Transporting a rifle - Hard or soft case

[DVF2001 0]

Since I don't have a lockable trunk, whenever I transport a gun in my station wagon I put the gun in a soft sided case and lock the zipper at the end of the closed case and place it in the back compartment of the station wagon. I then carry the ammo in a locked ammo box on the floor behind the front seat. I recently heard that to comply with Federal law the gun must be in a hard sided case. Is this true?

 

 

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[jackandjill 683]

Have you obtained a NJ Firearms Purchasers ID card ?  Are you traveling within NJ ? Are you member of a NJ Gun Range ? Are you going to a range when you are transporting. 

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Depending on answers, you can just transport it unloaded. Rest of it is for your own peace of mind. 

 

Short Answer: Having a NJ FID, I feel comfortable transporting an unloaded rifle in a zipped soft case, within NJ. And I have done so many times transporting on a motorcycle.  Thats me. 

 

[DVF2001 0]

Have you obtained a NJ Firearms Purchasers ID card ?  Are you traveling within NJ ? Are you member of a NJ Gun Range ? Are you going to a range when you are transporting. 
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Depending on answers, you can just transport it unloaded. Rest of it is for your own peace of mind. 
 
Short Answer: Having a NJ FID, I feel comfortable transporting an unloaded rifle in a zipped soft case, within NJ. And I have done so many times transporting on a motorcycle.  Thats me. 
 

Yes, I have a firearms ID card. Yes I am a member of the Cherry Ridge range. Most times I am transporting with the New Jersey but sometimes I take my rifles to Pennsylvania to a shooting range near my brothers house. My question is do I need to have the rifle locked in a hard sided case when traveling to Pennsylvania or will a soft sided case be sufficient and keep me within federal laws?


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[jackandjill 683]

18 U.S. Code § 926A - Interstate transportation of firearms

 

Notwithstanding any other provision of any law or any rule or regulation of a State or any political subdivision thereof, any person who is not otherwise prohibited by this chapter from transporting, shipping, or receiving a firearm shall be entitled to transport a firearm for any lawful purpose from any place where he may lawfully possess and carry such firearm to any other place where he may lawfully possess and carry such firearm if, during such transportation the firearm is unloaded, and neither the firearm nor any ammunition being transported is readily accessible or is directly accessible from the passenger compartment of such transporting vehicle: Provided, That in the case of a vehicle without a compartment separate from the driver’s compartment the firearm or ammunition shall be contained in a locked container other than the glove compartment or console.

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I would transport in a container (soft or hard) with a lock (even a cheap dollar store one). I would also keep them (including ammo box) as far back a possible (so they are not in arms reach).   Despite doing so, if it came to the point getting arrested on the technicality of soft vs hard container, I got bigger problems at that point. 

Now, I would not take it to extreme of putting in a locked, but thin plastic bag that I can rip with bare hands right from the driver seat. Common sense. 

To make matters worse, definition of Container could be interpreted to be of something rigid, partially atleast. But I wouldn't worry that far. 

[Golf battery 1,223]

If you have a nj fid card.   You can open carry a rifle.   Your discretion on traveling for anyone to see it is up to you.  More visible equals more libitards calling the the pd.    There are no concealed requirements if you have first obtained your nj fid card.   I would just not make it available in plain sight in your vehicle.   Just for your sake.   When it comes to pa.  I believe its the same.   Someone chime in here with the pa aspect. 

[Golf battery 1,223]

Jackandjill.  I believe youre quoting a handgun reference.   Also going to pa.   Interstate travel.   Fopa laws apply. 

[jackandjill 683]

13 minutes ago, Golf battery said:

Jackandjill.  I believe youre quoting a handgun reference.   Also going to pa.   Interstate travel.   Fopa laws apply. 

Unless I am mistaken, the 926A quoted above is the FOPA for interstate travel. 

[Golf battery 1,223]

Ahh.  You are probably correct.  Im half drunk and getting ready to go to sleep.  Just want to make sure he knows the difference between nj and fed laws.  So now the poor poster is more confused.  Well.  Thats how it goes with neast gun laws.  Good night. Yeah us laws now i see it. 

[Rob0115 1,105]

FOPA has no bearing on intrastate travel.   

[Smokin .50 1,907]

The confusion continues I see....

And 3 posts in we learn that the real question is in regard to INTERSTATE transport.

I drive a sedan, so I just use soft cases & keep ammo in a separate container buried in the trunk.  For travel INSIDE New Jersey, you can throw naked, unloaded guns into your trunk & toss loose ammo over the top of them like whipped cream on a sundae and be "legal"  

[WP22 1,558]

I've transported a rifle unloaded, in a black plastic trash bag in the trunk of my car. If the member that sold it to me still comes around, he can confirm it.

 As far as I'm concerned I was totally legal and my anal virginity is still intact.

