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Planning trip to Virginia via Pennsylvania

WheelGun

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Delaware County, New York, USA
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I am planning a brief car trip to the Virginia coast this winter (less than one week). I am starting in NY, traveling south through PA, and into DE. I have non-res licenses from PA, VA and Maine (reciprocity with DE). I will have a sidearm with me (registered in NY)and wish to remain 110% legal throughout the entire trip. Depending on the weather, (layers and types of clothing) Iwould prefer to have the option to OC where I legally can. I would like the advice of OCDO members.

Questions:

1. I have begun to do research on Delaware. Apparently they have reciprocity with Maine. I will just be passing through, but may stop occasionally, especially when preparing for the unfriendly stretch through MD. Any advice? Cautions? OC/CC?

2. How long, by car, is the stretch through Maryland on the coast (peninsula)? I expect to treat this part like a trip through New Jersey, very unfriendly. What precautions should I take to stay legal?

3. What is the area of Virginia like north of the Chesapeake bay Bridge/Tunnel? In terms of setting (I am planning a vacation) and in terms of OC/CC (I have a VA license to carry)? My wife and I would prefer lonely beach, notbustling tourist area. What is it like south of the Bridge/Tunnel?

4. Is there any merit to the idea of forgettingOC entirely and 100% CC on an interstatetrip, especially since I will be in many areas for the first time?

I hopemy request for travel advice other thanCC/OC is not off topic.
 

sandcast69

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Mays Landing, New Jersey, USA
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Hi,
As far as the OC/CC issue you seem to have that covered with the licenses you have, Pa, Delaware, and Virginia are all OC/CC states. Carry as you wish.
I believe that Virginia requires that you OC in restaurants that serve Alcohol. Pennsylvania( either way is OK), and Delaware(no bars but TGI Fridays, Red Lobster type restaurants are OK.)

Maryland is a completely different world. When carrying through MD keep gun and ammo
cased separately and I personally lock both cases to make any illegal search that much more difficult.

The link below should help with any questions you have as far as prohibited areas and
links to actual statutes.
http://www.handgunlaw.us/

Disclaimer: Everything stated is opinion and not to be taken as final word on the subject. please verify all info on your own.

have a great vacation!
sandcast69
 

bdodds

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leesburg, va, ,
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MD is going to be your biggest problem aside from NJ. You can minimize your exposure to MD by going out PA to Harrisburg and then south on 15 into VA there, rather than taking the 95 corridor. rt 15 through MD is roughly 40 miles, whereas I-95 is about 100 miles. Personally I take the rt 15/I-83/I-81/I-78/I-287 route up to NY because - for me - it is usually quicker than I-95 when you factor in traffic and is a prettier drive overall.
 

WheelGun

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I have gone the in-land route through Harrisburg PA, and yes it is quicker. I would NEVER go along 95.

This trip, I was planning on going down the peninsula along the coast to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge/Tunnel. I would like to know how long the section is in Maryland, especially since it seems like a local road on the map.

Also, is VA kind of rural along the coast, or built-up? I'm looking for quiet.
 

TFred

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Here's a good primer:

http://www.nraila.org/GunLaws/Federal/Read.aspx?id=59

As noted, I believe Maryland will be the most likely state of concern. But according to the NRA, if you lock it in the trunk and make it clear you are just passing through, you should at least prevail in any criminal trial that may result. ;)

Maryland does not belong in this hemisphere.

TFred
 

Wolf_shadow

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Accomac, Virginia, USA
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Wheelgun

The Eastern Shore of VA is mostly rural small towns.

Rt 13 is the main road which will be picked up in DE and runs through the eastern shore of MD. Pick up the bypass in Salisbury and continue south.

When you cross the MD/VA line at State Line Rd. there is a Royal Farms on the left and a smaller gas station on the right. The Royal Farms is a good place to stop to rearm, relax and refresh. There is also a VA rest area just south on the right. The rest area is not open open at night.

There is Chincoteague Island and Assateague Island but Assateague is NPS. Off limits for OC or CC till next Feb.

Kiptopeke State Park on the Shoreis good for CC. Currently OC is not permitted in VA State parks. http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/kip.shtml. Kiptopeke State Park has camping and cabin facilities, as well as swimming and fishing.

