Transporting a cache of guns across state lines?
 

A friend has inherited a gun collection in working condition and she wants to take them from Tennessee to Florida in the trunk of her car.

I think she should check this out before she goes ahead with this, sounds like it could be illegal?

There are some north-eastern states with very strict gun laws, and there are types of guns that are illegal (like some fully automatic weapons etc) but if they are just 'normal' guns and they are driving straight from Tennessee to Florida thru good-ole boy country there should be no problem at all.

Thanks Bill. I was wondering if she puts them in her car trunk if they would be considered concealed weapons.

http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/1...6---A000-.html

§ 926A. Interstate transportation of firearms

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 might be better:
http://www.nraila.org/GunLaws/Federal/Read.aspx?id=59

wliwl, thank you very much for the link--I was in need of this information as well.

It's only ok if you're smuggling drugs

Yes, thank you. She is a young woman and I would hate to think if she were pulled over in a traffic stop with a trunk full of guns what could happen. I will send her the links.

So here's a thought - while transporting firearms may be perfectly legal, if she's pulled over and a large number of firearms are in her trunk, that could look suspicious and cause a problem for her. Maybe it would be prudent for her to call the state police in each of the states she'll be driving through, explain her situation, and ask for advice - and ask that her call be logged. That way, if she were to run into trouble, there would be a record of her request that would show her intentions are on the up-and-up. Maybe that's not necessary, but it could be good insurance.

This is one of my favorite unintentionally funny topic titles yet.

Good idea, thanks.

Glad you like my title, it does sound dramatic I guess!

Hi SeaUrchin, I just got home and while having some water clicked on the US Forum. The title of this thread caught my eye and when I saw it was your thread for a second I thought "oh my, what is SeaUrchin planning", lol.

Reading your post I understand your concern of course. I would be concerned also about this young lady. I don't know the laws etc. I am just wondering if they could be shipped or does UPS or FedEx ship guns?

I was just thinking that I sure would be feeling unlucky if someone left me a bunch of guns in their will. LOL. I'd trade them in on one of those urban gun collection programs for a grocery store gift card.

Notwithstanding <b>any other provision of any law</b> or any rule or regulation <b>of a State</b> or any political subdivision thereof...

sounds like THIS might be the thing to be concerned about, if at all, but given the circumstances and the territory involved, not to mention the law enforcement officer outlook there...probably not an issue

The first thing I thought was that we had terrorists lurking on Fodors...or at least a small state militia...lol

I believe concealed guns are legal throughout the South. In Virginia, even loaded concealed guns are OK, even in public buildings (except courthouses). Your friend should be fine.

Doesn't she have to have permits for all of the guns she will be carrying &quot;concealed?&quot;

I have a gun in my glovebox and I know in Alabama you have to have a permit (renewable annually) for it to be legal.

bardo:
In Virginia you have to have a permit for concealed carry. open carry is legal as long as your firearms are legal.

FYI, Virginia State police has a website that answers this very question for VA:
http://www.vsp.state.va.us/Firearms_Transporting.shtm

This isn't really on topic but when I saw the title, it prompted a memory. When I was in college visiting a friend in another city, my mother asked me to stop at a local kosher butcher and pick up an individually wrapped side of beef, to avoid transportation costs. I said sure, it would be no trouble. A side of beef is easily 250-300 lbs and it was a LOT of meat, which we loaded in the trunk, along with quite a few bags of ice. During the 150 mile trip home on the interstate, I blew out a tire and had a scary time pulling the car over. Being a young woman during the 1970's, I never bothered to learn how to change a tire. A state trooper pulled up and offered to help, but he had to unload all the meat to get at the spare tire. I stood next to the car, he unloaded the meat, and went back to his cruiser. I heard him radioing someone asking whether there had been any reports of butcher or grocery store robberies where someone had gotten away with a whole cow! I didn't know whether to laugh or get scared. He did finally change the tire, but kept looking at me like I was Bonnie Parker (of Bonnie &amp; Clyde fame).

You should definitely investigate the state laws where you will be traveling. Your friend may have a much worse situation than what happened to me. Good Luck!