Road Trip with a Gun

Alan

Administrator
Staff member
Admin
Moderator
Joined
Feb 21, 2025
Messages
85
I'm planning a trip to visit family, and I want to bring a firearm along for the ride. The trouble is, I've got to pass through New York State, and that's where it gets complicated. Avoiding NY would add a ton of drive time, and I'm not too keen on taking a longer route if I don't have to. I'm wondering if anyone else has been in this situation. How did you handle it? Would love to hear what options you decided on or if there are any tips to make this trip easier. I'm open to suggestions.
 
Headed to Maine.
My fear is if you ship, you gotta ship to another FFL don't you?
 
According to the ATF, you can ship a gun to yourself. So let's say you're going to visit your cousin Bob in Maine. You ship the gun to Alan, c/o Bob. Perfectly legal. Bob is not allowed to open the box.

The problem is finding a common carrier that will accept a gun that is not coming both to and from an FFL. UPS and FedEx have got to the point where they don't care what the law says. Their policy.
 
In 2021 I went from Florida to Maine.
I went the "back way", up thru Pennsylvania to avoid NJ. I-95 is a nightmare anyway.
My Florida Concealed Weapon or Firearm License was good all the way to NY.
I drive a pickup with a topper, At the last rest area in PA i took the several handguns on myself and in the truck, unloaded them, and put the guns and ammo in a tool box in the bed of my truck. The tool box was locked and chained to an anchor point.

The way I understood NY, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire laws the weapons had to be unloaded and locked in the trunk of the vehicle. I could be wrong on that. In fact I probably am.

I drove obeying all laws and did not get pulled over even with Florida plates.
 
In 2021 I went from Florida to Maine.
I went the "back way", up thru Pennsylvania to avoid NJ. I-95 is a nightmare anyway.
My Florida Concealed Weapon or Firearm License was good all the way to NY.
I drive a pickup with a topper, At the last rest area in PA i took the several handguns on myself and in the truck, unloaded them, and put the guns and ammo in a tool box in the bed of my truck. The tool box was locked and chained to an anchor point.

The way I understood NY, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire laws the weapons had to be unloaded and locked in the trunk of the vehicle. I could be wrong on that. In fact I probably am.

I drove obeying all laws and did not get pulled over even with Florida plates.
I can't argue or agree out of ignorance, but I am suspicious of some of the cops and DAs advancing their own agenda.
 
Federal law says you can carry an unloaded gun in your trunk thru any state. But some states like New York don't believe they have to follow federal law and will arrest you anyway you will win but it will cost a bundle and lots of time.
 
If they don't ask, don't volunteer any info. No gun stickers on your vehicle. Don't do anything to get pulled over
 
I personally would not worry a lot about it. Yeah, there are possible ramifications IF you are stopped and IF a firearm is discovered, but the chances are awfully slim. It's not a choice you should make based on recommendations from the internet.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top