Traveling To Minnesota from Iowa (Quick Q, Sorry if it's been answered)

[jpickavance]

I have my CCW in Iowa, I am going to Minnesota. I have a lock box in my car. Do you know if the gun has to be unloaded and ammo stored separately or if I can leave one in the chamber, loaded mag out of the gun all together in the lock box.

 

[Rhino]

Has to be unloaded and in a location that is not accessible from the passenger compartment. Seperate compartments for gun and ammo are not required. That's the federal transportation law. I don't know if Iowa or Minnesota have any more stringent requirements, but it's unlikely. You might want to unload the magazines also, just to be on the safe side.
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More info here.

 

[cgiven1]

The one other thing you may want to check is the law on possessing a handgun in MN. The federal law only protects you for uninterrupted travel from one place where you can legally possess to another place where you can legally possess. If you can't legally possess the handgun in MN because your not a resident and you stop for more than what it takes to refuel or get something to eat, you are putting yourself in legal jeopardy. For example, I'll use NY since I used to live in NY and am familiar with their laws, I now live in Texas and have a CHL here. If I were to travel to VT where I could again legally possess and carry I could use the lockbox to secure the gun in my trunk unloaded with the ammo and be safe. As long as I didn't stop for more than a refuel or to get something to eat. If I were to stop to visit family or spend the night I would be breaking the law since you can't even own or possess a handgun in NY without first getting a permit.