Going to Wash. DC, by air. Want to take a pistola, anyone know if this can be done.  We all know that private ownership of handguns is all but impossible, in this "safe city"

I think all handguns were banned back in 1976?  I think you had to register them before the ban to have one in DC.  I heard that on this board so don't go quoting me.  You can also look on www.nraila.com.

 Land at Dulles IAP it is in Virgina.  Put the gun away, don't wave it like a druck and do tell anybody.  Good luck in the city of sin.  I was there about ten years ago and a crack addict was mayor and they murdered a guy or two a night.  What a shithole.  Other than the sites

Here you go, direct from www.nraila.com;

NOTE: The District of Columbia has two sets of laws applicable to firearms. One, passed by Congress, is part of the D.C. Code (Section 22:3201-3217) and regulates the purchase, possession and carrying of firearms. A newer law, passed in 1976 by the D.C. City Council requires all firearms to be registered, all owners to be licensed, and prohibits the sale of new handguns. It also prohibits anyone from bringing a handgun into the District or transporting a handgun through the city.

First, check NRA ILA web site.  But my understanding is that if they catch an armed freeman in DC, they will bust his ass and he will go down for a felony and never be allowed to possess a firearm again.  It is a Nazi police state. Unless you are a liberal anti-gun columnist like Carl Rowan who actually shot a guy.  The mayor can deal all the crack he needs to but if a citizen exercises his 2nd Amendment RIGHT, they will lock him up.  Sorry, the fact that it is even a question makes me rant.  Reminds me of my visit to Angola.  Why the F*** do we put up with this in our nation's HQ??

People have gotten busted in DC for having a single round of 'unregistered ammunition'.    If you get caught with a handgun, especially carrying one in public, the cops won't care one bit that you're just Joe Citizen who is reasonably in fear of your life in that POS crack-addict town.  They will bust your butt and you WILL get prosecuted.  If you fly with one into DC directly you won't even make it out of the airport.  

And I work there every day.  What a major bummer. [pyro]

DANG!!  I'm flying into Reagan National in DC.  Will only be there 3 days then going by car to Atlanic City and Philly.  I hate to travel without "something".  Thought there might be some provision for tourist.  I'll check with the NRA.  Kind of ironic, I'm a life member and plan to go to the new NRA Headquarters, yet can't  have some protection in my hotel room!!  'OY!

Have your hotel room in VA and you can have your gun.   Just leave it behind when you go visit DC.  Maybe the hotel has a place you can safely keep your gun.  dunno.  Then when you to NRA HQ, you can shoot in the range.  :)

Btw, I still call it WASHINGTON NATIONAL.

Yea, DC bites. I was up there last Memorial Weekend for Rolling Thunder.  Myself, and about a dozen cohorts were checking out the sites one afternoon.  We decided to go up in the Washington Monument.  After waiting in line for about a half an hour, we finally approached the entrance.  One of the guys in our group suddenly disappeared when he noticed they had metal detectors set up at the entrance.  We all got a good laugh when we found out he had been packing all weekend, and didn't even know about the laws within the district.  Once he was educated on the severity of this infraction, he laid low until we could get out of town.

sparky's right on the money. You WILL be prosecuted, no if or buts about it. Believe me I used to live in Bethesda, a suberb right outside of D.C. If I were you, I'd carry a nice sharp folding knife. Or maybe a hammer or a brick. No make that a pneumatic nail gun...no, wait, better make that a pre-ban, gas powered, suppressed weed-wacker.

Stay in Springfield VA (farest away from DC you can get and take a tram in) and take the transit in. About 15 minutes on the transit will get you into DC. A daily ticket costs about $5 and you can shuttle around on the tram all day.

I think the only way to take a gun into DC is join the Secret Service.

I sometimes have to work in the DC area. My advice is if you can at all do so, avoid going to DC for any reason. The only thing worth seeing there is the Smithsonian, and it isn't worth going to DC to see. It'a damn shame what they've done to our nation's capitol. Maybe it is time to relocate it and make DC a county in the people's republic of Maryland.

No, I say go to DC unarmed.

After all. They ALL aren't that way. You have to give each individual a chance.

You are clearly racist.

Since DC banned all handguns it is one of the safest cities in America! Why would anyone need a gun to feel safe? LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I went to a technical school in Leesburg VA for a week and some of the other students went into DC for a day trip. They asked if I wanteds to go and I said NO THANKS.

Wow.  I was afraid I was going to get flamed for discouraging someone from carrying (even in a vehicle) in DC!  Glad to see I'm not alone.  The threat of being the victim of a criminal in DC is very high, but the threat of being the victim of the Government should you go armed is higher by far.  

It's bad because you probably have a better chance unarmed against the criminals than you do against the Government if they discover you are armed.  And, of course, they can't and won't guarantee your safety.

There is a legal case from DC on this issue, Warren v. District of Columbia, D.C.App., 444 A.2d 1 (1981).

