Travelling through NY

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I live in Maine and attend school in Virginia. Next year I'll be living off campus and want to bring my firearms down with me.
I've done some reading and my understanding is I'll be OK with the rifles and handgun unloaded and locked in my trunk in every state until New York. From what I gather, it's illegal for anyone to have a handgun in their vehicle while travelling through New York without a license, even if it's unloaded and in the trunk. Is this correct?
Is there an exception for a person changing residence?

Thanks

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U.S. Federal Law allows for the interstate transportation of legally owned firearms even when traveling through regions (States, Counties, Cities) where you would not be able to legally possess the firearms, as long as you are going from somewhere that you can have the firearm, and going to somewhere that you can have the firearm.



U.S. Code Title 18, Part I Capter 44

Notwithstanding any other provision of any law or any rule or regulation of a State or any political subdivision thereof, any person who is not otherwise prohibited by this chapter from transporting, shipping, or receiving a firearm SHALL BE ENTITLED to transport a firearm for any legal purpose from any place where they may lawfully possess and carry such firearm to any other place where he may lawfully possess and carry such firearm IF, during such transportation the firearm is unlaoded, and neither the firearm not any ammuntion being transported is directly accessible fro the passenger compartment of such transporting vehicle: Provided, That in the case of a vehicle without a compartement seperate from the driver's compartment the firearm of ammunition shall be contained in a locked container other that the glove compartment or console.

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But yes you can still be locked up in NY or NJ, regardless of what the fed law states.

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Just don't do anything to get yourself pulled over and you won't have to worry about NY or NJ Cops violating Federal Law.

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I used to drive from New York to New York in the 90's. That is from NYC area, thru New Jersey (20 mile shortcut to get upstate NY) thru PA. and then hook a right at Scranton and back up into NY binghamton area. I would not carry a firearm because I heard of first hand accounts wth the NJ troopers who strictly enforced NJ laws And I'm a cop. A few NY cops got their weapons confiscated when travelling thru NJ. Now its not an issue with HR 218. But I would really advise against it for a civilian because of the manner in which NJ troopers strictly enforce NJ laws. If you look at their patch, it says NJ trooper, not Federal trooper. Just my 2 cents, wouldnt want to see you jeopardise a nice firearm getting into a pissing contest in NJ.

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To be absolutely safe, you could always just pay to ship it from an FFL dealer in ME to another in VA and just pick it up. Or try one of the shipping companies, FedEx of UPS and see what their rules are for shipping firearms to yourself.