Traveling from Texas to New York with Texas CHL

[BMWGSRider]

This summer I am planning on taking a motorcycle trip. I will be obtaining my Texas CHL as well as my non-resident Florida CHL. I will be attending a motorcycle rally in Pennsylvania. After the rally, I am planning on visiting a friend that lives in New York for a couple days before I head back home. I will be allowed to legally carry and have a pistol in all states but New York.

I know New York laws are very strict and I have been hearing different things. I have heard one can travel through New York but pistol needs to be locked up in the trunk unloaded with bullets separated. I am not sure what one does with their pistol while going through New York when it is unlawful let alone if one is visiting?

The friend I plan on visiting lives in Westchester County. I know the gun laws are even more strict in Westchester County versus other counties.

When I entered into New York, I would be going straight to my friends house. The friend would lock the gun in his gun safe. Once I depart, I was going to get the gun back out of the gun safe and leave the state of New York. Since I will be on a motorcycle, I was going to strip the gun down and lock the gun between two saddlebags and a top box.

I tried talking to a detective today and the detective really wouldn't say anything except that if I got stopped it would be up to the offer to determine if the gun was locked up properly. He said I could have the gun locked up at the friends house but if something happens to the gun it will be unlawful for me as well as my friend. It will be unlawful for my friend because my gun will not be listed on his gun permit. It's my gun and will have CHL and should have my 2nd amendment rights. At the same time, the detective said that he is not saying I can't enter into the state without a pistol but he said it is best to leave it home. I was transferred several times before I spoke to the detective but during the phone call I was told that a police dept could hold the gun or an FFL. I am not sure if the detective mentioned it or another person I spoke to amongst being transferred to diff people. I will try calling again to see if I get more helpful information as who I spoke to wasn't that helpful.

I also hear that if I enter into the state of New York, I am not even allowed to have a pistol even though it is locked up.... and my pistol is not even allowed in the friends home.

I am sure people have had taken trips where they have their CHL license and I am sure they have either traveled into New York or traveled through the state of N. Y.

I don't want to do anything that is against the law of New York State and like to hear from others what I can do to where I do not get in trouble as I want to visit my friend during my trip

Do I need to find a place in Pennsylvania to hold my pistol before I enter into the state and pick it back up on my way out?

I would appreciate some helpful information as I never done this before and don't want to do anything against the law let alone end up behind bars.

Thanks in advance.

[JimMullinsWVCDL]

Under current law, it is simply not possible for any visitor to New York to legally possess a handgun except when the person is driving straight through New York. The only solution for the OP is to try to find a place in PA that would keep his handgun(s) in secure storage while he is in New York.

[twogunwilly]

^This^ Don't bring it into NY unless you are driving thru and it's stowed away unloaded. They love to make examples out of law abiding citizens. Don't be their poster boy.

[Juanito]

In short the average law abiding citizen is banned from owning a handgun in the city of new york. You do not have the right to protect yourself, your family, your loved ones. One uniformed LEO told me that if an innocent civilian gets shot to deth by a bad guy, then perhaps it was his turn to leave the world.
The only people allowed to have hnd guns in the state of new york city are leos, irregardless if they abuse their power, politicans, people with lots of money and people with deep knee-pads. All other subjects in nyc are out of luck.

[nogods]

Does your friend have a conceal carry permit? If so, then he may be able to ad the firearm to his permit as a co-owner.

But he would still have to meet you at the border, or maybe you could ship it from PA to an FFL near his home. He can then take possession of the weapon until you leave, then ship it to an FFL in PA, or follow you back to the border and give it back to there.

but then he'd want to get the weapon off his permit after you left.

Way too much hassle. Find a FFL in PA who'll store it for you.

[BC1]

This summer I am planning on taking a motorcycle trip. I will be obtaining my Texas CHL as well as my non-resident Florida CHL. I will be attending a motorcycle rally in Pennsylvania. After the rally, I am planning on visiting a friend that lives in New York for a couple days before I head back home. I will be allowed to legally carry and have a pistol in all states but New York.

I know New York laws are very strict and I have been hearing different things. I have heard one can travel through New York but pistol needs to be locked up in the trunk unloaded with bullets separated. I am not sure what one does with their pistol while going through New York when it is unlawful let alone if one is visiting?

Under current law, it is simply not possible for any visitor to New York to legally possess a handgun except when the person is driving straight through New York. The only solution for the OP is to try to find a place in PA that would keep his handgun(s) in secure storage while he is in New York.

We get this question quite a bit. Although one can drive straight through as WVCDL has stated, there is another option for you. There are circumstances in which you're exempt from criminal prosecution under NYS law.

S265.20 of the NYS Penal Law provides an exemption when entering the state for purposes of a sanctioned pistol match or training. You are allowed to enter the state 48 hours before the event and must leave within 48 hours of completion of the event. You might consider registering for an NRA certified handgun class. If stopped you must have proof of registration for a match or a letter from a certified instructor confirming you have registered for the class on such-and-such date. You can PM me, we're located 45 minutes from Westchester and perhaps can provide you an inexpensive NRA certified class (such as NRA First Steps Pistol) at our range. You'll be able to enjoy some shooting time as well.

Here's the context of the law:

Section 265.20 Exemptions

a. Sections 265.01, 265.02, 265.03, 265.04, 265.05, 265.10, 265.11, 265.12, 265.13, 265.15 (criminal possession of a weapon) and 270.05 shall not apply to:

PARAGRAPH 13-a. Except in cities not wholly contained within a single county of the state, possession of pistols and revolvers by a person who is a nonresident of this state while attending or traveling to or from, an organized convention or exhibition for the display of or education about firearms, which is conducted under auspices of, or approved by, the National Rifle Association and in which he is a registered participant, within forty-eight hours of such event, provided that he has not been previously convicted of a felony or a crime which, if committed in New York, would constitute a felony, and further provided that the pistols or revolvers are transported unloaded in a locked opaque container together with a copy of the convention or exhibition program, convention or exhibition schedule or convention or exhibition registration card. Such documentation shall constitute prima facie evidence of exemption, providing that such person also has in his possession a pistol license or firearms registration card issued in accordance with the laws of his place of residence. For purposes of this paragraph, a person licensed in a jurisdiction which does not authorize such license by a person who has been previously convicted of a felony shall be presumed to have no prior conviction. The superintendent of state police shall annually review the laws of jurisdictions within the United States and Canada with respect to the applicable requirements for licensing or registration of firearms and shall publish a list of those jurisdictions which prohibit possession of a firearm by a person previously convicted of a felony or crimes which if committed in New York state would constitute a felony.

For non-residents we generally send out a letter confirming a training date. You are then provided a dated certificate of completion of the NRA class which constitutes prima-facia evidence for the exemption. This is very common and we have many students from out-of-state. Send me a PM if you'd like to pursue this option. We have regular classes on weekdays and weekends and could probably accomodate you for the price of a good cigar.

Best regards,
BC