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Can I carry a loaded gun in my plane?

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State Laws

It really boils down to what the individual state laws are. Just because you carry don't mean you can cross state lines with it. In New York I can carry but if your traveling here from another state no matter what form of transportation you use it is a felony to bring into New State and only a loaded gun that is on the individual is legal with a NY Permitt if it is bagged it must be unloaded and ammo in different case. So I guess it wise to check the laws at your destination because it could cause lots of discomfort if you violate local laws especially in TODAYS GUN CLIMATE
 
Reading up a few years ago on how to fly to Alaska from the lower 48, I was surprised to find the following:

1. Canada requires a specific set of survival gear to be on board an aircraft - so many days' worth of food, etc. As a previous poster mentioned, handguns are illegal in Canada except for target shooting uses. But long guns are not.

2. Alaska regs require one to have a firearm on board, along with a less specific set of survival gear.

The issue being that, given the extremely remote areas in which one might have an off-airport landing, it could take several days for rescue to reach you. During this time you need to survive, and possibly defend yourself from predatory wildlife.

This created a dilemma - the most compact and lightweight firearm to satisfy Alaska regs, a handgun, is outright unlawful in Canada, which we have to overfly to get there.

So I was imagining, if this flight ever took place, a shotgun with some sundry shot shells, and also slug ammo, would be the way to go, and one would have to get the correct permits for it from Canada. Preferably one that can be disassembled, like an over/under.

Note that this information was valid as of several years ago, not sure if it is still valid. Any Alaska pilots that want to inform us would be welcomed.

Best Regards,

-Paragon
Cincinnati, OH
 
Back to the original question:
Overflying a state: That State's laws do not apply. Only the departure point and arrival point laws are a consideration.

Federal law trumps state laws. Federal law allows you to transport a weapon thru a state as long as that state is not your destination. If you have to spend the night in that state, does that state then become your destination or are you considered to still be passing thru????? Same question if you land at someplace other than your destination??????

Federal law does have specific requirements for transporting a firearm. Locking, accessibility, etc.

Quality of the advice received, as in most things, is directly proportional to what you paid for it.

JMHO

If you take off from NJ flying to IL but crash on the PA/OH border, which state laws govern the burial of the survivors????
 
Forgive me, and not to be impolite either. So let me rephrase, "why would you want to"...?

Any question that begins that way is irrelevant, rude, and should be ignored. "Why would you want to fly one o' them there home-made airplanes?" People who fly glass (or aluminum) airplanes ...

Just because we can, doesn't mean we should.
 
Federal Law does dictate transportation of weapons, ammunition can not be in same case and must be locked and secured. If you enter a state where a permit is required and you don't have one see what happens to your right of transportation. My opinion this thread should not discussed will draw a lot of attention to give them more ammunituion on Gun Control and more General Aviation Laws. I am a Federal Firearms Dealer and compete in competitions country wide and it not easy to transport firearms so think twice and wise the more attention you draw the more they watch
 
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When flying, it's much ado about risk management. Does a loaded weapon on board a private flight reduce some specific risk? It's not like we're flying over enemy territory. I would think the risk of a negative encounter would be increased as there is much law enforcement around airports, who would be threatened by the presence of unexpected weapons. Just asking and trying to understand.


My suitcase does not reduce flight risk either but I need my clothes at the destination. If I carry weapons it's because I need them at my destination whether that be for protection, sport shooting or hunting.

In 15 years of flying with a lot of class D airports I have yet to see any type of security or police at non-commercial airports. At one of my common destinations law enforcement response time is 45 minutes to 1 hour (and that was with a robbery in process).

Just because we can, doesn't mean we should.

This last statement is a little dangerous. There are many people that live near my home airport that have the same attitude about us flying private airplanes over the top of their homes.

From a legal standpoint the Texas CHL has reciprocity with 35 of the 50 states which makes it a little easier to be compliant with the laws of different states.

Andy
 
Interested in the legal guidance. Stories and opinions might be best in some other venue. Just want the actual facts about landing, using and taking off from public airports with a gun in the survival gear bag.

The original question said nothing about handguns, nor second amendment rights. It was about carrying in a survival bag.

As others state, know what the gun laws are for the places that you are landing.

If you are flying to places where you think you need or are required to have survival gear then you should have one. A pistol grip 12 guage is about the best protection you can get and they are legal in Canada, and probably most every state, as long as they are not cut too short.

Firearms are not illegal in Canada, just check before you go, and definately tell them when you get to customs. Do not give it to those guys loaded.

I carry a rifle in my vehicle almost all the time, (trying to win the gopher wars), but safety wise, I just cannot see carrying one loaded inside the vehicle.

Regardless of the legalities, I would keep it in a bag around people. Someone might see it an be traumatized by the sight which would require them to go suck their thumb in a safe place.
 
The point is a gun in a survival bag does not mean its exempt from the laws just think and check before you consider doing it. In NY a Pistol Grip shotgun is not legal see that's the catch you need to research before doing it
 
This thread should be removed to many laws and opinions with the wrong advice could really get someone in trouble.
 
From a legal standpoint the Texas CHL has reciprocity with 35 of the 50 states which makes it a little easier to be compliant with the laws of different states.

Andy

And I'm perfectly happy being non-compliant in the others.
 
And I'm perfectly happy being non-compliant in the others.

Statements like this is why this thread should be removed, they watch and read everything, I am a big gun advocate but should not be discussed unless laws and the consequences are understood before saying things like the quote above. Why would you want to draw unnecessary attention to yourself by saying things like that
 
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Reading up a few years ago on how to fly to Alaska from the lower 48, I was surprised to find the following:

1. Canada requires a specific set of survival gear to be on board an aircraft - so many days' worth of food, etc. As a previous poster mentioned, handguns are illegal in Canada except for target shooting uses. But long guns are not.

2. Alaska regs require one to have a firearm on board, along with a less specific set of survival gear.

The issue being that, given the extremely remote areas in which one might have an off-airport landing, it could take several days for rescue to reach you. During this time you need to survive, and possibly defend yourself from predatory wildlife.

This created a dilemma - the most compact and lightweight firearm to satisfy Alaska regs, a handgun, is outright unlawful in Canada, which we have to overfly to get there.

So I was imagining, if this flight ever took place, a shotgun with some sundry shot shells, and also slug ammo, would be the way to go, and one would have to get the correct permits for it from Canada. Preferably one that can be disassembled, like an over/under.

Note that this information was valid as of several years ago, not sure if it is still valid. Any Alaska pilots that want to inform us would be welcomed.

Best Regards,

-Paragon
Cincinnati, OH

The firearm of choice for remote areas, and that which is issued by the Canadian federal government to its employees who may be engaged in hazardous activities in this area (think wildlife biologists and the like) is a reasonably short-barreled 12ga pump shotgun. Some prefer to use one with a folding stock. A sling is almost a mandatory requirement because, for instance, when working around polar bears, one wants to have the firearm ON your person at all times. The best choice of load seems to be alternating 00 buck and slug - just load a buck load, then a slug load, then a buck load... Rinse and repeat.

Having done some of this kind of work myself (polar bear relocation), and having seen a Rem 870 put to the test (through the chin bubble of a helicopter - the pilot literally shot between his feet), there's no way I would even begin to consider a handgun for this type of situation. I say this as a person who is very proficient with handguns and perhaps less proficient with a shotgun. When a griz or polar bear turns on you, "close enough" is about as good as you're going to be able to do with shot placement.
 
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