Traveling to NC

[teaser452]

Ok, so here is a question I want to throw out to the peanut gallery.

We've owned a house in NC for 13 years or so.

We're heading down there this week for 2 weeks.

The wife wants to bring the carry pistol. We're MA licensed folk. As I understand it, under FOPA we're fine to transport the firearm through CT, NY, NJ, MD, and NJ. in a locked case with the ammo in a locked case separately

Now, in the past, and generally, I don't bother bringing any gun. The reason being that FOPA makes the gun so inaccessible as to enfer it mute in a situation. We have access to neighbor guns while there.

But, we have had a couple of relatively hairy situations getting gas in VA and NC. Not situations that I couldn't handle by myself, but the wife is now wanting to have a handgun accessible.

So here is my question to the group. With a MA LTC unrestricted, it appears to me reading the law that I can carry concealed in VA and NC. So, my destination, my house and VA, seems to be ok for me to unpack the gun and carry it. Meaning, when we stop for gas in VA, I can uncrate the gun and the ammo and have them on me.

I'm looking for anyone to cite a law that says I can't carry in VA and NC on the way to the house.

All input appreciated.

ETA: I know soliciting legal advice on the internet is a bad idea, Let it fly guys and gals.

 

[Horrible]

Gun in trunk in locked case and separate locked case for ammo through the commie states.

Best route is 84 to Scranton to 81. This way you spend a little over an hour in NYS and skip NJ entirely.

Note that JHP ammo is illegal in Chrispy Creme's paradise of NJ.

 

[Glock-Girl]

Do you have your Utah non resident firearms license? If you have that, then you are covered in VA and North Carolina. If you don't have it, it may be worth taking the class and getting if you make this trip often enough. Utah LTC is valid in 30 states.

Nothing that I have read states that VA recognizes a MA LTC. Not sure about NC.

 

[Horrible]

Do you have your Utah non resident firearms license? If you have that, then you are covered in VA and North Carolina. If you don't have it, may be worth taking the class and getting if you make this trip often. It's valid 30 states.

Correct and totally agree. Then you can holster up once you get into WVA (aka clear MD) on 81

 

[rivet_42]

Note that JHP ammo is illegal in Chrispy Creme's paradise of NJ.

Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice.

As a blanket statement, that is not correct. It is legal in NJ to buy HP ammo, to keep it in your house, to bring it home from the store, and to transport it to places where it's legal to use it, e.g. hunting, or to a target range for competition or practice. However, it would appear to me that the scenario of traveling *through* the state of NJ with HP ammo locked in the trunk is not one of the scenarios under which one is permitted to possess such ammo, at least not according to NJ state law.

http://www.njsp.org/firearms/transport-hollowpoint.shtml

It's commonly asserted that "NJ ignores FOPA", however:

1. Revell v. Port Authority involved Port Authority of NY & NJ police, not NJ State Police or a town or county police agency. PANY/NJ are an entity unto themselves, charged solely with policing the 3 NYC area commercial airports and the bridges and tunnels that connect NYC and NJ. They're well-known for ignoring FOPA. However you are unlikely to encounter PANY/NJ police if you are not flying and if you route around NYC.
2. There's the case of the guy who was driving through NJ and was accosted by the police while napping in his SUV in a bank parking lot, and was subsequently busted with a bunch of guns. Those guns were not being transported in accordance with FOPA because the cases weren't locked. Did it suck that he got jammed up on a bunch of malum prohibitum nonsense without any other evidence of evil intent? Yes, it does. But the fact remains that he was noncompliant with the law as written.

Make your own judgments about whether you want to drive through NJ with firearms and rely on FOPA to protect you. I personally would route around NJ if I could, however, if you choose to drive through I'd make extra-careful that all the "i"s were dotted and all the "t"s were crossed as far as FOPA compliance goes.

 

[edmxz2002]

If you can stop in PA. And get the LTC there you will be legal in VA. and NC. One of them does not recognize MA. I don't have time to look it up but that is why I got it. I travel to VA. And NC. often.

 

[CobaltBlueSteel]

Gun in trunk in locked case and separate locked case for ammo through the commie states.

Best route is 84 to Scranton to 81. This way you spend a little over an hour in NYS and skip NJ entirely.

Note that JHP ammo is illegal in Chrispy Creme's paradise of NJ.

That's how I go to NC at least twice per year.

Also you're in Maryland for only a half hour.

Definitely recommend this route. Takes me about 11.5 to 12 hours, Blackstone to Greensboro.

 

[scatter]

NC recognizes permits issued in any other state, as of 2011. That's according to the NC .gov website.

VA does NOT recognize your MA permit. That's according to the VA .gov website.

