I am planning on a cross country that includes a lot of states. I always carry a gun or two when flying. I am not sure of the legality in some of the states. I have a concealed carry for California but that does not include long guns. I will be leaving from my ranch in California so I am not that concerned with those rules. I am smart enough to stay out of New York. I will be landing at Kitty Hawk

qmdv wrote:I am planning on a cross country that includes a lot of states. I always carry a gun or two when flying. I am not sure of the legality in some of the states. I have a concealed carry for California but that does not include long guns. I will be leaving from my ranch in California so I am not that concerned with those rules. I am smart enough to stay out of New York. I will be landing at Kitty Hawk

Wow, how did you get a Ca. CC permit?

He lives in Siskiyou County, the capital of the State of Jefferson.

Most states see your plane as just another motor vehicle once you land and taxi. If you don't have authority to drive through said states with a loaded gun, you cannot taxi in them, either.

Very few (if any?) states have reciprocity with CA, so your CCW is useless out of state.

I'd spend some serious time researching the gun laws of each state you're going to land in. At the end I would be surprised if you brought a gun at all, much less a loaded one, or two. Firearm laws are not generally subject to intent...you violate them or you don't, and what your intentions were is of no concern to the courts.

I have a California, Oregon and just finished the Idaho enhanced conceal carry. That will cover a lot of states. there are some states that let you do open carry in your vehicle. I need to do more research .

Don't ask, don't tell.
IMHO you're not anywbere near as likely to get rousted in your airplane as in a car.
But youre much more likely to encounter a need for a gun when out of the airplane and away from the airport (s).

For South Carolina

The handgun can be loaded or unloaded as long as it is secured in the glove compartment or console. You can also carry in another “closed container secured by an integral fastener and transported in the luggage compartment of the vehicle.” ... You can also have a handgun in the “closed trunk” of the car as well.

qmdv wrote:I have a California, Oregon and just finished the Idaho enhanced conceal carry. That will cover a lot of states. there are some states that let you do open carry in your vehicle. I need to do more research .

Non-resident CCW would be my recommendation as well. With CO resident and UT non-res I am covered across almost everywhere I want to go (except California), though I suppose I could get other states if I wanted to bump it up a couple. Just know the laws on where and when you can carry in every state you visit as it can vary widely. What is totally permissible in one state is a felony in another, even if you are CCW. Additionally, some states have different privileges for resident vs non-resident so it's a total mess.

I'm interested in this thread for my own trip purposes, but the CA thing will probably preclude any of it unfortunately. Maybe we'll get lucky and national reciprocity will pass, but I doubt it.

Why would you wanna carry it loaded??

hotrod180 wrote:Don't ask, don't tell.
IMHO you're not anywbere near as likely to get rousted in your airplane as in a car.
But youre much more likely to encounter a need for a gun when out of the airplane and away from the airport (s).

+1

Also rural Kalifornia is still America. I had a CCW in Tuolumne County. No problem.

NimpoCub wrote:Why would you wanna carry it loaded??

Sky pirates.


I was thinking the same thing.

I agree, why carry it loaded? I've never felt the need to carry a loaded firearm when flying anywhere in the lower 48.

NimpoCub wrote:Why would you wanna carry it loaded??

What good is an unloaded gun?
Then they're just a club, and usually a poor club at that.

I admit, it'd be pretty unusual to need a loaded gun while in the air.
And probably ditto while on most airports.
But imagine de-planing after landing at some Podunk airport, or wilderness airstrip,
and some nutjob comes up (armed? maybe) and wants you to fly him to wherever, "or else".
An unloaded gun does you about as much good in that situation as 9-1-1.

Just add it to your "shutdown" checklist, final item - Gun Loaded CHECK

On the other hand, having a shoot out with Podunk's local nut job may mean you just plugged the Sheriff's brother-in-law. He may be worthless, but he's blood. Rotting away in the Podunk Jail may not be the way you want to start your vacation. So maybe a little negotiating: "Golly Sir, I'd love to take you, but the reason I landed here is that [whatever good excuse comes to mind--out of gas, engine trouble, just came down with the flu, etc.]."

FWIW, I've flown all over the country, and although I've carried weapons at times, I've never had even the slightest need to have them loaded in the airplane or at any airstrip, anywhere. Sounds like a solution in search of a problem.

Cary

It's important to always be able to defend yourself, loved ones, and innocents.

How a person goes about that is an individual choice.

Thank God, for the time being, in this country, we still have some choice.

I have flown all over the states, in Africa, and Mexico and have never needed a gun. However, if I ever did carry one, it would have a loaded magazine, why carry around a club?

If carrying is too stressful (due to legal concerns) a can of pepper spray can be decent. Blind and incapacitate the criminal, kick them senseless, and maybe arrange it so reproduction will be impossible.

On my bicycles pepper spray is all I carry, plus my bicycle shoes with steel cleats on the soles.

Please stick to the actual legality aspect, and please remain clear of the philosophical discussion. I'm sure we all have our opinions on that but it clouds the real information for making a decision.

Does holding a CHL have any actual bearing on the legality of carrying a loaded long gun?

I think there's also a valid distinction between "loaded" and "round chambered." As a rule, I only have a round chambered if the weapon is on my body, otherwise the pipe is empty, despite possibly having a full magazine installed. For long guns there's never a round chambered until I'm ready to shoot. I'm assuming Tm meant rounds in the weapon but not chambered. I'm not sure I've ever heard of or read about regulations that cover this.

As for pepper spray...that's a whole new can of worms for internet argument! The argument being that pepper spray is a major potential risk inside a confined airplane cabin should it malfunction or leak.

As for pepper spray...that's a whole new can of worms for internet argument! The argument being that pepper spray is a major potential risk inside a confined airplane cabin should it malfunction or leak.

Valid point. I would think that at VFR GA altitudes would not make a difference, but I see your point. Depending on what one can research regarding aerosol cans at altitude, a loaded gun may be safer.

With that said, pepper spray is NOT as effective as a firearm, but a heck of a lot easier to defend in court.

As for sterilizing the attacker and cutting off their gene pool, I also agree that is philosophical and remains an option, but maybe not for discussion in this thread.