FOPA Question - Traveling Through No-Go States

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First off, I searched and didn't find my answer. Second, I wanted to put this in the legal section but it doesn't pertain to just one state to I put it here. Mods please move as necessary.

I'm traveling to PA for Thanksgiving and bringing a pistol. I want to print out a copy of the FOPA legalize to have with me through the no-go states so could someone help me with a link to where I can find a good copy of this?

Also a question about the "no stopping" rule... I read the legalize (just not a good printable copy) and I didn't see anything regarding not stopping in the no-go state. I know everyone talks about not being able to stop but I was hoping someone could point me to the legal president for this. Can I stop at a rest stop for gas and a candy bar? Or is stopping limited to stop signs and traffic lights only?
 
don't stop in NY or NJ. they don't give two ****s or a shit about FOPA.

if you do get stopped by the po po keep your mouth shut about any firearms and be on your way.
 
don't stop in NY or NJ. they don't give two ****s or a shit about FOPA.

if you do get stopped by the po po keep your mouth shut about any firearms and be on your way.

This, all of it.

Do what you have to do. Keep the pistol unloaded, locked up in a case, locked in the trunk, out of sight. Don't say shit, and don't act nervous if you get pulled over. Keep to the speed limit, check all your lights before you leave, don't smoke weed and shoot whiskey on your way down there. You'll be fine.
 
The fact of the matter is, FOPA is not all inclusive, is just as likely to be as ignored as followed, and traveling across states with firearms, ammo, and other firearms components is questionable legally even under the best of circumstances in some states. You won't find a solid answer on what you can and cannot do because it doesn't exist. What a cop or prosecutor or judge will do if you end up in a not so good position is sadly not related to the law.

This is why the only real advice is to avoid any encounter with police, and if you do have an encounter with them, to avoid any discussion related to firearms. Of course these things are not always in your control.

Best course of action if you are transporting firearms is to reduce the chances of a police encounter, make sure your stuff is not visible or apparent, and don't hang around places any longer than you need to.

Hypothetically, you can stop for food, gas, even lodging, according to FOPA. But as I said, others may not see it that way and you should do your best to minimize the risk of getting screwed over.
 
IANAL I could be wrong.

NY *SAYS* That FOPA does NOT apply to magazines, so you should not carry high capacity magazines on your trip since you will pass through New York.

To be on the safer side, low cap mags and no HP and unload and lockup your guns in the trunk and you're all set. A vicious bulldog in the trunk is also recommended by some, but discouraged by PITA.
 
Hypothetically, you can stop for food, gas, even lodging, according to FOPA. But as I said, others may not see it that way and you should do your best to minimize the risk of getting screwed over.

Lodging is questionable in the third circuit, which includes New Jersey. At the very least, if you stop overnight, you must leave the gun in the car. See the discussion starting on page 16 of Revell v. Port Authority.
 
Okay so the takeaway is go out of my way to stay out of Jersey, stay cool, don't draw attention, don't mention guns, and only stop for quick rest stops as needed. Also only bring mags that would be legal in NY to avoid extra issues there.

Any special concerns with CT? Looks like I'll be going through MA, CT, and NY, just missing the top of NJ, and on to PA.
 
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Why does everyone broadcast their plans? A while back I called NY state police HQ and asked about transporting through their state, you know, trying to be the good citizen. I was told via this phone call, and he made it clear it wasn't official doctrine, to pack my guns away, unloaded, and to just ****ing drive on thru. Don't be a putzt, don't over react, don't bring attention to yourself, just drive and go. I've followed that advice for several years, Ive never been arrested, stopped, served time, i don't tell anyone what I'm doing or where I'm going, but as this cop told me I do this at my own risk.
 
Why does everyone broadcast their plans? A while back I called NY state police HQ and asked about transporting through their state, you know, trying to be the good citizen. I was told via this phone call, and he made it clear it wasn't official doctrine, to pack my guns away, unloaded, and to just ****ing drive on thru. Don't be a putzt, don't over react, don't bring attention to yourself, just drive and go. I've followed that advice for several years, Ive never been arrested, stopped, served time, i don't tell anyone what I'm doing or where I'm going, but as this cop told me I do this at my own risk.

