Range Drama

[Sakiri]

I always find this particular discussion interesting. I am not in the habit of keeping loaded magazines laying around and I certainly wouldn't pre-load them before going to the range. For some neurotic reason, I will even unload my home SD handgun if I am taking it along. I travel with my ammo in an ammo case or sometimes just the wallmart bag it came in. My guns are in a locked soft case. The magazines are almost anywhere. Some in my range bag, some in the guns, who knows.

Have an acquaintence that spent the better part of two days loading over 100 mags for a range trip with a friend of his. Saves time spent shooting.

[keenkeen]

I was just at a birthday party for a former LEO friend with about 20 cops just last week, all were OC area. This was one of the questions I asked, how to transport my handgun and shotgun. They all said handguns should be in a locked container in the trunk or rear in my case as I have hatchback. Ammo should be on the opposite side of the car with mags UNLOADED. A few said some cops won't make a big deal about gun in the back and ammo in the glove but it just depends on the cop. Having said that, you have to be pretty ballsy to have a loaded magazine in the same container with your gun. Why risk it? You will most likely be arrested and arguing with the wrong cop could result in resisting arrest. Be on the safe side. They are more forgiving with long guns though. Keeping ammo and the gun together isn't a big deal.

Yeah, you are right. Lets just let LEOs make up any laws they want and we can all try our best to follow them.

Great plan...

[Animal454]

I knew it as going to be the Magnum range. That place has became a joke over the years.
A few of the people that work there should learn to bite their tongue's and keep their opinions/beliefs to themselves. Some of them just assume that because we are there to shoot that we have other things in common.

[boomer135]

Exactly!

Completely wrong. Stop posting false information. Magazines can be loaded and in the same container as the firearm. You cannot however have the magazines inserted into the firearm magwell.

Straight from the CHP webpage: "Ammunition may be kept in the same container or trunk, but the handgun must remain unloaded with no rounds in the cylinder and no loaded magazines in the magazine well."

[socal2310]

I was just at a birthday party for a former LEO friend with about 20 cops just last week, all were OC area. This was one of the questions I asked, how to transport my handgun and shotgun. They all said handguns should be in a locked container in the trunk or rear in my case as I have hatchback. Ammo should be on the opposite side of the car with mags UNLOADED. A few said some cops won't make a big deal about gun in the back and ammo in the glove but it just depends on the cop. Having said that, you have to be pretty ballsy to have a loaded magazine in the same container with your gun. Why risk it? You will most likely be arrested and arguing with the wrong cop could result in resisting arrest. Be on the safe side. They are more forgiving with long guns though. Keeping ammo and the gun together isn't a big deal.

Wow, I have to go through OC periodically on business. Work is on the other end of travel and detention wouldn't be critical (though annoying). I need to get pulled over for a minor infraction (perhaps changing lanes without signaling while speeding?). I could use an extra 20k.

[Oceanbob]

OK I guess I'll take that advice about quitting while I'm behind. Even the newbie is on my jock.

No Worries Carl.....

Here is the definition of Loaded:

http://wiki.calgunsfoundation.org/index.php/Defining_loaded_in_California

[DrewN]

I am not in the habit of keeping loaded magazines laying around and I certainly wouldn't pre-load them before going to the range.

Some ranges charge by the hour so more loading/less shooting. It's not a such big deal with 10 rd mags, but with 5 or 6 preloaded standard capacity mags I could easily walk in at lunch, put 100 rounds downrange and still have time to grab some food on the way back to work.

[DuknBucks]

^ That's just wrong. It's sad a CCW holder knows so little about the law.

OP: Arguing with a moron pulls you down to his level. Just move on.

X2 "Should" and what the laws says are two different things

[211275]

I am not in the habit of keeping loaded magazines laying around and I certainly wouldn't pre-load them before going to the range.

Some ranges charge by the hour so more loading/less shooting. It's not a such big deal with 10 rd mags, but with 5 or 6 preloaded standard capacity mags I could easily walk in at lunch, put 100 rounds downrange and still have time to grab some food on the way back to work.

...but we are in CA where anything over 10 rounds is against the law, so thats a moot point.

[JeremyS]

Most cops dont give two ****s what you think the law is and can easily arrest you, your word against his. You want to spend all the money on lawyers and legal fees when all you have to do is play it better safe than sorry? Idiotic.

By your reasoning you shouldn't even own a gun then. Or shouldn't leave the safety of your locked home. A cop COULD break into your house, plant cocaine on your couch, and then arrest you. Your word against his. You COULD be transporting your firearm locked in your trunk and your ammo locked up in the front, and the cop arrests you for having a loaded gun and then it's your word against his. Maybe you're going 26 in the 30 mph zone just to "play it safe" and the cop claims you were going 50. Maybe the officer is mistaken and cites you for exceeding a 20 mph speed limit when you were really in a 30 mph zone.

Your logic is a total fail. You could forever continue drawing out hypotheticals where the police officer either doesn't know the law or willfully disregards it and lies to get you busted. You can't protect yourself from these sorts of possibilities. Follow the law. That's all you can do. Don't make up and enforce extra laws on yourself because you think it's "safer."


I cannot believe that you think it's idiotic that somebody doesn't restrict themselves beyond the letter of the law just to "play it safe." We really are turning into a nation of veal calves.

[tonyxcom]

How could you possibly ever go to the range? Two trips... One with the gun and another trip with the ammo...ROFL

Two trips?? Clearly, you would have your shooting buddy following you in his car with the ammo.

[Scuba Steve33]

He is right if you don't have a CCW with that weapon listed. Had you been pulled over and your vehicle searched you would have likely been placed under arrest. You must travel with the weapon and magazines (empty) in a locked container. The ammo should not be stored in the same place as the container with the firearm. So if you have the ammo in the trunk, then your handgun should be in the back seat.

I have a CCW with three handguns listed. With those weapons I don't sweat it because I have permission to have them concealed and loaded. For all of my other weapons I travel with them in my back seat floor board of my truck, and the ammo I put in the bed of my truck. The handguns that are not listed on my CCW are always in locked containers/boxes, while the rifles just have to be unloaded.

I do this because I believe that to be the legal requirement. If I am wrong someone please let me know.

Don't get angry at me, but it seems you are so pissed off that you didn't read the CHP FAQ. It clearly says that the magazines are to be unloaded.

OK fellas, I'll quit. If I'm wrong I'm wrong, but that is how I travel because it just takes one person to translate the law a different way, and you end up trying to beat the charge. I stay anal on myself to make sure no one else can end up ruining my year by being more anal than me.

Holy ****, how do you have a CCW?

[Ronin2]

Two trips?? Clearly, you would have your shooting buddy following you in his car with the ammo.

OR, maybe the nice policeman would help you out and save you a trip....

[VintageDUG]

...but we are in CA where anything over 10 rounds is against the law, so thats a moot point.

Here we go........

LOL

[yoteassasin]

...but we are in CA where anything over 10 rounds is against the law, so thats a moot point.

LIAR!!!! manufacuring, selling and importing is illegal. USING MY STANDARD capacity magazines is in no way illegal unless it clasifies my weapon an asault weapon.. see AW flow chart.
I am truely suprised to see the amount of FUD you are spewing when all of the correct (LEGAL) anwers are just a click away are you that IGNORANT?