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Loaded Shotgun/Rifle legal in your car?

ufcfanvt

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Oct 8, 2007
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431
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NoVA, Virginia, USA
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§ 15.2-915.2. Regulation of transportation of a loaded rifle or shotgun. The governing body of any county or city may by ordinance make it unlawful for any person to transport, possess or carry a loaded shotgun or loaded rifle in any vehicle on any public street, road, or highway within such locality. Any violation of such ordinance shall be punishable by a fine of not more than $100. Conservation police officers, sheriffs and all other law-enforcement officers shall enforce the provisions of this section. No ordinance adopted pursuant to this section shall be enforceable unless the governing body adopting such ordinance so notifies the Director of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries by registered mail prior to May 1 of the year in which such ordinance is to take effect.
The provisions of this section shall not apply to duly authorized law-enforcement officers or military personnel in the performance of their lawful duties, nor to any person who reasonably believes that a loaded rifle or shotgun is necessary for his personal safety in the course of his employment or business.
(1976, c. 506, § 18.2-287.1; 1977, c. 377; 1989, c. 50; 2004, c. 462.)
So the question is, can I carry a loaded shotgun or rifle in my cabin, trunk, etc? It seems that even if some BFE town makes it illegal, it's only $100.
Do they make you surrender the weapon?
I can't imagine that much would come of this anyway if you just keep it in your trunk, if you have one ;)
Also, where do we go to find out where it's legal. The law says they have to notify Dep. of Game and Fish, but I've actually been burned by them before. It IS illegal to discharge in Fairfax, but they didn't think so :(
 

LEO 229

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Sounds like you need to check the law for each locality you plan to drive thru.

The gun and ammo could be seized as evidence.
 

67GT390FB

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Mar 2, 2007
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Richmond, Virginia, USA
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ufcfanvt wrote:
§ 15.2-915.2. Regulation of transportation of a loaded rifle or shotgun. The governing body of any county or city may by ordinance make it unlawful for any person to transport, possess or carry a loaded shotgun or loaded rifle in any vehicle on any public street, road, or highway within such locality. Any violation of such ordinance shall be punishable by a fine of not more than $100. Conservation police officers, sheriffs and all other law-enforcement officers shall enforce the provisions of this section. No ordinance adopted pursuant to this section shall be enforceable unless the governing body adopting such ordinance so notifies the Director of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries by registered mail prior to May 1 of the year in which such ordinance is to take effect.
The provisions of this section shall not apply to duly authorized law-enforcement officers or military personnel in the performance of their lawful duties, nor to any person who reasonably believes that a loaded rifle or shotgun is necessary for his personal safety in the course of his employment or business.
(1976, c. 506, § 18.2-287.1; 1977, c. 377; 1989, c. 50; 2004, c. 462.)
So the question is, can I carry a loaded shotgun or rifle in my cabin, trunk, etc? It seems that even if some BFE town makes it illegal, it's only $100.
Do they make you surrender the weapon?
I can't imagine that much would come of this anyway if you just keep it in your trunk, if you have one ;)
Also, where do we go to find out where it's legal. The law says they have to notify Dep. of Game and Fish, but I've actually been burned by them before. It IS illegal to discharge in Fairfax, but they didn't think so :(
DGIFand yourself are both partly correctabout fairfax unless they have changed their ordinances recently. for all intents and purposes you are correct but legally not so much. Fairfax code does indeed prescribe what areas you can legally discharge a firearm as long as the property is at least i believe it is 20 acres and you have some sort of permit adn you post warning signs around the property and the property lies withing the small area of the county where disharge of a firearm is allowed. the funny part is when you map out most of the area that firearm discharge is allowed you'll see that most of it is state or federal land, parks, or military bases, that fairfax has no cotrol over anyway.
 

Virginiaplanter

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"or to any person who reasonably believes that a loaded rifle or shotgun is necessary for his personal safety in the course of his employment or business."


