Firearms on the Great Loop Route laws & regs?

[Panacea2183]

First off I carry, always will, just a personal preference.

Have traveled from Fla. to Bahamas several times w/no issues and abide by the rules!
Thinking about going to the Great Lakes next year and am looking for any info
On regs along the way.
Have read many threads and they all seem to get hijacked by personal opinions about guns on board, with no real info provided.
I have my opinion, you have yours. Let's keep this post restricted to information and not a debate on how best to protect yourself and the family.

Thanks in advance
Looking forward to any info that will keep me from running afoul of the local laws.

[Sailmonkey]

That just simple state by state laws. Look them up and abide by them.


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[donradcliffe]

Don't forget Canada.

[Jdege]

Basically, states will fall into a number of categories:

• States that recognize your carry permit
• States that do not recongnize your carry permit, but do not restrict ownership
• States that require permits or licenses for ownership, but abide by FOPA
• Thats that require permits or licenses and regularly violate FOPA.

If your carry permit is recognized, you have no problems.

If you have a carry permit, you can determine which states will recognize it, here: Concealed Carry Permit Reciprocity Maps

States that don't recognize your permit will generally not have a problem, if you have it stored on the boat. A few states require registration, permits, or licensing for simple possession firearms.

Along the Great Circle route, these would be DC, IL, MA, MD, NJ, and NY.

There is a federal law that is supposed to provide an exemption from local laws for individuals who are travelling interstate with firearms: Firearm Owners Protection Act.

According to this, if it is legal for you to possess a firearm in the state you are leaving, and in the state you are travelling to, and you keep the gun unloaded and locked up, local laws don't apply.

Generally, this has been applied to people driving through states without stopping. If you're taking weeks to get through, you might have a harder time.

I'd skip NJ and NY, though. The NY Port Authority has a long-established practice of arresting and charging everyone they catch with guns, despite the federal protections. They've been slapped down by the courts a number of times, but they still continue.

[chris5977]

We need more information. What type of gun? There are different rules regarding pistols and long guns.

By "carry" does that mean carry on your person? If so, concealed or open? Or do you mean firearms are stored on your boat?

[Panacea2183]

Originally Posted by chris5977

We need more information. What type of gun? There are different rules regarding pistols and long guns.

By "carry" does that mean carry on your person? If so, concealed or open? Or do you mean firearms are stored on your boat?

Currently hand guns would consider shotgun.
Carry on my person concealed locally in Fla. have permit.

When traveling stored and locked on boat in safe, very rarely leave boat on transit to Bahamas.

[chris5977]

If your guns are unloaded and stored on your boat, I do not think you will run afoul of any laws in the US. The tricky part is Canada. But I think it can be done with the proper paperwork. Firearm Users Visiting Canada - Royal Canadian Mounted Police

[a64pilot]

Forget a pistol in Canada, I flew the NWT with a pump shotgun, not only was it not hard, but their opinion was that I would have been foolish not to have it.
Pistols, they have no use for


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[chris mac]

Here in Canada, you can legally own a handgun. Licence is needed. However only police, military type jobs allow a carry license. You can get a transport license if you also have a range membership.and can only legally transport in a lock box from residence to range and back.
I am not sure what changes for visitors but my guess would be it's more strict.
Check with border services ahead of time and it becomes very simple.

[wayne.b]

Originally Posted by chris5977

If your guns are unloaded and stored on your boat, I do not think you will run afoul of any laws in the US.

===

That is incorrect information. Just recently a boat passing through NY Harbor was boarded by USCG. The coast guard always asks if there are firearms on board. The owner replied in the affirmative stating that the guns were locked up below. USCG called in the NYPD and the owner was charged with possession of unregistered firearms, a felony. This also happens to air travelers whose flights get diverted to NY for some reason. If you lie to USCG and are caught, that's a felony also.

East River sailor busted for carrying unlicensed weapons | New York Post

[Jason Flare]

Interesting story. It appears from this story that Antwerpen had an expired Maryland carry permit:

Jack Says ‘Yes’ To Guns On Board Yacht, Faces Charges in New York City | | PassageMaker

[J Clark H356]

I have wondered if you are traveling through a state that does not have reciprocity with your home state and you spend the night in a hotel, (or Marina in the case of a boat) have a gun, take it apart and store the parts in different locations within a vehicle, locked up and inaccessible in multiple pelican cases, if you would be considered to be carrying a firearm?

Also, how would you reply if asked if you are carrying a firearm if stopped by the Police, Coast Guard or other law enforcement official in the above situation? Technically you are carrying parts that constitute a firearm once put back together


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[Jason Flare]

There's a thing called, "constructive intent."

https://www.google.com/search?q=cons...&client=safari

If you have all the parts it's a gun, basically.

[J Clark H356]

Jason:

Thanks for the clarification on Constructive intent. Interesting read. It just seems that one could infer that your "intent" for this scenario is not to construct a firearm in a state which does not allow you to have one, but to show your intent to not have a functional firearm without going through a laborious process to put it together.

What do people do that are traveling through? Are you not allowed to stay in a hotel or Marina in that state?


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[deblen]

Bringing a Firearm into Canada – ezbordercrossing.com


http://boating.ncf.ca/canadaborder.html