Transporting a gun to RI

[JackO]

I need to take a handgun to Dave Santuri shop in Rawtacket, RI for a trigger job. Would I violate any MA or RI laws by transporting an unloaded gun in a locked box in the trunk of my car? I'm specificly concerned about crossing the state line.

P.S. I nave a MA Class A LTC with hunting, sporting and target restrictions.

 

[Len-2A Training]

Legal in MA.

No idea about RI laws. You can start by checking www.packing.org for a link to RI law.

 

[traveler57]

From the RI General Laws

From RI General Law- pertaining to Peaceable Journey


§ 11-47-8
No person shall, without a license or permit carry a pistol or revolver in any vehicle or conveyance or on or about his or her person whether visible or concealed. The provisions of the above section shall not apply to any person who is the holder of a valid license or permit issued by the licensing authority of another state, or territory of the United States, or political subdivision thereof, allowing him or her to carry a pistol or revolver in any vehicle or conveyance or on or about his or her person whether visible or concealed, provided the person is merely transporting the firearm through the state in a vehicle or other conveyance without any intent on the part of said person to detain him or herself or remain within the state of Rhode Island.


Key to your question- I've interpetted this (for myself) as you cannot "detain" yourself (stop?) in RI and can only be passing "through" RI to meet this law and be legal.

And yes, packing.org is an excellent source of information. We may not like what it tells us, but it is good. Plus, it gives you links to each states own law pages to back itself up. As as excellent as most of the members here are, I always go to the law text itself rather than just take anyone on what they say or think.

BTW- David does excellent work and a honest/friendly person.

 

[KMaurer]

While Packing.org is generally a good source of information, people need to realize that it isn't the ultimate authority. Their links to official sources are great. Their quotations of the laws and regulations are (as far as I've checked) completely accurate, although not always completely up-to-date. Their summarizations and interpretations are those of non-professional unpaid moderators, and should never be assumed to be completely accurate.

Case in point --- They list the following documents required for a Massachusetts resident LTC:
* (1) Copy of your Massachusetts Driver's License, or ID Card
* (1) Copy of your Birth Certificate or Passport
* (1) Two page application
* (2) Fingerprint cards
* (2) Photographs
* (1) $100.00 License fee
* Proof of MA residence (utility, or cable Bill)
* Proof of completing approved course in safety and use of pistols/revolvers. (NRA, Massachusetts state certified instructor)
* "Letter of good cause statement(s)" to the issuing authority if Class A "All-Lawful Purposes" is desired.

Now I've posted the Massachusetts administrator several times pointing out that most of the things on this list are not required. The only thing that has been changed as a result of my posts is the following "Admin Note":

While the Documents needed listed above may be the case in some towns, not all of them are general requirements. Local Chiefs can require anything they feel like, without regard to the actual statutory requirements. Many of the towns my students have dealt with do not require birth certificates or passports, proof of residence or a "letter of good cause statement(s)". Of course some towns require all of those, plus letters from your physician and other things, but none of them are general requirements.

For one reason or another, the admin insists on acting as if this list of things that may or may not be required is more helpful to applicants than a list of those things that are in fact actually required by law, along with a note to the effect that local licensing authorities sometimes want additional items.

It's a good place to start one's search for information about a particular state, but shouldn't be the final stop.

Ken

 

[JackO]

Guys, thanks a lot for your help.
Yes, I did go to packing.org and have read the same part of RIGL quoted above. And my reading is exactly the same: MA resident would be legal having an unloaded locked gun as long as he (she) would be "passing" through RI, not stopping there. That's what I was prepared to tell a cop if stopped. I even printed the quote from the law and had it with me. Would it help me if stopped? Maybe or maybe not.

BTW, David is a great guy, I really enjoyed talking to him.

 

[Scrivener]

"And my reading is exactly the same: MA resident would be legal having an unloaded locked gun as long as he (she) would be "passing" through RI, not stopping there."

You have ENTIRELY missed the meaning of the RI statute.

The scenario you describe is transport per FOPA and applies to ANY state, so long as the person transporting was in legal possession of the gun in the state where the trip started and would be in legal possession in the destination state.

The RI statute quoted in this thread is VERY different. Go back and actually read it. It expressly permits carrying a LOADED gun on your person, so long as the person is duly licensed by their home state AND passing through RI.

"Passing through" being the operative term!

 

[JackO]

"Passing through" being the operative term!

Scrivener, so how does "Passing through" works in my case? I'm delivering my gun to the gunsmith who resides in RI. To me it looks that RI is the destination. I'm not passing through RI to go, say, to Connecticut.
Again, I appreciate your help very much.

 

[traveler57]

from Scrivener --- You have ENTIRELY missed the meaning of the RI statute.
Go back and actually read it. It expressly permits carrying a LOADED gun on your person, so long as the person is duly licensed by their home state AND passing through RI.

Scrivener, You would think I would be used to your style by now, (BOLD, italics, and ALL CAPS) but I had to reply. READ it? I just read the paragraph I copied again, and no where in this paragraph does it say LOADED GUN. (now, you may have meant the entire RI law's full text, which I do not have. If you did, then maybe you could post it for us to read.)

But, regardless of your heartwarming writing style, you are usually right, so I do read your posts with my education in mind. So please don't stop. I fully agree with your point that this is NOT the same as Fed Peacable Journey, and I should have made my post more clear that I was only speaking as a holder of an LTC. But, yes, I too, did assume that it implied a loaded gun, since a LTC in Mass allows me to do just that, carry a loaded gun. FOPA covers you for an unloaded gun in the trunk, going through another state, without stopping.

But, my point here is that we have yet another wonderful law that is as clear as mud to us non-attorney lay people. And another perfect reason why this forum and it's members, and yes, even you Scrivener, are so useful.

 

[traveler57]

While Packing.org is generally a good source of information, people need to realize that it isn't the ultimate authority. Their links to official sources are great. Their quotations of the laws and regulations are (as far as I've checked) completely accurate, although not always completely up-to-date. Their summarizations and interpretations are those of non-professional unpaid moderators, and should never be assumed to be completely accurate.

Ken, you are exactly right, and I just did not say it as strongly as you. I always do the full research into a states laws and only use packing.org as a good starting point. I travel all the time across all 50 states, so knowing the actual law is critical. And telling a LEO somewhere that you "thought" you were legal because you read something on a web site would not be the best plan.

And, yes, in case someone asks, I have gotten my NH, ME, and UT non-resident LTC permits to help me in over half the 50 states. And FOPA covers me in "most" other states, IF I don't stop. BTW, try telling the Honolulu LEO that you are "just passing through."

And the good example is using FOPA to travel through some states with your locked, unload gun in the trunk, and is where you really need to do your full research. Some states like NY will try to say that their state law supercedes the Federal law, which I don't think is possible. (is it?) But being "right" when stopped in NY is not really going to help argue with
a NY state trooper.