newbi here with a question...

[eluno]

Hi all,
I am new to this site mostly because I have a question concerning interstate travel. I do not have a conceal permit and am going to travel to California soon. What am I allowed to do there and what am I not? Can I carry a handgun loaded in my car in CA?
El

 

[NDS]

Welcome to the site.

I visit CA several times a year and until recently I just tossed my loaded pistol into the trunk and thought I'd be fine. Wrong, in CA the handgun must be cased in the trunk with the ammo in a separate container. Magazines must be unloaded if they are in the pistol. I wonder sometimes if CA DOJ even considers visiting CA with a handgun legal. I'll continue to bring mine with me when I visit my wife's family, but I try to stay legal. Check the 'Calguns' forum and you'll find discussions where CA residents have hashed out any conceivable twist, exception, or complication to CA law.

ETA: DO NOT take any magazines, handgun or pistol, of greater than 10 round capacity into CA with you; they take that law very seriously. Don't take your AR15 or AK with you, among other things. A .410 pistol is not allowed--the list of insanity is long for that state.

 

[CA CCWInstructor]

Welcome to the site.

Wrong, in CA the handgun must be cased in the trunk with the ammo in a separate container.

The case in the truck must locked!

12026.1.
(1) The firearm is within a motor vehicle and it is locked in the
vehicle's trunk or in a locked container in the vehicle other than
the utility or glove compartment.
(2) The firearm is carried by the person directly to or from any
motor vehicle for any lawful purpose and, while carrying the firearm,
the firearm is contained within a locked container.

 

[NDS]

The case in the truck must locked!

Thanks-I didin't make that clear. I left CA in '79 and just tossing it in the trunk, or even on the dash unloaded was ok then. Over the years, I didn't realize the law had changed and I found out about 3 years ago that I was an instant criminal because my attempt at compliance wasn't good enough. Luckily I had never been pulled over. When I cross the state line into CA now, I comply with the statutes you posted. Pistol locked in a case, ammo in another case and the whole works in the trunk.

 

[eluno]

Thanks for the info. So to be sure I 1. unload the weapon and mag 2. separate both 3. place the weapon in a locked container, Place container in an area not easily accessible, 4. enjoy California and tell the bad guys not to mug you in a very stern voice.

 

[NDS]

Should your stern voice make them cry or lead to a lessening of their self-esteem you will likely have to undergo a court-ordered attitude adjustment accompanied by community service.

Thanks for the info. So to be sure I 1. unload the weapon and mag 2. separate both 3. place the weapon in a locked container, Place container in an area not easily accessible, 4. enjoy California and tell the bad guys not to mug you in a very stern voice.

 

[CA CCWInstructor]

CA Penal Code does not say anything about loaded mags outside the locked container with the unloaded inside of it. You just can't have loaded mags in the locked container.

 

[udcG26]

Just Boycott California. I don't even eat their oranges. Florida has much better laws, and fewer illegal aliens.

 

[gvaldeg1]

I really tend to agree with you but,

Just Boycott California. I don't even eat their oranges. Florida has much better laws, and fewer illegal aliens.

California has so much beautiful country to see and so many things to see and do. Anyway, if I'm going there or through there, I just stick a lockable case (like the ones the guns come shipped in) in the trunk and "pop" an unloaded gun into it while I'm in California. (If you're traveling with more than one gun, bring extra cases and locks.) Problem solved!

 

[swifteagle]

When in California remember to ask any criminal who attacks you to please give you a little extra time to allow you to open your trunk, unlock your case, retrieve your handgun, retrieve your magazine, load it into your gun, rack the slide, aim your gun, & shoot.

You should have plenty of time because the criminal will have to go through the same process to grab his or her illegal gun since he or she will obviously obey the same law.

Warning: sarcasm is oozing from this post.

 

[gunsandgardens]

I have been an AZ resident for 12 years now. My family and I vacation in CA Almost every year. We literally just got back from 3 days in San Diego and 3 days in the Sequoia Forest (which was amazing by the way). CA is a beautiful state but the gun laws are ridiculous! My firearm of choice is my S&W M&P 40. Since this weapon has a 15 round magazine...not an option to carry across state lines. My other option would have been to take my .38Spl 5 round revolver. As other posters have stated, this would have been unloaded, locked up, separate from ammo, and in a compartment that was not accessible from the main cabin of the vehicle. BUT,.....we rented a minivan that does not have a separate trunk area!!! Although it pains me greatly, especially when I am traveling with my family, when headed to California.......I leave my guns at home.

 

[LoneStarTx]

Just stay out of CA until it implodes then you get to rebuild it with common sense. At present the state is largely populated by corrupt politicians, illegal aliens, brain dead druggies, asians who won't assimilate, lesbians, gays and perverts who detest anyone straight and Hollywood uber rich dimwits.

