ideas on how to move guns?

[mzimmers]

Well, guys...the time has come. I've accepted a job out of state, and will be leaving the friendly confines of California in a couple of months. My hat is off to each and every one of you who remains here to fight the good fight, but for my part, I know when I'm not welcome, and I'm getting the truck out of Dodge.

So...I'm trying to figure out the safest way to transport my collection. I will be using a professional moving service for household goods, but I'm going to guess that's not the best way to move the guns. I'm sure someone here has dealt with this, so I'm looking for suggestions.

And, on a related note: I have a bunch of ammo, powder and primers that I'd like to take along. My thought (if it's legal) is to box up the powder and primers, and ship them myself (incurring a HAZMAT fee, of course). The ammo, I was thinking I'd just put in the bed of the truck and drive it out with me (it'll be a one-day drive). Anyone want to weigh in on the legality (and wisdom) of this?

I'm gonna miss you guys...

[colossians323]

did you google?

[mzimmers]

No, I didn't google. For matters like this, I thought I'd start with the CG braintrust. Hell, y'all are the only people I trust anyway...

[dwtt]

If you are driving a pickup, just carry as much of it in your truck as you can. There's no need to ship the primers and powder to yourself, you can drive on the road with the powder and primers, unless you really have an armory worth of stuff.

[musick]

Cant say its current, but its a good place to start:

http://www.nraila.org/gun-laws/articles/2010/guide-to-the-interstate-transportation.aspx?

[mzimmers]

Thanks, musick. There's some good information there. My situation is that I can't case up anywhere near all my guns (I have 25-30, about evenly split between long guns and hand guns). If there were a responsible moving company I could trust, it'd probably be less expensive to pay them to do it for me, rather than to buy a whole bunch of cases and locks.

Another option is to get a U-Haul and put them all in there. Not sure how I feel about taking a trailer over the Sierras in December, but I guess that'd be OK. I assume a locked trailer would be a legal means of transporting the firearms and ammo?

[sigstroker]

Two trips?

[mzimmers]

Two trips? That'd be another 100 gallons of gas, not to mention the wear and tear on the truck. Is it really that hard/risky to find someone who will transport guns for me?

Maybe the U-Haul is the right answer; I'm sure the smallest trailer they offer will suffice.

[kygen]

I'd look into a Uhaul, as long as you are ok with driving it through the Sierras like you said.

[kentactic]

Just stick them in your truck/trailer and go....

[Spyguy]

It would be easier to give you advice if you provided more information. What size is your pick-up truck? Is it a doublecab/crewcab? Is there a hard cover over the bed? Will you be travelling alone or with others?

[tmh1]

I've been thinking a lot about this since SB374 passed- it was kind of the last straw. But now with the veto, I just might stay and at least enjoy the weather in CA a bit longer.

I don't recall the case exactly, but it scared the cr@p out of me. A guy was moving from PA to TX, IIRC. All of his stuff was legal in PA and TX, but he stopped overnight to rest in somewhere like NJ. His stuff or transport method wasn't legal in NJ, and he was arrested, his guns confiscated, and I believe that he was found guilty and jailed. Some local prosecutor wanted to make a name for himself, or some such, and the NJ pols were all patting themselves on their backs for the job well done.

This essentially taught me 2 things:
1) Know the laws of all the states you will be crossing.
2) Perhaps make your guns non-functional for the trip. I was going to remove all of the bolts on the rifles, and maybe all of the barrels on the pistols. May or may not help, but at least it might keep local overly-aggressive DA's from going all Ruby Ridge on you. (I was going to ship the box-o-parts with the movers, or take it with me but on a separate trip).

And, of course, I would probably keep at least 1 shotgun and 1 pistol whole and cased/locked for emergency situations.

Just some of my rambling thoughts which might help.

[mzimmers]

Spyguy -

The truck is a Ford F-150 Crew Cab. The cab will be well-filled by myself, my traveling partner, our (135#) dog and our cat. No hard shell.

The plan is to make the trip in one day (it's about 10 hours), but I'd like to be prepared for the contingency of having to overnight somewhere. I was looking at this trailer:

4x8 Cargo Trailer

It should hold everything easily, including my ammo, powder and primers. Hell, it'd hold the safe if I could figure out how to get it in there. And, I assume it's lockable (I'll verify this).

While I don't have much towing experience, I'm hopeful that something that small shouldn't be too much of a challenge, even if I run into snow in the Sierras.

[Spyguy]

I don't recall the case exactly, but it scared the cr@p out of me. A guy was moving from PA to TX, IIRC. All of his stuff was legal in PA and TX, but he stopped overnight to rest in somewhere like NJ. His stuff or transport method wasn't legal in NJ, and he was arrested, his guns confiscated, and I believe that he was found guilty and jailed. Some local prosecutor wanted to make a name for himself, or some such, and the NJ pols were all patting themselves on their backs for the job well done.

http://www.volokh.com/2010/03/30/unexpected-flight-delay-hotel-stay-criminal-prosecution-for-gun-possession/

[mzimmers]

Yes, I remember that story vividly. Fortunately, I'll only be in our dear CA, NV and ID. From the site that was posted above, I don't think I'll run into any trouble in NV or ID. Now, if I can just get out of this state unscathed...