Traveling with a gun (NJ to PA)

J

jg0001

New member
Okay, I've tried in vain to get a solid answer on this via googlin', hopefully someone on here can help me out:

Here's the situation:
(1) I live in New Jersey and have a NJ Firearms Purchaser Permit
(2) I own 2 handguns (semi-autos), purchased new, with necessary permits (just in the last 2 months, if it matters)

(3) My brother-in-law lives in Pennsylvania (PA)
(4) I'd like to travel with my handguns from NJ to PA to go to a range with my brother-in-law, in PA; I'd be stopping at his house first and possibly other locations during the trip, but the gun would always be in the trunk except while at the range

(5) I personally have no permits from PA (my brother-in-law is licensed in PA)

Now, can I do this legally or do I need to be licensed in PA to actually bring my guns into PA? I would NOT be carrying the weapons on my person at any time other than into the gun range from the parking lot. At all other times, the guns would be in locked containers (the hard plastic cases they came in) and I would not carry any ammo with me at any time. (I'd buy and fully use the ammo at the range.)

I've read the NRA site re transportation through states and I've also read some of the state laws, but it's not clear to me if I'd get a hard time for any of this.

Additional questions:
(1) though it may not be advisable, is it legal to transport loaded magazines SEPARATE from a locked up handgun in the trunk of my car? i.e. the gun would be fully empty and the magazines would not even be in the same case as the gun, but the magazines would be loaded and not in a locked case; if not, does the ammo need to be locked up in a case as well or just separated from the locked up gun?

(2) if stopped in NJ (or PA) for a traffic violation, do I have to immediately declare the presence of a gun locked in my trunk or only if the stop progresses past a generic traffic incident (or if asked)? *some* NJ State Police can be nazi-like and I'd imagine they'd react negatively even to a gun locked in the trunk and probably use its presence to further lord their authority over me
 
I can't answer your questions specifically but I will bet you will not be able to legally shoot your guns in Pa.

On the other hand, I'm from Upstate NY and it took less than 3 weeks to get a non-resident permit for Pa. I would suggest that if you have the time, look into this as it solves all your issues.
 
+1 on the non resident PA. It is super easy to get. You will have it for about $25.00 for 5 years. Well worth it. Then you can start collecting states. Sort of like Monopoly! PM me if you need the link. I have it on my other computer.

John
 
You'll have more troubles on your side of the river than this side.

You wont have any troubles shooting over here. You dont need any PA permits, unless you want to carry. If you have your NJ purchase permits, you can buy over here too if your looking.

If your guns are unloaded in a case, your fine. Keep the ammo in a separate place. Keep everything out of sight. You dont have to declare anything here in PA, so why bring it up unless directly asked.

The trip back will be scarier. :)

My dad still lives on your side of the river. He shoots over here all the time. He's more concerned about being stopped over there than over here.
 
I don't think that you need a permit to bring your guns in to Pa., nor to shoot here. The non-resident permit is for CCW.

I know several NJ residents who shoot in Pennsylvania and I've never heard mention of specific permits to do so. But, just to be safe, you might call the Pennsylvania state police. They should know for sure.
 
Thanks all for the info so far... but I'm still not sure if I want to risk just heading over the river into PA despite the assurances I should be okay, given the potential consequences if I'm wrong. The gun shop owner from whom I bought the guns didn't think I'd have any issues at all... still...

Can I get the info link on how to get a non-resident PA permit to be safe? To be clear, I do 'not' have a concealed carry permit in NJ, just a regular Firearms Purchaser ID card. The PA non-resident link on handgunlaws.us seems to refer to CCW permits.
 
"or you can have a non-res Florida CCW permit like me and go shooting there in PA anyway lol"

PA only honors resident Florida permits. If you're from NY and want to carry there apply for the non resident PA permit. It usually only takes a couple of weeks to get.
 
Jg100

You can travel anywhere in this country legally with the gun unloaded and locked in your truck as long as the gun is legal where you leave from and where you are going to 'stay'. You are staying at your brothers house I presume and that is legal as long as he says you can have a gun there..... now there are certain totalitarian citys and such that will take issue with this...such as New York City, but this is a federal law.

