Non-Res staying in CT question

[seth72]

Can a non-resident stay in a CT hotel and bring their pistol?

 

[dcmdon]

CT law allows you to keep a handgun in your residence without a permit. It also allows you to transport your handgun to your residence.

The question then becomes, "is the hotel your residence". If you rent by the month or week and stay full time, one could make that argument. But its definitely a stretch.

Don't confuse residence with domicile. You can have multiple residences, but only one domicile. So if you owned a home in MA, but rented an appartment in CT for business you could keep a gun there.

So, lets assume the hotel is not a residence. What are the scenarios where it would be legal

1) you were attending a shooting match in CT - CT law has this specific exclusion. (Google CGS 53-206)

2) if you were staying at a hotel while passing through CT on your way from somewhere where you could legally keep the gun, to somewhere where you could legally keep your gun. For example, you live in New Hampshire, but are going to visit someone in FL and have a FL pistol permit. Then staying at a hotel in CT would be legal. Actually staying at a hotel anywhere along your driving route would be legal. (Google FOPA Safe passage, for details)

Don
p.s. give some more specifics and I can help get a better answer.

p.p.s. Remember, that in CT no permit or authorization is required to own a handgun, ammunition, or high cap magazines. The law is purely around being out of your residence with those items)

 

[seth72]

Thanks for the great reply. The situation would be say the person is going to CT on a business trip for a couple of days and the person wants to keep a gun in the hotel and locked in their vehicle during the day while traveling to and from the business meeting. Would that be legal?

 

[dcmdon]

Absolutely not legal, on a bunch of levels.

You need a pp to have a handgun other than the exclusions in the statute I gave you. Some of the exclusions are pretty broad like residence or place of business. But no exclusion for hotel and you are definitely not allowed to carry in the car without a permit, even if its unloaded and locked.

Do

 

[drgrant]

In CT you need a permit to be "usable with a handgun". Not much different than MA in that respect, except that CT has more exceptions and exemptions (and no AWB limit on mags, IIRC).

-Mike

 

[dcmdon]

I don't know what "usable with a handgun" means.

But CT is definitely much more handgun friendly than MA.

No permit or registration required to:
1) posses a handgun
2) buy ammunition
3) posses a magazine of any size.

No registration or permits required for possession.

Also, we only have one permit. Its called a "Permit to carry pistols and revolvers". It allows you to carry a handgun pretty much anywhere, any time.
(notable exceptions are no schools and nowhere the legislature is meeting)
You can carry in bars and restaurants.
You can even drink. You just can't be "impaired".

Exemptions allow you to carry in the home, at your place of work (it must be your business), to the place of purchase or sale, to a gunsmith for repair without a permit.

You now need either a pistol permit or an eligibility certificate to BUY a gun in CT. So its kindof a requirement. But not really. It means that if you move into the state with handguns you need not do anything to be legal. Just don't leave the house with a handgun.

Don

 

[seth72]

Okay, so that pretty much sums it up. Looks like one would need a permit in order to be able to do what I described.

 

[dcmdon]

correct

 

[DUSTYDOG]

Being a Mass LTC resident can you travel to CT . to a range to just shoot with a friend or does it have to be a match such as the Ct State IDPA match i shot this past year ? Also can it be carried and loaded or does it need to be lock in a case ?

 

[GSG]

In CT you need a permit to be "usable with a handgun". Not much different than MA in that respect, except that CT has more exceptions and exemptions (and no AWB limit on mags, IIRC).

-Mike

And no one will take the guns out of your house if you're found "unsuitable" for an LTC, or if you let it expire. You can also read all of their gun laws in 15-20 minutes.

Being a Mass LTC resident can you travel to CT . to a range to just shoot with a friend or does it have to be a match such as the Ct State IDPA match i shot this past year ? Also can it be carried and loaded or does it need to be lock in a case ?

