Transportation of firearms

[Steve in PA]

While double checking on something for another post I discover there has been a change to the way firearms are to be transported.

We know the way the old exception law was written, "firearm unloaded and the ammo stored in a seperate container".

I just checked a 2006 version and my current 2007 version of the PA Crimes Code, specifically the UFA and both are worded exacly the same. The change apparently took place at the end of 2005.

(b) Exception- The provisions of subsection (a) shall not apply to:

(4) Any persons engaged in target shooting with a firearm, if such persons are at or are going to or from their places of assembly or target practice and if, while going to or from their places of assembly or target practice, the firearm is unloaded.

(e) Definitions-

(1) for purposes of subsection (b)(3), (4), (5), (7) and (8), the term "firearm" shall include any weapon which is designed to or may readily be converted to expel any projectile by the action of an explosive or the frame or the receiver of the weapon.

So............they removed the requirement to seperate the ammo from the unloaded handgun, rifle or shotgun.

[MarcS]

what is considered unloaded? Most likely to be considered unloaded the ammunition must be seperate.

[KeithPA]

Whatever year this is http://www.acslpa.org/pa_uniform_firearms_act.htm

Does not contain the definitions, which means a firearm to the same as what you can carry with your permit, so therefore a rifle and shotgun (normal length) wouldn't be "firearms" and such fall into the other weapons §6106.1. Carrying Loaded Weapons Other Than Firearms. which does not list the requirement for case and seperate ammo container

The old one only related to handguns being in a container, not rifles and shotguns because they weren't "firearms"

(at least thats how i'm reading it)

[KeithPA]

what is considered unloaded? Most likely to be considered unloaded the ammunition must be seperate.

§61O2. Definitions.

“Loaded.” A firearm is loaded if the firing chamber, the non-detachable magazine, or in the case of a revolver, any of the chambers of the cylinder, contain ammunition capable of being fired. In the case of a firearm which utilizes a detachable magazine, the term shall mean a magazine suitable for use in said firearm which magazine contains such ammunition and has been inserted in the firearm or is in the same container or, where the container has multiple compartments, the same compartment thereof as the firearm.


If thats still current.

Steve do you have a department copy of Title 18 stuff or did you order one? If you ordered one, how, where, when, etc

[MarcS]

So, yes, the definition of "loaded" means in the same container. Looks like they may have just removed that part from the law because it was redundant.

[Steve in PA]

I order updates to the crimes code and vehicle code ever year. I also ordered them on CD, however the CD is not compatible with Vista, which I'm running on my laptop. It does work on my desktop which is still using XP.

The definition of "loaded" stayed the same, but they remove the "seperate containers" from the (4) section. Hmmmmmm.

As usual, the way things are written doesn't make sense. Why remove rifle, pistol and revolver from the section.....substitue it with "weapon" and just say it has to be unloaded.

Oh well........probably best to stick with the old way until they either revise the definition or clarify subsection (4).

[KeithPA]

So if they add the definition of firearms to be any "true firearm" then wouldn't that make the permit valid to carry anything? Since the "weapons other than firearms" section would no longer be relevant? Or would it?

I'm confused

[Steve in PA]

No.....it is still illegal to carry anything not defined as a firearm loaded concealed on the person or inside a vehicle. Meaning you cannot carry a rifle or shotgun loaded inside a vehicle unless you fall into one of the exceptions.

The definition I posted only applies to those subsections.

[itstock]

No.....it is still illegal to carry anything not defined as a firearm loaded concealed on the person or inside a vehicle. Meaning you cannot carry a rifle or shotgun loaded inside a vehicle unless you fall into one of the exceptions.

The definition I posted only applies to those subsections.

Old thread, but I have a question regarding this....

I have an AR pistol, am I allowed to have a stowaway hidden in the car?

Thanks,
Steve

[Steve in PA]

As long as it falls under the current definition of a "firearm" a LTC would allow you to carry this weapon.