Trunk Gun

[newgunguy]

I'm from md, and have recently got into firearms etc. I've basically found that its impossible to get a concealed carry permit here, and have begun considering the idea of a trunk gun. I'm not the delusional kind of person that would think I could have any kind of immediate self defense from such a gun, but it seems like it might be a good preparation for if <removed>. Any thoughts/advice on laws pertaining,tactics,weapon choice etc would be extremely helpful.

 

[USAF_Vet]

If you can get to your car to grab a gun, you can probably just as easily get to your car and drive away. Less legal hassle to worry about that way, too.

 

[newgunguy]

I think generally that would always be the first strategy, do you think a truck gun has no value?

 

[Ghost Tracker]

Is it that difficult to get a CCP in Maryland (that is md isn't it?)? I thought Illinois was the last hold-out to carry permits. Well, if you expect the S to really HTF. i'd be more concerned about getting my home prepped than anything in my car.

 

[Loosedhorse]

do you think a truck gun has no value?

It would be a very unusual situation that would have me be in a dangerous spot, leave that bad spot, get to my car, get a gun, and then go back to that danger.

But if that ever happened, I'd want a rifle waiting for me, not a handgun.

Be very careful with the laws in MD (which I don't know): make sure you obey them. I'd be worried that a state that makes it difficult to get a carrry permit would also have very strict regulations on how you can carry a firearm in the car(without a carry permit), and where that car was allowed to be.

Just like my state!

 

[USAF_Vet]

I have considered a gun in the vehicle, but transporting it legally would really defeat the purpose. It would have to be unloaded and in a case (at least here in MI) unless I had a CCW. As I gather, gun laws in MD are a bit more draconian, although not as bad as some other states. Is MD a Shall-issue or a May-issue state?

If I insisted upon keeping a firearm in my vehicle for SHTF purposes, I'd be likely to grab a single shot break action shotgun or an inexpensive coach gun.

A single shot or double barrel can be transported broken down slipped in a padded case, and can be assembled and loaded in a matter of a few seconds. A butt cuff filled with 00 buck would be adequate for most situations. But as with all firearms, it's not so much the gun in your hand as it is the info in your brain and the training in your muscles that helps get you through.

I don't have a dedicated gun in any of my vehicles. So while there might be some value in having a truck gun or trunk gun, I have not yet found the situation that merits it.

 

[M2 Carbine]

Better check the local laws.

I left MD FOREVER in 1966. I remember the gun laws really sucked. I'm not sure it's legal to have any gun in the car unless you are going to a shooting range, etc.

As far as car/truck guns this is what I use (totally legal in TX).

 

[Ghost Tracker]

Yeah, but in TEXAS if you don't have a gun...someone will GIVE you one. God Bless Texas .

 

[MtnCreek]

Useful info in the below.

http://www.handgunlaw.us/states/maryland.pdf

 

[mljdeckard]

There is certainly validity in the idea. If a handgun is what you use to fight your way back to the long gun you never should have put down in the first place, it stands to reason you should have a long gun to fight your way back to. Even if the reality may well be that the engagement doesn't last that long, at the same time, you would feel really stupid if it did, and you didn't have one.

My truck gun is my SKS that I modified a lot. I have no idea if such a thing would be legal in MD.

 

[Zach S]

For 95% of us, a trunk gun in a civilian role is just for peace of mind. That said, I do carry one on occasion, maybe 5% of the time, and its always a rifle.

IIRC, in MD it cant be in the cabin and the ammo must be separate. In vehicles with no trunk (hatchbacks, minivans, SUVs, and my personal favorite, station wagons), the firearm or ammo must be in a locked container...

I'm from NC, and currently live in TN, so I'm no expert on MD gun laws. I know enough about them to assume you likely wont survive trying to retrieve your trunk gun, and if you do, you either were carrying it illegally and/or had plenty of time to get away.

 

[MtnCreek]

That's what it sounds like to me. It really pissed me off when I read the list of qualifiers for getting a permit. I guess if you're former LEO or if someone has already tried to kill you on multiple occasions (documented by LEO), then MD 'May Issue'.

(f) Personal Protection: There must be documented evidence of recent threats, robberies, and/or assaults, supported by official police reports or notarized statements from witnesses.

