Handgun regs?

[slick2526]

When deer hunting in rifle or shotgun zone is it legal to carry a sidearm along with your long gun? Also does minnesota have a legal length that barrel of the handgun must be?

[picksbigwagon]

yes on carrying a side arm with you, and I am not sure if there is a minimum length though

[Dave S]

Is it true they took out the minimum length of cartridge? I know it used to be set at 1.285" but people have told me that's now gone from the reg's.

Not sure on barrel length.

[skee0025]

Make sure it is visible. carring in a shoulder rig under a jacket is considered concealed and you need a permit for that, even during hunting season.

[picksbigwagon]

LEP, yes it is true, the legal caliber for deer hunting in MN is centerfire .22 and up.......making 38's, 9mm, 40 cal, etc legal. Not the best or even recommended calibers, but legal.

[BobT]

Make sure it is visible. carring in a shoulder rig under a jacket is considered concealed and you need a permit for that, even during hunting season.

[kr8r.tom]

barrel length is 15". if you have a muzzlebreak installed you'll have to cut your barrel down.

you can have your pistol under your jacket while hunting if you don't have a permit to carry.

my "carry" permit allows me to transport my handgun to/from or in otherwords all the time uncased and loaded.

[fishingforester]

Make sure it is visible. carring in a shoulder rig under a jacket is considered concealed and you need a permit for that, even during hunting season.

[rowdyf]

barrel length is 15". if you have a muzzlebreak installed you'll have to cut your barrel down.

What are you referring to here?

[kr8r.tom]

the total barrel length can only be a max of 15". when i had a muzzle break installed on my encore pistol barrel, they had to cut 2" off the barrel to compensate for the muzzlebreak length, if it is being permanently installed on the barrel.

[duckster]

I just researched this myself and know this one. Bob is right on this one. You do not need a permit to carry in Minnesota unless you plan on carrying in motor vehicle or public place as defined in MN 624.7181. If the public place is posted you cannot carry there.

Otherwise outside you can carry open or concealed without a permit, unless have been convicted of certain crimes. If you have doubts contact your sheriffs office and ask that is what I did. I also found alot of info off the internet from the BCA by googling Minn permit to carry law.

Hope this helps,

Duckster

[ccarlson]

So I have a question that takes off on this then.

Do I need a cc permit if I just want to carry a loaded pistol with me while I'm up in the woods of northern Minnesota on my own private land and extending out into federal and state land around it?

I would not be entering any public places such as stores, bars etc. just out in the woods. Can I have it in a holster loaded and under my coat while I cross country ski or snow shoe for example?

ccarlson

[BobT]

No, you do not need a permit to carry your handgun in the north woods.

Yes, you can have it concealed on your person while cross country skiing or snowshoeing.

NOTE: If you are doing these things on a private or publicly operated trail system, you may be required to have a permit or may not be allowed to carry it at all. For example, if you visit a ski resort, they may have rules forbidding firearms on their property.

Another example: The Lake Wobegon Trail that runs from Osakis to Avon with a branch from Albany to Holdingford prohibits firearms on the property.

But if you're just out in the north woods hiking, snowshoeing, hunting, or skiing you do not require a permit to carry.

Bob

[slick2526]

so lets say im on public water and i have the pistol in a holster and not concealed but yet loaded is that legal? or do I need a cc permit to even have ammo in the pistol in its case?

[BobT]

First, a holster is not a case.

Second, forget the word "concealed" ever existed. Our law is a permit to carry. Concealed is not part of the wording of the law. I've provided information where you can go to read the entire statute and you will find it doesn't refer to concealment.

This is from the hunting and trapping handbook

Handguns

Persons age 18 or older may carry a handgun in the woods and

fields or upon waters to hunt or target shoot. Persons under age 18

may carry handguns for hunting if in the actual presence or under the

direct supervision of the person’s parent or guardian, and if they meet

firearms safety requirements (see page 20). A person may not

possess a firearm while bowhunting for deer. A person may take bear,

elk and moose by archery while in possession of a firearm. Questions

regarding handguns should be directed to local law enforcement authorities.

