Western States Travel

[past60]

We'll be traveling soon to North and South Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Utah and Wyoming and, although I will have a fulling cased and stowed .22 rifle for plinking in Washington with my relatives, I'm a little concerned about proper procedures for pistol carry. Each state is a little different and I'm especially confused about magazines and when they can or cannot have ammo in them. I have a permit to carry, but expect that I will need to unload and stow in some areas such as National Parks and Indian Reservations.

What would you guys recommend for proper handling of mags and extra ammo. I understand the Parks require mags to be separate from pistols, but do they need to be empty and locked?

Thanks!!

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[tinkerinWstuff]

Personally, I've never emptied mags. Unless I'm wrong, there's no requirement for mags to be emptied. Just, as you said, removed and seperate from the pistol.

Indian res gets tough to find info for but as long as you stay on the interstate or state highway and don't make any stops, you should be fine with state law. If you aren't aware already, try Handgunlaw.us and print out a summary of each state. If you are really concerned about it, handgunlaw gives you the links to state sites and the statute numbers so you can verify for yourself.

[JerryM]

Take a look here and see if it helps in addition to Handgun Laws.
Carry Concealed

Regards,
Jerry

[bryandval]

If you happen to be traveling through Iowa to get where your going, in Iowa a loaded magazine is considered a loaded weapon. Has to do with guys who chase coyotes with pickups, but it affects all of us.

[past60]

If you happen to be traveling through Iowa to get where your going, in Iowa a loaded magazine is considered a loaded weapon. Has to do with guys who chase coyotes with pickups, but it affects all of us.

This is the sort of situation I'm thinking about. I'm planning on avoiding Iowa by staying north through Minnesota and Wisconsin. In North Dakota, according to the "Traveler's Guide to the Firearms Laws of the Fifty States", to be unloaded, a "handgun's chamber and magazine must be void of all ammunition". There is no mention as to whether the unloaded magazine must be removed, or if the magazine is removed, it must be empty. For Washington, the book says an empty mag in the pistol is okay, but "one may have a loaded magazine nearby and still be legal", and even for Wisconsin, with no concealed carry possible, "loaded, unattached magazines may be kept anywhere".

For many other states, there is no such specific information and that's what I'm concerned about. Carryconcealed.net doesn't cover it, either so I'm thinking that, to be safe, anytime I put the pistol away, the magazine should be unloaded unless I have specific information to the contrary.

[FastDraw]

We'll be traveling soon to North and South Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Utah and Wyoming and, although I will have a fulling cased and stowed .22 rifle for plinking in Washington with my relatives, I'm a little concerned about proper procedures for pistol carry. Each state is a little different and I'm especially confused about magazines and when they can or cannot have ammo in them. I have a permit to carry, but expect that I will need to unload and stow in some areas such as National Parks and Indian Reservations.

What would you guys recommend for proper handling of mags and extra ammo. I understand the Parks require mags to be separate from pistols, but do they need to be empty and locked?

Thanks!!

Do you have a MI concealed carry permit...... (I may have missed something because I'm "past 60" also - if your screen name indicates age...). If you do you are good to go in a lot of states you mentioned. Some how you have to deal with the IL and WI wall which separates you from the west.

http://www.handgunlaw.us/states/michigan.pdf

As for the exact rules/regulations for Indian reservations and National parks I don't know............

Good luck on your trip

[KenInColo]

Many states, Colo. for one, allow the carrying of a loaded handgun inside your [private] vehicle without having to have a CCW license. Not true in Utah; it must be locked up if you don't have a permit that they recognize.

[past60]

Do you have a MI concealed carry permit...... If you do you are good to go in a lot of states you mentioned. Some how you have to deal with the IL and WI wall which separates you from the west.

http://www.handgunlaw.us/states/michigan.pdf

As for the exact rules/regulations for Indian reservations and National parks I don't know............

