OC Legal, but what are laws regarding vehicles, et al?

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911Boss wrote:

RCW 9.41.060 -Exceptions to restrictions on carrying firearms.

The provisions of RCW 9.41.050 shall not apply to:


(9) Any person while carrying a pistol unloaded and in a closed opaque case or secure wrapperSo if you are carrying an UNLOADED pistol in a case, you cannot be accused of carrying a concealed pistol.

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OK, I see this exception - kind of odd to be wrtten in another section and frankly very lenient - many states make carrying an unloaded handgun concealed on or about your person even in a case a crime.

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Washington has pretty good gun laws on the whole, a few quirks (like the whole alien permit thing and being legal to own, carry, and attach a suppressor, but illegal to fire any firearm with one attached...).

Kind of shocking considering the San-Fran wannabes that tend to flock to Seattle and the general liberal slant of the western side of the state.

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Don't forget that you can't carry a loaded long-arm in your vehicle. Rifles and Shotguns that are loaded in your vehicle will get you into trouble even if you have a CPL.

The CPL only allows you to carry loaded handguns in your vehicle. Washington state does define handguns in title 9 of the RCW.

I realize this is a old thread, but I had a interesting run in with the police today.

Got pulled over for no front licenses plate. I was carrying concealed, it
was the first time I had been pulled over cc. I have been told it is a good idea to hand the officer your CPL with DL and insurance and registration. So on doing that he gave it back to me and said he didn't need that, and asked if I was carrying. Longer story short after him calling back up and me completely complying, he took my gun unloaded it
and put it in his car. After back up came, and I'm talking two other state cars two chips, and the sheriff himself of Thurston county, he came back to the car told me to get back in my car.

He first handed me the clip, the rounds, then told he thanked me for not having a round in the chamber because
As he said it would be illegal. And then placed my gun in the back seat of my car and said to leave immediately, you are free to go.

I told my wife as we was leaving that he just lied to me or did not actual know the law correctly.

Side note this is like my second post I think, I hope I'm doing everything right so far. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Sorry to hear about your bad experience.

Dendron said:

I have been told it is a good idea to hand the officer your CPL with DL and insurance and registration.

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One of my old friends, a cop, told me to never tell a cop you're carrying, unless they ask you to step out of the car. He said telling them in other circumstances just worries them needlessly.

My post from the South Sound thread:
"I got pulled over by a state trooper for doing 48 mph in a 35 mph zone. This was the first time getting pulled over since I became a gun owner, so I shut the car off and put my hands on the steering wheel. When he got to my door he asked if I had a handgun, I said yes in the glove box unloaded (coming from no carry work). He just said OK leave it alone, and let me have your license, proof of insurance, and registration. I gave him a heads up that I was going to the glove box to get my documents, and he was like OK do what you gotta do. Gave him all the stuff, and he went back to write my ticket. He came back, handed me my stuff and said to slow down. Sorry, no dramatic "give me your gun so I can disassemble it, strip the rounds out, and secure it for my safety" scenario."

You say you had "THE" Thurston County sheriff come out, what was his name? I know Snaza from helping out with one of his campaign fund raisers (while OCing). Saw him again today out at the Tumwater July 4th Parade today. When they pull you over, and run your plates they already know the registered owner has a CPL. There is no reason to provide your CPL, or state you are carrying unless you are asked like I was. (Some states do require you to announce that you have a gun, like AK) With a CPL it is totally legal to have one in the chamber in the car. The state trooper that pulled me over never asked to see or touch my gun the entire time. There is no reason for any officer to handle your gun for a routine traffic stop.

Welcome to OCDO, and look forward to hear more from you.

BTW, this has to be the oldest thread resurrection I've seen.

I am not going to Monday AM quarterback, but will offer a couple points.

It is not required to inform, and it is not a good idea to volunteer that you are carrying.
If you are asked if you are carrying, be truthful.
If you have a CPL, you are legal to carry loaded in a vehicle.
If the magazine is in the gun, and the chamber is empty, the gun is still considered "loaded".
I would say for the most part, you did OK.

Hey Dendron, was it Yelm PD that pulled you over?

Curious. I had no problem with YPD When I got pulled over a couple months ago:

When pulled-over I generally turn off the engine and sit patiently with both hands on the wheel.
Cop: "Do you have any weapons?" Me: "Yes." [no need to say more]
C: "What kind of weapons?" M: "I have a pistol..."
C: "Where is it?" M: "Inside left jacket pocket."
C: "do you have a CPL?" M: "Yes."
C: "Where is that?" M: "In my wallet; right hip pocket."
C: "Zat where your driver's lic. is?" M: "Yeah."
C: "Alright, I need to see your license, reg, ins."
M: [ I lean way forward so he can see what I'm doing, pulling out my wallet - give him DL]
C: "And I need your CPL."
M: [present CPL] "Registration is in the glove box." [retrieve papers from glove box, find correct papers, hand over]
C: "Ok, I'd like you to step out of the car. You don't have to come back to the cruiser. Just hang loose here."
M: [I get out and mull about, smartly]
Cop goes back to cruiser, a few minutes pass, cop returns: "Have a nice night."
M: "Thank you, sir"

Edited to add: Welcome to OCDO!!