"...a government and its agents are under no general duty to provide public services, such as police protection, to any indidivual citizen...The duty to provide public services is owed to the public at large, and, absent a special relationship (like witness protection) between the police and an individual, no specific legal duty exists."

I think this case was upheld by the Supremes.  So, in DC you can not have a gun and you can not expect any protection.  The bastards just want to feed you to the animals.

Reagan National is also in VA.  

If you get caught in DC carrying illegaly, it'll be no worse than if you were caught in MD or the "Project Exile" State of VA.

I have heard that some VA residents carry into DC on a regular basis.

You pays your money and takes your chances.

Hipower is correct, Reagan airport is in Virginia.  So you can arrive unmolested.

I live about 20 miles outside DC.  I go into DC on a regular basis.  The Metro (subway) is clean and safe.  Just don't take food or drinks onboard.  They'll bust you for that.  If you stay where the tourists frequent, you'll be safe.  Just don't go for a late night stroll in the wrong part of town.

Enjoy your visit.  

I think it's authorized to carry there if you're a OG or a crackjunkie...

Swing out route 66 to the NRA headquarters and the museum.  Fun visit.

I think the DC in Washington stands for "Don't Carry."

Or was it "Disarmed Citizens??"

Maybe "Deadly Criminals??"

Watch your six, my friend. If you obey the laws, you may be the ONLY one there without a gun.

A few years back, a man was arrested during a political event featuring Hiliary Clinton in DC(I believe) for having a handgun.  The follow up story said that the man had a permit to carry or something and was released.  Does anyone else remember something like this?

I think that was Rosie's bodyguard.

I'm not sure how this would apply to DC (because they are above the law, of course!), but I don't know if they can completely prohibit you from travelling through with a properly stored firearm.  I'll quote the text and a source to verify below:

United States Code, TITLE 18, section 926A get it here http://www.law.cornell.edu/ click on constitution & codes - us codes then title 18, then search for section "926a" - > Sec. 926A.

"Interstate transportation of firearms - > Notwithstanding any other provision of any law or any rule or regulation of a State or any political subdivision thereof, any person who is not otherwise prohibited by this chapter from transporting, shipping, or receiving a firearm shall be entitled to transport a firearm for any lawful purpose from any place where he may lawfully possess and carry such firearm to any other place where he may lawfully possess and carry such firearm if, during such transportation the firearm is unloaded, and neither the firearm nor any ammunition being transported is readily accessible or is directly accessible from the passenger compartment of such transporting vehicle: Provided, That in the case of a vehicle without a compartment separate from the driver's compartment the firearm or ammunition shall be contained in a locked container other than the glove compartment or console."

Now my question is, what does "Notwithstanding any other provision of any law or any rule or regulation of a State or any political subdivision thereof" mean?  That any State can write a law that overrides this?  I've always assumed that this allowed me to travel legally with a legally stored firearm as long as it was legal in source and destination.  I take it that means that's not true in DC.

I also have to ask myself what the people who formed this Country would have said if the Brits told them they couldn't possess or transport firearms.  Oh, never mind.  I guess we know exactly what they had to say about that.  I wonder what we should say/do....

    Black Fox

the "notwithstanding" provision simply means that state or political subdivision law can overrule Federal law. In other words, if DC outlaws them, then they are outlawed.

My understanding is exactly the opposite.  If it is legal for me to posses in VA, and legal for me to possess in DE and I have to drive through DC to get from former to latter, this provision should cover me assuming I comply with its provisions.

That said, the DC Po-leece will almost definitely confiscate your  firearm (which you'll most likely never see again), lock you up and present you with the opportunity to make your case in court.

Damn McUzi! I've had my truck broken into, I had some punk "try" to mug me once, both in DC, and because I condemn the city as a crime orgy you call me a racist???  Man, you need to quit listening to all your liberal prof's and get a taste of the real world. BTW, I almost never get to work in the tourist areas. And if you're not familiar with the city you can easily take a wrong turn and find yourself in a "non-tourist" area. The Metro is clean and well patrolled, true enough. Make sure if you're gonna go, get out by dark. That's the softest advice I can give on DC.

Why is that any better?

Because Maryland deserves it!!!

I agree stay away!!! I am a funny guy I don't vacation any place that is anti gun. I live in NY and I couldn't tell you anything about my State. I hate it with a passion and I hope to leave one day. There is nothig I want to see in DC.You want to go to a nice place. Go to Vermont the closest thing to Switzerland in this country that I have seen. Best of all you can carry concealed without a license. The funny thing is that you don't need a gun there it is very safe. Bring one and do some target shooting.

Don't go through DC go around. I drive to the great state of Florida and have a ccw in Fl. and I always avoid DC. 95 goes around it and you do the same. Maryland,Jersey,DC,NY,Conn,Mass and I think RI you have to be careful in.