Enjoy your stay in VA. :lol:

John
 

Chaingun81

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Sep 20, 2007
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Centreville, Virginia, USA
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Wolf_shadow wrote:
Wheelgun

The Eastern Shore of VA is mostly rural small towns.

Rt 13 is the main road which will be picked up in DE and runs through the eastern shore of MD. Pick up the bypass in Salisbury and continue south.

When you cross the MD/VA line at State Line Rd. there is a Royal Farms on the left and a smaller gas station on the right. The Royal Farms is a good place to stop to rearm, relax and refresh. There is also a VA rest area just south on the right. The rest area is not open open at night.

There is Chincoteague Island and Assateague Island but Assateague is NPS. Off limits for OC or CC till next Feb.

Kiptopeke State Park on the Shoreis good for CC. Currently OC is not permitted in VA State parks. http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/kip.shtml. Kiptopeke State Park has camping and cabin facilities, as well as swimming and fishing.

Enjoy your stay in VA. :lol:

John

Is Dixieland store still there at the border? I love this place. However, next time I go to Assateague island (probably next summer, after the ban is down), I'll probably take I-95 S to I-64 to Hampton/Norfolk, cross over the bay bridge tunneland head north through VA.

Not sure if this way is longer from Western part of NOVA (compared to my usual route through MD by Annapolis over the Chesapeake bay bridge and south on Rt-13), but at least I'd nothave to disarm the whole way and deal with PRM Shtasi Police...
 

Wolf_shadow

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Chaingun

Dixieland is the one directly accross from Royal Farms. I'm not sure of the travel thru Hampton but I think it is a little longer. As you said that way you wouldn't have to disarm.

John
 

Dutch Uncle

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If you're looking for something quiet and rustic, the Eastern Shore is your place. South of the Bridge-Tunnel, you come to Virginia Beach. In the winter, it is pretty quiet, and prices are lower, but it is still a city. Going over the CBBT costs about $23 round trip if I remember correctly, but it is an interesting trip. I don't know how the Eastern Shore folks take OC, but its no big deal in VaBeach. If you pick your weekends right, you could be there when there's a gun show in either the Beach or Norfolk.

Kiptopeke is great, but their beach is on the bay, not the ocean. It used to be an old ferry terminal, so you can see all the old cement ships (colliers) they sunk out there to make a breakwater. Good fishing.
 

virginiatuck

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For what it's worth, there is a ~2 mile passage from Pennsylvania through Maryland to West Virginia. It is on US-522 through Hancock, MD. So, if you were to go way, way, way out of your way from Delaware, you could go up to Pennsylvania, then west on your road of choice until you hit US-522S. Then through Maryland for about 2 miles, into West Virginia. West Virginia only honors *resident* permits of States with which they reciprocate so *you* may not conceal. However, West Virginia is for the most part an open-carry state. Continuing south on US-522 will get you into Virginia.

All that said: It's not very practical, time-wise, for the trip down. However, for the trip back up to NY, you could consider that path. Also, you can travel north from Virginia thru West Virginia; entering Pennsylvania from West Virginia, avoiding Maryland entirely.

Here's a thread I recently posted to regarding ways around or short ways through Maryland from Virginia. You'll need Google maps or mapquest or whatever map you want to figure out the details of which route numbers. Trust me, though, I've driven those ways and it's possible, albeit inconvenient. http://opencarry.mywowbb.com/view_topic.php?id=21848&forum_id=46&jump_to=457844#p457844


Questions: 1. I have begun to do research on Delaware. Apparently they have reciprocity with Maine. I will just be passing through, but may stop occasionally, especially when preparing for the unfriendly stretch through MD. Any advice? Cautions? OC/CC?
I'm not familiar with Delaware firearms laws yet. I am pretty familiar with Maryland firearms laws. Whenever I hit the Maryland border, I unload the firearm(s) and put my full magazine(s) in my center console or in my firearm(s) case(s); then put the enclosed case in the extended cab portion of my pickup and usually cover it with a jacket or something. It is important to keep firearms, firearms cases, and firearms accessories out of plain view when transporting them through Maryland. See section 4-206 of the Maryland statutes.


