I am flying to Baltimore tomorrow a.m. so I need some quick advice.  I am going there to help a friend drive a vehicle back here to Kansas City. Definitely like to travel armed for protection.  I know that under the Firearm Owners Protection Act of 1986, in addition to limiting the production of civilian machine guns, allows me to travel interstate legally w/ a firearm.  I have checked w/ the airline about how to check the piece and travel legally w/ them, but what happens when I get there?  Does Baltimore have any funky laws about handguns (i.e. Washington d.c. type stuff) that will have a cop waiting to take me into protective custody?  I don't want any trouble so I thought maybe someone could advise me.  thanks in advance, Clark

You aren't really flying into Baltimore, you're flying into BWI which is in Anne Arundel County MD, about 10-15 miles south of Baltimore City. No funky laws there. Laws will be the same as all over. The weapon must be cased, with ammunition in a seperate container during interstate travel unless you have a CC permit. Which in MD's case,almost no one does (I only know one person with a MD permit). A few states that you may travel through on the way back do extend reciprocity to anyone with a CC permit though. (Kentucky comes to mind.)

Clarkaim: It sounds to me like you are traveling from your current location to Kansas City, while slowing down to pick up a friend in Southern Maryland.  If your gun is legal in Kansas City and in your current state, it is legal for you to bring it, under the FOPA of 1986.  I shoot at a range in MD that frequently has more VA shooters than native MD residents, and none of them have a problem bringing pistols or black rifles to the range.

Poodle: Would the person with a CCW happen to own a dry-cleaning business?  

Kharn

Nope, he's one of my dad's hunting buddies. The king's rangers of the realm of MD have granted him a boon to carry a handgun while in the process of guarding a large corporation's money.

On a side note, the laws in MD are the biggest crock of shit. I think MD just makes laws so cops can arrest you if they feel like it. It gives them wider discretionary powers Honestly, which MD'ers here have never stopped for a hot dog at Sheetz while packing their pistol during hunting season? Sure, a cop in Western MD or on the shore wouldn't give you too much trouble for that, but the problem is that they [i]could[/i]. Glad I left that damn state!! [:(!]

Poodleshooter:

You wouldnt happen to know the laws regarding people under 18 carrying a sidearm while target shooting, would you?  My brother is becoming a constant range companion, and I'd prefer him to have something a little bigger than a .22lr available while my GF and I are down range changing targets (he doesnt like my AR one bit).

Kharn

Not a problem if someone over 21 is there, or they are hunting. There may be some other exceptions. If you're there at the range it should definitely be ok. If you check MD law, the key is the word "possession". I left 2 years ago, so Glendamning may have fucked up the laws some more than when I was a teen. I'm thinking in particular of all that trigger lock/child gun law stuff you guys were dealing with a year or so ago.

Poodle: When I ran a search in the laws for the word possession (I found the firearms law here: [url]http://www.inform.umd.edu/UMS+State/MD_Resources/MDSP/regulate.txt[/url]), it came up in reference to: Article 27, subsection 441(f) (Fugitives from justice, but in the wrong context, it lists a possession of the US), subsection 444 (obscured serial number), and Sub-section 445(State reserves all rights regulating possession, (c) doesnt apply as my brother's record is clean, (a) is the state declaring it's "right" to regulate transfer and possession).  One little thing I noticed in Subsection 445(b):

[i][b]A dealer or person may not sell or transfer a pistol or revolver[/b] to a person
whom he knows or has reasonable cause to believe has been convicted of a crime of violence, or of a violation of any of the provisions of subsections 286, 286A, or 286C of this article, or any conspiracy to commit any crimes established by those sections or of any of the provisions of this subtitle, or is a fugitive from justice, or is a habitual drunkard, or is addicted to or a habitual user of narcotics, barbiturates or amphetamines, or is of unsound mind, or to any person visibly under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or [b]to any person under 21 years of age as required by federal law.[/b][/i]  

Now first, my 4th grade teacher would have given me detention for such a long sentance, but the "under 21 years of age as required by federal law" doesnt seem like it means anything to a private person, since there is no federal law saying that a private person cannot give a handgun to someone under 21.  I've tried to talk to the MDSP about that line, but all they could say was "Federal law says no one under 21 may possess a handgun." and wouldnt listen when I asked them to cite a section of Federal Law saying that, or when I asked for a Maryland law outright saying no possession by those under 21 and not alluding to a federal law that doesnt exist. I wonder how these morons are related to Glendenning, cause they sure seem about as competent as a politician's brother's son's best friend of a friend of a friend...

Kharn

Check out sub section 406(b)(2)
(a) In general. - It shall be unlawful for any person to sell,
barter or give away to any minor:
         (1) Any firearms or other deadly weapons or ammunition,
except with the express permission of a parent or guardian of the
minor; or
...........
     
  (c) Exceptions. - The provisions of this section do not apply
to:............
         (2) Any adult or qualified supervisor or instructor of a
recognized organization engaged in the instruction of marksmanship.

You're an adult, so even transfer (not only possession) of the pistol is legal while instructing him in marksmanship. Of course this doesn't mean you might not get arrested for it.

Poodleshooter: I'm mainly looking at the possession parts of the law, cause my brother is pretty hot in the workshop and could make his own 80% firearm if we had proof it were legal.  Manufacturing is never mentioned, only transfering so its a grey area.

Kharn