New MD resident with a PA driver's license - can I buy a handgun in PA?

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  • Robert1955

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 25, 2012
    1,614
    Glen Burnie
    There is a post in the Maryland 2A forum that has a listing, and a Google map of dealers who are releasing. Use it to find one close to you. Also I am glad to see you made, in my opinion and several others her, the safe decision. No need to push the envelope and getting burned over it.
     

    trickg

    Guns 'n Drums
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 22, 2008
    14,598
    Glen Burnie
    Just read down through this thread.

    My thought is that while technically he's a MD resident, if he chose to go buy a gun in PA and listed the address on his DL, it would never get flagged and he'd never get caught, and even if he did, he could claim PA residency until after the date of purchase because the paperwork for his MD residency/DL had yet to be filed.

    Is it right and is it legal? Probably not, but I don't see how he'd get caught.
     

    karleb

    Member
    Jan 2, 2013
    18
    Frederick
    You might want to look at the possibility of dual residencies as you spend a certain amount in PA and Maryland right ?

    I'm not sure how I would go about doing this, considering I now own property in Maryland but no longer own property in PA. Yea, I'm up in PA all the time because 90% of my family lives there, but I don't have any real estate that is in my name.
     

    jaybee

    Ultimate Member
    you asked if it is "kosher"

    well it smells a little "piggy" but it would probably work and legal is for the lawyers and you to decide

    is it legal or condoned to drive 8 miles over the speed limit

    as a side note the guns are probably cheaper and a better variety in PA because there is a buying frenzy in MD
     

    Mooseman

    R.I.P.- Hooligan #4
    Jan 3, 2012
    18,048
    Western Maryland
    Is it kosher? You could ask your Rabbi. Is it legal? I don't think so. Is it something I, personally, would at least consider doing? Yes. Is it something I would do? Probably not.
     

    DaemonAssassin

    Why should we Free BSD?
    Jun 14, 2012
    23,970
    Political refugee in WV
    You can't do that AFAIK. It has been discussed many times on this forum.

    It can be done, if you can prove that you fall into 2 categories at the same time. Generally if you spend 50% of your time living in PA and 50% of your time living in MD, you can get/maintain dual residency. The problem with that is, you must follow all firearms laws of both states no matter what state you buy the firearm in. He would not be able to walk into a PA gun shop and buy an AR/AK/FAL/handgun C&C because that would violate MD law. He would have to buy it and have it shipped to a FFL in MD so he can fill out the 77R. Yet if he was a resident of PA and WV, he could walk into a gun shop and buy whatever he wants C&C, because all they require is the 4473.

    Hell as a WV resident you can walk into Wal-Mart in Winchester, Va and buy a Colt LE6920 and walk out the door with it 20 minutes later (after getting a "proceed" from NICS of course).

    As it stands right now my time as a MD resident is rapidly coming to an end. It is partially about the crap from SB281, but it is primarily because of all the damn taxes in MD, specifically the income tax rate compared to the income tax rate in WV. As much as I don't want to leave my home state, I have to think about the financial position of my family, not only now, but when I retire.
     

    Docster

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 19, 2010
    9,768
    He said he has 60 days to register his vehicle. He is a resident. I am all for flipping the bird to this state over this shit involving firearms and the STUPID, INSANE laws they just passed but is it worth it to risk getting caught?????? You know they would just love to stick it to someone, DON'T be that someone. I am just glad they understand that a HBAR AR is a safe rifle where as a non-HBAR............ Oh btw the title he put on this thread is "New MD resident"

    There it is-- "New Maryland Resident". The law wants, among other things, INTENT. It's there in his own words in a public forum. Drivers license alone is meaningless in establishing residency.

    Now, are we law-abiding gun owners or not?
     

    trickg

    Guns 'n Drums
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 22, 2008
    14,598
    Glen Burnie
    There it is-- "New Maryland Resident". The law wants, among other things, INTENT. It's there in his own words in a public forum. Drivers license alone is meaningless in establishing residency.

