Washington DC and guns

Carmady · December 21, 2020, 12:09 PM

A video on youtube said that on Jan. 6, 2021 there will be 1,000,000 armed Trump supporters in DC.

After a short search on DC and firearms, a handgun (for me) is not allowed. So I looked into long guns and found this (my bold):

"Can you open carry a rifle in DC?
The District of Columbia prohibits the open carrying of handguns in public. The District also prohibits the carrying of a rifle or shotgun in public.Oct 23, 2020"

Since all things said on the www are not true, does anyone know for sure?

MC 1911 · December 21, 2020, 12:58 PM

Do not open carry anything in DC!

**44 AMP** · December 21, 2020, 02:24 PM

Getting a million people into DC to protest ANYTHING in JANUARY is highly unlikely.

None of the "million man / mom" marches in warm weather ever managed that amount by any reliable count.

Until the Heller decision, DC didn't permit loaded or even fully assembled handguns in people HOMES, let alone in public.

(unless it was part of your job to be armed in public...)

Anybody can say almost anything on U tube. That doesn't make it real.

there could well be a DC city ordinance against carrying rifles & shotguns, openly.

If it were me, I'd advise those showing up with long guns to carry them, CASED. See how the press twists that into something evil...because they sure will try....
And likely they will be aided in that by some short sighted vocal yammerheads on the same side of the issue we are....who think they are aiding our cause, but really are doing just the opposite...

Carmady · December 21, 2020, 02:43 PM

"If it were me, I'd advise those showing up with long guns to carry them, CASED. See how the press twists that into something evil...because they sure will try...."

"CASED"

Thanks for the idea. I'll walk around with an empty guitar case and everyone will think I have a Tommy gun.

And a trench coat!

**Aguila Blanca** · December 21, 2020, 03:29 PM

A reminder: The Firing Line site does not delve into politics. This post/thread is in the Law & Civil Rights discussion area. The staff has decided that the question (is it legal to open carry a rifle or shotgun in DC) is a valid question, so the discussion is open to any response that answers the question. Beyond that, please don't go off on tangents or we'll have to close the discussion.

If you know the answer, please provide the source of the information.

**Tom Servo** · December 21, 2020, 03:31 PM

The District doesn't just prohibit carry; it prohibits any possession of a firearm not registered there:

Quote:

Except as otherwise provided in this unit, no person or organization in the District of Columbia (“District”) shall receive, possess, control, transfer, offer for sale, sell, give, or deliver any destructive device, and no person or organization in the District shall possess or control any firearm, unless the person or organization holds a valid registration certificate for the firearm.

That's for all firearms, including long guns. The only real exception doesn't help in your situation:

Quote:

With respect to firearms, any nonresident of the District participating in any lawful recreational firearm-related activity in the District, or on his way to or from such activity in another jurisdiction; provided, that such person, whenever in possession of a firearm, shall upon demand of any member of the Metropolitan Police Department, or other bona fide law enforcement officer, exhibit proof that he is on his way to or from such activity

A political rally doesn't really fit that description.

I don't advise anyone, regardless of reason, to carry a firearm into the District. Whoever those yokels are on YouTube, they're going to get people in trouble.

There's really no place else for this thread to go, so I'm going to close it.

**Aguila Blanca** · December 21, 2020, 03:47 PM

www.handgunlaw.us provides a link to the DC legal code chapter on firearms laws:
https://code.dccouncil.us/dc/council...2/chapters/45/

Those interested should read through it for yourselves and not rely on my non-lawyerly understanding. FWIW, I looked through it and it appears to me that DC only allows long guns to be transported in accordance with the FOPA. The DC code reproduces the FOPA language, which includes the prerequisite that you are "transporting" the firearm(s) from a place where your possession is legal to a place where your possession is legal.

It's difficult to see any way in which someone going to DC for a day (or two) for a protest demonstration could even possess a long gun legally in DC. Even if you think you can justify that, the DC code appears to allow only "transportation" of firearms, subject to the requirement that the firearm(s) must be unloaded, and either the firearm or the ammunition must be in a locked container. ([Standard FOPA language]

There's also a provision in there that "(a) The District of Columbia may prohibit or restrict the possession of firearms on its property and any property under its control." [§ 22–4503.02.] Where you would have to look to find out if or where the District might have prohibited or restricted the possession of firearms is not specified.

