Transporting guns in a vehicle without a trunk

[whacko]

I guess we are going to jail. How do you intend on taking me out of my truck thus not having my guns under my direct control?

I suppose I could zip tie the zippers.

Many many years ago I was crazy with worrying about going above and beyond in staying "compliant" with mass law.

On bolt action rifles I'd put the bolt in a seperate locked case from the rifle for transport.

Handguns I would put in seperate hard plastic cases and cable lock the gun through the barrel.

Pump action shotguns I'd put a cable lock through the action.....then in a locked case.


Break action shotguns id disassemble for transport.


I did all this for a 15 minutes drive to the club. One day I realized that I was spending upwards of 45 minutes to an hour just to get everything prepped for transport. f***ing stupid.

Then I read the transport laws and simplified my life. I know leaving them in a vehicle is subject to seperate storage laws. I don't leave the vehicle unattended on the way to the range or on the way to a hunting spot.

Non semi auto hunting guns now go im soft cases unloaded of course and go in the back seat of the truck. I just got back from "registering" my hunting guns for fort devens hunting season. Had to take the whole families hunting guns (6 total) to the dod police station at fort devens to have them fill out my dod personally owned fire arms card. All 6 guns went in soft cases in the back seat. Rolled right up to the police station like that .....cop came out and recorded serial numbers on each gun.....back in soft cases and back in the truck. No issues.

 

[Varmint]

We should probably ask one of our fine solons or dimples for the de facto answer since they are the ones writing these f***ed up laws. Anyway, guess I’ve been doing it wrong all these years and have been lucky. Going to range I cc one loaded firearm and the others are unloaded with trigger cable locks in the range bag in my SUV that has no trunk. If I’m not mistaken, I’m interpreting this to be wrong. So, I’ll need to buy a locking container and chain lock it to the vehicle somehow for when I’m going to the range with my mobile arsenal.

Put TSA lock on the range bag and you're good.

 

[Mountain]

A locked case is a container.

Show me the case law or MGL and I'll shut up.

 

[M1911]

Also, M1911, you used examples of traveling out of state. In those situations, the out-of-state tag is enough to attract attention.
You're on your own then.

Actually, the time I was stopped in NY State I was living there and had a NY plate.

Yes, it is good advice to drive carefully while transporting guns to the range. It is also good advice to keep them out of sight because 1) stuff happens and 2) we all screw up now and again while driving.

 

[meh]

Many many years ago I was crazy with worrying about going above and beyond in staying "compliant" with mass law.

And there's not only what you went on to say, there's the demonstrable fact that when they want to jack you up over some technicality, they will jack you up, even if there is abundant evidence that you were trying to do "the right thing", albeit with imperfect knowledge of what the law requires.