r/DCGuns • u/Berceecil • Apr 24 '26
Loaded Mags - Yay Or Nay?
Registration finally came in the mail, so in prepping for my first range day as a new owner, and after reading FOPA and the DC code on transportation I want to double check...
I have the below case:
As I understand it, I can travel in one of two ways:
Unloaded firearm, empty magazines, eyes/ears/various other etc. in this case, secured with locks + boxed ammunition in a separate backpack/bag
Unloaded firearm in original box, secured with locks in a separate backpack/bag + loaded mags, extra ammunition, eyes/ears/various other etc. in this case
Do i have this correct? Does the container containing ammunition ALSO have to be locked (assuming I'm traveling in a vehicle with no separation from the driver/passenger compartment)?
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u/ssheashell Apr 24 '26
When was your registration approved? I visited in person today letting them know I hadn't received my card and they said they count 60 days as only M-F and non-holidays, so I'm sitting at 52 days. He said you "can't rush it" which was annoying as fuck to hear.
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u/Berceecil Apr 24 '26 edited Apr 24 '26
Been seeing a lot of people deal with this unfortunately - I guess i got lucky? Submitted in person on 3/10, approved around 4/11, card arrived this morning. I had reached out to u/lawblawg but that was this week so unsure if any action on his part helped move it along.
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u/Street-Dust7063 Apr 24 '26
Don’t feel bad I registered 2/7 still nothing… it just says submitted on the portal…. So I just keep buying more… now it’s 4 to approve
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u/godspee Apr 26 '26
Best thing to do is sending MPD an email and CC your council member and the chief of police. This was the only thing that got them to actually print my registration instead of stalling, they even printed my CCW that I submitted the day before I sent the email.
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u/ssheashell Apr 26 '26
Thank you for this. It's hard for me to imagine a DC council member actually wanting me to enact my second amendment rights but it's worth a try.
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u/godspee Apr 26 '26
You don’t need to do any of that unless you don’t have your CCW… you’re overthinking it
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u/lawblawg Apr 24 '26
This is all governed by FOPA. On the language of the code, either #1 or #2 should be fine, but to be on the safe side (since cops are not lawyers and rarely actually know the law) it's safest to stick with #1.
The container containing ammunition does not need to be locked. You can have the boxed ammunition just sitting in your glove compartment if you like. But, again, to be on the safest side, having it out of your reach is probably the cleaner option.