Securing Handguns and Papers in an SUV

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Pete409

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My wife and I are planning on taking a trip/vacation for a couple weeks this summer and we will be driving our SUV (Toyota Highlander). I will have at least one handgun with me and probably some important papers (at least they are important to me).

We will be doing a variety of activities (golfing, shooting, dinner, visiting friends, etc) and not always together. We will be staying in a motel. Obviously I don't want to leave anything important or valuable in a motel room, and it's not very convenient to carry these items on me at all times, so that means leaving them in the car.

So what is the best way of securing a small strongbox which would contain these items in an SUV? Also, does anyone have any suggestions on what type small box to buy?

I realize that if a thief has enough time (and tools), they can defeat almost any protection device I could come up with. But I want to make it very difficult for someone to just smash and grab whatever they can find inside my vehicle. Any suggestions?

Thanks.
 
Hide in (semi)plain sight: create a mess in your backseat and stash your valuables among the mess.

I travel with my dogs a lot. The back seat looks like a hurricane hit it - even though it really is organized: blankets; dog beds; harnesses & tethers; car toys; newspapers on the floor in case of carsickness; tote bag or two of doggie-necessities. It looks messy to anyone passing by, but it's really not. Really.

On more than one ocassion, I've needed to hide something while I was out of the car. I have placed important papers under the dogs' beds. I've put laptops, purses, guns, and other bulky items on the back floor and draped a jacket between seat and floor to cover it. I make it look like I've tossed the jacket into the back seat and it half-fell to the floor.

If you're a neat-freak, this won't work. I hate a messy car, but this, to me, isn't "mess" - it's an alternative cleanliness style :)
 
There should be plenty of material on this in the archives.

Whatever you go with, I would add a layer of concealment over it. IE lockbox under the seat or screwed to the floor in the back with luggage or blanket over it.
 
There should be plenty of material on this in the archives.
Click to expand...

Correct.

Also check with a mom-n-pop safe/alarm company local to you.
Or PM one of two members we have here in the business.

-Do not post anything of what these folks share, or what you end up doing.

-Keep in mind some agencies concerned with War on "[ ]" have some really funny quirks, and some regulations that "can be" interpreted that could get you into trouble.
There exists some "laws" about hidden containers and all.

If near either border, be especially careful with travel and securing items.
Some agencies are more savvy than others, when it comes to what smugglers have come up with .
Do keep in mind dawgs are trained to sniff out gun, gun powder, and the like as well.

-Consider a USB storage drive with copies of important information (doctors, medical needs, perscriptions, etc,) along with other important papers. Some of these storage drives can be password protected.


Welcome to 1984 .
 
Through-bolting a pistol safe to the floor isn't that difficult if you can easily get to the bolt locations from under the vehicle. That is the key.
 
This one's a little inconvenient for frequent use but works very well: Bolt an ammo box to one of the front inner fenders under the hood. Add a padlock hasp, cut the handle off the top so it isn't as obvious, paint it black, and get it dirty. A friend of mine's Jeep was recovered upside down in a gravel pit two weeks after being stolen with his 44 Mag and 250 rounds still safe and dry in the under hood ammo box. The truck had been driven almost 2000 miles and beat to crap. Thieves took the battery, carburetor, distributor, axles, and most of the interior but apparently never even noticed the ammo box. Just make sure to throw a few tools in it and leave it unlocked if you go to Canada! :cool:
 
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