are found, including its firearms laws, apply. If the waterway includes the boundary between two states, the laws of the state on whose side of the boundary you are on apply. State boundaries are usually plotted on large scale charts, though they may not be completely reliable and are not authoritative.

I believe it to be correct that, on the high seas, there are no federal prohibitions on the carrying of non-NFA firearms on U.S.-flagged vessels, unless coupled with felonious intent. Unless the master was licensed in both the hailing port and last port of call, however, he might (in the words of Ricky Ricardo) "have some 'splainin' to do."

Two caveats:

One, my knowledge in this area (limited as it may be) is confined to documented vessels; there may be implications of registration (e.g., under a State registration system leading to, for instance, an "MS" number) of which I am not aware.

Two, my knowledge in this area (limited as it may be) is confined to non-endorsement vessels (i.e., "recreational" vessels); there may be implications of a commercial endorsement of which I am not aware.

 

[JimB]

shoulda thought of that

Definitely get the flare gun. Your legal, and these make a real mess.
Can't be put out even with water. I would not want anyone to shoot
one of these at me or in my vicinity, they have a tendency to splatter when
they hit anything causing a real mess.

JimB

 

[C-pher]

And they are LOUD. I've shot a few flare guns. They kick like a bastard, and are freaking LOUD...

But man are they fun.

 

[RKG]

You are REQUIRED by Law to carry signal device. No Licence needed.

This statement isn't quite true, and the underlying notion that anyone can "carry" a flare gun without a license and for purposes unrelated to distress signalling from a vessel is dangerously misleading.

1. Nothing requires a vessel to be equipped with a flare gun. There are USCG regulations requiring some form of signalling devices, and amongst those devices that are approved to meet this requirement are flare guns. However, you can satisfy the USCG requirement with other devices; you are not required to carry a flare gun on a vessel.

2. The exemption in the unlawful carrying statute for flare guns is a bit narrower than stated: "The provisions of this section shall not apply to . . . any device used exclusively for signalling or distress use and required or recommended by the United States Coast Guard or the Interstate Commerce Commission . . . ." G. L. (2004 ed.) ch. 140, sec. 129c(a). If you are found to be in possession of the typical flare gun (such as was illustrated in the prior post) and (a) you do not own or regularly take command of a vessel, or (b) you are not aboard your vessel or demonstrably transporting the device to the vessel at the time of the discovery, you will find the exemption unavailing. Then, since the flare gun otherwise meets the definition of a "firearm," you will be in trouble unless you are licensed.