Driving from CT to FL with a handgun?

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USMC109

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I am leaving next week to drive to Florida from here in Connecticut and just can't get comfortable with the idea of not bringing a handgun with me.I feel naked without it.I have a CCW permit here in my homestate(CT)and I would obviously lock it up in a case if I decide to bring it along.I just don't know if it would be more of a hassle than it's worth if I am stopped or if my truck is burglarized.

I am only going for a few days to handle my father's estate as he passed away a couple weeks ago then coming home.What would you guys do?Thanks![smile]
 
here's what i know

If your transporting, you must lcok it in a case separate from the ammo, and not in immediate reach of you. This is good from oint A
to Point B, No visiting aunt sally or your friends...

Is your connecticut license good in Florida,,, fi not whats the sense of
bringing it along if you can't carry it.

JimB
 
Unless you want to go to a range and plink or have something by your bedside at night, your handgun will do you little good along the way since CT has reciprocity with no one along I-95.

Also, Florida does not honor non-resident licenses (other than its own obviously)
 
so, you are gonna need a FL nonres if you want to take it.

Isnt the general law "so long as you are allowed to carry in the state you are beginning your trip in and the state you are ending your trip in, you are ok"?

In which case, how do you ahve to transport it? Jsut curious cuz Rhode island allows me to ccw so long as I am just passing through (when I go from my place to New Bedford, I cut through RI), or is that provision special to RI??
 
Jose said:
Also, Florida does not honor non-resident licenses (other than its own obviously)
Click to expand...

From the link packingungal provided:

In accordance with the terms of these pacts, each of these states has extended the privilege of concealed carry to holders of Florida Concealed Weapon/Firearm Licenses. The State of Florida has, in turn, extended that same privilege to the licensees of these states.
Click to expand...
 
If you read the full text of the above link you would read the following, however this pertains to only FL, and may or may not be the case while traveling through other states enroute:

QUESTION 6. I am planning a trip to Florida shortly. I do not have a permit from my home state nor do I want to obtain a Florida permit. However, I would still like to have a weapon with me for self-protection. What are my options?

Florida law does allow a citizen to transport a weapon in a private vehicle, even if that citizen DOES NOT HAVE a concealed weapon license. Note the following two key provisions in the law:

Section 790.25(5), which deals specifically with possession in a private conveyance states that "it is lawful and is not a violation of s. 790.01 for a person 18 years of age or older to possess a concealed firearm or other weapon for self-defense or other lawful purpose within the interior of a private conveyance, without a license, if the firearm or other weapon is securely encased or is otherwise not readily accessible for immediate use. Nothing herein contained prohibits the carrying of a legal firearm other than a handgun anywhere in a private conveyance when such firearm is being carried for a lawful use. Nothing herein contained shall be construed to authorize the carrying of a concealed firearm or other weapon on the person. This subsection shall be liberally construed in favor of the lawful use, ownership, and possession of firearms and other weapons, including lawful self-defense as provided in s. 776.012." (Emphasis added.)

Section 790.001(17) defines the term "securely encased" to mean "in a glove compartment, whether or not locked; snapped in a holster; in a gun case, whether or not locked; in a zippered gun case; or in a closed box or container which requires a lid or cover to be opened for access."

So, while you cannot carry the weapon on your person, you can at least have it nearby in your vehicle while traveling.
 
If you go through Jersey, beware that posession of hollow points is illegal
Click to expand...

Traveling through the state with hp ammo is fine as long as it is secured as per the Federal standards. It only becomes an issue when they are loaded into a firearm.
 
rscalzo,

As far as I can tell, that is NOT true. Mere possession of hollow points in NJ is illegal if not a resident and not hunting.

http://www.njsp.org/about/fire_hollow.html

The above link states that having in ones home, hunting, or traveling to a hunting site is legal, but other possession of HPs is not
 
Possession in the state is legal in some instances. However if one is simply traveling through the state, there is no problem. As I stated, the problem is when they are loaded into a handgun. The legislation was developed to just ad another charge onto the illegal use of a firearm.

In NJ they can also be legally used at a firing range and in one's own home. The bottom line is that if you don't get involved in some illegal act, you have no problem traveling through the state.

While I can see your confusion on the matter because it isn't very clear, this spells out the intent of the law...

These conditions for use and transport of hollow nose ammunition are consistent with the legislative intent to restrict the use of such ammunition to a limited number of people.
Click to expand...
The law was geared to control the use in the state. This is not the case when one is just traveling through the state. I can not remember one every being charged with possession of hp ammo without companion charges such as possession or use of a related firearm.
 
