Handgun in a parking lot question

[EnticeTheMalice]

As a fellow Floridian maybe I can help. You won't be charged for negligence if someone steals a weapon from your car. Florida law only requires that your weapon be securly encased or not readily accessible if you don't have a CWFL. If you have a CWFL you can keep your weapon anywhere you want as long as it not being openly carried. You can be charged with a misdemeanor for having loaded weapons not locked up or in direct of an adult if you have kids under 16 in the house . But that only applies to your home. Again there is no law in FL regarding the storage of a firearm, only the manner in which you can lawfully carry and transport it if you don't have a CWFL. I have never had an issue with ammo from the heat in FL from leaving it in the car and I'll add that I take my carry gun to the bathroom when I get in the shower and haven't had a single problem from the steam or the heat from leaving it in the car. If you are concerned about the ammo getting messed up from the heat just cycle through it every 3 months. If you think you'd feel better knowing your gun is locked in a case, you can buy a small safe designed for storing hand guns in your vehicle. Also I'll note that the fl statute about parking lot storage only makes it illegal for your employer to fire you for having a weapon locked in your vehicle.

Edit to add. I've never heard of the heat causing a loaded weapon to discharge. Neither myself or anyone that I know the carries has had this happen.

 

[EnticeTheMalice]

If a woman is carrying concealed in her purse and leaves it somewhere and asks a non licensed person to retrieve it for her would that person now be guilty of illegal possession?
I'm having trouble with the whole carrying in something off the body and the problems, as was seen here that can bring.

Yes the non licensed person can be arrested and charged. Probably won't get convicted. Same thing goes for leaving your weapon under the seat or in a pouch behind the seat. The non licensed person can be arrested and charged. At least in fl anyway. The stupid thing is if you put it In a glove box or center console the non licensed person is okay because the weapon is considered "securly encased" since the console and glove box have a lid that you have to open.

 

[supplier]

As a fellow Floridian maybe I can help. You won't be charged for negligence if someone steals a weapon from your car. Florida law only requires that your weapon be securly encased or not readily accessible if you don't have a CWFL. If you have a CWFL you can keep your weapon anywhere you want as long as it not being openly carried. You can be charged with a misdemeanor for having loaded weapons not locked up or in direct of an adult if you have kids under 16 in the house . But that only applies to your home. Again there is no law in FL regarding the storage of a firearm, only the manner in which you can lawfully carry and transport it if you don't have a CWFL. I have never had an issue with ammo from the heat in FL from leaving it in the car and I'll add that I take my carry gun to the bathroom when I get in the shower and haven't had a single problem from the steam or the heat from leaving it in the car. If you are concerned about the ammo getting messed up from the heat just cycle through it every 3 months. If you think you'd feel better knowing your gun is locked in a case, you can buy a small safe designed for storing hand guns in your vehicle. Also I'll note that the fl statute about parking lot storage only makes it illegal for your employer to fire you for having a weapon locked in your vehicle.

Edit to add. I've never heard of the heat causing a loaded weapon to discharge. Neither myself or anyone that I know the carries has had this happen.

Thanks for your detailed post. I do have a CWFL and I bought a NanoVault today to store my Shield in the car, while I'm at work.
as per your last note - my work does not allow any weapon, but my understanding was/is that my employer cannot terminate me for keeping handgun in my car in the parking lot. of course the employer can find another reason, But if I keep it quite - nobody will/should know about it anyway.

I spend 4 hours a day for commute with 75% of that time having one or two kids in the car - with all road rage I feel more safe having a gun with me.

One more question, folks. when you drive, where do you keep your gun? Still on your body holstered or you put it in a door, center console, etc... ?

 

[MattO]

Supplier to answer your last question. My gun never leaves my holster/body anytime I am out. Unless I have to draw it, or remove it to enter an establishment that does not allow CC.

 

[supplier]

Found this someplace on he Web. it makes sense. During rapid fire the barrel gets really hot, but we don't hear about heat related discharge in automatic weapons. and the quote:

when the placed ammo by itself in the oven it would explode at about 470 degrees but it would expel the bullet like it was shot. it would merely explode and basically do no damage.
However, when the placed a handgun with a live round in the oven it fired the round at about 500 degrees just like if you had pulled the trigger.