O.K.

Written by Mike Stollenwerk, this is the best information available about disclosing to LEO if you are armed: http://www.examiner.com/article/don-t-be-a-gun-dork-traffic-stops

Man, I didn't expect to get any comments that fast.
I Will start with the most educating things to say for anyone looking for information.

I knew before I even possessed a CPL, what the RCW is pertaining to weapons.
Most people should really seat down and re-read the laws atleast every year. You never know what might have change during memory lose.

After saying that I did have to double check my memory on the definite of loaded. When the officer (no I don't know if it was YelmPD) told me it was illegal to have one in the chamber. Cause I was about to Challenge him on the law, if it wasn't for the fact that he was so freaked out already. And asked, well more like ordered me to leave immediately.

RCW 9.41.010
Section 10 A
There is a cartridge in the chamber of the firearm.

And since RCW 9.41.050 allows a CPL holder to carry or place a loaded pistol in any vehicle. Either the officer didn't know what he was talking about, or was just straight up lying to me.

And yes John Snaza showed up, he was in a white unmarked car. Pulled in front of my car. The only reason I knew he was the sheriff was cause one of the back up officers standing next to me by my car told me that he was the sheriff as he pulled up. He seemed very intent on talking to the officer that pulled me over.....

You have to understand first that I do get kind nervous when pulled over, I think most do, but I still act myself like there's nothing wrong, cause there is nothing wrong, so when the sheriff was heading in my direction I just stuck out my hand and said so your the sheriff of Thurston county, man I must be pretty important to have you here. He defiantly seems like a heck of a nice guy, he shook my hand, went and talked with the officer and that was it, on his way back to his car he shook my hand again and said something like have a great day and the traffic stop was over, the officer who pulled me over might have got a talking to, by the boss.

I also thought it ironic that his signature is on my CPL, which is the reason for the brouhaha, and on July 4th of all days.
I don't think I will be showing my CPL like that again.

I do however would like to talk with John about his officer giving out false information on the law

Here is a blog post my wife did about the encounter.

http:// lovinglifefromscratch.blogspot.com/2013/07/our-4th-concealed-carry-rcw-and-cops.html?m=1

Ajetpilot said:

Written by Mike Stollenwerk, this is the best information available about disclosing to LEO if you are armed: http://www.examiner.com/article/don-t-be-a-gun-dork-traffic-stops

Click to expand...

That's about the nicest way to call me a Gun Dork.

Thanks, lesson learned.

jfslicer said:

One of my old friends, a cop, told me to never tell a cop you're carrying, unless they ask you to step out of the car. He said telling them in other circumstances just worries them needlessly.

Click to expand...

+1, This.

Dendron said:

I realize this is a old thread, but I had a interesting run in with the police today.

Got pulled over for no front licenses plate. I was carrying concealed, it
was the first time I had been pulled over cc. I have been told it is a good idea to hand the officer your CPL with DL and insurance and registration. So on doing that he gave it back to me and said he didn't need that, and asked if I was carrying. Longer story short after him calling back up and me completely complying, he took my gun unloaded it
and put it in his car. After back up came, and I'm talking two other state cars two chips, and the sheriff himself of Thurston county, he came back to the car told me to get back in my car.

He first handed me the clip, the rounds, then told he thanked me for not having a round in the chamber because
As he said it would be illegal. And then placed my gun in the back seat of my car and said to leave immediately, you are free to go.

I told my wife as we was leaving that he just lied to me or did not actual know the law correctly.

Side note this is like my second post I think, I hope I'm doing everything right so far. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Click to expand...

Your carry has nothing to do with a routine traffic stop, EVER! NEVER make it one unless that states laws require it. Some states require you to disclose you are armed (OK, OH, SC etc), but not so in WA, OR, ID...and most other states. You are not a member of a "special" club because you have a weapon on your person. The LEO really does not want, or need to know you are armed.

And, if you are so stupid as to inform that LEO that you are armed, you do not have to comply with any order from that officer to allow him to disarm you, or to inspect that carry unless you were stopped for suspected criminal activity. You know the adds??? "Just say NO!"

Back to the original OC without a CPL. You really need to read RCW 9.41.060 and see if you qualify to carry loade, openly, or concealed, without a CPL. Also you can OC, on your hip, unloaded (no need to lock it up) without a CPL, or an exception RCW 9.41.060. If you qualify for an exemption in RCW 9.41.060 having a CPL, or not, is irrelevant.

As for one in the pipe, why would you ever have a fire extinguisher that was not charged? For the same reasons, why would you ever carry of pistol that you could not shoot without having to cycle it first?

That officer is flat wrong telling you that you cannot carry with one in the pipe, just as he was wrong to disarm you. You know there is one word that some people need to know they can tell LE, and that word is...NO! They can only disarm you if you allow them to. Do not voluntarily allow anyone to step on your basic rights. (in this case the US 4A or WA state constitution Article 1 Section 7)

Read the LAW, know the LAW, abide the LAW and do not EVER allow LE to tell you what is or is not LAW. The are LE, (Law Enforcement) they are NOT "The Law", and they are not lawyers. The LAW is written in something called an RCW (Revised Code of Washington) here in WA, and the RCWs are what is important...