Acting at your peril
A bit back, a law was passed in TN which said that those with carry permits could carry a rifle in their vehicle, provided that there was not a round in the chamber. You could have a magazine in but no round chambered. It’s a silly restriction. But it leads to silly legal questions such as can you carry an AR-15 pistol with a round in the chamber in your car?
The answer seems to be yes. You can carry this weapon in your car loaded but this one cannot have a round in the chamber.
Of course, the former being a pistol, you can put it on a sling and carry it around. But I don’t advise doing that.
Some times, gun laws are just stupid.
April 10th, 2012 at 10:19 am
I recently built a pistol AR…the laws are quite amusing.
Pistol –> Rifle –> Pistol = OK!
Rifle –> Pistol = UNACCEPTABLE!
April 10th, 2012 at 10:29 am
“Some times, gun laws are just stupid.”
i don’t think i’ve met a gun law that isn’t …
April 10th, 2012 at 10:34 am
More reason to open-carry a PLR-16.
April 10th, 2012 at 10:50 am
Not have a *loaded* rifle in a car seems like a “reasonable” *safety* regulation. Its not like it is much of a constraint on the use of the rifle and it is not just *unlikely* it will be negligently discharged — it will be *impossible*. Seems similar to the suggestion that one unload a rifle be climbing over a fence (leaving aside the “law vs suggestion” issue).
April 10th, 2012 at 11:22 am
sometimes?…..
April 10th, 2012 at 12:03 pm
Rifles and shotguns are not generally drop safe as most modern pistols and revolvers. Probably the reason for the empty chamber rule, at least it’s a likely reason. whether it’s a restrictive rule or not will be viewed differently by different people.
April 10th, 2012 at 1:22 pm
“Probably the reason for the empty chamber rule.”
No, actually, the rule is much older than gun laws. Its from anti-poaching laws. Texas has a similar rule.
April 10th, 2012 at 2:48 pm
If a young child happens upon a rifle or shotgun, they could disengage a safety and actuate a trigger. Somewhat less likely that they could rack a slide.
April 10th, 2012 at 4:11 pm
Jezz, be happy for what you’ve got! Here in otherwise close-to-ideal WA, for vehicle transport long arms have to be completely unloaded (no rounds in the chamber OR magazine.)
April 10th, 2012 at 11:10 pm
Uncle: Agreed.
April 11th, 2012 at 12:14 pm
@Kirk Parker – no rounds in the magazine IF the magazine is NOT detachable. Detachable mags, not in the rifle, may remain loaded. This is a quirk in the rules from several years ago, when a loaded magazine not in the rifle still caused the rifle to be considered “loaded”. The rules were revised to specifically fix this….