I get what you're getting at but by the same token I'm not calling the NJ State Police and saying "I'll be coming through this day, at this time, with this gun in my car, and here's my plate#". Nothing wrong with saying I'll be going through X states to get people's thoughts. As you say you've been doing this a while and have done it before so you can give me insight I couldn't have on my own because I've never had my gun out of state before. I'm sure if I'd been doing it for years I wouldn't give it a thought, but I've not done it before.

It's like when I moved to NH and bought my first gun. Chambering the first round in a home setting was ridiculously nerve wracking, and now I've been carrying for years and don't give it a thought. Everyone has to start somewhere...
 
Saddly there is no way to get to PA without passing through NY.

One option, which puts you in "occupied territory" the least amout of time (keeps you out of MA, CT and NJ, least amount of time in NY) would be to take 202/9 to 9 in NH, follow 9 through VT and into NY, then take 787 to 90 to 88, which will take you to Binghamton NY. From there 81 will drop you to PA.about 10 miles south and take you to 84 on the NE extension.

The ony real "danger zone" is the capital region, once you get past about Cooperstown the cops are a lottle easyer to deal with. You spend roughly 3 hours in NY, except for the stretch from the VT/NY line to Troy its all interstate, so gas up and pee at the Big Deal in Spotsford NH and you won't have to stop till PA.

I go to the finger lakes region fairly often with my .22 target rifles (10/22, RAR bolt gun). Lock each weapon, segregate and lock the ammo, domt bring any "high capacity" mags (hollow points legal on the route), lock the cruise control at a reasonable speed and keep stuff out of sight and your mouth shut.

MA, CT and NY mag and handgun laws are all pretty much the same, the stretch of 84 from about Harford to Newburgh NY suck hard except late at night, and I flatly refuse to fross the GW for any reason when headed to SoNJ, PA or VA. I would rather literally go 100 miles out of my way to avoid it.

Yes, you are in NY for 3 hours, but you won't be stuck in stoo amd go traffic on 84 on the southern CT leg (also an greater chance of being in an accident).

- - - Updated - - -

Yea, posting from my phone...
 
Saddly there is no way to get to PA without passing through NY.

One option, which puts you in "occupied territory" the least amout of time (keeps you out of MA, CT and NJ, least amount of time in NY) would be to take 202/9 to 9 in NH, follow 9 through VT and into NY, then take 787 to 90 to 88, which will take you to Binghamton NY. From there 81 will drop you to PA.about 10 miles south and take you to 84 on the NE extension.

The ony real "danger zone" is the capital region, once you get past about Cooperstown the cops are a lottle easyer to deal with. You spend roughly 3 hours in NY, except for the stretch from the VT/NY line to Troy its all interstate, so gas up and pee at the Big Deal in Spotsford NH and you won't have to stop till PA.

I go to the finger lakes region fairly often with my .22 target rifles (10/22, RAR bolt gun). Lock each weapon, segregate and lock the ammo, domt bring any "high capacity" mags (hollow points legal on the route), lock the cruise control at a reasonable speed and keep stuff out of sight and your mouth shut.

MA, CT and NY mag and handgun laws are all pretty much the same, the stretch of 84 from about Harford to Newburgh NY suck hard except late at night, and I flatly refuse to fross the GW for any reason when headed to SoNJ, PA or VA. I would rather literally go 100 miles out of my way to avoid it.

Yes, you are in NY for 3 hours, but you won't be stuck in stoo amd go traffic on 84 on the southern CT leg (also an greater chance of being in an accident).

- - - Updated - - -

Yea, posting from my phone...

Agree. Where in the Finger Lakes? We have a cottage on Keuka.
 
I'll be doing this drive next year, and will stick with 84. Less time in NY, and won't touch NJ at all. From everything I've read, that is where the highest risk of trouble is. My in-laws (from NJ) have friends whose son lived in Delaware and got jammed up bad in NJ...guy spent time in prison.
 