It has to be formalized training, competition or a meeting of a collector's group. Range visits alone aren't covered. The gun must be unloaded and not readily accessible in the vehicle.

http://www.cga.ct.gov/2009/pub/chap529.htm#Sec29-35.htm

Sec. 29-35. Carrying of pistol or revolver without permit prohibited. Exceptions. (a) No person shall carry any pistol or revolver upon his or her person, except when such person is within the dwelling house or place of business of such person, without a permit to carry the same issued as provided in section 29-28. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to the carrying of any pistol or revolver by any parole officer or peace officer of this state, or parole officer or peace officer of any other state while engaged in the pursuit of official duties, or federal marshal or federal law enforcement agent, or to any member of the armed forces of the United States, as defined in section 27-103, or of this state, as defined in section 27-2, when on duty or going to or from duty, or to any member of any military organization when on parade or when going to or from any place of assembly, or to the transportation of pistols or revolvers as merchandise, or to any person transporting any pistol or revolver while contained in the package in which it was originally wrapped at the time of sale and while transporting the same from the place of sale to the purchaser's residence or place of business, or to any person removing such person's household goods or effects from one place to another, or to any person while transporting any such pistol or revolver from such person's place of residence or business to a place or individual where or by whom such pistol or revolver is to be repaired or while returning to such person's place of residence or business after the same has been repaired, or to any person transporting a pistol or revolver in or through the state for the purpose of taking part in competitions, taking part in formal pistol or revolver training, repairing such pistol or revolver or attending any meeting or exhibition of an organized collectors' group if such person is a bona fide resident of the United States and is permitted to possess and carry a pistol or revolver in the state or subdivision of the United States in which such person resides, or to any person transporting a pistol or revolver to and from a testing range at the request of the issuing authority, or to any person transporting an antique pistol or revolver, as defined in section 29-33. For the purposes of this subsection, "formal pistol or revolver training" means pistol or revolver training at a locally approved or permitted firing range or training facility, and "transporting a pistol or revolver" means transporting a pistol or revolver that is unloaded and, if such pistol or revolver is being transported in a motor vehicle, is not readily accessible or directly accessible from the passenger compartment of the vehicle or, if such pistol or revolver is being transported in a motor vehicle that does not have a compartment separate from the passenger compartment, such pistol or revolver shall be contained in a locked container other than the glove compartment or console. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the carrying of a pistol or revolver during formal pistol or revolver training or repair.

(b) The holder of a permit issued pursuant to section 29-28 shall carry such permit upon one's person while carrying such pistol or revolver.

This only applies to handguns, long guns can be brought in to CT just to take to the range.

 

[dcmdon]

GSG,
You got it all right until the end. Your last comment:

This only applies to handguns, long guns can be brought in to CT just to take to the range.

kindof a bit off. I think I know what you meant, but I just wanted to clarify.

Long guns can be brought into CT for any reason you desire. There are no requirements to own a long gun, as long as you aren't a prohibited person by ATF regs.

There are no additional restrictions placed on an out-of-stater. You can do anything that a CT resident can do as far as long guns are concerned. No restrictions, no licensing, no registration, just bring it in and be safe.
It can be in the car with you as long as its not loaded. i.e. it could be sitting on the passenger seat, with a loaded 30 round mag right next to it: totally legal.

The one thing to be aware of in CT is our AWB. It prohibits certain semi-autos by name and others by evil features. Familiarize yourself with it.
No mag capacity limits either.

Don

 

[GSG]

Good point on the AWB. No offense taken, I welcome correction and improvement on my legal theory.

 

[seth72]

Oh, so a non resident could bring a shotgun or a rifle and be fine to keep it in the hotel or vehicle?

 

[dcmdon]

Oh, so a non resident could bring a shotgun or a rifle and be fine to keep it in the hotel or vehicle?

Absolutely. The biggest thing to remember is that it needs to be unloaded when you are traveling with it in a car or on an ATV or Snowmobile. But again, it doesn't need to be in the trunk or in a case or anything like that.

 

[GSG]

Oh, so a non resident could bring a shotgun or a rifle and be fine to keep it in the hotel or vehicle?

Yes, as long as it doesn't violate the CT Assault Weapons Ban (which is different from the one in Mass.).