2. How long, by car, is the stretch through Maryland on the coast (peninsula)? I expect to treat this part like a trip through New Jersey, very unfriendly. What precautions should I take to stay legal?
Check out this short thread for Maryland laws: http://opencarry.mywowbb.com/forum28/25158.html Mind you that some firearms and types of firearms are banned outright. All the relevant firearms laws that I know of are linked there in that thread. I recommend reading all of those in their entirety; especially read section 4-206 about the authorization of an LEO to conduct a limited search if he believes that you may have a firearm, etc...


4. Is there any merit to the idea of forgetting OC entirely and 100% CC on an interstate trip, especially since I will be in many areas for the first time?
I personally choose to lawfully CC when in an unfamiliar area *unless* I am 100% sure that OC is legal, I'm alone or with people who will not be adversely affected by my arrest, and I have the time and money to spare for the detention/arrest/defense/trial/etc...
 

TFred

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virginiatuck wrote:
... West Virginia only honors *resident* permits of States with which they reciprocate so *you* may not conceal.
Tuck, just so you are up to date (along with the rest of us), in just about an hour and 20 minutes from the time of this post, West Virginia will begin to honor non-resident holders of permits from states with which they reciprocate.

:)

See http://handgunlaw.us/states/westvirginia.pdf Scroll all the way to the bottom.

TFred
 

virginiatuck

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TFred wrote:
virginiatuck wrote:
... West Virginia only honors *resident* permits of States with which they reciprocate so *you* may not conceal.
Tuck, just so you are up to date (along with the rest of us), in just about an hour and 20 minutes from the time of this post, West Virginia will begin to honor non-resident holders of permits from states with which they reciprocate.

:)

See http://handgunlaw.us/states/westvirginia.pdf Scroll all the way to the bottom.

TFred
Wow, it was only two short years ago (June 7, 2007) that they enacted law to exclude non-resident permits from reciprocation. That's good news, I don't suppose they also nullified the grandfathered local firearm laws this past session, did they?

Thanks for the update. I have some questions, though. I'll continue this topic in the West Virginia forum.
 

TFred

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virginiatuck wrote:
TFred wrote:
virginiatuck wrote:
... West Virginia only honors *resident* permits of States with which they reciprocate so *you* may not conceal.
Tuck, just so you are up to date (along with the rest of us), in just about an hour and 20 minutes from the time of this post, West Virginia will begin to honor non-resident holders of permits from states with which they reciprocate.

:)

See http://handgunlaw.us/states/westvirginia.pdf Scroll all the way to the bottom.

TFred
Wow, it was only two short years ago (June 7, 2007) that they enacted law to exclude non-resident permits from reciprocation. That's good news, I don't suppose they also nullified the grandfathered local firearm laws this past session, did they?

Thanks for the update. I have some questions, though. I'll continue this topic in the West Virginia forum.
Yeah, sorry, I don't know... I just happened across this a few days ago myself, and confirmed it, since it actually applies to me. (I carry a non-resident Utah permit instead of a Virginia permit.)

Does sound like progress though. I will peek in on the WV forum, maybe I'll learn some more!

TFred
 

JimMullinsWVCDL

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Lebanon, VA
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virginiatuck wrote:
Wow, it was only two short years ago (June 7, 2007) that they enacted law to exclude non-resident permits from reciprocation. That's good news, I don't suppose they also nullified the grandfathered local firearm laws this past session, did they?
We weren't that lucky. HB 3335 went nowhere this year but will be carried over to next year. Here's the status, description, and WVCDL's positions on the 2009 gun bills.
 

TFred

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WVCDL wrote:
virginiatuck wrote:
Wow, it was only two short years ago (June 7, 2007) that they enacted law to exclude non-resident permits from reciprocation. That's good news, I don't suppose they also nullified the grandfathered local firearm laws this past session, did they?
We weren't that lucky. HB 3335 went nowhere this year but will be carried over to next year. Here's the status, description, and WVCDL's positions on the 2009 gun bills.
Ah good, I was just going to post a link to the wvcdl site, very similar to "our own" vcdl.org site on tracking Virginia legislation. An invaluable asset to those of us who follow the process.

TFred
 
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