Firearms on base
Can you bring firearms to Military FamCamps?
This question never dies in military camping groups and people want a single nationwide answer but there isn't one. Ask this question and you'll be met with everything from "Don't ask, don't tell." to "Don't bring firearms on base under any circumstance." Neither is true, and there's a reliable way to get the right answer before you reach the gate.
The gate goes by the base's published policy, not what you heard in a group.
This is not legal advice. Weapons rules on a base can change with a new commander, a new regulation, or a higher security level. The base's published policy and whatever Security Forces or the police tell you are what count. Confirm them before you travel.
The short answer
- Each base sets its own rule. The camp host may tell you what it is, but Security Forces or the base police (DES or the Provost Marshal on Army posts) are the ones who enforce it.
- Your state carry permit stops at the gate. So does “I have a CCW” or “This is my private domicile.” Your RV may be your home, but on base it is still parked on federal property.
- Some people use what is commonly referred to as the "Don't ask, don't tell" method. They say their RV is a private domicile and keep it locked away, never to be mentioned. While we may agree with the logic and support the Second Amendment, random inspections happen, especially with commercial or oversized vehicles. Federal property can start before the guard shack. If they find it undeclared, you own the outcome.
- Whether the camp is inside the gate matters. Some camps are past the gate and some are outside it. A few outside the gate still follow the base's weapons rules, even when the campground looks like a civilian park.
What actually happens
Base policies tend to fall into one of five types, and you can run into two different ones in the same week of travel.
Not allowed on the installation
Some bases do not allow personal firearms in lodging or RV parks at all, and there is no option to check one into the armory for a short stay.
Register, then store locked in the RV
This is common at Air Force FamCamps, which treat your RV like family housing. You declare the firearm, register it (often on AF Form 1314 and DD Form 2760), and keep it unloaded in a locked container at your site.
Check it into the armory
You declare it at the gate or visitor center, turn it in to Security Forces or the military police, and pick it up when you leave. Check the armory hours. Some will not hand a firearm back the moment you ask, and some will not hold ammunition or cases.
No on-post option
The base will not store a guest’s firearm and will not allow it in the FamCamp. If you are traveling with one, you will need to leave it somewhere off base, such as a storage locker or a gun shop that will hold it.
Special published exceptions
A few camps tied to shooting competitions publish their own procedures. Those rules apply only at that base, so don't expect the same arrangement at the next FamCamp.
A minute on the listing beats finding out at the gate.
The 60-second check
- Open the camp in the VetCamps app and find Firearms Policy in the details section. If the base publishes a policy, we have summarized it there with a link to the official source. Tap the link and read it yourself.
- Call Security Forces or the base police, not just the camp office. Their number is listed under Firearms Policy. Ask whether you need to declare at the gate, register the firearm, keep it in the RV, or check it into the armory, and what happens if you arrive when the armory is closed.
- If they allow you to bring it on base, follow their storage and transport instructions exactly. At a minimum, most bases require it unloaded, in a case, and out of reach of the driver.
- Plan for the drive between camps, too. New York does not honor carry permits from other states, and Canada has its own rules for declaring firearms at the border. A base's policy only covers the base, so state and local laws still apply on the road.
Every FamCamp firearms summary in VetCamps links to its official source, so you can check it yourself.
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More than firearms
The firearms policy is just one part of each listing. The same app has the map, gate details, site surveys, trip planning, and the Rig Book.
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