Like others said, you really need a UT non-res. Check this out to see what the various permits will get you: http://www.usacarry.com/concealed_carry_permit_reciprocity_maps.html

 

[snubnose]

We travel through NC/Sc several times per year-the two documents that are at the top of our list to make certain we have is a copy of our auto insurance policy AND a notarized statement of insurance, with limits, from our agent. We generally take the back roads worth it for us to avoid DC but with all that is going on lately perhaps 95 might be worth the aggravation, undecided-as for traveling down there with handguns under the circumstances posted-no-pepper spray, all the time.

We can count on being followed/paced by a leo, usually Deputy Sheriff on the back roads, at least once down and back, have a homemade sticker in the back window that says; We hate Massachusetts also....

 

[Horrible]

Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice.

As a blanket statement, that is not correct. It is legal in NJ to buy HP ammo, to keep it in your house, to bring it home from the store, and to transport it to places where it's legal to use it, e.g. hunting, or to a target range for competition or practice. However, it would appear to me that the scenario of traveling *through* the state of NJ with HP ammo locked in the trunk is not one of the scenarios under which one is permitted to possess such ammo, at least not according to NJ state law.

http://www.njsp.org/firearms/transport-hollowpoint.shtml

It's commonly asserted that "NJ ignores FOPA", however:

1. Revell v. Port Authority involved Port Authority of NY & NJ police, not NJ State Police or a town or county police agency. PANY/NJ are an entity unto themselves, charged solely with policing the 3 NYC area commercial airports and the bridges and tunnels that connect NYC and NJ. They're well-known for ignoring FOPA. However you are unlikely to encounter PANY/NJ police if you are not flying and if you route around NYC.
2. There's the case of the guy who was driving through NJ and was accosted by the police while napping in his SUV in a bank parking lot, and was subsequently busted with a bunch of guns. Those guns were not being transported in accordance with FOPA because the cases weren't locked. Did it suck that he got jammed up on a bunch of malum prohibitum nonsense without any other evidence of evil intent? Yes, it does. But the fact remains that he was noncompliant with the law as written.

Make your own judgments about whether you want to drive through NJ with firearms and rely on FOPA to protect you. I personally would route around NJ if I could, however, if you choose to drive through I'd make extra-careful that all the "i"s were dotted and all the "t"s were crossed as far as FOPA compliance goes.

Great info here. Thank you for posting. The 84 to 81 route avoids NJ (barely as you can actually see NJ on the other side of the river at one point!)

- - - Updated - - -

That's how I go to NC at least twice per year.

Also you're in Maryland for only a half hour.

Definitely recommend this route. Takes me about 11.5 to 12 hours, Blackstone to Greensboro.

Beautiful drive though the mountains of VA as well!

 

[CobaltBlueSteel]

Beautiful drive though the mountains of VA as well!

Definitely. Some of those Pennsylvania views are amazing too. It's a much better route South than taking 95. More scenic, it's timely, less traffic, less cops.

 

[drgrant]

Get gas somewhere else? Lol

 

[CobaltBlueSteel]

Sorry, just noticed this in the OP about NC carry...

I'm looking for anyone to cite a law that says I can't carry in VA and NC on the way to the house.

Here's a *.gov citation to ease your concern...

"Effective December 1, 2011, North Carolina automatically recognizes concealed carry permits issued in any other state.

Out-of-state permit holders should familiarize themselves with North Carolina’s laws."

See this link...
http://www.ncdoj.gov/getdoc/19be6294-bfbf-4875-bbef-ac2ebb6f47b2/Concealed-Weapon-Reciprocity.aspx

 

[Racenet]

Note that JHP ammo is illegal in Chrispy Creme's paradise of NJ.

You are wrong. This is incorrect.

 

[scatter]

Sorry, just noticed this in the OP about NC carry...



Here's a *.gov citation to ease your concern...

"Effective December 1, 2011, North Carolina automatically recognizes concealed carry permits issued in any other state.

Out-of-state permit holders should familiarize themselves with North Carolina’s laws."

See this link...
http://www.ncdoj.gov/getdoc/19be6294-bfbf-4875-bbef-ac2ebb6f47b2/Concealed-Weapon-Reciprocity.aspx

Yes. But the problem, as I pointed out earlier, is that OP thinks he is also legal to carry concealed in VA. He is not, unless he has something other than a MA resident license that he didn't mention.

 

[CobaltBlueSteel]

Yes. But the problem, as I pointed out earlier, is that OP thinks he is also legal to carry concealed in VA. He is not, unless he has something other than a MA resident license that he didn't mention.

Kind of surprised he has a home in NC and doesn't know at least the NC stuff.

 

[scatter]

Kind of surprised he has a home in NC and doesn't know at least the NC stuff.

Yeah this stuff is very important and readily available with a quick internet search of the .gov pages. But at least he is asking before he does it.

