Legality of Loaded Long Gun in Stationary Vehicle

[streaker69]

Can you legally have a loaded long gun inside a stationary vehicle, like a camper parked on private property, or property that you have permission to be upon?

[BimmerJon]

Yes, if you only have one arm

[USMC3531]

Im not sure if a camper trailer is considered a "vehicle" if its not hooked to a car/truck

[streaker69]

Im not sure if a camper trailer is considered a "vehicle" if its not hooked to a car/truck

A camper that is self powered, not a tuggable.

[knight0334]

That would be a gray area of the law.

When the "vehicle" in question isn't being used as a vehicle, the secondary purpose would likely take precedence. ....I submit for example: A 80ft mobile home. When it is being towed down the road it would be a vehicle. When detached from tractor/truck, even if still registered with plates, and not even permanently set - it cannot be a vehicle if it is used as a home.

With that above - if you detach a camper, it is no longer a vehicle since it is immobile. However, a motorhome or coach - well, they would likely still be vehicles unless you immobilize them(jack it up, use outriggers, anchor it, etc).

I don't know of anything in the laws, or court cases, the proves things either way. But if you apply the mobile home logic to it all - what I stated above would be the most plausible theory.

[USMC3531]

My GUESS is since it is a powered vehicle it falls under the same as any oyher car , truck, or tractor.

[streaker69]

But does the fact that it's currently not under operation upon the public roads coming into play at all?

[customloaded]

Many laws have no affect on private property...as like the one in question. If the vehicle is on private property, a loaded long gun would not be against the law, unless you were "Hunting" then hunting laws come into play.

Knight brought up a very good point. I know when I went through the police academy, a motorized or any type camping/living unit was considered mobile if the things he mentioned were not hooked up. Electricity, water, sewer, jacked up, detached from the towing vehicle etc...if those things were in place, the vehicle was to be treated as a "HOME." Otherwise, they were considered motor vehicles for the purpose searching, search warrants etc...

I'm not a lawyer, just throwing what little knowledge I remember out there, might not be 100% accurate or correct.

CL

[Statkowski]

Can you legally have a loaded long gun inside a stationary vehicle, like a camper parked ... ?

The applicable statute is 34 Pa.C.S. 2503:

Sec. 2503. Loaded firearms in vehicles.
(a) General rule.--Except as otherwise provided in this title, it is unlawful for any person to have a firearm of any kind in or on or against any conveyance propelled by mechanical power or its attachments at any time whether or not the vehicle or its attachment is in motion unless the firearm is unloaded.

a. Firearm must be unloaded.

b. Doesn't matter whether it's a camper or not ("vehicle or its attachment").

c. Doesn't matter whether it's moving or parked ("whether or not ... is in motion").

d. Parked campers on private property aren't listed in the exceptions.

[streaker69]

That chapter is under the Game & Wildlife code, does that still apply if you're not hunting?