A gun in the car?

[LPD256]

When I was in high school in a farming community many years ago, people had gun racks with shotguns and rifles in their old pickup trucks at my school. Mostly unlocked. Two years ago, Deputy Robert Kunze at my local sheriff's department investigated a theft from a pickup of a Glock .40 cal in the morning. Later the same day he was shot and killed by the meth head that had stolen the gun. In my now larger community, hundreds of cars are stolen or broken into. Many guns go into the wrong hands as a result. So I'm on a mission to remind fellow legal concealed carry guys that we need to be be responsible about guns in our cars. If your car has a sticker that says Protected by S&W or NRA Member, or a personalized tag that says 44MAG, I believe your car is a likely target. I saw this photo the other day on the second anniversary of the Kunze death. Thought I'd share a little food for thought with the CCW folks on the Forum

 

[stansdds]

My vehicle displays a standard license plate, a state vehicle safety inspection window sticker, and an old, faded FOP window sticker. No other stickers or ornaments, no fancy paint job, clear coat has even faded and peeled.

 

[mgriffin]

No gun or political statements on mine or wife's vehicle. Kind of like open carry for us......why advertise?

 

[M29since14]

I had a Browning license plate frame, which I always remembered to remove whenever I drove east of Indiana. The paint started to fade and peel off, so it's hanging on a nail in the garage.

If I have a gun in my locked car overnight, car in the garage (also locked), where I live I'm pretty secure. The real problem is these ridiculous gun-free areas where one has no choice but to leave the weapon in the car. (Naturally, the single worst offender here is the federal government, which is supposed to protect and defend our rights - ALL of them. ) Pretty annoying, but I do understand your appeal. I always hate to abandon a loaded gun in a car out in public.

 

[pharmer]

I have a piece of blue duct tape and my most recent "I voted" sticker on my truck. Joe

 

[Babysitr]

In the early 70's ,, we would hunt before school and leave guns in our cars on the school lot....My how things have changed! I agree with the OP,however, we all need to take a real look into the root of these changes...

 

[jbtrucker]

No pro gun decals on my truck and firearm is holstered , carried in range bag or rifle case. I ordered Blue Line decals but seems the very efficient USPS has lost my mail again.

 

[steelslaver]

USMC sticker and a Montana Sheriffs and Peace Officer sticker on all my rigs. But, then I live in different world than most people live in. I still see guns in cars, unlocked cars, cars with the keys in them, empty cars idling in the parking lot of the store. One car actually got stolen in our county last year. Guy is sitting in the state pen too. Wasn't that long ago that they hung horse thieves around here.

 

[ContinentalOp]

Not a fan of leaving guns in cars. I do keep a small lockbox hidden/secured in my car in the unlikely event I go somewhere and have to disarm. I generally know ahead of time if guns are not allowed, in which case I leave my guns at home. In the several years I've had the lockbox in there, I think I've used it once, maybe twice.

The only stickers on my car are whatever parking permits I've needed. Don't wear any kind of gun paraphernalia, either, except for a NRA ball cap I only wear at the range to keep ejected brass from landing between my forehead and glasses, and it stays in my range bag when not being used.

 

[blues7]

Be the gray man and fly under the radar.

Like "Op", I have a safe in the 4Runner for temporary storage of a firearm if necessary.

 

[Golphin]

It was more unusual to see a truck without a gun rack and a gun than one with a gun rack in the 70's and 80's around here. I don't have any gun related or political stickers on my vehicles and never have. I only have to worry about nasty Seminole or Bulldog fans vandalizing my truck.

 

[SMSgt]

An American flag sticker on the rear window.

 

[dirty & hairy]

After becoming an amateur radio operator, someone said to me I should get a special HAM license plate the DMV offers with my call sign on it. My reply was anyone that knows your call sign can easily look up your address, not something I want to advertise while driving around.

 

[Dave from Pa]

I worked 35 years part time in two different gun shops. I was totally amazed how many people would buy something usually used and say this is my car/truck gun. That would drive me crazy! Can't count the number of times people would come back and want their serial number because the gun was stolen from their vehicle that was usually unlocked.Totally irresponsible, last one l recall was a probation officer who said he left it in the car over night while at a girlfriends. I got tired of preaching when you are not in your vehicle neither is the gun. There are rare exceptions but very few IMO.

 

[LPD256]

One more brief thought. Kids with a name on their backpack are in danger.

"Hey Brian, I'm a friend of your Mommy."

Sad commentary on our society.

 

[max503]

I don't even talk about guns at work and I stay away from people who do.

 

[2ndshift]

USMC sticker and a Montana Sheriffs and Peace Officer sticker on all my rigs. But, then I live in different world than most people live in. I still see guns in cars, unlocked cars, cars with the keys in them, empty cars idling in the parking lot of the store. One car actually got stolen in our county last year. Guy is sitting in the state pen too. Wasn't that long ago that they hung horse thieves around here.

