what are my limits with a shotgun?

[Fredstar]

Hey again everyone, just picked up my mossy 500, and i was wondering if it was "legal" to carry my shotgun in the trunk of my car. For starters, i am 19, never been convicted of any of my mistakes, thank jesus, i have a clean record, and oviously i live in the wonderful state of Pennsylvania. What are my limits to carrying my shotgun? i mainly want to know how is it that i go about transportation.

[bigjrk]

I carry my shotguns in the back seat of the truck all the time. LEO have seen them. If you are goning hunting, practicing, or just taking them to a friends house, you should be fine. They must be unloaded. I live away from any city limits though. I don't know what is acceptable in Philly or Pitt.

[renegadephoenix]

Car/vehicle carry is the same throughout the state, shotgun must be in a sealed case and ammo must be in a separate sealed case. if you have a tactical shooting bag that has the gun in one compartment and the ammo in another, that is legal.

[Emptymag]

Car/vehicle carry is the same throughout the state, shotgun must be in a sealed case and ammo must be in a separate sealed case. if you have a tactical shooting bag that has the gun in one compartment and the ammo in another, that is legal.

"Sealed" case?
I'm assuming you meant "closed", but even so, does it truly have to be IN a case at all?

That would mean gun racks in the the back window of a pickup truck are a violation of law.

I don't follow these things closely as I only transport long guns to the range, and they are generally in a case (unloaded) simply to protect them from scratches, with the ammo stored separately in a range bag.

[knight0334]

If the shotgun doesn't use a detachable magazine, it only need be unloaded. Only loaded magazines for a corresponding gun need to be in a separate container. Shell for your typical tubular mag pump/semi shotguns, or double/single barrel shotties can be carried anywhere including ON the gun.

No license is needed to transport an unloaded long gun(shotgun/rifle) in a vehicle, or carry openly or concealed while loaded - EXCEPT, in a City of the First Class(Philly), or during a declared state of emergency.

At no time are you allowed to have a loaded long gun in a vehicle unless you are a LEO, in active performance of your duties as military personnel, or as some sort of armed guard/security/etc while in performance of your duties.

[tl_3237]

Under the GFSZA (18 USC 922(q)) longarms must be: "(I) not loaded; and
(II) in a locked container, or a locked firearms rack that is on a motor vehicle" when in a school zone (ie 1000 feet from school grounds).

[Fredstar]

Under the GFSZA (18 USC 922(q)) longarms must be: "(I) not loaded; and
(II) in a locked container, or a locked firearms rack that is on a motor vehicle" when in a school zone (ie 1000 feet from school grounds).

This pretty much sums it up, due to the fact that i live in Lancaster City, and theres a school every 1000 ft in all directions. My whole city is a school zone. Thanks for the info.
1. Longarms must be unloaded, and locked in a safe while trasporting through school zones.
2. Longarms can be in a vehicle as long as its visible meaning a police officer can see it when he aproaches your vehicle, and unloaded. ( Backseat is fine, as long as your windows arent illegaly tinted.) < these are somethings me and a bud found while doing a little research, just some main rules of thumb. All in all, im going to just transport my shotgun in its lockable case, just so theres no confusion. thanks again.

[Hawk]

Under the GFSZA (18 USC 922(q)) longarms must be: "(I) not loaded; and
(II) in a locked container, or a locked firearms rack that is on a motor vehicle" when in a school zone (ie 1000 feet from school grounds).

Does the interpretation of this law mean when parked in a school zone or traveling through a school zone? I'm pretty sure if it's the latter many people unknowingly violate this law everyday.

This pretty much sums it up, due to the fact that i live in Lancaster City, and theres a school every 1000 ft in all directions. My whole city is a school zone. Thanks for the info.
1. Longarms must be unloaded, and locked in a safe while trasporting through school zones.
2. Longarms can be in a vehicle as long as its visible meaning a police officer can see it when he aproaches your vehicle, and unloaded. ( Backseat is fine, as long as your windows arent illegaly tinted.) < these are somethings me and a bud found while doing a little research, just some main rules of thumb. All in all, im going to just transport my shotgun in its lockable case, just so theres no confusion. thanks again.

Never heard of this as a legal requirement in PA?

[tl_3237]

Does the interpretation of this law mean when parked in a school zone or traveling through a school zone? I'm pretty sure if it's the latter many people unknowingly violate this law everyday.

The Federal law applies to firearm possession. You'd be in violation anytime you enter into the 1000 feet buffer zone regardless of whether you were going through or intending to park therein.

18 USC 922(q)(2)
(A) It shall be unlawful for any individual knowingly to possess a firearm that has moved in or that otherwise affects interstate or foreign commerce at a place that the individual knows, or has reasonable cause to believe, is a school zone.

Understand that this law is rarely, if ever, enforced unless there is some other primary charge. Its basically a 'pile on' type charge that the Feds might use for leverage.

Nonetheless, it should be recognized that lax enforcement does not make it any the less illegal.

There are exemptions to the statute. Most notable is (iii):

(B) Subparagraph (A) does not apply to the possession of a firearm—

(i) on private property not part of school grounds;
(ii) if the individual possessing the firearm is licensed to do so by the State in which the school zone is located or a political subdivision of the State, and the law of the State or political subdivision requires that, before an individual obtains such a license, the law enforcement authorities of the State or political subdivision verify that the individual is qualified under law to receive the license;
(iii) that is—

(I) not loaded; and
(II) in a locked container, or a locked firearms rack that is on a motor vehicle;

(iv) by an individual for use in a program approved by a school in the school zone;
(v) by an individual in accordance with a contract entered into between a school in the school zone and the individual or an employer of the individual;
(vi) by a law enforcement officer acting in his or her official capacity; or
(vii) that is unloaded and is possessed by an individual while traversing school premises for the purpose of gaining access to public or private lands open to hunting, if the entry on school premises is authorized by school authorities.

[jcabin]

Under the GFSZA (18 USC 922(q)) longarms must be: "(I) not loaded; and
(II) in a locked container, or a locked firearms rack that is on a motor vehicle" when in a school zone (ie 1000 feet from school grounds).

Ok, so we then know the laws regarding k-12. Does having an LTCF also exempt someone from this long arm statute, like it does with handguns?

Another question, what's the law regarding the 99.99% of the state that isn't school property. I don't think you need to have your long arm locked in a case or a lockable gun rack.