Hotels and gun friendliness

[Sommerled]

The Super 8 hotel in Eagle Butte, South Dakota has a sign in each room that says:

"If you need additional rags for cleaning your guns more are available for FREE at the front desk."

The sign is under small shelf on the wall that always has two nicely folded clean rags on it.

I kid you not.

Sommerled

 

[Catherine]

I traveled with my handguns and rifles moving across country. I did not leave any firearm in my vehicle or in my Coleman pop up CLOSED camper when I stopped/slept in a motel at night. I TOOK THEM ALL IN WITH ME. I took in ammunition for 2 self defense guns and left the OTHER ammo in my Coleman all packed up and sealed/locked tight. I left the Coleman hooked/locked up to my Explorer too. I had about 10 or so guns with me... I would have to count now because I sold a few, back east, and gave 2 to very close friends.

I travel, camp and stay in motels/hotels and have never had a problem taking in my guns. I would not want to leave my guns in a vehicle even if I had them covered up or had a real trunk - like I did with some of my other cars. Same deal with my pick up trucks.

I just came back from a short trip - I and/or WE always take a few (Grin.) guns with us including a 45-70 for bear country.

Catherine

 

[Big Boomer]

I always carry my sidearm with me where ever I go. I travel for work about 50% of the time.

NEVER EVER EVER let them see your gun. Even if it is "legal" most will freak out and say it is a possible hazard to the other customers. (I almost have to agree) a close friend of ours was almost shot in her hotel room because a brinks security guard was cleaning his revolver and it fired (probably doing quick draws in the mirror). It fired, went through the wall and hit the other wall, luckily she was in the bathroom when it happened.

The brinks guy lost his job, and she got...a free night! (sarcasm off)

I trust myself, none other. I keep my muzzle always pointed at the exterior wall when it lays on the nightstand or the desk. I do NOT unload, load, play with, clean, or anything else with my gun while I am in the hotel room. It stays cocked and locked in its holster.

 

[ColinthePilot]

The last two times I moved, I loaded my long guns first, under all the crap in the back of my truck cab, and only brought my carry piece to the room. If some burglar has x-ray vision to find them and is willing (and can actually pull off) working on my truck for 20 min to get a couple rifles out of it, he can have them. They were totally concealed, under a few feet of clothes and assorted junk, and were of course the first things I unloaded when I finally moved in. Each time it took me about 15 min to wrestle them out without having to unpack the whole cab.

 

[Oana]

If some burglar has x-ray vision to find them and is willing (and can actually pull off) working on my truck for 20 min to get a couple rifles out of it, he can have them.

Or, he could just take the whole truck.

To the OP - next time, bring a big duffle bag. Otherwise, you did fine. Better a few weird looks than marching in with the rifles over your shoulder!

 

[bogie]

Campers, I just back the truck up to the closest door to the room, tell the clerk that I've got a few thousand dollars worth of competition firearms in the thing, give them grief about giving me a second floor room, and commence to schlep.

Have NEVER had Johnny Law show up.

If I'm travelling on my own, I don't tell them about the "room guns."

If the hotel has a sign that says that it doesn't want my business, I drive next door, or I go to the next exit. Ain't that hard.

In fact, I've been tired, pulled up, said "I gotta buncha guns in the truck - do you have a first floor room?" and not even gotten a blink... And I've had folks call around for me.

The world ain't against us.

 

[Catherine]

Military duffel (Duffle? I have seen 2 spellings for this word.) bags, big suitcases and Rubbermaid tubs with your handguns in them inside soft pistol cases make it easy to carry in too. Most hotels/motels have those luggage carts with wheels on it too. You can put almost everything on it, I could in my case because I did not have tons of guns with me when I moved out west, including your own clothing suitcase, ditty bag, 1 briefcase, 2 rifles and my purse slung around my neck/shoulder.

I had some old USN sea bags, a Air NG/AF type flight bag, those duffel bags, etc. Those really came in handy when packing! Another handy thing that I have used is the suitcase with the wheels on the bottom of it... it makes it much easier to travel. You can CARRY it or WHEEL it. The handle snaps down or UP depending on how you want to use it and/or pack it.

The first thing that I do when I get into a hotel room is put a DO NOT DISTURB sign on the outside of the door. If I stay for more than one night... the sign stays up, the same sheets stay on the bed and I ask for fresh towels without having 'maid service'. If I have a light meal or tea/coffee in the room... I put the trash in their can and/or use my own plastic bag if their bag is not big enough. I dump my own trash or give it to the maid.

I don't like people in my hotel/motel room anyway.

Catherine

 

[Kind of Blued]

You did things just right, although it pisses me off that people would get in an uproar about some guy carrying a couple hunting rifles by the stock, muzzle up, into a hotel.

Common sense to me would be:
"Well there's a freakin' hurricane abound, so no suprise this fellow left with his valuables. I'm glad he's bringing them in instead of leaving them outside and vulnerable where a criminal could steal them."

 

[scndactive]

Common sense to me would be:
"Well there's a freakin' hurricane abound, so no suprise this fellow left with his valuables. I'm glad he's bringing them in instead of leaving them outside and vulnerable where a criminal could steal them."

I fully agree as most of us here would.

OTOH common sense for an anti is, if you have guns, you are a criminal

So better safe than sorry.

But it pisses me of too.