Traveling, rental car, no pistol zones - Hardened cable?

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Traveling for a wedding and vacation this summer via rental car/van. Will be encountering a few "no carry" zones and planning ahead for gun security. Since we are taking a rental I can't really bolt anything down. Is there any type of cable say in 1/4" size relatively resistant to being cut easily? I have a small lockbox I was thinking I could attach via cable under a seat.

I think leaving gun in a hotel room is a bad idea, even if they have the in closet safe. Plus I may only be in a "no carry" zone for short duration and would want the gun with me otherwise.

Any other ideas? What do you all do in this kind of situation? Am I overthinking this?
 
i too

will be going out of state but so far my ccw permit is valid in each state i'm going thur. i'm also in my own car but my worry with lockin the gun in the car is what if the car comes up stolen?
what type of gun are you taking? if an autoloader you could field strip it and take the barrel with you and lock the rest in the case. as for me mine will be with me at all times.
 
Try a large shackle high security lock. If an auto loader lock through the magwell and around an unmovable part of the seat frame. Well unmoveable may be an overstatement but a piece that requires real tools and some time to get apart. For a DA revolver swing out the cylinder and lock through the frame. Push it back under the seat or carry some camo like a fast food lunch bag, diaper, article of clothing etc. Just must be consistant with the vehicle. Works for me on my day to days. You can't make it impervious to those intent on bad deeds but you can stop the smash and grabs and the crimes of opportunity, The goal is to make the target too hard for the run of the mill.
 
Handcuffs work great for securing your firearm while traveling. You can lock your gun to the frame of your vehicle or to the plumbing in your hotel room.
 
Handcuffs work great for securing your firearm while traveling.
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Wow. Now that's a great idea I never thought of. I knew there was a reason I hang around here. :)
 
Handcuffs work great for securing your firearm while traveling. You can lock your gun to the frame of your vehicle or to the plumbing in your hotel room.
Click to expand...

Most handcuffs take a standard key. It would seem reasonable to assume that many BG's have handcuff keys. I have occasionally used handcuffs for locking a bike to a parking meter when the bike was going to remain in my view at all times. Otherwise, I would not depend on handcuffs at all.

Any comments from LEO's?
 
Crooks practice getting out of handcuffs with common objects. The key is just a little "L" made to a universal pattern, so that handcuffed perps can be passed off between cops and uncuffed later.
 
The key is just a little "L" made to a universal pattern
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Hmmm. Didn't think of that. I did a quick search on the web and you can apparently buy handcuffs with individual Medeco locks, but at 80 bucks, buying one of those heavy duty Kryptonite or similar cable locks would be cheaper and achieve the same purpose.

Still, I'm always thinking "lockbox" for vehicle transport for whatever reason, so the gun simply "bike-locked" to something is still a new and good idea to me. :)

Interestingly, in the web search, I also came across an article that stated handcuffs should only be sold to LEO, because only LEO and people into kinky sex had reason to use them....
 
"...leaving gun in a hotel room is a bad idea..." Good hotels have a safe for their guest's valuables. Use a lockable briefcase and put your unloaded firearms in it. No fuss. No bother.
 
Any comments from LEO's?
Click to expand...

As a matter of fact, I got the idea from an LEO. Ayoob wrote about it around 15 years ago. As with any lock, the idea is to make theft either complicated or time consuming enough the BG skips it. It doesn't matter what you lock it with, given enough time, the BG will get it. Handcuffs are just as effective as any common locking device yet are very handy at locking odd shaped items to odd shaped items.
 
many BG's have handcuff keys.
Click to expand...

considering the number of under 21 GIRLS i know who carry such keys, yeah , BGs have them. why i dunno, not like theyre gonna do much good in the bottom of a purse/whatever
 
I sometimes carry a pump shotgun. Usually a used police gun, under $200, l It stays in the backseat wrapped in a blanket. If something happens to it no great loss, is not considered "evil' by non gun types, plus another defense is that its a used police gun.

rk
 
Handcuffs are easily removed with the master key (bolt cutters). I've had to cut them off of inmates before and a bolt cutter goes through them like butter.
 
Boltcutters will cut most steel locks and cables like butter. :) As does hacksaws, bandsaws, grinders, torches and a nice hammer combined with sub-freezing temperatures.
 
Sistema -- I like the looks of that security box for 'quick and dirty" securing (like when transporting a handgun in a vehicle in CA), but they seem to be missing a big market segment by limiting the size to 4.5" barrels. Going to 5" would have captured some of the 1911 (and other large pistol) crowd.
 
After trips to a couple hardware stores and locksmith I have pretty much concluded that the only thing moderately resistive to being cut is a case hardened 3/8" chain. Then comes the problem of securely attaching it to the lockbox. Attaching it to something in the car then becomes the weak spot. Anything I could wrap a chain or cable around could likely be easily cut with a hacksaw. So seems going overboard on super heavy duty chain wouldn't really help. With that said I'll probably use either a 3/8" cable or a section of chain and at least be safe from a quick snatch and grab.

To answer a few questions.
The gun is a revolver and will be secured in a strong box.
Leaving the gun in the hotel is not really an option, as I will only be in "no carry" zones for small portions of a given day so I want the gun with me.
I actually have one of those Secure-It safes already that I use in my center console when at work. I really something more secure. It keeps it out of sight but I don't consider it all that secure.

Anyways, thanks for the replies. If interested I'll post what I end up with in a week or two.
 
A few months ago I had to go to a state police office to be photographed for my CCW renewal. With each new or renwed license they were giving away two new cable-type gun locks. While I was there, I asked the trooper on duty at the counter what I should do with my pistol when I needed to go into a place where carry is prohibited. He pointed to the cable locks he had just given me and said "Just use one of those to chain it to your seat."

That sounded like a dumb idea when he said it, and I still think it sounds dumb today. But that's the opinion from one trooper in my state's firearms unit.

BTW -- there's another unit at headquarters where they rotate the person who fields the questions at the counter and on the phone. Even people in other departments refer to the duty person as the "dope of the day" because the answers are so universally useless.
 
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