California legal firearms transportation in a truck??

I looked on the Ca.gov site but wasn't completely clear in regards to trucks. I have recently purchased some firearms. Still waiting...stupid 10 day wait period. But since I have been going to the range and renting I haven't had to worry about how I transport my firearms in cali. I am somewhat confused. From what I understand so far from friends and some of the guys at the gun shop which seemed to hint it depends on the LEO that could potentially pull you over. That you can have a trigger lock for a rifle and have the magazine unloaded of course, chamber empty. For a handgun a trigger lock is fine, magazine unloaded and empty handgun. I have a truck??so I have seen many posts that say put in your trunk but I don't have a damn trunk? So am I fine with the trigger lock and unloaded and no magazine?? Let's say I keep the ammo in glove box? Or do I have to lock that as well? if so is a locked range bag fine???

Or should I just get a "toolbox" to put in my truck bed which I have secretly always wanted but never found a true purpose for and couldn't justify spending the cash on it. Answers are much appreciated from informed california firearms owners/enthusiasts.

Why spend the cash on the toolbox when I can buy another gun?? ha!!!

 

I recently had to drive all my guns from Montana to NorCal and this site helped me out a lot...

http://www.gunlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15&Itemid=97

 

Here's what I do:

Items:
1) Ammo
2) AR
3) Handgun
4) 870 pump

#2,3,4 each have their own seperate hardcases, with a padlock on each of them. Definitely unloaded, out of battery, with no magazines in the cases.

#1) I have a go-bag that I'm able to shove all my ammo in. Yes, its heavy. Very heavy. In the bag with the ammo are empty magazines. There is also a luggage combo lock on this bag. For the AR ammo, I have a seperate plastic can with a bagillion rounds in it, also with its own luggage lock.

Since I have a double cab, I put all this stuff in the backseat.

I've never been pulled over with all this stuff in my car, but IMO this is about as legal as we can get in a truck. Common sense and diligence should count for something right?

 

I carry in one bag with separate locked compartments for the guns on the sides. Ammo doesn't have to be locked up but it does need to be separate from the guns' pockets.

 

http://wiki.calgunsfoundation.org/Transporting

Handgun: unloaded; in a locked container.
Long gun: unloaded; does not need to be locked container unless within 1000 feet of a school. So, I would lock it up if I was unsure.

Stay away from trigger locks unless you are looking for a pure safety device. They will not help you when trying to transport a handgun legally.

Ammo does not need to be separate from the locked container so long as it is not IN the gun. Some people believe it to be good practice to keep it separate.

 

I believe though if there's ammo in a magazine, it's considered loaded if it's in the same compartment as the gun.

 

It's not.

But, the officer might not know this and cite you anyway, or he/she pops the mag in that's laying right there and says it was loaded. If he's really shady.

Either way, I would trust that link I provided and the community that supports Calguns Foundation. www.calguns.net.

 

this man speaketh the truth! this is how i do it all mags are loaded and in the same container as the firearm.


straight from the attorney general

http://oag.ca.gov/firearms/travel

 

Thanks for the replies.

I'm thinking I will do the same as asus611. Padlock my handgun case and put in a bag. Have the ammo and empty magazines in a seperate bag and locked. I also purchased a rifle that will be kept in a soft case unloaded with NO ammo in the bag. Is the factory case sufficient for the handgun or do I have to cough up some more cash for "california approved cases"? sheesh...

 

I believe I will be spending many hours on Calguns.net

 

As long as your handgun is unloaded and is in a locked container you're ok. Personally i have my xd in its factory case, then i put that case in a sturdy backpack and lock the zippers together with a padlock of somesort.

read up on PC12026.1 that deals with tranporting in a vehicle. PC12026.1 only tells you what is legal, so go from there and transport in a way that is legal and makes you feel comfortable if you were to be stopped by a LEO.

I also tranport long guns in a "locked container" you are bound to drive through school zone on the way to the range why take the chance.

 

"Secure is not defined in the Penal Code. The implication of the lock language suggests access to the handgun should be difficult without properly opening the lock. While this page cannot recommend brands or models, both hard-sided and soft-sided gun cases and other 'substantial' enclosures which can be locked would seem to fulfill the requirements of the law."

 

IMO with things like this, its not wasted effort to go "overkill". I live over an hour from my preferred outdoor range, and when my friends and I go, we are bringing A LOT of firearms and ammo with us. The odds of us running into LEO's are higher, since I'm driving through a TON of municipalities just to shoot.

I would rather throw a lock on everything, separate the ammo and lock that, than have a roadside argument with an LEO that I know I won't win, regardless of who is actually 'right'

 

I keep all my weapons in pelican cases, (hard cases) that are lokced with masterlocks. I typically have 4 or 5 handguns (including multiple mags each) per "handgun" case and 2 long guns per "rifle" case, so I just chose which cases/weapons I want to take with me, lock them up, throw them in the backseat of my xtra cab and am on my way. My ammo stays in a seperate bag (range bag/hunting pack, etc) until until I get where I am going. Have never had any issues.

If you are pulled over though, make sure one of the first things you tell the officer is that you have firearms in locked boxes in the truck, DO NOT let him find them himself and be suprised they are there. If you are cool about it, and have nothing to hide, 99.9% of LEO will not give you any trouble, remember, most LEOs probably belong to NRA, so they are not anti-gun ppl. Just anti stupid ppl with guns that will harm others.

 

I wouldn't announce it immediately unless you want him to hassle you into an unloaded weapons check.

"I have nothing illegal in the vehicle, sir".

There should be no reason he needs to search your vehicle during a traffic violation. If for some reason he does have reason to search, that's when I'd let him know.

 

This stuff just makes me laugh, I wonder if the criminals, gang bangers, dope smugglers follow these laws as well.

 

California blows

 

You guys in Cali don't know what it's like to still have some freedoms left that the gov hasn't taken over. Heck back here in Ky we still carry ours on gun racks in the back window. Probably many are loaded, never know when a person might have to defend themselves. But having gun available sure keeps the bad guys in a lower profile. But then again we don't require gay and transexual education classes in grade schools or any schools!

 

x2

 

i dunno... i can picture over here, if open carry was legal, the criminals would just randomly shoot first assuming that their victims were armed... then, of course, armed victims would unleash on the suspects but with all the gangs out here, it would be a war zone everyday...

given how easily people out here get into road rage with our messed up traffic, there would be shootings every 15 minutes...

although with the zombie apocalypse coming later this year, i just might stock up on ammo...