Carrying a loaded rifle/shotgun in vehicle...now it's legal?

[Zulu Cowboy]

Am I to understand, that the TN legislature amended the law against carrying a loaded rifle/shotgun in your vehicle?
Well, I must be out of the loop...I ran across this old article in the NY Times, and this is the first time I've even heard this...

Zulu Cowboy
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Tennessee Expands Gun Rights
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/16/us...ssee.html?_r=1
June 15, 2009

"...(snip)...The new Tennessee laws also include measures that will allow permit holders to carry guns in bars and restaurants, if they are not drinking alcohol, and to carry a loaded rifle or shotgun in their vehicles if the ammunition is in the magazine but not in the chamber, although it can be in the chamber for purposes of self-defense."


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[nightrunner]

yea, the law passed awhile back allowing HCP-holders to have a loaded long gun as long as it wasnt chambered. Im guessing the last part means that if you have to use it for self defense that you can chamber a round legally.

[JAB]

IANAL but to my mind all of this came about because Tennessee's definition of what makes a gun 'loaded' is asinine. Apparently, not only does 'loaded' mean having one in the chamber - or even in the weapon - but also if you have loaded mags in the same range bag as the empty firearm. You can even get in trouble for having an empty shotgun behind the seat of your truck with a box of shells next to it. Changing the law was presented largely as a way to supposedly to make it easier for hunters, etc. to have both ammo and gun in their vehicle and not have to go to great lengths to isolate the gun from the ammo just to avoid violating the law, especially when moving between hunting locations. What the heck this has to do with having an HCP I don't know as not all hunters have a HCP and not all HCP holders hunt. In other words, hunters without an HCP still must isolate ammo from the firearm in their vehicle. To me, the common sense thing to do would be to simply clarify that 'loaded' means having ammo in the tube mag, a loaded detachable mag that is in the mag well, etc. and doesn't mean having the weapon and ammo seperate in the same compartment of the vehicle.

The 'side effect' of doing it the way they did is that those of us with HCPs can now legally have ammo in a long gun - as long as the chamber is empty - in our vehicles. I don't mind having that option, at all - it just doesn't really seem to have been the best, easiest or most intelligent way of changing the law if the real goal was to make things easier on legal hunters.

[Fallguy]

To the OP, that is correct, new law says those with a HCP can have a loaded long gun in a private vehicle so long as there is not a round in the chamber. But a round can be chambered to use the weapon in self-defense.
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On those without a HCP there is a bill that is trying to address this for, but I'm not sure if it is a big help or not.

HB2567/SB2390

It has already passed the Senate with this amendment, which makes the bill. It says the ammo can not be in the chamber and that a loaded clip can not be in or close to the rifle or shotgun.

It is scheduled to be heard in the House Criminal Practice and Procedure sub-committee Wed along with several other firearm bills.

[Smith]

I really like this law as it just makes sense. Funny we have to "create" laws to validate what should be understood. Makes me think the human race hans't come so far after all.

[razorback2003]

The easiest thing would be to remove long guns as weapons from the 'intent to go armed' statute. Long guns are not weapons in a lot of states (Arkansas, Texas, Alabama) and there are no problems. It makes things a lot more simple if you want to drive down the road with a shotgun or rifle in the truck. Where I'm from, anyone can cruise around or even walk down the street with a rifle loaded. Do you see anyone walking down the street in Little Rock with a loaded rifle? No...but it sure cuts down on the problem of worrying about if you are legal or not going to the range or hunting or just like to keep a rifle in the vehicle.

[ngoeser59]

I would personally get a little nervous if I saw someone carrying a rifle down the street loaded. But that's just me.

[Smith]

I would personally get a little nervous if I saw someone carrying a rifle down the street loaded. But that's just me.

Sad isn't it? My dad's generation used to walking around town carrying their .22 rifles and handguns on their way to the woods for hunting etc. and it was nothing but normal. Fear has a way of shaping our lives in a fashion that does not make us better.

[razorback2003]

Those guys didn't hurt anyone either. I used to walk through my neighborhood in Arkansas carrying a loaded firearm to the woods to hunt or shoot or hike and no one said a thing. These extra laws in TN could have possibly hassled me when I was growing up....very sad. That is all extra worthless laws are good for.

[Mike.357]

I would personally get a little nervous if I saw someone carrying a rifle down the street loaded. But that's just me.

Why would that make you nervous, and how would you know if it was loaded or not?