Cross country expedition and I am considering taking my rifle.

[asteffes]

They can always cite you for disturbing the peace if someone freaks out over the twelve gauge resting in your gunrack. I suppose the likelihood of that depends where you travel in California. I wouldn't assume it's fine and dandy to do so anywhere near the Bay Area, for example.

 

[jh504]

I was in southern Louisiana after Katrina. After what went on down there I carry a loaded hand gun in my vehicle, in plain sight, at all times. I guess living out west you would have to be more careful about laws, but in the southeast the police do not mess with us for practicing our rights. I would not think twice about carrying a legal rifle into any state in the US. I say dont worry about it, if you are a law abidding citizen the police will recognize that.

 

[euro.love]

I appreciate everyones input. I have decided I am going to get a lockable gun case and bolt it in a hidden location in my bed, (which will have a camper top). I think I want crawler#976's lisence. Thats awesome. I was out west last year on a quick drive across the country. Never made it to CA. On hiking trips I would see shells frequently. Keep in mind I was in the middle of no where TX, AZ and UT. Out here in CT you cant really pull that kinda stuff, people just live too close to each other out here, and really get bent out of shape. The west, and south are much better about that. I actually read in the paper a high school kid in the town I live in got arrested in Mass for drunk driving and they added a concealed weapon charge for having a airsoft gun in a car. New England sucks.

 

[DaveM]

They can always cite you for disturbing the peace if someone freaks out over the twelve gauge resting in your gunrack. I suppose the likelihood of that depends where you travel in California. I wouldn't assume it's fine and dandy to do so anywhere near the Bay Area, for example.

They absolutely can not. Not if your not handling the gun and simply have it stored on a rack. I'm astounded by the vague nature of the legal suppositions on the regulations governing firearms on this forum. I do agree that it might not be wise to keep a gun in the rack in places like the Bay Area unless you are in transit to a place where you intend to use it though.

"California law is silent on the transportation of long guns (rifles and shotguns), but individuals are not required by law to transport long guns in a locked container. However, as with concealable firearms, carrying a loaded rifle or shotgun in public or in a vehicle is against the law. Section 12031(a). A firearm shall be deemed loaded if there is an unexpended cartridge or shell, consisting of a case that holds a charge of powder and a bullet or shot, in or attached in any manner to the firearm, including, but not limited to, in the firing chamber, magazine, or clip attached to the firearm. Section 12031(g). A muzzle-loader firearm shall be deemed to be loaded when it is capped or primed and has a powder charge and ball or shot in the barrel or cylinder. Id."

http://www.lcav.org/states/california.asp

 

[Mike S]

Not if your talking rifles and shotguns (original question was about a rifle). If you read the CA regulations on traveling with firearms you'll see that rifles and shotguns are exempt from the requirements you are talking about. As I read it they do not need to be locked in box only unloaded. And I can't find anything specially prohibiting them from being unloaded in a gun rack.

http://ag.ca.gov/firearms/travel.php

Dave -- it seems you are right. This is at odds with the rules that I read as recently as 1999 when i had my boy going through hunter safety course. Perhaps, living here, I have become paranoid.

M