Driving to range without LTCH

[chefjerome]

I know this has been discussed MANY times on here, yet we never seem to have a solid answer. I'm sure there are many people like myself who are waiting for their LTCH but like to drive out to the range every so often. From what I previously have heard you CANNOT put your gun in the trunk in a case, separate from ammo. Tonight, while leaving my softball game I had a brief conversation with a Carmel police officer and asked him "If you don't have a LTCH yet, can you still go to the shooting range as long as the gun is in the trunk and unloaded." He was very friendly and said that as long as its in the trunk and in a case, stored seperately from ammo, you are good to go. Anyone who lives in hamilton county knows that the leo's there are often pretty gung-ho..sometimes to a fault. I apologize if this has previously been settled on here, I just remember reading conflicting information.

 

[sporter]

He's wrong (as far as the law is concerned). He might not bust you for it but he does not speak for every LEO out there.

Indiana state law is very clear. You need a LTCH or Target license to transport your pistol to the gun range or off of your property (there are some exceptions but taking your pistol to the range is not one of them).

No person shall carry a handgun in any vehicle or on or about his person without a license being in his possession. Exceptions to carrying without a license include:

• Carrying in one's dwelling, on one's property or fixed place of business.
• Law enforcement officers and authorized corrections and judicial officers; military personnel while on duty.
• Regularly enrolled members of any organization authorized to purchase or receive weapons from the U.S. or from Indiana while they are at or going to or from their place of assembly or target practice.
• Employees of the U.S. duly authorized to carry handguns.

• Express company employees when engaged in company business.
• Persons engaged in the firearms business in the usual or ordinary course of that business, or any person while carrying a handgun unloaded and in a secure wrapper from the place of purchase to their home or business, or to and from a place of repair or in moving from one place of abode or business to another.

The law is crystal clear. If you want to chance it go ahead.

This is brought up over and over on this website and it gets real real old.

 

[Cygnus]

I did this and **** bricks every other time I was out. I was was so relieved when my LTCH came. Hell of a risk especially with a LTCH pending.
The way the law reads (go see it yourself at the state site) you sure seem to be breaking the law by going anywhere other than home from the sale or to or from a gunsmith/service call.

The separate gun and ammo is Michigan law. Lived there for many years and that's always been the law there.

Anyway there's my input. I'm sure some with more knowledge will weigh in.

 

[sloughfoot]

You are right, this subject HAS been beat to death. I totally agree with the Police Officer that you talked to about this.

Put it in your trunk as you stated, and exercise your rights as an American citizen. The LTCH is only needed for carrying on your person or within the passenger compartment of your vehicle.

 

[Bigum1969]

He's wrong (as far as the law is concerned). He might not bust you for it but he does not speak for every LEO out there.

Indiana state law is very clear. You need a LTCH or Target license to transport your pistol to the gun range or off of your property (there are some exceptions but taking your pistol to the range is not one of them).

What he said.

Unless you are sure this is the cop you are going to run into, I wouldn't do it.

 

[esrice]

Although they provide an excellent service in our communities, LEOs are generally not the ones to ask about firearms laws.

What that officer meant is that HE wouldn't have a problem with it.

There is nowhere in the IC codes that says you can take your handgun to the range without an LTCH.

 

[waloidian]

Yup, hes wrong, and he wont be there if you needed to defend your actions.

 

[CSK22]

Sporter does bring up a good point about just because he wouldn't doesn't mean others wouldn't.

Same goes for how many MPHs over each is willing to give tickets for. Ya know?


The law says no, better safe then sorry!

 

[jblomenberg16]

My understanding is that without the LTCH, you can only transfer the handgun from the site of purchase, in its original box, to your residence.

Travelling to and from the range, would require the LTCH, as it licenses you to carry on your person, which includes your vehicle.

You do not need an LTCH to posses the hangun in your home.

2009 Indiana Firearm Code:

IC 35-47-2-1
Carrying a handgun without a license or by person convicted of domestic battery
Sec. 1. (a) Except as provided in subsection (b) and section 2 of this chapter, a person shall not carry a handgun in any vehicle or on or about the person's body, except in the person's dwelling, on the person's property or fixed place of business, without a license issued under this chapter being in the person's possession.

