I've always thought it was ironic that Massachusetts put a picture of a minute man with musket on their state's honorary quarter, but they have some of the most oppressive gun laws in the country, extending even to the condition that if I bring my legal gun with my legal carry permit, unloaded, and in the trunk of my car, through their state on a trip, I'm a felon. Brings new meaning to the old saloon signs "Check your gun at the door."
Well, I knew there were a few places with more unreasonable gun laws than California, and I thought Mass. was one, but if that's true, then it's probably confirmed (though as I point out below, the laws in the PRK get pretty close to that in some situations). Another of the problems with living in such a jurisdiction (e.g., Cal. or Mass.) is that, in most cases and for most purposes, you are also NOT a resident of a state that has more intelligent gun laws. So, you can't get a CCW in such a state, can't take advantage of the reciprocity that attends MANY states' CCW laws, and end up being unable to carry even in states with reasonable laws.
Another weird example of that is the Fed. relaxation of the rules against carrying a firearm in a national park. Unfortunately, they based it upon the carry laws of the state in which the national park or monument or wildlife area is situated -- if you're allowed to carry in that state, then you can carry in that park under the same rules as the state allows. So, almost no one can carry in Yosemite for example, since it's in Calif. (Calif. only issues a CCW to the very few Calif. citizens who can convince their local sheriff of the need, since "good cause" is very subjective and tough to prove to most sheriffs if you're not a LEO or judge or are not politically connected). But that also means that as a California resident, I can't carry in national parks in states that do allow it, while any other states' residents with a reciprocal CCW recognized in that state can.
And on and on -- we have some real ******** distinctions here that make me a criminal for carrying a concealable firearm while backpacking. I'm allowed to have it in my campsite (if I don't camp in an otherwise prohibited location like a state park), but transporting it there requires unconcealed (sometimes) or in locked container, unloaded, etc. And it better be registered in California (all in state sales of handguns after 1991 or so are in their database and you have 60 days to register a handgun you bring in from out of state), or you don't only have the misdemeanor of carrying a concealed handgun without a CCW, but because it's unregistered, you also get charged with a felony!!! Wish I was kidding.
So if you're a Nevada resident with a CCW there (no reciprocity in Calif.) and go camping in the Death Valley National Monument (straddles border of Cal. and Nev.) with your Nevada handgun on you, you better know where the State line is. The moment you cross into Calif., your CCW is no good, your firearm is unregistered (no decision yet on whether you have 60 days in such a case to register it), and you might be charged with several violations -- carrying in a National Monument w/o permit (federal), and the Calif state charges of carrying concealed w/o permit (misdemeanor) and felony possession of an unregistered handgun. Nice, huh? Charged with a felony and subject to all the costs of counsel, etc. for WHAT???
OK -- I've probably gotten close to the line of some prohibitory board rule now and shouldn't even get started bitching about Calif. gun laws, but thought you guys with CCWs out of state might want to know how bad it can get here if you bring your handgun into our state. I'm reasonably certain that I'm
ok with a handgun locked in one saddlebag of my FJR and the magazines locked in the other (transporting to lodging or home or campsite), but then, my handguns were bought here, and are therefore registered with the PRK, so at least I'm not a felon for possessing an unregistered handgun in the state.
