Transporting weapons to gun ranges in TX

[iScream]

Hi Folks,

I'm curious if there are any rules or restrictions I should consider when travelling from my home, in Denton County, to the two gun ranges I use. I always take at least 4 handguns with me to the range and I drive a small regular cab truck so I tend to just plop the gun case on the passenger seat and the range bag on the floor over there.

Does anyone happen to know if I'm breaking any laws with what I describe? If I slide the passenger seat forward a few notches I can fit the gun case back there but it would still be pretty clearly visible were I to get pulled over for speeding or something along those lines. Should I consider putting a small lock on the gun case while I'm driving or am I over thinking this whole thing?

I also wonder about the number of rounds I normally carry in my range bag. It struck me Sunday that with the two bulk boxes of 22LR I had in the bag, I was carrying over 1400 rounds of ammunition in my truck, two feet from four handguns. While I'm sure most cops around here would recognize a bulk box of 22 for what it is and have no problem with it, I'm curious whether a strict interpretation of some law could get me into some trouble should an officer decide to push the issue.

Does anyone happen to know if I'm pushing my luck here? If any TX LEO happens to be reading this, I would very much like to hear your opinion on stopping me for some minor traffic violation and finding what I describe above in the cab of my truck.

Sorry, this post ended up a little longer than I planned.

Thanks in advance for any feedback though.

-Chris

 

[panzer426]

Where you at in Denton County? I am in Shady Shores.

Only thing that is really enforced here is they should be unloaded, with exception of concealed carry weapon, and no one in car should be handling the guns so other motorists don't mistake you for road rage. Personally, I wouldn't have a bunch of guns in plain sight of other motorists in case they freak and call the cops. You wouldn't get in trouble but it might slow you down in getting to/from the range.

 

[bdickens]

Just carry them however you want to. As long as the handgun itself is hidden from view, no problem.

 

[iScream]

I'm down on the South side. Where do you shoot up that way?

-Chris

 

[TexasRifleman]

Legal side:

Long guns, no laws at all in Texas really. Concealed, visible, loaded, unloaded. Pretty much any transport method you want is legal.

Handguns, with a CHL: concealed and you must inform an LE if he asks you for ID. Technically if it was in the trunk, unloaded and locked you might could argue that the gun was not "on or about you" but why risk it.

No CHL: must be concealed and no duty to inform.

That's pretty much it here.

No legal limitations on number of guns, amount of ammo, etc.

Once stopped for speeding near Kerrville, TX with over 200 rifles, handguns, and machineguns and probably 20,000 rounds of ammo. Several of us on the way to a machinegun shoot outside of Comfort. DPS Trooper could see some the guns in the back of the van. Asked what was up, my NFA dealer buddy handed him a 3 ring binder full of Form 1's, 3's, and 4's and the guy flipped through a few pages, said "Slow down", and went back to his car

Only thing that is really enforced here is they should be unloaded

There is absolutely no law in Texas that firearms be unloaded during transport. None.

 

[panzer426]

I mostly go to a range up in Sanger, sometimes Quail Creek on 35W down near the Speedway.

 

[The Annoyed Man]

I can't stand Quail Creek, but Elm Fork in Dallas is pretty nice.

 

[nalioth]

If I might ask, have you recently moved to Texas?

 

[joe817]

As I only shoot a pistol, I just put it in the rear passenger floorboard. I keep everything in a cloth carry bag...gun, ammo, earmuffs, cleaning rag, etc. But I do keep it unloaded, and the mags empty and out of the pistol. Better safe than sorry.

FWIW, I shoot at the range at the Winchester Gallery, in F.W.

 

[joe817]

Also, the mags are out of the pistol, and they are empty

 

[nalioth]

Allow me to highlight what TR said, for you guys who think carrying an unloaded / empty gun is gonna get you out of anything:

Only thing that is really enforced here is they should be unloaded

There is absolutely no law in Texas that firearms be unloaded during transport. None.

 

[iScream]

If I might ask, have you recently moved to Texas?

Who are you asking? If me, no, I've lived here for about 17 years now. I just started shooting handguns about a year ago though.

-Chris

 

[nalioth]

If I might ask, have you recently moved to Texas?

Who are you asking? If me, no, I've lived here for about 17 years now. I just started shooting handguns about a year ago though.

I was just wondering. Lots of folks move to Texas and "bring their laws with them".

We don't have many restrictive laws pertaining to guns.

 

[TexasRifleman]

But I do keep it unloaded, and the mags empty and out of the pistol. Better safe than sorry.

Safe from what if I may ask?

 

[Ed Ames]

Not to turn this into something it isn't, but I think there is a warning here.

People are applying rules to themselves that are far beyond anything the law requires. Why? Because it seems reasonable to them that a handgun should be transported in ways that go beyond what even California requires. It seems reasonable to them so they wouldn't be bothered if the law was that strict.