Indiana Code 35-47-2 [\quote]

NRA's interpretation
"No person shall carry a handgun in any vehicle or on or about his person without a license being in his possession. Exceptions to carrying without a license include: carrying in one’s dwelling; on one’s property or fixed place of business; law enforcement officers and authorized corrections and judicial officers; military personnel while on duty; regularly enrolled members of any organization authorized to purchase or receive weapons from the U.S. or from Indiana while they are at or going to or from their place of assembly or target practice; employees of the U.S. duly authorized to carry handguns; express company employees when engaged in company business; persons engaged in the firearms business in the usual or ordinary course of that business; or any person while carrying a handgun unloaded and in a secure wrapper from the place of purchase to their home or business; or to and from a place of repair or in moving from one place of abode or business to another. "

 

[Phil502]

I say no. There are better links but about halfway down this one says no.

What are the Gun Laws in Indiana?

 

[jblomenberg16]

Wow you guys are fast!!!

 

[sporter]

The LTCH is only needed for carrying on your person or within the passenger compartment of your vehicle.

Wrong it is needed if you are carrying a handgun in the vehicle PERIOD, END OF STORY.

Please site Indiana code that states otherwise.

I agree we should not have to pay or get a license to exercise our constitutional rights but this is what we have and it's better than most states out there.

 

[chefjerome]

See that is exactly what I have heard to (about you needing a ltch to go to the range) I have read the code over and over again and I always come up with the same answer, that you need the ltch for going to the range. I just found it interesting that this is what I'm being told, not trying to spread misinformation. I suppose technically they would have no idea that I had a handgun in my trunk because I would never consent to a search.

 

[chefjerome]

Sorry to post back to back , It does state that you don't need a LTCH to take it to a place of repair....SO if you were going to a range that does gunsmith work you could probably get off on that technicality??? I mean I know the LTCH is the key here, I am just waiting on mine and hate looking at my beautiful new px4 just staring at me in its case!!

 

[Scutter01]

I know this has been discussed MANY times on here, yet we never seem to have a solid answer.

Yes, we've had plenty of solid answers. So solid, in fact, that there's an entry in the INGO FAQ detailing one INGO member who was arrested and convicted for carrying to the range without a license. DON'T DO IT.

Here's the thread, and the FAQ is linked in my sig.

https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo..._self_defense/25254-asking_for_your_help.html

 

[sporter]

Sorry to post back to back , It does state that you don't need a LTCH to take it to a place of repair....SO if you were going to a range that does gunsmith work you could probably get off on that technicality??? I mean I know the LTCH is the key here, I am just waiting on mine and hate looking at my beautiful new px4 just staring at me in its case!!

Ask the arresting officer....



You already know the answer. Your question was answered even though you probably already knew ahead of time before you asked it.
Are you looking for best out of 3 or just trolling at this point?

This is pretty frustrating because now you are just muddying the water with a contrived scenario that does follow the spirit or intentions of the law.

 

[chefjerome]

Ask the arresting officer....



You already know the answer. Your question was answered even though you probably already knew ahead of time before you asked it.
Are you looking for best out of 3 or just trolling at this point?

This is pretty frustrating because now you are just muddying the water with a contrived scenario that does follow the spirit or intentions of the law.

I was just asking a simple question. There is no reason to be rude, obviously I am newer to this site and very much enjoy it so far. I had a conversation with a police officer and posted a thread about the conversation. If this is a topic that annoys you so much why don't you skip over it next time instead of getting so frustrated with what someone online wrote. As far as the repair thing goes, I was being sarcastic so don't get to worked up over it. For the most part, everyone on here seems really nice and willing to help out, and I appreciate that.

 

[cklein6576]

field strip it into its parts. then you have gun parts and not a gun.

 

[srad]

Sorry to post back to back , It does state that you don't need a LTCH to take it to a place of repair....SO if you were going to a range that does gunsmith work you could probably get off on that technicality??? I mean I know the LTCH is the key here, I am just waiting on mine and hate looking at my beautiful new px4 just staring at me in its case!!

Hey Chef, I was in the same boat, itching to get to the range... don't know if this is legal or not, but here's a possible solution that other INGO's can weigh in on:

If you have a buddy, coworker, acquaintance, etc. with an LTCH I wonder if they can transport it to the range for you & then you can both take in some target practice together.

 

[Scutter01]

field strip it into its parts. then you have gun parts and not a gun.

The receiver (in most cases) is still a gun, even when field-stripped. As already stated, you cannot transport a handgun (even field-stripped) without a license, except for three extremely narrow circumstances.