OP
OP
bullseye308
Member
Now there's a thought. Not that it would be hard to get a Glock mag tho.
Leaving a gun in the car
- Thread starter bullseye308
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I keep a Mak in my "go to town" vehicle. If I leave it in the car then I remove the magazine. I know it would be a minor inconvenience for a thief to have to find a mag for a Mak but they won't be walking into a local pawn shop and buying it
USAF_Vet
Member
How was it secured in the car?
The first places most smash and grab thieves look is the glove box and center console. Under the seats is next, and lastly the trunk as they usually have to open it from the inside of the vehicle or jimmy it open.
Mr Woody
Member
A friend of mine has one of those Sentry safes in his truck so he can leave his pistol when at work. He is happy with the setup.
Ammo is very stable and will last a very long time. Back in the 80s we once found our Chief of Police at the sink washing the green off his 18 rounds of .38 special. Running water and using scouring powder. Found out he had been doing it for the last 18 years. The bet was 1 dollar a round that they would fail. Out of the 18 only 2 did not fire.
Before I retired the goal was to change out my duty ammo every year. Now that I am retired It's more like every 5 years. Just not too worried about it. I have shot a few 45c and 45-70 that was around 100 years old, most of it went bang.
Ammo is very stable and will last a very long time. Back in the 80s we once found our Chief of Police at the sink washing the green off his 18 rounds of .38 special. Running water and using scouring powder. Found out he had been doing it for the last 18 years. The bet was 1 dollar a round that they would fail. Out of the 18 only 2 did not fire.
Before I retired the goal was to change out my duty ammo every year. Now that I am retired It's more like every 5 years. Just not too worried about it. I have shot a few 45c and 45-70 that was around 100 years old, most of it went bang.
justice06rr
Member
This topic tends to get locked, but hopefully not this one.
To the OP, just rotate your ammo every few months if temperature/moisture is your concern.
While that utopia is great (and one that we'd all like to live in), the world we live in is not perfect.
There are situations where you have to go to places where you cannot carry, and there are places you have to go to that may have the risk of theft. Doesn't have to be your gun, it can be anything from electronics, personal items, even your entire vehicle.
It must be nice if you can carry on-body 100% of the time, but for some of us who must go to places that lawfully prohibit carrying, we have to leave our CCW in the car in the most secure manner that we choose.
These places include hospitals, schools, post office, and federal buildings. In my case, I work at a large hospital and I cannot bring my firearm to work even if I wanted to. I would be breaking the law and risking my rights, my freedom, and my job. So I leave my ccw secured in my vehicle. If it gets stolen, then I report it to the Police and buy another.
To the OP, just rotate your ammo every few months if temperature/moisture is your concern.
Vern Humphrey said:
While that utopia is great (and one that we'd all like to live in), the world we live in is not perfect.
There are situations where you have to go to places where you cannot carry, and there are places you have to go to that may have the risk of theft. Doesn't have to be your gun, it can be anything from electronics, personal items, even your entire vehicle.
It must be nice if you can carry on-body 100% of the time, but for some of us who must go to places that lawfully prohibit carrying, we have to leave our CCW in the car in the most secure manner that we choose.
These places include hospitals, schools, post office, and federal buildings. In my case, I work at a large hospital and I cannot bring my firearm to work even if I wanted to. I would be breaking the law and risking my rights, my freedom, and my job. So I leave my ccw secured in my vehicle. If it gets stolen, then I report it to the Police and buy another.
Vern Humphrey
Member
Which is why I always carry on-body, of course!
It is very rare that a person can always, everywhere, with no exceptions, carry a gun on their person. Very rare indeed. Most of us are not nearly so fortunate.
wild cat mccane
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I am the one who wrote, "as a person who had a gun stolen out of his car..."
It was in a hidden car safe. A drill (weighing about as heavy as some guns) was used to drill out the lock. Don't kid yourself, if it is in a car/truck, it can be taken. I admit my ignorance. But now you know. It is irresponsible gun ownership to store in a car. Period.
Just remember what you are risking. You carry a gun because of a bad guy. You personally gifted a gun when you make it easy for a bad guy to take yours.
It was in a hidden car safe. A drill (weighing about as heavy as some guns) was used to drill out the lock. Don't kid yourself, if it is in a car/truck, it can be taken. I admit my ignorance. But now you know. It is irresponsible gun ownership to store in a car. Period.
Just remember what you are risking. You carry a gun because of a bad guy. You personally gifted a gun when you make it easy for a bad guy to take yours.
Disagree.
Reasons have been covered in this thread already.
Sometimes the best reasonable course of action is to have a gun in your car. Period.
ljnowell
Member
OP
OP
bullseye308
Member
What it comes down to I believe is to secure it the best you can and try to avoid places where it will likely be stolen. When I drop my daughter at school I'm at most 4 minutes away from it. I have not had a break in either in my car or my house, but my guns stay locked up when I'm not present. If I leave my house and someone breaks in and drills the lock on my safe and cleans me out I'll be real unhappy but I did what I could to prevent it. Same with my van, if someone breaks in and drills the safe while I'm in a store I can't carry in or at the hospital, it's not like I didn't try.
