Number TWO: (I'm not joking) Get a CCW from whatever state your drivers license was issued.
Most if not all states have a CCW now, (even Kansas!) and have reciprocal agreements with the other states to honor their CCW in both directions. The other state won't arrest or ticket you, so long as you are following the regulations of the issuing state.
If your resident state is one of the ten Constitutional Carry states (no CCW required. I remember Texas, New Hampshire, and Idaho are among their number), you can get a CCW good in other states under the reciprocal agreements.
It isn't illegal to have a firearm in your truck. Check with the company who's DOT number you are running under. It might be against company policy. (companies I drove under, including Panther, didn't care so long as you had a valid CCW to show any LEO and weigh station DOT officer.)
The above quoted is sketchy advice at best, without fully understanding firearm laws on both the Federal and State levels. And every state has deferent laws, and very few coincide directly with others, and sometimes even conflict greatly.
- Having a carry license from your state is always good practice
- Do NOT assume another state honors your CCL (even bordering one’s), many will not so do your research beforehand
- Look into getting CCLs from multiple states - UT, AZ, FL are popular, as they are honored by the most amount of states... but usually, you need to have one from you’re own state
- some states are nearly impossible to get a CCL from, and will not honor one from ANY other state... NJ, NY, MD, CA, etc
- Just because you’re preferred carry gun is legal in your state, does NOT mean it’s legal in another, even if your CCL is honored... thins usually includes things like magazine capacity and hollow point ammunition, but could include various other things
- Federal statute will only protect you when traveling THROUGH an individual state. Once you stop for any reason, you are now under the legal jurisdiction of that state. This means if you are in an unfriendly state, drive straight through. DO NOT STOP for any reason, including gas, food, or even just to use the bathroom.
- Research all the laws for yourself, and don’t take anyone’s advice as gospel. Not mine, not your brother-in-law, your neighbor, or even a cops. It’s YOUR freedom at stake, not ours, should you decide to keep a gun in the cab.
Firearm laws are nothing to mess with or take lightly. In almost every instance, breaking one can result in a felony. State laws are all over the board with where, when, what, and how someone can carry, that knowing them all is impossible... and ignorance of the law is not a legal defense. Top it of with the fact that the Fed only protects you traveling interstate, not in your departure or destination state, and even then, you need to know how the firearm must be stored for states you’re traveling through.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for the right to keep and bear arms, especially for self defense. I have mine anytime I travel - as long as I legally can. I also research the states I’ll be traveling in and through to make sure I’m legal. If not, I adjust my travel, or just don’t carry if absolutely necessary (MD and NY are unfortunately no-gos for me). But I also want others to be properly informed of they decide to carry while traveling cross country.
. A $7 plastic push dagger in your pocket will be nice for trips to the rest stop bathroom. $100 will get you a lot of solid and effective weapons.