[DVF2001 0]

Thanks everyone, I had always heard that the gun had to be in a locked compartment such as a trunk or cased and locked if the vehicle did not have a trunk so I have always used a soft sided case with a lock. I also had always heard that the ammo and guns had to be in separate compartments of the vehicle, so the ammo goes on the floor in the rear seating area. The back of the station wagon has a privacy cover so the cased gun cannot be seen. I think the federal law governing transportation of firearms is stricter than NJ law so that is the one I always follow. If a locked soft sided good quality gun case meets the requirements of the federal law, I guess I'm OK.


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[Handyman 5,682]

Far as I have heard, you can walk down Main Street with a rifle slung. At least until the next governor election.


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[brucin 923]

On 6/6/2017 at 9:33 AM, WP22 said:

I've transported a rifle unloaded, in a black plastic trash bag in the trunk of my car. If the member that sold it to me still comes around, he can confirm it.

 As far as I'm concerned I was totally legal and my anal virginity is still intact.

Got you beat. I transported my Mosin 91/30 in a black trash bag in my Smart Car. Had to fold down the passenger seat so it would fit. Ammo was behind the seat.

[Zeke 5,504]

6 minutes ago, brucin said:

Got you beat. I transported my Mosin 91/30 in a black trash bag in my Smart Car. Had to fold down the passenger seat so it would fit. Ammo was behind the seat.

Admit to smart car is big points!

big sad points!

 

I hard case, not because of unconstitutional laws, but because I like to protect my stuff.

I throw that joker on the roof rack for a party!

[Golf battery 1,223]

On 6/6/2017 at 8:34 AM, Smokin .50 said:

The confusion continues I see....

And 3 posts in we learn that the real question is in regard to INTERSTATE transport.

I drive a sedan, so I just use soft cases & keep ammo in a separate container buried in the trunk.  For travel INSIDE New Jersey, you can throw naked, unloaded guns into your trunk & toss loose ammo over the top of them like whipped cream on a sundae and be "legal"  

For interstate travel if you have your fid card.  You can have it unloaded sitting next to you passenger side or wherever not cased as long as its a long rifle.  Or walk down the street with it as long as you have first obtained a nj fid card.  Riiight.  There ya go. 

[NJGF 375]

5 hours ago, Golf battery said:

For interstate travel if you have your fid card.  You can have it unloaded sitting next to you passenger side or wherever not cased as long as its a long rifle.  Or walk down the street with it as long as you have first obtained a nj fid card.  Riiight.  There ya go. 

Did you mean intrastate (in NJ)?

[Golf battery 1,223]

Yeah.  Whichever means traveling just in nj.  

[brucin 923]

9 hours ago, Zeke said:

Admit to smart car is big points!

big sad points!

 

I hard case, not because of unconstitutional laws, but because I like to protect my stuff.

I throw that joker on the roof rack for a party!

In the 9 years I've had it I have spent $2,400 on gas so there is that. Just not much else.

I have a hard case now, the trash bag was just to get the Mosin home from the shop where I got it.

[capt14k 2,052]

In NJ with FID unloaded sitting on your lap if you so choose. My rifles are almost all collectible so I use hard cases to go to the range but no locks.

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[Cheflife15 455]

Is this still up to date? I picked up a 9mm carbine and wanted to know of a soft bag off amazon is good to transfer a rifle in my trunk. Thanks as always

[Tunaman 548]

1 hour ago, Cheflife15 said:

Is this still up to date? I picked up a 9mm carbine and wanted to know of a soft bag off amazon is good to transfer a rifle in my trunk. Thanks as always

You can wrap it in a towel and tie it with bakery string if you like.

[Old Glock guy 1,127]

As was said earlier in this thread (years ago) you are OK transporting in NJ with a soft case, or no case, for that matter.

I believe that FOPA laws require a hard, locked case for interstate travel through prohibited states.  

[Bomber 1,091]

1 hour ago, Old Glock guy said:

As was said earlier in this thread (years ago) you are OK transporting in NJ with a soft case, or no case, for that matter.

I believe that FOPA laws require a hard, locked case for interstate travel through prohibited states.  

Interesting.

So in theory with a FID pickup truck gun racks, rifle scabbards on motorcycles, and a slung AR while walking the dog are technically GTG within N.J. ?

 

[Old Glock guy 1,127]

3 minutes ago, Bomber said:

Interesting.

So in theory with a FID pickup truck gun racks, rifle scabbards on motorcycles, and a slung AR while walking the dog are technically GTG within N.J. ?

 

Nappen and others have described those options as legal, but not advisable.

[JackDaWack 2,895]

54 minutes ago, Bomber said:

Interesting.

So in theory with a FID pickup truck gun racks, rifle scabbards on motorcycles, and a slung AR while walking the dog are technically GTG within N.J. ?

 

I have thought about a lockable gun rack for my jeep. BUT its just a beacon for criminals. 

For handguns you have to follow the below statute

 2C:39-6

g.All weapons being transported under paragraph (2) of subsection b., subsection e., or paragraph (1) or (3) of subsection f. of this section shall be carried unloaded and contained in a closed and fastened case, gunbox, securely tied package, or locked in the trunk of the automobile in which it is being transported, and in the course of travel shall include only such deviations as are reasonably necessary under the circumstances