questions about firearm permits if going to another state

[MORTARDUDE]

If you have a valid firearm permit ( say a .38 cal handgun ) in say Tennessee, do all the other states / cities have to recognize this as valid if you are a tourist or in transit ? If not, what do you have to do ? I am thinking about getting a handgun and a buddy has got a deal for me, so I just wanted to run it by all the experts on here. What are the current laws if stopped by the police in your car while out of your home state ? Are you supposed to declare the weapon if not in plain view ? Is the policeman supposed to touch it first ? I probably won't do this. Too many variables. Thanks.

Larry

[colmurph]

If you have a carry permit in Tenn. you can only carry in Tenn. It's not reciprocal in other states. You will need to search for the gun carry laws of each state you are planning to visit. I would not carry in plain view and I would keep it in the trunk in a locked container. The police have to have a warrant based on probable cause to search your trunk but there is a provision in the law that lets them search the interior of the car within arms reach of the driver to look for weapons. They cannot look in a locked glove compartment but if you keep your registration in there, they can look in it once you unlock it. Don't keep your gun in the glove box.

[MORTARDUDE]

Col :

So it is not a good idea to carry a gun on vacation or business ? makes sense to me. Thanks for the info. Take care.

Larry

[Dragon Lady]

In Arizona, used to be anyway, you could not carry a concealed weapon, but if you had the gun in a holster on your hip in plain view...it was perfectly legal.

In NY you must have a permit for a handgun and another permit to carry a concealed weapon. In NYC it is much more difficult to obtain these permits and you must register the weapon with the local/state police.

I have "pieces" of my grandfather's service revolver from his LAPD days. I have the chamber, the barrel, the grip, and all the little but important parts too. I also have the little thingies that make all the noise and punch holes in other thingies too.

But they don't know that.

[SparrowHawk62]

Check here for laws pertaining to weapons carry:
http://www.packing.org/

[Andy]

We sometimes don't think about it but we have 52 sets of criminal laws in the US. Each state has there own, as does D.C. and the Feds. All are similar but all have differences. Example: in New Hampshire you can own a silencer. In Massachusetts a silencer will get you 20 years.

Murph gave you some very good advise regarding keeping the weapon locked and in the trunk. However, just an example of different states - different laws, in at least several northern states your trunk and glove box can be search without a warrant. There has to be probable cause but it's done with some degree of regularity. Matter of fact in this state there are eight exceptions to the search warrant requirement.

Larry, if you want to go out of state with a hand gun I'd suggest you get a badge and a police ID, it's always worked for me.

Stay healthy,
Andy

[SparrowHawk62]

Never a problem to wait for a warrant, of course there is a short cut that an LEO can take. They bring out a K-9, he barks at your trunk and they now have Reasonable Cause To Believe there might be something in your trunk. (Didn't do it myself but I've seen it done!) POP goes the trunk.
With road blocks looking for snipers, abducted kids, and friggen rag heads that want to blow everything up.. Why would you carry an ILLEGAL weapon in your trunk? Oh, it's yours and you have paperwork and a permit, not in this state you have been stopped in.
Please weigh the facts before you do this. There's one question I ask guys who want to do this and I tell them to really think about: How many times have you pulled your weapon with the intent to use it? (I'm not talking to Law Enforcement Officers, my weapon spent more time out of my holster some days then in it. Traffic enforcement post.) My answer is one time in over twenty plus years. Short version is the guy pulled a knife on me after he drove off the road and I went to offer him help. The odds just don't work out.
Think long and hard about the states you'll travel in and out of. Hollow Points will earn you extra time in Jersey. An ILLEGAL gun in NYC or NY will have you spending at least a night in jail. Oh, and if they pull it from you, count on having a hell of a time getting it back any time soon, if you ever do.
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for armed citizens. Every American should be allowed to carry with some exceptions.
I just can't stand when Joe Done Nothing, gets hauled off to jail for trying to protect himself.

[MORTARDUDE]

Thanks for the information. Too much hassle and potential problems for me to deal with.

Larry