Have I been transporting my guns legally in my car to and from the range?

[aferr1973]

I have live in the great free state of PA now for almost 6 years. I have not applied for my LTCF yet, and I am new gun owner going on 3 months now. I know getting my LTCF will make transporting easier, but for now I will have to transport without having a LTCF. This is how I have been transporting my guns to and from the range in PA over the past few months, and I want to make sure that I have been doing it legally. I've read the PA law, but it isn't totally clear to me, and I want to be 100% sure that I'm doing this the legal way.

Pistol:
I store my unloaded pistol with the action open and no magazines inside the factory pistol case inside my trunk. The pistol case does not have a lock on it, just tabs that close the case. It is a factory Glock case. The pistol case is not stored inside my range bag.

I store my unloaded magazines and boxes of ammo inside my range bag. The range bag is also stored in my trunk next to my pistol case. The ammo is not in a locked container. The ammo is in the factory boxes. The range bag has no locks.

Rifle:
I store my unloaded rifle with the action open inside a zippered soft case. There is no ammo and magazines inside the soft case. The case is not locked.

I store my ammo and magazines inside my range bag. The range bag is also stored in my trunk next to the soft gun case. The ammo is not in a locked container. The ammo is in the factory boxes. The range bag has no locks.

Here are my questions:

What if anything am I doing wrong here and how can I correct it?
Have I been transporting my guns correctly to and from the range explained the way above?
Should I get a lock with a key for my pistol and rifle case?
Can I keep the unloaded guns and the range bag in the trunk together without the guns being in a locked case?
Can I keep the guns in the trunk in cases without locks and the range bag in the front or rear seat with the ammo in the factory boxes or do I need to keep the ammo in locked container?
Do I need to keep the ammo in a locked container with a key or can the ammo be in the factory boxes that they came from?

[Pa. Patriot]

You're fine.

No locks required. No open action required, no need to seperate magazines from guns UNLESS they (mags) contain ammo.

According to Pa law
18Pa.C.S.§6106
18Pa.C.S.§6106.1
And it's definition of "loaded": 18Pa.C.S.§6102

1) You need to transport the long arms unloaded with magazines containing ammo in a separate compartment than the long gun. A multi-compartment range bag/gun case would satisfy the "separate compartment" per case law (no citation handy)

2) Without LTCF, handguns must be treated same as above with the following addition: You must only travel directly to and from the range or other exempted location (per 6106).

Once you obtain your LTCF, or a license from any other state, you can transport the handguns (and other 6102 defined "firearms") loaded on or off your person in the vehicle and no longer need to go to/from the range only. Long guns must still be transported unloaded per 6102 explained above.


Unloaded:

"Loaded." A firearm is loaded if the firing chamber, the nondetachable 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.

[aferr1973]

Thanks PA Patriot for the quick reply and answering my concerns.

[anonymouse]

Don't make any stops on the way to or from the range though.

IANAL

Edit: DOH! Pa. Patriot already covered it.

2) Without LTCF, handguns must be treated same as above with the following addition: You must only travel directly to and from the range or other exempted location (per 6101).

But I think he has the citation wrong

18 Pa.C.S. § 6101: Short title of subchapter
This subchapter shall be known and may be cited as the Pennsylvania Uniform Firearms Act of 1995.

[Pa. Patriot]

But I think he has the citation wrong

ya...fixed

[aferr1973]

I'm planning on getting my LTCF in the very near future. It has been a busy summer and hard for me to find the time to go downtown to apply. I've been sick all this week, and I'm starting to feel a little better today, but I'm in no condition to go downtown to apply. Hopefully in early September I'll be able to take the day off and go downtown to apply.

[spacemanvic]

This is one of the reasons why I applied for my LTCF. I also want to be able to go to my inlaws and shoot at a range they have set up on their property. Im still trying to find a club nearer to my house in Somerset though. I dont care much for the public range that is set up abutting the prison.

[Nullifidian]

As far as locations you can go...

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 not loaded.


Any person while carrying a firearm which is not loaded and is in a secure wrapper from the place of purchase to his home or place of business, or to a place of repair, sale or appraisal or back to his home or place of business, or in moving from one place of abode or business to another or from his home to a vacation or recreational home or dwelling or back, or to recover stolen property under section 6111.1(b)(4) (relating to Pennsylvania State Police), or to a place of instruction intended to teach the safe handling, use or maintenance of firearms or back or to a location to which the person has been directed to relinquish firearms under 23 Pa.C.S. § 6108 (relating to relief) or back upon return of the relinquished firearm or to a licensed dealer's place of business for relinquishment pursuant to 23 Pa.C.S. § 6108.2 (relating to relinquishment for consignment sale, lawful transfer or safekeeping) or back upon return of the relinquished firearm or to a location for safekeeping pursuant to 23 Pa.C.S. § 6108.3 (relating to relinquishment to third party for safekeeping) or back upon return of the relinquished firearm.

So, the places where you can transport your gun(s) to and from without a license (all assuming it is not loaded) are:

1) target range
2) home
3) place of business
4) vacation home
5) gun store
6) gunsmith
7) gun appraiser
8) gun safety/handling class

That "place of business" one is something a lot of people forget I think.

IANAL but if I read that correctly, it means you can bring a gun to work provided it is not loaded during transportation.

[HiredGoon]

I'm planning on getting my LTCF in the very near future. It has been a busy summer and hard for me to find the time to go downtown to apply. I've been sick all this week, and I'm starting to feel a little better today, but I'm in no condition to go downtown to apply. Hopefully in early September I'll be able to take the day off and go downtown to apply.

You can get the LTCF application and instruction for your county here, to save a little time. However, don't sign it until you're in the presence of a deputy when you go into apply (from their instruction sheet).

Also, that info page says that your sheriff charges $35.00, when legally he may only charge $25.