Sounds like armed criminals can't be charged under this section because robbing people at gun point is part of their business.
 

LEO 229

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Virginiaplanter wrote:
"or to any person who reasonably believes that a loaded rifle or shotgun is necessary for his personal safety in the course of his employment or business."


Sounds like armed criminals can't be charged under this section because robbing people at gun point is part of their business.
I have always wanted to enter the criminals profession on the fingerprint card as "Thief" :p
 

peter nap

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In all the years I've had loaded shotguns and rifles with me, I have never had a problem. In fact, the only person I have ever known to get a ticket for it was an undercover agent with the Marine resources commission (Part of DGIF):lol:.
 

bayboy42

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Oct 20, 2006
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Gloucester Point, Virginia, USA
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peter nap wrote:
In all the years I've had loaded shotguns and rifles with me, I have never had a problem. In fact, the only person I have ever known to get a ticket for it was an undercover agent with the Marine resources commission (Part of DGIF):lol:.
Not that it really matters other then FYI but the Marine Resources Commission is a separate and distinct agency from the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. The former deals strictly with saltwater environments (i.e. habitat management, fisheries, law enforcement, permitting, etc) while the latter deals with hunting and the freshwater side of fishing as well as motorboat permitting and wildlife management.:lol:
 

peter nap

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bayboy42 wrote:
peter nap wrote:
In all the years I've had loaded shotguns and rifles with me, I have never had a problem. In fact, the only person I have ever known to get a ticket for it was an undercover agent with the Marine resources commission (Part of DGIF):lol:.
Not that it really matters other then FYI but the Marine Resources Commission is a separate and distinct agency from the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. The former deals strictly with saltwater environments (i.e. habitat management, fisheries, law enforcement, permitting, etc) while the latter deals with hunting and the freshwater side of fishing as well as motorboat permitting and wildlife management.:lol:


Yep, your right. It doesn't matter and they are separate agencies.

Pre Wilder, they were both self supporting (to a degree DGIF More than VMRC) and completely separate. When the General assembly under the Wilder Administration, decided to assimilate the fees (For the most part) into General Revenue and assume major support for both, (make everyone a cop)..... they became joined at the hip.

There's always a push pull over equipment. The boat registration fee is the biggest argument since they are used on salt as well as fresh water. To further the issue, it's not unusual to see agents from both agencies on loan to ABC, ATF, US Fish and Wildlife and others. Common budget allowances from all of the above are divided between the two.
Separate yet funded through a common budget.

The former deals strictly with saltwater environments (i.e. habitat management, fisheries, law enforcement, permitting, etc)

That's not entirely correct. The Marine Commission enforcement officers have jurisdiction anywhere in the state (land, sea or other) and have limited federal authority as well. Violation of federal statutes like the sale of eagle feathers and bear parts, not to mention drug cases and moonshining, take VMRC agents inland.

While the regulation making power is separated at the fall line, (except for hunting) the police powers of each agency overlap in both directions. Nothing is simple anymore!

This arrangement isn't unusual these days and, in fact the only agency I know of that is truly independent is the SCC. Even that may have changed since I left, and the Motor Carrier, Insurance and Railroad enforcement people may fall under General Assembly funding now.

So pardon my casual statement.

And...all that said, he's still the only one I know to get a ticket under that statute.


 

power_shack

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Jun 14, 2006
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39
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Potomac Falls, Virginia, USA
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It's illegal in Loudoun County:

http://www.loudoun.gov/Default.aspx?tabid=1352&zoom_highlight=concealed

class="Normal"c. No person shall transport, possess or carry a loaded shotgun or loaded rifle in any vehicle on any public street, road or highway within the County. A shotgun or rifle shall be considered to be loaded when any unfired or live ammunition is contained in the chamber of the weapon or in any other portion of the weapon that is designed to hold extra ammunition and that is attached to or affixed to the weapon. (Ord. 87-02. Passed 4-20-87.)


Although they do not detail the exact fine amount.
 
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