 

[AGoyette]

Supplier,
When I am driving it is attached to my side 99% of the time. I carry on my right side appendix carry. The exception being when I was traveling a section of road that someone was shooting other cars at. Then it was in a Remora holster in the front passenger seat. The sticky holster prevented it from sliding on my leather seats. Once the idiot was caught (it took a few weeks) my gun went back IWB.

 

[Rastoff]

when the placed ammo by itself in the oven it would explode at about 470 degrees but it wouldn't expel the bullet like it was shot. it would merely explode and basically do no damage.
However, when the placed a handgun with a live round in the oven it fired the round at about 500 degrees just like if you had pulled the trigger.

There, I fixed that for ya.

This is accurate. When a cartridge is not enclosed in the chamber, the case is not strong enough to contain the expansion of gas as the powder burns. Therefore, a cartridge that is not supported by the chamber will do very little damage.

However, when the cartridge is in the chamber, and the action is closed, the energy only has one way to go, out the muzzle. So, as long as the cartridge is in the chamber, it doesn't matter what ignites the powder. It will act like it was fired normally.

Fortunately for all of us, this will not happen to a cartridge in your car. Even in Death Valley it won't get hot enough in your car to spontaneously ignite the powder in a normal cartridge.

 

[Ron AZ]

Supplier, In drivers side door when driving. Like AGoyette, when I am in the car the gun is out of the box.

Once in a while it will get strapped seat belt over it in the 4:00 o'clock position when I am driving from one quick stop to another. However, in addition to being uncomfortable there, I am sure I can not deploy it smoothly with the seat belt on.

So, most of the time it sits on my left while I am driving in a map slot on the door with a rigid side and a lip on it that sits about shin level. The gun is in a Comp-tac Infidel IWB holster with the belt clip of the holster sliding over the lip on the map slot so it holds the gun up right and stops it from sliding around too much. The lip retains the holster pretty well (not perfect) when pulling out the gun. Even when I am using a leather OWB holster to carry my favorite carry gun, the Infidel holster remains in my car door to hold the gun while I am driving. Also means I am not holster on … holster off at every stop and go.

I am sure there are some that have rigged up special carry places in their vehicles. But this one uses somethings that I already had. In that position it is smoothly reachable by me, but also out of reach of anyone else in the car and not visible to someone who accosts you on the drivers side of the car.

 

[Muss Muggins]

While I understand the sentiment, this is not really true. Any quality safe will keep teenagers out.

I've seen teenagers have trouble getting in their car when the remote key fob battery dies . . . .

 

[rct269]

A word or two (or six or eight) about kids and guns----------------

Inquiring minds want to know. (!!!!) My guns are and have been on display in my house for over fifty years. At the point in time my son displayed interest/curiosity (age 4-5), I gave him a basic but complete primer in firearms. (My daughter could've cared less.) The basic but complete primer had an addendum: You may examine/handle any of these guns anytime you want to----as long as I'm with you. (And you go and be with him when he asks----not when your TV program is over, or you've finished the chapter in your book.) (!!!) At that point, there was no mystery---no forbidden fruit----and only occasional and moderate interest.

Not too long after that he reached the age when he began going into the homes of his friends---age 6-7---and they began coming to our home. When the guns were spotted, the eyes of the visiting crumb-crunchers grew to the size of dinner plates. They stopped dead in their tracks and stared. Son asked if they'd like to see the guns---pretty foolish question. He came and got me. I came and sat. Son asked which one they'd like to see first---retrieved it---told them what it was----told them that all guns were loaded all the time until you know different---showed them how to check the status of the gun----and asked if they'd like to hold it (another foolish question). At the end of each examination, he wiped the gun off and returned it to its resting place. The first of such episodes was followed quickly by several more-----pretty much until all the crumb-crunchers in the neighborhood had had their fill. At that point in time, there was no mystery and no forbidden fruit-----and visits to the gun cases were few and far between.

The moral to this story goes something like this: If you treat children like children, they will act like children. If you treat them like small, responsible adults they will act that way.

Chapter Next: Once upon a time, a (big time) client appeared and asked the cost to insure an IROC Z-28 Camero for his (about to be) sixteen year old son. I asked him why he didn't buy an airplane instead. He scowled and said, "He doesn't know how to fly a plane!" I told him that was okay---he didn't know how to drive that car either. Now this was a somewhat risky confrontation because this big time client spent over a million dollars a year with me. (You may have heard a song about the perils of tugging on Superman's cape!!) He scowled again, and left. He called a few weeks later and instructed me to add a VW Rabbit to his automobile contract. I laughed---and he joined in.

