I did some searching on here and elsewhere and ended up with the answers that I needed, but I thought that quick post about the FOPA might be helpful for people (particularly with respect to the section referred to as the "safe passage" provision).
The end result of my search is that, due to FOPA, you can carry a gun through states where you are not allowed to possess this gun in order to get to your destination. This is true as long as you are allowed to possess the gun in the state where the trip originated and you are allowed to possess the gun in the state where the trip will end.
So if I'm driving to Alabama with a gun, and I have to drive through New York and New Jersey, I'm legally in the clear. I would personally keep a copy of the text of the law with me though, because I don't trust all police officers to be fully up to date on FOPA.
For those who want it, the text of the law says:
"Notwithstanding any other provision of any law or any rule or regulation of a State or any political subdivision thereof, any person who is not otherwise prohibited by this chapter from transporting, shipping, or receiving a firearm shall be entitled to transport a firearm for any lawful purpose from any place where he may lawfully possess and carry such firearm to any other place where he may lawfully possess and carry such firearm if, during such transportation the firearm is unloaded, and neither the firearm nor any ammunition being transported is readily accessible or is directly accessible from the passenger compartment of such transporting vehicle: Provided, That in the case of a vehicle without a compartment separate from the driver’s compartment the firearm or ammunition shall be contained in a locked container other than the glove compartment or console."
This can be found in Title 18, Part I, Chapter 44, Section 926A (link below)
http://uscode.house.gov/uscode-cgi/...ADJ USC):CITE AND (CHAPTER ADJ (44)):EXPCITE
The end result of my search is that, due to FOPA, you can carry a gun through states where you are not allowed to possess this gun in order to get to your destination. This is true as long as you are allowed to possess the gun in the state where the trip originated and you are allowed to possess the gun in the state where the trip will end.
So if I'm driving to Alabama with a gun, and I have to drive through New York and New Jersey, I'm legally in the clear. I would personally keep a copy of the text of the law with me though, because I don't trust all police officers to be fully up to date on FOPA.
For those who want it, the text of the law says:
"Notwithstanding any other provision of any law or any rule or regulation of a State or any political subdivision thereof, any person who is not otherwise prohibited by this chapter from transporting, shipping, or receiving a firearm shall be entitled to transport a firearm for any lawful purpose from any place where he may lawfully possess and carry such firearm to any other place where he may lawfully possess and carry such firearm if, during such transportation the firearm is unloaded, and neither the firearm nor any ammunition being transported is readily accessible or is directly accessible from the passenger compartment of such transporting vehicle: Provided, That in the case of a vehicle without a compartment separate from the driver’s compartment the firearm or ammunition shall be contained in a locked container other than the glove compartment or console."
This can be found in Title 18, Part I, Chapter 44, Section 926A (link below)
http://uscode.house.gov/uscode-cgi/...ADJ USC):CITE AND (CHAPTER ADJ (44)):EXPCITE