That should be a warning and a spur to do some outreach and education.

 

[wilder]

Where's the range in Sanger? Is it public? I'm in Denton and shoot at Quail creek and Parker County Sportsman's Club.

 

[bdickens]

Texas law has never made any distinction between loaded and unloaded firearms.

 

[joe817]

"Safe from what if I may ask?", asks T.R. Answer: To keep myself from getting into any potential trouble if stopped by LEO, because I'm in the process of educating myself because I've been out of the shooting hobby so long. Prior to April 7, 2009 the last time I went shooting was in 1980. I have a heightened sense of awareness lately, that I MUST educate myself on the changes in laws and regulations since that time.

Plus.....what Ed Ames said.

Understand now?

 

[nalioth]

Plus.....what Ed Ames said.

Ed Ames was referring to the ignorance and fear of firearms out there, and was warning us that when prospective laws are introduced that bring further restrictions, folks such as yourself will look at them and say "Oh, that law wasn't in place already?" and vote it in.

He was calling for education and outreach to folks like yourself, to teach your your Constitutional (and State) rights.

 

[countertop]

Guys,

It strikes me that someone (actually two people) who have admitted to being relative newbies to firearms and unfamiliar with the law asked a reasonable question - and certainly one which anyone would assume someone unfamiliar with gun laws and going only by the schlock they read in the news might be concerned about - about what is required when they carry a gun to the range.


Lets look at iScreams question:

I'm curious if there are any rules or restrictions I should consider when travelling from my home, in Denton County, to the two gun ranges I use.

Later on, he states

I just started shooting handguns about a year ago though.

And Joe817's statement

To keep myself from getting into any potential trouble if stopped by LEO, because I'm in the process of educating myself because I've been out of the shooting hobby so long. Prior to April 7, 2009 the last time I went shooting was in 1980. I have a heightened sense of awareness lately, that I MUST educate myself on the changes in laws and regulations since that time.

And yet it somehow (to this Virginian, who is eager to point out that if there is any place in the country with better gun laws than Texas it would be Virginia) has turned into an attack on them, their patriotism, their Texas identiy, and their adherence and support of the constitution.

Perhaps its not intended to be that, but thats certainly how its starting to come off.

 

[joe817]

Thanks for the comments nalioth and countertop.

So if I'm not a convicted felon, not acting in the commission of a crime, not a street gang member, I've nothing to worry about if I'm transporting guns in my car as long as they are concealed from view. It is irrelevant(here in Texas at least) if they are loaded or not.

It's all about educating oneself.

 

[Dokkalfar]

actually, you need to tweak that a bit:

So if I'm not a convicted felon, not acting in the commission of a crime, not a street gang member, I've nothing to worry about if I'm transporting HANDguns in my car as long as they are concealed from view. It is irrelevant(here in Texas at least) if they are loaded or not.

So if I'm not a convicted felon, not acting in the commission of a crime, not a street gang member, I've nothing to worry about if I'm transporting LONGguns in my car. It is irrelevant(here in Texas at least) if they are loaded or not.

 

[nalioth]

actually, you need to tweak that a bit:

So if I'm not a convicted felon, not acting in the commission of a crime, not a street gang member, I've nothing to worry about if I'm transporting HANDguns in my car as long as they are concealed from view. It is irrelevant(here in Texas at least) if they are loaded or not.

So if I'm not a convicted felon, not acting in the commission of a crime, I've nothing to worry about if I'm transporting LONGguns in any fashion. It is irrelevant(here in Texas at least) if they are loaded or not.

Fixed it for you.

You may become interesting to the local LEOs if you're walking (or bicycling) down the street with your slung long gun in some areas, but it's not illegal under state law.

 

[TexasRifleman]

has turned into an attack on them, their patriotism, their Texas identiy, and their adherence and support of the constitution.

It doesn't seem that way to me.

To me it's just a sad commentary on how good a job the media and the anti's have done of making law abiding gun owners almost paralyzed with fear of having a gun around or transporting it.

We are not guilty of anything, and it's very important that we not behave as if we are.

That's why I asked the OP why he kept the guns unloaded. I can think of many good reasons to transport a gun unloaded, but to do so because of fear of LE is sad, because that means the message is getting out there that we as gun owners are some kind of 'enemy of the state' and have to walk around afraid all the time.

It's great the OP is asking the question, what worries me is how many other gun owners are out there thinking the same thing, that they are some kind of potential problem simply for having a gun around.

 

[countertop]

it's just a sad commentary on how good a job the media and the anti's have done of making law abiding gun owners almost paralyzed with fear of having a gun around or transporting it.

Couldn't agree more.

I can think of many good reasons to transport a gun unloaded, but to do so because of fear of LE is sad

that too