CA riders- Carrying a gun on multi-day dual sport trip?

[PopNrobb]

So my friend and I are currently planning a 7 day dual sport ride all throughout the northern California area, Lost Coast, Mt. Shasta, Mendocino & Plumas Forests ect.. We will be going well off the beaten path into some remote corners of the state. In some previous trips we have had a couple situations that I would have felt much more comfortable having a sidearm handy including a close encounter with a bear and a confrontation with some meth heads out in the middle of nowhere, fortunately we were close or on our bikes and were able to ride away from both situations quickly to get out of trouble. I have researched the laws pertaining to carrying a firearm on a motorcycle and I find them vague at best. We were at a sportsman expo last year and CA Fish and Game had a booth set up with about 6 wardens posted up. I asked them about legality of carrying a pistol while dual sport camping. Well, after being passed around to about 4 different wardens who didn't seem to have a clue, one warden finally offered this answer-

"It depends on who stops you and what kind of mood they are in if you will be in any kind of trouble or not. Just make sure to let them know you are carrying. You should look up the penal code."

Wow, thanks for nothing. I thought it was your job to know the penal code, not mine. It seems they know about as much as I do about the subject. Anyways, I am not interested in starting any sort of gun control debate, but rather was interested in knowing if there is any other riders in Cali who carry a sidearm, if they have ever been stopped by any sort of law enforcement, and what was the outcome? How/ what do you carry?

We were intending to get our CCW permit before then but realistically don't have the time to obtain it before our trip, plus, even with a CCW it still seems to be a grey area when it comes to carrying on a motorcycle.

BTW- just to be as law compliant as possible, the plan was to carry the pistol in my unloaded .40 S&W in my camelbak with the magazine in the front fender bag during riding and open carry in a holster at our campsites (this part I know is legal). I know its not "easily accessible" during the rides but better than not having it at all and I don't anticipate the need to do any drive-bys.

[exracer2]

Get a hunting license and a pig tag. Just say your hunting. carrie on your side with an unloaded chamber. Should be good. Exracer2

[exracer2]

T

Edited June 25, 2013 by exracer2

[exracer2]

T

Edited June 25, 2013 by exracer2

[exracer2]

T

Edited June 25, 2013 by exracer2

[exracer2]

T

Edited June 25, 2013 by exracer2

[exracer2]

T

Edited June 25, 2013 by exracer2

[exracer2]

Sorry iPad went crazy!

[Bmframe]

If everything is lagit and you do not have a record it's only a mister minor and a ticket. If you have a round chambered... Not sure if it changes things but you have a lagit reason. Mountain lion repellent is a good idea, in fact I plan on purchasing a gun for this reason.

[380tom]

I have asked the same question of two different rangers in California and pretty much got the same answer.

"It depends on who you are dealing with and what kind of mood they are in" is what I was told. Both rangers that I asked said they would not have ticketed me as long as I declared the firearm immediately after contact.

[USMCVietVet]

Concealed weapon is a felony in Kalifornia--try mase instead is my advice!!

[n16ht5]

Get a 10mm Glock 29 and conceal it well. an unloaded gun isn't going to do you well at all. I would rather carry bear spray in a holster than an unloaded gun. I have carried in national parks before it was "legal" and the ranger would make me unload it and hassle me a bit, but never wrote me up. I would get down the trail and load back up ? I have run across a lot of bears, and the only ones that made me nervous were the grizzlies in Canada. I am mostly just carrying for the two legged critters, and because shooting and riding is fun.

Edited July 9, 2013 by n16ht5

[seehogs]

Offroad; no round chambered, open carry with hunting license (jack rabbits)

Onroad; Locked in case seperate from ammo/magazine (good luck with that)

Lets us know what county in Kalifornia you get a ccw in, i will move there.

[CRVT427]

calccw.com

Look up calccw.com for more questions regarding concealed carry. I live in Shasta County with a sheriff that grants CCW permits. There are many other county sheriffs that grants CCW permits including Tehema, Siskiyou, Placer. The website will have listings of counties issuing CCW including the numbers granted. For instance, we probably have over 3000 permit holders in Shasta County while Alameda County may have only a dozen. With the permit, you can carry legally while dirt biking. You can also show your CA permit to Josephine County OR (Klamath Falls, OR) and get an OR CCW. Utah and Florida permits can be acquired in CA and your good to go in most western states. Only state missing is Nevada but you can go there, take classes and obtain their permit. It just takes time. I may be wrong but I think it's a misdemeanor to be caught in CA with loaded firearm if you have a clean record. If you have to use it for self defense, you have lots of explaining.

[CRVT427]

Sorry it's Grants Pass OR, not Klamath Falls OR for obtaining an OR CCW.

[gemeniguy]

Get a hunting license and a pig tag. Just say your hunting. carrie on your side with an unloaded chamber. Should be good. Exracer2

Feral hogs is the excuse I can use up here in the Adirondacks as a reason to carry a rifle (don't have a pistol permit) year around. Just can't carry it on state campgrounds unless it's big game season. In NY, all you need is a small game license to hunt feral hogs all year around.

[gemeniguy]

Maybe old but never worn out- Better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6.

[PopNrobb]

I live in Colusa County. It's pretty rural, so I don't think obtaining the CCW should be too hard. Has anyone received a CCW in Colusa County or attempted to do so? My riding buddy lives in Sutter County so it may be a different story for him.

[petenewell]

Concealed weapon is a felony in Kalifornia--try mase instead is my advice!!

Sorry, not true. It is only a misdemeanor. In most cases IF you got caught, it would be a citation and gun confiscated as evidence.

Chances of getting caught, very small. Assuming you are behaving yourself otherwise. Ask yourself, when was the last time you got stopped and searched for ANYTHING. Just make sure it is truely concealed and don't mess around.

I'm not really advocating ignoring the law, I am afterall a 30 year retired California LEO and I have a CCW, I just don't think it is a big deal especially in rural counties.

Edited July 12, 2013 by petenewell

[bigfrank]

Lots of missinformation here.  This why I tell my CCW students to NOT to peruse general sites, but rather go to the states firearms law websites for the correct answers.

 

Having said that, when doing what you are wanting to do, you will run into penal code, vehical code and at least some fish and wildlife code, which you should be famillar with before going.  Be especially mindfull of the transport laws here in California.  Ultimatly, the officer that you have contact with has the discression to let you go, or take you to jail.  Carring concealed without a valid permit is a "wobbler" which meens that they can charge you with a mistermeaner or a fellony, again at the discression of the district attorney in the county you would have been caught in.

 

I personally would never tell anyone that they should carry without a valid permit.  It's just not worth the potential ramifications. 

 

I think you said you were in Colusa County, and your friend was in Sutter county.  I know that Sutter county issues permits, but not sure about Colusa county.  Give the sheriff's oiffice a call if you live out in the county, or your local police department if you live in a city limits and ask if they issue.  PM me if they issue in your county/city and I'll put you onto an instructor in your area.  I have a friend that does classes for Sutter county and may do Colusa county, but I never asked him.  I am not on those counties lists as a certified instructor.  I am however on the lists of Shasta, Glenn, Tehama and Trinity counties as well as the cities of Red Bluff and Corning.

 

www.doj.ca.gov/firearms/ is where you want to go to get the right information on California law pertaining to firearms and the penal code.

 

Frank

Edited September 3, 2013 by bigfrank