For gun owners, transporting firearms as part of a move can be nerve-wracking. You could be wondering if the moving company has the necessary experience or expertise to handle firearms or if you will have to make some special arrangements to make sure everything goes smoothly.
There are strict laws in place that govern the transportation of firearms, particularly when it comes to ammunition. All movers in McKinney must make every effort to adhere to these laws. Otherwise, the parties involved could find themselves in hot water.
In most cases, a reputable moving company can move unloaded firearms from one point to the next. Nonetheless, you will be hard-pressed to find one that will transport ammunition because of its explosive and volatile nature–ammunition is considered hazardous material and the risk of transporting it is too great for most moving companies to ignore.
Moving Firearms and Ammunition
Most moving companies will have no qualms about moving your rifles, handguns, or other legal firearms. However, when it comes to ammunition, things get tricky because most movers are not allowed to move hazardous materials. Almost every moving company has a list of volatile goods that it will not move. In addition to ammunition, other items that may fall into this category include paints, gasoline, and other flammable materials. Understanding how moving companies work will help you figure out how or if you can legally use a moving company to move your firearms.
If you want to move ammunition, you can do it yourself in your car or truck, as long as you meet the parameters set by state and federal laws. Usually, it is best to keep the ammunition in a locked box. We also recommend not transporting ammunition in an automobile you don’t own–doing so could lead to some serious problems with the law, and you could also get others in trouble.
How to Prepare Your Firearms for Transport
It may seem simple, especially to long-term gun owners, but you must remove any ammunition from your guns and put the safety on every time you pack them for transport. If you already have high-quality gun cases, you could use them during a move; soft foam packing material is the best option if you are using boxes.
If your movers are transporting your guns, you must make a record showing their makes, models, and serial numbers. Even though the company does not have to keep these records in its possession, it still has to check the guns to verify the information.
Peaceable Journey Laws
If you intend to move your weapons yourself, Peaceable Journey Laws provide you with a basic level of protection while transporting firearms if you do so correctly and safely. However, each state has different laws regarding how firearms need to be packed and stored during a move, if you can stop in the state with firearms in your car, and what type of permits you may or may not need.
You have to do your research and ensure that you adhere to all legal requirements when moving firearms–this is because Journey Laws provide certain rights, but they do not cover all aspects of a move; the law can fickle sometimes, too.
In Summary
Even though it might make sense financially and practically to hire a moving company to move your guns and ammunition, you might not be able to. The moving company may be prohibited by law from moving these items–be sure to ask these questions as soon as you reach out to a moving company so you avoid any hiccups along the way during your moving journey.
The truth is that you may need to transport the firearms yourself, but you have to take the necessary precautions to ensure you are doing this within the bounds of federal and state laws.
Wondering if moving companies move plants? Take a look at our recent post.