Last edited:
Kimber said:
From the link packingungal provided:
Click to expand...
What I said means that Florida will not honor a license in your possession unless it is from your HOME state AND your state and Florida have reciprocity.

Florida and NH have reciprocity. I have a NH NR pistol license. However, I am a resident of Ohio. Therefore FL will not allow me to carry a concealed handgun with my NH license. Luckily Ohio and Florida also share reciprocity, I have a Ohio CHL, and I am an Ohio resident.
 
Jose said:
Unless you want to go to a range and plink or have something by your bedside at night, your handgun will do you little good along the way since CT has reciprocity with no one along I-95.

Also, Florida does not honor non-resident licenses (other than its own obviously)
Click to expand...

IIRC one of the carolinas is a pain in the ass too, but I forget
which. One of those will not reciprocate with an FL nonres, IIRC.

-Mike
 
Davidk said:
rscalzo,

As far as I can tell, that is NOT true. Mere possession of hollow points in NJ is illegal if not a resident and not hunting.

http://www.njsp.org/about/fire_hollow.html

The above link states that having in ones home, hunting, or traveling to a hunting site is legal, but other possession of HPs is not
Click to expand...

Isn't this a bit of a gray area?

Federal law on the interstate transportation of firearms supersedes state laws if you are carrying in the trunk between 2 states where it is legal to possess the firearms.

So what is protected by federal law? is it just the receiver or is it all the firearm? are magazines considered protected? is ammunition?

I have no problem with bringing a handgun with a new hi-cap magazine from NH through MA to another state where it is legal even though the magazine is illegal to own in MA.

Now what if the magazine loaded with hollow point ammunition is removed from the rest of the gun and stored separately (to meet the criteria of keeping the firearm unloaded and keeping the ammunition unaccessible from the passenger compartment)?

Talking specifically about New Jersey we should consider the case of Gregg Revell who was unlawfully arrested at Newark Airport and held for 4 days when, while engaged in interstate transportation, he attempted to declare a handgun (with hollow point ammo) while checking in for a flight.

http://www.anjrpc.org/ANJRPC-vs-PortAuthority.pdf

He was charged with both unlawful possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of hollow point ammo, both charges were later dropped because his travels were protected by the Firearms Owner Protection Act, and he is suing.

I travel fairly frequently between MA and my in-laws in PA, I lawfully have a gun, large capacity magazines, and hollow-point ammo securely locked in my car.
 
Jose said:
What I said means that Florida will not honor a license in your possession unless it is from your HOME state AND your state and Florida have reciprocity.

Florida and NH have reciprocity. I have a NH NR pistol license. However, I am a resident of Ohio. Therefore FL will not allow me to carry a concealed handgun with my NH license. Luckily Ohio and Florida also share reciprocity, I have a Ohio CHL, and I am an Ohio resident.
Click to expand...

Ahhhh, OK... I see what you mean now.
 
I drive from MA to FL every year. I can wear my pistol in MA and CT due to my permits from those states. In southern CT I lock it up per FOPA for travel through NY, NJ, and Maryland (non-stop if possible the give them as little of my $$ as possible). I put it back on in VA because my FL non-res has reciprocity there as well as NC and GA. SC has no reciprocity or non-res licenses but allows transport by "Any person in a vehicle where the handgun is secured in a closed glove compartment, closed console or closed trunk. The handgun may be loaded." So, I put it in the glove box for that state. (and put my registration in the visor) So, with the exception of the occupied states, I'm armed the whole trip.

MA has relatively few restrictions on places to carry. Many other states have quirky restrictions that a legal CCWer must be aware of. Before I make my trip, I re-research the laws of the states and print them out to refresh myself before entering each one.

The FL non-res is a great license to have.
 
NJ was a main reason that I did not buy 4000 rounds of HP in FL. last year when I drove home.. The clerk knew I was from MA. and asked if I was going back into NJ on the way, after I said yes, he said you might just as well have us ship this since in NJ if I was stopped and L.E. found the 4000 rounds of HP's, that would be 4000 counts of possession of hollow point... F&#% that!
 
bostonasphalt2 said:
In which case, how do you ahve to transport it? Jsut curious cuz Rhode island allows me to ccw so long as I am just passing through (when I go from my place to New Bedford, I cut through RI), or is that provision special to RI??
Click to expand...

I am interested in knowing more about this. I live on the border of RI and often pass through it to get to the other side of MA.

Could a lawyer jump in and talk about this?
 

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