https://blog.cheaperthandirt.com/gun-travel-transporting-handgun-united-states/

Found this but wanted to check with the OB experts on this also. So going on vacation from Texas to New Mexico, is it ok to have a loaded handgun in the console, locked away?

TIA!

Yes. They also honor Texas LTC if you have that.

The weirdest thing I see in New Mexico is places that do package sales, such as Wal Marts and Love's Travel Stops will post signs prohibiting carry, even though the actual New Mexico law does not apply to package stores, but to bars.

I wish Newer Mexico had clear posting laws like Texas.

They are also weird, in that restaurants selling beer and wine are okay to carry, but not if they sell hard liquor. How in Hades are you supposed to know that walking in the door?

zachsccr said:

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Yes. They also honor Texas LTC if you have that.

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Thank you! FYI, I don't have a carry permit yet... just want to have it in the car in a locked case just in case.

jpb1999 said:

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zachsccr said:

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Yes. They also honor Texas LTC if you have that.

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Thank you! FYI, I don't have a carry permit yet... just want to have it in the car in a locked case just in case.

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No reason to lock it away. Keep it handy in case you need it, like when I had a sketchy gentleman approach me and my family at an in-vehicle potty training pit stop asking for gas money in the middle of nowhere NM.

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Keep it handy in case you need it,

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I'm not a lawyer, nor do I play one on the Internet. But my reading is that Newer Mexico is an open carry state, you only need a permit to conceal.

Growing up in New Mexico guns were everywhere, nobody gave a crap. Now that the illegals and Dems have taken over the state, have the gun laws gotten worse?

El Chupacabra said:

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Growing up in New Mexico guns were everywhere, nobody gave a crap. Now that the illegals and Dems have taken over the state, have the gun laws gotten worse?

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They're not bad, just a little odd. Open carry takes no permit, concealed does. Can only carry one concealed, so if you want to carry two guns, one must be open carried. You take the carry test with a certain caliber gun, you can't carry a higher caliber unless you update your license.

Handgunlaw.us has allllll the rules and regs

El Chupacabra said:

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Growing up in New Mexico guns were everywhere, nobody gave a crap. Now that the illegals and Dems have taken over the state, have the gun laws gotten worse?

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Guns are still everywhere and laws are very gun friendly still. If you're not doing something seriously wrong, law enforcement isn't going to bother you over gun carry.

Not sure of your illegals and Dems comments. New Mexico has had a R governor in 20 of the last 33 years with Susana Martinez finishing a two term stay from 2011-2019. Illegal employment is at 5.6% of workforce compared to 8.5% in Texas. NM population is very small compared to Texas so in raw numbers that's a huge difference.

Except for mule deer hunting, NM is a sheet stain... and it can piss off.

Thanks all! So what happens if we get stopped by LE, should we let the LE officer know that we have a gun in the glove box/console or just leave it alone. I assume if they asked if you have a gun you better let them know at that point?

The links given above say you do not have to inform, but if you are asked for your license to carry, you must show it.

My experience is that I was stopped for going 15-20 over the limit while passing a line of slowpokes. I was carrying concealed, told the officer, and handed him my DL and my LTC. I said I wasn't sure about their laws but in Texas I was supposed to show him both.

He said (right or weong) that NM was the same, asked where it was on my body and asked me to keep it there. I got off with a warning.

You could always just ask the officer if you have a duty to inform him and see what he says. My opinion is that a cop is always happier if you don't surprise him.

Side note, NM residents tell us that cops won't stop you unless you are speeding more than 10mph over the limit. Seems to be true.

I spend a lot of time in NM, and have commented on a lot of travel threads, if you have other questions

LEJ said:

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Except for mule deer hunting, NM is a sheet stain... and it can piss off.

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You related to PFG?

Old RV Ag said:

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LEJ said:

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Except for mule deer hunting, NM is a sheet stain... and it can piss off.

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You related to PFG?

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New Mexico has bad parts just like Texas has bad parts in Dallas, Houston, etc. And it has liberal crap holes like ABQ and Santa Fe, just like we have Austin. But eastern NM is basically West Texas, and places like Red River, Angel Fire, and Ruiodoso are running over with Texans

CanyonAg77 said:

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Old RV Ag said:

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LEJ said:

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Except for mule deer hunting, NM is a sheet stain... and it can piss off.

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You related to PFG?

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New Mexico has bad parts just like Texas has bad parts in Dallas, Houston, etc. And it has liberal crap holes like ABQ and Santa Fe, just like we have Austin. But eastern NM is basically West Texas, and places like Red River, Angel Fire, and Ruiodoso are running over with Texans

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Yes, it does - but, even in ABQ and SF, there are nice places, just like Austin. I'm very familiar with NM as I've owned ranch land for decades in N-NE part of NM and have oil/gas producing mineral rights in the SE (both on the NM and TX sides). I stay very involved in state politics as they can affect those significantly. It's a large state by land mass and very diverse - as is Texas. LEJ was painting with an extremely wide brush - thus, my comments.

I've enjoyed your comments to people on where to travel - you obviously know the state well and give good advice on places to see.

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Yes, it does - but, even in ABQ and SF, there are nice places, just like Austin.

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To be clear, I was referring to the politics, not the town itself. Yes, both are well worth visiting. And to be fair, I've been in some relatively sketchy parts of both towns, and found the people great.

Obviously there are bad people, but 99% of people will treat you with the same respect that you offer to them.

And thanks for liking my babbling.

If you stop at Clines Corners in the darkness.....you best be packing!!!!

CanyonAg77 said:

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Old RV Ag said:

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LEJ said:

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Except for mule deer hunting, NM is a sheet stain... and it can piss off.

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You related to PFG?

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New Mexico has bad parts just like Texas has bad parts in Dallas, Houston, etc. And it has liberal crap holes like ABQ and Santa Fe, just like we have Austin. But eastern NM is basically West Texas, and places like Red River, Angel Fire, and Ruiodoso are running over with Texans

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Ruidoso in July when the ponies are running is a great place to be. It'll be 110* in Pecos on the way out there, but 75* up in the mountains.

Old RV Ag said:

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El Chupacabra said:

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Growing up in New Mexico guns were everywhere, nobody gave a crap. Now that the illegals and Dems have taken over the state, have the gun laws gotten worse?

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Guns are still everywhere and laws are very gun friendly still. If you're not doing something seriously wrong, law enforcement isn't going to bother you over gun carry.

Not sure of your illegals and Dems comments. New Mexico has had a R governor in 20 of the last 33 years with Susana Martinez finishing a two term stay from 2011-2019. Illegal employment is at 5.6% of workforce compared to 8.5% in Texas. NM population is very small compared to Texas so in raw numbers that's a huge difference.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Mexico_Legislature

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_New_Mexico_elections

All of New Mexico's three seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 2018. Democrats maintained District 1 and District 3 as well as flipped District 2 from Republicans. This means that there were no Republicans representing New Mexico in the federal government following the 2018 election.

Since Clinton, the NM electoral votes have gone Dem all but once (Bush Jr 2nd term).

It is a Dem controlled state, there really isn't an argument.

KY has a history of Dem governors, but it is definitely a Rep controlled state. Similar to my current state of MT, we have a Dem Gov and 1 Dem senator, but still definitely considered a Republican controlled state (not for too much longer).

As far as illegals, I really couldn't say any more. I know when I left 22 years ago we had plenty of illegals in our town, plenty working on farms picking chile...I'm guessing it has gotten worse. And I'm sure w/ABQ doubling down on sanctuary status, the illegal numbers aren't accurately reported.