I would say the safe answer is "Leave the guns at home."

December 21, 2020, 12:09 PM	#1
Carmady Senior Member Join Date: February 26, 2013 Location: on the lam Posts: 1,735	Washington DC and guns A video on youtube said that on Jan. 6, 2021 there will be 1,000,000 armed Trump supporters in DC. After a short search on DC and firearms, a handgun (for me) is not allowed. So I looked into long guns and found this (my bold): "Can you open carry a rifle in DC? The District of Columbia prohibits the open carrying of handguns in public. The District also prohibits the carrying of a rifle or shotgun in public.Oct 23, 2020" Since all things said on the www are not true, does anyone know for sure?

December 21, 2020, 02:24 PM	#3
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,846	Getting a million people into DC to protest ANYTHING in JANUARY is highly unlikely. None of the "million man / mom" marches in warm weather ever managed that amount by any reliable count. Until the Heller decision, DC didn't permit loaded or even fully assembled handguns in people HOMES, let alone in public. (unless it was part of your job to be armed in public...) Anybody can say almost anything on U tube. That doesn't make it real. there could well be a DC city ordinance against carrying rifles & shotguns, openly. If it were me, I'd advise those showing up with long guns to carry them, CASED. See how the press twists that into something evil...because they sure will try.... And likely they will be aided in that by some short sighted vocal yammerheads on the same side of the issue we are....who think they are aiding our cause, but really are doing just the opposite... __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

December 21, 2020, 03:29 PM	#5
Aguila Blanca Staff Join Date: September 25, 2008 Location: CONUS Posts: 18,468	A reminder: The Firing Line site does not delve into politics. This post/thread is in the Law & Civil Rights discussion area. The staff has decided that the question (is it legal to open carry a rifle or shotgun in DC) is a valid question, so the discussion is open to any response that answers the question. Beyond that, please don't go off on tangents or we'll have to close the discussion. If you know the answer, please provide the source of the information. __________________ NRA Life Member / Certified Instructor NRA Chief RSO / CMP RSO 1911 Certified Armorer Jeepaholic

December 21, 2020, 03:47 PM	#7
Aguila Blanca Staff Join Date: September 25, 2008 Location: CONUS Posts: 18,468	www.handgunlaw.us provides a link to the DC legal code chapter on firearms laws: https://code.dccouncil.us/dc/council...2/chapters/45/ Those interested should read through it for yourselves and not rely on my non-lawyerly understanding. FWIW, I looked through it and it appears to me that DC only allows long guns to be transported in accordance with the FOPA. The DC code reproduces the FOPA language, which includes the prerequisite that you are "transporting" the firearm(s) from a place where your possession is legal to a place where your possession is legal. It's difficult to see any way in which someone going to DC for a day (or two) for a protest demonstration could even possess a long gun legally in DC. Even if you think you can justify that, the DC code appears to allow only "transportation" of firearms, subject to the requirement that the firearm(s) must be unloaded, and either the firearm or the ammunition must be in a locked container. ([Standard FOPA language] There's also a provision in there that "(a) The District of Columbia may prohibit or restrict the possession of firearms on its property and any property under its control." [§ 22–4503.02.] Where you would have to look to find out if or where the District might have prohibited or restricted the possession of firearms is not specified. I would say the safe answer is "Leave the guns at home." __________________ NRA Life Member / Certified Instructor NRA Chief RSO / CMP RSO 1911 Certified Armorer Jeepaholic

December 21, 2020, 12:58 PM	#2
MC 1911 Senior Member Join Date: February 19, 2011 Location: Virginia Posts: 373	Do not open carry anything in DC!

December 21, 2020, 02:43 PM	#4
Carmady Senior Member Join Date: February 26, 2013 Location: on the lam Posts: 1,735	"If it were me, I'd advise those showing up with long guns to carry them, CASED. See how the press twists that into something evil...because they sure will try...." "CASED" Thanks for the idea. I'll walk around with an empty guitar case and everyone will think I have a Tommy gun. And a trench coat!