In the last few months I have spent quite a bit of time at the hospital with my gun secured in the van. My dad had some major problems and was there for 3 weeks till he passed. I was there as often as I could be. My mom just had back surgery and again I was there for a week with her and doing her errands. Some of those places I can't carry. I wish I could carry everywhere like some of you apparently can but that just doesn't work here.
I do appreciate that some of you don't or wouldn't leave a gun attended in a locked safe in a locked vehicle, and I wish I didn't have to. Such is not the case and I do the best that I can. I thank everyone for the advice so far and I will rotate my ammo at the minimum of every 6 months and just to make things worse, they are reloads.
In the last few months I have spent quite a bit of time at the hospital with my gun secured in the van. My dad had some major problems and was there for 3 weeks till he passed. I was there as often as I could be. My mom just had back surgery and again I was there for a week with her and doing her errands. Some of those places I can't carry. I wish I could carry everywhere like some of you apparently can but that just doesn't work here.
I do appreciate that some of you don't or wouldn't leave a gun attended in a locked safe in a locked vehicle, and I wish I didn't have to. Such is not the case and I do the best that I can. I thank everyone for the advice so far and I will rotate my ammo at the minimum of every 6 months and just to make things worse, they are reloads.
Any time someone uses "period" or "obvious" I get a good laugh. It is silly to ever think that your way is the only way. Period!
If I have a gun in my home, locked in a safe, bolted to the floor, and a criminal somehow steals my gun, then should I feel guilty?
If I have a gun in my car, locked, in a safe under the seat, and a criminal breaks in and steals my gun, should I feel guilty?
I wouldn't feel guilty at all. I would be ANGRY at the thief, not guilty about what said thief might do with my property. I have a good friend that was at a conference last weekend when someone smashed the side window of his rental car and stole his laptop. Should he feel guilty? Or pissed? I mean, that thief could use the laptop to buy a gun and commit a crime, right?
Most stolen guns are taken from inside homes, not cars. Smash and grab criminals are looking for cash, laptops and other things they can trade for drugs.
As someone that has left a gun in his vehicle since the 1980's and has never had one stolen I think it is irresponsible for people to NOT keep a gun in their car. Period!
larryh1108
Member
Says you.
Worth what we paid for it.
Period.
Wanderling
Member
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- Nov 21, 2011
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- 923
It's illegal in my state to carry into a courthouse, federal building, school, child care, any facility that primarily serves alcohol, an entertainment venue exceeding certain capacity, etc. There are also many businesses that would fire an employee on the spot if he / she was carrying at work.
So according to the logic of some people in this thread, the people who work or otherwise frequent these establishments have to stop carrying altogether, or break the law or at the very least risk getting fired ?
USAF_Vet
Member
A determined thief can get anything, given enough time.
So what do you recommend for the majority of people who carry, but are not allowed by policy or law to carry in certain places? If someone works at a hospital, and cannot, by law, carry there, should that person disarm themselves for the entire day?
Or maybe you advocate ignoring policy or law, and carry anyway and will face the consequences, whatever they may be.
If securing a firearm in a vehicle to the best of my ability is still considered irresponsible, then please offer up a suggestion that still abides by the law and generic "no weapons" company policy.
FAS1
Member
I would be interested in knowing more details if you don't mind sharing.
What safe were you using and where was it located in your vehicle?
Where was your vehicle parked and what time of day was it?
I am hoping that your more defined answers will help others that find themselves choosing to leave their guns in their cars when they can't carry such as work. It's hard to leave a gun in a vehicle for most people, but I do understand people wanting to be armed to and from work as an example. Also, many people stop at places on the way home where they want to carry such as the grocery store, auto parts, or just a hair cut.
I also believe that if you find yourself needing to leave your gun in your vehicle on a regular basis and for extended periods of time, a $30 cabled lock box won't buy you any extra security.
wild cat mccane
Member
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- 977
Sure.
Stolen was a P3AT. Safe was a "Gear Box" Stack-On. I think those have thicker steel than other portables. In the trunk of a Mustang and bolted down. The drill bit was obviously thicker, but I can't imagine the lock stood up long. Nice area of Salt Lake City, Utah where crime is pretty much zero. Car parked at apartment on a busy street while I was in college. Day.
Stolen was a P3AT. Safe was a "Gear Box" Stack-On. I think those have thicker steel than other portables. In the trunk of a Mustang and bolted down. The drill bit was obviously thicker, but I can't imagine the lock stood up long. Nice area of Salt Lake City, Utah where crime is pretty much zero. Car parked at apartment on a busy street while I was in college. Day.
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