Carrying Long Guns

[Citizen 5]

What does Indiana law have to say about carrying long guns? If you're going hunting or shooting can you sling your rifle or shotty over your back and run into the grocery store? I'm wondering about actual laws, not just a "Well, I do/don't think that would be legal"

Wouldn't it be great if we could all walk down the munchies aisle with a SIG-550 and not even turn heads?

 

[tv1217]

We could legally do that, but the sheep would freak out.

 

[kyle1058]

Depending on the store you're going into... If its over your back and not in your hands it would be a little different, kinda like walking into a bank with a pistol in your holster as opposed to in your hand.

I'm sure eventually you'd get a call of disturbing the peace or something along that nature and they would make you not do it.

 

[captpaul]

When I was 14-15, before a drivers license, we strapped our shotguns on our backs and rode our bikes a couple of miles to different woods to hunt. Never had a problem but that was on roads less traveled.

 

[Timjoebillybob]

What does Indiana law have to say about carrying long guns? If you're going hunting or shooting can you sling your rifle or shotty over your back and run into the grocery store? I'm wondering about actual laws, not just a "Well, I do/don't think that would be legal"

Other than the standard no guns in school/secure areas of airports, etc. There are no regulations on carrying a long gun with a LTCH. Without a LTCH you can't carry a long gun on a off road vehicle without it being unloaded and in a case, and pistol grip shotguns cannot be transported except under the exceptions for handguns. ie from place of purchase to home/business etc. Indiana law is silent on long guns except for what I mentioned, just like it is on oc/cc so I can't point out any part of the code that makes it legal. But IANAL

Depending on the store you're going into... If its over your back and not in your hands it would be a little different, kinda like walking into a bank with a pistol in your holster as opposed to in your hand.

I'm sure eventually you'd get a call of disturbing the peace or something along that nature and they would make you not do it.

A store can tell you to leave that's it. Just like carrying a handgun.
The only way that they can make you not do it would be to arrest you, unless you let them. And if they arrest you for a legal act it would make you and your lawyer wealthy. Just like a LEO stopping you from OC. But again IANAL.

 

[Bluehazemay]

Other than the standard no guns in school/secure areas of airports, etc. There are no regulations on carrying a long gun with a LTCH. Without a LTCH you can't carry a long gun on a off road vehicle without it being unloaded and in a case, and pistol grip shotguns cannot be transported except under the exceptions for handguns. ie from place of purchase to home/business etc. Indiana law is silent on long guns except for what I mentioned, just like it is on oc/cc so I can't point out any part of the code that makes it legal. But IANAL


A store can tell you to leave that's it. Just like carrying a handgun.
The only way that they can make you not do it would be to arrest you, unless you let them. And if they arrest you for a legal act it would make you and your lawyer wealthy. Just like a LEO stopping you from OC. But again IANAL.

I do need to differ with what you have explained - Per Indiana Gun division and there appeals court, There is no law or regulations for long guns in indiana, Now it is true that you can not carry a pistol grip shot gun which means that the gun can be handled by one hand ( aka Handgun or sawedoff shotgun ) There are also restriction's on barrel length that are explained on the LTCH application. Just for example until I can obtain my LTCH I carry a Remington 870 tactical shutgun in my back window, It includes the ATI top folding stock and I have been pulled over 3 times with that firearm and loaded along with shells in the shell holder, There was never a issue and a officer even verified the information as he questioned me but soon came to find out there is not law on the restrictions of long guns in indiana. Now that same basic rules apply with places you can carry in and such just like handguns but that is really about it.

I do not suggest carring a long gun openingly unless you want to cause a problem due to how some people may view it.

Also not attempting to cause a bash or anything I just have conflicting information but if you have different information to support your statement I will be more then happy to view it and remove my post if the information is correct.

 

[finity]

Unless the shotgun has a barrel shorter than 18" or overall length shorter than 26" (whether it has a pistol grip or not) it is considered a long gun & has no carry restrictions other than the standard "gun-free zone" rules.