Firearms Transportation

A person may not transport a firearm, including a handgun, in or

on a motor vehicle unless the firearm

is:

• unloaded* and cased;**

• unloaded* and in the closed trunk (or rear) of a motor vehicle; or

• carried under a valid permit to carry a pistol or handgun

I can see where some of the confusion about concealed comes from. Here the handbook incorrectly refers to the law as a concealed law. The only reason to reference concealment here is that the law allows one to carry a handgun concealed as well as unconcealed. In either case, you would just be carrying the handgun.

The “Concealed carry or permit to carry” provisions apply to certain

hunting activities. Persons with a permit under this law generally

may carry their handguns uncased and loaded while hunting, and

while traveling to or from hunting locations by motor vehicle under

the hunting firearms transportation laws.

Bob

[tinytimmys]

Second, forget the word "concealed" ever existed. Our law is a permit to carry. Concealed is not part of the wording of the law. I've provided information where you can go to read the entire statute and you will find it doesn't refer to concealment.

Bob

So, as far as "concealment" goes, does this mean that as long as I have a handgun unloaded/cased, that I can walk down main street with the case tucked inside my coat WITHOUT needing a permit to carry? And can I store the unloaded/cased handgun in my vehicle's glove box?

The reason I ask is that I've heard the following come up during permit to carry conversations among my friends: "You can't conceal a handgun unless you have permit to carry. That means that you must have your weapon out in plain sight at all times, you have to carry it outside of your coat/overalls when you are hunting on private property, and you have to have it unloaded/cased in plain sight on the dash/seat of your pickup when driving around. Regardless of where you are, you can't ever stuff an unloaded/cased handgun in your pocket, coat, backpack, or even in the glove box of your vehicle unless you have a permit to carry."

Are the [above] comments completely false for a Minnesota resident as long as the handgun is unloaded/cased?

How does "concealment" apply to ANYTHING regarding a handgun? The way I read Minnesota laws, it doesn't matter whether it is concealed or not, it simply applies to loaded/uncased handguns, and it has NOTHING to do with concealment. As long as it is unloaded/cased, I can't find anything wrong with concealing the handgun.

[BobT]

Quote:

So, as far as "concealment" goes, does this mean that as long as I have a handgun unloaded/cased, that I can walk down main street with the case tucked inside my coat WITHOUT needing a permit to carry? And can I store the unloaded/cased handgun in my vehicle's glove box?

If your handgun, rifle, shotgun or other firearm is properly cased and unloaded yes it can. How else would you carry it in town?

Quote:

The reason I ask is that I've heard the following come up during permit to carry conversations among my friends: "You can't conceal a handgun unless you have permit to carry.

This is the same question found at the MN Bureau of Criminal Apprehensions FAQs.

Quote:

22. If I have a permit to carry a pistol do I have to conceal the pistol?

No. Minnesota’s Personal Protection Act is a permit to carry law, not a conceal and carry law. The pistol does not need to be concealed, but can be concealed.

Does this answer your question?

Quote:

How does "concealment" apply to ANYTHING regarding a handgun? The way I read Minnesota laws, it doesn't matter whether it is concealed or not, it simply applies to loaded/uncased handguns, and it has NOTHING to do with concealment. As long as it is unloaded/cased, I can't find anything wrong with concealing the handgun.

You are absolutely right. Concealment has NOTHING to do with MN law.

I also sent the opposite question to the BCA. That is, if I DO NOT have a permit, is it unlawful for me to conceal a handgun. Again, the answer was "NO. MN law is not a conceal and carry law."

Edit: I should point out that there is a gray area. The law seems to suggest that without a permit, it would be illegal to be in possession of a handgun unless you are hunting or target shooting or on your own property.

We had a rather significant discussion about this recently in another thread and I eventually contacted my local county sheriff, CO, and the St. Louis Co. Sheriff to get their opinion.

All three of them felt that they or their deputies would not likely issue a citation for someone carrying a handgun outside of hunting season. For example, if you're just out for a walk in the woods or afield HOWEVER they all stopped short of saying they absolutely would not. They too are not absolutely sure about this part of the law.

With this in mind, unless you are carrying it for the purpose of hunting or target shooting, it is probably best to be also carrying a permit to carry.