RV/Car Carry Without A Permit/License
It is illegal to carry any loaded firearm in any vehicle in Maryland.
www.handgunlaw.us 4
From the Maryland State Police FAQ’s.
Q. Can I legally transport firearms interstate? (From the MD State Police)
A. Yes, under Title 18, Section 926A, of the United States Code, a person who is not prohibited
from possessing, transporting, shipping, or receiving a firearm shall be entitled to transport a firearm
for any lawful purpose from any place where he may lawfully possess and carry such firearm to
any place where he may lawfully possess and carry such firearm if, during such transportation the
firearm is unloaded, neither the firearm nor any ammunition being transported is readily accessible or
is directly accessible from the passenger compartment. In the case the vehicle does not have a
compartment separate from the driver's compartment the firearm or ammunition shall be contained in
a locked compartment other than the glove compartment or console.
Q. Can I legally transport my regulated firearm to the range? (From the MD State Police)
A. Yes, provided the regulated firearm is unloaded, in an enclosed case or enclosed holster with no ammunition accessible.
For MD laws go to the following website and click on Criminal Law then Title 4-203 regarding wearing, carrying or transporting a handgun. Maryland Code

 

[Trent]

"during such transportation the firearm is unloaded, neither the firearm nor any ammunition being transported is readily accessible or is directly accessible from the passenger compartment."

Man, you guys in MD have it worse than Illinois!!!!

In Illinois, I can *at least* keep an unloaded handgun and loaded magazine together in a zipped pistol bag in my center console. If I need it, I pop open the center console, unzip bag, insert magazine, rack slide, and I'm good to go. (Doesn't take long to do, with practice, either).

While I've never been arrested for "unlawful use of weapon" carrying in such a fashion, I HAVE had friends ARRESTED by cops who do not understand the law for doing this exact thing - but the charges have always been dropped once the States Attorney reviews the arrest. On a couple of occasions I have known friends arrested Friday who have to spend the weekend in jail before being released Monday (inconvenient, yes).

Anyway, I carry a printout of the UUW statute in the center console with the gun. If you notify the police officer of the law, and let them read it, it can avoid an arrest. (I've been challenged three times on this, threatened with arrest, but each time I have been fine.)

Now, does Maryland have a definition of firearms? In Illinois, specifically, there is a clause which indicates a firearm is not a firearm if it is "disassembled or in an otherwise non-functional state". (I.e. I could take the slide off my semi-auto handgun and not have to carry it unloaded in a case, if I so chose).

 

[BLB68]

Be aware that that Title 18 section doesn't necessarily apply to residents. It's a provision for residents of other states to be able to pass through the state while transporting their firearms.

As far as whether to keep a trunk gun, and what type, I'd personally prioritize on other items. Unless you're in a very rural area, you're not likely to ever dig the thing out legally if any stuff hits any fans in your area.

Look at it this way: What are the most likely situations you'll have to deal with with little to no notice? Break down of the social order should have plenty of warning. Riots happen, but if you're aware of what's going on as far as possible trigger events (court cases, etc) in the news, you should be able to practice avoidance.

That leaves the weather. Simple winter weather shuts down thousands of motorists every year, and one of the most immediate threats you'll face will be the prospect of living in your car for a short period in the winter. So, I'd place an emphasis on keeping emergency supplies on hand, including jumper cables, flares, etc, in a typical roadside emergency kit, along with a shovel, maybe sand or cat litter, some basic tools, maybe spare belts (if you can change them on the side of the road -- not possible with a lot of vehicles), first aid, fire extinguisher, blankets/sleeping bags, water and some food and extra set of warm clothes.

 

[Sam1911]

do you think a truck gun has no value?

Absolutely not! If you hunt regularly, especially varmints or other game that may be hunted as the mood strikes, that could be a very good idea. If you have the opportunity to take frequent, unplanned range trips on your way home from work or whatnot, a gun in trunk could be mighty convenient.

As a defensive arm? No. The likelihood that your gun will be stolen with, or out of, your unattended car is far more likely that the chance that you'll need to defend yourself with a firearm within reaching distance of that car. It is astronomically more unlikely that that assault, if it ever were to come, would be something which would need to be met with a long arm because a handgun is not sufficient. It is even more astronomically unlikely that, in the case that you're attacked within a short distance from your car AND that attack requires that you have a long gun rather than a carried handgun, that you would actually be able to move to the trunk, open the trunk, unsecure the firearm, load, and use that firearm in a timely (and lawful) manner.

There is even a chance -- a meteors landing on your head chance -- that I might witness an unfolding event (a 'la Charles Whitman) where I'd have an opportunity, and would feel a moral compulsion, to use a rifle in a lawful emergency use of force setting.