If any of the above apply it is considered a sawed-off shotgun & is illegal in IN - unless it has a pistol grip & has never had a shoulder stock on it, then it is considered a handgun & standard LTCH rules apply.

At least that is my understanding of the law .

 

[swissrifles1]

In this day an age, if you carry a long gun in a store or other , you are asking for the skiddish public to call the cops on you. Remember the various public massacres over the years. Common!.

 

[Timjoebillybob]

I do need to differ with what you have explained - Per Indiana Gun division and there appeals court, There is no law or regulations for long guns in indiana

If you were referring to the off-road vehicle it is in IN code under off road vehicles, not under the rest of the firearm regs.

IC 14-16-1-23
Restrictions on operation
(9) While transporting on or in the vehicle a firearm unless the firearm is:
(A) unloaded; and
(B) securely encased or equipped with and made inoperative by a manufactured keylocked trigger housing mechanism.
(b) Subsection (a)(9) does not apply to a person who is carrying a handgun if the person:
(1) has been issued an unlimited handgun license to carry a handgun under IC 35-47-2; or
(2) is not required to possess a license to carry a handgun under IC 35-47-2-2.

I'm glad I looked it up, for off road vehicles long guns have to be unloaded and cased or have a trigger lock. Even with a LTCH

For your shotgun, it has a stock albiet a folding one, which meets the definition of a shotgun under IN code. But IANAL.

IC 35-47-1-11
"Shotgun"
Sec. 11. "Shotgun" means a weapon designed or redesigned, made or remade, and intended to be fired from the shoulder and designed or redesigned and made or remade to use the energy of the explosive in a fixed shotgun shell to fire through a smooth bore either a number of ball shot or a single projectile for each single pull of the trigger.

Unless the shotgun has a barrel shorter than 18" or overall length shorter than 26" (whether it has a pistol grip or not) it is considered a long gun & has no carry restrictions other than the standard "gun-free zone" rules.

This was covered in a thread about two weeks ago. I thought the same as you until then.
https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo..._it_legal_to_carry_loaded_shotgun_in_car.html

The Indiana court of appeals afirmed a conviction for carrying a pistol grip shotgun, without having a LTCH
Converted WP file rhs

Estep contends that the evidence is insufficient to support his conviction for carrying a handgun without a license. Estep admits that the firearm at issue was his, and that he did not have a license to carry it. However, Estep argues that a pistol-gripped shotgun is not a handgun. A handgun is defined in Ind. Code § 35-47-1-6 (1998) as any firearm:
(1) designed or adapted so as to be aimed and fired from one (1) hand, regardless of barrel length; or
(2) any firearm with:
(A) a barrel less than sixteen (16) inches in length; or
(B) an overall length of less than twenty-six (26) inches.
The State did not present evidence on the length of the firearm. However, a firearm is considered a handgun under the statute regardless of length if such firearm is designed or adapted to be fired from one hand. Estep argues that the gun he possessed is not designed or adapted to be fired from one hand. We disagree. Although a shotgun with a normal stock is meant to be fired from the shoulder and is not a handgun, the absence of a stock and the addition of the pistol grip is an adaptation of the gun that allows it to be fired from one hand. See Ind. Code § 35-47-1-11 (1998)(“shotgun” defined as a weapon intended to be fired from the shoulder). Accordingly, a license is required to carry a pistol-gripped shotgun. The evidence is sufficient to support Estep's conviction.
Affirmed.
NAJAM, J., and RUCKER, J., concur.

 

[finity]

This was covered in a thread about two weeks ago. I thought the same as you until then.

The Indiana court of appeals afirmed a conviction for carrying a pistol grip shotgun, without having a LTCH.

So any length gun (smoothbore or rifled barrel) with a pistol-grip is a handgun.

Thanks, I stand corrected.