Soft case "secured"?

[high country]

I am getting ready to move from CO to IA for a few years, and so I am gearing up to comply with the laws in IA. In CO, I can put a loaded revolver in a holster on the seat next to me, with a few boxes of ammo right next to it and drive to the range, and there is nothing wrong with that. I will miss that... It is just nice not feeling like a criminal for carrying a gun.

But, in IA I need to have the handgun or rifle "unloaded" and in a "secure case". I would like to use soft cases for carrying firearms to the range, just a preference. What do people use to "secure" a soft case? Does a luggage style padlock through the zippers suffice, or do I need something more substantial than that? Also, does that also need to go into its own locked container? Or is it OK to swing by the store on the way to grab some extra ammo, and have that in the car just in a bag from the store?

Finally (and thanks for bearing with me through these questions), I will be driving back and forth from IA to CO to get my mountain fix fairly regularly, which involves crossing though Nebraska. It looks to me like Nebraska is an open carry state like CO, right?

Thanks in advance for any advice anyone has on this. Being from CO, I am used to just being able to have a firearm with me in the truck, and an little weirded out by these restrictions. It is taking a little getting used to. I am probably being over concerned. Maybe its time to bite the bullet and get that carry permit...

 

[Scimmia]

The law as I understand it is that anything that closes with something like a latch or zipper qualifies as a secure case. It doesn't have to be locked or anything.

AFAIK, there's no real restrictions on ammo, as long as it isn't in the gun.

Iowa is a shall issue state now, you can get your carry permit and be able to have it on the seat next to you just like you do in CO. Nebraska also honors Iowa's permits, so you'd be covered there as well.

 

[Scimmia]

I went ahead and looked up the relevent law. Chapter 724.4 Subsection 4 defines what's permissible for having a firearm.

"f. A person who for any lawful purpose carries or transports an unloaded pistol or revolver in a vehicle inside a closed and fastened container or securely wrapped package which is too large to be concealed on the person or inside a cargo or luggage compartment where the pistol or revolver will not be readily accessible to any person riding in the vehicle or common carrier."

 

[high country]

Thanks for quoting that section. That is one of the sections that I was looking at, and I guess I should have said fastened rather than secured... At any rate, I guess the gist of my question was whether fastened means zipped, zipped with a lock, or something more than that, like a hard case or a soft case with a lockable zipper like a cash bag has. Sounds like just zipped is sufficient, although I might opt to just throw a little luggage lock on there for a good measure.

Ultimately though, I think that I am going get a carry permit so this becomes a moot question, mostly so that I can have a handgun in the passenger compartment on long drives extending into the night between IA and CO. I doubt I would ever actually concealed carry much, but I will feel exposed on those drives just since I am used to having a gun with me. The IA carry permit also replaces the permit to purchase handguns, so it seems to make the most sense just to get the carry permit rather than the purchase permit. Too bad Kansas and Wyoming don't honor IA carry permits.

 

[hermannr]

Not that I would because of possible damage to the firearm or the vehicle, your trunk is a "closed, secure container" so even loose in the trunk you are complying.

The feeling of the law is to remove the ready access to the firearm by the driver or a passenger. Get a CPL, and forget the restrictions, they no longer apply.

Might want to check on the long guns though. Here in WA long guns can never be loaded inside a vehicle...game law... (oh, excuse me. Long guns can be loaded in a Vehicle if you have a special disabled hunting license)

 

[bearcreek]

The law as I understand it is that anything that closes with something like a latch or zipper qualifies as a secure case. It doesn't have to be locked or anything.

AFAIK, there's no real restrictions on ammo, as long as it isn't in the gun.

Iowa is a shall issue state now, you can get your carry permit and be able to have it on the seat next to you just like you do in CO. Nebraska also honors Iowa's permits, so you'd be covered there as well.

Ohio is also a shall issue state but we are not allowed to have the gun on the seat next to us. If it's not on our person in a holster or pocket it has to be in a closed container. We have a law in progress right now that would changer that to make it simpler for us but it hasn't passed yet. Anyway, I'd check first before having it on the seat in IA just to be sure. Edit: Sorry, I didn't realize that this poster was from IA. That must be nice bein able to just set it on the seat. It can be a PITA here, especially when carrying multiple handguns.

 

[highlander 5]

i don't live in Iowa but the term "secure" means lockable to me. A lockable hard case is not that expensive well under $100.

 

[mgmorden]

i don't live in Iowa but the term "secure" means lockable to me. A lockable hard case is not that expensive well under $100.

Except that the wording in the actual law isn't "secure" - it's "closed or fastened". A zippered case meets that definition.

 

[Art Eatman]

Question answered.