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In the 5+ years I lived in NJ, ironically, I never got pulled over, and I often drove more aggressively then elsewhere. On trip out of NJ for good I got pulled over in CT. My vehicle may or may not have been packed with guns and ammo. That however, was moot, as the cop had no intention of doing anything beside writing a ticket as quickly as possible so he could get back to pulling more people over and generating more revenue for the state. I think the only thing I even had a chance to say was 'okay'. I drove the NJ turnpike and 295 a lot. Maybe it was just coincidence, but I saw far fewer cops in NJ then I see in NY, CT, or MA.

I don't really have a point, just that while NJ you might have the best chance of getting screwed over if stopped, your chance of getting stopped isn't any higher than surrounding states.

If you are really concerned, you can always mail your stuff to yourself.
 
In the 5+ years I lived in NJ, ironically, I never got pulled over, and I often drove more aggressively then elsewhere. On trip out of NJ for good I got pulled over in CT. My vehicle may or may not have been packed with guns and ammo. That however, was moot, as the cop had no intention of doing anything beside writing a ticket as quickly as possible so he could get back to pulling more people over and generating more revenue for the state. I think the only thing I even had a chance to say was 'okay'. I drove the NJ turnpike and 295 a lot. Maybe it was just coincidence, but I saw far fewer cops in NJ then I see in NY, CT, or MA.

I don't really have a point, just that while NJ you might have the best chance of getting screwed over if stopped, your chance of getting stopped isn't any higher than surrounding states.

If you are really concerned, you can always mail your stuff to yourself.

Wait until MA shares access to our non-registry-registry database with the regional law enforcement agencies and you get pulled over in NY
 
This is the route I took on a road trip back in June. I specifically routed to stay out of NYC and NJ. It only added about 20 minutes to the first day of the trip. Once you are in PA, you are fine. If you have a NH permit, resident or non resident, you can carry concealed. CT is not supposed to be a problem as long as the gun is unloaded and locked in a case and not accessible. I was in a SUV without a trunk and my guns were a hard case inside my suitcase. Ammo was in a separate box.

Don't consent to a search if that comes up. Not that it should for a routine traffic stop.

Okay so the takeaway is go out of my way to stay out of Jersey, stay cool, don't draw attention, don't mention guns, and only stop for quick rest stops as needed. Also only bring mags that would be legal in NY to avoid extra issues there.

Any special concerns with CT? Looks like I'll be going through MA, CT, and NY, just missing the top of NJ, and on to PA.
 
the best thing is to gas up in danbury CT, then take rte 84 at the speed limit until you pass into PA.
 
Why does everyone broadcast their plans? A while back I called NY state police HQ and asked about transporting through their state, you know, trying to be the good citizen. I was told via this phone call, and he made it clear it wasn't official doctrine, to pack my guns away, unloaded, and to just ****ing drive on thru. Don't be a putzt, don't over react, don't bring attention to yourself, just drive and go. I've followed that advice for several years, Ive never been arrested, stopped, served time, i don't tell anyone what I'm doing or where I'm going, but as this cop told me I do this at my own risk.

the problem comes in when you have a breakdown or even worse, an accident, the car gets hauled off somewhere, and someone calls the cops saying "i found this case that looks like it has guns in it...."
 
the problem comes in when you have a breakdown or even worse, an accident,

That's similar to what happened to Revell. (He missed his connecting flight and had to take his luggage.) The court's answer (p. 21–22) was that he should have found a cop and "explain[ed] his situation, requesting that his firearm and ammunition be held for him …"
 
well, when you have had as many "conversations" with NY staties as I have over the years....it comes naturally. They are pricks, go way out of their way to speed trap you.
 
You people worry more than my mother about shit that has a very low probability to happen.

LOL My mother had a "retroactive heart attack" when I told her (40ish years ago?) that I had gone on a roller coaster one summer.

I had one when I realized that my interpretation of MA's transportation laws was wrong.

So, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Something my mother used to say often.
 
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