Leaving a handgun in your car 24/7?

[oldbear]

I've never been the target of a mob or a riot -- but I would guess if they were after you, they wouldn't give you time to get out of your car, unlock the trunk and get your gun.

Vern, you are totally correct. My intention is to stay informed of any problems and be very aware of my surroundings. Having been in several LARGE disturbances and one full scale riot. It's been my experience you can sense that something is going to happen very soon, and you have some time to do what you need to do.

 

[justice06rr]

You planning on stowing "cocked & locked" ??? Loaded ??? Common sense suggests that possession of a firearm means just that -- possession and control. You don't have that with the gun stowed in the vehicle.

Of course when you leave your firearm in your vehicle, you don't have possesion and control of it. Duh...

Here are some specific examples when you may have to leave your firearm in your vehicle (daily).

- You have to go to or work in a prohibited place e.g. government building, hospital, etc and must leave your firearm in your car. In my case, I work in a hospital that by law, I cannot bring my ccw with me. So it has to be stored in my vehicle for my 12hr shift.

- You leave a backup gun in your car while you carry your primary ccw on your daily routine. Backup gun can be a pistol, or if a rifle, cannot be taken with you lawfully i.e. cannot open/conceal carry a long gun.

Also, your firearm should always be ready for use in case you need to defend your life. That means cocked-n-locked (of course you can choose to carry with empty chamber; I don't). I always store my pistol in the car this way, just as you would carry it on-body. Having to chamber a round after retrieving your pistol from a car-safe or glove box takes extra time.

Not a good idea no matter where you live. Most people I know who had a gun stolen was from out of their vehicle.

Criminals are known to travel out of their area to target cars to break into. Happened in my area a while a ago 3 criminals making their way up the coast hitting cars as they traveled.

My neighborhood is pretty quite yet we have rashes of kids or people targeting cars once in a while

You can't throw a blanket statement on everyone.

I've lived the last 4years in a suburban community and feel pretty safe in my area. The last 3 out of 4 years, I lived in a community that had 3 cops on my block (each of them parked their police cars on the street). My vehicles were also parked inside my garage, although some nights I may leave it outside.

My current neighborhood is a fully gated neighborhood with a guard, which makes it a limited entry community.

Of course not everyone has similar living situations, but I purposely chose to live in such areas that I know have the least probability of theft/burglary. Anyone is free to do the same. But if you can't, then take whatever precautions you must, including not leaving a firearm in your vehicle.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Also, your firearm should always be ready for use in case you need to defend your life. That means cocked-n-locked

If you left it in your car, it can hardly be "ready for use." The gun you don't have on your person should be cleared before you leave it.

 

[justplainbatty]

Hello! I'm new here, this is my first post. To answer your question, never leave the gun in the car! Ultimately, if the gun goes missing, you would be responsible for the consequense of not having the weapon secured.

 

[Sam1911]

Ultimately, if the gun goes missing, you would be responsible for the consequense of not having the weapon secured.

COULD be. Highly subject to your local state laws.

 

[Paul7]

Loaded Colt LW Commander in front console at all times. If it is stolen, as long as there are signs of forced entry, insurance covers it.

 

[Milkmaster]

I do leave my handgun in my car at night. However, my car is in my locked garage at night. I do take out the pistol if my car must be parked in the driveway outside.

 

[thegunpunch]

I personally wouldn't leave a firearm in my car if I wasn't able to secure it

 

[Ed Ames]

Orion, doesn't your reasoning apply just as much to the car itself? I mean, if you share responsibility for how a gun in the car is used, don't you share responsibility if someone steals your car to use as a getaway for a bank robbery, or to crash into a store for a smash and grab? Or, for that matter, drives it into a crowd?

Where does it end? If someone steals your car and sells it, and uses the proceeds to buy a gun, are you responsible for arming that criminal?

For my own conscience, I see it this way: The chain of respresponsibilitys ends wherever someone illegally takes possession of my property against my wishes. That means unless I actively invite the theft, and by that I mean painting a sign on the side of the car or telling someone I know has criminal intent and desires a gun, "I'll put one in my trunk tonight so just break into my car and grab it," I am another of the criminal's victims and no more responsible for how the criminal uses a gun stolen from me than a hostage in a bank robbery is responsible for being used by the robber to force the bank to hand over money.

My car has a bolted in underseat lock box for pistols and similar valuables, and I use it.

 

[Averageman]

It doesn't pass the smell test.
If I need a gun in my car, it should be controlled by me 24-7. It is easy to do, simply C.C. it.
It simply isn't practical or morale to leave a firearm unattended, I know this because my Father, NRA Shooting Coach in High School and Drill Sergeant told me so. I believe that and have lived with that obligation as a part of carrying a firearm.
I would feel pretty stupid to have parked my car in the garage and left a firearm inside it only to enter my home while a burglary was in progress. I would feel even worse if my pistol was used to harm an innocent.