I hit the CCW reciprocity and the .gov pages every time we take a trip just to make sure nothing has changed.

 

[teaser452]

Yes. But the problem, as I pointed out earlier, is that OP thinks he is also legal to carry concealed in VA. He is not, unless he has something other than a MA resident license that he didn't mention.

Yeah, for some reason, I was thinking VA was good now. I remember there was some sort of recent news event where the attorney general of VA dropped all reciprocity, and then the VA congress and Gov passed a reciprocity for every state. I was wrong apparently. So, no go in VA with a MA license.

Kind of surprised he has a home in NC and doesn't know at least the NC stuff.

I know the NC stuff fairly well (The where and when you can carry is still a bit of a mystery to me, strange state). Thing is, we just lounge around on the beach when we go down. Shot a few guns on a friend's farm a few times, but I've never really thought of bringing a gun or buying a rifle down there. We rent the house out during the summer and sometimes long term over the winter, so I'm really not comfortable leaving a gun locked up in a locked closet. Hell, we had a 100 pound tv 50 inch TV stolen on week a couple of years ago. (I was actually glad, because that was a mother lover getting up 2 flights of stairs.

Yeah this stuff is very important and readily available with a quick internet search of the .gov pages. But at least he is asking before he does it.

I hit the CCW reciprocity and the .gov pages every time we take a trip just to make sure nothing has changed.

Yup, better safe than sorry. Usually someone will post a decent piece of info I hadn't thought of. I'm a big fan of Murphy and his Law. We've never ever gotten stopped in well over 50 trips back and forth. This would be the one time.

Not to derail my own thread, but what does a guy from Maine do when they have constitutional carry. No licenses issued, because, well, Constitution. Can a Mainiac carry in NC?

ETA: yeah, my google fu has been bad recently. Here is VA: MA is not recognized by VA, because, well, we're m*******s. We deserve it.

http://www.vsp.state.va.us/Firearms_Reciprocity.shtm

Legal review conducted by the Office of the Attorney General in 2015 pursuant to § 18.2-308.014 of the Code of Virginia identified several jurisdictions that currently fail to meet the statutory requirements for recognition of the concealed carry permits they issue
In response to this review, the Governor and Attorney General, working with the General Assembly, have reached a bi-partisan legislative solution to ensure the continued recognition of concealed carry permits.

 

[CobaltBlueSteel]

I know the NC stuff fairly well (The where and when you can carry is still a bit of a mystery to me, strange state). Thing is, we just lounge around on the beach when we go down. Shot a few guns on a friend's farm a few times, but I've never really thought of bringing a gun or buying a rifle down there. We rent the house out during the summer and sometimes long term over the winter, so I'm really not comfortable leaving a gun locked up in a locked closet. Hell, we had a 100 pound tv 50 inch TV stolen on week a couple of years ago. (I was actually glad, because that was a mother lover getting up 2 flights of stairs.



Yup, better safe than sorry. Usually someone will post a decent piece of info I hadn't thought of. I'm a big fan of Murphy and his Law. We've never ever gotten stopped in well over 50 trips back and forth. This would be the one time.

Not to derail my own thread, but what does a guy from Maine do when they have constitutional carry. No licenses issued, because, well, Constitution. Can a Mainiac carry in NC?

Basically federal buildings, schools, courts, and places that have prohibitive signage. That last one 1) it's legally binding signage, but 2) I have yet to see a single sign down there in all my travels everywhere between Ashville to Sunset Beach.

But watch out for the alcohol bit. Can't drink while carrying. That was a recent change a few years ago (better trade off though than not being able to carry anywhere that served alcohol as a default).

If you're from a place that has Constitutional CCW, you'd show your driver's license instead of your permit.

 

[AHM]

... Not to derail my own thread, but what does a guy from Maine do when they have constitutional carry. No licenses issued, because, well, Constitution. Can a Mainiac carry in NC? ...

... If you're from a place that has Constitutional CCW, you'd show your driver's license instead of your permit.

The fact that Maine (mostly) doesn't require permits
doesn't prevent a Mainiac from getting a Maine permit:

MSP: Concealed Handgun Permits

 

[rivet_42]

The fact that Maine (mostly) doesn't require permits
doesn't prevent a Mainiac from getting a Maine permit:

MSP: Concealed Handgun Permits

Out-of-state recognition is probably one of the biggest reasons to get a license, if possible, even if you're from a con-carry state. "I have a license that your state recognizes" probably settles things with law enforcement a lot quicker than trying to explain "I'm a Maine resident and can carry in your state on my Maine D/L."

 

[Spanz]

Best route is 84 to Scranton to 81 (in PA). This way you spend a little over an hour in NYS and skip NJ entirely.
.

^Truth Words^

And do NOT stop in NY for gas or food! Plan ahead.