The way it should be.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

I have never been comfortable leaving firearms in my vehicles, even when they are locked up as securely as possible. I have a small 1.8 cu. ft. office safe bolted into the floor of my truck and I keep a cable lock to secure long guns, but I really don't like to leave anything in an unattended vehicle.

However, there are quite a few places where firearms simply are not allowed (post offices, courthouses, and others), so there are times when it is necessary to lock up my pistol while I conduct some business or errand. I do so in the best manner I find reasonably possible.

There is a slippery slope in these discussions, and that is when the word "responsibility" comes into the discussion. There are those who want to make individual gun owners legally responsible for crimes committed with stolen firearms, either by criminal charges or by lawsuits. I have a problem with the concept that I should be held accountable for the criminal acts of others. Those who break into automobiles are committing crimes (here in Colorado it is a felony), and those who use stolen firearms to harm others are committing serious crimes.

My point is that the individual must be responsible, but only within a standard of reasonable and prudent behavior, not an iron-clad strict liability standard that presumes fault.

 

[steelslaver]

First its your in trouble if you leave a gun in a unlocked car, then its a locked car, then **** if its not locked up in your home, then in a approved gun safe. Then safe manufactures will have to submit a safe of every model for destructive testing. It would never ever end.

My reasonable isn't everyone else and some people the only reasonable thing is for guns to be encased in 6 of of steel reinforced concrete.

I do have a cable lock box for in the Montana cities and I do lock my cars when I visit them. Mostly my gun stays with me. During hunting season there are guns in rigs by the thousands in this state though. There are also people who will shoot you for breaking into their rig and not many county attorneys that will charge them. Why would they? They could never find a jury that would convict. In my hunting camp I sometimes leave a gun or 2 in the rack in my tent. I have a chain with a piece on one end that won't go through a welded ring on heavy wood stove (hot) then passes though the trigger guards and gets a good lock on the end. Bust the lock or the chains, or remove the trigger guards and pray nobody shows up while your doing it. You would have to know that the owner is armed. You can also figure your picture is on a game camera someplace nearby. Best of luck.

 

[WR Moore]

Somewhat off topic, but I've always been amazed at those back window stickers showing silhouettes of all the members of the family. Especially those who show a mom and a collection of kids, sometimes all little girls. Sorta of advertising for trouble.

 

[Ingramite]

Great reminder.
I still carry a pair of handcuffs only now they stay cuffed to my driver's seat rails which are bolted to the floorboard.
If and when I have to conduct business in a gun-free zone my pistol is cuffed there secured.
Even with this precaution, I'm aware that it's really not safe there. However, I have taken reasonable action to prevent theft. I'm like a cat on a hot tin roof until I retrieve it.

 

[kmyers]

Other than the license sticker which you can't get without the inspection done in TX nothing at all showing.

 

[LPD256]

I have this sticker on my car. It's Kunze's badge number. That's it. As for responsibility, it's possible to have it without liability. Although I'm not a lawyer. Investigator Herrera in Lincoln Nebraska was just killed by a 17 year old with a gun that was reported stolen. Interestingly it was stolen from his crime spree associate's mother. Can't really hold her liable for her criminal kid either I guess. But she is part of the problem in my opinion.

 

[Rob613]

I use a console safe when I am forced to leave my carry gun in the truck running errands. Looks like this...

 

[bigggbbruce]

I don't even talk about guns at work and I stay away from people who do.

Glad it's finally cooler, but we need rain..

 

[Mrnurse]

I NEVER EVER NEVER EVER Leave a weapon in the Car...it goes where ever I go, When I come home its with me to the house. Way too many scumbags BE cars for weapons. As far a Stickers like NRA or FOP I quit it 30 years ago just as stated above it might attract a BE. My Lic Plate says "HOLNHAD".... From my ER days..ie...Hole in Head.

 

[Smoke]

It's been my experience that the kind of people who need to be told it's not a good idea to keep an unsecured firearm in a vehicle usually don't listen. So I don't bother.

My car is 17 years old but the engine has been rebuilt so it runs line a top. We've had thieves break into every car in the parking lot BUT ours.

No bumper stickers of any kind, no clothing with logos, no discussion of my private life with any coworkers or neighbors or healthcare providers.

 

[Muss Muggins]

I like the ones with a blank space next to the mom that have a little arrow pointing down with "Position Available" inscribed above . . .

Somewhat off topic, but I've always been amazed at those back window stickers showing silhouettes of all the members of the family. Especially those who show a mom and a collection of kids, sometimes all little girls. Sorta of advertising for trouble.

 

[hyena]

Nothing on any of my vehicles. I have no messages I wish to communicate to my fellow motorists.

 

[bigggbbruce]

A gun in the car ?

Only when I go into the Post Office. I keep an eye on the truck while inside.