Good luck on your trip

Yes on the permit and, with some differences, I think I'll be okay in most of the states. But in MT, ND, and SD, some of the places we want to see or visit are in or close to Indian lands. I plan to stow as if I were a non-permit visitor for the state in which the Indian lands are located, but I don't know if that's enough. The sites that cover carry regulations, such as Handgunlaw.us, advise to contact each reservation's Chief of Police. I suppose I can try that, but if one of you younger folks wants to make some money, I suggest you write a book that pulls together the information from the reservations in the country. That ought to keep you busy for 10 or 20 years.

As far as Wisconsin and Illinois are concerned, they really aren't that bad as long as you lock 'em up and stow them away with the ammunition separated - and keep moving.

[Kevin Jensen]

Many states...allow the carrying of a loaded handgun inside your [private] vehicle without having to have a CCW license. Not true in Utah; it must be locked up if you don't have a permit that they recognize.

This is a false statement. As of May 12th, 2009, you may carry a handgun however you wish while inside your vehicle in Utah.

If you do not have a permit, unloaded (full mag in the weapon, no round chambered) open carry is lawful in Utah, and most LEO's are aware of the legality.

Utah will recognize a permit issued by any State or County, so if you do have one, carry as you please! Welcome to Utah!

76-10-504. Carrying concealed dangerous weapon -- Penalties.
(1) Except as provided in Section 76-10-503 and in Subsections (2), (3), and (4), a person who carries a concealed dangerous weapon, as defined in Section 76-10-501, including an unloaded firearm on his or her person or one that is readily accessible for immediate use which is not securely encased, as defined in this part, in or on a place other than the person's residence, property, a vehicle in the person's lawful possession, or a vehicle, with the consent of the individual who is lawfully in possession of the vehicle, or business under the person's control is guilty of a class B misdemeanor.
(2) A person who carries a concealed dangerous weapon which is a loaded firearm in violation of Subsection (1) is guilty of a class A misdemeanor.

76-10-505. Carrying loaded firearm in vehicle or on street.
(1) Unless otherwise authorized by law, a person may not carry a loaded firearm:
(a) in or on a vehicle, unless:
(i) the vehicle is in the person's lawful possession; or
(ii) the person is carrying the loaded firearm in a vehicle with the consent of the person lawfully in possession of the vehicle;
(b) on a public street; or
(c) in a posted prohibited area.
(2) Subsection (1)(a) does not apply to a minor under 18 years of age, since a minor under 18 years of age may not carry a loaded firearm in or on a vehicle.
(3) Notwithstanding Subsection (1)(a)(i) and (ii), a person may not possess a loaded rifle, shotgun, or muzzle-loading rifle in a vehicle.
(4) A violation of this section is a class B misdemeanor.

[Jeff F]

Your good to go in Wyoming. You can carry a loaded firearm in your vehicle. There's no specification as to wether it can be concealed or not. Open carry is legal, though there are towns that prohibit it. Pine Bluffs on I-80 at the eastern border is one for certain, best to bypass it and not spend any money there and maybe it will dry up and blow away.

[tinkerinWstuff]

If you happen to be traveling through Iowa to get where your going, in Iowa a loaded magazine is considered a loaded weapon. Has to do with guys who chase coyotes with pickups, but it affects all of us.

This would seem to be contrary to Federal safe passage laws. I'm no lawyer, but if the gun is unloaded and locked in a case seperate from the amunition, then it wouldn't matter what condition the mags are in. A loaded mag without an accessible gun to fire it is nothing more than a stone to throw. Especially considering TSA allows you to fly with loaded mags in checked baggage provided the primers are covered. But, I guess that's just me and probably getting close to a topic for another thread.

[KenInColo]

This is a false statement. As of May 12th, 2009, you may carry a handgun however you wish while inside your vehicle in Utah.

If you do not have a permit, unloaded (full mag in the weapon, no round chambered) open carry is lawful in Utah, and most LEO's are aware of the legality.

Utah will recognize a permit issued by any State or County, so if you do have one, carry as you please! Welcome to Utah!

OK Sarge, but it was a true statement only 60 some odd days ago right? I know it was, b/c I looked it up before I got my Utah non-res CCW.