Anyone travel to California? What do you do with your CCW?

[forindooruseonly]

So, going to California next week. We are driving out in an RV with a trailer full of race bikes and tools.

According to the CA DOJ, anyone "who is not prohibited from firearm possession, and who resides or is temporarily in California, may transport by motor vehicle any handgun provided it is unloaded and locked in the vehicle’s trunk or in a locked container. Furthermore, the handgun must be carried directly to or from any motor vehicle for any lawful purpose and, while being carried must be contained within a locked container."

My question is how do you prefer to keep your CCW? Do you simply lock it in the trunk or do you keep a lockable container? I don't think we will be staying in a hotel at all, so I will probably just lock it in a storage bin with some luggage, but it brings up the question, since it can't be moved into a hotel room without a locked container and I'd hate to leave it in a car trunk overnight.

So, do you all just make sure to carry a locking case with you, or do you just leave it in the trunk?

Also, I can't bring any normal capacity magazines that hold more than ten rounds, correct? The only legal ones are grandfathered in, I think..

Thanks for whatever thoughts you have, just trying to stay legal with a stupid system.

 

[Mike in Reedley]

Lockable container can be; gun rug with a small padlock through the D ring, briefcase/satchel, or small luggage with similar lock. A small combination lock works well with all but one of the numbers set to the open code.

My mom, who didn't have a Ca. CCW, carried her pistol in an old bible case, with a small open padlock tied to the zipper D ring. Her plan was to snap the padlock shut when needed, rather than fumble with unlocking it when she needed.

 

[OKFC05]

I just did the research for a guy to get a motorcycle from LA.

GET A LOCKABLE CONTAINER, and use it like you were going on an airline as long as you are in California. Don't have any loaded magazines in the locked container. Carry the ammo in a separate container from the gun.
A banned magazine is a separate offense.

In his case, he flew, put the container with the empty gun in the motorcycle storage when riding and kept the container locked until he got to AZ where he could legally load and wear the pistol. He went through airport security in LA and retrieved his locked case without problems.

 

[dubshooter]

I carry mine just the same as I do in Arizona

Thankful for LEOSA

 

[bigwheelzip]

Not familiar with CA, but I always travel with a pair of portable gun vaults, cable locked to the car. These can get relocated easily to sleeping accommodations.

 

[Cal44]

Just keep it in a locked case. The trunk of a sedan counts as a locked case. But the console or glove box (even if it has a lock) is explicitly not allowed.

In an SUV, you should put the gun in a locked case in the back of the vehicle out of control of the driver.

Best to get a 10 round mag or two and leave the big mags at home.

Keep the ammo in a different place from the gun.

Just about any locked case will do. I use an old brief case with key locks. A lockable suitcase will work also. Same with a lockable toolbox.

If your gun is a S&W, and it came in a plastic box, the box has places for a pad lock and you can use that.

Don't get too worried about this. If you follow the few simple rules you will be OK.

I don't get stopped often, but have never had an officer ask if I had a firearm in the vehicle.

Now that I have a CCW, I would tell the officer about it, but I've never been stopped since getting my license.

 

[Capt Steve]

Traveling in our RV while armed

We have a 24' Class C motorhome and travel extensively across the country. my Arizona carry permit has reciprocity in 37 states but of course not in California.

I installed a small safe in the bottom of the closet. It is thru bolted with large flat washers. To even get at the nuts you would've to do considerable disassembly/destruction of the closet. Could someone get it out or break into it? Sure they could. Would it take more tools and time than most thieves have available.... I hope so.

My travel carry pistol of choice is the Smith MP9 C and yes it has the California compliant 10 round mags. When we leave Yuma and enter California I place the gun in the safe, unloaded and the loaded magazine resides in the glove compartment.

In the unlikely event that it is needed {road rager, critters whatever}, my bride can simply walk back to the safe, and four keystrokes later, about 2 seconds, she is giving me the gun and I will have the full magazine in hand.

My understanding of California law is this keeps us in compliance as the gun and ammo are in separate locked containers but meets my desire to have nearly instant accessibility.

 

[Voyager28]

I have a small portable bio-safe. Easy to carry around but no one can open it but me. Keeps the gun handy as a gun should be but safe from "others". I only carry revolvers so have no magazine issue.

Bob

 

[BAM-BAM]

Not familiar with Calf law .... but a suggestion...why not.....

take a single stack to avoid the hi-cap magazine issues...just take 2 for 1 vs hi-caps magazines.

 

[moralem]

I have a small portable bio-safe. Easy to carry around but no one can open it but me. Keeps the gun handy as a gun should be but safe from "others". I only carry revolvers so have no magazine issue.



Bob

Exactly what my brother does...... Small easy to carry biometric safe that he practices opening and then loading. He has a g19 and he keeps a 10 round mag on his hip. No law against that. Where their is still a will he will find a way, despite the efforts of the rulers to disarm him.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[italiansport]

This thread is probably the most compelling reason I've seen yet for the need for a universal carry permit. Just what use is a firearm that locked up and unloaded if you have the need to protect yourself?
BTW: I understand that California just passed a slew of new bizare gun laws!
Jim

 

[BaldEagle1313]

When I visit my brother in San Luis Obispo (they have a nice range nearby) I take the guns in one range bag with the D-rings padlocked, a second range bag with the ammo in it, also padlocked, and I make darn sure the standard capacity mags are left here in Washington and only have the reduced capacity ones with me.