 

[X-Rap]

So now the moral standard is that one must keep his gun at hand 24/7?
When in temporary housing while working I leave a couple guns in my apartment with only a door and glass windows securing them.
My guns at home (permanent residence) are only in RSC's that can easily be breached, am I to blame if some criminal throws a rock through my window or saws through my safe while I'm away at work. Maybe there should be a law stating you can't own a gun if you can't watch it 24/7.
Sounds like it's time to round those high horses up and get them back in the corral, I know this because "my dad said".

 

[Ed Ames]

If I need a gun in my car, it should be controlled by me 24-7. It is easy to do, simply C.C. it.
...
I would feel pretty stupid to have parked my car in the garage and left a firearm inside it only to enter my home while a burglary was in progress.

It is not a either/or for me. I have three handguns so it is easy for me to leave one in the gunsafe in the car, one in the gunsafe at home, and CC the third.

As for CCing 24/7: I don't care what your dad says, I am not going to conceal a gun under my pajamas while sleeping. I've tried it and find pajamas constricting.

 

[Hokkmike]

Where I live I could leave the pistol on the back seat in plain view with the doors unlocked........but I wouldn't.

The ONLY time I leave my gun in the car is when I am entering a prohibited area, i.e., courthouse, bank, etc. In that case I lock it in the glove box and then, of course, lock the car.

At night the same pistol goes to my bedside.

I see no need to have a gun stored in my empty car overnight.

Carrying is a habit as much as anything else and when I get up in the morning I make conscious decisions about putting it in my pocket.

 

[Sam1911]

Subject to your morality, or lack thereof.

I've argued very firmly many times that it is a terrible idea to leave a gun in a vehicle as a matter of course, in most places/situations. Of course, having something stolen from you is not an indictment against your own morality. That would be stupid.

I am another of the criminal's victims

But then, the NRA implores us "Refuse to be a victim!"

The truth is somewhere in between.

 

[chicharrones]

Morality? Drinking, smoking, premarital sex, church on Sundays and all that?

Like I mentioned, I don't leave a gun in the car outside at night but I do leave one in the car during my daily travels. The reason I do is because of run ins with criminal (aka immoral) people. I do get the feeling that other than car break ins, some people here have never had crime up close and personal. When it happens to you, your thinking on how to protect yourself (and your family) changes.

Still, it is a personal decision. One has to do or not do what they are comfortable with.

 

[chicharrones]

I would feel pretty stupid to have parked my car in the garage and left a firearm inside it only to enter my home while a burglary was in progress.

That makes sense if one only has one gun. Not the case in my situation.

 

[Kiln]

It is generally a bad idea to leave a gun in your car all the time. Even in decent neighborhoods, cars get broken into. I live in a nice suburb with a low crime rate and yet one day I walked out to the car to find a mess of wires hanging where the radio used to be.

If your car has an advanced alarm and anti theft deterrents, it may be fine but I'm betting that a large number of stolen guns are taken from vehicles. If you can, the better option would be to keep the gun on you unless you're forced to leave it in the car because you're in a government building or some other restricted establishment.

 

[dickydalton]

Don"t ever!

 

[FAS1]

This story was in the local news the other day. Apparently there were several cars broken into in this upscale older neighborhood here in San Antonio over a few days and 3 stolen firearms were recovered.



http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/Alamo-Heights-burglary-suspects-arrested-6261564.php

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Except for brief periods where I might have to go into a place that prohibits firearms, I don't leave guns in my vehicles - too vulnerable to theft.

 

[Averageman]

It is not a either/or for me. I have three handguns so it is easy for me to leave one in the gunsafe in the car, one in the gunsafe at home, and CC the third.

As for CCing 24/7: I don't care what your dad says, I am not going to conceal a gun under my pajamas while sleeping. I've tried it and find pajamas constricting.

Controlling the Firearm 24-7 includes keeping it in a safe. You have positive control over the locked safe in your home, you have done everything you can do to prevent your Firearm from falling in to the hands of a thief.
I would really consider any small safe that can be kept in a car as suspect. I've seen good ones and I have seen bad ones.
Recently a relative had to access a locked safe after her husband was moved to a retirement home with dementia. 30 seconds with a hammer and a chisel and the "safe" was open.
There may be better "safes' than that on the market, but it is more than likely this was the model many people are counting on to secure their firearms in an automobile.
Leaving a pistol or a long gun under the seat, in the arm rest, glove box or gun rack in the back of your truck window is a tragedy waiting to happen.
YMMV.

 

[ugaarguy]

After four full pages we're going in circles here. In summary, if you wish to store a firearm in your vehicle do your own risk analysis, and check your local laws. After the risk analysis and legal research store the firearm in such a way that is at minimum legal, and more secure than legally mandated if necessary to satisfy your risk analysis and/or conscience.