There is a non-zero chance that those things might happen. There is also a non-zero chance that I'll have a heart attack within reach of my car. I believe that my chances of an infarction are greater than those of being assaulted by a threat that requires me to respond with rifle fire, and yet gives me time to access a gun secured in the trunk -- and yet, I don't carry an auto-defibrillator in the trunk, either.

I guess I like to live life on the edge.

 

[Rob G]

Here's another thought for you. What are MD's self defense laws like? Given the time to reach your vehicle's trunk, remove the weapon, grab the ammo, load it, then turn to fire, we'd have to assume that the threat was pretty far away to begin with.

Would you even be justified taking a shot in that situation in MD or would the law recognize that you had time to flee, and therefore were legally obligated to do so?

 

[Rob G]

and yet, I don't carry an auto-defibrillator in the trunk, either.

That gives me an idea...maybe a line of aftermarket gun stocks with AEDs built in to them. I can see the ad now... "Your odds of needing a trunk gun to defend yourself are less than your chance of having a heart attack walking to your car...but we've got you covered either way."

 

[Sam1911]

Yup!

It could be a take on Mossberg's "Just In Case" line. A big box with a gun... and a defibrillator, dialysis machine, extra seat belt, disposable pack of lung cancer treatments, some kind of angioplasty auto-injector, EPI-pen, yellow and black striped tape to put up around trip-and-fall hazards, shark repellent, a spare parachute, ... you know -- all the basics to prevent the most common causes of death.

 

[mljdeckard]

I suppose I might add that while do usually keep a truck gun, which would be well-suited for fighting, I am also in a position where I might run out to the desert at any time. It isn't JUST for defensive use.

But it did make me think, when the Trolley Square shooting happened in Salt Lake in 2007. I realize that it would be a very narrow set of circumstances that would make a trunk gun for defensive purposes useful, but it is possible. If I ever have time to choose what kind of gun I want to use, I want it to be a long gun. This fits my lifestyle, laws, and circumstances, I realize that not everyone is in the same ones as me.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

What? No asprin in case of heart attack? Sam1911,I am disappointed in your lack of preparation!

 

[zedsdead]

I prefer a trunk monkey:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWhyfaW0JQw&feature=related

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

Personally, I have come to not rely on law enforcement to protect me. When seconds count, they are usually minutes away. When a long gun is needed, the rarely have one with them. They have been trained to not take chances, wait for backup, and also taught that they have no direct responsibility for an individual's safety or protection. Another large percentage of them barely qualify with their own arms, and fewer yet have training or skill with long guns. For that reason, you may find me with whatever firearms I feel ncessary to get the job done, at any time. My sense of civic duty towards the protecton of the public quite often exceeds that which I have witnessed in some police circles these days. And that saddens me, along with heightening my sense of duty. Your opinions, or sense of responsibilty toward the public good, may vary.

 

[ATBackPackin]

I spent most of my life in MD and finally left in 2001. It is only legal to have a firearm in the trunk if you are in transit to a place where it is legal to use, E.g. range, hunting, or some other legal activity. Even then the firearm has to be unloaded and I believe the ammo should be in a locked container.

So for it to be useful in a SD situation you have to make it to your vehicle, open trunk, unlock ammo, and load gun by which time it would have been faster to just drive away.

Does a trunk gun have value? Absofreakinlutely....................just not in MD.




Laws may have changed, but I seriously doubt for the better in MD.

 

[Onward Allusion]

newgunguy
Trunk Gun

Opinions will vary when it comes to car/trunk guns. Some will get totally self-righteous and call it irresponsible because a gun in the car is just asking to be stolen. Whereas others will take the view that crap can and will happen, therefore, it is better to be prepared.

I personally don't see anything wrong with having a gun stored exclusively in one's car. It's just insurance. I work close to a metro area and seriously, I would not want to be caught trying to get home to the suburbs in the event of civil unrest with only a P32 or NAA in my pocket. Civil unrest can and do happen, especially when one is close to the larger metro areas. I guess it depends on where you are and how much insurance (peace of mind) you wish to have.

If you are going to have a gun stored in the car on a permanent basis, I would suggest having a small locking vault or at the very least, stash it with the spare tire.

 

[AJumbo]

Mossberg 12 gauge pump, with a stock shortened to a 10" length of pull, so the Trunk Monkey can use it, too.