RickT Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 My wife and I are shooting steel challenge which involves long distance, in-state driving. We'll have several guns, ammo and other gear concealed best as possible in a hatchback car. Guns are in locked cases of course. We will have some overnights as well. While I don't feel a need to CCW in Walmart, I'm seriously considering getting a permit to provide some additional security on these trips. Has anyone thought along these same lines? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flatland Shooter Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 I shoot the occasional USPSA and 3 gun matches at locations that require I spend the night. Theft of my guns while at a restaurant or hotel has long been a concern. I have a CCW but carry too many match guns to pack them all into a restaurant. I do keep them with me in the hotel at night. My pickup has a tonneau cover made of fiberglass that even an amatuer thief could break into with little effort. It will keep my firearms out of sight but I wanted a little more security. To lock things down, I have an aluminum 2 rifle case that will hold my pistol, rifle and shotgun. It a nice sturdy case with full length hinge. On the latch side, I added two pairs of eyebolts positioned so that two padlocks go through the eyebolts to assist in keeping the case closed. I also have a 6' length of 3/8" steel chain that wraps around the case and is also latched to the padlocks. The loose end of the chain is padlocked to steel tiedowns in the bed of the pickup. Not as secure as a gun vault but a lot cheaper and more portable. It will keep my guns safe from the smash and grab thiefs. You could do something with a smaller case chaining it to the seat frame or something else very solid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armydad Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 Physical security is paramount. Gun vaults are expensive, but they are the right idea. It is ideal to them out of sight when possible and bolted down with the bolts only accessible from inside the vault. I have a custom one for my Explorer. It sits in the rear well. It fits several pistols and an AR. My shotgun is too long to fit, but such is life. Not only is the vault out of sight, but would require a cutting torch to get into without the key. Nothing is fool-proof, but you need to make it as hard as possible for the crooks to break in. Flatland Shooter has a good solution, so be creative as all cars/trucks are not present their own challenges. Best of luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motosapiens Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 Not sure where you live. Here in the west, I don't worry about it. I don't leave guns laying out, and I bring them into hotels. I think a ccw is a good idea anyway. Just simplifies life when you have guns in the car if you ever get stopped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillD Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 Take guns where you go. Problematic with long guns of course but I've sat at a table in a restaurant with $20,000 worth of pistols in a bag at our feet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.E. Kelley Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 (edited) First...who would know that YOUR car had guns in it? Do you have stickers on your car that indicate you are a gun owner? (bad move) Second, if you can not effectively hide them in the car from prying eyes, you will need to change your eating arrangements to either be able to see your car while eating or not eat where you can't. Third, if you drag all your gear into the hotel with you....don't leave your room as you have now announced that you have guns in your room. Lastly...I avoid "match hotels"...if I were a thinking criminal...I would prey on these locations. Watch the shooters return from the match and go to the hotel. Or drive up and down the lot looking for those tell tale stickers I referenced above. Edited March 18, 2015 by P.E. Kelley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickT Posted March 18, 2015 Author Share Posted March 18, 2015 No stickers and not outward indication of gun gear. I just can't see leaving 5-6 handguns and 1K-2K rounds of ammo in the car overnight; does make it obvious that we're traveling with guns. Our travel vehicle doesn't really lend itself to gun vault installation, but I'm going to look into it. CCW is something I'm going to start working regardless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillD Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 First...who would know that YOUR car had guns in it? Do you have stickers on your car that indicate you are a gun owner? (bad move) Second, if you can not effectively hide them in the car from prying eyes, you will need to change your eating arrangements to either be able to see your car while eating or not eat where you can't. Third, if you drag all your gear into the hotel with you....don't leave your room as you have now announced that you have guns in your room. Lastly...I avoid "match hotels"...if I were a thinking criminal...I would prey on these locations. Watch the shooters return from the match and go to the hotel. Or drive up and down the lot looking for those tell tale stickers I referenced above. biggest heist of gun stuff I know of happened to folks on their way to a match at an overnight. No stickers and the match wasn't even in this state. Just random. Your "thinking criminal" line is funny. There aren't many criminal masterminds, just smash and grabs thefts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kellymc Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 If we go to a movie after a pistol match we take our guns into the movie . No one even thinks guns when it's a 11 year old girl carrying the square soft pistol cases Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flatland Shooter Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 (edited) `At a local major match a couple of years ago a gunsmith set up a table of his work. That evening he and his wife came out after a nice dinner at a restaurant to find he was cleaned out. A little too big a coincidence. Competition shooters usually have a small fortune in expensive hardware in their vehicle and sometimes they make themselves easy targets. Walk en mass into a restaurant all wearing their shooting jerseys, it don't take a rocket scientist to figure which suburban in the lot is the best target. Edited March 18, 2015 by Flatland Shooter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerTrace Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 Take guns where you go. Problematic with long guns of course but I've sat at a table in a restaurant with $20,000 worth of pistols in a bag at our feet. This^^^^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poortrader Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 Make sure you have insurance. Most home owners will not cover the total amount of firearms you are carrying. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reshoot Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 Overnight stay? All firearms, and anything else I value, go to the room. But then, that applies even if I am not hauling firearms. Dining out? First, the establishment must allow concealed carry. Truth is, I will not spend money at any business that prohibits carry, but that's another topic. Second, I park where I can see my vehicle from inside, and request a "window seat". Third, I am always armed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryGieb Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 Any catch all advice on transporting across state lines? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motosapiens Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 Any catch all advice on transporting across state lines? first thing I do is check the concealed-carry reciprocity map. if my ccw is good, I don't worry about anything else. in the west you're pretty much good anywhere with the gun unloaded and stored in the trunk or hatchback area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Detritus Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 thought I'd tag along on this as I have a similar issue coming up in my near future. Going to be moving from TX to NC and due to circumstances (easier to sell a mostly empty house) I'll be taking all but two of the family firearms with me, along with pretty much everything out of my personal work-room area, all my clothes, and two small dogs, and all crammed into a standard cab F150. the dogs, overnight bag, etc have to go in the cab everything else goes in the back under the camper-shell. the sheer amount of "stuff" involved precludes unloading the firearms related items at the motel. Leaves me wondering if the number of moving boxes etc plus putting the "gun stuff" (mostly packed into the dismounted "gun safe") in first and packing around it will be camouflage enough that I can stop and get a few hours rest without too much worry. this move is a solid two day run for me, 9 hours of actual driving is about all I can fit into a day and still stay sane any more (once drove El Paso to Houston in a single 24hr period. will never attempt similar again). so if anyone has relevant advice about moving (with) firearms, please share as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillD Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 thought I'd tag along on this as I have a similar issue coming up in my near future. Going to be moving from TX to NC and due to circumstances (easier to sell a mostly empty house) I'll be taking all but two of the family firearms with me, along with pretty much everything out of my personal work-room area, all my clothes, and two small dogs, and all crammed into a standard cab F150. the dogs, overnight bag, etc have to go in the cab everything else goes in the back under the camper-shell. the sheer amount of "stuff" involved precludes unloading the firearms related items at the motel. Leaves me wondering if the number of moving boxes etc plus putting the "gun stuff" (mostly packed into the dismounted "gun safe") in first and packing around it will be camouflage enough that I can stop and get a few hours rest without too much worry. this move is a solid two day run for me, 9 hours of actual driving is about all I can fit into a day and still stay sane any more (once drove El Paso to Houston in a single 24hr period. will never attempt similar again). so if anyone has relevant advice about moving (with) firearms, please share as well. I'd probably have to sleep in the truck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ming the Merciless Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 this move is a solid two day run for me, 9 hours of actual driving is about all I can fit into a day and still stay sane any more (once drove El Paso to Houston in a single 24hr period. will never attempt similar again). You drive too slow! LOL! I've made that trip in less than 8 hours on a rigid framed Harley. Of course that was 30 years ago and I couldn't pee without screaming for 2 days afterwards! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Detritus Posted March 28, 2015 Share Posted March 28, 2015 (edited) Of course that was 30 years ago and I couldn't pee without screaming for 2 days afterwards! I can imagine, and I have made trips of similar length (Memphis TN to Raleigh NC) in around 9-10hrs. But again I try not to repeat such feats. I'd probably have to sleep in the truck. this may happen, depends on many things. hell even if I do stop for the night, I'll probably only stay long enough for a 5 or 6 hr nap and to be out of the cab. Edited March 28, 2015 by Detritus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flatland Shooter Posted March 28, 2015 Share Posted March 28, 2015 so if anyone has relevant advice about moving (with) firearms, please share as well. Pack the guns first and up close to the cab of the truck. Pack everything else on top and behind your expensive toys. If you can fill up the area to where the bad guys need to throw a lot of stuff out of the truck to get to them, The longer it takes them the better off you will be. And anything you can do to slow them down will reduce the risk of loss. Wrap a few things with some chain and padlock it to the bed of the truck. The stuff you lock up doesn't need to be the real expensive stuff. Heck, chain down a few suitcases filled with dirty laundry. Anything to slow them down. If your topper has windows, cover the entire load with a cheap tarp. Keep 'em guessing. If you need to stay in a hotel, plan ahead and try to stay in one located in a nicer part of town and one that has a well lite parking lot. Since this is a one time trip, maybe you could shut down and go to sleep in the hotel early while there is some activity in the parking lot and then get up early and beat the traffic. Just a few thoughts. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ming the Merciless Posted March 28, 2015 Share Posted March 28, 2015 Good advice about packing the guns in first and chaining the guns to the truck, BUT do not let the chains be visible. That would tip off would be thieves as to value. Put a tarp over everything and cover that with stacks of old yellowed newspaper, used pizza boxes, etc... Make it look like some of the hoarders cars you've seen in Walmart parking lots. Oh, and no bags of plastic bottles, around here they WILL break into your car to steal recyclables. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Okano Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 (edited) Take guns where you go,Make sure you have insurance. huawei ascend p8 handytaschee Edited March 29, 2015 by Okano Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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