Definition of unloaded handgun

[Inoxmark]

I was searching for something unrelated and came across this website:

http://www.chp.ca.gov/html/answers.html

I will be traveling to California and want to carry my weapon. I currently have a concealed weapon permit. How can I legally transport my weapon while driving through the state?

California law does not recognize concealed weapon permits from other states; therefore, they would not be held valid. If you wish to transport a handgun during your California visit, it should be carried unloaded in a locked, hard-sided container. In the absence of a suitable container, you may secure the unloaded handgun in the locked trunk of a passenger car. 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.

If you have additional questions, contact the California Department of Justice at 916-227-3703.

The definition appears to be more to the point and not as strict as I thought it was. Keeping ammunition together with the gun expressly permitted, having loaded magazines (outside of the magwell) not expressly prohibited.
Interesting. CA laws are so confusing.

[Librarian]

Gosh, at least one agency has it almost right -- the bit about 'hard-sided' is not part of the law, just 'locked'.

[kalibear]

I knew of a case where a young man was coming back from the shooting range, got pulled over, and was arrested for having a loaded handgun (the pistol itself did not have a loaded magazine in the mag well). Instead of placing his pistol and mags (which had ammo in them) inside the locked trunk of his car, he had it inside the glove compartment!

[Guest]

He may have been arrested for having a loaded handgun but being that the elements necessary for the crime were not there I highly doubt he was prosecuted for it. My guess is the prosecutor looked at the elements and charged him instead with having a concealed handgun instead.

[Turbinator]

Originally posted by kalibear:
I knew of a case where a young man was coming back from the shooting range, got pulled over, and was arrested for having a loaded handgun (the pistol itself did not have a loaded magazine in the mag well). Instead of placing his pistol and mags (which had ammo in them) inside the locked trunk of his car, he had it inside the glove compartment!

Oh? How did you fight the charges?

Turby