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Traveling to PA

mpg9999

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2008
Messages
410
Location
, Virginia, USA
imported post

I'm headed to PA tommorow (going to whitetail for some skiing). I have a VA CHP and I know we have reciprocity with PA. Are there an laws I should know about? Does PA require notification? I have to travel through MD, and I know I can't carry there. Does anyone know how I can legally transport it through the state? I'll be driving a minivan so there is no trunk. I do have a small fire safe I can lock things in.
 

mpg9999

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2008
Messages
410
Location
, Virginia, USA
imported post

This is the law that I believe allows me to transport it through possibly unfriendly states:

§ 178.38 Transportation of firearms.

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 lawful purpose from any place where such person may lawfully possess and carry such firearm to any other place where such person may lawfully possess and carry such firearm if, during such transportation the firearm is unloaded, and neither the firearm nor any ammunition being transported is readily accessible or is directly accessible from the passenger compartment of such transporting vehicle: Provided, That in the case of a vehicle without a compartment separate from the driver's compartment the firearm or ammunition shall be contained in a locked container other than the glove compartment or console.
 

Falcon118

Regular Member
Joined
May 27, 2007
Messages
84
Location
Turtle Creek (outside of Pittsburgh), Pennsylvania
imported post

You have a permit and reciprocacy. Open and concealed carried are permitted almost anywhere. State and national parks are CC only at this time. Stay off property of schools, court houses make you check your firearm outside the metal detector. Federal buildings also prohibited. No duty to inform police. Other than that... have a GREAT time in PA!!
 

skidmark

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 15, 2007
Messages
10,444
Location
Valhalla
imported post

Chiming in as I've got a trip to PA scheduled for the end of the month.

I'm used to having to OC in establishments that serve alcohol - what are the rules in PA? Also, does PA have anything specific about businesses posting no guns - like Texas' 30.06 signs or it does not count?

Thanks.



stay safe.

skidmark
 

CowboyKen

Regular Member
Joined
May 31, 2007
Messages
524
Location
, ,
imported post

skidmark wrote:
Chiming in as I've got a trip to PA scheduled for the end of the month.

I'm used to having to OC in establishments that serve alcohol - what are the rules in PA? Also, does PA have anything specific about businesses posting no guns - like Texas' 30.06 signs or it does not count?

Thanks.



stay safe.

skidmark

No rules limiting concealed carry, with a recognised permit, in establishments that serve alcohol or where some fool put up a sign. Have fun in PA and be safe.

Ken
 

Jubbie

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2008
Messages
63
Location
Hammond, Indiana, USA
imported post

I too am headed out to PA at the end of the month. Y'all seemed to cover all my questions I couldn't find yet. Thanks for having a firearm friendly state, I'm happily flying over Ohio. Just sad I'll be too far away to grab another burger from Denny's Beer Barrel Pub.
 

Jubbie

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2008
Messages
63
Location
Hammond, Indiana, USA
imported post

I decided to not mess with checking bags in at the airport, which means I'm without my firearm. Got a beautiful state here, and y'all weren't kidding about hills. Only flat part I can find are the roads tunneling through the hills.
 

gddb856

New member
Joined
Dec 16, 2008
Messages
5
Location
, ,
imported post

So how did you travel with your pistol?
From whats the interstate law stated, I assume i would have to have three locked cases?
One for the pistol, Mag, and Ammo?
I am from NC and will be traveling to Delaware county PA next week. I do have a CCW which i can CC in any state i travel through except Washington DC, and Maryland.
To be safe from hassle from cops in MD, i should have three locked cases/containers?
 

Dutch Uncle

Campaign Veteran
Joined
May 11, 2006
Messages
1,715
Location
Virginia, USA
imported post

Agree with Il Duce. Best to avoid MD; not only rabidly gun-unfriendly, but one of the most dangerous states in the union. (A co-incidence, I'm sure!)

If you must go through, keep everything locked, empty and out of reach, don't stop anywhere, even to get gas if you can, and choose the shortest possible route through the state. The Federal Peaceable Journey law will keep you safe if the journey is absolutely continuous.
 

virginiatuck

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2009
Messages
787
Location
Loudoun County, Virginia, USA
imported post

I realize this is an old thread and the weekend is long gone. For future reference, two options to get from Northern Virginia to Pennsylvania:

- 0 miles in MD: take US-50W and then just before the the Maryland line you take a detour southwest and skirt along the border of WV until you rejoin with US-50W when it enters WV. Ride I-79N into PA. The detour is between 10-20 miles if I recall correctly. You'll drive through part of the Monongahela National Forest. Some of this route, 50 and the detour, can get very bad in the winter.

- ~2 miles in MD: take US-522N to Hancock, MD. Ride US-522N into PA. That's the narrowest MD crossing I could find. This keeps you on fairly major roadways as opposed to the other route that uses some local, secondary roadways.

- ~10 miles in MD: take US-50W. Ride I-79N into PA.


There are little shortcuts here and there that you may find; these are only general directions.
 

virginiatuck

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2009
Messages
787
Location
Loudoun County, Virginia, USA
imported post

CowboyKen wrote:
fingers80002 wrote:
Signs do carry legal weight in Pa.

Would you care to explain, and/or support, this statement?

Ken
In Pennsylvania, you are not trespassing if you enter lands that are not your own unless it is posted or you have received a verbal notification from the owner/lessee.

Hunting is very common throughout Pennsylvania; and required in order to check the deer population. Some owners, about 30% according to a state survey, do not post their land and allow others to hunt or use the property for other recreational purposes. Pennsylvania has gone so far as to legally limit the liability of the property owner for those using the property as long as they are not charged admission. [T. 68 P.S., Ch. 11] This encourages people to leave their property un-posted.

As for the posted "NO TRESPASSING" sign legality:

18 Pa.C.S.A. § 3503 Criminal Trespass.

(b) Defiant trespasser.--

(1) A person commits an offense if, knowing that he is not licensed or privileged to do so, he enters or remains in any place as to which notice against trespass is given by:
(i) actual communication to the actor;
(ii) posting in a manner prescribed by law or reasonably likely to come to the attention of intruders;
(iii) fencing or other enclosure manifestly designed to exclude intruders;
(iv) notices posted in a manner prescribed by law or reasonably likely to come to the person's attention at each entrance of school grounds that visitors are prohibited without authorization from a designated school, center or program official; or
(v) an actual communication to the actor to leave school grounds as communicated by a school, center or program official, employee or agent or a law enforcement officer.
(2) Except as provided in paragraph (1)(v), an offense under this subsection constitutes a misdemeanor of the third degree if the offender defies an order to leave personally communicated to him by the owner of the premises or other authorized person. An offense under paragraph (1)(v) constitutes a misdemeanor of the first degree. Otherwise it is a summary offense.
 
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