Any questions?!

Ralph Tremaine

 

[EnticeTheMalice]

Thanks for your detailed post. I do have a CWFL and I bought a NanoVault today to store my Shield in the car, while I'm at work.
as per your last note - my work does not allow any weapon, but my understanding was/is that my employer cannot terminate me for keeping handgun in my car in the parking lot. of course the employer can find another reason, But if I keep it quite - nobody will/should know about it anyway.

I spend 4 hours a day for commute with 75% of that time having one or two kids in the car - with all road rage I feel more safe having a gun with me.

One more question, folks. when you drive, where do you keep your gun? Still on your body holstered or you put it in a door, center console, etc... ?

Personally I prefer to carry in the appendix position. Especially when I'm in a car. It's right there in front should you ever need it. Carrying it strong side hip, behind the back or off body takes to long to get the weapon when sitting in a vehicle with a seat belt on but that's just my opinion. Try the appendix position sometime.

 

[Ron AZ]

Entice, Doesn't your seat belt go over it appendix position? I've carried appendix position a smidgeon and not especially fond of where the muzzle points any time I am seated or legs bent at the hip.

 

[EnticeTheMalice]

Entice, Doesn't your seat belt go over it appendix position? I've carried appendix position a smidgeon and not especially fond of where the muzzle points any time I am seated or legs bent at the hip.

I just put the waist part of my seat belt above the gun. You do have to sacrifice comfort some for more accessibility when carrying that way in the car. But I'd rather be a little uncomfortable to be able to deploy my weapon faster. As far as not being comfortable with where the muzzle is pointing, remember a properly holstered weapon is a safe weapon.

 

[Wyatt p. Tato]

If a gun is not left near a cell phone, video game console, computer, tablet, or television, most teens today will never see it.

 

[fomcco]

OP mentions leaving the gun in the car at the Post Office. I believe it's against Federal law to have a firearm anywhere on Postal Service property.

 

[Rastoff]

OP mentions leaving the gun in the car at the Post Office. I believe it's against Federal law to have a firearm anywhere on Postal Service property.

Yes, it's illegal to have firearm on post office property. However, if you had read what the OP said, you'd see he said, "...while I need to go to a post office...leave it in the car..." and made no mention of the car being on the property.

 

[Indynick]

Make sure you know the laws in your state. I understand in Ohio, you must have your gun on your body, or locked away. You can not travel with it in your center console or door pocket. In Michigan, as long as it is close enough to be under your control, you are OK. Center console is good, back seat is not good.

 

[supplier]

I just put the waist part of my seat belt above the gun. You do have to sacrifice comfort some for more accessibility when carrying that way in the car. But I'd rather be a little uncomfortable to be able to deploy my weapon faster. As far as not being comfortable with where the muzzle is pointing, remember a properly holstered weapon is a safe weapon.

Guys, we also have to think about car accident safety, especially in SUV, where rollover is possibility. Belt should be tight to prevent injuries. "flying" gun is a projectile itself.... I like 9 o'clock position suggestion more and more...

 

[dajogejr]

Some really great answers and advice here. Obviously, take special heed from a fellow Floridian in this post, (not me) as laws from state to state differ quite a bit.
I have a mini cage and small safe under the driver seat of my Ram. Cage is bolted in place, safe will hold two FS pistols.
If my truck is stolen and the guns are in the safe, my attorney says I'm covered. Rare I use it...but sometimes I have to.

Regarding SD ammo. I run fresh Mag through my 40c each month.
I hit the range, shoot the mag as is that I carry everyday. It's my routine, rarely do I have SD daily carry ammo in the mag more than a month old.

 

[FAS1]

as per your last note - my work does not allow any weapon, but my understanding was/is that my employer cannot terminate me for keeping handgun in my car in the parking lot. of course the employer can find another reason, But if I keep it quite - nobody will/should know about it anyway.

Many States have similar laws and there are more and more guns being stored in vehicles where people aren't allowed to carry at work. If your parking lot is not very secure you might consider a stronger box bolted into the vehicle. If you can buy enough time, the smash and grab thief will move on.