 

[wolf_fire]

I have been an AZ resident for 12 years now. My family and I vacation in CA Almost every year. We literally just got back from 3 days in San Diego and 3 days in the Sequoia Forest (which was amazing by the way). CA is a beautiful state but the gun laws are ridiculous! My firearm of choice is my S&W M&P 40. Since this weapon has a 15 round magazine...not an option to carry across state lines. My other option would have been to take my .38Spl 5 round revolver. As other posters have stated, this would have been unloaded, locked up, separate from ammo, and in a compartment that was not accessible from the main cabin of the vehicle. BUT,.....we rented a minivan that does not have a separate trunk area!!! Although it pains me greatly, especially when I am traveling with my family, when headed to California.......I leave my guns at home.

To me this is the very definition of tyranny. The governmental elites in CA have suppressed people so hard that now you won't/can't even protect yourself in CA.

I do not understand why anyone would willingly travel to CA, spend their hard earned money there, and financially support government officials of such outlandish laws that suppress the people there.

Other places I will not travel to because of similar reasons: NY, NJ, IL, HI, and MD to name a few. These places all have beautiful scenery. However, beautiful scenery can be had all through this great land of ours without comprising our rights, especially the right to be able to defend yourself and your family. For example, I'm spending 3 weeks in South Dakota this summer. I'll be enjoying all this state has to offer from Sioux Falls, to the Missouri River, to the Badlands, and so on. My rights will not be so comprised that I wouldn't be able to defend myself from a wild animal or a wild person. I also, won't be supporting a wildly tyrannical state government with my money.

I honestly couldn't live with myself if I took my family on a vacation to one of these tyrannical states and something happened to them and I could do nothing about it because I abided by their unconstitutional laws. I pray nothing happens to you and yours either.

 

[kelcarry]

Just stay out of CA until it implodes then you get to rebuild it with common sense. At present the state is largely populated by corrupt politicians, illegal aliens, brain dead druggies, asians who won't assimilate, lesbians, gays and perverts who detest anyone straight and Hollywood uber rich dimwits.

Summed it up nicely. Maybe if we are lucky the San Andreas fault will do us all a big favor. Unfortunately there are several other states in this current asylum run by its inmates formerly known as the USA. At least, if I plan on a vacation my choices are not so difficult anymore--I will be damned if I will spend a broken nickel in any of these toilets.

 

[SFC]

The gun in a locked case in the trunk requires all ammunition to be located in a different part of your vehicle. I use to work in the Death Valley area where I truly believe the gun laws are even stricter than other parts of CA other than Orange County. When I finally had the chance to move it was as fast as the law would allow to the Arizona Border.

 

[Rhino]

Just stay out of CA until it implodes then you get to rebuild it with common sense. At present the state is largely populated by corrupt politicians, illegal aliens, brain dead druggies, asians who won't assimilate, lesbians, gays and perverts who detest anyone straight and Hollywood uber rich dimwits.

This thread is eight years old and the guy you're trying to answer hasn't been here in seven years.

 

[SFC]

This thread is eight years old and the guy you're trying to answer hasn't been here in seven years.

Thanks, I will start looking at the latest post and to see if the originator of the thread is higher than 1

 

[NavyLCDR]

This thread is eight years old and the guy you're trying to answer hasn't been here in seven years.

Not to mention that this thread is completely loaded with misinformation ("requirements" which are not requirements at all in California law).

 

[NavyLCDR]

in CA the handgun must be cased in the trunk with the ammo in a separate container.

The case in the truck must locked!

You just can't have loaded mags in the locked container.

separate from ammo, and in a compartment that was not accessible from the main cabin of the vehicle.

The gun in a locked case in the trunk requires all ammunition to be located in a different part of your vehicle.I truly believe the gun laws are even stricter than other parts of CA other than Orange County.

None of the above is required by California law. And California has state preemption of firearms laws which makes local laws and ordinances more restrictive than state law illegal.

The California Highway Patrol has the correct answer:
Link Removed

I will be traveling to California and want to carry my weapon. I currently have a concealed weapon permit. How can I legally transport my weapon while driving through the state?
California law does not recognize concealed weapon permits from other states; therefore, they would not be held valid. If you wish to transport a handgun during your California visit, it should be carried unloaded in a locked container. In the absence of a suitable container, you may secure the unloaded handgun in the locked trunk of a passenger car. Ammunition may be kept in the same container or trunk, but the handgun must remain unloaded with no rounds in the cylinder and no loaded magazines in the magazine well.
If you have additional questions, contact the California Department of Justice at 916-227-3703.

 

[paulg]

Just stay the HELL out of California and leave it to the Crazys