PA is a very gun friendly state... I think part of the problem is the indoctrination / fear you have received from living in N.J.

You can travel with the gun loaded in the front of your car in most states if you exclude a few like... NY, NJ, MD, and such...
(there are varying rules on this and it's hard to explain... since packing org went down)

Oh and you can probably get a PA permit to carry via the mail...(I'd presume you qualify after going through the hoops to get a NJ paper) I don't have the specific web site but it is Centre (spelled that way)County Sherifs Dept and you can download the application and such... I think it cost like $25 bucks or something an takes 3 weeks.
 
The whole "you can travel with it so long as you could legally have it at your destination" is what gets me... without any particular PA license, what makes it legal for me to have it anywhere in PA, whether in my trunk the entire time (which would be pointless) or at a range? Can I legally have it anywhere outside of my trunk and really do anything but travel through PA and back to NJ with it there the entire time?

I did check into that Sheriff's dept in PA (as mentioned in the above) and ended up emailing the Sheriff a question about it. It seems to refer to a 'carry' permit, which I do not have. NJ is a major pain about carry permits so I didn't even bother trying to get one.
 
Thanks, blume, for finally saying what everyone else who replied should have known...or taken the time to find out.

Keep your gun in a locked box with the ammo in another locked box in your car's trunk and you'll be completely legal. If you get pulled over, and the LEO asks if you have any weapons in the car, tell them where your gun is and that it is empty and locked up. You'll be fine. Only a few cities ban handguns altogether...not whole states.
 
Okay, so I sent along my inquiry to Sheriff N.

This was his reply:
Hi J___, I’m sorry to say you can not obtain a license to carry in Pa. without the concealed carry from NJ which I know is next to impossible to obtain.

You can however carry your firearms like you described. (In a secured container, unloaded with Ammo in another location). This is the Federal regulations for transporting firearms.

Once you get to the range make sure you do not conceal the firearm (Keep it in plain view).

If you want to carry concealed there are a number of States with which we have reciprocity.

Hope this helps during your visit to Pa.

----------------------


So, long answer short, I cannot get a non-resident carry permit in PA because I do not have a carry permit in NJ. I can, however, travel to PA with my guns as described and use them at the range.

To avoid any issues with ammo being separate, locked up or not, mags loaded or not, etc., I've decided to not bother bringing ANY ammo along at all and just buy and use the ammo at the range we attend, giving my bro-in-law (who lives in PA) any excess.

Thanks all.
 
God Bless Denny Nau, Sheriff :D
Actually believes that law abiding citizens should be able to carry a handgun, how novel. And believe it or not, he's a democrat!
Good man.
 
You won't have trouble travelling from enemy territory (NJ) into free territory (PA). There are no permits to own or possess in PA. You can even open carry, except in Philadelphia. There are no restrictions on ammo types or shooting anyone else's gun. Breathe free. Also, the PA AG has made it clear that any license accepted in PA (check the AGs site for states) is accepted on its face without regard to whether one is a resident of the issuing state. Getting a PA license, however, requires you to have a license in your state of residence.

http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/crime.aspx?id=184
 
I carry legally in PA using my non-res. FL permit. NJ blows, can't wait to get the hell out. As stated, you are legal travelling there with your firearms and ammo stored as you described, no worries.
 
before you come back over the border to nj, be sure and stop at a walmart and pick up a thousand rounds of ammo. you'll be glad you did.
 
Jg0001.... Looks like a Florida permit should be on your

list of items....

I still have a problem with your 'thinking'... as in just don't carry any ammo .... it just seems like you may have lived a little too long in N.J. In most other states lots of folks travel with loaded handguns in their cars and have no permit to carry concealed... In my state of S.C. (which has it's own screwed up gun laws) the hand gun must be concealed either in the glove box or center console... not locked and for sure it can be loaded. in other states like N.C. and GA it should be open to view (I think GA lets you conceal it now also) Florida it must be in a carrier (some strange must take two moves to get to it law) I'm not sure about PA.... In Va you just put it in your holster on your side.
 
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