    Now, are we law-abiding gun owners or not?
    That really is what it boils down to, isn't it. There is such a miniscule chance of getting caught - the ONLY time it would ever matter would be if there was some kind of issue down the line and everything was fully scrutinize, and I mean really really raked over where dates got checked in terms of date of lease or signing of a mortgage vs the date the gun was purchased, and since we don't live in a police state....

    The guy could go into any gun store in the state of PA and C&C a regulated firearm, and ultimately the state of Maryland would never find out when or where the gun was purchased because unless there was some kind of associated criminal activity, it would never ever get checked.

    It boils down to how much it would weigh on your conscience.
     
    Last edited:

    Bob A

    όυ φροντισ
    MDS Supporter
    Patriot Picket
    Nov 11, 2009
    30,691
    It boils down to how much it would weigh on your conscience.

    Probably more heavily than trashing the Bill of Rights would weigh on the conscience of the MD General Assembly.

    Either we have inalienable rights, or we don't. Doing the Right Thing is not as simple as following the letter of the law.
     

    Docster

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 19, 2010
    9,768
    Probably more heavily than trashing the Bill of Rights would weigh on the conscience of the MD General Assembly.

    Either we have inalienable rights, or we don't. Doing the Right Thing is not as simple as following the letter of the law.


    That may be correct, but that would also mean losing the ability to call ourselves 'law-abiding gun owners'. If we're not law-abiding, what are we?
     

    Paladin

    Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum
    Feb 23, 2011
    58
    I recently moved to MD from PA - where I purchased most of my previous firearms using my parents address. I still have a PA driver's license with their address on it. Is it kosher to go ahead and go up to PA and buy another handgun, cash & carry style, using my PA drivers license before I go ahead and change my DL over to a MD license or is this a big NO NO? Seems like a grey area to me as I technically have 60 days to go to the MD DMV and get my license changed.

    I don't really have a problem with jumping through all of the hoops in MD, but I've heard that the wait times are typically more than 4 months which is a bit ridiculous.

    According to the DMV in Maryland if you maintain a residence in two states you are entitled to one ID card and one Driver' License. I lived in Fl and MD and had DL from FL and ID card from MD and bought firearms in Maryland with no trouble using MD ID card. Keep your car registered in PA and your license there and you can keep your CCW there as well. If you move everything to MD you lose PA CCW as you must have a license in your home state to have non-resident in PA.
     

    Lemon328i

    Member
    Mar 21, 2010
    35
    A person can maintain residences in multiple states, but where you currently "live" is up to you to decide, not the gov't. In many states, you only have to provide proof of residence to purchase a firearm, such as a utility bill. It is perfectly legitimate for you to decide you live in PA, but visit MD for the majority of the year. The precedent has been set with student's and military personnel. Taxes get complicated, but still workable, you just end up filing some non-resident tax returns if you earn money in the state you visit.

    If it were me, I'd do what Paladin posted. Get a MD ID card and keep your Driver's license with PA where your vehicle is registered to. That is what I will do when I purchase another residence in Florida and/or Virginia.

    Someone posted earlier that if you have multiple residences you have to comply with all the States laws as an aggregate i.e. you can't own a gun in a different state that is banned by another state. That is flat untrue; you only have to comply with the laws at the time you are in each state. If it is illegal to buy a high capacity magazine in Maryland, but legal to own, then you can buy them in another state and bring them back because you already own them.

    The poster was probably confused by the contiguous state regulation, where you can buy a long gun in an adjacent state. If you are a MD resident, you can purchase non-regulated long guns in adjacent states. Under that scenario, the firearm must conform to the rules of the MD. If you are in your home state, but also happen to have a residence in MD as well, then you can buy anything that is legal in said home state, regardless of MD law. You will only have to comply with MD law if you bring the firearms with you into MD.
     

    karleb

    Member
    Jan 2, 2013
    18
    Frederick
    For those who might be curious - I worked it out. I went and got a MD drivers license, found a gun shop doing 8 day release, bought the gun I wanted from Buds and had it sent there. I'm also having a couple of AR lowers sent there before Oct 1st.

    The "Free State" is far from free, but I work here, own property here, and only go home to PA to visit friends & family. Someday, I'll move back, but for now I think this was the right thing to do.
     

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