From: purtilo@cs.umd.edu (Jim Purtilo)
Newsgroups: dc.general
Subject: Re: Unrelated Gun Question
Date: 31 Dec 92 15:46:48 GMT
Distribution: dc
Organization: U of Maryland, Dept. of Computer Science, Coll. Pk., MD 20742

In article <DSC3JFS.92Dec31085802@imc10.med.navy.mil> dsc3jfs@imc10.med.navy.mil (John Skoda) writes:
>	.....
>	Don't quote me but I think that there are less deaths by
>handgun in VT than recreational mishaps (snowmobile, skiing, and *yes*
>hunting)

In 1991, the FBI UCR lists 10 murders for VT.   Three were with handguns,
three with rifle, two with knives or cutting instruments, and two by other
means.  Perhaps someone else can find out whether there were four or more
deaths by snowmobile, skiiing or hunting.  I suspect your hunch is correct.

>What do I have to look forward to in MD?

My responding to THAT one honestly will lead us away from an informational
response. So suffice it to say that it is an oppressive atmosphere for honest
citizens who happen to own a firearm, and let's move on with your questions.

>Can I even have my deer rifle here?  

Yes.  This may change in the coming legislative season, when we are promised
another attempt to ban rifles on a designated "bad gun" list, but in the mean
time you should have no problem.

>Do I need to buy a safe for my guns?

Not in order to satisfy the law, but it is prudent.  The same UCR I cited above
shows MD, especially around the urban centers, to have a much higher crime rate
than any place in VT.  You many want a safe, also a decent alarm system, just 
as a matter of good common sense here.

>Do I have to register them?

No.  There is a "voluntary" registration system for someone in your situation,
and the state police encourage you to do so.  Many of us encourage otherwise.
Regardless, any new handgun or designated assault rifle will be automatically
registered at time of purchase, after the five day waiting period (which is
really about three to four weeks now).

There are other questions you might not have thought to ask, coming from VT,
so here are a few other things to take note of.  We now have a trigger-lock 
style law, which is intended to punish grieving parents who might loose a child 
to an accident with a handgun; so you need to take extra care to understand
what "access to loaded handgun" means for a minor.  Unfortunately, we cannot
give you much insight on that, since the law is worded poorly, and has just
gone into effect.  Nobody has yet been prosecuted under this law, so access
will be anything from "in the same household as" to "knows the combination to
your lockbox".  Also, you may not transport a handgun, loaded or unloaded, 
freely in your vehicle;  you may only transport a hangun in a separate case to
and from a designated sporting event, gunsmith or small number of other cases.
You'll need to have passed a hunter safety course in order to get a license to
hunt in the state.  It is not possible to get a concealed carry permit unless
you are cosy with the legislature or state police.  And certain counties and
cities apply even more restrictions, which you will need to know depending upon
where you are.

Remember that the NRA ILA publishes a brochure summarizing laws on a state by
state basis, and this is free for the asking (though often there are delays,
especially in places like MD, since the laws change so frequently that it is
tough to keep the brochure up to date in print.)  

Hope this helps --

Jim

--------- 
(*) Usual disclaimers apply.... I'm not a lawyer and don't even play one on TV.