Transporting to the Range in MD

[ZombieHunter]

I drive a stationwagon more or less. There is no way for me to secure my tool and my ammo seperate of one another. More importantly as I usually go to the range with several hundred rounds of ammo, it scares me to think that something could happen and my car could catch on fire and those hundreds of rounds could cook off.

When I travel I keep my tool broken down with the magazines unloaded and the ammo in seperate pouches of my bag. I then keep this bag on the floor of the passenger side front seat. I do this with the intent of being able to grab the bag and **** of a burning car so that responders are in no danger. My biggest fear at the moment is that the police officer pulling me over (I drive the speed limit to and fro but anything can happen for any reason, I've accepted that) is going to question the content of the bag on the floor.

It's my opinion that he has no legal right to look inside and I can legally answer, I'm sorry sir that's not your business. However, the fear still nags me. At the same time I refuse to possibly endanger the lives of those responding to an accident by leaving this ammo in the car. I *could* buy ammo at the range but it's about 225% more expensive so I use could as a purely hypothetical perfect world scenario.

So far this hasn't been an issue...but I'd really much rather remain an individual without a criminal record especially one including a firearms transgression. Opinions please?

 

[justin 561]

I keep my ammo on the floor of my back seat, and the rifle in the back seat. I have yet to be pulled over, but I wouldn't have anything to hide and the gun is not encased, so the officer wouldn't have any kind of problems checking out my rifle to see if its unloaded, and a-ok. I would think that if you deny a police officer a answer to whats in the bag it could lead to more problems. For the safety of your self and the officer, let him know you have a live weapon in your car. Whats the worst that can happen?

 

[kingpin008]

As long as the mags are unloaded, and the gun is in a seperate container from the firearm, you're good to go. Technically, you should be fine carrying it in the passenger footwell area, but if it were me, I'd locate both the ammo and guns in the back of the car, as far away from me or any passengers as I can get.

I can understand the worry about a car fire, and cooking off of ammo, but in that case, you've gotta worry about yourself first and just get the hell out of and away from the car. The ammo might cook off, but it will not be zinging around the area like in the movies. It just doesn't happen that way. So, your car might be toast, but getting a bullet wound that way would be pretty unlikely.

But yeah - like I said, as long as mags are unloaded and ammo and guns are in seperate containers away from each other, you should be fine. A cop might be a little upset if they were in the passenger side footwell, because they're still very close to you (and he doesn't know right away that the gun is unloaded and in pieces, just that it's within your reach) so that's why I suggested stowing it in the rear.

 

[Louisiana Carry]

My opinion is that it is a sad state of affairs when you are reduced to looking over your shoulder like that to exercise a human right.

Do you have family there dependent on you? Have you thought of moving to a more free State?

I carry 1000 rds of 5.56, 500 rds of .45 ACP and who knows how many rounds for other calibers in my truck every day, not to mention a tricked out AR on the passenger seat, uncased, and a G30SF on my hip. Cops don't even blink around here (nor should they).

 

[ZombieHunter]

So it's not like the movies? That's comforting actually.

Loui: Everyone needs a few windmills...mine include trying to date crazy girls and taking on MD's gunlaws

 

[kingpin008]

Not to sound rude Louisiana, but it is what it is with our state. There are plenty of us working to change things, but for most of us, walking away from our homes and lives isn't something that we're able and willing to do - especially since leaving will not end the fight. If we leave, the anti's and their ridiculous attempts at ramming their big-brother utopia down our throats will follow - and they will have been given an opportunity to grow stronger, because while we're turning tail and relocating our lives, they're strategizing new ways to curtail our freedoms, just in time to have them waiting on the doorsteps of wherever we decide to settle down again.

I'm glad for you, and your ability to travel and transport what you do. We're working on it. We know it sucks, but there are folks who are worse off than we are, I can tell you that.

 

[kingpin008]

Indeed - the whole thing about ammo cooking off and zinging around like crazy is nonsense. If bullets really did that, why did mankind bother creating guns, and gun barrels? We could just hold them in our hands, bullet facing the target, and bang the primer! The bullet needs to be contained in a barrel to do it's thing - otherwise, the powder going off will probably push it out, or split the case, but the likelyhood of it causing injury is pretty low.

And LOL @ trying to date crazy girls. I'm thankfully past that stage - finally found a nice girl to settle down with. But I had my moments!