Legal to leave loaded firearm in car alone?

[Thlax]

Is it legal to leave your firearm say in a safe bolted in your car when your at a place that doesn't allow you to carry? I know were allowed to have it loaded when were IN the car. Is it the same when were not? Not planning on doing it frequently though.

[Moosie]

Well, it depends on what you mean when you say you're "AT" a place that doesn't allow you to carry.  Is you're car IN TGIFridays? or are you leaving your vehicle in the parking lot and going in.   

I'd be asking you why the hell you're in the place to begin with if they ask you to leave your constitutional rights at the door... however, there are a few places (like the court house or federal building) that we all must encounter that I comply with. 

But back to your question.  If you have a safe you're bolting down (Ask I *think* Hawkeye... he's got a great recommendation for a safe that is "chained" not bolted under his seat), and you're entering someplace like TGIFriday's then yup... you can leave it in the car locked and loaded.

I choose to not patronize places that don't let me carry, but then again...  if you're carrying concealed how do they know if you are or not?  Just food for thought... not suggesting you CCW when rules say not to.

Moosie

[muleman88]

Im with moosie  on this one. But be careful , let's say you have your ccdw and leave your gun in the car safe then your wife drops you off at wherever and she uses the car to go to wallyworld while your doing your business and for what ever reason she gets stopped by a Leo. She can be charged with a concealed weapon if she does not have a ccdw. Just something to think about.

[Moosie]

Muleman, you bring up a HUGE, valid point. 

I won't even let my husband hand me my purse if I have "Betty" in there... you never know how some sick mofo will interpret the law if God forbid something happen and they saw him in "possession" of my purse for a split second. 

As a practice, I RARELY leave my firearm in my car unless going into a building (such as the federal building, the court house, police station, etc) where I know they will either have me go through a metal detector or the like.  Once I'm out and return to my car, I retrieve it ASAP.  I actually feel pretty naked without my firearm. 

Moosie

[Lumspond]

It is amazing how you feel without your firearm, once you're used to carrying. Naked is a valid word, or vulnerable.... I carry when in my house (pocket gun makes it easy). Constantly in and out with the dogs. Don't need to run for a weapon when someone kicks my door in, or accosts me in the yard.

[Moosie]

I'm still trying to sew a pocket in my bikini for when I'm outside   

But yes, when I have to leave Betty in the car, or at home (when traveling to the republic of MD), it takes a little bit of thought to say crap... I'm not supposed to have it on me.  I guess just something you get used to.

Moosie

[Sigarms12]

Is it legal to leave your firearm say in a safe bolted in your car when your at a place that doesn't allow you to carry? I know were allowed to have it loaded when were IN the car. Is it the same when were not? Not planning on doing it frequently though.

Just remember when traveling in an unfriendly State is unloaded and in two separate containers in the truck.

[Thlax]

Understood. Thanks all.

[oldgraygeek]

Im with moosie  on this one. But be careful , let's say you have your ccdw and leave your gun in the car safe then your wife drops you off at wherever and she uses the car to go to wallyworld while your doing your business and for what ever reason she gets stopped by a Leo. She can be charged with a concealed weapon if she does not have a ccdw. Just something to think about.

I handled this by having my wife get a permit after I'd had mine for 5 years. Now, I can leave whatever I want in her car, as long as she's not heading for the People's Republic of MD or the NJSSR.
(Yes, I'm a liberal, and she's from the actual USSR, but any state that bans my gun is a Land of Dirty Commies).

[Thlax]

I am the sole driver of my vehicle by choice. If anything, I am driving my girlfriend's car, but never the other way around. I bolted down a Gun Vault Micro (3 num lock, not key lock) in my car and thats been great.

Thanks,

David

[czer]

Gee, and I was thinking I was the only one who angsted about this. What about the post office? That's a federal building, but doesn't have a detector...