I refuse to call a 15 round magazine for a 5903 a "hi-cap" mag - that's the standard capacity.

 

[bigl1911]

I live in California. I deal with this issue whenever I move my guns. There is letter of the law and there is reality. The reality is the proper way of carrying a firearm in the car is vague and subject to LEO point of view. In other words, a gun in a locked case should be legal, but it will not be the case if someone wants to make you suffer. Do we buy collectable guns and carry them in the original box unlocked while driving home from time to time? I am not going answer that other than to say I am not in fear of getting a ticket for it. The safest way to transport a firearm in California is in a trunk in a locked case and have the ammo in the passengers compartment smart in a locked case). The thinking behind it is the LEO doesn't want you grabbing both a mag loaded and a gun at the same time from the same place in standing position. Me? I carry my firearms in the truck in a locked case and my ammo separate not in a magazine in another locked case and I lock the truck. No one gives me a hard time in fact no one has ever given me a hard time ever. More than 10 round mags? Not a good idea but no one is looking at your mags in reality. Safest best to leave the over 10 mags home and limit your mags in cali to 10 rounds only.. There is a lot going on in Cali best to just be safe..

 

[Cal44]

BTW: I understand that California just passed a slew of new bizare gun laws!
Jim

I don't think those new gun laws impact this discussion with one big exception.

If the governor signs it (not a sure thing), then it will be illegal even possess a magazine over 10 rounds -- whether or not you bought it a long time ago.

Just leave the over 10 round mags at home when you come here.

 

[Neumann]

I see nothing in California code which prohibits a loaded magazine in the same locked container as a firearm, as long as it is not attached to or inserted into the firearm. Any citations to the contrary?

 

[Muss Muggins]

I carry mine just the same as I do in Arizona

Thankful for LEOSA

What he said ^ ^ ^ . . .

 

[Muss Muggins]

This thread is probably the most compelling reason I've seen yet for the need for a universal carry permit. Just what use is a firearm that locked up and unloaded if you have the need to protect yourself?
BTW: I understand that California just passed a slew of new bizare gun laws!
Jim

Universal carry permit? No. Nationwide Constitutional carry? Yes.

 

[apollo99]

When I travel into Kalifornia from Arizona, as I pass through the Checkpoint, I hold my breath a little. It helps to avoid the sucking feeling as all my civil rights are being stripped away. As Dubshoter said in my case thank goodness for LEOSA. I do feel for the rest of the 2A people who don't get to use that option. I only go to Kalifornia when I truly have to.

 

[Doug M.]

My general rule is to never go to California. I have been there once, for a very important reason of a professional nature. I left all of my standard capacity stuff with a friend in Reno - I was coming directly from a carbine course, so I had an AR, 50 or more PMags, a bunch of ammo, my G17 and a bunch of mags, etc. I took a G33, 2 revolvers, and a shotgun, after checking with colleagues about any issues with those. I have my retired ID and qualification cards, so I am good under LEOSA for that stuff.

1) Don't do stupid things and get stopped for them.

2) If you do get stopped, NEVER do anything dumb while stopped. A partial list of stupid things:
a) Having your seat belt off.
b) Moving around in the car to get DL, insurance, registration, etc. before the officer requests it.
c) Having your hands anywhere but in real clear sight, preferably on the wheel.
d) OPENING YOUR DOOR or trying to get out. That is a pre-assaultive cue and certain to cause really negative feedback.
e) If you become subject to enforcement action, SHUT UP. Take the ticket and then take the dispute to court.

3) NEVER consent to a search, for any reason, at any time. If you do, pay someone to administer slap therapy. You need it.

4) Make darned sure of where you are going, and a safe route. If someplace looks sketchy, it is, and you need to not be there. Leave RFN.

5) Make sure that anything consistent with firearms ownership or possession is completely out of sight. Period. No exceptions. Having nothing visible that would make a cop curious. Cops are supposed to be curious, even nosey. That is not a bug, it's a feature.

6) NEVER miss an opportunity to shut up.

 

[ContinentalOp]

When I visit CA I fly. My carry gun stays home.

If I were to drive to CA, I'd keep the unloaded gun in a locked case in the trunk. I wouldn't keep loaded mags anywhere accessible. Empty mags and ammo in boxes in the trunk. When I lived in CA that's how I traveled between home and the shooting range.

Being in a RV might bring some advantages. I'm not a lawyer, and you should definitely double check it yourself, but IIRC if you connect your RV to any utilities, like electricity, water, waste, etc., the RV becomes a domicile and not a vehicle, and the laws governing gun possession in a domicile (i.e., home, hotel room, etc.) apply. This means you should be able to keep a loaded gun handy in your RV, but only as long as your hooked up to utilities. Again, double check this before doing anything, and it's still no safeguard against getting in trouble (being legal and not getting hassled/getting into trouble are not always the same thing).