Question regarding moving with guns

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cwood8656

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Hey all,

In a couple of months I'll be moving my household from eastern PA to the Phoenix area. Movers are taking the household stuff, my wife and I and the dog will drive in my truck. Four days of fun. I'm hoping for some wisdom from the group regarding how best to move my two S&W revolvers and my Winchester .22 rifle in a legal way. I have a CCW here in PA but have no plans to carry during the trip. I just want to get there in the safest and most legal way I can. So, how do I package my guns to take along? What about taking the ammo?

Thanks in advance for any advice you all can offer.


Chris-
 
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Chris-

I have moved 14 times in my career including an overseas stint.

For domestic moves, your carrier will not take any weapons or ammo.

So, moving them yourself in a vehicle to the new location has worked best for me; including a full cross-country move.

I'm not sure what the current rules are for FedEx or UPS.

That being said, I know that FedEx took a long gun that I sent to Midwest Gun Works for repair and was retuned to me the same way without issue.

Smith & Wesson also uses FedEx for repairs and return back to the customer.

I'm sure you'll get plenty of good advice as others read this thread.

Good luck with the move.
 
Between PA and AZ, you should be alright as long as you stay clear of Illinois. Unloaded, cased, and ammo separate, outside the drivers compartment is legal in most all other States that you would travel through, assuming that you are no way going through Jersey. Most every State maybe all of them; you would be ok carrying


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Find a FFL in Phoenix and have your local FFL send them to the Phoenix FFL when you are settled in.
With a change of address and new DL might have to do a NICS's, but better than worrying about stolen guns or obscure gun laws for 2000 miles and 4 days of motels.
 
A site called handgunlaw.us is my best source of information, including links to each state's official web sites.
You may be surprised how many states, like OK, recognize your PA carry license. I can drive from KY to AZ and carry all the way on an OK license.
 
18 U.S. Code § 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.
 
PNY UP said:
18 U.S. Code § 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.
Click to expand...

THIS /\ /\ /\

That is a direct quote from the ATF Regs: Specifically 478.38.
Pics attached of ATF Regulation Book, Page 45.
SAVE the pics. Print it. TAKE it with you.

Case them all and LOCK the cases.
Have ammo in SEPARATE containers from the guns.
 

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A couple of years ago my son and his buddy drove up to Alaska (from Oregon) to spend a couple of weeks backpacking out in BFE. I loaned them a couple of pistols and a rifle which they had Alaska Air fly to Alaska. When they got there they simply presented their ID at the terminal and picked them up. The cost was reasonable and trouble free. Oddly enough Alaska would not allow them to have the guns shipped from an FFL here to be picked up at an FFL in Alaska.
 
Last edited:
Moving

The safest and most legal way for the guns is to ask your LGS to ship them to another FFL dealer in the town you are moving to. You would have to act as go-between and, perhaps, exchange FFL copies between the two dealers, but after paying postage and probably a small fee, the shipping would be done for you.

Different states have so many different regs that you might violate laws without knowing or meaning to. Having the FFL shipping option eliminates all of your worries. As to ammo, you might pack it securely with you but remember that if you're going to be in a gun-unfriendly state, even for a "peaceable journey" through, you could potentially run into a problem if your vehicle is searched.

Imagine what it would be like for you to travel from PA to NJ with your guns and ammo; you don't want to know about that nightmare if you got pulled over.

Best of luck to you, and enjoy the rational West!

Rich
 
I left New Yorkistan with my SUV loaded with handguns and rifles. I kept to the speed limit, signaled every lane change, didn’t stop at all, and prayed all the way through NJ, and MD. :eek:
I survived 4 hours of horror but when I got to VA, my heart rate dropped back to normal. :)
 
Carry them in separate cases in the truck cab. When you go in at night they go with you. Park in plain view when in restaurants.

Out west most vehicles have a gun in them in rural areas, we don't see this as a problem.
 
PNY UP said:
18 U.S. Code § 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.
Click to expand...

Except in the People's Democratic Republics of New Jersey, New York, Illinois, California, and Maryland. Where they think they get to make up their own laws that trump Federal Law.
 
Oddly enough Alaska would not allow them to have the guns shipped from an FFL here to be picked up at an FFL in Alaska.
Click to expand...
Probably because it would not be legal for the Alaska FFL to release the guns to a non-Alaska resident....
This could also be a slight problem even in Arizona if you had them sent FFL to FFL. The Arizona FFL couldn't release them until you have established your residency in Arizona. (and have proof, like a DL, utility bills, etc.)

Someday I will tell the story of when I exited Bolling AFB, turned the wrong way out of the gate and found myself in Anacostia (Washington D.C.) with a load of rifles and handguns in the back of the truck.....:eek:
 
We had a thread like this about 15 years ago. Some poor devil here was moving and wanted to know if it was legal to drive through each state. He was shocked when he called the Kentucky State Police. The very nice man who answered their phone told him to just put them in his trunk. He told the guy everyone else here has guns in their cars, no reason he shouldn't. Pretty much the state's view on guns here.
 
Read post #15 again, then read it again.

All of the quoted text referring to Federal law and ATF directives are what your lawyer can cite in your defense after you have been arrested.

With that said -- I like the geography between PA and AZ, so you should be in good shape in free America. But when you are on foreign soil, the "Federal directives" are your affirmative defense, and if you are lucky, they apply after the fact. That's Cook County, IL or Philly or NYC/NYS, that's Baltimore, that's California. That's New Jersey. That's pitiful... that's horrendous... that's the truth.

Consider the places that call themselves "sanctuary cities" and compare how they listen to Federal law and armed with that info, consider how they might treat YOU if you pass through there.
 
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