Moving to WA state

My wife and I decided to move to WA state to be with her family and honestly escape the misery of AL (just not very happy in Alabama and nothing is tying us down). So I know that because of this I won’t be able to be an official USCCA member anymore but I hope that I’ll still be able to be apart of this wonderful community.
For those wondering, we’re going to pack everything up in a little Uhaul trailer and drive to Washington with my truck. We figured it’d just be easiest to keep all firearms unloaded since a few states along the way don’t accept an AL CCW.
Though, would it be legal to keep the unloaded pistol in the center console (where no legal documents are kept) and then keep the magazine in a backpack behind the driver seat? I know the law on traveling with an unloaded firearm can get a little tricky.

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@luke_ouellette. Good luck on your move, stay safe and train hard. :smiley:

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https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/resources/federal-ccw-law/federal-firearms-transportation-laws/

I believe you have to have the firearms unloaded and in the trunk, and ammo in the glove box and secured… the above will be useful info…

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Good luck on your move and you and the Wife stay safe on your journey, Good luck. Bruce and Nancy. :mountain_snow:

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A lot of WA is beautiful country and not infested with the vermin in Seattle. Stop where you can carry and follow the laws as you see fit for inter state transport. Most of all enjoy the drive and if you are financially and time able stop and enjoy some of the great country between AL and WA. Some of the best times the wife and I have had is when I would see a sign for something neat/stupid/interesting/etc. and get off the super slab.

The wife would wake up and look around and ask “Where are we?”
Right here, going that way.
“What are we doing?”
I saw a sign for a quilt/antique/gun shop. (Fill in what interests you)
“Oh, OK”

Good times.

Cheers,

Craig6

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Well, you just missed the salmon run. They are thinning out now. Hunting season coming up though. Do you know were abouts you gonna be? Be safe on the drive and enjoy the trip!

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I’m gonna be within 30 min of Portland, OR. I got an AR so I could hunt with that. Just need to get a hunting license and kinda learn the ropes of hunting as I’ve only ever hunted squirrel.

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You will need something bigger for Elk. I use a 30-06.

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So if I’m understanding this article correctly (btw I’m driving a truck) so long as the firearm and ammo are separate and one or the other is locked up and one or the other isn’t accessible without getting outside the vehicle, then it’s legal? Cuz the only locked containers I have are my center console and my glovebox. The only thing I can think of is lock my pistol in the center console and put the ammo in a backpack under the back seat (I have a toolbox and other stuff on the floor board that would prevent me from accessing it from inside the truck; I’d have to exit the vehicle and open the doors and dig through the backpack to retrieve the ammo).

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Oh yeah. I forgot about elk. I was just thinking about deer lol.

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Deer season is upon us and is only two weeks long. If you went to bow hunting your season will be much longer and you get to get out in the woods first also. Winston Creek area has always been good to me for hunting.

Im not a lawyer, that’s why I posted the article… perhpas @MikeBKY, who is a lawyer can help… @MikeBKY— you out there

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Here is the federal law

Notwithstanding any other provision of any law or any rule or regulation of a Stateor 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.

If the firearm is unloaded and it and ammunition are either in the trunk, if the vehicle has one, or in a locked container in the vehicle (other than the glove compartment or console), they comply with the federal law. The firearm and the ammo can be in the same locked container as long as the firearm is unloaded.

Keep in mind that a key portion of the law is that you must be traveling from a location where the firearm may be lawfully possessed and to a location where it may be lawfully possessed. Some states do not allow you to stop in their state while transporting and others only allow short stops. Overnight stays in locales where possession is prohibited can lead to an arrest.

Y’all can come to Kentucky with your firearms any time you like!

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