FAQ: Interstate Transportation of Firearms

[V65Magnafan]

Originally Posted by Torontogunguy

I often hear rumours online of the lack of humour of NYS police, etc. regarding transportation under Federal law but have yet to hear anything firsthand or bump into anyone who has been hassled.

So, who knows?

Food for thought?

I also travel extensively in The US.

The last time I crossed, at Fort Erie on the way to Pa., the border guy took my passport card, carry permits and me, into the office for a secondary inspection. For some reason, they wanted to check my reciprocities. I wasn't going to argue with them. He then checked my trunk set-up. He told me privately that he is totally in favor of concealed carry and civilian self-defense, but they have tightened up at the border. I asked him if the same thing will happen the next time I cross and he said, yes.

I travel with a binder containing my Canadian papers, a letter from the ATF stating that Americans do not need a Form 6NIA, and a contact number with a NYS Trooper, Batavia--verifying conformance with Title 18. I haven't had to use it.

But, as you say, who knows? These are strange times.

[PocketProtector]

Read through this thread, now looking for any personal experiences. I am heading to New Hampshire for a few days and of course must travel through NY..aka...NewYorkistan.....with or without??

[Torontogunguy]

Originally Posted by V65Magnafan

I also travel extensively in The US.

The last time I crossed, at Fort Erie on the way to Pa., the border guy took my passport card, carry permits and me, into the office for a secondary inspection. For some reason, they wanted to check my reciprocities. I wasn't going to argue with them. He then checked my trunk set-up. He told me privately that he is totally in favor of concealed carry and civilian self-defense, but they have tightened up at the border. I asked him if the same thing will happen the next time I cross and he said, yes.

I travel with a binder containing my Canadian papers, a letter from the ATF stating that Americans do not need a Form 6NIA, and a contact number with a NYS Trooper, Batavia--verifying conformance with Title 18. I haven't had to use it.

But, as you say, who knows? These are strange times.

I have never been hassled whatsoever in either direction; of course I also carry a US Passport and permits... and a binder filled with documentation available online. I carry all of the above mentioned copies as well and we drive SUV's without a trunk. We stopped at Harbour Freight and bought two small heavy duty safes for $50 each and carry those either bolted down or chained down in the rearmost portion of the vans; keep unloaded firearms without mags in them in one and ammo including loaded up mags in the other. Seems to please them at the NY border. We have driven through NYS many, many times without hassle - of course, it's best NOT to be stopped so make sure that all of your bulbs are working and that you are driving at the speed limit and not weaving, etc.

I seriously doubt that you will have a hassle. Just be sure that ANY states that you are not licensed for are known and that you remove discretely and lock up your handgun and ammo SEPERATELY before entering the state in a discrete location (like the far corner of a rest stop). We have one of those grocery bag replacements in jet black that does the job so we don't have to unholster in plain sight or risk shooting ourselves in our leg in the car.

Good luck.

[V65Magnafan]

Originally Posted by PocketProtector

Read through this thread, now looking for any personal experiences. I am heading to New Hampshire for a few days and of course must travel through NY..aka...NewYorkistan.....with or without??

+1 What Torontoguy said.

And this: Since my NYS travel is normally through the NYSP Batavia Detachment, I have a phone number to the desk of their "firearms expert", who will state (I hope.) that they follow the federal code.

If you don't speed, don't bring attention to yourself and lock stuff down and take the most reasonable direct route with reasonable stops along the way, as recommended, you should be fine.

But I'm not a lawyer. Still, I would not hesitate to travel through NYS in that manner. If I were in NYC for more than a day, I would visit my local police precinct and ask them to store my stuff while I'm in the city.

[PocketProtector]

I have a Chevy Avalanche and it has 2 locked compartments,inaccessible from the inside, 1 on each side in the back. Ammo in 1, gun in the other.....that ok?

[V65Magnafan]

Originally Posted by PocketProtector

I have a Chevy Avalanche and it has 2 locked compartments,inaccessible from the inside, 1 on each side in the back. Ammo in 1, gun in the other.....that ok?

Here's the relevant law:

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.


I overdo it. Locked trunk. Locked gunbox. Locked ammo box. Trigger locks. No mags with guns--mags locked with ammo. However, I do keep loaded mags in the locked ammo box.

BTW, if you use combination trigger locks, don't forget to flip the numbers. You don't want your combination showing. Then, they aren't locked.

If you overdo it with the lock safety stuff, the PTB are less likely to make a stink, in my opinion, because, then, they know that you know, that they know, that you know....etc.

[rmarkob]

This letter http://www.nraila.org/images/DOJltrTSA.pdf addresses the New York State airport question.