18 year old going off to college

[fem]

I'm really bothered by my 18 yr old Grandaughter going off to College this fall 150 miles away with no protection while driving to and from.

She started shooting with her Father and I when she was 8 yrs old. Shoots in CMP M-1 Garand matches with us. (last one she was 2nd place out of 25 "experienced match shooters") She outshoots her father and I in "bowling pin" matches any day of the week. Is very good with gun safety and handling of weapons and is a very stable sensible young woman.

I just don't know what to do about her having a pistol in the car. I'm pretty sure you must be 21 to own a handgun in Texas. Any thoughts or advice from the forum......Thanks fem.

 

[s&wchad]

Pepper spray (if legal).

 

[USAF385]

Don't forget.. if she's living on campus I'm sure she wont be allowed to have a gun. I'm not sure what schools generally have to say about pepper spray.

 

[Andy Griffith]

In some states, I believe, at age 18 a handgun can be possessed at home.

She just can't buy one, can't buy ammunition, can't obtain a carry permit and can't keep it in her car.
I believe in the state of Georgia, anyone less than 21 cannot posses a handgun in a motor vehicle under penalty of law. They enacted some youth law a few years ago that added this stuff.

Pepper spray for her person if legal in your state would be the best, if the only option at this time.

 

[HAWKEYE10]

I agree with Chad "Pepper Spray" One for her car and one for her purse. Don

 

[bayfisher]

Texas here. Unfortunatly pepper spray is about all she can have. handguns under 21 is a big no-no. She must be over 21 just to purchase handgun ammo. a good awareness of her surroundings and those around her are going to be a key issue that you should help her focus on.

 

[sw44spl]

A good knife will be nice to go with the pepper spray.

 

[P&R Fan]

I understand how you feel, but a thought strikes me. Any young lady who can outshoot her Dad with an M1 must be confident. That attitude will be her best quality in keeping her safe, and will hopefully ease your mind. She will be aware of her surrounding and won't look like a potential victim. That's good. I agree with the suggestion for the knife. Get her a Spyderco, they're not expensive and don't look all "tactical". Plus they're useful as heck, I use mine for something every day, but if needed I could put up a pretty good fight with it.
I'm sure she'll be fine. Now pray hard.

 

[TheHobbyist]

+2 @ P &R Fan.

 

[Grog]

Except for being on school grounds (assume that's a no-no) but a long gun in the trunk while traveling might be a good idea. It would suck to be broken down with nothing but a jack and a fire extinguisher to defend ones self (she does have a fire extinguisher with her, right?)...

P.S. I would never recommend using a fire extinguisher as a self defense weapon (or an impact weapon)

 

[GatorFarmer]

I don't live in Texas. However, thanks to the magic of google, it was easy enough to browse Texas gun laws. Looks to me that one can possess a handgun at 18. You can't buy one from a dealer, or technically the ammo. That's a Federal thing and not a new one, since it was part of the GCA '68. One can however gift handguns to those that live in the same state as they do. It also looks to be legal to carry a handgun in the glove box of your car, or otherwise concealed without a permit in TX. It's also legal to carry said gun on your person when going from your domicile to your car and back. Thus it would be a simple matter to just give her a handgun of her choice that she's comfortable with. The school may have other rules or the state laws about carrying on a college.

 

[Bat Guano]

Hopefully Gator Farmer's info is accurate. As the father of a shooting daughter (now almost 30!) I know what I did in this rural state when she went off to a wildlife camp 250 miles away at age 16. She took her G19 that she had been shooting since she was 13, under express orders to keep it well out of sight unless she really needed it, and come back the same way. She's now older, a Gunsite graduate, and she routinely travels armed. Thanks to the indulgence of our lords and masters, now she's "legal".

As a retired LEO I know full well that no one else cares about our daughters as much as we do, and nobody is going to be around to help in the middle of nowhere. There are still unsolved homicides of young women from 20 years ago in these parts. It's easier to get girls out of jail than it is out of the cemetery.

Thomas Aquinas famously observed that "an unjust law is no law" and in this case I agree. It's nice to be upstanding and law-abiding, but not at any price.