Beware of law change regarding loaded magazines in a car

[rt48]

A number of positive changes took effect on 9/9/08 for Ohio gun owners but somehow one negative change was put in the law. A gun is now considered to be loaded when in a vehicle if there are loaded magazines or speedloaders for that gun anywhere in the vehicle.

Anyone who loads magazines at home prior to a trip to the range needs to be aware of this new law. You can be arrested for illegal transportation of a firearm if you end up in a traffic stop while driving to the range.

Those who have an Ohio Concealed Handgun License will still be legal to carry as many loaded handgun magazines as they want. Your license makes it legal for you to carry loaded handguns in a vehicle.

However, there is no way anyone can legally carry loaded rifle magazines in a vehicle (along with the rifle those magazines fit).

Here is the actual law:

(5) “Unloaded” means any of the following:

(a) No ammunition is in the firearm in question, and no ammunition is loaded into a magazine or speed loader that may be used with the firearm in question and that is located anywhere within the vehicle in question, without regard to where ammunition otherwise is located within the vehicle in question.

Lawriter - ORC - 2923.16 Improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle.

[LGH]

(B) No person shall knowingly transport or have a loaded firearm in a motor vehicle in such a manner that the firearm is accessible to the operator or any passenger without leaving the vehicle.

You can have mags loaded but they must be where you can not reach them without getting out of the car.

[maddogQhenderson]

wow, very interesting, i'll let my friends know (those that dont have their ccw yet), do you by chance have a link to the rest of the "positive" that were put into effect 9-9-08

[Debray]

Thanks RT

I have a CC but also carry my 308 with a loaded mag. in the shooting bag.

[rt48]

Originally Posted by LGH

(B) No person shall knowingly transport or have a loaded firearm in a motor vehicle in such a manner that the firearm is accessible to the operator or any passenger without leaving the vehicle.

You can have mags loaded but they must be where you can not reach them without getting out of the car.

Section C negates any possibility of having a "loaded" gun in a motor vehicle.

(C) No person shall knowingly transport or have a firearm in a motor vehicle, unless the person may lawfully possess that firearm under applicable law of this state or the United States, the firearm is unloaded, and the firearm is carried in one of the following ways:

(1) In a closed package, box, or case;

(2) In a compartment that can be reached only by leaving the vehicle;

(3) In plain sight and secured in a rack or holder made for the purpose;

(4) If the firearm is at least twenty-four inches in overall length as measured from the muzzle to the part of the stock furthest from the muzzle and if the barrel is at least eighteen inches in length, either in plain sight with the action open or the weapon stripped, or, if the firearm is of a type on which the action will not stay open or which cannot easily be stripped, in plain sight.