Expert: Dean Speir - 11/27/2009

Question
I live in Westchester NY but have a hunting logde in upstate NY.I have a hunting and target permit. I have been told different things about transporting my handgun. I have locked it up and traveled, and I have carried it on my belt and traveled. Not sure if carrying it is legal. I have a cousin with the same permit and he was pulled over by a NYS trooper. He ask if he had any firearms in the vehicle. He told him yes. When ask to see it, my cousin took it from his waist, dropped the clip, unloaded the round in the chamber and handed it to the trooper. The trooper looked at it and his permit then handed it back and told him not to forget to reload it. Where can I find the law on traveling in NY state with my handgun from one point to another? Am I permited by law to carry my handgun on my person while traveling to my house upstate?

Answer
While this is nowhere near a Second Amendment question, at least it's not one of the usual "I've-stopped-beating-my-wife-so-can-I-get-a-gun-now?" questions asked by morons with a modem and little reading skills.

Nothing I offer here should be construed as legal advice. For that you should consult an attorney or your Licensing authority in Westchester County.

With that proviso, Westchester County, NY, has a more restrictive licensing authority than most of the upstate jurisdiction, but nowhere near as bad as New York City or the counties of Nassau and western Suffolk.

Also, to get from Westchester to your hunting lodge, you won't have to pass through any part of New York City where your NYS License would not be valid. (It should state that on the back of your License.)

I believe that you should be good to go anywhere else in New York State unless your Licensing authority in Westchester has limited the terms of your License.

Review §400 of NYS Law at http://law.onecle.com/new-york/penal/PEN0400.00_400.00.html